Brian McKnight

Solo Artist

Photo: Gage Skidmore · CC BY-SA 3.0
Active 1988-present
Origin Buffalo, New York
Albums 17
Tracks 219
Most frequent collaborator Brandon Barnes · 29 tracks
Genres R&BSoulPop
Songwriter
64%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 141 of 219 tracks

Does Brian McKnight write his own songs?

He is credited on 141 of the 157 studio tracks whose writers are published, and 80 of those he wrote alone. He also produced or co-produced every album he has made.

By the Numbers

17
Studio Albums
219
Tracks Credited
64%
Self-Written
more than 25 million albums worldwide
Records Sold
38
Years Active
156
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 141 / 219 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 219 tracks: how many Brian McKnight 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.

Brian McKnight has a writing credit64%
37%
28%
36%
Sole author80tracks37%
Co-written61tracks28%
Outside writers78tracks36%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Brian McKnight's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 219 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)64%
Composer (music)64%
Producer93%
Performer100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

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

avg 64%
92%
93%
75%
0%
100%
0%
100%
100%
100%
17%
100%
90%
100%
0%
0%
92%
0%
1992Brian McKnight
1995I Remember You
1997Anytime
1998Bethlehem
1999Back at One
2001Superhero
2003U Turn
2005Gemini
2006Ten
2008I'll Be Home for Christmas
2009Evolution of a Man
2011Just Me
2013More Than Words
2016Better
2017Genesis
2020Exodus
2023McKnighttime Lullabies
Early · 91% written
Mid · 86% written
Late · 96% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

91%
1990s
Brian McKnight, I Remember You +3 more
85%
2000s
Superhero, U Turn +4 more
96%
2010s
Just Me, More Than Words +2 more
92%
2020s
Exodus, McKnighttime Lullabies

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Brian McKnight 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.

Brian McKnight
Other artists on the site

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

Whitney Houston5%
The Jacksons24%
En Vogue32%
Kelly Clarkson49%
Stevie Wonder64%
George Michael80%
Alicia Keys97%
64%Brian McKnight
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

One Last Cry
Brian McKnight
Written by Brian McKnight, Brandon Barnes, Melanie Barnes, Brian Kelly McKnight
Co-wrote
Crazy Love
I Remember You
Written by Van Morrison
Outside writers
On the Down Low
I Remember You
Written by Brian McKnight, Brian Kelly McKnight
Wrote it
You Should Be Mine (Don't Waste Your Time)
Anytime
Written by Sean Combs, Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, Mase, Kelly Price, Stevie J, James Brown, Brian McKnight, Ron Lawrence, Mason Betha, Steven Jordan, Brian Kelly McKnight
Co-wrote
Hold Me
Anytime
Written by Mary J. Blige, Samuel J. Barnes, Jean-Claude Olivier, Cory Rooney, Roger Troutman, Zapp, Shirley Murdock, Tupac Shakur, Money B, Shock G, Larry Troutman, Ronald R. Brooks, Gregory E. Jacobs
Outside writers
Back at One
Back at One
Written by Brian McKnight, Brian Kelly McKnight
Wrote it
Stay or Let It Go
Back at One
Written by Brian McKnight, Fred Jerkins III, Mason, LaShawn Daniels, Brian Kelly McKnight
Co-wrote

Discography 17 albums

All seventeen studio albums listed in the discography, including the two Christmas records and the 2023 lullaby album. The compilations and the live album sit outside this catalogue.

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Brian McKnight219 tracks
29Brandon Barnes, 29 tracks AN19Anthony Nance, 19 tracks TK18Tim Kelley, 18 tracks CV17Claude Villani, 17 tracks BM16Bill Meyers, 16 tracks B15Battlecat, 15 tracks ST15Steve Thompson, 15 tracks L"15Lavel "City Spud" Webb, 15 tracks SW12Silas White, 12 tracks AP12Aaron Pearce, 12 tracks BM5Brian McKnight Jr., 5 tracks BR4Bob Robinson, 4 tracks T&4Tim & Bob, 4 tracks EC4Earl Cohen, 4 tracks CP4Chris Paultre, 4 tracks TU3The Underdogs, 3 tracks MB2Melanie Barnes, 2 tracks WM2Wanya Morris, 2 tracks on Boyz II Men's page LD2LaShawn Daniels, 2 tracks FJ2Fred Jerkins III, 2 tracks HM2Harvey Mason Jr., 2 tracks NM2Niko McKnight, 2 tracks GB1Gerry Brown, 1 track P51Phase 5, 1 track VB1Victor Brooks, 1 track EM1Edward Martin, 1 track DH1Daryl Hall, 1 track JO1John Oates, 1 track SA1Sara Allen, 1 track QJ1Quincy Jones, 1 track LW1Leon Ware, 1 track BF1Bruce Fisher, 1 track SR1Stanley Richardson, 1 track RT1Robin Thicke, 1 track ER1Earl Rose, 1 track VM1Van Morrison, 1 track CD1Clifton Davis, 1 track SC1Sean Combs, 1 track on Puff Daddy's page R"1Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, 1 track M1Mase, 1 track KP1Kelly Price, 1 track SJ1Stevie J, 1 track JB1James Brown, 1 track RL1Ron Lawrence, 1 track SJ1Steven Jordan, 1 track DW1Diane Warren, 1 track KT1Keith Thomas, 1 track MJ1Mary J. Blige, 1 track SJ1Samuel J. Barnes, 1 track JO1Jean-Claude Olivier, 1 track CR1Cory Rooney, 1 track RT1Roger Troutman, 1 track Z1Zapp, 1 track SM1Shirley Murdock, 1 track TS1Tupac Shakur, 1 track MB1Money B, 1 track SG1Shock G, 1 track LT1Larry Troutman, 1 track RR1Ronald R. Brooks, 1 track GE1Gregory E. Jacobs, 1 track T1Trackmasters, 1 track WM1Willie Max, 1 track PB1Peter Black, 1 track NS1Nu Shooz, 1 track JR1John Robert Smith, 1 track CF1Charles Farrar#The Characters, 1 track TM1The McKnight Family Choir, 1 track MS1Michael Sembello, 1 track BI1Boyz II Men, 1 track BC1Bruce Carbone, 1 track N1Niko, 1 track CM1Claude McKnight, 1 track TM1Tim Miner, 1 track DK1Dave Koz, 1 track JM1Julie McKnight, 1 track RJ1Rodney Jerkins, 1 track HM1Harvey Mason, Jr., 1 track M1Mason, 1 track JT1Justin Timberlake, 1 track ND1Nate Dogg, 1 track FH1Fred Hammond, 1 track SL1St. Lunatics, 1 track N1Nelly, 1 track CH1Cornell Haynes Jr., 1 track on Nelly's page JC1Joint Custody, 1 track AD1Antonio Dixon, 1 track ED1Eric Dawkins, 1 track J1Joe, 1 track T1Tank, 1 track TG1Tyrese Gibson, 1 track JT1Joe Thomas, 1 track DB1Durrell Babbs, 1 track CT1Carl Thomas, 1 track T1Tyrese, 1 track PA1Peter Andre, 1 track AG1Al Green, 1 track TH1Teenie Hodges, 1 track M"1Mabon "Teenie" Hodges, 1 track R1Rockwilder, 1 track F1Fabolous, 1 track KF1Kirk Franklin, 1 track K1Knight, 1 track JZ1Jay Z, 1 track K1Knobody, 1 track MM1Marcus Miller, 1 track SC1Shawn Carter, 1 track P&1Poke & Tone, 1 track BG1Barry Gibb, 1 track MG1Maurice Gibb, 1 track RG1Robin Gibb, 1 track C1Curry, 1 track CH1Carvin Haggins, 1 track IB1Ivan Barias, 1 track K1Kweli, 1 track KP1Karma Productions, 1 track S"1Sandy "Sanman" Ruiz, 1 track TK1Talib Kweli, 1 track CV1Claude Vernell, 1 track NC1Nicholas Clifford, 1 track J1Juvenile, 1 track KA1Kelii Anthony, 1 track A1Akon, 1 track TA1Thiam Aliaune, 1 track NH1Nikki Holliwood, 1 track S1Skip, 1 track BC1Bryan-Michael Cox, 1 track W1WyldCard, 1 track MT1Mel Tormé, 1 track RW1Robert Wells, 1 track JL1Jay Livingston, 1 track RE1Ray Evans, 1 track JS1Jule Styne, 1 track SC1Sammy Cahn, 1 track BM1Brian McKnight Jr. & Nikolas McKnight, 1 track VG1Vince Gill, 1 track on Eagles's page BR1Buck Ram, 1 track KG1Kim Gannon, 1 track WK1Walter Kent, 1 track NS1Noel Schajris, 1 track EP1Eddie Pola, 1 track GW1George Wyle, 1 track JG1Josh Groban, 1 track MB1May Brahe, 1 track HT1Helen Taylor, 1 track T61Take 6, 1 track AR1Andrew Ridgeley, 1 track on Wham!'s page GM1George Michael, 1 track CC1Colbie Caillat, 1 track KM1Kimie Miner, 1 track GM1Glasses Malone, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. Showing the 150 most frequent of 152. AN Anthony Nance · TK Tim Kelley · CV Claude Villani · BM Bill Meyers · B Battlecat

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

Of the 157 studio tracks whose writers are published, he is on 141 and alone on 80. No other R&B singer of his era carries that share. The catalogue is a writer's, not a vehicle for other people's songs, and it gets more so the further from a major label he gets.

Quick Facts

  • Writes his ownOn 141 of the 157 tracks with published credits, alone on 80
  • Grammy record16 nominations and no win
  • Best sellerBack at One is certified 3x platinum
  • Highest chart placing"Back at One" reached number 2 on the Hot 100
  • Seventeen albums1992 to 2023, two of them Christmas records
  • His own producerHe produced or co-produced every album he made

Creative Fingerprint

A singer who writes and produces his own records, and who writes alone more often as the label deals get smaller.

The Story

Brian McKnight signed to Mercury in 1992 and has made seventeen studio albums since, writing and producing most of them himself. "Back at One" reached number 2 in 1999 and is still the song he is known for.

Awards & Recognition

NAACP Image Award, Outstanding Male Artist, for "Back at One" (2000)
Soul Train Music Award, Best R&B/Soul Single, Male, for "Anytime" (1999)

Frequently Asked Questions Brian McKnight

Does Brian McKnight write his own songs?
He is credited on 141 of the 157 studio tracks whose writers are published, and 80 of those he wrote alone. He also produced or co-produced every album he has made.
Who wrote "Back at One"?
Brian McKnight, alone. It reached number 2 on the Hot 100 and is the biggest song of his career.
How many albums has Brian McKnight released?
Seventeen studio albums, from the 1992 debut to McKnighttime Lullabies in 2023. Two of them are Christmas records.
How many Grammys has he won?
None. He has 16 Grammy nominations without a win, one of the longest runs of any nominated artist.
How many records has he sold?
More than 25 million albums worldwide.
Which album sold the most?
Back at One, certified 3x platinum by the RIAA. Anytime is 2x platinum.
Did his writing change over time?
It narrowed to him. The early Mercury albums bring in co-writers on most tracks; from Ten onward he writes most songs by himself.
Which albums have no published credits?
Bethlehem, Superhero, Better, Genesis and McKnighttime Lullabies. No source lists writers for any of them, so they sit here unverified with a note.
Who else does he write with?
Brandon Barnes on the early records, Tim Kelley and Bob Robinson on Ten, and Bryan-Michael Cox later. Wanya Morris of Boyz II Men co-wrote on both Christmas albums.
Is he still recording?
Yes. McKnighttime Lullabies came out in 2023, a lullaby album he produced himself.

Sources

Wikipedia: Brian McKnight Wikipedia: Brian McKnight discography