Bobby Brown

Solo Artist

Photo: Sister Circle Live · CC BY 3.0
Active 1978-present
Origin Boston, Massachusetts
Albums 5
Tracks 52
Most frequent collaborator Teddy Riley · 13 tracks
Genres R&BNew Jack SwingPop
Co-Performer
38%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 20 of 52 tracks

Does Bobby Brown write his own songs?

He co-writes some of them and has never written one on his own. His name is on 20 of the 52 tracks across five solo albums, always alongside somebody else. Teddy Riley and Christopher L. Brown share nine each.

By the Numbers

5
Studio Albums
52
Tracks Credited
38%
Self-Written
48
Years Active
100
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 20 / 52 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 52 tracks: how many Bobby Brown wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Bobby Brown has a writing credit38%
38%
62%
Sole author0tracks0%
Co-written20tracks38%
Outside writers32tracks62%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Bobby Brown's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 52 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)38%
Composer (music)38%
Producer33%
Performer100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Bobby Brown's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 38%
11%
33%
54%
73%
10%
1986King of Stage
1988Don't Be Cruel
1992Bobby
1997Forever
2012The Masterpiece
Early · 35% written
Late · 43% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

22%
1980s
King of Stage, Don't Be Cruel
63%
1990s
Bobby, Forever
10%
2010s
The Masterpiece

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Bobby Brown sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Bobby Brown
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Celine Dion1%
New Edition25%
Michael Jackson51%
TLC59%
Janet Jackson72%
Gwen Stefani88%
Prince96%
38%Bobby Brown
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Girlfriend
King of Stage
Written by Larry White, Lee Peters, Kirk Crumpler
Outside writers
My Prerogative
Don't Be Cruel
Written by Bobby Brown, Teddy Riley, Timmy Gatling, Aaron Hall, Robert Barisford Brown, Edward Theodore Riley
Co-wrote
Every Little Step
Don't Be Cruel
Written by L.A. Reid, Babyface, Antonio Marquis Reid, Kenneth Brian Edmonds
Outside writers
Roni
Don't Be Cruel
Written by Babyface, Darnell Bristol, Kenneth Brian Edmonds
Outside writers
Rock Wit'cha
Don't Be Cruel
Written by L.A. Reid, Babyface, Antonio Marquis Reid, Kenneth Brian Edmonds
Outside writers
Don't Be Cruel
Don't Be Cruel
Written by Babyface, L.A. Reid, Daryl Simmons, Kenneth Brian Edmonds, Antonio Marquis Reid
Outside writers
Humpin' Around
Bobby
Written by L.A. Reid, Babyface, Daryl Simmons, Bobby Brown, Thomas Keyes, Jan C. "Stylz" Styles, Antonio Marquis Reid, Kenneth Brian Edmonds, Robert Barisford Brown
Co-wrote
Get Away
Bobby
Written by Teddy Riley, Bernard Belle, Tony Haynes, Bobby Brown, Louil Silas Jr., Edward Theodore Riley, Robert Barisford Brown
Co-wrote
That's the Way Love Is
Bobby
Written by Teddy Riley, Demetrius Shipp Jr., Aqil Davidson, Bobby Brown, Edward Theodore Riley, Robert Barisford Brown
Co-wrote

Discography 5 albums

All five solo studio albums. His work with New Edition, the remix album Two Can Play That Game and the compilations sit outside this catalogue.

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Photo of Bobby BrownBobby Brown52 tracks
Photo of Teddy Riley13Teddy Riley, 13 tracks on Blackstreet's page ET9Edward Theodore Riley, 9 tracks on Blackstreet's page CL9Christopher L. Brown, 9 tracks B7Babyface, 7 tracks Photo of L.A. Reid7L.A. Reid, 7 tracks KB7Kenneth Brian Edmonds, 7 tracks AM6Antonio Marquis Reid, 6 tracks JL6Jared Lee Gosselin, 6 tracks GJ5Gordon Jones, 5 tracks D"5Derek "DOA" Allen, 5 tracks DS4Daryl Simmons, 4 tracks C4Collage, 4 tracks BB4Bernard Belle, 4 tracks BT4Blaze the Champ, 4 tracks LW3Larry White, 3 tracks LP3Lee Peters, 3 tracks LB3Larry Blackmon, 3 tracks DO3Dave Ogrin, 3 tracks TH3Tony Haynes, 3 tracks KF3Kenny Finnel, 3 tracks TK3Tim Kelley, 3 tracks BR3Bob Robinson, 3 tracks T&3Tim & Bob, 3 tracks C2Cameo, 2 tracks JL2John Luongo, 2 tracks LS2Louil Silas Jr., 2 tracks TG2Timmy Gatling, 2 tracks AH2Aaron Hall, 2 tracks DS2Demetrius Shipp Jr., 2 tracks D"2Daryl "DeRock" Simmons, 2 tracks WH2Whitney Houston, 2 tracks T2Tim, 2 tracks GB2Gerald Baillergeau, 2 tracks R2Rome, 2 tracks JW2Jerome Woods, 2 tracks FC2Fred Crawford, 2 tracks ML2Mika Lett, 2 tracks MH2Matthew Hennessey, 2 tracks KC1Kirk Crumpler, 1 track MW1Melvin Wells, 1 track NL1Nathan Leftenant, 1 track TJ1Tomi Jenkins, 1 track ML1Michael Lovesmith, 1 track U1UTFO, 1 track KK1Khris Kellow, 1 track DI1Dr. Ice, 1 track IL1Ian Legall, 1 track SL1Steven Lindly, 1 track RN1Richard Nuttal, 1 track AN1Allen N. Jones, 1 track M"1Mathew "Krash" Kasha, 1 track MS1Michael Sauvage, 1 track JW1Jon Wolfson, 1 track RB1Robert Brookins, 1 track PJ1Paul Jackson Jr., 1 track PM1Paul M. Jackson Jr., 1 track DB1Darnell Bristol, 1 track JL1Jay Logan, 1 track DW1Dennis Wadington, 1 track DS1DeWayne Sweet, 1 track H1hite, 1 track TK1Thomas Keyes, 1 track JC1Jan C. "Stylz" Styles, 1 track D"1David "Redhead" Guppy, 1 track R1Rakim, 1 track W"1William "Rakim" Griffin, 1 track TR1Thomas R. Taliaferro Jr., 1 track HM1Herb Middleton, 1 track AD1Aqil Davidson, 1 track DA1Dennis Austin, 1 track KB1Kelvin Bowers, 1 track BW1BeBe Winans, 1 track A&1Angie & Debbie, 1 track CB1Carole Bayer Sager, 1 track MH1Marvin Hamlisch, 1 track DA1Derek Allen, 1 track F"1Felicia "F-Sharpe" Jefferson, 1 track FR1Fred Rosser, 1 track DG1Derrick Garrett, 1 track JR1Jeff Redd, 1 track VM1Victor Merritt, 1 track GB1Gerald Baillergeau & Victor "Big Yam" Merritt, 1 track DA1Destiny Andrews, 1 track RT1Ralph Tresvant, 1 track on New Edition's page PW1Phillip White, 1 track AE1Alicia Etheredge, 1 track JG1Jared Gosselin, 1 track BF1Ben Franklin, 1 track LM1Lamar Mitchell, 1 track CE1Craig Erquhart, 1 track BE1Brandon Erquhart, 1 track JA1James Artissen, 1 track BB1Bobby Brown Jr., 1 track J1Jayre, 1 track OB1Orbel Babayan, 1 track CF1Celeste Felicia Scalone, 1 track SW1Stevie Wonder, 1 track JG1Johnny Gill, 1 track on New Edition's page JS1Jeffrey Steele, 1 track VM1Vicky McGehee, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. ET Edward Theodore Riley · CL Christopher L. Brown · B Babyface · KB Kenneth Brian Edmonds

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Brown writes with other people or not at all. He is on 20 of the 52 tracks across five albums and there is no solo credit anywhere in the catalogue. Teddy Riley shares nine and Christopher L. Brown nine, and on Don't Be Cruel, the record that sold twelve million, L.A. Reid and Babyface wrote most of what he sang. His share rises steadily until Forever in 1997, where he has eight of the eleven.

Quick Facts

  • His share20 of the 52 solo album tracks carry his name
  • Never aloneNo solo writing credit on any of the five albums
  • The big oneDon't Be Cruel sold twelve million copies worldwide
  • Number one"My Prerogative" topped the Hot 100 in 1989
  • GrammyBest Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Every Little Step"
  • Main partnersTeddy Riley on nine tracks, Christopher L. Brown on nine

Creative Fingerprint

A singer who co-writes constantly and has never finished a song by himself.

The Story

Bobby Brown is credited on 20 of the 52 solo album tracks and has never written one alone. "My Prerogative", the song about doing what he wants, is shared with three other people.

Awards & Recognition

Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Every Little Step" (1990)

Frequently Asked Questions Bobby Brown

Does Bobby Brown write his own songs?
He co-writes some of them and has never written one on his own. His name is on 20 of the 52 tracks across five solo albums, always alongside somebody else. Teddy Riley and Christopher L. Brown share nine each.
Who wrote "My Prerogative"?
Bobby Brown with Teddy Riley, Timmy Gatling and Aaron Hall. It reached number 1 on the Hot 100 in 1989.
Who wrote "Every Little Step"?
L.A. Reid and Babyface, who wrote and produced most of Don't Be Cruel. Brown has no credit on it, and it won him a Grammy for the vocal.
How many solo albums has he made?
Five, between 1986 and 2012. His New Edition albums, the remix record Two Can Play That Game and the compilations sit outside this catalogue.
Which album is most his own?
Forever in 1997, where he has eight of the eleven tracks. Don't Be Cruel, the biggest seller, gives him three of nine.
Which singles did best in America?
"My Prerogative" reached number 1, "Every Little Step", "Roni" and "Humpin' Around" all number 3, and "Rock Wit'cha" number 7.
Who is Teddy Riley?
The producer who built new jack swing, and Brown's co-writer on nine tracks including "My Prerogative".
How well did Don't Be Cruel sell?
Twelve million copies worldwide, including seven million in America, making it the best-selling album of 1989.
Was he in New Edition?
Yes, from the start in 1978 until 1985, and again for the reunions from 1996.
Has he won a Grammy?
One, in February 1990, for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Every Little Step".

Sources

Wikipedia: Bobby Brown Wikipedia: Bobby Brown discography Wikipedia: New Edition