If 24-year-old Usher Raymond would have known 10 years ago, when he released his first album entitled Usher, that his four-letter hit “Yeah” would make him the big man he is now, he probably could have done so years ago.Usher’s new CD Confessions topped the U.S. pop charts on March 31, 2004, proving to be the biggest album debut so far this year and to sell more than one million copies in its first week this year.
This young R&B singer must really have a lot to confess. Despite the ongoing rumors of the baby on the way and the breakup with ex-girlfriend Chili of the group TLC, Mr. Confessions seems to be doing just fine in the music industry. His hit single “Yeah” featuring rap artists Lil’ Jon and Ludacris remains at the top of the charts for yet another week and continues to be the most requested song on radio stations nationwide.
At age 14 Usher released his first self-titled album and broke out on the scene with his hit single, “Think of You.” His next CD My Way, released in 1997 dropped on the charts, opening at number 15 with only 67,000 copies sold. However, Usher did not stay away long and he returned yet again in 2001 with the release of 8701 taking number 4 on the charts and a total first week sale of 211,000 copies.
According to Sound-Scan, Usher has all together sold nearly 10 million albums in the United States.