Let's be honest for a second. If you grew up anywhere near a radio in the late 90s, you couldn't escape that voice. It was everywhere. It was the sound of grocery store aisles, dentist waiting rooms, and very specific, high-drama wedding receptions. I’m talking about Michael Bolton, the man whose vocal cords seemingly operated on a higher voltage than the rest of humanity. While he had a decade of massive hits behind him by 1997, there is one song that sort of stands as the final boss of his power-ballad era: Michael Bolton The Best of Love.
Most people think of Bolton as the "When a Man Loves a Woman" guy or the long-haired crooner from the "Said I Loved You... But I Lied" video. But "The Best of Love" is a weirdly fascinating case study in late-90s pop production. It wasn't just another cover; it was an original collaboration with Babyface. Yeah, that Babyface. The king of R&B smoothness meets the king of the "I’m-singing-so-hard-my-soul-might-leave-my-body" belt. It shouldn't have worked, but somehow, it became the definitive bookmark for an entire chapter of adult contemporary music.
The Babyface Connection: Why Michael Bolton The Best of Love Was Different
When Michael Bolton went into the studio for his 1997 album All That Matters, he was at a crossroads. The massive multi-platinum peaks of Time, Love & Tenderness were a few years in the rearview mirror. Grunge had happened. Boy bands were starting to eat the charts alive. He needed something that felt fresh but didn't lose that signature "Bolton-ness."
Enter Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.
Babyface was the Midas of the 90s. He had just come off massive successes with Toni Braxton and Eric Clapton. He brought a certain restrained, melodic discipline to the table. If you listen closely to Michael Bolton The Best of Love, you can hear that tug-of-war. Babyface wants the song to breathe; Michael wants to blow the roof off the building. The result is a track that starts surprisingly quiet—well, quiet for Michael—before descending into that glorious, over-the-top finish we all secretly love.
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Breaking Down the Track
The song was released as a single in late 1997 and served as a lead-in for his compilation projects later on. It’s got all the hallmarks:
- A shimmering, high-gloss production that sounds like a million dollars (literally, the studio time probably cost that much).
- Those signature Bolton ad-libs where he hits notes that make dogs three neighborhoods over perk up their ears.
- Lyrics that are, let’s face it, basically a Hallmark card on steroids.
But here’s the thing: it worked. It hit the Top 5 on the Adult Contemporary charts because it gave the audience exactly what they wanted. It was comfort food in musical form.
The Compilation Confusion: Where Does It Actually Live?
If you go looking for this song today, you’ll find it on about a dozen different "Greatest Hits" or "Love Songs" collections. This is where casual fans get tripped up. While it originated on the All That Matters studio album, it has since become the title track—or at least the centerpiece—of several budget-line compilations and international releases.
Essentially, if a CD has "Michael Bolton" and "Love" in the title, there is a 99% chance this song is on it. Sony Music knew they had a perennial wedding favorite on their hands, and they have licensed the living daylights out of it ever since.
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Why Critics Hated It (And Why They Were Wrong)
It's no secret that music critics in the 90s treated Michael Bolton like a punching bag. They called him "over-the-top" and "histrionic." They hated the hair. They hated the grit in his voice. But looking back from 2026, there’s an authenticity to Michael Bolton The Best of Love that’s actually pretty rare now.
Before the era of aggressive Auto-Tune and "whisper-singing" on TikTok, you actually had to sing. Bolton’s technique—that raspy, high-tenor power—is incredibly difficult to pull off. He was singing in a tessitura that would wreck most vocalists in a week. Whether you like the style or not, the sheer technical skill required to execute a song like "The Best of Love" is undeniable.
The Cultural Longevity of the "Bolton Sound"
You’ve probably seen the Lonely Island "Jack Sparrow" video. It’s hilarious, sure, but it also proved something: Michael Bolton is a good sport with a massive legacy. He knows exactly what his brand is. He is the guy who sings about love with 150% intensity.
"The Best of Love" remains a staple because it captures a very specific emotion. It’s not subtle. It’s not "cool." It’s a full-throated declaration. In a world of ironic detachment, there is something kind of refreshing about a song that just goes for it.
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How to Actually Enjoy Michael Bolton The Best of Love Today
If you want to revisit this track, don't just listen to it through tiny phone speakers. This is "big" music.
- Find the 1997 Original: The remastering on some later "Best Of" sets can be a bit loud. The original All That Matters mix has a bit more dynamic range.
- Watch the Music Video: It is a time capsule of 90s lighting, soft focus, and dramatic hand gestures. It’s essential viewing to understand the "vibe."
- Listen for the Guitar Work: People forget that Michael started in hard rock (his band Blackjack even opened for Ozzy Osbourne). Even in his pop ballads, the guitar arrangements are usually top-tier, often featuring session legends like Dann Huff.
Actionable Insights for the Soul Provider Fan
If you're looking to build the ultimate Michael Bolton playlist or just want to dive deeper into this specific era of his career, here’s how to navigate it:
- Check the Credits: Look for songs co-written by Diane Warren or produced by Walter Afanasieff. If you like "The Best of Love," those are the collaborators who shaped that specific wall-of-sound ballad style.
- Don't Sleep on the B-Sides: Songs like "Go the Distance" (from Disney's Hercules) were recorded around the same time and share that same soaring vocal DNA.
- The Live Experience: If you ever get a chance to see him live, do it. Even in his 70s, the man’s control over his "power" notes is a masterclass in vocal longevity.
Michael Bolton The Best of Love isn't just a song; it's the peak of a specific kind of 90s romanticism. It’s loud, it’s proud, and it’s unashamedly sentimental. Sometimes, that’s exactly what the speakers need.