For '90s kids, Mandy Moore became another staple in the flurry of teen pop stars that emerged just before the millennium. Between Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Jessica Simpson (not to mention all those boy bands), the bubblegum pop scene was bursting with fresh talent. And Mandy Moore was no exception.

The singer-songwriter and actress' debut album, So Real, came in under the wire in 1999. Meanwhile, Britney and Christina had already had a running head start with their respective hit albums and No. 1 singles. Still, Mandy made her mark. "Candy," the album's earworm of a lead single, put up a fight against the most infectious hooks on the radio at the time. Who wasn't singing "I'm craving for you, I'm missing you like candy" into the '00s? To be honest, who wouldn't still sing along to it now?

But it was Mandy's transition into something a little more singer-songwriter, folk-pop/alternative in the second half of the 2000s that revealed the true artist behind the bubblegum machine. Trading her own lyrics for the cookie-cutter Radio Disney-ready choruses she once sang, Mandy took control of her music and released some of the undeniably best tunes of the decade.

Now starring in the NBC dramedy This Is Us, Mandy has expressed her eagerness to return to her musical renaissance and drop her long overdue follow-up to 2009's superb Amanda Leigh. While we wait, let's look back on the six albums she has released to date.

Sure, Mandy's discography wasn't as successful and isn't as celebrated as that of her teen pop peers. And she's basically disowned her early work, going so far as to refund a fan his money for her first album on TRL. But that doesn't mean it's presently no less catchy or worthy of praise.

From her humble beginnings as a bleach blonde teen queen to her even humbler present as an artist reclaiming her sound, her discography gets better with each outing. Take it from an undying fan who once took her album in for show and tell in the first grade: This is the definitive ranking of Mandy Moore's studio albums.

6. "I Wanna Be With You" (2000)

Essentially a repackaging of 1999's debut, I Wanna Be With You featured five mostly forgettable new tracks among remixes and selects from So Real. However, it was marketed as her second studio effort, despite not building onto her previous album or carving a distinct personality for Mandy. I wanna be with... who?

We didn't get to know the teen behind the tunes on I Wanna Be With You any more than we did with her inaugural era. For all intents and purposes, this was a victory lap for the record label. And it mostly worked, as the title track became her highest-charting single on the Hot 100, peaking at No. 24. While still charming---hey, it's Mandy, after all---album two isn't her best. (And I think she would agree.)

Standout tracks: "I Wanna Be With You," "Want You Back, "The Way To My Heart"

5. "So Real" (1999)

"Innocence is what I got" are the first words Mandy sings on her debut album, and it's abundantly clear how Epic wanted her to appear to the public (and it's not far off from the persona she'd later play in A Walk To Remember). Where Britney and Christina were baring midriffs on magazine covers and singing innuendo, Mandy competed with Jessica to serve that wholesome goodness.

On So Real, she doesn't veer too far off course from what was popular in 1999. The team behind the voice and image didn't seek to do much more than to produce hits, and that's what they did. There are tons of them here, some that still bang just as hard as they did nearly 20 years ago. So Real didn't reinvent the pop wheel or even add a new cog, but for what it is, it's rather pristine pop and a perfect introduction to Mandy's vocal talent.

Standout tracks: "So Real," "Candy," "What You Want," "Walk Me Home," "I Like It"

4. "Coverage" (2003)

Already plotting her course toward a less manufactured sound, Mandy assumed creative control over her fourth album and took a sharp left turn away from chasing pop trends. Coverage, a collection of covers of songs from the 1970s and 1980s, made the old new again. Even though the songs predated Mandy's music by decades, she and her producer John Fields made them palatable for the 2003 pop-rock scene.

Finally, Mandy feels comfortable singing her songs and her comfort translates to the listener. With Coverage, her deftly crafted transition album, Mandy opened the door to writing her music and creating something she could be proud of. Listen to her belt out "I Feel the Earth Move" and know that she was about to make her own world move.

Standout tracks: "The Whole of the Moon," "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters," "Drop the Pilot," "Have A Little Faith In Me"

3. "Mandy Moore" (2001)

While Coverage might be the better album, Mandy's first self-titled album stands as her best pop album. With the tiniest margin, Mandy Moore sneaks past her cover album. Coming off of 2000's bummer I Wanna Be With You, Mandy came in hot with the Middle Eastern-inspired "In My Pocket," and it was clear we were in a whole new era.

Where her previous album played it safe, her third album took sonic risks by trying sounds that her contemporaries wouldn't flirt with until trop-pop gained popularity in the mid-'10s. Even though the album boasts a single songwriting credit from its singer, the music feels more personal if by way of Mandy connecting with the material more closely. It expanded the scope of her subject matter while staying true to her age. Admit it: "Crush" still holds up.

Standout tracks: "In My Pocket," "Saturate Me," "17," "Crush," "Turn the Clock Around"

2. "Amanda Leigh" (2009)

Amanda Leigh, her second self-titled album, couldn't differ from her 2001 eponymous effort more if it tried. These songs are all a product of its artist. She co-wrote every word and melody, making the album an experience rather than run for chart success. For the first time, Mandy feels confident and in command of her craft---if lead single "I Could Break Your Heart Any Day of the Week" has anything to say about it.

With beautiful lyrics and vocals telling stories about love, loss, and regret, Mandy strips her music down to its most natural and personal core. It's interesting that "personal" could be used to describe both of her self-titled albums. Except with Amanda Leigh, she uses her given first and middle names rather than her nickname. She's taking off her pop mask and showing her listeners who she really is.

Standout tracks: "Fern Dell," "I Could Break Your Heart Any Day of the Week," "Sound About Home," "Bug"

1. "Wild Hope" (2007)

There's no chance that I can speak objectively about Wild Hope, though it is without a doubt objectively Mandy Moore's best body of work. To casually mention that I love this album would be the understatement of the century. This album changed my life. If not because I got to know one of my childhood-favorite artists a little bit better, but because for me, it was one of those albums that came out at the right time.

And it came out at the right time for Mandy, too. Four years removed from Coverage, Mandy built on the progress she began to chip away at with her collection of covers. Wild Hope revealed a pop star at her most vulnerable. She knew it was the right move for her career, and despite not being completely confident, that insecurity added to the sophisticated introspection of the album. Getting real---so real---healed Mandy, and in turn, her fans.

Standout tracks: "Extraordinary," "Most of Me," "Can't You Just Adore Her?," "Gardenia" "Swept Away"

Which Mandy Moore album is your favorite? What song can't you get out of your head? Are you ready for album number seven?