POP LP CHART : Bobby Brown’s ‘Cruel’ Takes Top Spot

Not many black artists make it to the top of the Billboard magazine pop album chart. So it’s a banner day for black music when one R&B; singer, Anita Baker, is knocked out of the No. 1 spot by another--Bobby Brown. His “Don’t Be Cruel” is an even more surprising No. 1 album than Baker’s “Giving You the Best That I Got.” At least she had a previous hit album; he didn’t. Much of the success of Brown’s album is due to the skills of the writing-producing team, L.A. and Babyface, which has been cranking out hits at a stunning clip.

* Those red-hot rockers, Guns N’ Roses, have done something extraordinary--placing two albums in the Top 10 at the same time, a pop chart rarity. Joining their long-running hit “Appetite For Destruction” (No. 2) in the Top 10 is their lastest release “G N’ R Lies” (No. 10).

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Title (Label) Last Week Weeks Ago on Chart 1. “Don’t Be Cruel” 6 8 27 Bobby Brown (MCA) 2. “Appetite For Destruction” 5 7 74 Guns N’ Roses (Geffen) 3. “Open Up and Say ... Ahhh” 9 9 36 Poison (Capitol) 4. “New Jersey “ 4 4 16 Bon Jovi (PolyGram) 5. “Hysteria” 7 6 75 Def Leppard (PolyGram) * “G N’ R Lies” 12 13 6 Guns N’ Roses (Geffen)