8701

Last updated

8701
Usher - 8701.png
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 9, 2001 (2001-07-09)
Recorded20002001
Genre R&B
Length57:09
Label Arista
Producer
Usher chronology
Live
(1999)
8701
(2001)
Confessions
(2004)
Singles from 8701
  1. "U Remind Me"
    Released: May 22, 2001
  2. "U Got It Bad"
    Released: August 21, 2001
  3. "U Don't Have to Call"
    Released: January 18, 2002
  4. "U-Turn"
    Released: March 11, 2002
  5. "Can U Help Me"
    Released: August 20, 2002

8701 is the third studio album by American singer Usher, released in the United Kingdom on July 9, 2001, and in the United States on August 7, 2001, by Arista Records. Recording was handled by several producers including The Neptunes, Jermaine Dupri, Babyface, Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, Mike City, Bryan Michael Cox, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Although intended for an October 31, 2000, release under the title All About U, the album was delayed numerous times, following the leak of several tracks onto the online music store Napster. Usher subsequently recorded new tracks and released the album under the new title, 8701, which is derived from Usher singing for the first time in his local church in 1987 and the album's US release date of August 7, 2001. The single "Can U Help Me" was supplied with Windows XP Service Pack 2 and later Windows versions to showcase Windows Media Player 11 and higher WMP versions.

Contents

8701 takes inspiration from multiple artists, including Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Michael Jackson. It follows the theme of Usher's relationship experience, along with the emotions of love and heartache. Usher promoted the album by embarking on the supporting tour, 8701 Evolution Tour in 2002, his first concert tour, to which it he performed in forty-four shows across North America. He also made appearances in television shows, including Live! with Regis and Kelly and Total Request Live .

8701 produced two Billboard Hot 100 number one singles, "U Remind Me" and "U Got It Bad", along with the top three single "U Don't Have to Call". The album debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart, with 210,000 copies sold in its first week. 8701 has since been certified five-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has sold eight million copies worldwide as of 2010. 8701 received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised Usher's vocals and development as an artist, but were ambivalent towards some of the album's material. The album earned Usher numerous awards, including a BET Award, two Grammy Awards, and three Billboard Music Awards.

Background

Usher had initially planned to release the album entitled All About U, as his third studio album on October 31, 2000. The album was to follow his successful My Way (1997) which to date, has sold over seven million copies. [1] [2] On March 13, 2000, multiple tracks from the album had leaked on to online music store Napster several months prior to its release, including "T.T.P.", "U R the One" and "Pop Ya Collar". [1] Following the event, the album's release was delayed twice, on December 5, 2000, to July 17, 2001. [1] During the taping of MTV Icon Janet Jackson special, Usher explained that he returned to the studios to record new songs, stating "I didn't want that to be the way my record was remembered or the way I would present that to my fans [...] It turned out a lot better" while adding that tracks that were available for download on the site were not going to be included on the new album. [1] With new tracks produced, Usher's publicist announced a new name for the album, under the title 8701, who claims that it is "practically a new album". [3] The origin of its new name was initially unknown, with speculation that it subsides with its US release of August 7, 2001 (8/7/01), though Usher's publicist claimed that this was purely coincidental, and was not the reasoning for the title. [3] Usher hinted that it was derived after something significant to him, and he would disclose it in the upcoming months. [3] Eventually, his spokesperson revealed that the '87' segment of the title refers to the year 1987, when Usher sang in public for the first time at his church in Atlanta, with the '01' referring to the year 2001. [4]

Recording

Jermaine Dupri (pictured) produced and co-wrote several songs on the album, along with frequent collaborator Bryan-Michael Cox. JermaineDupriApr05.jpg
Jermaine Dupri (pictured) produced and co-wrote several songs on the album, along with frequent collaborator Bryan-Michael Cox.

8701 was recorded in the United States, in the cities of Los Angeles, New York, Minneapolis and Atlanta. [3] The album's production was handled by several producers including The Neptunes, P. Diddy, Jermaine Dupri—who had produced the majority of Usher's previous album, My Way Babyface, Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, Mike City, Bryan Michael Cox and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. [3] [5] Both Jam and Lewis were asked by Usher's mother, and then manager, to contribute to 8701's production, during the 2000 MTV Music Awards. According to Jam, his mother had said "Oh my God, Usher's got this track and we thought you guys would be perfect to produce it". [5] Several months later, Jam and Lewis produced the song "Separated", along with multi-platinum producers Ric Atari & Daron Jones (who also wrote the record) to which the producers then turned in to L.A. Reid, who liked the track, and asked them to produce more. [5] Following this, Usher asked both producers to create a song similar to their 1985 "Tender Love", performed by R&B vocal group Force MDs. Though he wanted it to be his own unique record, which contains a small similarity, to which Jam and Lewis created "Can U Help Me". [5] Following the completion of 8701, Jam and Lewis were sent back to the studio by Reid to revamp the album's second single "U Remind Me", explaining "we already know he can dance, and he's got the style and that whole thing. But I want people to just go, he can sing. [5]

Composition

In an interview with MTV, Usher commented that lyrically, 8701 represents his "soul", and elaborated by explaining that he was inspired by love and heartache; "I listen to a lot of Donny Hathaway's, Stevie Wonder's, Marvin Gaye's and Michael Jackson's earlier records, those Motown greats. There's a little bit of all of that in the album. I really appreciate what music was back then as well as in the early '90s when you had artists like Troop and Jodeci, and Michael Jackson was in his prime." [6] Usher explained that the album's lyrics also reflect on what has been going on with his relationship; [7] 8701 is predominantly an R&B album. [8] "Can U Help Me", is about a deep relationship to which Usher experienced. [7] "U Don't Have to Call" is a hip hop song inspired by Jackson, while "U Got It Bad" is an R&B slow-jam. [7] [9] [10] About "U Got It Bad", Kyle Anderson of MTV wrote that it makes use of the acoustic guitar and a "slow-burning bassline" throughout. [10] The album's lead single "U Remind Me" is also an R&B track, [11] and its lyrics is based on meeting a woman who reminds Usher of an ex-girlfriend, and therefore cannot date her. [11] [12]

Singles

"Pop Ya Collar" was released from Usher's previously intended third studio album All About U as the first single. Following the song's leak on online music store Napster, along with several other tracks, it was added to some editions of 8701. It entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart, [13] but was less successful in the United States, peaking at number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 [14] and number 25 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. [15] 8701's first official single was "U Remind Me", released on May 22, 2001. [16] The song sold nearly 100,000 copies in its opening week [4] and received positive reviews from most critics, who cited it as a highlight from the album. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100, for four consecutive weeks. [14] "U Remind Me" also reached the top five in several countries, including France, [17] Belgium (Wallonia), [17] New Zealand, [17] the United Kingdom [18] and Australia. [17] It has been certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ). [19] [20] "I Don't Know", featuring rapper-producer P. Diddy, was planned as the album's second single. It received radio play prior to the release of "U Remind Me", [3] peaking at number 68 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and a video was to be produced in Los Angeles, directed by Diddy. [4]

The album's second single was instead "U Got It Bad", released on August 21, 2001. [21] Like its predecessor, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. [14] It was number one for a single week, before being replaced by Nickelback's "How You Remind Me" for four weeks. [10] The song then returned to the top, replacing the latter song for four more weeks. [10] "U Got It Bad" also achieved chart success in other territories, reaching the top five in New Zealand, [22] Australia [22] and the UK. [23] The song has been certified five-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). [24] "U Don't Have to Call" was released as the third single on January 18, 2002. [25] It impacted the Hot 100, peaking at number three, [14] and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, at number two. [15] It was released with P. Diddy's "I Need a Girl (Part One)" in the UK as a B-side single, and reached number four. [26] "U-Turn" was released as the album's fourth single on March 11, 2002, as an international single. [27] It reached the top ten in Belgium and Australia. [28] "Can U Help Me" was released as the album's final single on August 20, 2002. [29] It peaked at number 57 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number 30 on the Rhythmic Top 40 chart. [30]

Release and promotion

Usher initially planned to release his third studio album on October 31, 2000, under the title All About U, but due to the leak of multiple tracks several months prior to the date, it was delayed. [1] First to December 5, 2000, it was delayed again to June 17, 2001. [1] In regards to this, Usher commented that "Pushing the record back was a risk, but I thought it would build anticipation". [6] 8701's final release date was July 9, 2001 in the United Kingdom [31] and August 7, 2001, on Arista Records, in the United States, [32] Australia and Canada. [33] [34] On the day of release of the album in the United States, to which Arista labelled as "Usher day", Usher performed the album's lead single "U Remind Me" on the show Live! with Regis and Kelly . [6] He also performed the single during the 2001 BET Awards and the United We Stand: What More Can I Give concert at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C., which was held in tribute to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. [6] [35] Usher appeared on Total Request Live , attended an auto-graph signing session in a Virgin mega store, and a listening session for the album in the Planet Hollywood restaurant. [6] Usher performed "U Got It Bad" at the 2002 American Music Awards, [36] and again on June 16, 2002, at the Tweeter Center along with "U Don't Have to Call" during his concert. [37]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 67/100 [38]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Blender Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [39]
Entertainment Weekly B− [40]
NME 8/10 [41]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [42]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [43]
Slant Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [44]
Vibe 3/5 [45]

8701 received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 67, based on 11 reviews. [46] NME 's Lucy O'Brien commended Usher for producing a more mature album, that "reflects his emotional experience" writing "Versatility is the key here: staccato beats with mellifluous melody, rich slow-jams and edgy harmonies – but woven through with Usher's own perspective. A winner." [41] BBC Online's Christian Hopwood also favoured the album, commenting on how Usher has developed "his producing, singing and song writing skills to a new level" noting his contribution to twelve of the seventeen tracks. [47] Dan Leroy of Yahoo! Music declared the album an improvement "over Usher's "old" new album"—All About You—and depicted it as his best work to-date. Leroy credited the production groups The Neptunes and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, depicting that they have done "some of their best work" on the album. [9] J. D. Considine of Blender commented that the album "does what it's supposed to, giving Usher a grown-up R&B sound without reducing his boyish charm". [39] Kathryn McGuire of Rolling Stone described Usher's vocals as "velvety" and further wrote that "Amid all the playboy pouting and preening, Usher's vocals are impressively adaptable [...]. McGuire noted the album's primary fault is that "Usher never surrenders his meticulously groomed veneer", with every track being formulaic, or "radio-safe". [43]

Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine noted the distinction between several of the album's songs with Janet Jackson's, while comparing Usher's vocals to that of another Jackson member, Michael Jackson "[...] bring out the other Jackson in Usher, bolstering falsetto vocal bridges on "I Don't Know" and "U Don't Have to Call" that are undeniably Pop Royalty." [44] Vibe 's Jason King complimented some of the material on the album, but was disappointed with the "heavyweight producers" not producing any "masterpieces". [45] Stephen Erlewine of AllMusic gave a positive opinion on Usher's development, writing "He looks good, his material is smooth and seductive, and he has a nice voice, even if he tends to favor melisma". Erlewine also labelled the album as "a classy, seductive affair" but was ambivalent towards its material, due to the lack of memorable tracks. [8] Entertainment Weekly's Josh Tyrangiel said that the tracks "blend harmlessly together", but was ambivalent towards the quality of the songs produced after Usher's four-year hiatus. [48]

Accolades

The album earned Usher numerous accolades. At the 44th Grammy Awards he won his first Grammy, for Best R&B Vocal Performance Male (for "U Remind Me"). The following year, at the 45th Grammy Awards, he won the award again, for "U Don't Have to Call". As an act Usher won several awards, including three Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards in 2002, for Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Artist, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Male Artist and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist, [49] and a BET Award for Best R&B Artist. [6] At the 2002 Soul Train Music Awards, the album earned him an award for Male R&B/Soul Album. In December 2009, the album and its single, "U Got It Bad", were ranked as some of the best records of the 2000–2009 decade. The former was positioned at number sixty-three and the latter at number fifteen, respectively, on the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 Decade-End Charts. [50] [51] In 2008, "U Got It Bad" was ranked as one of the all-time Hot 100 songs, positioned at number ninety-nine. [52]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number-four on the US Billboard 200 Chart selling 210,000 copies in its first week; [53] it was the second highest debut of the week, behind Isley Brothers' Eternal . [54] The album exceeded its predecessor's sales, My Way (1997), which debuted at number fifteen selling 66,000 copies in its opening week. [53] Eighteen weeks after the release of 8701, it had sold 1.94 million copies, and was predicted to be on pace to out-sell My Way, which sold 1.32 million units during the same period. [53] On the week of February 25, 2002 8701's total sales stood at 3.2 million and it was charted at number eleven on the Billboard 200. [55] By March 9, 2010, the album had sold 4.7 million copies in the United States, and had received a 4× platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). [56]

The album debuted atop the Canadian Albums Chart, and spent three weeks on the chart. [57] It topped the UK Albums Chart on the week ending July 21, 2001, [58] and spent a total of 59 weeks on the chart. [59] The album was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). [60] On the Australian Albums Chart, 8701 peaked at number seven, and remained on the chart for forty-three weeks. [61] It was certified 2× platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). The album debuted in the top five on the Danish Albums Chart and Belgium Albums Chart (Wallonia). [61] It debuted in the top ten in several countries, including New Zealand, The Netherlands, Switzerland and Norway. [61] 8701 was the 18th best-selling album of 2001, shipping 4.4 million copies worldwide in that year according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). [62] By November 2010, the album had sold over 8 million copies worldwide. [63]

Track listing

US edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro-Lude 8701" Usher Raymond IV 0:44
2."U Remind Me"
  • Anita McCloud
  • Edmund "Eddie Hustle" Clement
  • Clement
  • Jam & Lewis
4:26
3."I Don't Know" (featuring P. Diddy)
The Neptunes 4:26
4."Twork It Out"Jam & Lewis4:42
5."U Got It Bad"
4:07
6."If I Want To"
3:46
7."I Can't Let U Go"
  • Raymond
  • Dupri
  • Cox
3:28
8."U Don't Have to Call"WilliamsThe Neptunes4:29
9."Without U (Interlude)"Raymond
  • Raymond
  • Jam & Lewis [A]
0:53
10."Can U Help Me"
  • Raymond
  • Harris III
  • Lewis
Jam & Lewis5:35
11."How Do I Say"
  • Raymond
  • Harris III
  • Lewis
5:39
12."Hottest Thing" Michael Flowers Mike City 3:49
13."Good Ol' Ghetto"
  • Raymond
  • Dupri
  • Cox
4:00
14."U-Turn"
  • Raymond
  • Dupri
  • Cox
3:09
15."U R the One"
Soulshock & Karlin 3:56
Total length:57:09
International edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro-Lude 8701"Raymond
  • Raymond
  • Jam & Lewis [A]
0:44
2."U Remind Me"
  • McCloud
  • Clement
  • Clement
  • Jam & Lewis
4:26
3."I Don't Know" (featuring P. Diddy)
  • Williams
  • Goss
The Neptunes4:26
4."Twork It Out"
  • Raymond
  • Harris III
  • Lewis
Jam & Lewis4:42
5."U Got It Bad"
  • Raymond
  • Dupri
  • Cox
4:07
6."Pop Ya Collar"Briggs3:35
7."If I Want To"
  • Raymond
  • Edmonds
  • Dupri
  • Cox
  • Wallace
  • Harvey
  • Troutman
  • Babyface
  • Dupri
  • Cox [A]
3:46
8."I Can't Let U Go"
  • Raymond
  • Dupri
  • Cox
3:28
9."U Don't Have to Call"WilliamsThe Neptunes4:29
10."Without U (Interlude)"Raymond
  • Raymond
  • Jam & Lewis [A]
0:53
11."Can U Help Me"
  • Raymond
  • Harris III
  • Lewis
Jam & Lewis5:35
12."How Do I Say"
  • Raymond
  • Harris III
  • Lewis
  • Jam & Lewis
  • Wright [A]
5:39
13."Hottest Thing"FlowersCity3:49
14."Good Ol' Ghetto"
  • Raymond
  • Dupri
  • Cox
4:00
15."U-Turn"
  • Raymond
  • Dupri
  • Cox
3:09
16."T.T.P."
  • Raymond
  • Dupri
  • Cox
3:38
17."Separated"
  • Jam & Lewis
  • Jones
  • Moore
4:24
Total length:64:55
Japan bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
18."U Remind Me" (KC's Smooth Remix) (featuring Chemistry)
  • Clement
  • Jam & Lewis
  • Kiyoshi Matsuo [B]
4:32
Special edition bonus CD
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Pop Ya Collar" (G-Force Double Bass Flex)
  • Raymond
  • Burruss
  • Briggs
  • Briggs
  • G4orce [B]
5:54
2."U Remind Me" (Remix) (featuring Method Man and Blu Cantrell)
3:56
3."U Got It Bad" (Soulpower Remix)
  • Raymond
  • Dupri
  • Cox
  • Dupri
  • Cox [A]
  • Soulshock & Karlin [B]
4:03
4."U Got It Bad" (Tee's Latin Remix)
  • Raymond
  • Dupri
  • Cox
7:58
5."U Got It Bad" (Tee's Dub)
  • Raymond
  • Dupri
  • Cox
5:22
6."U-Turn" (Almighty Mix)
  • Raymond
  • Dupri
  • Cox
7:22
7."U Don't Have to Call" (Pound Boys Boogie Vocal)Williams
  • The Neptunes
  • Pound Boys [B]
6:47
8."U R the One"
  • Raymond
  • Huggar
Soulshock & Karlin3:57

Notes

Sample credits [64]

Personnel

Credits for 8701 adapted from Allmusic. [65]

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [104] 2× Platinum140,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [105] Platinum20,000
France (SNEP) [106] Gold100,000*
Germany (BVMI) [107] Gold150,000
Japan (RIAJ) [108] Gold100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [109] Platinum15,000^
South Africa (RISA) [110] Platinum50,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [111] Gold20,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [112] 2× Platinum600,000*
United States (RIAA) [113] 5× Platinum5,000,000

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabel
Netherlands [114] [115] July 1, 2001 Arista Records
United Kingdom [31] July 9, 2001
France [116] [117] July 10, 2001
Germany [118] [119] July 30, 2001
Australia [33] [120] August 7, 2001
Canada [34] [121] Sony Music Entertainment
United States [32] [122] Arista Records
New Zealand [123] [124] August 13, 2001

Related Research Articles

<i>Confessions</i> (Usher album) 2004 studio album by Usher

Confessions is the fourth studio album by American singer Usher. It was released on March 23, 2004, by Arista Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from 2003 to 2004, with its production on the album being handled by his longtime collaborator Jermaine Dupri, along with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and Lil Jon, among others. Primarily an R&B album, Confessions showcases Usher as a crooner through a mixture of ballads and up-tempos, incorporating musical genres of dance-pop, hip hop, and crunk. The album's themes generated controversy about Usher's personal relationships; however, the album's primary producer Jermaine Dupri claimed the album reflects Dupri's own personal story.

<i>Songs in A Minor</i> 2001 studio album by Alicia Keys

Songs in A Minor is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, released on June 12, 2001, by J Records.

<i>I Care 4 U</i> 2002 compilation album by Aaliyah

I Care 4 U is a posthumous compilation album by American singer Aaliyah. It was released on December 10, 2002, by Blackground Records and Universal Records. Following Aaliyah's death on August 25, 2001, Blackground decided to release a posthumous record in collaboration with Universal Music Group. The album compiles eight of Aaliyah's previously released songs alongside six previously unreleased recordings which were discarded from sessions for her eponymous third and final studio album (2001).

<i>The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse</i> 2002 studio album by Jay-Z

The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse is the seventh studio album by American rapper Jay-Z. It was released on November 12, 2002 by Roc-A-Fella Records and Island Def Jam Music Group as a double album. The album serves as a sequel to his sixth album The Blueprint (2001). The album debuted at number one, shipping with first-week sales of 545,000 units. The album is certified 3x Multi-Platinum by the RIAA. In 2013, Jay-Z cited this album as his second-worst due to an overabundance of songs on the album. A one-disc reissue, titled Blueprint 2.1, was released in 2003.

<i>My Way</i> (Usher album) 1997 studio album by Usher

My Way is the second studio album by American singer Usher. It was released on September 16, 1997, by LaFace Records in North America. The album features guest appearances from Monica, Jermaine Dupri, and Lil' Kim. The album was supported by three singles, all multi platinum-selling: "Nice & Slow", "My Way", and "You Make Me Wanna...".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burn (Usher song)</span> 2004 single by Usher

"Burn" is a song by American R&B singer Usher, which he wrote with American songwriters Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox. The song was produced by Dupri and Cox for Usher's fourth studio album, Confessions (2004). A downtempo track about the breakup of a relationship, it was originally planned as the album's lead single, but "Burn" was pushed back after favorable responses for the song "Yeah!". "Burn" was eventually released as the second single from the album on March 21, 2004. "Burn" is considered to be one of Usher's signature hits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U-Turn (song)</span> 2002 single by Usher

"U-Turn" is a song by American singer Usher. It written by Usher, Jermaine Dupri, and Bryan-Michael Cox for his third studio album, 8701 (2001), while production was helmed by Dupri and Cox. The song also references Michael Jackson and Bobby Brown and also refers to the crunk style of rap making it one of the first mainstream R&B tracks to refer to that style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U Don't Have to Call</span> 2002 single by Usher

"U Don't Have to Call" is a song by American singer Usher. It was written by Pharrell Williams and produced by Williams and Chad Hugo under their production moniker The Neptunes for Usher's third studio album, 8701 (2001). The song was released as the third US single from the album and the fifth international single. In the US, it was first serviced to radio on January 18, 2002, and it was issued as a commercial single in Europe and Australia later that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U Got It Bad</span> 2001 single by Usher

"U Got It Bad" is a song by American singer Usher. It was released through Arista Records as the second official single from his third studio album 8701 (2001). It was written by Usher, Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox, and produced by Dupri, with Cox credited as co-producer. Released in the United States on August 21, 2001, "U Got It Bad" is an R&B ballad that, according to MTV, incorporates "digi-coustic" guitars, a "slow-burning bass line" and "sex funk" drums. The lyrics notably contain some quick direct allusions to other soul music ballads, mainly Maxwell's "Fortunate" and Prince's "Adore".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U Remind Me</span> 2001 single by Usher

"U Remind Me" is a song by American singer Usher. It was written by Edmund "Eddie Hustle" Clement and Anita McCloud and produced by Clement along with duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis for Usher's third studio album 8701 (2001). A mid-tempo R&B track, the song is about a man who meets a woman who seems like a nice catch, but he decides not to enter a relationship with her because she looks too much like an ex-girlfriend with whom he had a bad breakup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pop Ya Collar</span> 2000 single by Usher

"Pop Ya Collar" is a single by American recording artist Usher, released to US radio on October 17, 2000. It was written by himself, Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, and Kandi Burruss. The song was produced for his cancelled third studio album All About U. The project was abandoned following the leak of the song and several other tracks onto online music store Napster, several months prior to its release of October 31, 2000. The song was instead later included on non-US editions of his official third studio album, 8701.

<i>Romeo Must Die</i> (soundtrack) 2000 soundtrack album by various artists

Romeo Must Die: The Album is the soundtrack to Andrzej Bartkowiak's 2000 action film Romeo Must Die, composed of hip hop and R&B music. It was released on March 14, 2000 through Blackground Records and Virgin Records in association with Warner Bros. Records. Recording sessions took time between May 1999 and January 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Usher discography</span>

American singer Usher has released nine studio albums, ten compilation albums, eight extended plays, and 81 singles. His music has been released on the LaFace, Arista, Jive, RCA, and gamma record labels. Usher has sold more than 33 million albums in the United States alone and over 65 million albums worldwide. With over 150 million total records sold worldwide, he is one of the best selling music artists of all time. He has nine number-one singles and 18 Hot 100 top-ten singles on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 1994, Usher released his self-titled debut album in North America, which went onto sell 500,000 copies, and produced the singles "Can U Get wit It", "Think of You", and "The Many Ways". The former two peaked in the lower half of the UK and US charts. His follow-up 1997 album My Way sold over 8 million copies worldwide, becoming his breakthrough album. It is certified seven-times platinum in the US, and spawned three successful singles, including his first UK number-one song, "You Make Me Wanna...", and first US Hot 100 number-one song, "Nice & Slow". Usher's success continued in 2001, with his third studio album, 8701. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200. The album produced two number-one singles, such as "U Remind Me" and "U Got It Bad". In 2002, the album was certified five-times platinum in the US for sales of 5 million copies. As of 2010, its worldwide sales stand at over 8 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaliyah discography</span>

American singer Aaliyah has released three studio albums, two compilation albums, and 31 singles. Aaliyah was born in Brooklyn, New York City and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At age 10, she appeared on Star Search and performed in concert alongside Gladys Knight. At age 12, Aaliyah signed a deal with Jive Records and Blackground Records. During that time, she met R. Kelly through her uncle Barry Hankerson; eventually, he became her mentor, sole lead songwriter, and producer for her debut album. Released in 1994, Aaliyah's debut album, Age Ain't Nothing but a Number, was certified double Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and sold three million copies in the United States. Months after the release of her album, Aaliyah ended her contract with Jive and signed with Atlantic Records due to allegations of an illegal marriage with Kelly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ludacris discography</span>

The discography of Ludacris, an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia, consists of nine full studio albums along with two compilation albums, one extended play (EP), six mixtapes, nine promotional singles and 89 singles—including 51 as a featured artist. From the total number of singles released by or featuring Ludacris, 35 have peaked within the top 40 of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Of his nine solo studio albums, four have peaked the Billboard 200 chart, while another four have peaked within the top five.

<i>The Fast and the Furious</i> (soundtrack) 2001 soundtrack album by various artists

The Fast and the Furious: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the first of two soundtracks to Rob Cohen's 2001 action film The Fast and the Furious. It was released on June 5, 2001, by Murder Inc. Records, Def Jam Recordings, and Universal Music Group. Production was handled mostly by Irv Gotti, as well as twelve other record producers, including Channel 7, Damizza, Nick "Fury" Loftin and Swizz Beatz. It features contributions from the film star Ja Rule, along with Armageddon, Ashanti, Black Child, Boo & Gotti, Caddillac Tah, DMX, Faith Evans, Fat Joe, Funkmaster Flex, Limp Bizkit, Method Man, Nate Dogg, N.O.R.E., O-1, Petey Pablo, Redman, R. Kelly, Scarface, Shade Sheist, Tank and Vita. The album reached number seven on the Billboard 200, number five on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and went platinum in 2002 in both the United States and Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Combs discography</span>

The discography of American rapper Sean Combs consists of five studio albums, two collaborative albums, one remix album and seventy-two singles – including thirty-three as a lead artist and thirty-nine as a featured artist.

<i>Here I Stand</i> (Usher album) 2008 studio album by Usher

Here I Stand is the fifth studio album by the American singer Usher, released on May 13, 2008, by LaFace Records. Inspired by love for his then-wife—Tameka Foster—and son, Usher recorded many ballads for the album. Prior to the album's recording, Usher split with his mother, Jonnetta Patton, as manager and hired Benny Medina. Usher's estranged father died months before the release of Here I Stand; this also influenced themes of the album. It was originally to be titled Measure of a Man, but the singer named it Here I Stand to mark "a new chapter in life".

<i>Raymond v. Raymond</i> 2010 studio album by Usher

Raymond v. Raymond is the sixth studio album by American singer Usher, released on March 26, 2010, by LaFace Records. Production for the album took place in 2009 and was handled by several producers, including Jermaine Dupri, The Runners, Ester Dean, Polow da Don, RedOne, Jim Jonsin, Danja, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Bangladesh, Zaytoven, and Tricky Stewart.

<i>Looking 4 Myself</i> 2012 studio album by Usher

Looking 4 Myself is the seventh studio album by American singer Usher. Released on June 8, 2012, by RCA Records, it is his first album for RCA after the October 2011 merger of the Jive Records group which also included his label, Arista Records, that resulted in both labels being consolidated into the RCA label group. Many producers worked on the songs, and the album features appearances from Luke Steele and ASAP Rocky. Inspired by the electronic duo Empire of the Sun and listening to music originating from several locations, Usher intended the album to contain a more experimental sound, that remained relevant to the music of its time. Defined as "revolutionary pop" by the singer, critics noted that Looking 4 Myself is a dance-pop and R&B album that incorporates the genres pop, hip hop, electronic, Europop, and dubstep. Critic Barry Walters has noted how elements of some of its R&B songs were inspired by the emerging alternative R&B genre.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Schumacher-Rasmussen, Eric (July 11, 2001). "Usher Blames Album Delays On Napster Leaks". MTV News (MTV Networks). Archived from the original on September 7, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
  2. "Usher". RCA Records. Archived from the original on December 6, 2010. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Reid, Shaheem (April 18, 2001). "Usher Turns U Into 8701". MTV News (MTV Networks). Archived from the original on April 28, 2001. Retrieved November 5, 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 Reid, Shaheem (July 11, 2001). "P. Diddy Directing Video For Usher's 'I Don't Know'". MTV News (MTV Networks). Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Reid, Shaheem (June 12, 2001). "Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis Visit House Of Usher". MTV News (MTV Networks). Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Reid, Shaheem (August 9, 2001). "Usher Spends All Of 8/7/01 Celebrating 8701". MTV News (MTV Networks). Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2010.
  7. 1 2 3 "MTV Music - USHER". MTV News (MTV Networks). Archived from the original on August 20, 2001. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
  8. 1 2 3 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Review: 8701. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved on November 7, 2010.
  9. 1 2 Leroy, Dan (August 9, 2001). "Usher Reviews". Yahoo! Music. Yahoo!. Archived from the original on August 13, 2007. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Anderson, Kyle (August 12, 2010). "Usher Makes The Top Of The Hot 100 Look 'Bad': Wake-Up Video". MTV News (MTV Networks). Archived from the original on December 11, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  11. 1 2 "Usher : U Remind Me". NME . IPC Media. June 22, 2001. Archived from the original on October 17, 2010. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  12. Dickinson, Boonsri (2010). "Top 10 Usher Songs". AOL Radio. AOL . Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  13. "The Official Charts Company - Pop Ya Collar by Usher Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Usher Album & Song Chart History". Billboard Hot 100 for Usher. Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  15. 1 2 "Usher Album & Song Chart History". Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Usher. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  16. "Going for Adds / AddVance Notice". Radio & Records . No. 1402. May 18, 2001. pp. 47, 55.
  17. 1 2 3 4 "Usher – U Remind Me". Ultratop 50. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  18. "The Official Charts Company - U Remind Me by Usher Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
  19. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  20. "Top 50 Singles (#1288)". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. December 2, 2001. Archived from the original on 2012-04-30. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
  21. "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1415. August 17, 2001. p. 56.
  22. 1 2 "Usher – U Got It Bad". Ultratop 50. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  23. "The Official Charts Company - U Got It Bad by Usher Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
  24. "RIAA – Searchable Database: Usher". Recording Industry Association of America.
  25. "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1436. January 18, 2002. p. 31.
  26. "The Official Charts Company - I Need A Girl (Part One) ft Usher And Loon by P Diddy Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
  27. "Usher: U-Turn". GfK Entertainment . Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  28. "Usher – U Turn". Ultratop 50. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  29. "Usher - (Hou)Can U Help Me CD Single". CD Universe . Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  30. "8701 - Usher-Awards-AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  31. 1 2 "Reviews: Album of the Week" (PDF). Music Week . June 30, 2001. p. 11. Retrieved August 6, 2022 via World Radio History.
  32. 1 2 "8701: Usher". Amazon.com. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
  33. 1 2 "Buy 8701 Usher, R&B, CD". Sanity. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  34. 1 2 "8701: Usher". Amazon.ca. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
  35. D'Angelo, Joe (October 22, 2001). "'NSYNC, Michael Jackson, P. Diddy, Mariah Stand United At D.C. Concert". MTV News (MTV Networks). Archived from the original on July 5, 2011. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  36. D'Angelo, Joe (December 17, 2001). "Britney, Mick Jagger, Usher To Play, 'NSYNC To Present At AMAs". MTV News (MTV Networks). Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  37. Reid, Shaheem (June 18, 2002). "Usher Explains How To Drive Women Crazy". MTV News (MTV Networks). Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  38. "Reviews for 8701 by Usher". Metacritic. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  39. 1 2 Considine, J. D. (August 2001). "Review: 8701". Blender . Archived from the original on December 16, 2002.
  40. Tyrangiel, Josh. 8701 . Entertainment Weekly . Time Warner. Retrieved on November 7, 2010.
  41. 1 2 O' Brien, Lucy. Review: 8701. NME. IPC Media. Retrieved on November 7, 2010.
  42. "Review: 8701". Q (181): 122. September 2001.
  43. 1 2 McGuire, Kathryn. "Review: 8701". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on June 18, 2008. Retrieved 2017-03-22.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). Rolling Stone . Retrieved on November 7, 2010.
  44. 1 2 Cinquemani, Sal. Review: 8701 Archived 2009-01-08 at the Wayback Machine . Slant Magazine. Retrieved on November 7, 2010.
  45. 1 2 King, Jason (September 2001). "Review: 8701". Vibe : 235–236.
  46. "8701 Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More". Metacritic. CBS Interactive . Retrieved 2012-07-25.
  47. Hopwood, Christian. Review: 8701. BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved on November 7, 2010.
  48. Usher, 8701 Archived 2012-10-08 at the Wayback Machine . Entertainment Weekly . Time Warner. Retrieved on November 7, 2010.
  49. Hall, Rashaun (2002-08-10). "Keys Tops 2002 Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  50. 1 2 "Top 100 Music Hits, Top 100 Music Charts, Top 100 Songs & The Hot 100: Best of the 2000s – Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
  51. "Best of the 200s – Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  52. "Billboard Hot 100 Chart 50th Anniversary". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  53. 1 2 3 Basham, David (December 13, 2001). "Got Charts? Usher's Platinum Mine; A Tolkien Spell; An Ill-Fated Concept". MTV News (MTV Networks). Archived from the original on December 20, 2001. Retrieved October 7, 2010.
  54. Hiatt, Brian (August 15, 2001). "Isley Brothers, Usher, Jadakiss Storm Albums Chart". MTV News (MTV Networks). Archived from the original on November 12, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
  55. D'Angelo, Joe (February 25, 2001). "Early Usher Recordings Get A Nubeginning". MTV News (MTV Networks). Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
  56. Mitchell, Gail (March 9, 2010). "Usher: The Billboard Cover Story". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on 20 August 2010. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  57. "Usher Canadian Albums Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on 7 November 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
  58. 1 2 "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  59. "Usher – full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company . Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  60. "BPI Certified Awards Search". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on May 11, 2011. Retrieved November 7, 2009.
  61. 1 2 3 4 "Ultratop.be – Usher – 8701" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  62. White, Adam (February 16, 2002). "Dido, Linkin Park Lead the Global 20 of 2001". Billboard. Vol. 114, no. 7. p. 42. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  63. Usher. "Usher Biography". People.com. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
  64. 8701 (booklet). Arista. 2001.
  65. Credits: 8701. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved on November 7, 2010.
  66. "Australiancharts.com – Usher – 8701". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  67. "ARIA Urban Chart – Week Commencing 4th March 2002" (PDF). The ARIA Report (627): 19. March 4, 2002. Retrieved April 15, 2023 via National Library of Australia.
  68. "Austriancharts.at – Usher – 8701" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  69. "Ultratop.be – Usher – 8701" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  70. "Usher Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  71. "R&B : Top 50". Jam! . February 14, 2002. Archived from the original on February 14, 2002. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  72. "Danishcharts.dk – Usher – 8701". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  73. "Dutchcharts.nl – Usher – 8701" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  74. "Lescharts.com – Usher – 8701". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  75. "Offiziellecharts.de – Usher – 8701" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  76. "Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending 12 July 2001". GfK Chart-Track. Archived from the original on February 7, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  77. "Italiancharts.com – Usher – 8701". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  78. 8701 (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  79. "Charts.nz – Usher – 8701". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  80. "Norwegiancharts.com – Usher – 8701". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  81. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  82. "Swedishcharts.com – Usher – 8701". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  83. "Swisscharts.com – Usher – 8701". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  84. "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  85. "Usher Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  86. "Usher Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  87. "UK Official Album Downloads Chart on 16 February 2024". Official Charts. 16 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  88. "Canada's Top 200 Albums of 2001 (based on sales)". Jam! . Archived from the original on December 12, 2003. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  89. "Canada's Top 200 R&B; albums of 2001". Jam! . January 8, 2002. Archived from the original on November 22, 2002. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  90. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2002". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 22 June 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  91. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 2002" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  92. "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2001". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  93. "Billboard 200 Albums - Year-End 2001". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  94. "Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - Year-End 2001". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  95. "Top 50 Global Best Selling Albums for 2001" (PDF). IFPI. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 17, 2008. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  96. "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums 2002". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 4 March 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  97. "Top 200 Albums of 2002 (based on sales)". Jam! . Archived from the original on August 12, 2004. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  98. "Canada's Top 200 R&B; albums of 2002". Jam! . Archived from the original on October 12, 2003. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  99. "2002 UK Albums Chart" (PDF). ChartsPlus. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  100. "Billboard 200 Albums - Year-End 2002". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  101. "Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - Year-End 2002". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  102. "The Official UK Albums Chart 2004" (PDF). Official Charts Company . Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  103. "Top 100 Music Hits, Top 100 Music Charts, Top 100 Songs & The Hot 100: Best of the 2000s – Top Hip-Hop and R&B Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  104. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2005 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  105. "Danish album certifications – Usher – 8701". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  106. "French album certifications – Usher" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved December 2, 2021.Select USHER and click OK. 
  107. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Usher; '8701')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  108. "Japanese album certifications – Usher – 8701" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan.Select 2002年11月 on the drop-down menu
  109. "New Zealand album certifications – Usher – 8701". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  110. "Mi2N: Music Divas & Rock Bands Top South African Certifications". Music Industry News Network. May 2, 2002. Archived from the original on February 12, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  111. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('8701')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  112. "British album certifications – Usher – 8701". British Phonographic Industry.
  113. "American album certifications – Usher – 8701". Recording Industry Association of America.
  114. "Usher - 8701" (in Dutch). bol.com. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  115. "8701" (in Dutch). iTunes Store. Apple Inc . Retrieved July 24, 2012.
  116. "8701: Usher" (in French). Amazon.fr. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
  117. "8701" (in French). iTunes Store. Apple Inc. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  118. "8701: Usher". Amazon.de. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
  119. "8701" (in German). iTunes Store. Apple Inc. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  120. "8701". iTunes Store. Apple Inc. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  121. "8701". iTunes Store. Apple Inc. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  122. "8701". iTunes Store. Apple Inc. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  123. "Marbecks >> 8701 – Usher". Marbecks.co.nz. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
  124. "8701". iTunes Store. Apple Inc. Retrieved July 25, 2012.