Usher Reflects On The Success Of His ‘Confessions’ Album

Many fans of R&B consider Confessions to be one of the genre’s greatest bodies of work. Usher dropped the studio LP on March 23, 2004, and it became one of the most commercially successful albums of the decade.

In fact, Confessions went on to earn 10x-Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America in 2008. Usher reflected on his magnum opus with a 19-year anniversary post on Instagram.

“Confessions is by far one of the greatest albums I’ve had in my career,” wrote Usher. “Selling 1.1 million units in the 1st week. It’s the last R&B album to be certified Diamond with over 18 million copies sold in the US, and the best-selling album by a Black artist in the 21st century.”

The 44-year-old Atlanta-raised singer continued, “It was an effort of all passion. I wouldn’t do anything different. A one of its kind. #1of1.” Usher’s Confessions also charted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for nine weeks.

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Additionly, Confessions won Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards in 2005. “Yeah!” featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and “My Boo” with Alicia Keys won Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals.

Both “Yeah!” (12 weeks) and “My Boo” (6 weeks) peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Confessions album also hosts the “Burn” single which topped the Hot 100 for eight weeks. Plus, “Confessions Part II” led the weekly Hot 100 rankings twice.

Eighteen of Usher’s songs have made it into the Hot 100’s Top 10 region with half of those songs taking the No. 1 position. Usher’s career discography also includes three other Billboard 200 chart-topping LPs – 2008’s Here I Stand, 2010’s Raymond v. Raymond, and 2012’s Looking 4 Myself.