Beautiful Girls (Sean Kingston song)

"Beautiful Girls" is the debut single by the American reggae-influenced musician Sean Kingston from his 2007 eponymous debut album; it was first released in 2007, when Kingston was 17 and is considered his "signature song". The song is about a boy who feels "suicidal" (radio edits have changed this to "in denial") over the prospect of dating a "beautiful girl" only to have her break up with him.

"Beautiful Girls"
Single by Sean Kingston
from the album Sean Kingston
Released	May 26, 2007 (2007-05-26)
Recorded	2006–2007
Genre	Doo-wop R&B reggae[1]
Length	4:02 (album version) 3:43 (radio edit)
Label	Epic
Songwriter(s)	Kisean Anderson Johnathan Rotem Jerome Leiber Michael Stoller Ben E. King Peter Harrison
Producer(s)	J. R. Rotem Peter Harrison
Sean Kingston singles chronology
"Beautiful Girls" (2007) "Me Love" (2007)
Alternative cover
Music video
"Beautiful Girls" on YouTube

The song samples the 1961 song "Stand by Me" by American singer-songwriter Ben E. King.^[2]

Rapper Lil Mama and actors Kenny Vibert and Lil' JJ are featured in the music video directed by Marcus Raboy, which hit 1 billion YouTube views on September 8, 2022.^[3]

Lyrics controversy

Due to the lyrics containing references to suicide, the track was removed from various radio playlists including FM104 in Dublin, where complaints were phoned in on a late night chat show, The Adrian Kennedy Phoneshow, and Wild 102 in Roseau, Minnesota. It was allegedly pulled from 2FM although a spokesperson said the song was not on its playlist at the time but did not confirm if it had been prior.^[4] FM104 replaced "suicidal" with "in denial", a change Sean Kingston made for the radio station. The edited version also changed the line "Damn all these beautiful girls" to "Man, all these beautiful girls", and "When I went away for doing my first crime" became "When I'd rush back just to see you in time".

Track listing

US promo CD

1. "Beautiful Girls" (main version) – 3:45
2. "Beautiful Girls" (instrumental) – 3:45
3. "Beautiful Girls" (a cappella) – 3:45

UK CD single

1. "Beautiful Girls" (album version) – 4:02
2. "Beautiful Girls" (a cappella) – 3:41
3. "Beautiful Girls" (instrumental) – 3:40
4. "Beautiful Girls" (remix) (featuring Fabolous and Lil' Boosie) – 3:27
5. "Beautiful Girls" (video)

Official remixes

1. Official remix featuring Fabolous and Lil' Boosie – (3:28)
2. Official remix featuring AC – (4:12)
3. Official remix featuring Lil Mama – (3:50)

Official versions

• Main version, radio edit – 3:43
• Album version, LP version – 4:02
• Extended version, video version – 4:17

Chart performance

The song benefited from extensive airplay before its digital release, reaching as high as number 17 on the Hot 100. On July 24, "Beautiful Girls" was accidentally leaked onto the US iTunes Store, two days before the planned release date. The week after the song's digital release it hit number one on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs, debuting with 260,000 downloads in its first week (the second highest digital sales for a new song of 2007, only behind Rihanna's "Umbrella").^[5] Kingston became the first artist born within the 1990s to top the Hot 100, beating rapper Soulja Boy Tell 'Em to it by six weeks.^[6] It has also gone on to occupy the top spot on the US Hot 100 Airplay and the Canadian Hot 100. It remained on top of the UK Singles Chart for four weeks before being knocked off by the Sugababes' first single from their fifth studio album Change, "About You Now". The song ended 2007 as the year's 15th biggest-selling single in the UK.^[7] On the official ARIA charts in Australia, it debuted at number one but fell to number two the following week when Delta Goodrem's comeback single took the top spot. "Beautiful Girls" returned the next week and remained for a month before being replaced by Timbaland's "The Way I Are".

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2007–2008) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[8] 1 Australian Urban (ARIA)[9] 1 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[10] 4 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[11] 10 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[12] 7 Brazil (Crowley Broadcast Analysis)[13] 2 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[14] 1 CIS (TopHit)[15] 71 Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[16] 9 Denmark (Tracklisten)[17] 2 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[18] 1 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[19] 19 France (SNEP)[20] 2 Germany (Official German Charts)[21] 10 Hungary (Dance Top 40)[22] 6 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[23] 1 Hungary (Single Top 40)[24] 7 Ireland (IRMA)[25] 1 Italy (FIMI)[26] 7 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[27] 8 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[28] 11 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[29] 1 Norway (VG-lista)[30] 6 Romania (Romanian Top 100)[31] 7 Scotland (OCC)[32] 1 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[33] 14 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[34] 3 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[35] 11 UK Singles (OCC)[36] 1 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[37] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[38] 1 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[39] 12 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[40] 2 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[41] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2007) Position Australia (ARIA) [42] 10 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[43] 48 Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[44] 69 Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)[45] 79 Brazil (Crowley)[46] 12 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[47] 8 France (SNEP)[48] 26 Germany (Official German CHarts)[49] 64 Hungary (Dance Top 40)[50] 42 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[51] 18 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[52] 72 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[53] 94 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[54] 10 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[55] 46 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[56] 65 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[57] 15 UK Urban (Music Week)[58] 14 US Billboard Hot 100[59] 31 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[60] 81 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[61] 13 Chart (2008) Position Spain (PROMUSICAE)[62] 35

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[63]	Platinum	70,000^
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[64]	Gold	30,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[65]	2× Platinum	80,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[66]	Platinum	15,000^
Germany (BVMI)[67]	Platinum	300,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[68]	Platinum	15,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[69]	Gold	10,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[70]	2× Platinum	1,200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[71] Digital	Platinum	1,000,000*
Ringtone
Canada (Music Canada)[72]	3× Platinum	120,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[73] Ringtone	Platinum	20,000*
United States (RIAA)[74]	2× Platinum	2,000,000*
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Covers

A few months after "Beautiful Girls" was released in 2007, a new online video service called Votigo began a cover contest in which fans could submit covers of the song for a chance to get a call from Sean Kingston. After an online vote user Mallory Robbins won with an a cappella version of the song. Top honors also went to a rock cover of the song performed by the Ailan Christopher Project. Shortly afterwards, singer JoJo released a cover response version of the track which was released on Myspace, however was not featured on her upcoming album. Chris Moyles also released a parody cover, however it was about the song describing how bad it was in his opinion.

The lead singer of Sublime with Rome, Rome, sang the acoustic version of "Beautiful Girls" on RAWsession on October 20, 2008.

The Plain White T's, whose song was knocked out of the charts by this one, did a cover version for Yahoo Music. Lead vocalist Tom Higgenson says that the group "started covering it as a joke almost. We started learning it because we were number one for a few weeks and then we got knocked out of the number one spot by Sean Kingston, by this song. It's kind of like an ode to Sean."^[75] To close out the song guitarist Mike Retondo breaks into the chorus of "Stand by Me", which is also done in the cover version by Boyce Avenue, a nod to the fact that that song's bassline is used in "Beautiful Girls". Maverick Sabre did the same at BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge.^[76]

Teddy Geiger covered the song on her 2007 tour, due to popularity a recorded version of the song will be featured as a bonus track on the iTunes version of her upcoming CD The March.

Lil' Brianna remixed the song and featured Kingston's vocals on her second mixtape, Princess of Miami.

Jesse McCartney covered "Beautiful Girls" during his Right Where You Want Me tour.

David Archuleta briefly sang the chorus of the song at the end of his May 6, 2008 performance on the American TV show American Idol. He was singing Ben E. King's original "Stand by Me" song.

Deer Tick recorded a cover of "Beautiful Girls", which can be found on Myspace.

Casey Crescenzo of The Dear Hunter recorded a cover of this song and has occasionally performed it live.

Boyband JLS performed a mashup of "Beautiful Girls" and "Stand by Me" as their bottom two performance on the fifth series of the UK TV show The X Factor. A year later on series six of the show, Lloyd Daniels sang the chorus and last verse of the song in his November 30, 2008 performance, also singing King's original "Stand by Me".

Bayside covers the song on Punk Goes Pop Volume Two.

BAMF! recorded a version entitled "Bootyfull Girl".

Russell Crowe, Kevin Durand, Scott Grimes, and Alan Doyle performed a cover version during the press tour for Robin Hood and at several benefit shows afterwards.

Beautiful Girls Reply

"Beautiful Girls Reply"
Song by JoJo
Released	July 20, 2007 (2007-07-20)
Recorded	2007
Genre	R&B
Length	3:32
Label	Da Family Blackground
Songwriter(s)	Joanna "JoJo" Levesque
Producer(s)	J.R. Rotem

"Beautiful Girls" (also known as "Beautiful Girls Reply") is a song by American singer JoJo. It was released digitally on July 20, 2007, as a cover response to "Beautiful Girls" by Sean Kingston.^[77] The song samples Ben E. King's classic "Stand by Me" and uses digital pitch correction technology on the vocals. Whereas Kingston's version is about a boy who is suicidal over the failure of his relationship with a "beautiful girl", JoJo speaks from a girl's perspective.

Chart performance

The song debuted at number 39 on the Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 chart one month after its release.

Chart (2007)	Peak position
US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)[78]	39

Parodies

• Chris Moyles and Comedy Dave from BBC Radio 1 have produced a popular parody, Sean Krapston – A Suicidal song.^[79]
• Kel Mitchell has produced a song on his Myspace called "Scariest Girl".
• Panamanian reggae group Comando Tiburón made a parody of the song in Spanish, called "No Llores Más" ("Don't Cry No More").

Use in media

This song is featured in the 2008 monster film Cloverfield, the 2019 crime drama Hustlers, and on The CW's Gossip Girl. The "suicidal" version of the song, which ends differently from the single mix is also featured in the video game SingStar Hottest Hits. It was the score screen theme for almost every game from the Peruvian flash games website Inkagames.

See also

• List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 2007 (U.S.)
• List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 2007 (Canada)
• List of number-one singles of 2007 (Ireland)
• List of number-one singles in Australia in 2007
• List of number-one singles from the 2000s (New Zealand)
• List of number-one singles from the 2000s (UK)
• List of European number-one hits of 2007

References

1. Smith, Troy L. (13 September 2021). "Every No. 1 song of the 2000s ranked from worst to best". Cleveland.com. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
2. https://www.whosampled.com/sample/206/Sean-Kingston-Beautiful-Girls-Ben-E.-King-Stand-by-Me/ ^{[bare URL]}
3. Rowley, Glenn (2022-09-08). "Sean Kingston's 'Beautiful Girls' Joins YouTube's Billion Views Club". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2022-11-03.
4. Independent.ie - Station bans hit song about suicide (September 21, 2007)
5. "Kingston Has 'Beautiful' View Atop Revamped Hot 100". Billboard. August 2, 2007. Archived from the original on April 22, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
6. "Music Industry Salesaccess-date=2007-09-08". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2012-06-30.
7. BBC Music. "Top 40 Singles of the Year 2007 ". Retrieved 2007-12-30
8. "Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
9. "Issue 948" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
10. "Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
11. "Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
12. "Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls" (in French). Ultratop 50.
13. "Top 5 Brasil Música - Semanal: 29/10/2007 à 02/11/2007" (in Portuguese). Crowley Broadcast Analysis. Archived from the original on November 8, 2007. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
14. "Sean Kingston Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
15. Sean Kingston — Beautiful Girls. TopHit. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
16. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 39. týden 2007 in the date selector.
17. "Hitlisten.NU – Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls" (in Danish). Tracklisten.
18. "Hits of the World: Eurocharts". Billboard. Vol. 119, no. 42. October 20, 2007. p. 101.
19. "Sean Kingston: Beautiful Girls" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
20. "Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls" (in French). Les classement single.
21. "Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
22. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
23. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
24. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
25. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Beautiful Girls". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
26. "Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls". Top Digital Download.
27. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 38, 2007" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
28. "Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
29. "Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls". Top 40 Singles.
30. "Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls". VG-lista.
31. "Romanian Top 100 – Issue nr: 43/2007 (05 Noiembrie - 11 Noiembrie 2007)" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on November 7, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
32. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
33. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200738 into search.
34. "Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls". Singles Top 100.
35. "Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls". Swiss Singles Chart.
36. "Sean Kingston: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
37. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
38. "Sean Kingston Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
39. "Sean Kingston Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
40. "Sean Kingston Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
41. "Sean Kingston Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard.
42. "ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 2007". Archived from the original on 2010-12-05. Retrieved 2012-04-15.
43. "Jahreshitparade Singles 2007". austriancharts.at. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
44. "Jaaroverzichten 2007". Ultratop. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
45. "Rapports Annuels 2007". Ultratop. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
46. "Brazilian Top 100 Year-End 2007". Crowley Broadcast Analysis. April 3, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
47. "European Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 13, 2009. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
48. "Top de l'année Top Singles 2007" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
49. Archived January 24, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
50. "Dance Top 100 - 2007". Mahasz. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
51. "Rádiós Top 100 - hallgatottsági adatok alapján - 2007". Mahasz. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
52. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2007". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
53. "Jaaroverzichten - Single 2007". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
54. "Top Selling Singles of 2007". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
55. "Årslista Singlar – År 2007" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
56. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2007 – hitparade.ch". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
57. "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 - 2007". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
58. "Urban Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week. January 12, 2008. p. 16. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
59. "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
60. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
61. "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
62. "Promusicae 2008" (PDF) (in Spanish). PROMUSICAE. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 9, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
63. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2007 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
64. "Brazilian single certifications – Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil.
65. "Canadian single certifications – Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls". Music Canada.
66. "Guld og platin i November" (in Danish). IFPI Denmark. Archived from the original on January 23, 2015.
67. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Sean Kingston; 'Beautiful Girls')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
68. "New Zealand single certifications – Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls". Recorded Music NZ.
69. "Spanish digital single certifications" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved August 30, 2022. Select Canciones under "Categoría", select 2008 under "Año". Select 28 under "Semana". Click on "BUSCAR LISTA".
70. "British single certifications – Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
71. "American single certifications – Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
72. "Canadian ringtone certifications – Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls". Music Canada.
73. "Spanish ringtone certifications" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved June 17, 2022. Select Canciones under "Categoría", select 2008 under "Año". Select 39 under "Semana". Click on "BUSCAR LISTA".
74. "American ringtone certifications – Sean Kingston – Beautiful Girls". Recording Industry Association of America.
75. "Yahoo Music - Beautiful Girls: Pepsi Smash Exclusive Cover Art by Plain White T's". Retrieved 28 February 2008.^{[permanent dead link]}
76. "Maverick Sabre - Beautiful Girl/Stand By Me in the Live Lounge". YouTube. 2012-06-21. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2014-08-20.
77. Brian (July 20, 2007). "WHO SANG IT BETTER? JOJO VS. SEAN KINGSTON". Concrete Loop. Archived from the original on September 12, 2007. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
78. "JoJo - Chart history". Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 for JoJo. Retrieved 28 August 2016.^{[permanent dead link]}
79. Download of Sean Krapston – A Suicidal song