NEW YORK (Jive Records) - LaFace/Zomba artist
Usher is already on the fast track to being named Top Artist of 2004 with CONFESSIONS - the 5-times platinum No 1 Pop/ No 1 R&B album containing the three consecutive No 1 Pop/ No 1 R&B hit singles "
Yeah!" (featuring
Lil' Jon & Ludacris), "Burn" and "Confessions Part II."
Now
Usher will add another level of success to an astonishing year with the October 5th release of CONFESSIONS (Special Edition), a repackaged, redesigned version of the album with four bonus tracks - "My Boo," "Red Light," "Seduction," and a special remix of "Confessions Part II."
To date, the original version of the album (released in March) has sold over 9 million copies worldwide.
Topping the list of bonus tracks on CONFESSIONS (Special Edition)) is the brand new single "My Boo," Usher's electrifying duet with J Records artist Alicia Keys. This week, the song jumps to No 12-bullet (from No 19/ Greatest Gainer - Airplay) on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart; and to No 18-bullet (from No 29/ Greatest Gainer - Airplay) on the Hot 100.
In its first week out last week, "My Boo" was No 1 most-added at Top 40, R&B, and Rhythm Cross-over radio formats. A record-setting 84 first-week adds even surpassed "Yeah!"'s 77 adds upon its release (back in January). The track was produced by Jermaine Dupri for So So Def Productions, and co-produced by Manuel Seal. The promotional video for "My Boo," starring Usher and Alicia Keys, was directed on location in New York City by Chris Robinson. The clip will premiere September 14th on BET's "Access Granted" (9:00 p.m. EDT); and will make its MTV debut on the September 16th edition of "TRL."
Two bonus tracks on CONFESSIONS (Special Edition) will be released here for the first time: "Red Light" produced by Lil' Jon with vocals produced by Sean Garrett; "Seduction" produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis for Flyte Tyme Productions, and co-produced by Bobby Ross Avila, IZ, and James "Big Jim" Wright. The final bonus track is a special remix of "Confessions Remix" featuring Shyne, Kanye West and Twista, produced by Jermaine Dupri for So So Def Productions, and co-Produced by Bryan Michael Cox.
Consumers will find that all-new, strikingly different deluxe packaging has been specially created for CONFESSIONS (Special Edition). Immediately noticeable will be the 3-D lenticular cover inside the jewel box, which will now also contain a 2x2 panel fold-out poster. The poster will be backed with a personal letter that Usher has written to fans, along with merchandising information. The CD booklet has also been redesigned and expanded to include the new songs, as well as numerous photographs that were not used on the original package.
Usher made Billboard "Chart Beat" history this year when he replaced his own No 1 Hot 100 hit "Yeah!" (after 12 weeks) with "Burn" - thus becoming only the 8th act in the rock era (since 1955) to occupy the No 1/ No 2 spots in any one week, an elite crew that comprises Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Boyz II Men, P. Diddy, Ja Rule, Nelly, OutKast - and Usher.
With the arrival of "Confessions Part II," Usher became the first artist in R&B/Hip-Hop BDS and Soundscan chart history to have three hits in the top 10 simultaneously as a lead (not featured) artist.
