Growing Pains
by Mary J. Blige
  • Record Label: Geffen
  • Release Date: Dec 18, 2007
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 33 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 33
  3. Negative: 3 out of 33

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  1. Vas
    Dec 30, 2007
    7
    Sad... The album (at least some songs off it) is pop rnb like Ne-yo. There is even one europop song! MJB's voice clearly deserves much better then this one.
  2. [Anonymous]
    Jan 4, 2008
    10
    This album is great from start to finish. I can't take it out of the cd player. the more I listen to it the more I actually listen to the words. A lot of the songs i can relate too.
  3. DillonH.
    Mar 4, 2008
    9
    excellent album. but on track 2 she sounds constipated. other than that great grl
  4. AnastasiaP.
    Jan 3, 2008
    10
    Absolutely Fabulous!!! I Love It!!
  5. Fez
    Feb 18, 2008
    10
    This is the best, let Alicia have a rest with her album with 4 hits, this CD has all the hits to rptate the radio in 2008.
  6. ericd.
    Dec 21, 2007
    9
    I missed old school Mary J. this album is awesome! Blige cut away from thinking she's the best r&b soul singer in the world this time. it sounds like she's having more fun with it now. this album makes me remember why i fell in love with her 13yrs ago! if you own any mary j blige albums you need to own this one!
  7. Antoinew
    Dec 21, 2007
    10
    This album is so hottt. she did it again. she manage 2 put a lil feel of every album and even where she is now plus cater 2 da new fans all in 1 album. wow. only mary j blige.
  8. KennyH.
    Dec 20, 2007
    10
    WOOW.. this album is sooo great! meaningful lyric and some good-feel songs made this album one of the best of 2007! Maybe even better than the breakthrough.
  9. JanisS.
    Dec 28, 2007
    10
    Best thing released in R&B this year!!!
  10. MarkP.
    Dec 25, 2007
    10
    MJB can do no wrong, naturally. 'Growing Pains' is good from beginning to end.
  11. cjones93
    Dec 9, 2013
    10
    Growing Pains was over all a plus album for Mary J Bilge with an mid temp slow groove vibes with a constant up flowing beats that Mary's seems to nail often. I will place this album up there in Mary's top 3 albums.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    75
    So in the end, it's just Mary: a superstar, clearly, but also a woman still in the process of finding herself. Even if that means she's imperfect (and, yes, a little preachy), at least it feels real.
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  2. Rolling Stone
    70
    Growing Pains is an edgier record than "The Breakthrough," but Blige has definitely lost or just outgrown the brassy urgency of her twenties.
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  3. Slant Magazine
    60
    She keeps her most salable characteristic, her emotiveness, under duress, which provides tension but no release.
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