Don't Leave Me (Blackstreet song)

"Don't Leave Me" is a single by R&B group Blackstreet, produced by Teddy Riley. It contains a sample of the DeBarge song "A Dream". It features Eric Williams, Mark Middleton, and Chauncey Hannibal on lead vocals. Released in January 1997, "Don't Leave Me" topped the New Zealand Singles Chart for two weeks in May 1997 and reached No. 6 in the United Kingdom. In the United States it peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart.

"Don't Leave Me"
Single by Blackstreet
from the album Another Level
ReleasedJanuary 25, 1997
Recorded1996
Genre
Length5:20
LabelInterscope
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Blackstreet singles chronology
"Never Gonna Let You Go"
(1997)		 "Don't Leave Me"
(1997)		 "Fix"
(1997)
Music video
"Don't Leave Me" on YouTube

Critical reception

David Finlan from Experience commented that the song "is slightly depressing, because it is about a man trying to keep his girlfriend from breaking up with him. This song hits home because everybody has been through a breakup and as we all know, they are not fun."[1] Music & Media wrote that "hot on the heels of the success of No Diggity, Riley & Co. switch to ballad mode with this well constructed song, which has aleady met with approval across Europe." Stephan Hampe, head of music at RSH, a CHR network covering northern Germany said, "I think this is going to break Blackstreet in a big way in Germany, because it is the kind of great song that really stands out". He added, "while No Diggity received a warm welcome too, it remained largely confined to the quarters traditionally inhabited by the R&B fraternity over here. This record however, has the potential to appeal to a much broader audience, so we put in powerplay rotation (32 plays a week) because we want to familiarize our audience quickly with this song."[2] New Straits Times noted "the fantastic four-part harmony interplay" on "Don't Leave Me".[3] People Magazine said in their review of Another Level, that Blackstreet "pours on the heartache and late-night yearning" on the song.[4] James L. Brown from USC Today described it as "a slow bump and grind ballad".[5]

Chart performance

The song did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100 or the Hot R&B Singles chart due to Billboard rules at the time preventing songs not released as physical singles from charting. However, the song peaked on the Hot 100 Airplay and Hot R&B Airplay charts at No. 12 and No. 1, respectively.[6][7] Internationally, it went to No. 1 in New Zealand and No. 6 in the United Kingdom.[8][9] In the former country, it stayed at No. 1 for two weeks in May 1997 and earned a Gold sales certification from Recorded Music NZ,[10] finishing the year as the 12th most-successful single.[11]

Music video

The official music video for the song was directed by Michael Martin.[12]

Track listing
12" single, UK (1996)
No.TitleLength
1."Don't Leave Me" (Album Version)5:10
2."No Diggity" (Das Diggity Radio)4:25
3."No Diggity" (Teddy Riley Jungle Mix)8:03
4."No Diggity" (BJ Das Radio)4:20
CD single, Europe (1997)
No.TitleLength
1."Don't Leave Me" (Radio Edit)4:24
2."Don't Leave Me" (LP Version)5:10
3."No Diggity" (Das Diggity Radio)4:25
4."No Diggity" (Teddy Riley Jungle Remix)8:03

Charts and certifications

References
  1. Finlan, David (October 18, 1996). "Blackstreef sings rhythm and blues". Experience. p. 3. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  2. "Airborne" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 25. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  3. "Riley's masterpieces". New Straits Times. May 20, 1999. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  4. "Picks and Pans Review: Another Level". People. 11 November 1996. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  5. Brown, James L. (April 23, 1997). "Blackstreet brings soul back to the R&B sound". USC Today. p. 10. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  6. "Blackstreet Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  7. "Blackstreet Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  8. "Charts.nz – Blackstreet – Don't Leave Me". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  9. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  10. "New Zealand single certifications – Blackstreet – Don't Leave Me". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  11. "End of Year Charts 1997". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  12. ""Don't Leave Me" by Blackstreet | Music Video | VH1.com". VH1. Viacom International. August 15, 2006. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  13. "Ultratop.be – Blackstreet – Don't Leave Me" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  14. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 3297." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  15. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14 no. 20. May 17, 1997. p. 11. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
  16. "Lescharts.com – Blackstreet – Don't Leave Me" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  17. "Offiziellecharts.de – Blackstreet – Don't Leave Me". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  18. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 217 Vikuna 17.4. '97 – 23.4. '97)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). April 18, 1997. p. 16. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  19. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Don't Leave Me". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  20. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 18, 1997" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  21. "Dutchcharts.nl – Blackstreet – Don't Leave Me" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  22. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  23. "Swedishcharts.com – Blackstreet – Don't Leave Me". Singles Top 100. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  24. "Swisscharts.com – Blackstreet – Don't Leave Me". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  25. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  26. "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  27. "Blackstreet Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  28. "Blackstreet Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  29. "Rapports Annuels 1997" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  30. "Classement Singles – année 1997" (in French). Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  31. "Romanian Top 100: Top of the Year 1997" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on September 22, 2005.
  32. "Top 100 Singles 1997". Music Week. January 17, 1998. p. 27.
  33. "Najlepsze single na UK Top 40–1997" (in Polish). Archived from the original on June 4, 2015. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
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