El DeBarge is the debut solo album by El DeBarge. It was released on May 6, 1986 through Gordy Records (a sub-label of Motown) and featured the three hit singles, "Who's Johnny," which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Love Always," which reached #43, and "Someone," which was a Top 20 Billboard A/C hit and made it to #70 on the Hot 100. Singer/actress Vanity featured on backing vocals on the track, "Secrets Of The Night". This album was certified by RIAA as gold in September, 1986, selling over 500,000 copies.

Critical reception

Jason Elias of AllMusic stated: "While the setup and idea are still exciting on paper, [the album] is a disappointment." He also stated that "the majority of the [...] tracks just don't do anything to enliven the product or accentuate his voice," and concluded by writing that "the fact that DeBarge didn't have a hand in producing or writing the songs all but made this ho-hum from the start."

Track listing

Personnel

Production

Studios

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications