“TLC’s Fanmail 25 years later”
Twenty-five years ago, American R&B/Hip-Hop female girl group TLC released their third studio album, Fanmail.
After declaring Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in 1995, the Atlanta based trio had been in radio silence after the unexpected success of their second studio album, 1994’s CrazySexyCool. The LP proved to be a breakthrough for the group, selling 10 million albums worldwide and resulting in two Grammy Awards in 1996. With all that said, much was riding on the much anticipated follow up that would serve as their prelude into the new millennium.
The album proved to be successful, debuting at #1 selling 318,000 copies in its first week and placing TLC right at the epicenter of the burgeoning new wave of R&B and pop acts such as Destiny’s Child, Britney Spears, N’SYNC, and the Backstreet Boys. Writer Danielle Brissett, in her 2019 article for Rated R&B, “How TLC’s ‘Fanmail’ Pushed the Envelope”, writes, “Serving as the much-anticipated follow-up to their blockbuster second album CrazySexyCool, the sound-altering project scored TLC another smash. FanMail debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 upon its release and spent five non-consecutive weeks atop the chart… a month after the album’s arrival, it reached platinum success, and by the following year, FanMail went six-times platinum, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).”
The title was an ode to their devoted fanbase and as an added element to the CD, a foldable poster was included with thousands of fans names included. The album sported a fresh, innovative, futuristic sound that fused together their signature groove-soaked R&B sound with slick pop beats that proved to add crossover appeal. With hits like “No Scrubs” and “Unpretty”, the group reached uncharted territory- with the former being the first time band member Rozanda “Chili” Thomas singing lead vocals on a single and the latter being one of the first time fellow band member Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins taking the lead in songwriting, as the alt-rock influenced single was adapted from one of her poems.
At the 2000 Grammy Awards, Fanmail garnered TLC a record seven nominations, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year. They ended up taking home three Grammy Awards: Best R&B Performance By A Group/Duo and Best R&B Song for “No Scrubs” and Best R&B Album.
Today, Fanmail is revered as one of the best selling albums of TLC’s career and cemented their place in 90’s pop culture. To this day, in the wake of the rise of AI, the album remains both a timely and timeless emblem. As writer Natelege Whaley in her article for Vibe writes, “whether they’re making their contact through the passenger sides of cars or down in the DMs, the personalities pointed out on the poignant album are still walking amongst us, messing with our hearts one way or another. FanMail proved that TLC was more in tune with the future than their pop peers, and will more than likely continue to be”.