The Best of Brandy

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Slant	[9]
Stylus	(A)[10]

The Best of Brandy received generally favorable reviews from music critics.[3][9][10] Andy Kellman of AllMusic gave the compilation four and a half out of five stars and commented that "the disc is straightforward and rather thorough in its makeup, compiling almost all of Brandy's charting singles, [and] though the last two albums evidently didn't produce big singles, they're just as strong and fresh as the first two — so this set, unlike so many other anthologies from her contemporaries, hardly confirms dwindling creativity or popularity."[3] Thomas Inskeep from Stylus magazine commended that Norwood "helped soundtrack highs and lows, especially highs, with your so fresh/so clean stable of killer singles. Now that they’re collected like this, it’s like my own personal time capsule. Here’s to another decade, Brandy. As Aaliyah sang, you’re more than a woman, and the pop/R&B landscape is richer for your presence in it. Thanks."[10] He gave the album an "A" rating.[10]

In his review for Slant magazine, Sal Cinquemani criticized both Warner Music and Atlantic for "botching the promotion of her last studio album [Afrodisiac]" and Norwood's subsequent drop.[9] He was however positive with the album's track lisiting, stating: "The collection is capped off with non-album tracks like the #2 hit "Sittin' Up in My Room" and covers of Michael Jackson's "Rock with You" and Phil Collins's "Another Day in Paradise", which, though it's not exactly a labor of love for Brandy's longtime label home, makes The Best of a must-have for the hardest-core Moesha fans."[9] He rated the compilation three and a half out of five stars.[9] Less enthusiastic, Chris Taylor from MusicOMH felt that album proved that Norwood was "a fine wine that has never quite fully matured [...]The overall result is a middling collection which ultimately leaves one frequently fast-forwarding, wondering what could have been."[11]

In the United States, The Best of Brandy debuted at number 27 on the Billboard 200 and number 11 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, selling about 26,000 units in its opening week.[4] It remained five weeks within the chart and was left uncertified by the RIAA.[4] Internationally, the compilation album entered the top thirty in Australia and the United Kingdom only, where it reached number 25 and 24 respectively, but enjoyed short runs on the national albums charts.[5][6] In addition, the album reached number 92 on the European Top 100 Albums chart.[12]