Hall & Oates, The #70 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Two

 

 

In 1982, Hall & Oates released the album H2O, which went to #3 and has now sold over four million copies.  The lead single "Maneater" soared to #1 in the U.S. and #4 in both Canada and Australia and was nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the Grammy Awards. 

 

The single "One On One" was an Adult Contemporary smash at #4, #7 overall and #6 in Canada.

 

Hall & Oates scored another Top 10 hit with "Family Man".

The duo won an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo or Group.  The following year, the duo released the compilation album Rock 'n Soul Part 1, which has also gone Double Platinum.  A new song recorded for the album, "Say It Isn't So", reached #2 in the United States and #4 in Canada.

 Another new track, "Adult Education", made it to #8.

 

Hall & Oates won a second straight American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo or Group.  They recorded a remake of the Christmas standard "Jingle Bell Rock".

 

In 1984, Hall & Oates released the album Big Bam Boom.  The single "Out Of Touch" gave the duo their fifth #1 song in four years.

 

The album has sold over two million copies in the U.S. alone.  Another hit, "Method Of Modern Love", landed at #5 in the U.S. and #7 in Canada.

The duo completed their dominance of the mid-80's with their third straight American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo or Group and they were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals (for "The Way You Do The Things You Do").

The next year, the duo released the album Live at the Apollo, recorded with Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin, formerly with the Temptations.

Hall & Oates recorded the monster charity single "We Are The World" with USA for Africa.

 

Hall recorded a successful solo album in 1986, before the duo signed with Arista Records.  In 1987, Hall & Oates signed with Arista Records and released the album Ooh Yeah!  "Everything Your Heart Desires" became the duo's final big hit at #3 in the United States and #6 in Canada.  The album has sold over one million copies.

 

The duo released the album Change of Season in 1990.  "So Close" reached #6 on the AC chart and #11 overall.

In 1997, Hall & Oates returned with Marigold Sky, their first studio album in seven years.  In 2001, they released the compilation The Very Best of Daryl Hall & John Oates, another Platinum album.

In 2003, they released the album Do It for Love.  The following year, they released an album of mostly covers called Our Kind of Soul.

In 2003, Hall & Oates were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.  In 2009, the duo were nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for their performance of "Sara Smile" on the album Live at The Troubadour.

Hall & Oates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 and in 2016, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


The great blue-eyed soul duo charted 35 times, with an impressive 16 reaching the Top 10 and six #1 songs.

They have sold an estimated 40 million records.  Eleven of their studio albums have gone Gold, six Platinum and two Double Platinum.

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!

Usher, The #71 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Two

 

 

Usher then released his collaboration with fellow superstar Alicia Keys, "My Boo", another monster #1 smash of six weeks.  It also rose to #1 in Canada and was a Top 10 hit in nearly every country in the world.  "My Boo" was certified Platinum and earned a nomination at the MTV Video Music Awards for Best R&B Video.

 

The single "Caught Up" made the Confessions album the 19th studio album out of just 25 in the history of the Rock Era to contain five Top 10 hits from a studio album.  The accompanying video was nominated for Best Male Video at the MTV VMA's.

Usher spent 28 of the 52 weeks in 2004 at #1 to set an all-time mark for the most weeks at the top in a calendar year, breaking the record set by Glenn Miller in 1940, whose music preceded the Hot 100 charts of the Rock Era.

Usher and Keys won the Grammy Award for R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "My Boo".  Usher also won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Yeah!" and Best Contemporary R&B Album and was nominated for Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Best R&B Song (for "Yeah!"), Best Male R&B Song (for both "Burn" and "My Boo" and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (for "Burn").  He won American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Album and was nominated for Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards.  

Usher received Artist of the Year honors at the Billboard Music Awards, one of 11 trophies he earned that night to set a record for most awards won by a male performer in a single night.  He also won for Hot 100 Artist of the Year, Billboard 200 Artist of the Year, Mainstream Top 40 Artist of the year, R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Artist of the Year, Hot 100 Single of the Year, Hot 100 Airplay Single of the Year and Mainstream Top 40 Single of the Year (all for "Yeah!") and Billboard 200 Album of the Year and R&B/Hip-Hop Album of the Year and was nominated for R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Artist of the Year, Digital Artist of the Year and four nominations for "Burn"--Hot 100 Single of the Year, Hot 100 Airplay Single of the Year, R&B/Hip-Hop Single of the Year and R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Single of the Year.  

All told, Usher received 19 Billboard Music Award nominations for his work on Confessions.  He won World Music Awards for the World's Best Male Artist, World's Best Pop Male Artist and World's Best R&B Male Artist and received Favorite Male Performer and Best Combined Forces honors (for his work with Ludacris & Lil Jon on "Yeah!") at the People's Choice Awards.  In addition, "Burn", "My Boo" and "Confessions Part II" qualified for the ASCAP honor of Most Performed Songs.

Usher went on a successful tour; recordings of the shows were released as the DVD Behind the Truth:  Live from Atlanta, which has now sold over seven million copies.

In 2005, Usher reached #3 when he joined Lil' Jon on "Lovers & Friends" and earned Billboard Music Award nominations for R&B/Hip-Hop Single of the Year, R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Single of the Year and Ringtone of the Year.  Usher was named Male Entertainer of the Year at the World Music Awards and was nominated for World's Best Pop Male Artist and World's Best-Selling R&B Artist.  Later that year, he starred in the movie In the Mix.  

Usher founded New Look, a non-profit organization in 2005, which the next year began the program Our Block to rebuild and revitalize city blocks in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.  In the years since, Usher has expanded New Look into Baltimore, Maryland, Detroit, Michigan, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, New York City and Washington, D.C.  New Look programs are available beginning in 8th grade and continue through post-secondary education.  Students in the New Look program achieve 100% graduation rates and all advance to Higher Education.

In 2006, Usher joined the Broadway cast of Chicago, but a case of strep throat forced him to abandon the performance after two months.

 

In 2008, Usher released the album Here I Stand, which debuted at #1.  "Love In This Club" topped the U.S. chart for three weeks, his eighth #1 song and earned a nomination for Best Male Video at the MTV VMA's.

The album has now sold over 1.5 million copies in the U.S. and over five million worldwide.  Usher was nominated for both Favorite Pop/Rock, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist at the American Music Awards and Favorite Male Performer at the People's Choice Awards.  He went on a 15-date tour and performed with Stevie Wonder and Shakira at the musical celebration We Are One:  The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate the inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama.

In 2009, Billboard named Usher the #1 Hot 100 artist of the first decade of the 21st century.  

 

Usher released the album Raymond v. Raymond in 2010, issued after his divorce from wife Tameka.  "Papers" went to #1 on the R&B chart.  

Raymond v. Raymond debuted at #1, Usher's third consecutive #1 album.

 

When "OMG" with will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas went to #1, it made Usher the fifth artist of all-time to achieve number one songs in three straight decades.  He joined Stevie Wonder ('60s, '70s and '80s), Michael Jackson ('70s, '80s and '90s) and Janet Jackson and Madonna ('80s, '90s and '00s) and became the third artist in history (behind Paul McCartney and Jackson) to score a #1 song from five consecutive studio albums.    

Usher won a People's Choice Award for Favorite R&B Artist and was nominated for Favorite Male Artist and Favorite Song.  "OMG" was nominated for Best Male Video and Best Dance Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Usher captured American Music Awards for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album and was nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist and Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary R&B Album and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (for "There Goes My Baby".  He was also nominated for Favorite R&B Artist at the People's Choice Awards.

 

Usher released an extended play to the album called Versus, which debuted at #4 on the Album chart.  He achieved another huge hit with "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love", #4 in the U.S. and Top 10 in 15 countries.

Usher won another American Music Award in 2011 for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.  He received 11 more Billboard Music Award nominations--Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Male Artist, Top R&B Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist, Top R&B Album, Top Radio Song ("DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love", Top Hot 100 Song, Top R&B Song and Top Radio Song (for "OMG") and Top R&B Song (for "There Goes My Baby", winning for Top R&B Artist, Top R&B Album and Top R&B Song with "OMG".  Usher was nominated for Favorite Tour Headliner at the People's Choice Awards.  His OMG Tour grossed $70 million worldwide.

In 2011, Usher received the Freedom Award from the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, which honors people who work for justice, equality, philanthropy, civil and human rights and humanitarian causes.

 

Usher joined David Guetta for the Double Platinum single "Without You", #4 in the U.S. and Top Five in nearly every major country in the world.

"Without You" was nominated for Top Dance Song and Top Streaming Song, and his project with Romeo Santos (the song "Promise") was nominated for Top Latin Song.

In January, Usher and will.i.am performed "OMG" at Super Bowl XLV.

 

In 2012, Usher released the album Looking 4 (sic) Myself.  The single "Climax" topped the Hot 100 chart for 11 weeks, giving Usher two of the six longest runs at #1 of all-time (joining "You Make Me Wanna'").  The video was nominated for Best Male Video at the MTV VMA's.

 "Scream" also reached #4 in Canada, #5 in the United Kingdom and #9 in the United States and sold over two million copies.  Usher won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance.

Usher won Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist for the third year in a row and was nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album at the American Music Awards.  He also was recognized at the Billboard Music Awards with nominations for R&B Artist of the Year and R&B Album of the Year and he was nominated for Favorite Male Artist and Favorite R&B Artist at the People's Choice Awards.  The next year, Usher joined the NBC program The Voice as a coach.

In 2014, Usher released his eighth studio album, UR, and picked up Grammy nominations for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance (for both "New Flame" and "Good Kisser") and .  He was also nominated for Favorite R&B Artist at the People's Choice Awards.  Usher performed a 27-city North American tour followed by 23 dates in Europe.  In 2015, Usher became a part-owner of the music streaming service Tidal.

In 2016, Usher released the album Hard II Love, but "I Don't Mind" at #11 was the best of three single releases.  He starred as boxer Sugar Ray Leonard in the movie Hands of Stone, a biographical film of Panamanian boxer Roberto Duran.

Usher is one of a group of people who bought the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association for $375 million and he also owns several restaurants.

Usher received a star at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Usher has sold 23.8 million albums in the U.S. and over 43 million worldwide.  He has won eight American Music Awards from 14 nominations, eight Grammy Awards from an incredible 22 nominations, 18 Billboard Music Awards out of a staggering 50 nominations, four World Music Awards from six nominations, seven ASCAP Pop Awards,  two MTV Video Music Awards with 13 nominations, three People's Choice Awards out of 12 nominations (with one pending next year) and one Blockbuster Entertainment Award.  His 47 weeks at #1 from nine singles are the most by a male artist in the Rock Era.