Jeffrey Osborne - 20th Century Masters: The Best Of Jeffrey Osborne (2022)

Jeffrey Osborne's edition of 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection is an excellent summary of the smooth quiet storm singer's peak period -- namely, the years between 1982 and 1988, when he was constantly turning out hits for A&M records. The biggest of these hits -- "On the Wings of Love," "Stay With Me Tonight," "Don't You Get So Mad," "You Should Be Mine," and "She's on the Left" among them -- helped make him one of the most popular R&B singers of his era, and they remain some of the classiest, best urban soul of its era; they've aged remarkably well, thanks in part to the polished production, but mainly thanks to Osborne's supple voice. There may be more extensive compilations on the market -- such as 1999's Ultimate Collection on Hip-O -- but this provides a sweet, succinct, satisfying summary of his solo peak. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine