Usher has long been heralded as one of music’s most celebrated artists. Ranked as the 2nd most successful act of the last decade on the Billboard charts, he managed to give R&B music a voice amidst the expanding sea of Hip-Hop and Pop artists who began to dominate radio stations in recent years.
Nonetheless, it seems that the tide of change has finally gotten too powerful for even Usher to resist as he prepares to reinvent his sound with the launch of a new genre he calls “Revolutionary Pop”. This decision has left many of his loyal fans baffled as they wonder if he is truly being innovative or simply joining the Pop music bandwagon in an effort to remain relevant.
Usher accomplished record-breaking success with his diamond-certified ‘Confessions’ album in 2004 which sold a colossal 20 million copies worldwide and spawned 4 #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. However, as sales throughout the industry continue to tumble, he has been unable to match his previous achievements, at least on the album charts.
Scoring worldwide hits with last year’s ‘OMG (Ft. Will.i.am)’ and ‘DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love (Ft. Pitbull)’, Usher has gotten a taste of the mainstream success that Pop music has to offer and it seems that he wants more. Indeed, it would be difficult for him to resist the temptation of experimenting further in that genre, especially since none of his recent R&B single managed to crack the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100.
Now, after chanting “R&B for life” at the 2010 American Music Awards, Usher has seemingly abandoned his roots altogether by preparing to launch “Revolutionary Pop” on his next album. While some argue that he is doing what is necessary to remain commercially viable and that he is expanding his sound like his mentor Michael Jackson did before him, many claim that he is simply following a trend.
Nevertheless, both fans and critics eagerly await the release of Usher’s next album. Yet, many brace themselves for disappointment as the man who was once touted as next in line to replace R. Kelly as R&B’s King begins his transformation into the next Ke$ha.