Usher Raymond IV (born October 14, 1978), who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American recording artist and actor. He rose to fame in the 1990s, releasing the multi-platinum album My Way (1997) and 8701 (2001). Both albums sold over 8 million copies worldwide. His success continued with Confessions (2004), which has sold over ten million copies in the United States, and been certified diamond by the RIAA. It has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. His 2008 album Here I Stand has been certified platinum by the RIAA and has sold 5 million copies worldwide. To date, Usher has sold over 45 million albums worldwide, making him one of the best selling music artists in the world.

In 2008, Usher was ranked as the 21st most successful Hot 100 Singles Artist of all-time by Billboard magazine. He ranked higher than any other artist of his generation. The RIAA ranks Usher as one of the best-selling artists in American music history, having sold over 21.5 million copies in the United States alone. Billboard Magazine ranked Usher the #1 Hot 100 artist of the 2000s decade. He was also named the most successful singer of the 2000s decade, as well as the second most successful artist of the 2000s decade. His 2004 album Confessions was ranked as the top solo album and second most successful overall album of the last decade.

On March 30, 2010, Usher released his sixth studio album Raymond v. Raymond, which became his third consecutive album to debut at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. Usher is one of the most honored Billboard Music Award artists ever, having won a total of 19 Billboard Music Awards. He has also won 5 Grammy Awards, 4 American Music Awards, 8 Soul Train Music Awards, 4 BET Awards, a Blockbuster Music Award, 3 R&B Hip Hop Conference Awards, 9 ASCAP Awards, 4 Radio Music Awards, and 2 People’s Choice Awards. Usher has achieved ten #1 singles worldwide, including eight on the Billboard Hot 100. He has also achieved fifteen Top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, thirteen as a lead artist, two as a featured artist.

Early Life

Usher was born in Dallas, Texas, the son of Jonetta Patton (née O’Neal) and Usher Raymond III. Usher spent the majority of his young life in Chattanooga: his father left the family when Usher was one year old, and they relocated to Chattanooga, where Usher lived with his mother, then-step father, and half-brother, James Lackey, born in 1984. Directed by his mother, Usher joined the local church youth choir in Chattanooga when he was nine years old; there, his grandmother discovered his ability to sing, although it was not until Usher joined a singing group that she considered he could sing professionally. In the belief that a city would provide greater opportunities for showcasing his talent, Usher’s family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where there was a more conducive environment for beginning singers. While in Atlanta, Usher attended North Springs High School Usher’s father died of a heart attack on January 21, 2008.

1992–96: early works and debut

At age 11, Usher joined an R&B local quintet called the NuBeginnings, which was organized by local music svengali, Darryl Wheeler. Usher recorded 10 songs with the group in 1991, and the ensuing album, Nubeginning Featuring Usher Raymond IV, was only made available regionally and by mail order.[21] However, Patton took him out because, according to her, it was a “bad experience”.[17] The album was re-released nationally in April 2002 by Hip-O Records.[21][22]

At age 13, Usher competed on Star Search, where he was spotted by an A&R representative from LaFace Records, who arranged an audition for Usher to L.A. Reid, the co-founder of LaFace; Reid signed Usher a contract with the record company.[16][23] Usher’s mother left her job as a medical technician to manage his career, but later broke-up their relationship as manager-client in May 2007.[15] Usher was introduced on “Call Me a Mack”, a song he recorded for the soundtrack album to the 1993 drama-romance film Poetic Justice.[21]

On August 30, 1994, LaFace released Usher’s self-titled debut album. Sean “P Diddy” Combs produced several of the tracks and co-executive produced the album.[16] Usher peaked at number twenty-five on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was accompanied by three singles: “Can U Get Wit It”, “Think Of You”, and “The Many Ways”.[24] The album has sold over 500,000 copies, to date.[25]

After graduating from high school, Usher continued to develop his skills as a stage performer and laid the groundwork for his second album. He also appeared on their version of “Let’s Straighten It Out”, a 1995 duet with fellow Atlanta teen recording artist Monica;[26] and on “Dreamin’”, from LaFace’s 1996 Olympic Games benefit album Rhythm of the Games. He was also featured on “I Swear I’m In Love” off the 1996 Kazaam soundtrack.[27]
1997–2003: rising popularity

Usher developed a friendship with American record producer, Jermaine Dupri, with whom he co-wrote and produced several tracks for his second album, My Way, released on September 16, 1997. The album’s lead single, “You Make Me Wanna”, reached number one in the United Kingdom, becoming Usher’s first record to be top single; the record led to his popularity reaching in the country.[28][29] It also became Usher’s first gold- and platinum-certified single in the United States.[30] The album’s second single, “Nice & Slow”, peaked in January 1998 at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Usher his first US number-one single.[31] Later in February of the same year, the single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America; My Way has been certified six-time platinum in the United States.[30]

Usher received his first Grammy Award nomination as Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “You Make Me Wanna”,[18] which also won him for Best Male R&B/Soul Single at the Soul Train Music Award.[32] In the closing months of 1997, Usher embarked on a series of tour engagements including a spot on Puffy’s No Way Out tour, dates with Mary J. Blige, and the opening spot on Janet Jackson’s The Velvet Rope tour. Usher’s first concert album, Live, was released in 1999, which featured appearances by Lil’ Kim, Jagged Edge, Trey Lorenz, Shanice, Twista and Manuel Seal; the album has been certified gold in the United States.[30]

Usher made his acting debut on the UPN television series Moesha, which resulted in a recurring role on the series and subsequently his first film role in 1998′s The Faculty.[18][25] Usher’s extracurricular activities outside of the recording industry gathered momentum over the following year as he was cast in the soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful.[18][25] He completed two more films, She’s All That, and his first starring role in Light It Up.[18][25] He also appeared in the Disney TV movie “Geppetto”.[33]

Usher’s third studio album, originally titled All About U, was slated to be released in early 2001.[34] The first single, “Pop Ya Collar”, was released in late 2000 and became a number two hit in the UK but underperformed in the United States.[35] The album was subsequently pushed back and retooled after select tracks were later leaked to the radio and Internet. After having revised and renamed to 8701, the album was released August 7, 2001 (8.7.01).[18] The first two singles “U Remind Me” and “U Got It Bad” each topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four and six weeks, respectively. 8701 has been certified four-time platinum in the United States.[30]

Usher appeared in the 2001 film Texas Rangers.[36] In February 2002, Usher won a Grammy for ‘Best Male R&B Vocal Performance’ for “U Remind Me”.[37] The next year, he won the same award for “U Don’t Have to Call”,[18] making Usher the only artist aside from Luther Vandross and Stevie Wonder to win this award consecutively. In summer 2002, Usher contributed vocals to P. Diddy’s “I Need a Girl, Part I”. The year closed out with a trio of TV series appearances, all in November, on The Twilight Zone, 7th Heaven, Moesha, and American Dreams, the latter in which Usher portrayed Marvin Gaye.[38][39]

2004–07: Confessions era

Usher’s fourth studio album, Confessions, was released on March 23, 2004—just as its first single, “Yeah!”, was in its sixth week at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and fifth week on top of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Chart.[40] The album’s nearly 1.1 million unit debut sales was the highest first-week numbers ever scanned by a male R&B artist and the seventh best of the Nielsen SoundScan history.[41][42] To date, the album has accumulated sales of over 20 million copies worldwide,[37] over 10 million of which were sold in the United States, earning the album a Diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America.[43][44]

Usher’s second single, “Burn” succeeded “Yeah!” at the #1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Yeah!” had logged twelve weeks at the top, followed by seven consecutive weeks for “Burn” giving Usher nineteen consecutive weeks with a song in the top position. “Burn” yielded the top spot for one week to Fantasia’s single “I Believe”, and then rose to #1 for an eighth week before Usher’s third single “Confessions Part II” hit #1 for two consecutive weeks. Usher’s 19 consecutive week-run set a record broken by the Black Eyed Peas in 2009. Usher tied Glenn Miller who also spent 22 of 23 weeks in the #1 position in 2004–05. In April of 2010 it re-entered the Billboard 200 chart at #195 then jumped to #114 the following week. Bringing Confessions to a total of 95 weeks spent on the Billboard 200 chart.[45]

The album’s second and third singles, “Burn” and “Confessions Part II”, also topped the Billboard Hot 100, the former for eight weeks. Usher became the first artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay with four consecutive number-one singles,[46] In September 2004, “My Boo”, a duet with American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys, also peaked at number one at the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the album’s fourth number-one single.[47] In December, the album’s final single “Caught Up” peaked at number eight on the Hot 100.[35]

Confessions earned Usher numerous awards, including four American Music Awards, two MTV Europe Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, and three World Music Awards.[48][49][50][51] At the 47th annual Grammy Awards ceremony in 2005, Usher won three awards, including: R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals for “My Boo”, which he shared with Keys; Rap/Sung Collaboration for “Yeah!”; and Contemporary R&B Album for Confessions. At the 2004 Billboard Music Awards, Usher was recognized Artist of the Year, in addition to receiving 10 other accolades.[52]

In spring of 2005, Usher scored a number three Hot 100 hit as a featured vocalist on Lil’ Jon’s “Lovers & Friends”.[53] In 2007, Usher also collaborated with R. Kelly on the track “Same Girl,” for Kelly’s album, Double Up.[54] He was also featured in a remix version of Omarion’s “Ice Box”.[55] Usher also appeared on the track “Shake Down” on American singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige’s 2007 album Growing Pains.[56]

In November 2005, Usher starred as a disc jockey named Darrell in the Lions Gate film, In the Mix.[57] On August 22, 2006, Usher took over the role of Billy Flynn in the long-running Broadway musical Chicago.[58]

2008–09: Here I Stand

Here I Stand was released on May 26 in the United Kingdom and May 27, 2008 in the United States. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at number one for accumulated first-week sales of over 433,000 copies.[59] It has now been certified platinum by the RIAA and has sold 5 million copies worldwide. The album was a good commercial success and received positive reviews from most music critics. Who praised the maturity in the album’s lyrics. To promote Usher’s fifth studio album, the single “Love In This Club” was sent to radio in February 2008 and peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It went on to spend three consecutive weeks at the top—becoming Usher’s eighth number-one single and the fastest-rising song of his career.[60][59] It also reached #1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The single was another huge international success for Usher. It reached #1 on the New Zealand Singles Chart, #3 on the Irish Singles Chart, #3 on the Eurochart Hot 100, #4 on the UK Singles Chart, #5 on the Japan Hot 100, #5 on the German Singles Chart, #5 on the Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders), #6 on the Canadian Hot 100, #8 on the Swedish Singles Chart, #8 on the Australian Singles Chart, #9 on the French Singles Chart, #9 on the Swiss Singles Chart, #10 on the Norwegian Singles Chart, #12 on the Austrian Singles Chart, #13 on the Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia), and #18 on the Finnish Singles Chart. The follow-up single “Love in This Club, Part II”, which features American singer Beyoncé Knowles and rapper, Lil Wayne, peaked at #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It’s third single “Moving Mountains” peaked at #18 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and reached #6 on the New Zealand Singles Chart. The albums fourth single Trading Places” peaked at #4 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[31] In September 2008, Usher announced he would embark on the 15-date tour One Night Stand, in which the audience is only females.[61]

2010–present: Raymond v. Raymond

Usher’s new release, Raymond v. Raymond, was supposed to be released in December of 2009, however, it was pushed back due to the record company wanting the proper “setup” for it. It was released on March 26, 2010 in Germany, on March 30, 2010 in the US, and is scheduled to be released April 26, 2010 in the UK.[63] It was expected to follow in Usher’s Confessions album’s footsteps. Raymond v. Raymond was released only months after Usher’s divorce from Tameka Foster.[64] The album’s buzz single, Papers was released in October 2009. The song itself appears to be loosely based on his failed relationship with his ex wife Tameka.[65] The song peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100. It saw greater success on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it reached number 1, becoming his tenth number-one song on that chart. Critics praised the song for its emotion. “There Goes My Baby” was the first promotional single released on iTunes. It was released on February 9 but removed shortly after and then added back on February 16.[66] It has so far reached #15 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album’s official first single, “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home)”, was released in December 2009. It has so far reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100, #2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and spent a total of 14 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.[67] It second official single Lil Freak has so far reached number 8 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100. On March 20, 2010 Usher released his first international single and third official single OMG. It has been received very well by fans, especially in the United Kingdom but reviews from critics were mostly negative. The song became the third highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 of his career.[68] Debuting at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100.[69] It has so far reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.[70] The single also is already a huge success internationally, having reached #1 on the UK R&B Singles Chart[71] and #1 on the UK Singles Chart[72]. It is his highest peaking song there since “Burn”, which reached #1.[73] Its managed to already reach #2 on the Irish Singles Chart[74], #1 on the New Zealand Singles Chart, #10 on the Australian Singles Chart,[75] #10 on the Belgian Tip Chart (Flanders)[76], #11 on the European Hot 100[77], #23 on the Canadian Hot 100, and #23 on the Belgian Tip Chart (Wallonia)[78]. Usher performed the single with will.i.am on American Idol on the March 30th results show.[79] Within just one week of being available, “OMG” already ranked in the Top 10 on the Digital Singles chart.[80] On April 7, 2010 Raymond v. Raymond debuted at number #1 on the on the US Billboard 200 chart, becoming his third consecutive #1 album and selling an impressive 329,107 copies in its first week of release.[81] Raymond v. Raymond also dominated the International Charts. Debuting inside the top 10 in Canada, Holland, Australia, Germany, Spain and Italy.[82] Due to the huge international success of Ushers newest single OMG and the good first week sales for Raymond v. Raymond Usher is considered to have repaired his mainstream image and to have made a good comeback.[83]