Usher, the #71 Artist of the Rock Era, Part One

"I absolutely love Usher."

"One of the greatest all-time R&B artists."

'Usher is amazing."

"What a talent!  Love every Usher song!"

"Usher has a beautiful voice."

"Usher is awesome."

"He has a unique approach to his songs, with great musicianship.."

"This man is so talented."

"One of the greatest artists ever."

"Usher is a true artist."

Usher Raymond IV was born on October 14, 1978 in Dallas, Texas, but spent a good deal of his youth in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  His father left the family when Raymond was one year old.   Raymond joined the church choir, directed by his mother.  Upon realizing his ability, the family moved to Atlanta, Georgia where he would have more opportunity. 

Raymond joined the R&B group NuBeginnings when he was 10.  The group recorded 10 songs and issued an album, Nubeginning Featuring Usher Raymond IV, which was re-released nationally in 2002. 

Usher's appearance on the television talent show Star Search was seen by an A&R representative of LaFace Records, who subsequently arranged for Usher to audition with L.A. Reid, co-founder of the label.  Reid signed Usher on the spot with Usher's mother Jonetta managing his career.  

In 1994, Usher released his self-titled debut album, which has now sold over 500,000 copies.  

After graduating from North Springs High School in Atlanta, Usher continued to perform and enter in talent shows.  He sang a duet with Monica, "Let's Straighten It Out", in 1995. 

 

Usher met producer Jermain Dupri and co-wrote several songs with Dupri for his second album, My Way, in 1997, naming the album from his inspiration, Frank Sinatra.  "You Make Me Wanna'..." dominated at #1 for 12 weeks and reached Platinum status in the United States and also reached #1 in the U.K. and #6 in Australia and the Netherlands.  It also earned Usher an MTV Video Music Award nomination for Best R&B Video.

 

"Nice & Slow" also reached #1 for two weeks, sold over two million copies and helped the album sell over six million units.

 

A third hit from the album, "My Way", jumped to #2 and became Usher's third straight Platinum single.

"You Make Me Wanna..." and "My Way" were both nominated for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards.  Usher won Billboard Music Awards for Artist of the Year, Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year and R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year and was nominated for Male Album of the Year, R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Artist of the Year and R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Singles Track of the Year (for "Nice & Slow").  He also earned a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Best R&B singer. 

Usher toured with Mary G. Blige and opened for Janet Jackson.  His acting performance in the television series Moesha landed him a role in the movie The Faculty.  He soon appeared on the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful and starred in the movies She's All That and Light It Up.

 

Usher released the album 8701 in 2001.  The lead single, "U (sic) Remind Me" went to #1 in the United States and hit the Top Five in the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, France and the Netherlands.  

 

Usher won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "U (sic) Remind Me".  "U (sic) Got It Bad" racked up six weeks at #1 in the U.S. and got as high as #3 in Australia and New Zealand and #5 in the United Kingdom.  The single sold over one million copies while the video earned nominations at the MTV Video Music Awards for Best Male Video and Best R&B Video.

Usher duplicated his Grammy win for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance the next year for "U (sic) Don't Have To Call", making him the third artist in history after Luther Vandross and Stevie Wonder to win back-to-back honors for the award.  The song peaked at #3 in the United States and #4 in the U.K. and earned a nomination for R&B/Hip-Hop Single of the Year at the Billboard Music Awards.

In addition to the Billboard nomination mentioned above, Usher was also nominated for Male Artist of the Year, Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year,  Singles Male Artist of the Year, R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year and R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Artist of the Year.  

8701 has now sold over four million copies and "U (sic) Got It Bad" was recognized as a "Most Performed Song" at the ASCAP Pop Awards.  Meanwhile, Usher's acting career continued to thrive with a role in the movie Texas Rangers in 2001.

 

Usher founded Us Records in 2002, distributed by Clive Davis' J Records.  Justin Bieber is one of the artists in his stable.  Usher collaborated with P. Diddy on the #2 smash "I Need A Girl (Part One)".

 

In 2004, Usher released the album of his career, Confessions.  The lead single "Yeah!" held on to #1 for 12 weeks and topped charts in 14 countries.  It won Best Male Video and Best Dance Video and was nominated for Video of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards and has sold over two million copies.

"Burn" also went to #1 for eight weeks, replacing "Yeah!" and thus giving Usher one of the longest runs of consecutive weeks at #1 in the Rock Era.  When "Yeah!" and "Burn" finished 1-2 on Billboard's year-end chart, Usher became the first act since the Beatles in 1964 to achieve that feat.  "Burn" was also nominated for Best R&B Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.  

"Burn" also has gone Platinum and Confessions has now sold over 20 million copies worldwide.  

"Confessions Part II" made it three consecutive #1 songs in the U.S. and landed in the Top Five in four other countries.  It too sold over one million singles.

Join us for Part Two below!