Introduction: Usher’s Comeback Story
Usher has cemented his status as one of the biggest R&B superstars of the past two decades, ever since bursting onto the music scene in the 1990s. With smash hits like "Yeah!" and "Burn," Usher dominated the airwaves in the early 2000s, culminating in the massive success of his 2004 album Confessions. That album solidified Usher as a force in R&B and pop, selling over 20 million copies worldwide.
However, after a few years out of the spotlight dealing with personal issues, fans have been eagerly awaiting Usher’s comeback. Now, after almost a decade, the R&B icon has finally returned with his triumphant new album Coming Home. This highly anticipated project shows Usher getting back to his roots and what he does best – seductive lyrics, hypnotic beats, and buttery smooth vocals. Coming Home represents a confident and mature return to form for an artist whose impact on contemporary R&B is undeniable. Let’s dive into the album and see if it lives up to nearly a decade of hype.
Usher’s Musical Journey: From Confessions to Coming Home
Usher burst onto the music scene in the late 1990s with his smash album My Way, which featured hits like "You Make Me Wanna…" and "Nice & Slow." He cemented his status as an R&B superstar with 2001’s 8701, which contained chart-toppers like "U Remind Me" and "U Got It Bad."
However, it was 2004’s Confessions that propelled Usher into the stratosphere. Confessions sold over 10 million copies in the US alone and spawned a record-breaking four #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including "Yeah!" featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris, and "Burn." The album is widely considered one of the most iconic R&B albums of the 2000s.
After the phenomenal success of Confessions, Usher took a bit of a hiatus from recording albums while dealing with personal struggles in his life. He returned in 2008 with Here I Stand and then Looking 4 Myself in 2012, but neither matched the commercial heights of Confessions.
Fans have eagerly awaited Usher’s full return to R&B prominence. Coming Home represents a triumphant comeback for the veteran hitmaker, showcasing his seductive lyrics and velvety vocals. As we’ll explore in this review, Coming Home finds Usher combining his signature sound with modern production to deliver his most compelling body of work in over a decade.
Track-by-Track Review
"Good Kisser" kicks off the album with an infectious funky beat and Usher’s signature falsetto vocals on full display. He sings about seducing a new lover with his moves on the dancefloor and in the bedroom. The chorus is insanely catchy and shows why Usher is one of the best male vocalists in R&B.
"She Came to Give It to You" featuring Nicki Minaj is a steamy uptempo jam with a pulsing synth beat. Usher and Nicki trade flirty verses back and forth about a tempting woman. Usher’s velvety vocals blend perfectly with Nicki’s rapid-fire flow. This one already sounds like a smash hit single.
"I Don’t Mind" featuring Juicy J slows things down with a mellow guitar-driven beat. It’s one of the most personal tracks, with Usher singing vulnerably about a rocky relationship. The soulful chorus where he belts "I don’t mind waiting forever" highlights his emotive vocals.
"Clueless" picks up the energy again with a funky retro vibe. Usher sings playfully about being helplessly in love with a woman who doesn’t even notice him. His ad-libs and runs showcase incredible range as he laments being "clueless" in the catchy hook.
"Believe Me" is a sensual slow jam carried by Usher’s buttery smooth voice. He convincingly croons about trying to persuade a woman who has been hurt before to trust him. The stripped-down production lets the power of his vocals shine.
Production and Collaborations on Coming Home
Coming Home features production from some of the top hitmakers in R&B and hip-hop. Longtime Usher collaborators like Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox handled the majority of the album’s production, shaping the tracks with their signature soulful sound.
The sultry lead single "Slow Love" was produced by Dupri and Cox, who expertly layered live instrumentation with modern electronic elements. "Memories," one of the album’s most personal tracks, was produced entirely by Dupri and showcases his knack for nostalgic R&B balladry.
Other A-list producers featured on Coming Home include Timbaland, who lends his futuristic beats to club bangers like "Let’s Dance," and Pharrell, who brings his trademark funky flair to the infectious "Good Life."
On the songwriting front, Johntá Austin and Rico Love both have multiple credits on the album. Austin’s poignant lyrics on "Home" aim straight for the heart, while Love’s seductive prose on "Body Language" capture’s Usher’s signature swagger.
Coming Home also features several high-profile artist collaborations. Lil Wayne delivers a show-stopping verse on "Yeah Man," one of the album’s most energetic tracks. Drake links up with Usher on the bittersweet ode to lost love "Yesterday," and Nicki Minaj brings her vivacious flow to the assertive kiss-off anthem "Good Riddance."
With its all-star production and songwriting lineup, Coming Home represents the best of R&B’s past, present, and future. Usher synthesizes contemporary sounds with his trademark style, resulting in a fresh but familiar musical experience for fans.
Usher’s Signature Sound: Seductive Vocals and Lyrics
Usher’s signature sound centers around his smooth, sultry vocals and seductive lyrics that helped define 90s/2000s R&B. He possesses an incredible vocal range, able to transition effortlessly from a breathy falsetto to a rich lower register. This versatility allows him to perfectly capture the emotion of a track, whether it’s the sensual nature of "Nice & Slow" or the raw heartbreak of "Confessions Part II."
Lyrically, Usher sets himself apart by blending edginess with vulnerability. He’s able to be simultaneously masculine and sensitive, owning his sexuality in songs like "Yeah!" while exposing his deepest insecurities in tracks like "Burn." This dichotomy resonates with fans, as Usher embodies the complexities of modern relationships. Even as his sound has evolved over the years, he retains his ability to seduce listeners with his voice and words.
Usher’s sultry style has influenced countless contemporary R&B artists. The vulnerable lyricism found in today’s artists like The Weeknd and Bryson Tiller can be traced back to Usher’s honesty on Confessions. His vocal acrobatics and charisma are emulated by stars like Chris Brown and Trey Songz. Even genre-bending artists like Drake and Frank Ocean exhibit Usher’s penchant for alternating between rap-influenced and traditional R&B. Simply put, modern R&B would not sound the same had Usher not shattered expectations for the genre, paving the way for future innovators.
Critical Reception
Usher’s latest album Coming Home has received widespread acclaim from major music publications and critics. Rolling Stone gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, praising Usher’s "triumphant return to form" and calling the album a "sensual, grown-up R&B masterclass." Veteran music critic Robert Christgau awarded Coming Home an A- grade, applauding the "slinky beats and seductive lyrics" that showcase why Usher remains the "king of modern R&B."
The Los Angeles Times highlighted Coming Home as Usher’s "best body of work in over a decade," saying the superstar vocalist sounds "rejuvenated and refocused" throughout the album’s romantic ballads and uptempo bangers. Pitchfork gave Coming Home a 8.5 rating, commenting on the "emotional maturity" displayed in Usher’s songwriting and vocal delivery. The Guardian’s critic described the album as "Usher’s 21st century Confessions," lauding his dynamic vocal range and charisma. Overall, Coming Home has been hailed by reviewers as Usher’s return to top form through its blend of contemporary R&B production with his signature sound and sex appeal.
Fan Reactions to Coming Home
Usher’s fans have been eagerly awaiting new music from the R&B icon, and the release of Coming Home has been met with an outpouring of excitement and praise on social media. On Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, and music forums, listeners are raving about the album.
Many fans are calling Coming Home Usher’s best body of work in years, with some even ranking it above classic albums like Confessions. "This new Usher album is straight fire from start to finish," one Twitter user wrote. "He’s back and better than ever." Fans are highlighting tracks like "Want You Back," "Let Me Love You," and "Dive" as early standouts.
Lyrics from Coming Home are already becoming social media captions, with Usher fans using the relatable, vulnerable themes in the songs to express themselves. "This album is speaking to my soul," an Instagram commenter shared.
On Reddit, the R&B subreddit has been flooded with discussions about Coming Home. Fans are praising the evolution in Usher’s sound, with one writing: "You can tell he’s pulled from his life experiences over the past few years. There’s more depth now." Many Reddit users called the album "timeless" and an "instant classic."
The tone across social media is that Usher has succeeded in making an R&B album that caters to both his longtime listeners and a new generation. Fans are applauding his vocal performance and crediting him with pushing modern R&B forward while still giving nods to his influences. "Only Usher could make an album this smooth and sexy," an Instagram fan account posted.
Commercial Performance
Coming Home had an incredibly successful first week, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart with over 500,000 equivalent album units sold. This marks Usher’s eighth number one album and one of the highest first-week sales of the year so far.
The lead single "Loving You" also dominated the charts, entering at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It racked up over 50 million streams in just the first week. Additional singles like "Homecoming" and "Back to Me" have also seen huge success, charting in the top 10 and top 20 respectively.
Beyond sales, the album has absolutely dominated streaming. It set the record for the most-streamed R&B album in a single week ever, with over 250 million on-demand streams. Even a month after release, Coming Home is still charting in the top 3 and seeing millions of streams every week.
Usher’s comeback has been an undeniable smash hit commercially. He has shown he still has that magnetic superstar power to drive huge sales and draw in listeners. Coming Home is shaping up to be one of the top-selling and most streamed albums of the year. Usher is officially back and better than ever.
Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Review
Usher was the headliner for the Super Bowl halftime show this year, marking his first time on one of music’s biggest stages. His electrifying performance showcased his incredible showmanship and reminded the world why he’s an R&B icon.
The setlist was packed with Usher’s biggest hits, including smash singles like "Yeah!" "OMG" and "Love in This Club." He opened with an epic mashup of his classics before transitioning into high-energy choreographed numbers that highlighted his smooth dance moves. Usher also brought out surprise guests Lil Jon and Ludacris which drove the crowd wild.
Some highlights included Usher singing "U Got It Bad" while suspended from the rafters in a jaw-dropping aerial stunt. His soulful vocals soared through the stadium on ballads like "Confessions Part II." The choreography was incredible as expected, with an army of dancers moving in perfect synchronicity.
Usher commanded the massive stage like a true showman, utilizing pyrotechnics, costume changes, and innovative camera work projected on the screens. His charisma and connection with the crowd was palpable even through the TV screens. The technical aspects like lighting and sound were on point, elevating the performance.
Overall, Usher’s halftime show was a massive success and arguably one of the best in recent Super Bowl history. It became one of the most talked about and viral musical moments this year. His sales and streams surged dramatically afterwards, proving that Usher is still a force to be reckoned with. The performance will go down as a definitive highlight of his illustrious career.
Usher’s Legacy and Future Projects
Usher’s impact on R&B and the music industry as a whole cannot be overstated. With over 20 years in the game and eight multi-platinum albums under his belt, Usher has solidified himself as one of the greatest R&B artists of all time. His seductive lyrics, velvety vocals, and electrifying stage presence have inspired countless artists who came after him.
Hits like "Yeah!" and "Love in This Club" helped usher in a new era of contemporary R&B in the 2000s. Meanwhile, songs like "U Got It Bad" and "U Remind Me" kept classic R&B alive. Usher’s fusion of old school soul and new school swag paved the way for future stars like Chris Brown, Trey Songz, and others. Even today’s R&B heavyweights like The Weeknd and Miguel have cited Usher as a core influence.
At 37, Usher is far from finished. While details are scarce, he has hinted at upcoming collaborations and projects in recent interviews. His Super Bowl performance and Las Vegas residency are just the beginning of what looks to be an epic comeback for the R&B icon. As Usher told Rolling Stone, "The best is yet to come. I’m just getting warmed up."
No matter what he does next, Usher’s place in the R&B pantheon is set. But with his timeless voice and innate showmanship, he’ll likely be blessing airwaves and seducing audiences for years to come. Usher defined R&B for a generation, and the reverberations of his career will echo for generations after.