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Confessions
Studio album by Usher
Released	March 23, 2004 (U.S.) October 4, 2004 (UK)
Recorded	2003–2004
Genre	R&B, dance-pop, hip pop
Length	60:30 (main edition) 78:22 (special edition)
Label	Arista
Producer	Jermaine Dupri, Lil Jon, Rich Harrison, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Thicke, Bryan-Michael Cox, Just Blaze, Dre & Vidal, Bobby Ross Avila, James "Big Jim" Wright
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Blender link Entertainment.ie link Rolling Stone link Slant Magazine link
Usher chronology
8701 (2001) Confessions (2004) Usher's fifth studio album (2007)
Alternate cover
Special edition cover

Confessions is the fourth studio album by American R&B/pop singer Usher, released on March 23, 2004 on Arista Records. In the following week, it sold 1.1 million copies in the US, the most copies ever sold in one week by an R&B artist and sending it to the top of the Billboard 200, R&B/Hip Hop and Internet album charts in the US. It has also topped the charts in the UK and Canada and reached number 2 in Australia. The lead single "Yeah!" featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris has topped singles charts around the world. The album has gone platinum nine times in the United States.

Usher told MTV that he was inspired by Augustine of Hippo to make the album sound as if he is confessing to something. "This album had to be a lot more personal than the last. It had to be something different than the last. For the most part, the topics, they're very much so personal. In a way, [I wanted] to play off the name Confessions, to make the entire album seem as if I'm confessing to someone or something. All of us have our Pandora's boxes or skeletons in our closets. I let a few of them out, you know. And with everything that's been happening in my life, I've got a lot to say. I've got a lot of stuff built in me that I just want to let go of."

As well, Usher wanted to continue with the traditions of R&B. The second song "Throwback" features a sample from a 1973 Dionne Warwick song written by the legendary Motown songwriting combination of Holland-Dozier-Holland. The album also features songwriting contributions by longtime collaborator Jermaine Dupri and R&B hopeful Thicke. However, when Usher presented the songs from the album to Antonio Reid, then in charge of Arista Records, they agreed that the album needed a first single. Usher recorded a couple of tracks with fellow Atlanta, Georgia resident, Lil Jon, including "Yeah!" in the crunk style that he is known for.

Contents 1 Chart success 2 Track listing 2.1 Special edition 3 Leftover tracks 3.1 Rhythm City Volume 1 - Audio CD 3.2 Others (leaked songs) 3.3 Completely Unreleased 4 Awards and Nominations 5 Sales 6 References 7 External links

Usher released the Confessions album on March 23, 2004. Confessions sold 1.1 million records in its first week of release, the most sales in the first week by any R&B artist and the highest sales by any artist in three years. Along with the success of the Norah Jones album Feels like Home, it was seen as a sign that record sales were slowly recovering after three straight years of decline in the US. The album topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic as well as topping US R&B charts and Internet albums charts and reaching number 2 in Australia. The album went on to sell over nine million copies in the US and over 15 Million worldwide. It is his most successful album to date.

1. "Intro" – 0:47
2. "Yeah!" (featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris) – 4:10
3. "Throwback" – 4:01
4. "Confessions (Interlude)" – 1:16
5. "Confessions Part II" – 3:49
6. "Burn" – 4:16
7. "Caught Up" – 3:45
8. "Superstar (Interlude)" – 1:05
9. "Superstar" – 3:29
10. "Truth Hurts" – 3:51
11. "Simple Things" – 4:58
12. "Bad Girl" – 4:22
13. "That's What It's Made For" – 4:38
14. "Can U Handle It?" – 5:45
15. "Do It to Me" – 3:54
16. "Take Your Hand" – 3:04
17. "Follow Me" – 3:31

Released on October 5, 2004

1. "Intro" – 0:47
2. "Yeah!" (featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris) – 4:10
3. "Throwback" (featuring Jadakiss) – 4:47
4. "Confessions" – 4:21
5. "Confessions Part II" – 3:31
6. "Burn" – 3:52
7. "Caught Up" – 3:45
8. "Superstar (Interlude)" – 1:05
9. "Superstar" – 3:12
10. "Truth Hurts" – 3:38
11. "Simple Things" – 4:40
12. "Bad Girl" – 4:22
13. "That's What It's Made For" – 4:38
14. "Can U Handle It?" – 4:39
15. "Do It to Me" – 3:34
16. "Take Your Hand" – 2:46
17. "Follow Me" – 3:13
18. "My Boo" (with Alicia Keys) – 3:43
19. "Red Light" – 4:48
20. "Seduction" – 4:34
21. "Confessions Part II" (Remix featuring Jermaine Dupri, Kanye West, Shyne and Twista) – 4:29

• "Doin the Most" (written by Usher Raymond, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Bobby Ross Avila, Izzy Avila)
• "Dot Com" (written by Usher Raymond, Robin Thicke, Guy Sebastian, James Gass, Robert Daniels)
• "It Is What It Is" (written by Usher Raymond, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Bobby Ross Avila, Izzy Avila)
• "What You Need" (written by Usher Raymond, Manuel Seal, T. Shropshire)

• "Don't Take It Personal" (written by Usher Raymond, Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo)
• "Who Is She 2 U" (duet with Brandy) (written by Usher Raymond, Tim Mosley, Brandy Norwood) (produced by Timbaland)
• "Ride" (Featuring Bad Seed) (written by Usher Raymond, Rich Harrison, James Brown) (re-recorded as "Get Right" by Jennifer Lopez) [1]
• "Rumor" (written by Usher Raymond, Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo)
• "Sweet Lies" (written by Usher Raymond, Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo) ("Yeah!" b-side)
• "Whatever I Want" (Featuring Mike Jones) (written by Usher Raymond, Shuggie Otis, Johnny Otis, Maxwell Davis, Rich Harrison) (Limited editions bonus track) [2]
• "Wifey" (Featuring Pharrell) (written by Usher Raymond, Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo)
• "Heavy" (produced by Dre & Vidal) (written by Dre & Vidal, Jason Boyd, Ryan Toby)

• "Come Over" (written by Usher Raymond, Dre & Vidal, Jason Boyd, Ryan Toby) [3]
• "Untitled" (Produced By R.Kelly)

• Awards

1. Teen Choice Awards' Choice Album - 2004
2. American Music Awards Favorite Soul/R&B Album - 2004
3. American Music Awards Favorite Male Soul/R&B Artist - 2004
4. American Music Awards Favorite Pop/Rock Album - 2004
5. American Music Awards Favorite Male Pop/Rock Artist - 2004
6. MTV Europe Music Awards Best Album - 2004
7. Grammy Best Contemporary R&B Album - 2005
8. Grammy Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (My Boo)
9. Grammy Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (Yeah!)
10. Soul Train Music Awards Best R&B/Soul Album - 2005

• Nominations

1. Grammy Album of the Year - 2005
2. Grammy Record of the Year
3. Grammy Best R&B Song (Burn), (My Boo)
4. Grammy Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (Burn)

• United States #1 (9x Platinum) (Sales: 9,450,000)
• Canada #1 (6x Platinum) (Sales: 600,000)
• United Kingdom #1 (4x Platinum) (Sales: 1,200,000)
• Australia #1 (3x Platinum) (Sales: 210,000)
• New Zealand #1(Sales: 30,000)
• Switzerland #3(Sales: 50,000)
• Netherlands #3(Sales: 35,000)
• Danmark #8(Sales: 20,000)

• All Music Guide Confessions album page
• MTV Usher page

Preceded by Feels like Home by Norah Jones	Billboard 200 number-one album April 10, 2004 - May 14, 2004	Succeeded by D12 World by D12
Preceded by D12 World by D12	Billboard 200 number-one album May 22, 2004 - June 11, 2004	Succeeded by Under My Skin by Avril Lavigne
Preceded by Under My Skin by Avril Lavigne	Billboard 200 number-one album June 19, 2004 - June 25, 2004	Succeeded by Contraband by Velvet Revolver

v • d • e Usher
Albums	Usher · My Way · 8701 · Confessions · Fifth Studio Album
Live albums	Live
Singles	"Can U Get Wit It" · "Think of You" · "The Many Ways" · "You Make Me Wanna" · "Nice & Slow" · "My Way"  · "Bed Time" · "Pop Ya Collar" · "U Remind Me" · "U Got It Bad"  · "U Don't Have to Call" · "U-Turn" · "Yeah!" · "Burn" · "Confessions Part II" · "My Boo" · "Caught Up" · "The Realest"
Related articles	Discography · Awards