allow that
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Post by allow that on Jan 2, 2014 12:31:25 GMT -5
Usher essentially confirmed that he'll have a new single out within the month: Interview video"Climax" came as a curveball as sorts this time two whole years ago now. Here's hoping for something of equal caliber.
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Jay D83
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Post by Jay D83 on Jan 2, 2014 12:37:49 GMT -5
YES! Still mad that the title track from his last album was never released.
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allow that
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Post by allow that on Jan 2, 2014 12:39:58 GMT -5
YES! Still mad that the title track from his last album was never released. That one and "2nd Round"!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2014 13:07:55 GMT -5
I'm excited for this. After "Climax" (which I really liked), I lost interest in him. Hopefully he focuses more on R&B material for the lead single and album.
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allow that
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Post by allow that on Jan 2, 2014 13:11:00 GMT -5
Hopefully he focuses more on R&B material for the lead single and album. He most definitely will be. Any comment he's made over the past year has been along the lines of "I'm returning to my R&B roots." Let's just hope it's something fresh and high quality...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2014 13:16:50 GMT -5
If this is half as good as "Climax," I'll be happy.
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Post by Agent Yoncé on Jan 2, 2014 13:42:33 GMT -5
Whatever he comes up w/I hope it's something fresh & nothing rehashed or current. 'Climax' was ok, I didn't have the same love for it like everyone else did. That whole last era was just decent, nothing memorable outside that song.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2014 13:45:14 GMT -5
Whatever he comes up w/I hope it's something fresh & nothing rehashed or current. 'Climax' was ok, I didn't have the same love for it like everyone else did. That whole last era was just decent, nothing memorable outside that song. Yeah, while I loved "Climax," the album had little replay value for me. Definitely my least favorite album (not EP) of his since the 90s, if not ever (hey, I have a weak spot for his debut! ).
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#LisaRinna
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Post by #LisaRinna on Jan 2, 2014 13:47:27 GMT -5
Serve Usher!!
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think pink.
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Post by think pink. on Jan 2, 2014 17:00:13 GMT -5
Anticipating!
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Post by velaxti on Jan 2, 2014 17:24:12 GMT -5
I like Climax, but I hope his lead single isn't anything like it... Climax is not commercial at all. I don't his first single to miss the top 10 then have him rush-release a dance song again, so it's important his lead single has more cross-over appeal this time, so it does well and gets heard by people. Lemme See or Twisted would've been a better choice to send to pop from the last album, since both those songs are incredibly catchy. Heck, even Dive is more commercial than Climax.
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allow that
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Post by allow that on Jan 2, 2014 17:29:09 GMT -5
I like Climax, but I hope his lead single isn't anything like it... Climax is not commercial at all. I don't his first single to miss the top 10 then have him rush-release a dance song again, so it's important his lead single has more cross-over appeal this time, so it does well and gets heard by people. Lemme See or Twisted would've been a better choice to send to pop from the last album, since both those songs are incredibly catchy. Heck, even Dive is more commercial than Climax. Damn, I forgot about "Dive" already. That was a stellar song but really didn't fit in at radio at the time. It's difficult to gauge exactly what type of song Usher should try with. Seems pop radio is only open to R&B music if it's got that retro sound now, and Usher was actually the first major artist to ride in the current wave of that style with "Twisted," but as it remained an album track I fear he'd be accused of bandwagoning if he approached with that now. Plus, all of Usher's best singles were inventive so I'm hoping he manages to return with something that's equal parts left field and palatable. I wonder how he would have done if, for instance, "Hold On, We're Going Home" was his single.
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Post by Rican@ on Jan 2, 2014 21:44:08 GMT -5
I think "Climax" should have been that song to open the gate for more R&B songs at Pop that year; however, his label dropped the ball with it. It should have been a bigger hit, IMO. It had enough commercial appeal and edge to it. I rank it as his best lead single and honestly one of his songs ever.
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Post by die Lotterie on Jan 2, 2014 23:15:28 GMT -5
"Climax" was and still is everything. I'm totally ready for new Usher.
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allow that
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Post by allow that on Jan 2, 2014 23:21:15 GMT -5
I think "Climax" should have been that song to open the gate for more R&B songs at Pop that year; however, his label dropped the ball with it. It should have been a bigger hit, IMO. It had enough commercial appeal and edge to it. I rank it as his best lead single and honestly one of his songs ever. "Climax" is definitely in my top three Usher singles along with "Confessions Part II" and "You Make Me Wanna...". It bridged the gap between blog/critic love and mainstream commercial appeal for sure, but moreover sounded so FRESH and so convincing. I really think it remains the shining moment of R&B so far this decade- only "Adorn" and Beyonce's surprise album come even close. But because it "only" peaked in the bottom of the top 20 on the Hot 100 I fear we may get something more paint by numbers this time, which could very well backfire anyway. We shall see.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2014 0:13:39 GMT -5
oh I was just googling shirtless pics of him I'm so excited for this!
I don't know what I want from him (other than good music, of course). Usher is as versatile as my tastes are broad imo, but he's at a sort of crossroads right now with trying to both satisfy his urban audience enough to get them to trust and buy into his albums again, while at the same time releasing something appealing enough to the pop audience to get them to buy the singles (b/c lbr, the pop audience is really where the sales are these days). To be honest pop is still not taking to urban unless it's coming from Macklemore and JT, run through a major pop filter. Take this comment as you will...Usher would have been raked across the coals by pop and r&b fans alike if he'd released something like S&T, so it's really not a model he should consider following himself. And also, he is industry old. It's only a matter of time before plain old ageism kicks in. So all of this makes it hard to gauge what he should aim for. Hopefully his exposure on The Voice helps as much as it does for other artists.
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Post by Rocky on Jan 3, 2014 7:59:56 GMT -5
Can not wait. Hope he'll drop the generic club music and sticks to R&B in what he's the best.
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#Joseph.T
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Post by #Joseph.T on Jan 3, 2014 8:59:04 GMT -5
this month ? I'm so excited
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allow that
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Post by allow that on Feb 25, 2014 11:28:21 GMT -5
There are rumors circulating that Brian Alexander Morgan is involved with Usher's upcoming single. Now that would be something. He hasn't had a hit since SWV's "Rain" in 1998, nor has he tried for one.
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Post by Wave. on Feb 25, 2014 12:11:39 GMT -5
He is aiming for that throwback shit. I'm here for it.
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Post by Born_To_Do_It on Feb 25, 2014 12:42:05 GMT -5
There are rumors circulating that Brian Alexander Morgan is involved with Usher's upcoming single. Now that would be something. He hasn't had a hit since SWV's "Rain" in 1998, nor has he tried for one. Are you sure the rumors aren't confused with Brandon "B.A.M." Alexander, who is a newer R&B producer who had been getting bigger over the last few years (worked with Joe, Tyrese, Tank, TGT etc.) and has managed to pick up some Grammy nominations.
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allow that
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Post by allow that on Feb 25, 2014 13:03:08 GMT -5
There are rumors circulating that Brian Alexander Morgan is involved with Usher's upcoming single. Now that would be something. He hasn't had a hit since SWV's "Rain" in 1998, nor has he tried for one. Are you sure the rumors aren't confused with Brandon "B.A.M." Alexander, who is a newer R&B producer who had been getting bigger over the last few years (worked with Joe, Tyrese, Tank, TGT etc.) and has managed to pick up some Grammy nominations. But I mean it's all hearsay at this point.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2014 16:14:53 GMT -5
Dive is his best song imo Lemme See is there 2
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Post by Born_To_Do_It on Feb 26, 2014 4:46:34 GMT -5
Are you sure the rumors aren't confused with Brandon "B.A.M." Alexander, who is a newer R&B producer who had been getting bigger over the last few years (worked with Joe, Tyrese, Tank, TGT etc.) and has managed to pick up some Grammy nominations. But I mean it's all hearsay at this point. Ahh I see. Well we do know he's done some work with JD and B-Cox recently because they've instagrammed pics of each other a few months ago and I believe even mentioned it. I'm guessing the So So Def 20 concert link up last year has reminded Usher he needed to make some more hits with JD again. He's also worked with Eric Bellinger in the past and Eric has confirmed he's been working with him again in interviews. As long as Usher make that classic timelass R&B again, I'll be happy.
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Post by Linnethia Monique on Feb 27, 2014 10:36:17 GMT -5
Pharrell could have the 1st single too.
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Post by think pink. on Feb 27, 2014 11:00:26 GMT -5
I'm guessing the So So Def 20 concert link up last year has reminded Usher he needed to make some more hits with JD again. He doesn't though.
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Post by Born_To_Do_It on Feb 27, 2014 12:57:56 GMT -5
I'm guessing the So So Def 20 concert link up last year has reminded Usher he needed to make some more hits with JD again. He doesn't though. I hope when we get the new music JD will prove you wrong.
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think pink.
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Post by think pink. on Feb 27, 2014 13:25:05 GMT -5
I hope when we get the new music JD will prove you wrong. I do too for Usher's sake
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2014 13:34:16 GMT -5
I don't think Usher "needing" JD is correct. The last r&b song Usher had that was big on pop was actually "Love In This Club," but I don't think anyone would rush to say he needs to work with Polow da Don again. It's more like he "needs" to get back to that point in his career when his r&b songs were universally appealing hits, and it just so happens that JD was the guy who produced those hits during the Confessions era. JD could strike gold again or it could be someone else who produces that kind of song for Usher.
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Post by Born_To_Do_It on Feb 27, 2014 19:05:33 GMT -5
^ I get what you are saying to a certain extent but... Polow Da Don (who I think is great) gave Usher 1 hit, which was not really an straight up R&B song. JD has given Usher multiple hits over a number of albums , not just confessions era. There are just certain artists and producers that make great music together and I believe they are 1 example.
There is an old saying in football, "form is temporary, class is permanent" and JD is a class producer. He may not have produced a hit in a while but that doesn't mean he can't do it again. How many people wrote off Timbaland in 2012 (before 20/20 and everything since)?
BTW I don't care about Usher getting a hit on pop. I just want great R&B music again. Yes, others can produce some good R&B music for Usher but there is something extra special about those JD songs that stand above the rest in Usher's discography, which is why I hope they can do it again and wont write him off.
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