Tender Lover was released on July 30, 1989 and it was the second studio album released by Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. Some would argue this was his debut project due to the fact his first studio album, Lovers, was released in 1986 while he was only taking a break from his group, The Deele. Nonetheless, a changing of the guard was taking place with the sound of black/urban music. The R&B genre was being infused with a new sound called ‘New Jack Swing’ developed and introduced by a young producer named Teddy Riley and Babyface himself.