Chris Brown ‘BROWN’ Album: All the Songs Ranked

This is one of the songs on the album where it feels like Chris Brown was “trying too hard.” He has a knack for making music for women, but literally naming it “Theme Song” — and slightly pandering in the hook — felt too on the nose. It was almost as if he made it with Instagram Stories and TikTok GRWMs in mind. And hey, if that was the goal, it may work in his favor. More power to him if so.

Honey packs have existed for a long time, but they have become a bigger part of sex conversations on social media in recent years. It’s one thing to joke about them online, but another thing to make a whole record dedicated to using them while off Hennessy.

Mind you, this isn’t a bad song, though the “Henny, honey pack” call-and-response is slightly cringe. In the end, we walk away from this song saying, “Okay, cool, CB is hip to social media trends. Why did the guy who has made incredible bedroom anthems before without gimmicks need to do this, though?”

“Hate Me” is an incredibly self-deprecating powerhouse ballad, with the type of emotion and perspective that are pillars of R&B. Conceptually, it had all of the makings of being an excellent song, but the lyrics are far too simple. It is the song version of throwing lunchmeat and cheese between two slices of bread really fast, instead of taking the time to add mayonnaise, slice some avocado and make a sandwich. The former will get the job done, but the latter is something to truly be proud of.

Conversely, “Red Rum” was overcooked. It has a brilliant opening: CB does his thing on both verses, plus the pre-chorus and hook. Credit to NBA YoungBoy for the run he has been on lately, but he did not belong on this record. It’s a jarring change of pace and sonics, and his verse is a bit too long. Sometimes, the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.

“Your Time” is fun. Very bright production, and it’s always nice to hear some begging, though he does deny doing so in the hook. Again, the writing just feels a bit uninspired. CB sounds great, and the beat is beautiful. However, after hearing the entire album and the top-tier songwriting elsewhere, we wouldn’t have been mad if this stayed on the cutting room floor.

“Colours” had potential to be a really good pop song. Unfortunately, it felt like Chris was just going through the motions. The verses are pretty basic, and the chorus is mostly repetitive. The “bruises, tattoos” portion would have been really cool to expand on, but it didn’t happen. Another undercooked recipe. 

“Holy Blindfold” is definitely spiritual and uplifting, as Genius has tagged it. Verse two is particularly enjoyable, with Chris playing around with his cadence. The chorus is a bit unfulfilling, and the song is ultimately carried by the post-chorus of “Do-do-do-do, do-do-do” over and over. Another song where the idea was there, but he the execution felt half-baked.

“Cry For Me” has a nice bounce to it. It is right in CB’s wheelhouse of singing well, but making something that has energy to it. The writing could’ve been a bit more ambitious than “I treat you like an angel, you f–k me like a demon.” Ultimately, this song is fine, but it falls this low because he has better examples of this on the album. 

“What’s Love” is a warm record. Literally, it feels like a sonic hug. We do feel like CB missed the chance to go off a bit more in the chorus, though. The story of the song played into being confused and frustrated, yet the hook lacked the energy to really accentuate that. And with quite a few more impassioned offerings, this has to fall here. Otherwise, solid track.

“Call Your Name” boasts a nice flip of Three 6 Mafia’s “Nine To Yo Dome” and finds Brown riding a hard-hitting trap beat with smooth vocals. It was great A&Ring to tap Sexyy Red and GloRilla for this particular song, and switch the beat to something more sensible for them to rap over. This is neither of their best verses, but they do bring good energy to an overall solid song.

“Perfect Timing” has a nice nostalgic feel to it. Chris always does well in 90s-esque musical arenas, and this record is no different. Again, the writing almost feels too predictable. He sings so well, though, that it’s somewhat negligible. Fridayy also turns in a cool verse. He plays around with his flows nicely, but it does feel like something is missing. Had he really gone in, we may have been speaking differently about this track.

“For The Moment” has a rock aura to it. The vocal filtering in the hook and synths feels like he may have been listening to a bunch of old-school alternative bands. If that is the case, more of that — because it was very distinct and he executed it well in his own way. The bridge is especially enjoyable, too. A pretty good song as we approach the middle of this list.

“Wont Let Me Leave” is peak toxicity. Brown acknowledges that his relations with a woman should be over, but he can’t actually leave because she is so enthralling. They both admittedly made mistakes, and he has atoned for his sins. She, however, chose to “get even” with him. He is caught up in a dangerous psychosis, and the masochist in him wants to stick around. The depth of the songwriting does a lot for this record. The production and vocal performance left a bit to be desired, which is why this song floats in the middle of the pack. 

Now this is where CB thrives. “Say Nothin’” is a sensual, explicit jam that you can ride to. He is not shy about what is going down with this particular lady, but the level of depth and detail is refreshing because it isn’t consistent throughout the LP. He didn’t just tell us what was going on, but he created specific imagery to bring us right into his car where a nasty time is going on. What are the odds that on a song titled “Say Nothin’,” he exceptionally says it all?

The album opener “Leave Me Alone” takes a lot of time to build up, but it is all purposeful. Metro Boomin and Co. wanted to give the Virginia-born star a proper entrance with multiple beat switches, and it was warranted. When CB finally starts singing almost two minutes in, he gets right to it. There is a welcome fervor to his voice that properly sets the tone for this album and hints at the level of musicality that shows up quite a bit elsewhere.

Chris Brown blended R&B, pop and reggae elements here, and it worked. His patois in the second verse was funny, but he actually did pretty well overall. The pre-chorus and chorus were nicely structured, too. Tapping the “Worl Boss” Vybz Kartel for this was the icing on the cake. A fun track that is viable to go off at the functions and perhaps have Chris be further embraced by the Caribbean community.

“Fallin” was ambitious in all of the best ways. Easily one of the most soulful performances of CB’s career, and it was clearly by design. The production was awe-inspiring, and Leon Thomas fully understood the assignment. It may have felt like cosplay or “trying too hard” to sound mature, but if that was the goal, they nailed it. A really impressive outing.

While we definitely marked the social media gimmicks and pandering as a negative earlier in this list, “#BODYGOALS” featuring Tank is the exception to that simply because the music is too good to be denied. The beat knocks and both R&B veterans were in a flow state. Tank employs a memorable, smooth falsetto and Brown has a swagger to his cadence that is simply really cool. If this becomes TikTok or Instagram trending audio, it’s well deserved. It’s how you do cheesy the right way. 

“It’s Personal” is aptly named. Though the production sounds like a love song or a heartbreak anthem, Brown instead targets his haters. The disjointedness of the sounds and lyrics conveys that he had something to get off his chest. The conviction in his delivery drives that point home. Coincidentally, he says “keep that same energy” multiple times in the song, and we almost wish he could have done the same throughout this entire album. Nonetheless, this was a true standout because his passion was palpable. An R&B thug cut is always appreciated.

“Present” is a powerful closer. CB once again addresses his naysayers, but spins it cleverly. He can’t be too focused on those who don’t want the best for him, because he has a North Star more important: his lover. It’s your classic “All I Need Is You” type record.

The production creates a somber mood, and the lyrics toggle between heartwarming and concerning. Specifically, verse two, where he speaks about anxiety, not being present and requiring patience. It’s a vulnerable performance, and that is often where CB shines. He nearly covered every meaning of the word “present” in fitting ways.

“Skin To Skin” was a welcome reminder that, yes, CB can sleepwalk on the court and still give you 15 points. However, the writing, vocal layering and sensual mood of the record showed that he was dialed in inside the booth. There was no bit or attempt to connect with the younger audience; he just got his lines off effortlessly.

“Something In The Water” — automatic yes. The tempo and delivery here felt like a race against time. High-stakes R&B will always be a winner. And while it’s another sex anthem, his tone very much gives off “I need that.” And we want that vibe from Chris Breezy! A statement record from this album for sure.

“Obvious” is a true earworm. We know that we’ve discussed the simplicity of his lyrics as a pejorative throughout this list, but, sometimes, simple is what’s best. Combine the catchy chorus with immaculate production and a high-level vocal performance, and you have what could be a Chris Brown song that we discuss for years to come.

“In My Head” is simply beautiful. The musicality of the production, combined with his lyrics, paints a vivid scene. Chris is lying in his bed alone after his lover left him because he doesn’t want to let go of the fleeting moments they spent together. He doesn’t want her scent to leave the sheets or his own body. She just left, and he already wants her to come back. It’s the type of yearning we love R&B for.

“It Depends” snuck out late last summer and found its way into the conversation for what record headlined that season. When you combine Chris Brown floating over a sexy drill-esque beat, Bryson Tiller turning in one of his best feature performances in some time and a cool flip of Usher’s classic “Nice & Slow” you can’t go wrong. Women loved this track — rightfully so — and it became a highlight of the “Breezy Bowl” Tour. Not only was it a refreshing hit within the last few years, but it’ll now forever be a tentpole of BROWN.

Hey now! “Slow Jamz” is a force. Chris’s vocals are almost brooding here, but it works for the mood of the song and helps set it apart from the other bedroom anthems. He also serves up the perfect alley-oop for Lucky Daye’s pleasantly piercing voice. There is a nice yin-yang here, and they continue that tandem on a later chorus in the record. Masterful execution. An example of what happens when you’re intentional on a song, but don’t overthink it.

Alright, so this song could be summed up as the classic “I’m just going through a lot right now” line from men. The title is literally a variation of that quote, and CB says something similar in the chorus. However, it is another instance on the album where Breezy bares his soul and fits the production to perfection. It almost feels like he made a modern version of his 2005 hit “Say Goodbye,” and it works so well. Just a really moving track. Kudos.