Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.
So, as our retrospective features ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay’ allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our newest feature Chart Rewind – a variation of our current Retro Rewind assay – accedes salutes to an entire era of music history.
This week we thought it’d be nice to revisit ‘Nice & Slow’ – the second single from Usher Raymond‘s second album, ‘My Way.’ Penned by Raymond and Brandon & Brian Casey (twin brothers of R&B group Jagged Edge) and produced by Jermaine Dupri, the song was a hit from day one. Debuting in the top 10 of the Hot 100 in late January 1998 (while its predecessor, ‘You Make Me Wanna,’ was still occupying a slot there as well), ‘Slow’ quickly jumped to the #1 slot just three weeks later. Ironically dethroning Janet Jackson‘s ‘Together Again’ from the top spot (as he went on to open for her ‘Velvet Rope’ tour a few months later this year), ‘Nice & Slow’ became the Atlantan hitmaker’s first chart-topper and eventually earned a platinum certification for exceeding 1.5 million in sales.
Today, it remains a fan favorite from his hit-filled catalog. Tuck in below to see who joined him in the top 25 this week 20 years ago:
Hot 100 This Week in 1998
Hot 100 This Week
Click here to read more about the full Hot 100 this week.