King of Stage

King of Stage is the debut solo album by American R&B singer Bobby Brown.^[1][2] Following his exit from New Edition, and at 16, Brown signed a solo deal with the group's label MCA Records, which had earlier promised Brown a solo deal if he decided to leave New Edition. His first solo album was released in 1986.

King of Stage
Studio album by Bobby Brown
Released	November 10, 1986
Genre	R&B soul pop
Length	42:29
Label	MCA
Producer	Larry Blackmon John Luongo
Bobby Brown chronology
King of Stage (1986) Don't Be Cruel (1988)
Singles from King of Stage
"Girlfriend" Released: October 27, 1986 "Girl Next Door" Released: February 9, 1987 "Seventeen" Released: July 6, 1987

The album spawned the singles "Girlfriend", "Seventeen", and "Girl Next Door". None of the singles were major US Hot 100 hits, however, Brown had a number-one R&B hit with the first single, the ballad, "Girlfriend".^[3][4]

Production

The album was produced by Larry Blackmon and John Luongo; Brown and Luongo produced the title track.^[5][6] Brown was unhappy with the production, and elected to go with proven producers for his next album.^[1]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[7]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[8]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[5]

AllMusic wrote that "as enjoyable as the Blackmon-produced tracks are, top honors must go to 'Seventeen' -- a riveting account of a teenage mother who turns to drugs and prostitution -- and the unapologetically sentimental, '70s-like soul ballad 'Girlfriend'."^[7] The Los Angeles Times called the album "an ill-conceived mess" marked by a "lack of focus, inconsistent production and mostly inferior material."^[9] The Boston Globe deemed it "a versatile blend of street funk, rap and ballads."^[10]

Track listing

Side 1

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Girlfriend"	Larry White Lee Peters Kirk Crumpler	White	6:16
2.	"Girl Next Door"	Melvin Wells	Larry Blackmon Dave Ogrin[a] Keven Kendrick[a] Wells[a]	4:08
3.	"Baby, I Wanna Tell You Something"	Nathan Leftenant Tomi Jenkins Blackmon	Blackmon Ogrin[a] Kendrick[a] Wells[a]	3:47
4.	"You Ain't Been Loved Right"	Michael Lovesmith	Lovesmith	5:07

Side 2

No.	Title	Writer(s)	{{{extra_column}}}	Length
5.	"King of Stage"	Bobby Brown Dr. Ice Khris Kellow	John Luongo	5:07
6.	"Love Obsession"	Ian Legall Steven Lindly Richard Nuttal	Luongo	4:43
7.	"Spending Time"	Allen N. Jones	Blackmon Ogrin[a] Mathew "Krash" Kasha[a] Michael Sauvage[a] Jon Wolfson[a]	3:58
8.	"Seventeen"	Tony Haynes Robert Brookins	Brookins Louil Silas Jr.	4:17
9.	"Your Tender Romance"	Haynes Paul M. Jackson Jr.	Jackson Jr.	5:10

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies an associate producer.

Personnel

• Bobby Brown – lead vocals, background vocals and vocal arrangements (9)
• Dina Andrews – production coordinator (9)
• Sue Ann – background vocals (8)
• Jerold Aquon – Simmons overdubs (1)
• Richard Aquon – background vocals (1)
• Maurice Bailey – scratching (5)
• Smooth Bee – background vocals (5)
• Olie Bowlds – background vocals (1)
• Robert Brookins – keyboards, drum programming, and background vocals (8)
• Patrick Buchanan – guitar (2)
• Kevin Choken – guitar (8)
• Emilio Conesa – guitar (1)
• Kirk Crumpler – bass synthesizer and keyboards (1)
• Michael Denten – engineer (1)
• Merv DePeyer – keyboards (3, 7)
• Angel Eve – background vocals (5)
• Gary Hellman – engineer (5, 6)
• Paul M. Jackson Jr. – vocal arrrangements, rhythm arrangements, engineer, guitar, keyboards, bass guitar, drum programming, and background vocals (9)
• Tomi Jenkins – background vocals (2, 3, 7)
• Marlena Jeter – background vocals (4)
• Jilliann – background vocals (7)
• Mathew "Krash" Kasha – engineer (2, 3)
• Khris Kellow – arrangements, drum programming, and keyboards (5, 6), background vocals (6)
• Keven Kendrick – keyboards (3, 7), bass guitar (7)
• Marva King – background vocals (4)
• Debbe Kole – background vocals (6)
• Ruben Laxamana – assistant engineer (1)
• Victor Lee-Love – background vocals (5)
• Wayne Linsey – synthesizer programming (9)
• Jaee Logan – computer sequence programming and keyboards (1)
• Michael Lovesmith – arrangements, keyboards, drum machine, synthesizers, bass, horns, and background vocals (4)
• John Luongo – arrangements, mixing, and drum programming (5, 6)
• Melicio Magdaluyo – saxophone (1)
• Lance Romance Matthews – background vocals (5)
• Bill Miranda – assistant engineer (6)
• Willie Morris – background vocals (7)
• Taavi Moté – engineer (8), mixing (4)
• Dave Ogrin – engineer (2, 3), mixing (2, 3, 7)
• Lee Peters – background vocals (1)
• Jimmy Preziosi – assistant engineer (9)
• Roland Ramos – percussion (5, 6)
• Eric Rehl – keyboards (2, 3)
• David Rideau – engineer and mixing (9)
• Michael Sauvage – engineer (2, 3)
• Scopin Scott – background vocals (5)
• Lena Seinday – background vocals (8)
• Monty Seward – background vocals (9)
• Louil Silas Jr. – executive producer, mixing (8)
• Andrew Spiegelman – assistant engineer (5, 6)
• Melvin Wells – drum programming and keyboards (2), guitar (2, 7)
• Larry White – assistant engineer, mixing, bass guitar, guitar, percussion, keyboards, Simmons overdubs, and background vocals (1)
• Grady Wilkins – keyboards and background vocals (1)
• Alyson Williams – background vocals (2, 3, 7)
• Mark Wills – engineer (4)
• Jon Wolfson – engineer (2, 3)
• Bernard Wright – keyboards (3)

Charts

Chart performance for King of Stage

Chart (1986)	Peak position
US Billboard Top Pop Albums[11]	88
US Billboard Top R&B Albums[12]	12

Singles

Chart performance for singles from King of Stage

Year	Single	Chart positions
		US Pop	US Soul
1986	"Girlfriend"	57	1
1987	"Girl Next Door"	—	31
	"Seventeen"	—	—