Don't Be Cruel (album)

The album was far more successful than Brown's debut, peaking at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart and spawning 5 Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 singles, including Brown's very first #1, "My Prerogative". It spent a total of six weeks on top of the Billboard 200 and was the best-selling album of 1989 in the United States. The album also reached the Top 5 in the United Kingdom and Australia.

Don't Be Cruel received extremely positive reviews from music critics.^[1] Brown also won his first Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 1990 Grammy Awards for "Every Little Step".

The album has been certified 7x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipments of over 7 million units in the United States.^[4]

Development

Brown changed producers for this album, and worked extensively with hit-making songwriting/production duo Babyface and L.A. Reid. Alex Henderson of Allmusic writes

“

Don't Be Cruel was to Bobby Brown what Control was to Janet Jackson -- a tougher, more aggressive project that shed his "bubblegum" image altogether and brought him to a new artistic and commercial plateau. With "My Prerogative" and the title song, Brown became a leader of new jack swing -- a forceful, high-tech blend of traditional soul singing and rap/hip-hop that's also associated with Guy and Brown's New Edition colleagues, Bell Biv DeVoe.^[5]

”

Commercial Performance

Don't Be Cruel debuted at #74 on the Billboard 200 on July 23, 1988. It wasn't until six months later that the album reached #1, starting a six-week non-consecutive run at #1, from January 21, 1989 - February 4, 1989 and February 18, 1989 - March 4, 1989. Its reign at number one was interrupted for one week by Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction.

The album also spent a total of 11 non-consecutive weeks atop the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart over the course of 1988 and 1989. It spent an eight-week non-consecutive run at #1 from September–November 1988, and then remarkably returned to #1 four months later in Match 1989.

Don't Be Cruel was the best selling album of 1989 in the United States, and finished #1 on the Billboard Year-End album chart.^[6]

Singles

All five singles released from the album reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. "Don't Be Cruel" was released as the lead single. The second single, "My Prerogative" earn Brown his first #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. "My Prerogative" was also the second-biggest single of 1989, finishing at #2 on the Year-End Billboard Hot 100 Singles of 1989. Three of the singles also reached #1 on Billboard's Hot R&B Songs chart.

Year	Single	Chart positions^[7]
Year	Single	US Pop	US R&B
1988	"Don't Be Cruel"	8	1
1988	"My Prerogative"	1	1
1989	"Roni"	3	2
	"Every Little Step"	3	1
	"Rock Wit'cha"	7	3

All singles have been certified Gold by the RIAA.^[4]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Cruel Prelude"	Babyface, LA Reid	Babyface, LA Reid	0:39
2.	"Don't Be Cruel"	Babyface, LA Reid, Daryl Simmons	Babyface, LA Reid	6:52
3.	"My Prerogative"	Bobby Brown, Gene Griffin	Gene Griffin, Bobby Brown (co.)	4:51
4.	"Roni"	Babyface	Babyface, LA Reid	5:58
5.	"Rock Wit'Cha"	Babyface, LA Reid	Babyface, LA Reid	4:49
6.	"Every Little Step"	Babyface, LA Reid	Babyface, LA Reid	3:57
7.	"I'll Be Good to You"	Bobby Brown, Gene Griffin	Gene Griffin, Bobby Brown (co.)	4:25
8.	"Take It Slow"	Jay Logan, Lee Peters, Larry White	Larry White	5:22
9.	"All Day All Night"	Dennis Wadington, DeWayne Sweet, Larry White, Lee Peters	Larry White	4:40
10.	"I Really Love You Girl"	Bobby Brown, Gordon Jones	Gene Griffin, Bobby Brown (co.)	5:11
11.	"Cruel Reprise"	Babyface, LA Reid	Babyface, LA Reid	0:18
Total length:				47:08

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1988–89)	Peak position
Australian Albums Chart^[8]	5
Dutch Albums Chart^[9]	27
German Albums Chart	26
New Zealand Albums Chart^[10]	2
Swedish Albums Chart^[11]	20
UK Albums Chart^[12]	3
US Billboard 200^[13]	1
US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums^[14]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1989)	Position
U.S. Billboard 200	1

Chart procession

Preceded by Giving You the Best That I Got by Anita Baker Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses	*U.S. Billboard* 200 number-one album** January 21, 1989 – February 4, 1989 February 18, 1989 – March 4, 1989	Succeeded by Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses Electric Youth by Debbie Gibson
Preceded by Strictly Business by EPMD It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back by Public Enemy Don't Let Love Slip Away by Freddie Jackson Karyn White by Karyn White	*U.S. Billboard* R&B/Hip-Hop Albums number-one album** September 10, 1988 – September 17, 1988 October 1, 1988 - October 8, 1988 October 22, 1988 - November 12, 1988 March 18, 1989 - April 1, 1989	Succeeded by It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back by Public Enemy Don't Let Love Slip Away by Freddie Jackson Giving You the Best That I Got by Anita Baker Let's Get It Started by MC Hammer

Certifications


Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
United Kingdom (BPI)^[15]	2× Platinum	600,000
United States (RIAA)^[16]	7× Platinum	7,000,000
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^{^}shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Personnel

Credits adapted from Allmusic.^[17]

Musicians

Drums, Percussion: Richard Aguon, Dewayne Sweet, Larry White
Drum Programming: Markell Riley
Bass: Kirk Crumpler, Larry White
Synthesized Bass: Dewayne Sweet, Kirk Crumpler
Keyboards: Larry White, Dewayne Sweet, Percy Scott, Teddy Riley, Ben Rayes, Kirk Crumpler
Guitars: Larry White, Emilio Conesa
Saxophone: Melecio Magdaluyo
Finger Snaps: Tommy Brown

Production

Producers: Babyface, Bobby Brown, Gene Griffin, Gordon Jones, Larry White
Mixing: Larry White, Teddy Riley, Dennis Mitchell, Jon Gass, Michael Denton, Babyface
Engineering: Babyface, Michael Denton, Jon Gass, Mitch Gibson, John Guggenheim, Fred Howard, Howard Johnston, K2, Ruben Laxamana, Dennis Mitchell, Mark Slagle, Larry White
Mastering: Steve Hall

References

1 2 Eddy, Chuck (March 2011). "Essentials: R&B Rubs Hip-Hop the Right Way and the New Jack Swing Era Is Born". Spin (New York): 84. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
↑ Henderson, Alex (November 1, 2001). "Don't Be Cruel - Bobby Brown: Review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2011-07-28.
↑ Christgau, Robert (January 24, 1989). "Consumer Guide Jan. 24, 1989". The Village Voice (Village Voice Media). Retrieved 2011-07-28.
1 2 http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?content_selector=gold-platinum-searchable-database
↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/dont-be-cruel-mw0000652329
↑ http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1989/the-billboard-200
↑ "Bobby Brown US singles chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
↑ "ARIA Albums Chart - November 26, 1989".
↑ "Dutch Albums Chart - April 15, 1989".
↑ "New Zealand Albums Chart - June 18, 1989".
↑ "Swedish Albums Chart - April 5, 1989".
↑ "UK Albums Chart - July 16, 1989". The Official Charts Company.
↑ "Billboard 200 January 21, 1989". Billboard.
↑ "Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums September 10, 1988". Billboard.
↑ "British album certifications – Bobby Brown – Don't Be Cruel". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Don't Be Cruel in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
↑ "American album certifications – Bobby Brown – Don't Be Cruel". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
↑ "Don't Be Cruel - Bobby Brown". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-07-03.

Billboard Year-End number one albums

1956–1975	1956: Calypso – Harry Belafonte 1957: Music from My Fair Lady – Original Cast 1958: Music from My Fair Lady – Original Cast 1959: The Music from Peter Gunn – Henry Mancini 1960: Music from The Sound of Music – Original Cast 1961: Camelot – Original Cast 1962: West Side Story – Soundtrack 1963: West Side Story – Soundtrack 1964: 'Music from Hello, Dolly! – Original Cast 1965: Music from Mary Poppins – Soundtrack 1966: Whipped Cream & Other Delights – Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass 1967: More of the Monkees – The Monkees 1968: Are You Experienced – The Jimi Hendrix Experience 1969: In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida – Iron Butterfly 1970: Bridge over Troubled Water – Simon & Garfunkel 1971: Jesus Christ Superstar – Soundtrack 1972: Harvest – Neil Young 1973: The World Is a Ghetto – War 1974: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John 1975: Elton John's Greatest Hits – Elton John

1976–2000	1976: Frampton Comes Alive! – Peter Frampton 1977: Rumours – Fleetwood Mac 1978: Saturday Night Fever – Soundtrack 1979: 52nd Street – Billy Joel 1980: The Wall – Pink Floyd 1981: Hi Infidelity – REO Speedwagon 1982: Asia – Asia 1983: Thriller – Michael Jackson 1984: Thriller – Michael Jackson 1985: Born in the U.S.A. – Bruce Springsteen 1986: Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston 1987: Slippery When Wet – Bon Jovi 1988: Faith – George Michael 1989: Don't Be Cruel – Bobby Brown 1990: Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 – Janet Jackson 1991: Mariah Carey – Mariah Carey 1992: Ropin' the Wind – Garth Brooks 1993: The Bodyguard – Soundtrack 1994: The Sign – Ace of Base 1995: Cracked Rear View – Hootie & the Blowfish 1996: Jagged Little Pill – Alanis Morissette 1997: Spice – Spice Girls 1998: Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture – James Horner 1999: Millennium – Backstreet Boys 2000: No Strings Attached – NSYNC

2001–present	2001: 1 – The Beatles 2002: The Eminem Show – Eminem 2003: Get Rich or Die Tryin' – 50 Cent 2004: Confessions – Usher 2005: The Massacre – 50 Cent 2006: Some Hearts – Carrie Underwood 2007: Daughtry – Daughtry 2008: As I Am – Alicia Keys 2009: Fearless – Taylor Swift 2010: I Dreamed a Dream – Susan Boyle 2011: 21 – Adele 2012: 21 – Adele 2013: The 20/20 Experience – Justin Timberlake 2014: Frozen – Soundtrack 2015: 1989 – Taylor Swift

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