Usher held on to the two top spots the week of July 3, 2004, with ‘Burn’ at #1 and ‘Confessions Part II’ at #2. This song eventually replaced its album mate atop the chart.
As the title suggests, ‘Confessions Part II’ is a sequel to another track called ‘Confessions’ which immediately precedes it on the album (also titled Confessions). You can hear the first track at the beginning of this song’s video, embedded below.
The week of May 22, 2004, found Usher in a familiar place on top of the Billboard Hot 100.
When Usher was named the headliner of this year’s Super Bowl halftime show, I was underwhelmed. But I guess that’s because I wasn’t paying much attention in the early 2000s when he was churning out hits faster than the charts could process them.
Consider that ‘Burn’ replaced Usher’s own ‘Yeah!’ at #1 and was later dislodged from the top spot by ‘Confessions Part II,’ another Usher track.
My blind spot for R&B music emerges again as I consider Usher’s 2004 album Confessions, a massive hit with which I have almost zero familiarity.
This album, the singer-songwriter’s fourth, was the sixth best-selling album of the entire 2000s in the U.S. and produced four #1 singles. You’d think those songs would instantly ring a bell for somebody who was in his early 20s and an avid music listener at the time.
Rounding out Billboard’s top ten is Taylor Swift (again) with ‘Blank Space,’ the hit that keeps on giving.
In the 11th spot is Usher (and Juicy J) with ‘I Don’t Mind.’
This is a slow jam ballad performed with great conviction from the perspective of a man dating a stripper. If it’s a joke, it’s played completely straight.
Coming in at third place on the Village Voice Pazz & Jop singles list is ‘Climax’ by Usher.
Right off the bat I’m getting a bad feeling about this. How far is Usher from Miguel, really, in the grand scheme of things? I’ve never liked Usher or his music, and I seriously doubt this song will change that.
Here’s hoping I’m wrong.
Meet Me In Montauk 