Rhino
's 2002 compilation
The Best of Anita Baker
contains all of her hits -- both the
pop
crossovers and songs that were big only on the
R&B
charts. Many of these songs are presented in their single edits, not the album versions, which is a plus, since these are the versions that were played on the radio. Although it is true that nothing
Anita Baker
did was ever as sublime as
Rapture
, she did continually turn out fine
adult contemporary
and
urban soul
ballads
throughout the late '80s and early '90s, all of which are here, making this not just a good summary/introduction, but a nice disc of highlights for those searching for more than
. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine