Chris Brown

Solo Artist · Breezy

Photo: Eva Rinaldi · CC BY-SA 2.0
Active 2005-present
Origin Tappahannock, Virginia
Albums 12
Tracks 252
Most frequent collaborator Teezio · 44 tracks
Genres R&BPopHip HopDance-Pop
Artist
91%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 230 of 252 tracks

Did Chris Brown write his own songs?

Mostly yes, as a co-writer. Chris Brown holds a writing credit on around 91% of his tracks, though he rarely writes alone. He works with a rotating cast of R&B and pop songwriters on hits like 'Loyal,' 'No Guidance,' and 'Look at Me Now.' His earliest breakout songs, though, including his debut single 'Run It!' and 'With You,' were written for him by outside writers.

By the Numbers

12
Studio Albums
252
Tracks Credited
91%
Self-Written
140M+
Records Sold
21
Years Active
799
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 230 / 252 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 252 tracks: how many Chris 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.

Chris Brown has a writing credit91%
17%
75%
9%
Sole author42tracks17%
Co-written188tracks75%
Outside writers22tracks9%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

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

Share of all 252 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)91%
Composer (music)91%
Producer2%
Performer100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

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

avg 91%
31%
43%
92%
85%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
2005Chris Brown
2007Exclusive
2009Graffiti
2011F.A.M.E.
2012Fortune
2014X
2015Royalty
2017Heartbreak on a Full Moon
2019Indigo
2022Breezy
202311:11
2026Brown
Early · 61% written
Mid · 100% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

53%
2000s
Chris Brown, Exclusive +1 more
99%
2010s
F.A.M.E., Fortune +4 more
100%
2020s
Breezy, 11:11 +1 more

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Chris 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.

Chris Brown
Other artists on the site

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

EXO8%
The Pussycat Dolls21%
Rihanna44%
Kelly Rowland53%
Selena Gomez71%
Ariana Grande80%
Akon100%
91%Chris Brown
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Run It!
Chris Brown
Written by Scott Storch, Sean Garrett, LaRon James
Outside writers
Yo (Excuse Me Miss)
Chris Brown
Written by Johntá Austin, Vidal Davis, Andre Harris
Outside writers
Say Goodbye
Chris Brown
Written by Bryan-Michael Cox, Jevon, Adonis Shropshire
Outside writers
Gimme That (Remix)
Chris Brown
Written by Scott Storch, Sean Garrett, Lil Wayne, Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.
Outside writers
Kiss Kiss
Exclusive
Written by Chris Brown, T-Pain, Christopher Maurice Brown, Faheem Rasheed Najm
Co-wrote
With You
Exclusive
Written by Johntá Austin
Outside writers
Look at Me Now
F.A.M.E.
Written by Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes, Christopher Maurice Brown, Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., Trevor George Smith Jr.
Co-wrote
Yeah 3x
F.A.M.E.
Written by Chris Brown, Kevin McCall, Streeter, Christopher Maurice Brown
Co-wrote
She Ain't You
F.A.M.E.
Written by Chris Brown, Kevin McCall, Poo Bear, Gamble, Christopher Maurice Brown
Co-wrote
Turn Up the Music
Fortune
Written by Chris Brown, Harvey Mason Jr., Michael Jimenez, Terence Coles, Christopher Maurice Brown
Co-wrote
Don't Wake Me Up
Fortune
Written by Chris Brown, Ryan Buendia, Priscilla Hamilton, Nicholas Marsh, Michael McHenry, Alain Whyte, Christopher Maurice Brown
Co-wrote
Don't Judge Me
Fortune
Written by Chris Brown, Christopher Maurice Brown
Wrote it
Loyal
X
Written by Chris Brown, Ty Dolla Sign, Lil Wayne, Tyga, Christopher Maurice Brown, Tyrone William Griffin Jr., Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., Michael Nguyen-Stevenson
Co-wrote
New Flame
X
Written by Chris Brown, Keith Thomas, Justin Johnson, Verse Simmonds, Eric Bellinger, Rick Ross, Mark Pitts, Usher, Christopher Maurice Brown, Maurice Simmonds, William Leonard Roberts II, Usher Raymond IV
Co-wrote
Back to Sleep
Royalty
Written by Chris Brown, August Rigo, Christopher Maurice Brown
Co-wrote
Liquor
Royalty
Written by Chris Brown, Antonio Stith, Christopher Maurice Brown
Co-wrote
Zero
Royalty
Written by Chris Brown, Sean Douglas, Talay Riley, Christopher Maurice Brown
Co-wrote
Little More (Royalty)
Royalty
Written by Chris Brown, Poo Bear, Dominic Jordan, Jimmy Giannos, Nicolò Arquilla, Daniele Autore, Christopher Maurice Brown
Co-wrote
No Guidance
Indigo
Written by Chris Brown, Drake, Travis Walton, Nija Charles, Tyler Bryant, Christopher Maurice Brown, Aubrey Drake Graham
Co-wrote
It Depends
Brown
Written by Chris Brown, Bryson Tiller, Nico Baran, Brian Casey, Ant Clemons, Jermaine Dupri, Ephrem Lopez Jr., Ryan Press, Usher, Manuel Seal, Elliot Trent, Dewain Whitmore Jr., Christopher Maurice Brown, Bryson Djuan Tiller, Usher Raymond IV
Co-wrote
Obvious
Brown
Written by Chris Brown, Tyler Jordan, Major Myjah, Gabriel Roland, Amrita Sen, Leon Youngblood, Christopher Maurice Brown
Co-wrote

Discography 12 albums

F.A.M.E. (2011) has incomplete songwriter credits on Wikipedia for some tracks. Brown (2026) is his most recent studio album and may have incomplete data pending Wikipedia updates.

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Chris Brown252 tracks
T44Teezio, 44 tracks 24RoccStar, 24 tracks JG17Jamal Gaines, 17 tracks AB14A1 Bentley, 14 tracks BT13Bobby Turner Jr., 13 tracks EB12Eric Bellinger, 12 tracks PC12Prince Chrishan, 12 tracks PP12Patrizio Pigliapoco, 12 tracks H12Hitmaka, 12 tracks LY12Leon Youngblood, 12 tracks TU10The Underdogs, 10 tracks CD10Christopher Dotson, 10 tracks JG10J. Gaines, 10 tracks SS9Scott Storch, 9 tracks on The Roots's page HM9Harvey Mason Jr., 9 tracks S9Soundz, 9 tracks KM8Kevin McCall, 8 tracks LA8Lyrica Anderson, 8 tracks OA8Omari Akinlolu, 8 tracks GR8Gabriel Roland, 8 tracks RP8Ryan Press, 8 tracks SG7Sean Garrett, 7 tracks LW7Lil Wayne, 7 tracks DM7Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., 7 tracks PD7Polow da Don, 7 tracks FB7Floyd Bentley III, 7 tracks SD7Smash David, 7 tracks C7Chizzy, 7 tracks T6Tank, 6 tracks BK6Brian Kennedy, 6 tracks OP6OG Parker, 6 tracks A6Amadeus, 6 tracks LY6L. Youngblood, 6 tracks DA5Durrell Artaze Babbs, 5 tracks RB5Ryan Buendia, 5 tracks FS5Free School, 5 tracks D5Danja, 5 tracks DW5Dewain Whitmore Jr., 5 tracks VS5Verse Simmonds, 5 tracks K5Keyz, 5 tracks MB5Marcus Berry, 5 tracks KI5Keith Ingram, 5 tracks ED4Eric Dawkins, 4 tracks SR4Steve Russell, 4 tracks S4Streeter, 4 tracks AS4Amber Streeter, 4 tracks B4Boi-1da, 4 tracks MP4Mark Pitts, 4 tracks AS4Antonio Stith, 4 tracks GN4Gabrielle Nowee, 4 tracks A4Ayo, 4 tracks DD4D.A. Doman, 4 tracks DC4Don City, 4 tracks I4ISM, 4 tracks EM4Ellery McKinney, 4 tracks TB4The Breed, 4 tracks TM4Toney Martinez, 4 tracks ET4Elliott Trent, 4 tracks JA3Johntá Austin, 3 tracks AH3Andre Harris, 3 tracks D&3Dre & Vidal, 3 tracks AD3Antonio Dixon, 3 tracks BC3Bryan-Michael Cox, 3 tracks AS3Adonis Shropshire, 3 tracks JF3James Fauntleroy II, 3 tracks TR3The Runners, 3 tracks N3Nasri, 3 tracks TM3The Messengers, 3 tracks KC3Kevin Cossom, 3 tracks TB3Tha Bizness, 3 tracks TS3Trey Songz, 3 tracks T3Tyga, 3 tracks MN3Michael Nguyen-Stevenson, 3 tracks PB3Poo Bear, 3 tracks HM3H Money, 3 tracks MM3Michael McHenry, 3 tracks U3Usher, 3 tracks UR3Usher Raymond IV, 3 tracks RK3R. Kelly, 3 tracks FB3Floyd Bentley, 3 tracks FT3Foreign Teck, 3 tracks BT3Blaq Tuxedo, 3 tracks BT3Bryson Tiller, 3 tracks BD3Bryson Djuan Tiller, 3 tracks MM3Melvin Moore, 3 tracks TB3Tariq Beats, 3 tracks A3ADP, 3 tracks DH3Daecolm Holland, 3 tracks DA3Diego Ave, 3 tracks DM3Dre Moon, 3 tracks R3Romano, 3 tracks WL3Wallis Lane, 3 tracks A3Avedon, 3 tracks K3Kifa, 3 tracks F3Fridayy, 3 tracks S3SprngBrk, 3 tracks DC3D. Coleman, 3 tracks JC3J. Conerly, 3 tracks TL3T. Lumpkins, 3 tracks TS3T. Sayles, 3 tracks WN3Woodlair Nosy, 3 tracks PY3Prince Youngblood, 3 tracks ET3Elliot Trent, 3 tracks CH3Clifton Haralson, 3 tracks ST3Steven Tolson, 3 tracks VD2Vidal Davis, 2 tracks W2WyldCard, 2 tracks JD2Jermaine Dupri, 2 tracks LE2Lamar Edwards, 2 tracks T2The-Dream, 2 tracks TG2Terius Gerel Gebremariam, 2 tracks CW2Corey Williams, 2 tracks RK2Rob Knox, 2 tracks SB2Swizz Beatz, 2 tracks KT2Keith Thomas, 2 tracks JF2James Fauntleroy, 2 tracks W2Whitmore, 2 tracks D2Diplo, 2 tracks H2Harrell, 2 tracks B2Bellinger, 2 tracks JB2Justin Bieber, 2 tracks BD2Bigg D, 2 tracks BB2Benny Benassi, 2 tracks AB2Alle Benassi, 2 tracks NJ2Nieman Johnson, 2 tracks TD2Ty Dolla Sign, 2 tracks TW2Tyrone William Griffin Jr., 2 tracks on Ty Dolla Sign's page NN2Nic Nac, 2 tracks K2Kragen, 2 tracks M&2Mel & Mus, 2 tracks DP2Dennis-Manuel Peters, 2 tracks DC2Daniel Coriglie, 2 tracks MB2Mario Bakovic, 2 tracks B2B.A.M., 2 tracks NA2Nicolò Arquilla, 2 tracks DA2Daniele Autore, 2 tracks R2Razihel, 2 tracks T2TBHits, 2 tracks JA2Jhené Aiko, 2 tracks V2Vinylz, 2 tracks AR2Allen Ritter, 2 tracks SD2Sean Douglas, 2 tracks TR2Talay Riley, 2 tracks TS2Tone Stith, 2 tracks MB2Matthew Burnett, 2 tracks TA2The Audibles, 2 tracks XG2Xeryus G., 2 tracks JS2Jim Stewart, 2 tracks BH2B Ham, 2 tracks B2Beck, 2 tracks

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. Showing the 150 most frequent of 782. T Teezio · JG Jamal Gaines · AB A1 Bentley · BT Bobby Turner Jr. · EB Eric Bellinger

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

Chris Brown co-writes a significant portion of his catalog, typically between 40-65% across any given album, working alongside a rotating cast of professional songwriters in the R&B-pop space. His authorship score is notably higher in later career projects like Indigo and Heartbreak on a Full Moon, where he is credited on the majority of tracks. His early albums relied more heavily on outside material, creating a clear upward trajectory in writing involvement over time.

Quick Facts

  • GrammyWon Best R&B Album for F.A.M.E. at the 2012 Grammys
  • Chart recordSurpassed Elvis Presley for the most Billboard Hot 100 entries among male vocalists
  • Run It!His 2005 debut single was the first debut by a male act since 1995 to top the Hot 100
  • NicknameWidely known as 'Breezy'
  • CertificationsHolds the most RIAA Gold-certified singles among male vocalists

Creative Fingerprint

A co-writer who grew into it: Chris Brown is credited on around 91% of his tracks, almost always co-writing with a rotating cast of R&B and pop songwriters. His earliest hits, like 'Run It!,' were written for him, and his self-written share rose as his career went on.

The Story

Chris Brown (born Christopher Maurice Brown) is an American R&B singer, dancer, and actor from Tappahannock, Virginia, who broke out in 2005 at age 16 with his self-titled debut and the number-one single 'Run It!' He is one of the most commercially successful R&B artists of the 2000s and 2010s, earning a Grammy Award in 2012 for Best Contemporary R&B Album (F.A.M.E.) and generating a string of multi-platinum albums across two decades. Brown is known for combining polished vocal delivery with elite-level dance performance, drawing frequent comparisons to Michael Jackson. Despite significant personal controversy beginning in 2009, he has remained one of the best-selling music artists globally, releasing sprawling 30-to-45-track projects in the latter half of his career.

Awards & Recognition

Sold over 140 million records worldwide, one of the best-selling music artists of all time
Won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album for F.A.M.E. (2012)
Surpassed Elvis Presley for the most Billboard Hot 100 entries among male vocalists
Holds the most RIAA Gold-certified singles among male vocalists

Frequently Asked Questions Chris Brown

Did Chris Brown write his own songs?
Mostly yes, as a co-writer. Chris Brown holds a writing credit on around 91% of his tracks, though he rarely writes alone. He works with a rotating cast of R&B and pop songwriters on hits like 'Loyal,' 'No Guidance,' and 'Look at Me Now.' His earliest breakout songs, though, including his debut single 'Run It!' and 'With You,' were written for him by outside writers.
Who wrote 'Run It!'?
'Run It!' (2005) was written by Scott Storch and Sean Garrett, not by Chris Brown. It was his debut single and made him the first male act since 1995 to reach number one with a debut.
Who wrote 'Loyal'?
'Loyal' (2013) was co-written by Chris Brown with a team of writers and producers, and features Lil Wayne and Tyga. It was one of the biggest hits from his album X.
Did Chris Brown write 'No Guidance'?
Yes, as a co-writer. 'No Guidance' (2019), his hit with Drake, was written by Brown along with Drake and several other songwriters. It appears on his album Indigo.
What is Chris Brown's real name?
Christopher Maurice Brown. He is often credited under that full name in his songs' writing credits, and he is widely known by the nickname 'Breezy.'
How many albums has Chris Brown released?
This catalogue covers 12 of his studio albums, from his 2005 self-titled debut to Brown (2025). Several of his later albums are sprawling projects with 30 or more tracks.
How many records has Chris Brown sold?
Over 140 million worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Did Chris Brown win a Grammy?
Yes. He won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album for F.A.M.E. in 2012.
What is Chris Brown's biggest chart record?
He surpassed Elvis Presley for the most Billboard Hot 100 entries among male vocalists, a reflection of his huge volume of singles and features.
What genre is Chris Brown?
He is primarily an R&B artist, but his music blends in pop, hip-hop, and dance. He is also known as one of the great dancers in modern pop, often compared to Michael Jackson.

Sources

File:Chris Brown, 2012.jpg - Wikimedia Commons