Today is proving quite the sweet treat for Usher fans with an appetite for new music.
For the crooner has released his eighth studio album ‘Hard II Love’ unannounced three days early.
Dive below for details…
Preceded by singles ’No Limit’ and ‘Crash,’ the LP was made available to stream on TIDAL – the streaming platform he co-owns with the likes of Jay Z, Rihanna, and Beyonce.
It’s a unique strategy for the singer who, until now, has largely followed a largely traditional trajectory.
Will his try before you buy strategy help sales? Will the TIDAL streams make the LP be chart eligible? If so, what does that mean for first week sales.
If the early roll-out is anything, it’s bold.
What are you waiting for?
Click here to stream ‘Hard II Love’
Click here to stream ‘Hard II Love’
Click here to stream ‘Hard II Love’
‘Hard II Love’ lands at retail (and presumably all other streaming services) on September 16th.
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Amazing album!
Much better than confessions imho!! If u want confessions go listen an album made 16 years
Ewww… He can keep it! Next?! ?
Please don’t hate Because more people is here for a new album from usher than a new one from flop ass Mariah
Hands down the BEST LIVING MALE SOLO PERFORMER of the past 20 years!! This album shows his versatility it is so R&B, Trap soul, and then a couple poppy type songs for ppl that digs that! I’m definitely going to this Tour!!
Giv it up Sam… He would flop harder than lady flopga & her deluded song…
Preach it ! This album is amazing top to bottom
But who wants it? He needs to learn from Bey and surround himself with real creatives (not up and comers trying to use him to come up) who can help him find a balance between what he was and who he is. At present, he and his ideas are stale and for some weird reason he doesn’t realise that his biggest competion is Drake and not Chris Brown. I would support him but I can’t knowing he signed Bieber to cash in on the industry’s bias towards white guys doing r&b. Ironically, that bias now works against him now that he is an ageing black man.
B**** how what does that even mean?! Usher is a legend already. They are trying to get to where Usher is. Chris is good butwho’s booking vmChris on their stage besides BET?! And Drake is more hip hop 2different lanes. Jay Z’s competition maybe…
Please! You and I both know that Usher is clutching at straws at this point. Legendary status has to be maintained and he has not maintained his well. He is an R&b icon but the generation of boys who grew up on him are now too old to be seen as new singers themselves. His impact on pop culture is now non existent. Not because he isn’t amazing, because he is, but because of lazy brand management. Don’t think Beyonce is seen the way she is because of talent. It’s all smoke, mirrors and strategy. Usher’s team have failed him on all three.
That last part (starting at drake) was #deep #facts
First of all, i can’t get passed that dumbfuck last statement about using Bieber to displace white guys doing R&B. That right there is total b*******. Secondly….learn from Bey? Usher should be where she is interms of profile…NOT music. “Formation” & “Sorry” are soulles/juvenile fuckery from a 35 yr old mother. As if that’s ANY better. Bey is supported steongly by her fans despite diversity, she’s a relevant R&B artist, who isn’t exactly R&B. She’s lucky to not be lambasted. Thirdly, Usher has always worked well with contemporary producers, and “Climax” (that blended his identity with a new sound) is more innovative for R&B than anything Bey and her 100 personell have done. Usher has many male artists in his lane The Weeknd, Frank Ocean, Migue …and Drake passes as “R&B male”. It’s saturated. Whose in Beyonce’s lane? Tinashe? Beyonce’s “branding” thing has kept her face within Pop culture…Usher has impacted pop culture but just hasn’t been as desperate, insecure and commercially driven as her, with superficial heavy propoganda. Usher presents his normal self who naturally carries a bachelor persona, not an image of falsley portrayed roles like being a feminist (inaccuratley) or a saviour of black pride (when it trends). The connection became weak with Usher because he no longer used nareatives. “Are too old to be seen as new singers”…every Bey inspired artist is of the same generation as artists inspired as him. U need to go look up his legacy, that ranges from Chris Brown to Zayn Malik.
You really don’t like Bey do you. Bc you clearly have a bias against her. I love Usher. He’s one of my top 4 favorite artists of all time. But to shade Bey making songs like Formation, Sorry, etc at her age just to “stay relevant” as you claim, then you need to shade Usher too, making songs like No Limit, I Don’t Mind, etc. and I love all of his discography. But stop trying to make excuse for him just bc Beyonce has been able to consistently do what Usher has been trying to do since Confessions.
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This album is amazing top to bottom Tell Me , Rivals , bump , let me , fwm ??? he did his thing . Forever the king of R&B
Tell Me is easily the best song on the album. Literally classic usher with a new flavor . All 8 minutes of the song is ?
John Bieber
Def not better than Confessions! Ushers done!
Can’t wait until it hits Apple Music. Stupid Tidal ?
This album is amazing!
I’ll pass.
You can’t be a Ciara fan and pass up on Usher boo! That’s an oxymoron
But sis I did. Problem?
Oh yeah, Great strategy. You’re already struggling to maintain your superstar and chart power, so put that Album on a struggling streaming platform and make the people download it illegaly an hour later. Great strategy…
The negativity of some people is astounding to me.
His song “I Don’t Mind” leaked about 5 months before it was officially released and still managed to go double platinum. People still don’t know about Usher’s album because a majority of people don’t have Tidal. Also, the same people who get the leak more than likely have some streaming service, so once the album drops they’re going to delete the leak and stream the album. That’s common sense. Damn near every one has Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play or Amazon.
Once again, his team has failed him. If Beyonce, as big as she is, could do a TIDAL only exclusive for 48 hours and it affected her sales (I still stand that she could’ve done close to a million if she hadn’t), what did he think was going to happen to him in 2016????? He should have just left it until Friday and gave it a wide release. Now, for three days, his album will be downloaded illegally in large numbers due to leaks that were made available online literally minutes after it was made available on TIDAL. So dumb. Anyway, the album is a solid one and from a vocal standpoint, he’s never been more prescient.
The Tidal exclusive could be a benefit…it’s only 3 days before and this actually boosts his buzz because people are talking about it and figuring out that it’s actually coming out on friday. Also, he’s lucky that a lot of the reception has been positive because we all know word of mouth definitely helps sales for anything if it’s positive. And leaks aren’t that big of a deal anymore because millions of people still stream music and even if they illegally download the album, nobody is going to keep it, once it releases officially on all platforms.
Vocally there’s no comparison. Usher is the last of that breed that needed talent. But he’s not gonna do huge numbers. He may scan gold tho.
Well Mario is the only one who I hold up there in Ushers realm but I see what you’re saying!
Yeah you’re right Mario has great vocals.
Luke James will vocally body all these males in r&b.
@credits no he won’t. Not tank and usher. Let’s not forget about travis garland and James Fauntleroy. Maxwell too.
After hearing it, who in their right mind would buy this album!
It has a few decent songs, crash, hard ii love, and stronger. Tell Me is the only great song! The rest of it is all trash! Usher and trap-n-b should never be mixed!
I knew this album would suck, it’s right up there with slp2 by Tank and wack panties by R. Kelly for worst albums from an r&b singer of all time. This one is probably worse than both of the other two though.
But get your cash Usher, because I know that’s all you care about now.
Tell me is easily the best song on this album of mostly mediocre ones.
It sounds like The-Dream’s old material like the Lovehate album, way back!
But the Dream isn’t credited as a writer or producer yet so interesting.
Album’s dope.
This album is dope !!
I think the album is too inconsistent. Some of it is smart and mature, and then other times he’s singing trap music with no substance.
What’s up with all the hate on trap music ! As long as R&B are delivering VOCALS why does it matter what beat he chooses to use clearly his trap songs are what people want to hear so why wouldn’t he do it . It’s a perfect blend with R&B the album is amazing . You’re obviously stuck in the past
His album isn’t that bad it pretty good
I believe at this point Usher isn’t consumed with album sales because literally every artist in the last 6 to 8 years has been negatively effected by streaming and downloading. Also if he was worried about sales he’d go pop for real and leave R&b alone since n****** don’t buy albums or support their own artist anyways.
GOOD VERY …………..
this album has already landed on pirated sites