What are Bryan-Michael Cox’s Best Songs?: Head to Head with Edd

Welcome back to Head to Head with Edd, where yours truly goes toe-to-toe with the superfans of the game’s biggest artists. We’ll take a look at the selected artist’s biggest hits and misses and see where we can find common ground.

If you frequent these parts often, you know we love Bryan-Michael Cox, one of R&B’s most impactful MVPs in the past 20 years. Whether it’s with his pen, his production or just his guidance, his fingerprints are all over some of the genre’s most memorable moments in the modern era. And if we’re talking B. Cox, you know I had to welcome superfan Alex Goodwin back to Soul in Stereo studios to break down his his best and brightest moments.

Usually we do a lot of arguin’ in this column but not today. This one is more of a celebration of one of R&B’s most unsung heroes.

Name the three best songs B. Cox had a hand in.

Alex:

1. Mary J. Blige, “Be Without You”

2. Usher, “Burn”

3. Usher, “Confessions Pt II”

The greatest feeling as a music lover is hearing a song for the first time that stops you dead in your tracks and makes you think “oh my God where has this been my entire life?” Whether it’s the songwriting, production, or vocals, something about that track captivates you in such a way it feels like time stands still. In the case of “Be Without You” that feeling comes rushing back each time I press play even 15 years after the song’s release. 

Edd:

1. Usher, “U Got It Bad”

2. Jagged Edge, “Promise”

3. Usher, “Confessions Pt 1”

“U Got It Bad” doesn’t grab as many headlines as Usher’s bigger hits but in my eyes, it’s one of the best songs he’s ever recorded. Gun to my head, maybe THE best. Controversial, I know, but here are the two biggest factors for that claim – the storytelling and the production. Great R&B is so much more than repetitive BANGERZ or snoozy VIBEZ, its emotional storytelling that connects with the listener. Those are the songs that describe Bryan Michael-Cox’s best work, with “Promise” and “Confessions Part 1” (STILL superior to part 2, if you ask me) not far behind.

What’s the best album Cox was a part of?

Alex: Usher, Confessions

For the better part of 15 years, each time there are rumblings of Usher releasing a new album  all fans want to know is “does it sound like Confessions?” We’re hoping he recaptures the magic of his career-defining diamond selling work.  When we listen to Confessions nearly two decades later we remember  where we were when we first heard it, how our memories are attached to the music, and all of the Love and Hip Hop Atlanta drama surrounding Usher and Chili.  Once you whittle away all of the melodrama and speculation about if Usher had a side baby, this album was phenomenal. B. Co  is one of the reasons this album is so well regarded, having produced the classic singles  “Burn” and “Confessions Part II.” After years of producing hits with little public fanfare, his work on Confessions made him the most in-demand producer in R&B. 

Edd: Usher, Confessions

For nearly 20 years, Confessions has reigned as the pinnacle of modern R&B. Do I think it’s the BEST R&B album since 2000? Nah – that’s a debate for another day. But I do think it’s by far the most influential, and, as Alex said, so much of that is due to Cox’s contributions. The songwriting resonates. The production still stands the test time. There’s a reason y’all are STILL begging for that Confessions 2 album (tick tock, Usher, tick tock…), it’s because of the history B. Cox and company made here.

And what’s the most underrated album he assisted?

Alex: Day26

It’s hard to call an album underrated when it went #1 on the Billboard 200, but this album has been forgotten largely as music tastes shifted in the early 2010s.  But make no mistake this album was full of smokers. B. Cox alongside collaborators Aion Clarke, Adonis, and Kendrick Dean wrote and produced nearly half of this 15 track set including the group’s signature tracks “Got Me Going,” “Exclusive,” “Are We in This Together,” and “Since You’ve Been Gone.” Any true fan of B. Cox knows how he put he laced the Making the Band 4 alums with some of his best production post-Confessions. 

Edd: Jagged Edge, Hard

Hard is by far JE’s most underrated album and it’s not surprising that B. Cox’s pen blessed some of its most overlooked tracks. “Walked Outta Heaven,” “I Don’t Wanna,” “Visions” – it’s an incredible array of songs tailor-made for JE’s style. I consider it the group’s second best album and everything still holds up extremely well today.

Which artists benefited the most from B. Cox’s sound?

Alex: Jagged Edge

I think this answer is an obvious one: Jagged Edge by a mile. There are just some artists that are synonymous with their producers. So think, Brandy and Rodney Jerkins, Amerie and Rich Harrison, or even Justin Timberlake and Timbaland. The chemistry between the artist and their producer is comparable to a perfect marriage. Simply, Brandon and Brian Casey along with Brian-Michael Cox’s chemistry are unmatched. B. Cox is responsible for the trademark JE sound, which produced the classic JE Heartbreak album, and propelled him from Noontime intern to one of the best up and coming producers in R&B.  With Brandon and Brian writing the tracks and B. Cox behind the boards, Jagged Edge had a stranglehold on the airwaves in the early aughts with hits like “Promise,” “He Can’t Love U,” “Let’s Get Married,” and “Where The Party At,” to name a few.

Edd: Jagged Edge

Yeah, playa, this is a no brainer. Some artists just have instant chemistry with a producer and the B-Cox/JE marriage was made in R&B heaven. Much has been said about the JE “sound” in recent years – basically, that it wore out its welcome – but I’d offer this: it’s a sound that in nearly every case always WORKED. It’s hard to argue a successful formula, and B. Cox gets a lot of that credit.

What’s the most underrated B. Cox track?

Alex: Aaliyah, “Come Over”

One of the biggest travesties of Aaliyah’s music not being on streaming platforms is younger fans like myself having to search far and wide to access her music. Luckily I happened upon this gem after her catalog was finally made its way to streaming services last fall.  Written and produced alongside Johnta Austin, Jazze Pha and Kevin Hicks and originally recorded for her third album and eventually released on her posthumous album this track hits all the right notes (and has some phenomenal background vocals from Tank).

Edd: Lil Mo, “4ever”

Y’all slept so let me put you on game: Early ‘00s Lil Mo was a FORCE. “Superwoman Part 2” gets all the attention but the lead single from her underrated sophomore set Meet the Girl Next Door is even better than her Ms Marvel remix. JE doesn’t have the monopoly on upbeat wedding reception bangers, you know; B. Cox crafted another party starter that’s still a welcome edition to any nuptial ceremony.

Name a track you were surprised to learn that B. Cox produced.

Alex: Bow Wow, “Bounce With Me”

One of the worst byproducts of music going completely digital is fans lost the experience of reading liner notes and being pleasantly surprised by who produced, wrote, or performed background vocals on their favorite albums. Let’s just say 7 year old me was quite surprised to find out that the same guy who did the majority of the Jagged Edge jams which were dominating the radio at the time also produced my favorite rap song at the time. 

Edd: Jadakiss, “ME”

Maybe I already knew it and forgot but I was shocked/flabbergasted/mind-blown when I learned while researching stuff for this post that Cox produced Jadakiss’ 2020 single “Me.” That Peabo Bryson sample is hotter than 10 billion supernovas and Kiss absolutely lays waste to the beat. Gives me legit chills every time it pops up on my playlist and is one of my favorite flips in recent memory. I know we’re mostly speaking about B Cox’s legendary R&B run on this post but please don’t sleep on his rap hits.

Which young artist should Cox work with next?

Alex: Queen Naija

Queen Naija’s music has really struck a chord with R&B fans over the past few years as her passionate vocals and vulnerable songwriting nostalgic feeling of the glory days of 90s-2000’s R&B.  Having seen what B. Cox can do when he works with strong female vocalists I believe he can definitely give Queen Naija some heat.

Edd: ALLUM

Can I say EVERYBODY? Because the answer really needs to be everybody. Just look at the recent magic he made with Ari Lennox. I was already a fan of her work but Cox’s work on her latest “Pressure” made it one of my favorite releases of 2021. My frustration with many young artists is that they have raw, untapped talent that just needs direction and refinement. Cox is an expert at helping artists develop a consistent, unique sound, so they’re not just all interchangeable clones. I could name 25 artists that deserve Cox’s guidance so I’ll put it like this – if you haven’t worked with the man yet, make it a priority. ImmeJiately!  

Which artist do you wish Cox worked with more?

Alex: Chris Brown

One of the biggest issues with Chris Brown’s music over the past half-decade is despite producing hit singles as easily as you or I blink,  he’s failed to consistently put together good cohesive albums. Recently  Breezy’s given us albums full of filler with a run time longer than the altar prayer at your grandmother’s church. B.Cox’s work on Chris Brown’s first two albums produced some of my favorite Breezy tracks “Winner”, “Throwed”, and “Say Goodbye.” I’m fairly confident he could help Chris get back on the right track.

Edd: Cousin Chris Brown

Alex nailed this one. It’s obvious that my Cousin Chris’ stardom has only grown in the past decade, but that came at a severe cost. Seriously, when was the last time you loved a Chris Brown album? NO, I don’t mean you liked five songs out of a 40-track playlist, when was the last time you enjoyed a project top to bottom? I can tell you – it was during his early years when he was working closely with Cox. Having a veteran producer in the room could give Breezy the focus to deliver more of the quality that defined his early years. B. Cox’s track record is impeccable – those two need to make magic again.

Who are you riding with, Alex or Edd? Let us know whom you agreed with and share your own B. Cox thoughts below.