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Post by Queen of Insomnia. on Aug 26, 2016 8:12:16 GMT -5
This artwork is awful. I know every male in this industry wants to be Michael Jackson, but c'mon.
I think asking about his core fanbase in 2016 is a very big issue rn. Some ppl see him as a has-been, others get nostalgia feel from him and of course there's few fans that still care, but it'd not enough to keep him relevant. I can't picture him getting new fans. His new material is nothing special. With the large number of males having success It's really hard for him to stay in the picture.
It sucks... I think if he took care of his legacy at the proper moment he could've been as relevant as Bey & JT are but he slept on it.
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Post by TroublemakerOlly on Aug 26, 2016 9:40:23 GMT -5
USHER TO RELEASE HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED NEW ALBUM
ENTITLED HARD II LOVE SEPTEMBER 16TH ON RCA RECORDS
REVEALS ALBUM COVER TODAY AND RELEASES TWO NEW ALBUM INSTANT GRAT TRACKS “MISSIN U” & “CHAMPIONS” (from the Motion Picture Hands of Stone)
ALBUM PRE-ORDER LIVE NOW - FANS WHO PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM RECEIVE NEW ALBUM TRACKS OUT TODAY
AND CURRENT SINGLES “NO LIMIT” AND “CRASH” NOW!
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO ALBUM TRACK “MISSIN U”
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO “CHAMPIONS (from the Motion Picture HANDS OF STONE)”
FILM OPENING IN THEATERS TODAY, STARRING USHER
IN THE ROLE OF LEGENDARY BOXER SUGAR RAY LEONARD
(New York – August 26, 2016) Global megastar and eight time Grammy Award winner USHER announces today that his highly-anticipated new album entitled HARD II LOVE (RCA Records) will be released on September 16th and is available for pre-order now. Fans who pre-order HARD II LOVE, will receive immediately two new album tracks “Missin U” and “Champions (from the Motion Picture Hands Of Stone),” starring Usher in the role of Sugar Ray Leonard which opens in theaters today. With the pre-order, fans will also receive Usher’s current hit singles “No Limit feat. Young Thug” and “Crash” instantly. CLICK HERE to listen “Missing U” and CLICK HERE to listen to “Champions.”
The album artwork revealed today was designed by Daniel Arsham, who also created the cover art for “Crash” and “No Limit feat. Young Thug.”
About Usher:
Usher has been ranked by the Recording Industry Assn. of America as one of the best-selling artists in American music history, having sold over 65 million albums worldwide. He has won numerous awards including 8 Grammy Awards and was named the #1 Hot 100 artist of the 2000s decade. Billboard named him the second most successful artist of the 2000s decade, with his career-propelling 2004 album “Confessions” being ranked as the top solo album of the 2000s decade. Usher has attained nine Hot 100 #1 hits (all as a lead artist) and 18 Hot 100 top-10 singles.
This year is proving to be a big year for Usher not only in music but also in film and his philanthropic endeavors. Usher can be seen starring in the role of boxer Sugar Ray Leonard in the film “Hands of Stone,” a biopic of boxer Roberto Duran played by Edgar Ramirez and co-stars Robert De Niro which opens in theaters today, August 26th.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2016 10:00:47 GMT -5
It sucks... I think if he took care of his legacy at the proper moment he could've been as relevant as Bey & JT are but he slept on it. I don't think it's too late for him to do this - people can be easily forgetful, but even more easily reminded - but Usher himself has to get his mind right and make the moves for it. At this point I care more about the legacy aspect than future album sales b/c I'm tired of people brushing him off like just another r&b cat that's falling off, but if he shored up the perception of himself as an icon I think that would in turn help out the sales a bit. FWIW I kind of felt the same about Mariah for a while; there was a time where she really did not seem willing or ready to accept the 'aging' implications that come with being seen as a legend. She got over it and positioned herself properly.
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Rican@
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Post by Rican@ on Aug 26, 2016 11:43:18 GMT -5
It sucks... I think if he took care of his legacy at the proper moment he could've been as relevant as Bey & JT are but he slept on it. Beyonce has been excellent in that market; however, JT has that pale skin that no matter what he does, he will be fine. I hope Usher does get a better understanding of marketing himself. The "chasing hits" isn't a great method and I hope he realize that. He should try the visual artist like Beyonce because he has the talent to pull off something amazing. His videos have been "talked" about so it should not be hard for him. These "ok" releases aren't helping him though.
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SHOOTER
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Post by SHOOTER on Aug 26, 2016 12:06:33 GMT -5
Champions sucks ass but I'm here for Missin' U.
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Linnethia Monique
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Post by Linnethia Monique on Aug 26, 2016 12:41:20 GMT -5
This shouts the accolades of a future icon if he could just get it together. In the Urban community he is already there.
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Rican@
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Post by Rican@ on Aug 26, 2016 13:43:20 GMT -5
Champions sucks ass but I'm here for Missin' U. I like the latter a lot. The Michael's influence is so nice on it.
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Sure Thing
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Post by Sure Thing on Aug 26, 2016 14:25:58 GMT -5
Champions should of been cut from the album. Or a bonus track. I still haven't got through it.
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George
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Post by George on Aug 27, 2016 3:09:00 GMT -5
I hope his new film can have some moderate success at the box office. He's gonna need all the promo buzz he can get.
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Sure Thing
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Post by Sure Thing on Aug 27, 2016 15:10:52 GMT -5
I tell you what, he said the stupidest thing on an Urban radio station today that will only disengage that fanbase even more.
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Caviar
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Post by Caviar on Aug 27, 2016 19:15:55 GMT -5
What'd he say?
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Post by Queen of Insomnia. on Aug 28, 2016 6:23:21 GMT -5
Yeah, I've noticed that interviews became his worst enemy. If he wants to release mediocre songs that could be sang by any random R&B boy that's OK w/ me. But when he tries to create some deep ideology behind it it's just laughable. Recently I've read that he finally found his sound again. Mind you, it was after No Limit was released. It was so cringeworthy.
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Dreams
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Post by Dreams on Aug 28, 2016 14:26:15 GMT -5
I don't know what the hell happened to Usher but he's morphing into Ne-Yo. Everything he's put out for the past few years sucks. That newest song, "Champions," especially is so lame it's not even funny. I'm sure, hopeful actually, he'll have a couple of tracks that I'll be able to enjoy on the new album, but still... this is Usher, he used to be the shit! It makes you wonder, where did he go wrong? Sidenote: That cover. [Sophia Petrillo]Such a tragedy. SUCH a tragedy.[/Sophia Petrillo]
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Ling-Ling
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Post by Ling-Ling on Aug 28, 2016 17:50:56 GMT -5
I actually wish we could rewind to 2014 and get that album. "Good Kisser" and "SCTGITU" are so hot compared to this new stuff. Hell, as basic as "I Don't Mind" was, at least it was summery and kinda fun.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2016 18:20:46 GMT -5
I'm still convinced that the 2014 album we were going to get was going to be a very consistent minimalist r&b sound. GK, SCTGITU, IDM, and even Clueless (the Cheerios leftover) all pointed to a clear direction...wish he would have stuck with it since I liked all those songs except IDM (and even that was stupid catchy).
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Sure Thing
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Post by Sure Thing on Aug 28, 2016 21:51:53 GMT -5
He talked about the album and not having not one sound for the album. He said he has something for his EDM people, his grown and sexy, his pop fans, his alternative fans, etc. all while being on Sirius XMs Urban radio station. It's like he isn't self aware of his surroundings and he is also tone deaf. Someone in his camp needs to inform him that no one wants to hear statements like that especially in the Urban market. And secondly, we just want GOOD music from him, timeless music from him. So many records he has that's timeless. His records used to be so relatable and personable, that's when he's the best. He doesn't have to make another "Confessions" -- and the fact is he never will. He just needs to focus his energy on being Usher. He doesn't need to satisfy all genres. If the record is THAT good like he's capable of.
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Sure Thing
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Post by Sure Thing on Aug 28, 2016 22:00:14 GMT -5
I actually wish we could rewind to 2014 and get that album. "Good Kisser" and "SCTGITU" are so hot compared to this new stuff. Hell, as basic as "I Don't Mind" was, at least it was summery and kinda fun. "Good Kisser" was classic Usher. Because it didn't become the monster pop song (it probably should of been, just didn't get the success it deserved). Best of all the new records he's had. "Missin U" is good though.
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SHOOTER
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Post by SHOOTER on Aug 28, 2016 23:16:36 GMT -5
I actually wish we could rewind to 2014 and get that album. "Good Kisser" and "SCTGITU" are so hot compared to this new stuff. Hell, as basic as "I Don't Mind" was, at least it was summery and kinda fun. I was just discussing with a friend how GK/SCTGITY/IDM was actually a strong enough set of singles to release an album off of, especially since he earned more Grammy noms with GK, and would've probably netted him another Gold album at least. NL and Crash are underwhelming by comparison.
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fire
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Post by fire on Aug 29, 2016 13:36:44 GMT -5
He talked about the album and not having not one sound for the album. He said he has something for his EDM people, his grown and sexy, his pop fans, his alternative fans, etc. all while being on Sirius XMs Urban radio station. It's like he isn't self aware of his surroundings and he is also tone deaf. Someone in his camp needs to inform him that no one wants to hear statements like that especially in the Urban market. And secondly, we just want GOOD music from him, timeless music from him. So many records he has that's timeless. His records used to be so relatable and personable, that's when he's the best. He doesn't have to make another "Confessions" -- and the fact is he never will. He just needs to focus his energy on being Usher. He doesn't need to satisfy all genres. If the record is THAT good like he's capable of. THIS and the Ne-Yo comparison were spot on.
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Rican@
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Post by Rican@ on Aug 29, 2016 15:38:13 GMT -5
I wouldn't say the Ne-Yo comparison is quite spot on as yes, Ne-Yo has fallen off in which I have not paid attention since "Year of the Gentleman" release; however, his latest offerings have been decent. He does not excite me as much as he did in the past, but his material has not suffer as much as I thought at first. Now Usher looks desperate with his hit chasing singles in which you could say the same about Ne-Yo; however, he continues to give some good R&B songs when he focuses on them only. Usher just seen a little done with the music industry and hoping for a hit to kick off this album. I could see him not releasing for a while now.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2016 22:40:57 GMT -5
I think my issue with the Ne-Yo comparison is that Ne-Yo isn't an icon and it's simply not that devastating that he fell off. He had his season and then it was over *shrug* Also, Ne-Yo fell allllllll the way off. It's not like he offers up a random moment of wow that makes you wonder why he can't do that consistently. He is pretty consistently mediocre these days.
Usher really is an icon and we know that he is still capable of greatness - lest we forget the same album that put him in his current predicament is also the album that brought us Climax - so it just chafes to see him struggling to still be 'finding' his sound or whatever and neglecting to concentrate on the legacy aspect of his career. I don't really feel bothered by his interviews but I think I've just become accustomed to Usher being Usher. He has a habit of speaking as if everyone is listening even when he's only talking to one audience. So yeah, totally unsurprising that he'd go on an urban radio interview and try to pitch his album as having something for everyone. Usher himself clearly likes pop music and also does not know what life without mainstream success looks like, so it is also not surprising that he keeps clinging to it.
As the gulf between contemporary r&b and CHR widens**, it will become more and more difficult (if not already impossible) for Usher to make an album that is universally appealing. But I also don't think it's fair to tell him to eschew making pop or EDM or alternative (wtf lol) records if that is what he's feeling. For all the flack he caught over it, I feel that L4M was the right direction for his current state of mind and I hate that the reaction to that direction ended up pushing him away from it. It's simply not going to be possible for him to be all things to all people so he should just concentrate on making songs that are great in their own right and pushing them to their respective formats. IDM and No Limit are pure foolishness but they prove he'll never truly have a problem landing an urban radio hit or eventually returning to making r&b music only if he wants to.
**ironically I feel like he has a better chance of scoring a moderate pop hit these days with something like No Limit than a song like Crash, though. Odd, that.
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Relaxing Cup
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Post by Relaxing Cup on Aug 30, 2016 0:26:02 GMT -5
That album cover literally makes my skin crawl with his cheek coming apart like that and al the little holes inside, gross.
-----
And about the ne yo comparison....'She Knows' is still my jam even though everyone on this board pretty much hated it. If Ne Yo continued to make music like that, I'd be down (as well as Usher with Good Kisser). In fact, the only time I didn't like what Ne Yo and Usher were doing was when they went the electro dance route when that was blowing up on radio.
Discombobulated post but what I want to say is:
Usher's last amazing album was Raymond VS Raymond
and Ne Yo's last amazing album was Libra Scale
both released in 2010 coincidently..
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fire
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Post by fire on Aug 30, 2016 11:59:19 GMT -5
I never got why L4M gets all the hate - it was the travesty that was OMG that accelerated his decline for reasons of scoring a quick pop hit. L4M had it's moments, but except for OMG, I liked RvR much better - especially because it contains my favorite There goes my baby. More of that please...
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SHOOTER
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Post by SHOOTER on Aug 30, 2016 12:32:28 GMT -5
The video for Rivals feat. Future is on TIDAL now.
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Post by Live Your Life on Aug 30, 2016 21:36:28 GMT -5
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think pink.
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Post by think pink. on Aug 30, 2016 23:06:35 GMT -5
Well deserved! Congrats, zaddy!.
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Post by asfoster87 on Aug 31, 2016 16:30:25 GMT -5
"Missin U" is easily my fave of the tracks released this era.
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Post by Queen of Insomnia. on Aug 31, 2016 16:34:16 GMT -5
"Missin U" is easily my fave of the tracks released this era. This. ...followed by Rivals.
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Sure Thing
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Post by Sure Thing on Aug 31, 2016 19:50:59 GMT -5
"Rivals" might be the best song he's had in years. Very modern and so classic Usher at the same time.
"Missin U" is very dope too.
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Post by B****BetterGetNOSL333P on Aug 31, 2016 23:38:57 GMT -5
That album cover literally makes my skin crawl with his cheek coming apart like that and al the little holes inside, gross. ----- And about the ne yo comparison....'She Knows' is still my jam even though everyone on this board pretty much hated it. If Ne Yo continued to make music like that, I'd be down (as well as Usher with Good Kisser). In fact, the only time I didn't like what Ne Yo and Usher were doing was when they went the electro dance route when that was blowing up on radio. Discombobulated post but what I want to say is: Usher's last amazing album was Raymond VS Raymondand Ne Yo's last amazing album was Libra Scaleboth released in 2010 coincidently.. When both of them starting to follow the trend doing EDM, their albums start to sink.... I really miss the old Usher baby.
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