While McKnight would provide most of the material by himself, Anytime deviated from the urban adult contemporary sound of his older work, with the former acts taking his music further into the hip hop soul genre.

A steady seller, it was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), indicating sales in excess of 2.0 units, and spawned several singles, including the top 20 hit "You Should Be Mine (Don't Waste Your Time)".

While his previous album I Remember You (1995) was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), it only sold half as much as its predecessor Brian McKnight (1992).

[2] Feeling initially pressured after what he called "the pseudo-failure of the I Remember You album,”[2] McKnight, who was used to writing and producing most of his music by himself, decided to work with a wider range of musicians on the Anytime, including Sean "Puffy" Combs, Keith Thomas, Poke & Tone, Diane Warren, and Peter Block.

"[4] In his review for Vibe, Darren McNeill called Anytime a "collection of mostly tired joints [...] McKnight's solo effort pales in comparison to work by emerging-soul craftsmen like Eric Benét and Rahsaan Patterson.

"[5] In his consumer guide for The Village Voice, critic Robert Christgau gave Anytime a "cut" rating,[3] indicating "an album that isn't worth your time or money – sometimes a Neither, more often a Dud.