Top 25 Best Chris Brown Songs of All Time

To Chris Brown, music is more than just a career - it's a part of his being. It's perhaps the only logical explanation to give about an artist that has been as prolific as he has, with seven studio albums, one collaborative album, eight mixtapes, movie soundtrack appearances, dozens of singles, unnumbered unreleased tracks, and countless features to his name. Constantly clocking in the overtime, there seems to be no stopping Breezy's frenetic pace for releasing music. In fact, he has upcoming eighth album Heartbreak on a Full Moon due on Halloween and has been keeping fans busy with teasers.

Born on May 5, 1989 in  Tappahannock, Virginia, soon-to-be multi-platinum record artist Christopher Maurice Brown first saw his vocal talents gain local attention before being cosigned by industry execs L.A. Reid and Tina Davis, the latter later taking up the mantle of being his manager. Brown officially signed to Jive Records in 2004 at age 15; a year later, he released first album, Chris Brown. Fast forward to 2017 and his legacy only continues to grow. His Spotify channel reaches about 17 million listeners per month and he's also one of the  Top Ten most popular artists in at least 17 U.S. states, according to Business Insider. In addition to all that, he founded his own imprint under Interscope Records, where other artists have come to him mentorship and guidance when it comes to their industry development.

Narrowing down the list to just top 25 classics could not have been more difficult. Breezy's large discography smashes through the dimensions of genres, and follows his evolution as an artist. Even more so, his path to success splinters off into mini-evolutions, showcasing the metamorphoses into the songwriter, the singer, and the rapper we know him as today. Each song played a part in his growth creatively and gives us a taste of his diverse musical influences. Unfolding the depth of his work not only traces back to the DNA of urban music before him but also cites the contributions of Gen Y to the blurring of genre distinctions and how we categorize songs in general. He stands as a prime example of how to produce successful contemporary crossovers, with his 10 years in the industry ranking him among the best in R&B, pop, hip hop, and dance, sometimes even as a hybrid of all of the above. This list seeks to capture an assortment of tracks that best parallels this complex, and complicated, artist.

In retrospect, "Forever" seems more like an evitable part of the late-2000's than ever before. Back then, this was really the only one of his ultra-romantic songs that you you could shake something to. The single became the go-to for DJs, especially when it came to letting their dancers savor the last moments of energy before the lights came back on. The slightest hint of those opening chords and disco pulses to the speaker meant that the room would soon be shouting a countdown to four in unison. Some guy would try to the Running Man, others the Kid 'n Play. The rest of us didn't care what we were doing, as long as we were moving, and with the beat of "Forever," it was hard not to. If you remember, chewing gum company Wrigley also had their slogan incorporated into the song  for the purposes of having it appear in a Doublemint gum jingle.

Plus, there was also that viral wedding entrance it became the soundtrack for.

Brown’s male-female duets have notably tapped artists like Ariana Grande, Rihanna, and Jordin Sparks for roles greater than that of a brief feature or sample. But the undeniable harmony between C-Breezy and Jhene Aiko in X’s "Drunk Texting" puts this song as the only one on the list where he evenly shares the lyrics with a singer of any kind. With voices so in sync, the two command the attention of listeners. Aiko had only released her debut album days earlier than X in 2014, but the flow created equally by both singers outdoes Brown's duets with more seasoned artists. Even though only Brown holds writing credits on this song, the emotions captured in its verses heavily reflect Aiko's soulful style. Maybe this is why there seems like such a symbiotic relationship with this duet. Even though they reunited two months later as features on Omarion's "Post to Be" and in 2017 with Brown a feature on "Hello Ego," a follow-up duet like that of "Drunk Texting" between him and Aiko would definitely be welcomed.

Breezy stepped up with a big ballers' hit with the addition of "Wrist" to his seventh studio album, Royalty. As the only feature on the standard album, "Whip It" rapper Solo Lucci joined him as they boasted of a life full of cars and iced-up wrists. With a spot on the trap spectrum, "Wrist" joined the line of CB songs inducing viral professionals and social media users to create their own dance routines. In comparison, this song has a slower pace, due to the production of the MeKanics and Khemasis. Nae-Naeing is often done in accompaniment to the track.

"Should've Kissed You" is usually near the top of the pile when you're considering the most underrated Chris Brown songs. The poetic ode to "shoulda, woulda, coulda" has kept a relatively low profile compared to most of his ballads, but is probably one of his most relatable records to date. Not many of Brown's love songs speak from a place of vulnerability, unless referring to a break up. More focus on an admiration for a girl, descriptive of her eye-catching features and personality. However, "Should've Kissed You" is ballad completely comprised of his own actions and movements. In listening, the internalizing is way more potent than fantasizing about the person you're into. As complex as this love song is, "Should've Kissed You" ties as a personal favorite Chris Brown song.

Brown takes the cake on the best bar-to-beat symmetry of his rap-centric career with "Let the Blunt Go." The track appeases both Team Breezy's dancers as well as his more hardcore hip-hop fans. "Let the Blunt Go" appears on a Funkmaster Flex mixtape, where the DJ's voice is only heard at the beginning to drop the project's name, Who You Mad At? Me Or Yourself?. Instead, Problem acts as the featured artist on this house party staple.

On Before The Party, CB appeals to his spiritual side to unleash a prayer of retrospective bars with Pusha T. Other dips in rapping document the wealth and fame that came along with his success in the music industry, but "Holy Angel" is bent on collecting the hardships and sins he has faced throughout his lifetime. From "What I'’s" to "What I've Done's", Brown acknowledges that he can be his own roadblock. "Holy angel, just stop the fire that burns in me/ I need a savior because I'm scared of me." Pure, unfiltered Brown.

Months ago, Nas hopped on CB's "Die Young." But before the two tackled social issues together, Nas assisted Breezy in a record embodying "situationships". A track off of 2012's Fortune release, Brown challenges the reality of a woman who believes that the relationship was a lot more than he thought. "Mirage" jumps right into that line of thinking, crooning "Yeah girl, your mind should apologize to ya/ Keep on telling all of those crazy lies to ya." With excellent production from Harmony "H-Money" Samuels, Brown and Nas go against a mean beat to debunk a relationship. On the other end of a "situationship", they take on the metaphor of a mirage, something wonderful to another yet still just an imagined construct.

Honoring the legendary Michael Jackson with the unmistakable call of "Aow!" prior to the beat coming in, Brown's lead single from X stars off with a bang. For those who remember his 2010 BET tribute performance, you'll know that Breezy wasn't a bad Jackson impersonator at all. Following that opening exclamation, the guitar and drum bit - reminiscent of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" - continues to build up "Fine China" as a song and set of visuals that pay homage to the legends of pop, soul, and R&B past.

A millennial in touch with Motown fueled 2013's "China." And like the icons who paved the way, CB commingled rock and roll influences into the music. In coalition with their funk sounds, the result came out more like MJ's "Smooth Criminal" or "Billie Jean" than Brown’s past song “Matrix.”

Smack-dab in the middle of the modern-day Dracula craze, Team Breezy didn't have to resort to Team Edward to support a teen vampire in 2007. Almost 10 years prior to the "Grass Ain’t Greener" video with the same theme, Brown dished out a next generation Blade with gothic horror visuals in support of the Exclusive single “Wall to Wall.”

The underappreciated classic chronicles the “hardships” of a famous 18-year-old like hearing “nothing but ladies calling.” A frequent writer to Brown's early hits, Sean Garrett's voice can be heard towards the end. With stunts copied from the video like flying and epic footwork plus CBE mates Myles Brown and Scooter Smiff, “Wall to Wall” was a showstopper when performed at concerts and the MTV Video Music Awards.

The polar opposite of his future song “She Ain’t You,” this track off Brown's self-titled album feeds into desiring someone from afar and being in a standstill. Years ahead of contemporary Trey Songz’ “Can’t Help But Wait,” he documents the view from the sideline as he anticipates the day when this girl will eject her undeserving boyfriend from the game and sub CB in.

Immediately, the singer denounces the notion that all guys are same. Sixteen-year-old C-Breezy says that he's different, and he comes through in the clutch when he presents himself as a man boy (despite the title, he does call himself a “little” and is fully aware of his youthfulness) of action. He lists all the way he’d be a better boo, to presumably an older girl like in "Gimme That." This other guy doesn’t seem to stand a chance against him. I mean, “He ain't fly, he don't even drive,” according to CB. Well then, shoot your shot, Breezy! Go’on, nah.

Earlier in his career, his ultimate breakup song would have been 2005’s “Say Goodbye.” Now fans were chucking peace signs, saying, “All that bullsh**t's for the birds, you ain't nothing but a vulture.”

“Deuces” falls in the era of Brown’s career when his experimentation with a decidedly more hip-hop sound became very prominent. A year after Graffiti's “I Can Transform Ya,” 2010 brought three different mixtapes, not only including his typical vocals but also rap bars and harder beats. The album F.A.M.E. succeeded in 2011 with a few continuations of mixtape songs and hip hop tracks of its own.Appearing on both the Fan of a Fan mixtape and F..A.M.E. album, “Deuces” solidified Brown’s return to the top. Before the 2010 track, his only other No. 1 hits on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart were “Run It!" in 2005 and "Say Goodbye" in 2006, reports Billboard.

The original version of “Deuces” features Tyga and Kevin McCall. Its remix snags Rick Ross, André 3000, Fabolous, Kanye West, T.I., and Drake.

"Yeah 3x" acts as a feel-good dance hit, with lyrics written by Brown, Calvin Harris, Kevin McCall, and Sevyn Streeter. In 2010, it was the first single off fourth studio album F.A.M.E. Like this track and album companion "Beautiful People," his ventures into Europop have done extremely well and claim top spots of music charts worldwide. "Yeah 3x" exemplifies the light-hearted fun summoned from a CB track. The words epitomize the feeling of being carefree. The song opens with "Move your body, out on the floor/ Put your troubles aside/Start living. Anybody can let go. Throw away all your problems/ 'Cause right now it's party time." Through both its beat and lyrics, it encourages fans of all ages to get up and dance. Perhaps the carpe diem attitude was meant to distract from the impending 2012—when people expected the apocalypse of occurring. Britney Spears and Jay Sean released similarly themed pop singles around the same time, and Drake dubbed the rap acronym of the spontaneity, "Y.O.L.O." However, by the next year, Brown’s seize-the-day mood transformed from dancing in the streets to dancing in the sheets when he released love-making soundtrack “2012” on fifth album Fortune.

With production by Polow da Don and verses full of chilling remorse and regret, Brown lit the match on his breakup track from 2009’s Graffiti. The album itself set the stage for a medley of post-relationship anthems like “Crawl,” “Famous Girl,” and “For Ur Love” besides “So Cold.” And most of them foiled predecessor “Say Goodbye” in that he was one in the dust, longing for her back.

“So Cold” sets CB as a reformed man asking his ex for a second chance, which he expresses such in a poetic way—comparable to “Froze” but with a more melancholic musical backdrop. Brown likens his heart, body, and spirit with that of a wintery cold, brought on by the emptiness he feels without the presence of his former girl. “Let her know it's so cold, it's so cold/ It's so cold here without her.” His post-breakup state in “So Cold” is also one of desperation. The entire song together, contrary to his other songs of the same attitude, is not directed towards his missed love at all. He pleads listeners to help reach his ex. CB wants you to talk to her because he knows that the chances of him ever running into her are slim. “I don't know if she's coming home/ My luck's up, I know/ Tell me what to do to get her back.”

Chris Brown and Tyga's collaborative album, Fan of a Fan, scored help from the personifications of the word “lit”—from producers Mike Free & DJ Mustard to hip hop star features like Ty Dolla $ign. Ty joined Breezy Tyga for “Nothing Like Me.” The song is a celebration of all the money CB has acquired and how tempting that is to the girls around him. “She don't think that I can change/So I switched from a Benz to a Range.” Make it rain, Breezy, make it rain.

Brown’s rhythmic collaboration with famed DJ-producer Benny Benassi dominated dance charts, with a notably positive reception abroad. This wasn’t his first dip in a more Europop style, with a portfolio of past songs like “Pass Out” featuring Eva Simons, “I.Y.A.,” and “For Ur Love” appearing on the previous album. However, it was the success of “Beautiful People” that secured a bond between his career and electronic house music. The single was joined by the similar genre-bending “Say It With Me,” “Yeah 3x,” “and “Oh My Love” all on 2011’s F.A.M.E. album.

Brown snagged Nic Nac—producer of DJ Khaled’s “I'm the One,” Ray J's “I Hit It First,” and Pia Mia's “Do It Again” among other CB tracks—for his collaboration with Akon. The distinctive back beat was well worth it.

“Came to Do” was one of 21 tracks on his album X, but it stands out as one of its sharpest. Its extremely addictive nature might bederived from the 11 times “You know what I came to do” pops up in the chorus. Regardless, clubs turn all the way up when CB goes “All my ladies.”

“It’s CB and TP!” Breezy upped the autotune for a collab with T-Pain for Exclusive’s “Kiss Kiss.” The collision between Tappahannock and Tallahassee pivoted on repetitive lyrics and opened the door for future tracks with the two like “Freeze,” “Shawty Get Loose,” and “Best Love Song.”

Appearing on CB’s second album, “Kiss Kiss” is a song still synonymous with the singer's name and it would be unjust to deny it a spot among favorites. Both Brown and Teddy Penderazdoun penned the 2007 hit. And the song lasted 26 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and, once it peaked at No. 1, it accomplished what no other song by him had done since “Run It” in 2005, knocking “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” from the top spot.

Unlike “With You,” this other Exclusive track on the list gets a little streamy. Back then, you’d be mid-function, mid-Sweet 16, mid-date, mid-wedding—and then the lights cut out, music plays, pelvic thrusts aplenty. “Doo doo doo” cued a line of copy-cat routines fueled with the sweat and ambition of a Chippendales dancer. And with CB live in concert, arenas ached with the desperation of girls clawing towards the stage.

“Take You Down” wasn’t just a song for Brown, in the same way “Nice & Slow” wasn’t for idol Usher 10 years earlier. It was his first step towards entering the the hall of fame for baby-making anthems. And at just 18 years old, it was his gateway drug into a future of sexy, love-making hits and departure from that sweet baby-faced kid with the dance moves. While some of Brown’s later songs also capture the sensuality specific to previous decades of R&B, the timing of “Take You Down” uniquely allowed its sound to have more of a ‘90s feel than elsewhere in his discography—making this track bold in comparison.

With assists from Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes, “Look at Me Now” was bred from the same hip hop emergence in his career that bloomed “Deuces,” “Till I Die,” and “Mirage.” No small amount of amount of rap and hip hop could be found on earlier albums and mixtapes—including Fan of a Fan where “Deuces" first appeared—a record that was released simultaneously as F.A.M.E. and Fortune. However, the insertion on a more mature album like F.A.M.E. pushed “Look at Me Now” towards a mainstream audience and helped normalize Chris Brown’s transition towards rapping. The 2011 track peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The only songs throughout his career to peak higher are 2008’s “With You” and “Forever,” 2007’s “Kiss Kiss,” and 2005’s “Run It!”—making “Look at Me Now” his highest charting hip hop hit on the Hot 100. The track also peaked at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs Chart where only “Till I Die”—peaking at No. 15—appears too. In addition, the song gave CB his first Grammy nominations in purely rap categories in 2011, whereas previous songs were nominated for Best Rap/Sung collaboration with the aid of a rapper feature. Plus, it is the first song with him as a primary artist nominated at the BET Hip Hop Awards. It won three out of four of the categories it was nominated for including Best Hip Hop Video; Best Collab, Duo or Group; and People’s Champ.

An example of a beautiful melody by Breezy, staying on the softer side aids him in creating an unreleased track with clean vocals. In addition, the choir-like layering of vocals on the chorus guides “Right Here” into being the perfect accompaniment to a snap and two-step.

No doubts surrounded “Right Here” when choosing the list of top CB songs and was one of the easier decisions. Its gentle depiction of an imperfect love story outperforms several up-tempo songs of the same nature, yet hints as to why it’s gone underrated.

When it comes to Brown’s love songs, the production’s go-to for organic music usually comes from the guitar family. “Right Here” is in the minority of his discography with a very present piano sound.

Unforgettable and iconic—two words to describe the second single off his debut album, not to mention the after-effect, which was the need for all 2000s music videos to take place on a basketball court. Absolutely no debate should exist whether “Yo (Excuse Me Miss)” belongs on this list.

As soon as the first beats are introduced, listeners are met with that oddly memorable “Woahhhh...doo doo doo doo doo.” The rest of the words feed Brown’s inner monologue before making a move on “the hottest chick that a youngin' never seen before.”

“Yo (Excuse Me Miss)” falls on the same project as “Run It!,” “Poppin’,” and “Gimme That.” When pubescent musical stylings can still win fans over a decade later, you know the song has to be a bop! The classic quality of the song withstood CB as he went from LRG to Bape to Black Pyramid, and is expected to continue a presence within years to come.

For years, “Loyal” received constant radio attention since its original release in late 2013 and album X’s release in late 2014. It remained a vital factor in any Brown setlist and it would go on to excite the crowds of major television shows, awards ceremonies, and concert arenas. The chorus is highly quoted with lyrics like “These hoes ain’t loyal” or the alternative version, substituting in the word “girls.” To this day, it remains a floor-filler, no matter what kind of party you're at.

The different versions of the song tapped features Lil Wayne, Too $hort, Tyga, and French Montana.

“Gimme That” touches on Brown’s Southern roots with crunk beats. He also demonstrates his ability to do a typical R&B moan within its opening seconds. The song also started a long musical relationship between CB and Lil Wayne when Weezy hopped on the remix—the version more commonly played. In addition, its video possesses similarities to Usher’s “My Way”—from the tailored attire to the dance battles. "Gimme That" acted as the third single to his debut album in 2006.

Five years after Brown teamed up with Tyga for their collaborative mixtape, the two returned with an album by the same name. “Ayo” acted as the first single. And if it had not been for “Ayo,” second single “Bitches N Marijuana” might have made this list. Though similar in manner, its hypnotic rhythm ultimately awarded “Ayo” the upperhand on all party playlists and from there, the decision was inevitable.

“Ayo” undeniably demands a sing-along from audiences for more than just its chorus—including Tyga’s verse. There is never a doubt that this song belongs to both artists and the 100 percent from each one helps both CB and Tyga pick up and pass the rotation. Its lyrically flow is just as great as its musical one.

In 2005, Chris Brown infiltrated the music industry with his debut single, “Run It!” featuring Juelz Santana. The song climbed the pop, R&B, and hip hop charts. On its fifth week on the Billboard Hot 100, it stole the No. 1 slot from Kanye West’s "Gold Digger,” featuring Jamie Foxx. The first single on the Chris Brown album eventually went platinum. Plus, it gained more pandemonium when Bow Wow and Jermaine Dupri joined Breezy for the remix. 

There would be no Chris Brown without “Run It!.” Thus there would be no Top 25 list without it either.

2007 brought us a range of emotions. It was a balancing act between watching the tragic death of Brown’s character in Stomp the Yard and glowing green with envy over the artist’s Super Sweet 18 on MTV. But if you were lucky, you had someone special in your life back then to distract you from all the 2000's angst, a boo who you could utter these five words to: “You're like Jordans on Saturday”—arguably one of the most romantic lines to come out of anyone’s mouth. If you were young and in love, serenades of Exclusive’s guitar-infused ballad were a staple and probably the ringtone of your flip phone.

A list of Breezy’s top tracks would be impossible without “With You.” Ten years later, his most romantic track transcends time. If it came on the radio today—sometimes it does, actually— any fan would feel the same butterflies as when it made its 2007 debut. Where were you when you first heard, “Hey little mama, ooh you're a stunner?”