| Here I Stand | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 13, 2008 | |||
| Genre | R&B[1] | |||
| Length | 74:10 | |||
| Label | LaFace | |||
| Producer |
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| Usher chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Here I Stand | ||||
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Here I Stand is the fifthstudio album by the American singerUsher, released on May 13, 2008, byLaFace Records. Inspired by love for his then-wife—Tameka Foster—and son, Usher recorded manyballads for the album. Prior to the album's recording, Usher split with his mother,Jonnetta Patton, as manager and hiredBenny Medina. Usher's estranged father died months before the release ofHere I Stand; this also influenced themes of the album. It was originally to be titledMeasure of a Man, but the singer named itHere I Stand to mark "a new chapter in life".[2]
Usher promotedHere I Stand by performing on several television shows includingTotal Request Live,106 & Park andGood Morning America. Among other concert appearances, he embarked on a One Night Stand: Ladies Only Tour, performing fifteen shows in November 2008. Six singles were released fromHere I Stand: "Love in This Club", "Love in This Club Part II", "Moving Mountains", "What's Your Name", "Here I Stand" and "Trading Places". "Love in This Club", which features rapperYoung Jeezy, topped theBillboard Hot 100 andNew Zealand Singles Chart.
Here I Stand received generally positive reviews from music critics, who viewed it as a sign of growth and maturity from Usher, although others were unimpressed by the change in style from his 2004 albumConfessions. It debuted atop theBillboard 200, and sold 433,000 copies in the US in its first week of release, and as of 2010, has sold 1.3 million copies in that country. The album also reached number one on theCanadian Albums Chart,UK Albums Chart andAustralian Albums Chart.
In 2004, Usher's fourth studio album,Confessions was released, becoming the most-shipped album of the year in the United States.[3] Before the album's release, he broke up with his girlfriendChilli. In December 2005, he became romantically involved with stylistTameka Foster; the two wed on August 3, 2007, although Usher's mother and manager,Jonnetta Patton, did not attend.[4] Foster gave birth to Usher Raymond V later that year.[5]In May 2007, Usher split with Patton as his manager. This prompted "gossip" that Usher had "fired" her because of his growing relationship with Foster. He denied the claims, saying, "I love my mother ... I decided not to fire, not get rid of, but to give [my mother] the ultimate compliment—to retire her to be a full-time grandmother."[4] He continued by stating that the split was a mutual decision.[4] It was speculated that Patton's dismissal was due to his engagement with Foster; Usher dismissed these claims onTotal Request Live (TRL) in May 2008. In whatMTV News' Shawn Adler called an "angry tirade", Usher stated, "My wife had nothing to do with me firing my mother — nothing like that, that's trash. I hear y'all talking crazy out there. She's a beautiful black woman. Stop. Stop talking. And I love her. Stop it."[6] The outbreak was compared toMariah Carey's unannounced 2001 appearance onTRL, when she handed out popsicles to the show's audience and performed a "striptease", while some fans noted Usher's speech as evidence that Foster was being controlling of Usher.[7] Usher hiredBenny Medina as his new manager; Medina said of Usher, "The thing that excited me most is the intense commitment to his art, his incredible professionalism and the fact that I feel as though he's just hitting a stride."[8]
In January 2008, Usher's father, Usher Raymond III, died. Both men regretted not spending more time in each other's lives.[4][9] "Prayer for You", the seventh track onHere I Stand, is aninterlude dedicated to Usher's son, reflective on his relationship with his own father; "No matter what happened, my father always prayed for me. The only difference is, I'm gonna be there to be the father that my dad wished he was to me."[9] The first album name thatartists and repertoire representative Mark Pitts conceived was "Measure of a Man", but that title had already been used byClay Aiken forhis debut album, so Usher called itHere I Stand. Pitts said, "It was perfect because becoming a man is about going through pain, sorrow, and happiness. Usher's done that! From the love songs to the party joints, it's exactly the story he wanted to tell."[2] Usher notedHere I Stand as beginning "a new chapter in my life"; the album'sliner notes contain a verse from1 Corinthians 13: "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."[2]Here I Stand marked Usher's growth from boyhood to manhood.[10][11] In March 2007, it was announced that work on the album had begun.[12] Usher outlined the album's concept: "A lot of what I plan to offer with this album is kinda standing in this spot ... The king's back. I ain't gonna say 'back,' I never left."[13]
TheRich Harrison-produced track,[14] titled "Dat Girl Right There", was leaked on November 11, 2007.[15] The song charted on theBillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at number 74, due to highairplay.[16] FeaturingLudacris—with whom Usher collaborated on "Yeah!" in 2004—the song was originally thought to be the lead single fromHere I Stand;[17] however it was not included on the record.[18] Other potential tracks cited before the album's release were "All the Time" (produced byT-Pain) and "The Realest" (produced byJermaine Dupri), although neither was included on the album.[19]Here I Stand contains eighteen tracks; James "JLack" Lackey,Polow da Don,Tricky Stewart,Jazze Pha,The-Dream,Los da Mystro,will.i.am, Dupri,Manuel Seal, LRoc,Dre & Vidal,Bryan-Michael Cox,Stargate,Ne-Yo,Danja,Soundz andJ. R. Rotem all produced tunes on the album.[2] On theiTunes Store deluxe edition, "Revolver" was included, which was produced by Alexander "Prettyboifresh" Parhm.[20]
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Here I Stand is anR&B album,[1] Josh Eells ofBlender summed up much of the production of the album as "cocktail-lounge crunk, full of splashy cymbals, jazzy electric guitar and tinkly pianos".[11] Many of its themes were inspired by Foster and Raymond V, resulting in a great number ofballads.[21][22]Here I Stand opens with an "Intro" (titled "Forever Young" on some copies), while the lead single "Love in This Club" follows, on whichYoung Jeezy appears. Themid-tempo song features a shudderingsynth beat[23][24] and speaks of a lusting desire in anightclub.[25] "This Ain't Sex" is adisco-influenced song that "speaks of sex as a privileged act between two consenting adults".[26] "Trading Places" usesguitar instrumentation[26] to host role reversal in both sexual and non-sexual situations in a relationship.[1] "Moving Mountains" is aballad that draws on synth beats to relate a love struggle to an impossible task, such as moving mountains.[27] The album's sixth track is "What's Your Name", anelectro song[28] which featuresnew wave-influenced synths produced bywill.i.am, who also contributes vocals to the song.[29] The "Prayer for You" interlude follows, an ode to Usher's son[9] in which Raymond V cries. Usher prays for his son to be "better than me".[30]"Something Special" is apop ballad[23] that beginsacoustically,[30] and was inspired byRobin Thicke andJohn Mayer because of its honesty. Usher discussed the song: "It's about the feeling when you're in real love. It could be about my son or my wife."[27]
According to Usher "Love You Gently", apiano-based[30]classic rhythm and blues ballad, is "the one [track] you throw on with your significant other when it's time to get to it. This is why my son's here. It's a baby-maker."[27]Jay-Z appears on thehorn-founded "Best Thing",[31] which is about transition to manhood.[30] Usher outlines lifestyle changes since his wife's arrival and turns away from his days as "a hustler and a player" in "Before I Met You", which makes use of guitar and heavydrums.[1][30][32] He is suspected of infidelity and compared to his girlfriend's cheating ex-partner on "His Mistakes".[30] The thirteenth track onHere I Stand is "Appetite", which utilizesflutes and has Usher tempted to cheat on his wife.[30][33] "What's a Man to Do" opens with aNative American call, while "Lifetime" contains influences of 1990s R&B.[30] "Love in This Club Part II" features vocals fromBeyoncé andLil Wayne and samplesThe Stylistics' "You Are Everything" (1971); its lyrical content is similar to that of Part I, and Wayne's voice is modified through the use of avocoder.[29] The album'ssoul andpop jazz-derived title track, "Here I Stand", drew comparisons toStevie Wonder. With a theme of commitment,[34] it was played at Usher's and Foster's wedding.[35]Here I Stand closes with "Will Work for Love", although it was placed as ahidden track on some copies; Sal Cinquemani fromSlant Magazine called it "cute".[36]
In November 2007, Usher hoped to release his fifth album, titledHere I Stand,[12][37] but "issues in his personal life" delayed the album.[38] According to reports, Usher has to spend more time with his then-pregnant wife. The expected November release date was booked to coincide with that of Usher's fragrance line.[39][40] Released on May 13, 2008. The continually changing release dates became frustrating for Usher; Dupri said toBillboard, "The last couple [of] times I've been around [Usher], you could tell he's got the bug to hurry up and put this record out. He wants to get back out here and give the people that. He's got that itch."[19]Here I Stand was first released byLaFace Records in Mexico and several European countries on May 13, 2008; releases in other countries followed.[41]
In 2008, Usher promotedHere I Stand by appearing atRadio 1's Big Weekend, where he performed "This Ain't Sex", "Moving Mountains", "What's Your Name", "Here I Stand" and "Love in This Club", as well as singles from his previous albums.[42]Usher performed "Love in This Club" with Young Jeezy onThe Hills'third season finale (May 12, 2008),[43] and along with "This Ain't Sex" onSaturday Night Live (May 17, 2008),[44] and again on thesixth season finale ofDancing with the Stars (May 20, 2008).[45] Usher performed a one-off showcase concert for 1,500 fans atindigO2,London on May 22, 2008, for which the tickets were allocated by ballot.[46] Usher signed copies ofHere I Stand for the military duringFleet Week inNew York City, aboardUSSKearsarge on May 27, 2008.[47] On the day of the album's release, Usher appeared on television showsTRL and106 & Park, and performed onGood Morning America on May 30, 2008.[48] Usher performed "Love in This Club" onThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno andJimmy Kimmel Live!, on June 4, 2008.[49][50] At theBET Awards, hosted on June 23, 2008, Usher opened the show, performing the single again.[51] On September 4, 2008, Usher performed "Here I Stand", "Trading Places" and "What's Your Name" at the 2008'sNational Football League Kickoff game atColumbus Circle,New York City.Natasha Bedingfield andKeith Urban also sang before the game, which saw theWashington Redskins play theNew York Giants.[52][53]
| Tour byUsher | |
 Promotional poster for the tour | |
| Associated album | Here I Stand |
|---|---|
| Start date | November 2, 2008 (2008-11-02) |
| End date | November 25, 2008 (2008-11-25) |
| Legs | 1 |
| No. of shows | 15 in North America |
| Usher concert chronology | |
| |
TheOne Night Stand: Ladies Only was the third concert tour by American recording artistUsher. The tour promotes Raymond's fifth studio album,Here I Stand (2008).
Usher toured fourteen cities in North America. Mainly targeting women, the tour commenced on November 2, 2008 and concluded on November 25, 2008.[54] The tour's female-focused concept was inspired by other male recording artists who "did things special like this for their female fans", such asTeddy Pendergrass,Marvin Gaye andPrince.[55] Enjoying the challenge of a female-only tour, Usher said, "There [are] only a few artists that can pull that off, I feel like I've had such a connection with my audience. This album, I felt like, was definitely the type of one that was more intimate. So what better way to get up close and personal than to make it all women?"[56][57] Usher performed the tour with aDsquared2 wardrobe.[58] At each show, one fan was brought onstage "for an even more intimate experience with the singer".[55] This took place during "Superstar"; a female fan was served champagne and strawberries by Usher while sitting on his lap as he sang to her.[59] Among Usher's own songs, thesetlist also included portions of Stevie Wonder's "Rocket Love", Gaye's "I Want You" and Prince's "Do Me, Baby". At the Detroit show he also gave T-Baby's "It's So Cold in the D".[59] Usher was supported by a five-piece band, threebacking vocalists and fourbackup dancers.[59]
The following setlist was obtained from the concert held on November 3, 2008, at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, New York. It does not necessarily represent all concerts for the duration of the tour.[60]
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| Date | City | Country | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America[61] | |||
| November 2, 2008 | Atlantic City | United States | Borgata Event Center |
| November 3, 2008 | New York City | Hammerstein Ballroom | |
| November 4, 2008 | Washington, D.C. | Warner Theatre | |
| November 5, 2008 | Philadelphia | Electric Factory | |
| November 7, 2008 | Ledyard | MGM Grand Theater | |
| November 8, 2008 | Toronto | Canada | Kool Haus |
| November 10, 2008 | Atlanta | United States | The Tabernacle |
| November 12, 2008 | Detroit | The Fillmore Detroit | |
| November 13, 2008 | Chicago | House of Blues | |
| November 18, 2008 | San Francisco | Warfield Theatre | |
| November 19, 2008 | Los Angeles | Club Nokia | |
| November 20, 2008 | |||
| November 21, 2008 | Las Vegas | Pearl Concert Theater | |
| November 24, 2008 | Houston | House of Blues | |
| November 25, 2008 | Dallas | ||
Sun Media's Jason MacNeil rated the Toronto show three-and-a-half stars out of five, praising Usher's connection with the female audience.[62] Lee Hildebrand of theSan Francisco Chronicle commended Usher's live vocal ability.[63]Parimal M. Rohit from Buzzine stated in his positive review of the Los Angeles show that "everyone will be talking about the entertaining concert".[64]
Five singles were released fromHere I Stand. "Love in This Club" was leaked in early 2008 by its producer,Polow da Don,[65] prior to its release on February 22, 2008.[66] The song topped the USBillboard Hot 100,[67] theHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and theNew Zealand Singles Chart,[68][69] while reaching the top ten of numerous otherrecord charts. It was certified five-times platinum in the United States and platinum in New Zealand.[70][71] A sequel was created, titled "Love in This Club Part II" withBeyoncé &Lil Wayne, and was sent to radio as the album's second single on April 28, 2008.[72] While it did not have the commercial success of the original, it emerged on the Hot 100, the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, theCanadian Hot 100,[73] and theARIA Singles Chart,[74] and received a platinum certification from the RIAA.[75]
"Moving Mountains" was released on May 23, 2008.[76] It appeared on multiple singles charts outside the top twenty. However, it peaked at number six on the New Zealand Singles Chart,[77] and was certified gold by theRecording Industry Association of New Zealand on March 29, 2009.[71] The fourth single to be released fromHere I Stand was "What's Your Name"; it impacted radio on August 18, 2008.[78] "What's Your Name" charted on the Canadian Hot 100 and the ARIA Singles Chart, where it peaked at numbers eighty-four and ninety-one, respectively.[79][80] "Here I Stand" was released tourban adult contemporary radio on August 18, 2008,[81] managing to peak at number 18 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[82] The album's final single, "Trading Places", was released on October 17, 2008[83] and reached number forty-five on the Hot 100 and number four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[84]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 65/100[85] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| The A.V. Club | B[86] |
| Blender | [11] |
| Chicago Sun-Times | [87] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[31] |
| Los Angeles Times | [88] |
| The Observer | [18] |
| Rolling Stone | [89] |
| Slant Magazine | [36] |
| USA Today | [33] |
Here I Stand received generally positive reviews frommusic critics.[90] AtMetacritic, which assigns aweighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received a score of 65 out of 100, based on fifteen reviews.[90] Mark Edward Nero ofAbout.com gave the album four out of five stars, and wrote that Usher's marriage had a positive effect on his music. He calledHere I Stand "as good - if not better" thanConfessions.[91]IGN critic Chad Grischow wrote that "Growing up may have taken toll on Usher's personal life, but it has not altered the man's ability to create refreshing music"; Grischow rated the album 8.1 out of 10.[92]USA Today praised the maturity of Usher's lyrics onHere I Stand,[33] whileThe A.V. Club's Joshua Alston commended the album's ballads.[86] Although she disliked the album's length and lyrics,Entertainment Weekly's Leah Greenblatt wrote that "a good portion of [Here I]Stand's tunes deserve a place in the dance-floor pantheon", and awarded it a B+ grade.[31] Andy Kellman fromAllmusic scored the record three-and-a-half stars out of five and stated that "the album leaves no doubt that the R&B male crown ... should not change hands", referring to Usher'sKing of R&B honorific nickname.[1] Richard Cromelin of theLos Angeles Times did not appreciate the numerous ballads on the release, but compared it to Usher's previous work and declared, "it's a more accomplished version ofConfessions, the hooks more effortless, the singing even better, the songwriting more consistent."[88] Jim DeRogatis from theChicago Sun-Times viewed it as proof that Usher has claimed the 'King of R&B' title fromR. Kelly.[10]
However, Dan Gennoe ofYahoo! Music felt that the album lacked inspiration, and wrote, "nothing sticks, there's no guts, no depth and no matter how much he protests to the contrary, nothing to believe".[32]Rolling Stone's Melissa Maerz perceived that Usher had put little effort into the record and stated that "now that he's got the American Dream, he sounds like he's stopped trying."[89]Blender's Josh Eells was let down by the large number of ballads and lack of sexual content.[11]Clover Hope ofThe Village Voice described it as "pure grown-man bidness" and "a little toositting-on-the-dock-of-the-bay forChris Breezy–trained earbuds".[26] Sal Cinquemani fromSlant Magazine scoredHere I Stand two-and-a-half stars out of five, and considered the music "almost always just one notch above mediocrity."[36]The Observer's Steve Yates panned the album as "gloop [Usher] wades through".[18] In his consumer guide forMSN Music, criticRobert Christgau cited the songs "Trading Places" and "Best Thing" as "choice cuts",[93] indicating "good song[s] on an album that isn't worth your time or money".[94] Jon Pareles ofThe New York Times wrote that "tension, not bliss, creates the album's best songs", referring to "Moving Mountains", "His Mistakes", "Appetite" and "What's a Man To Do".[95] At the51st Grammy Awards, the album's title track was nominated for theBest Male R&B Vocal Performance award, but lost toNe-Yo's "Miss Independent" from his 2008 album,Year of the Gentleman.[96]
Here I Stand had unweighted first-day sales of 146,000 in the US,[97] and in its first three days of release sold an unweighted 267,000 units.[48]The album debuted at number one on theBillboard 200 chart.[98] Selling 433,000 copies domestically in its first week of release, it was the second highest selling US debut of the year at the time, behindMariah Carey'sE=MC2.[98] In its second week of release, it sold 145,000 copies and dropped to number three on theBillboard 200.[99] As at May 2012 it had sold 1,308,000 copies in the United States,[100] and it has received atwo-times platinum certification from theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[101]Here I Stand also debuted atop theCanadian Albums Chart,[102] and spent eight weeks on the chart.[103]
On theUK Albums Chart,Here I Stand debuted at number one on the chart of June 7, 2008, selling 56,897 copies.[104][105] It was certified gold by theBritish Phonographic Industry (BPI),[106] and lasted seventeen weeks in the chart before dropping out.[104] The album peaked at number two on theIrish Albums Chart, remaining for fifteen weeks in the chart[107] and was awarded a gold certification from theIrish Recorded Music Association (IRMA).[108] In mainland Europe, the album was received well; it appeared at number three on theEuropean Top 100 Albums,[109] and reached the top ten in the BelgianUltratop charts of both Flanders and Wallonia, as well as in the album charts ofFrance,Germany, theNetherlands andSwitzerland.[110][111] In Oceania,Here I Stand attained a number-one position on theAustralian Albums Chart and reached number five on theNew Zealand Albums Chart.[110] It received a gold certification from theAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), denoting shipments of 35,000 copies in the country.[112]
Usher'spublicist, Patti Webster, resigned on August 1, 2008. Usher rehired Patton as his manager on August 6, 2008 and "dissolved his management arrangement with Benny Medina".[113] At the time of the split from Medina,Here I Stand had sold two million copies worldwide compared toConfessions' fifteen million copies;[114] some speculated that the disunion was because of the poorer album sales. Medina said that he and the singer "parted ways amicably", and deflected comments that he was responsible for the lower album sales. He pointed out thatHere I Stand and "Love in This Club" reached number one on the US charts, and that the music industry had changed since the release ofConfessions.[113]
Usher filed for divorce from Foster in June 2009,[115] stating that their marriage was "irretrievably broken".[116] "Papers", the first single from Usher's next albumRaymond v. Raymond (2010), discussed the divorce process,[117] although it was recorded before the couple split.[118]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" |
| Lackey | 1:28 |
| 2. | "Love in This Club" (featuringYoung Jeezy) |
| Polow da Don | 4:19 |
| 3. | "This Ain't Sex" | 4:24 | ||
| 4. | "Trading Places" |
|
| 4:28 |
| 5. | "Moving Mountains" |
|
| 4:58 |
| 6. | "What's Your Name" (featuringwill.i.am) |
|
| 3:58 |
| 7. | "Prayer for You (Interlude)" | 1:43 | ||
| 8. | "Something Special" | 3:57 | ||
| 9. | "Love You Gently" |
|
| 3:39 |
| 10. | "Best Thing" (featuringJay-Z) |
|
| 3:54 |
| 11. | "Before I Met You" |
|
| 4:56 |
| 12. | "His Mistakes" | 4:59 | ||
| 13. | "Appetite" | Danja | 3:58 | |
| 14. | "What's a Man to Do" |
| StarGate | 4:09 |
| 15. | "Lifetime" |
| Lackey | 4:36 |
| 16. | "Love in This Club Part II" (featuringLil Wayne andBeyoncé) |
| Soundz | 5:09 |
| 17. | "Here I Stand" |
|
| 4:10 |
| 18. | "Will Work for Love" (hidden track in some locations) |
| J.R. Rotem | 3:16 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Forever Young" |
| Lackey | 4:20 |
| 2. | "Love in This Club" (featuring Young Jeezy) |
| Polow da Don | 4:19 |
| 3. | "This Ain't Sex" |
| 4:24 | |
| 4. | "Trading Places" |
|
| 4:28 |
| 5. | "Moving Mountains" |
|
| 4:58 |
| 6. | "What's Your Name" (featuring will.i.am) |
|
| 3:58 |
| 7. | "Prayer for You (Interlude)" | 1:43 | ||
| 8. | "Something Special" |
| 3:58 | |
| 9. | "Love You Gently" |
|
| 3:39 |
| 10. | "Best Thing" (featuring Jay-Z) |
|
| 3:54 |
| 11. | "Before I Met You" |
| 4:56 | |
| 12. | "His Mistakes" |
|
| 4:59 |
| 13. | "Appetite" |
| Danja | 3:58 |
| 14. | "What's a Man to Do" |
| StarGate | 4:09 |
| 15. | "Revolver" |
| Prettiboifresh | 3:16 |
| 16. | "Lifetime" |
| Lackey | 4:36 |
| 17. | "Love in This Club Part II" (featuring Beyoncé and Lil Wayne) |
| DJ Toomp,Darkchild | 5:09 |
| 18. | "Here I Stand" |
|
| 4:10 |
| 19. | "Will Work for Love" |
| J.R. Rotem | 3:16 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 19. | "Love in This Club (Jason Nevins Extended Mix)" (featuring Young Jeezy) | 6:46 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15. | "Revolver" |
| Prettyboifresh | 3:16 |
| 16. | "Lifetime" |
| Lackey | 4:36 |
| 17. | "Love in This Club Part II" (featuring Beyoncé and Lil Wayne) |
| DJ Toomp,Darkchild | 5:09 |
| 18. | "Here I Stand" |
| Dre & Vidal | 4:10 |
| 19. | "Will Work for Love" |
| J.R. Rotem | 3:16 |
| 20. | "Love in This Club (Remix)" (featuringT.I. and Young Jeezy) |
| Polow da Don | 4:24 |
| 21. | "Love in This Club" (featuring Young Jeezy) (music video) | 6:14 |
Notes
Credits forHere I Stand adapted fromAllmusic.[121]
|
|
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[112] | Gold | 35,000^ |
| Ireland (IRMA)[108] | Gold | 7,500^ |
| Japan (RIAJ)[151] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[106] | Gold | 100,000* |
| United States (RIAA)[101] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000‡ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Austria[41] | May 13, 2008 | LaFace Records |
| Belgium[152] | ||
| Denmark[153] | ||
| Finland[154] | ||
| Ireland[155] | ||
| Italy[156] | ||
| Mexico[157] | ||
| Netherlands[158] | ||
| Norway[159] | ||
| Portugal[160] | ||
| Spain[161] | ||
| Sweden[162] | ||
| Australia[163] | May 23, 2008 | |
| France[164] | ||
| Germany[165] | ||
| Japan[166] | ||
| New Zealand[167] | ||
| United Kingdom[168] | ||
| Canada[120] | May 27, 2008 | |
| United States[169] |
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)But those were just warm-ups compared to his 2004 album, "Confessions." That album sold 15 million albums worldwide and picked up three Grammys.
| Studio albums | |
|---|---|
| Live albums | |
| Extended plays | |
| Concerts and tours | |
| Related | |
