Don't Be Cruel (Bobby Brown song)

"Don't Be Cruel"
Single by Bobby Brown
from the album Don't Be Cruel
Released	May 16, 1988
Studio	Silverlake (Los Angeles, California)
Genre	R&B new jack swing [1] hip hop [2]
Length	6:48 (album version) 4:15 (single version)
Label	MCA
Songwriter(s)	Kenneth Edmonds Antonio Reid Daryl Simmons
Producer(s)	L.A. Reid Babyface
Bobby Brown singles chronology
"Girl Next Door" (1987) "Don't Be Cruel" (1988) "My Prerogative" (1988)
Music video
"Don’t Be Cruel" on YouTube

"Don't Be Cruel" is a song by American singer Bobby Brown. Taken from his second studio album of the same name, the song was written and produced by the songwriting and production duo Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Antonio "L.A." Reid, with additional writing by Daryl Simmons.

Chart performance

"Don't Be Cruel" was Brown's second single to reach the top position of the R&B chart, where it remained for two weeks. It also reached number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 7 on the US Cash Box Top 100. ^{[3] [4]}

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1988–1989)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA) [5]	72
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [6]	39
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [7]	40
Ireland (IRMA) [8]	23
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [9]	18
UK Singles (OCC) [10]	13
US Billboard Hot 100 [11]	8
US Dance Singles Sales ( Billboard ) [12]	6
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [13]	1
US Cash Box Top 100 [14]	7

Year-end charts

Chart (1988)	Position
US Billboard Hot 100 [15] [16]	79

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [17]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

In other media

The song was featured in The Wizard (1989), and was featured in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas .

References

1. Josephs, Brian (July 20, 2012). "The 25 Best New Jack Swing Songs". Complex . Retrieved July 26, 2016.
2. Considine, J.D.; Coleman, Mark; Evans, Paul; McGee, David (1992). "Bobby Brown". In DeCurtis, Anthony; Henke, James; George-Warren, Holly (eds.). Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York: Random House. p. 49.
3. Whitburn, Joel (2011). Top Pop Singles 1955-2010. Record Research.
4. Whitburn, Joel (2014). Cash Box Pop Hits: 1952-1996. Record Research.
5. Scott, Gavin. "This Week In 1989: July 2, 1989". Chart Beats: A Journey Through Pop. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
6. "Bobby Brown – Don't Be Cruel" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
7. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media . Vol. 6, no. 15. April 15, 1989. p. 16.
8. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Don't Be Cruel". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
9. "Bobby Brown – Don't Be Cruel". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
10. "Bobby Brown: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
11. "Bobby Brown Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
12. "Bobby Brown Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
13. "Bobby Brown Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
14. Whitburn, Joel (2014). Cash Box Pop Hits: 1952-1996. Record Research.
15. "1988 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 52. December 24, 1988. p. Y-20.
16. "Billboard Top 100 – 1988" . Retrieved October 3, 2016.
17. "American single certifications – Bobby Brown – Don't Be Cruel". Recording Industry Association of America.