The album was an instant commercial success in the United States, selling 1.1 million copies in its first week. Its continued success was bolstered by its four chart-topping singles. As a strategy to boost its sales amid threats of bootlegging, a special edition was issued with the hit single "My Boo". Despite some mixed criticism towards its lyrical substance, Confessions received mostly positive reviews and earned Usher several awards, including a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album. The album has sold over 10 million copies in the US and has been certified diamond in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). According to Billboard, it is the second best-selling album of the 2000s decade in the US and has been regarded by music writers as Usher's greatest work.
Usher did not think of collaborating with many new record producers to handle Confessions. With the production started in 2003, he opted to continue creating music with Jermaine Dupri, who produced his last two albums, My Way (1997) and 8701 (2001). In spite of his vision, Usher contacted a few new producers as well: "With this album I choose some new producers who I figured would definitely allow me to really articulate myself in a different way ... Every album you gotta grow. You gotta look for something different." Dupri also invited his frequent collaborator Bryan-Michael Cox. The album features productions by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Just Blaze, R. Kelly, and Usher's brother James Lackey.
With forty recorded songs, Usher felt the album had already been completed. Initially, he submitted the album to his record label, Arista. He and the company's then-president, L. A. Reid, listened to the record; however, they thought something was missing in it: "You know what, there's like one or two more records that we just gotta get." Usher was displeased with the decision: He felt returning to the studio was the hardest part and needed to re-motivate himself. He went on recording a few more tracks with help from fellow Atlantians Lil Jon and Ludacris. Eventually, the team was able to produce songs like "Red Light" and "Yeah!". He also recorded songs with P. Diddy and The Neptunes during one of those sessions but were not released.
One of Usher's first steps in making Confessions was deciding to reveal "his own little secrets". Friend and former A&R rep Kawan "KP" Prather thought that it would let the public know Usher personally: "The music has never been the question, but people tend to buy into the artist. The more they know about you, the more they feel like they're there with you." Primarily because of its personal content, Usher said that this is his chance to be real. He named the album Confessions because he felt it is his most personal record to date: "All of us have our Pandora's boxes or skeletons in our closets. I let a few of them out, you know. I've got a lot to say. I've got a lot of things and stuff built in me that I just want to let go of." He wrote more songs than he contributed to his previous album.
Several of the songs in the album were conceptually based on a situation. For instance, "Burn" was built around a situation where Usher's two-year relationship with Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas of American R&B-hip hop girl group TLC was about to end. Dupri and Cox were talking and felt that there was a song in it, and started writing. Same through with the supposedly title track "Confessions Part II"; they were conversing about an impregnated a mistress, and its concept was written down. Usher was recording "Confessions Part II" on a July 2003 session in New York City, United States. With Usher singing the song's lyrics, the theme of cheating inspired him and Dupri; both decided to produce two parts: "Confessions Part I" and "Confessions Part II (the former is heard at the beginning of the video for the latter).
Confessions falls dominantly in the R&B genre. Usher commented that he chose to work with collaborators who know "... how to interpret R&B from a jazz standpoint, an old school throwback standpoint, a new school point, a traditional classic standpoint ..." With producers and him set to produce such an album, however, other musical genres including hip hop were incorporated. While he wanted to do R&B, Usher also wanted his fans to experience hip hop at the same time: "I try to think outside the box." When Lil Jon came on the scene, crunk was introduced to the R&B-centered album, specifically on the Sean Garrett-penned song "Yeah!". Usher said, "'Yeah!' could be called the first consciously styled "crunk R&B" record." The album also includes various slow jams.
This record also introduces a new style for Usher, focusing on his voice and technique. Andre "Dre" Harris and Vidal Davis listened to 8701 and felt that "Usher really needs to sing hard and let people know his vocal ability". With efforts focused on the record to demonstrate his vocal ability to listeners, songs such as "Superstar" and "Follow Me" exhibited Usher in a type of "crooner mode". The ballad-oriented "Burn" also showcases his vocal aptitude.
Confessions was originally slated to be released on November 6, 2003. However, due to marketing issues, the scheduled date was moved to March 23 of the following year. With several songs recorded, Usher faced the challenge of determining the final track listing. Usher, Dupri, Reid, and then-A&R rep Mark Pitts have their favorites among the forty, but decided to choose those which "came up consistently more". The collective was able to decide fifteen of them with two interludes completing the seventeen track list. Many songs were set aside for future use, including "Red Light" and a remix of "Yeah!". Usher and Arista held advance-listenings for the album, few months before its actual release; he also appeared on TV guestings to promote Confessions. With strategies to boost the album's sales albeit threats of stealing music in the internet, Usher and his management readied a follow-up release of Confessions with additional marketing blitz. The idea was considered "musically driven" after Zomba, who absorbed Arista, management was excited about "My Boo", a song that was recorded for the original version of the album but failed to meet deadline. However, it actually began when American R&B and soul singer Alicia Keys, who is featured on the track, "brought in that the talk of repackaging started". With the inclusion of "My Boo", they thought of the album as complete. While they knew of other artists releasing special editions of their albums, the label felt that Confessions had the edge because of its previous success and its physical changes, including a new cover art, an expanded CD booklet, pullout poster and a letter to fans from Usher. The new version includes "My Boo" and "Red Light", which were leaked alongside other songs that did not appear in the album, and a remix of "Confessions Part II", and "Seduction"; original tracks were also improved like the extended version of "Confessions Part I" and a rap added by American rapper Jadakiss in "Throwback". The label itself treated the version a new album, with full media advertisements. The album was re-issued in October 2004, six months after its initial release. When "Yeah!" was issued, Usher and the label were plagued by marketing strategies. With may potential lead singles that could fare well in music markets, they were choosing between "Yeah!" and "Burn". Considering that the former sufficed what the label was looking for, they also believed the latter would be a blockbuster. Usher as well was skeptical that time if "Yeah!"�which is largely composed around crunk�would be a good choice after doing an R&B record was in his mindset. Meanwhile, they felt "Burn" also failed to meet their expectations: "'Burn' being a great song is one thing, but it's one of them things where people said, 'It's strong, but can we make history with that?' At the end of the day, you want an event." KP recalled, "Everybody was scared to make that first step."
Usher did not think of collaborating with many new record producers to handle Confessions. With the production started in 2003, he opted to continue creating music with Jermaine Dupri, who produced his last two albums, My Way (1997) and 8701 (2001). In spite of his vision, Usher contacted a few new producers as well: "With this album I choose some new producers who I figured would definitely allow me to really articulate myself in a different way ... Every album you gotta grow. You gotta look for something different." Dupri also invited his frequent collaborator Bryan-Michael Cox. The album features productions by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Just Blaze, R. Kelly, and Usher's brother James Lackey.
With forty recorded songs, Usher felt the album had already been completed. Initially, he submitted the album to his record label, Arista. He and the company's then-president, L. A. Reid, listened to the record; however, they thought something was missing in it: "You know what, there's like one or two more records that we just gotta get." Usher was displeased with the decision: He felt returning to the studio was the hardest part and needed to re-motivate himself. He went on recording a few more tracks with help from fellow Atlantians Lil Jon and Ludacris. Eventually, the team was able to produce songs like "Red Light" and "Yeah!". He also recorded songs with P. Diddy and The Neptunes during one of those sessions but were not released.
One of Usher's first steps in making Confessions was deciding to reveal "his own little secrets". Friend and former A&R rep Kawan "KP" Prather thought that it would let the public know Usher personally: "The music has never been the question, but people tend to buy into the artist. The more they know about you, the more they feel like they're there with you." Primarily because of its personal content, Usher said that this is his chance to be real. He named the album Confessions because he felt it is his most personal record to date: "All of us have our Pandora's boxes or skeletons in our closets. I let a few of them out, you know. I've got a lot to say. I've got a lot of things and stuff built in me that I just want to let go of." He wrote more songs than he contributed to his previous album.
 Confessions |  Buy.com - Confessions (Special |  Usher - Confessions Pt. 1 |  Usher - Confessions (Special |  Confessions (Usher album) |
 Usher | Confessions | Baixar |  Usher Confessions-Special | .jpg) Usher - Confessions (Special |  Usher - Confessions - Special |  Usher - Confessions |
This record also introduces a new style for Usher, focusing on his voice and technique. Andre "Dre" Harris and Vidal Davis listened to 8701 and felt that "Usher really needs to sing hard and let people know his vocal ability". With efforts focused on the record to demonstrate his vocal ability to listeners, songs such as "Superstar" and "Follow Me" exhibited Usher in a type of "crooner mode". The ballad-oriented "Burn" also showcases his vocal aptitude.
 Usher Confessions |  Usher - Confessions (Special |  Confessions: Special Edition |  Usher :: Confessions Special |  Usher - Confessions (Special |
 Usher - Confessions (Special Edition). Release type: Album; Release source: | %20(2004)/00-usher-confessions_(special_edition)-proper-2004-c4.cover.jpg) USHER - CONFESSIONS SPECIAL |  00-usher-confessions_( |  USHER-CONFESSIONS-SPECIAL |  Sacha Baron Cohen Hair |
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