Top 10 Brandy Songs

Brandy - full name, Brandy Norwood - is a singer who helped set the mold for what a teen pop star should be. Born in 1979, she appeared in the ABC sitcom Thea as a youngster, but her big break came in 1994 with the release of her self-titled debut album. The well-crafted collection of songs was a hit, and the precocious young singer with the Kewpie-doll face and yards of braids found herself a star at the tender age of 15.

The singer then added more acting credits to her resume. She was the lead in the successful UPN comedy Moesha, and starred in the 1997 Disney telefilm Cinderella, which was one of the biggest hits on the air that year. In 1998, Brandy released her much-anticipated sophomore album, Never Say Never. In 2002, her third album, Full Moon, was released, with her fourth effort, Afrodisiac, following two years later.

Over the years, Brandy has crafted dozens of memorable songs. It's not a stretch to say that hers was the sound that came to define early-'90s R&B. But which hits are the best of the best? Here are my picks:

Song: "I Wanna Be Down"
Album: Brandy
Why It Rocks: Released in 1994, this was Brandy's first hit, and it remains one of her best. Brandy was a mere 15 when the track was released, and it offers a portrait of a girl wrestling with a puppy love laced with something more mature and grown-up. Its understated sound, with little more than an 808 drum and a bass groove, was a major influence on the R&B music of that era. A classic.

Song: "Brokenhearted"
Album: Brandy
Why It Rocks: This ballad tells of a heart that's been crushed by love, and there are few other tracks that convey the angst of teen romance gone wrong with such compelling urgency. Whether you're 16 or 65, this track will tug at your heartstrings.

Song: "The Boy Is Mine"
Album:Never Say Never
Why It Rocks: This track finds Brandy sparring with fellow teen pop queen Monica for the affections of a man. Both singers deliver great performances, and the song was one of the biggest hits of the year in 1998.

Song: "Almost Doesn't Count"
Album: Never Say Never
Why It Rocks: Brandy touches more grown-up territory on this ballad, which was equal parts adult-contemporary and R&B. Her voice is in fine form on this track, and the song is well-written and well-produced.

Song: "Baby"
Album: Brandy
Why It Rocks: This loping mid-tempo groove with the fat bassline was hard to resist, and turned out to be a huge hit for Brandy. It still sounds current more than a decade after its release.

Song: "What About Us?"
Album: Full Moon
Why It Rocks: One of the singer's more adverturous efforts, this track gives us a different Brandy - one with an attitude and a deep, low voice to match. It was produced by hitmaker Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, and sounds both classic and futuristic at the same time.

Song: "Full Moon"
Album: Full Moon
Why It Rocks: This smooth, polished track is a perfect match for Brandy's elegant vocal style. It's thick with yearning, but conveys desire in a way that's never less than refined.

Song: "Afrodisiac"
Album: Afrodisiac
Why It Rocks: This song, from the singer's shamefully overlooked fourth album, is bouncy and sexy, a perfect marriage of a sterling vocal performance and cutting-edge production. A standout.

Song: "Who Is She 2 U"
Album: Afrodisiac
Why It Rocks: Brandy confronts her man about the other woman on this sharp track. She was going through a painful breakup at the time (she'd split from the father of her son), and many speculated that the bitterness heard in her vocal delivery was the real deal.

Song: "Talk About Our Love"
Album: Afrodisiac
Why It Rocks: Brandy teamed up with rapper and producer Kanye West to turn out this soulful gem. It was Afrodisiac's lead single, and is one of the album's stronger tracks.