"Criticize" is a song by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal, written by O'Neal and Jellybean Johnson. It was the second single from O'Neal's second solo album, Hearsay (1987). The song's distinctive backing vocals were performed by Lisa Keith. Following the successful chart performances of the Hearsay single "Fake", "Criticize" was released as the album's second single.
| "Criticize" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. cover art
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| SinglebyAlexander O'Neal | ||||
| from the album Hearsay | ||||
| B-side | "A Broken Heart Can Mend" / "Fake (Extended Version)" (UK 12" only) | |||
| Released | September 23, 1987 (September 23, 1987) | |||
| Recorded | 1986 (album version) 1987 (remix version) | |||
| Genre | R&B | |||
| Length | 4:09 (album version) 4:00 (single version) | |||
| Label | Tabu | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| Alexander O'Neal singles chronology | ||||
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The song's lyrics are a personal commentary, critical of a nagging ex-lover, who criticizes his "friends", "ideals", "lifestyle", and "feeling[s]".
"Criticize" peaked at number four on the R&B chart, and number 70 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In the United Kingdom, "Criticize" peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart, becoming O'Neal's biggest hit in Britain, and in 2020 was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry.
In Ireland, "Criticize" peaked at number 14 on the Irish Singles Chart.
The official music video was directed by Marcelo Anciano.[1]
The song is featured in the soundtrack of the video game Grand Theft Auto IV on the in-game radio station "The Vibe 98.8".
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[2]
| Chart (1987) | Position |
|---|---|
| Ireland (IRMA)[3] | 14 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 17 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[4] | 40 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[5] | 4 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[6] | 70 |
| USDance Club Songs (Billboard)[7] | 21 |
| USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[8] | 4 |
| West Germany (Official German Charts)[9] | 24 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[10] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
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‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Alexander O’Neal re-recorded “Criticize” in 1998 with producers Errol Jones and John Girvan.[11] The song was released as a commercial single, peaking at number 51 on the UK Singles Chart.[12]