After 7 is an American R&B group founded in 1987 by brothers Melvin and Kevon Edmonds, and their friend Keith Mitchell. The Edmonds brothers are the older siblings of pop/R&B singer-songwriter and record producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, who named the group and helped them get a record deal with Virgin Records in 1988. After 7 released their platinum-selling self-titled debut album in 1989, which spawned three singles "Heat of the Moment", "Ready or Not" and "Can't Stop". "Ready or Not" and "Can't Stop" were No. 1 R&B hits and top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Their second album Takin' My Time, released in 1992, also went platinum and contained the R&B hit medley "Baby, I'm for Real/Natural High". After 7's Gold-selling 1995 album Reflections was their last album before the group disbanded in 1997. The album included the R&B hit "'Til You Do Me Right. Years later the group resumed touring with Jason Edmonds, son of Melvin Edmonds, replacing his father. Melvin rejoined the group for their successful 2016 comeback album Timeless, which featured 3 adult R&B top 10 hits "Runnin' Out", "I Want You" and "Let Me Know".
History
1977-1987: Early beginnings and formation
Marvin Edmonds Sr. and Barbara Edmonds of Indianapolis, Indiana had six sons: Marvin Jr., Melvin, Michael, Kevon, Kenneth and Derek.
By the late 1980s, the Edmonds' younger brother Babyface had built a successful career singing, writing and producing. He invited Melvin, Kevon and Keith out to Los Angeles, named them After 7, and got them a record deal with Virgin Records.
1988-1997: Career success
After 7 released their self-titled debut album in August 1989. The album was mostly written and produced by Babyface and L.A. Reid. The album was certified platinum and produced three singles "Heat of the Moment", "Ready or Not" and "Can't Stop" and two other charting songs "One Night" and "My Only Woman". "Ready or Not" and "Can't Stop" were both No. 1 R&B hits and reached No. 7 and No. 6 respectively on the Billboard Hot 100.
After 7's second album Takin' My Time was released in August 1992. The album is notable for being their only album without any songs produced by Babyface and L.A. Reid, who were focused on developing other artists. Instead, they contribute as writers, with Reid co-writing the songs "Can He Love U Like This" and "G.S.T.", and Babyface writing "Truly Something Special" and "Love by Day/Love by Night". The production was handed over to Daryl Simmons & Kayo, who co-produced and co-wrote many of the songs on their debut album.
Reflections is the third and last studio album by After 7 before the group split. The album reunited them with producer Babyface and L.A. Reid. They also enlisted the production talents of Babyface protegés Jon B. and Keith Andes as well as newcomers The Boom Brothers. Reflections is the first After 7 album on which the members of the group are credited as both songwriters and executive producers. The album included the R&B top 5 hit "'Til You Do Me Right.
! style="width:30px;"| US<br>R&B<br>
! style="width:30px;"| NZ<br>
|-
|| 1989
| style="text-align:left;"| After 7
- Release date: August 22, 1989
- Label: Virgin
| 35
| 3
| 124
| 35
| style="text-align:left;"|
- US: Platinum
|-
|| 1992
| style="text-align:left;"| Takin' My Time
- Release date: August 25, 1992
- Label: Virgin
| 76
| 8
| 196
| —
| style="text-align:left;"|
- US: Platinum
! style="width:30px;"| NZ<br>
|-
| rowspan="2" |1989
| style="text-align:left;"| "Heat of the Moment"
| 19
| 5
| 107
| 28
| 87
| style="text-align:left;"|
| rowspan="5" style="text-align:left;"| After 7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Don't Cha' Think"
| —
| 25
| —
| —
| —
| style="text-align:left;"|
|-
| rowspan="3" |1990
| style="text-align:left;"| "Ready or Not"
| 7
| 1
| —
| —
| —
| style="text-align:left;"|
- US: Gold
| rowspan="4" style="text-align:left;"| Reflections
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Damn Thing Called Love"
| —
| 33
| —
| 38
| —
| style="text-align:left;"|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1996
| style="text-align:left;"| "How Do You Tell the One"
| —
| 60
| —
| —
| —
| style="text-align:left;"|
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "I Like It Like That"
| —
| —
| 46
| —
| —
| style="text-align:left;"|
|-
| 1997
| style="text-align:left;"| "Sara Smile"
| —
| 31
| 99
| —
| 130
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| The Very Best of After 7
|-
| 2015
| align="left" | "I Want You"
| —
| 6
| —
| —
| —
|
| rowspan="5" style="text-align:left;"|Timeless
|-
| 2016
| align="left" | "Let Me Know"
| —
| 6
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |2017
| align="left" | "Runnin' Out"
| —
| 3
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Too Late"
| —
| 8
| —
| —
| —
| style="text-align:left;"|
|-
| 2018
| style="text-align:left;"| "If I"
| —
| 8
| —
| —
| —
| style="text-align:left;"|
|-
| rowspan=3|2021
| style="text-align:left;"| "Bittersweet"
| —
| 8
| —
| —
| —
|
| rowspan=3 style="text-align:left;"|Unfinished Business
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "No Place Like You"
| —
| 11
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Tomorrow Can Wait"
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
| colspan="16" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
|}
; Notes
- Did not chart on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart (Billboard rules at the time prevented album cuts from charting). Chart peak listed represent the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.
- "Ready or Not," "Can't Stop" and "Nights Like This" charted on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart as well, reaching No. 7, No. 23, and No. 36 respectively.
- Did not chart on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Chart peak listed represent the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart. These singles charted on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart as well, reaching No. 29, No. 38, No. 24, No. 41 and No. 36 respectively.