In My Songs

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[3]
Los Angeles Times	[4]
PopMatters	7/10[5]

AllMusic editor Andy Kellman wrote that the album "delivers almost exactly what any fan expects" with "something for every mood" and no guest appearances to get in the way, and noted that even the midtempo club tracks and stately testimonies "either match or beat the mostly just-fine ballads," concluding that while LeVert "never made an outright classic album," his body of work "amounts to a great legacy."^[2] Natalie Nichols from The Los Angeles Times found that In My Songs reaffirmed Levert's strength as an R&B auteur, blending a "charismatic" and "down-to-earth passion" with mature themes of love and relationships, and while sometimes lacking subtlety, it felt "refreshingly real."^[4] PopMatters editor Mike Joseph wrote that In My Songs was a "solid, dependable album" of "grown folks music" that stayed true to his established sound, and while it didn’t reinvent his style and sometimes repeated familiar ideas, it served as a "fitting finale" to his career.^[5]

Writing for Entertainment Weekly, Simon Vozick-Levinson felt that In My Songs would have been a "solid addition" to Levert's catalog regardless of his death, highlighting his "satin-smooth voice" on slow jams and tasteful uptempo tracks, and calling it "a more fitting memorial" to his too-short life.^[3] Washington Post's Sarah Godfrey wrote that In My Songs showcased Levert's "ability to connect contemporary and old-school soul," blending "classic R&B vocals with modern touches," and highlighted his "witty, vulnerable lyricism" on the title track, while "updated production keeps the album current," making it "a fitting final statement" of his era-straddling artistry.^[6] New York Times critic Kelefa Sanneh wrote that In My Songs was a "modest but well-made album" that reflected his "old-fashioned" and reliable style, and while some songs blended together, at its best it portrayed relationships honestly, making it a "fitting bookend" to his career.^[7]

In My Songs opened and peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200 with 165,000,^[8] Levert's highest charting album ever and his best sales week since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking data in 1991.^[9] The album also reached the top of Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.^[10]

Notes

• ^{^[A]} denotes additional producer

Sample credits

• "DJ Don't" contains a replayed sample from "Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)" as performed by Snoop Dogg, cNate Dogg, Warren G, and Kurupt.^[12]
• "Hang in There" contains re-sung lyrics from "Cry for You", as performed by Jodeci.^[13]
• "M'Lady" contains samples from the recording "Let's Spend Some Time" as performed by Slave.^[14]