and BMI for being one of the most-played songs on American radio and television stations in 1991. The Recording Industry Association of America certified it Gold in November2022, which denotes 500,000 units based on digital downloads and on-demand streams. Outside of the United States, the song performed well in Canada. It reached the top 10 on the sales-based singles chart published by The Record ( 7) and the airplay-based chart produced by RPM ( 2). Elsewhere, "I Don't Wanna Cry" peaked at number 13 on the New Zealand singles chart and number 49 on the Australian singles chart. Music video and performances The First Vision (1991) presents a preview of the song's music video. The clip captures Carey singing amid red-orange lighting on an empty stage. Larry Jordan directed the official video for "I Don't Wanna Cry", which Columbia released in April1991. He had previously done so for "Someday". The sepia-toned video features Carey and an attractive man in a dark Midwestern United States home surrounded by candles and empty picture frames. After brooding over their tainted relationship, she enters a wheat field and cries. The music video received retrospective reviews from critics. According to KQED's Emmanuel Hapsis, Carey's performance foreshadows her strong acting ability in Precious (2009). People writer Drew Mackie thought her walking barefoot appears seductive. Carey disavowed the video later in her career. As Columbia reshot scenes due to the appearance of her dress and the model, she prefers the director's cut. This version premiered on MTV in November1998 and is included on the 1999 video compilation #1's. "I Don't Wanna Cry" is not one of Carey's fondest compositions; she has seldom performed it live. The song is noticeably absent from her 1993 high-profile Here Is Mariah Carey concert which includes all of her other Hot 100 number ones at the time. Carey sang "I Don't Wanna Cry" during the 1993 Music Box Tour and the 1996 Daydream World Tour. Her performance of the song at the Tokyo Dome during the latter is included on her compilation album The Rarities. In 2015, Carey resumed singing "I Don't Wanna Cry" for her Las Vegas concert residency #1 to Infinity. Credits and personnel Credits adapted from the liner notes of Mariah Carey. A-side: "I Don't Wanna Cry" Location Personnel B-side: "You Need Me" Location Personnel Charts and certifications See also List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1991