Read this article or Usher will make you comb his hair.

When people name the worthy candidates for the “next” Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Chris Brown and Justin Timberlake are often at the top of their lists. In the early 2000s, however, there was another artist who easily trumped all competition – Usher. So, what changed the public opinion against the former heir to the throne?

Bolstered by the success of his My Way, 8701 and Confessions albums, Usher was the undisputed leader of his generation of entertainers. Before he was even 25 years of age, Usher could sing, dance and thrill a crowd like a true professional, and was once heralded by the legendary James Brown as one of the great acts of our time.

However, along with his record sales, Usher’s popularity drastically declined and he now has to work much harder than he did in his youth just to remain relevant while facing increasing competition from younger acts. In fact, even the legacy of this once dominant R&B icon is being questioned. Luckily for my aching backside on this office chair, the causes of Usher’s problems are easy to observe and discuss.

Did you notice that I specifically referred to Usher as an R&B icon? While understanding the current state of the genre, take a moment to evaluate the significance of that statement. If you associated Usher’s career decline with the decreasing popularity of R&B then go to the fridge and get yourself a chocolate. You deserve it.

The first half of Usher’s career was fuelled by a string Urban hits. Second only to R. Kelly, Usher was one of the most successful male R&B acts of the late 1990s and early 2000s, and he reached his peak with diamond-certified Confessions album. Yet, as genre lost steam in the second half of the 2000s, so did his momentum on the charts.

“Usher transformed from an icon to grumpy, fat uncle in three simple steps.”

Of course, we can’t overlook the PR disaster that occurred when Usher got married to a less than attractive woman in 2007 – Tameka Foster is nobody’s supermodel – thus killing his appeal as the desirable bachelor he presented to the world in the years prior. Add that to his constant defending of his wife in the media and his weight gain, and Usher transformed from an icon to grumpy, fat uncle in three simple steps.

Back on the musical front, Usher’s record sales took a serious blow when 2008′s Here I Stand sold less than 1.5 million copies and several critics panned album as a major downgrade from his previous works. Simultaneously, the Dance/Pop movement officially took control of the airwaves and Usher also was edged out by younger, fresher acts, such as Chris Brown.

How did Usher make moves to survive? Similar to Beyonce and Ne-Yo, he followed the money and the trends by mixing Dance/Pop into his music. That move scored Usher several major hits on the Billboard Hot 100 but his album sales continued to sink to new lows because he confused his audience.

Usher cultivated a fan base of R&B fans and when he adopted a more Pop-oriented sound, most of them, especially the Adult Contemporary market, abandoned him like Beyonce did to several members of Destiny’s Child. What were their names again? Tito, Jermaine and Marlon?

Now, Usher, the former champion of R&B, is still trying his best to win over Pop radio while seemingly treating his Urban followers as afterthoughts. He momentarily won many of them over with the brilliant “Climax” but the followup singles were far from impressive and both sides of the spectrum have since lost interest yet again.

As an entertainer, Usher can still engage a crowd with the same charm as a young Bobby Brown but it is impossible to deny that his choreography has long lost lustre and people often mock him as an artist passed his prime as a result of his out of breath showings. Moreover, Usher has been outpaced by Chris Brown as a dancer and his stage productions are pale in comparison to those of Beyonce. Hence, it’s easy to see how many people have moved on those more exciting acts.

The key problem affecting Usher is that he never realised his full potential. We wasted the momentum generated by Confessions, and instead of perfecting his craft by leading his generation as an innovative artist and stage performer, he lost his edge and placed his legacy in jeopardy.

Beyond his sales, what has Usher done to change music? Loyal fans, including yours truly, recognise his potential to become a timeless artist but that’s just it – potential. Usher hasn’t fully matured or transcended from icon to legend. Rather, he is trapped behind a creative wall.

The only way for Usher to achieve true greatness is to stop looking 4 himself (see what I did there?) on the Pop charts and revolutionise his sound. He has to craft his own new niche by building on the genius of “Climax”, be the driving force that R&B desperately needs and even become the bridge between the genres as Rick James was for Funk and Disco or James Brown was for Soul and Rock & Roll. If not, Usher will go down in the history books as an artist dated to an era long forgotten, similar to Toni Braxton and Brandy at the dawn of the 21st century.

Trey Songz: “You career isn’t ready to climax, Usher!”

Thoughts?

If I were Usher.....I'd sit down with Mint Condition and craft a song so nasty (funky) that folks would have a listen. But that is just me.

people need to understand...there will never be a "new" Michael Jackson.Legendary artists can't be duplicated.

Has any artist in the modern music era ever duplicated their initial success, if the cycle changes enery five years than the answer should be no. Big Bands gave way to Be Bop, Doo Wop gave way to Elvis, Rock N' Roll, Motown and The Beatles and so on.

"icon"? Hell no and while I am not a fan, referring to Tameka as "less than attractive" was unnecessary. She is not the dog's dinner by any means.

scriptgirl said:

"icon"? Hell no and while I am not a fan, referring to Tameka as "less than attractive" was unnecessary. She is not the dog's dinner by any means.

That was way over the top...............I think she is cute myself.

Another one of these? Happyperson.. bro why do you do nothing but post these stories of people saying this guy or that guy is an icon or top divas or top this.

You trolling bro? cause it's working

^^^ Happy Person for as long as Ive been on this forum has always made threads like this and yes they are annoying.

Graycap23 said:

scriptgirl said:

"icon"? Hell no and while I am not a fan, referring to Tameka as "less than attractive" was unnecessary. She is not the dog's dinner by any means.

That was way over the top...............I think she is cute myself.

Usher is not all of that himself (his always been overrated to me looks wise)... his not ugly but he certainly is not ALL of that... his no Ginuwine...

Usher is so fine.

So is Ginuwine.

Speaking of Ginuwine, he has concert along with K-Ci & Jo Jo, Tank and some other c-list R&B singers in my area. Tickets are like $75.

Hell to the nah.

Terrib3Towel said:

Usher is so fine.

So is Ginuwine.

Speaking of Ginuwine, he has concert along with K-Ci & Jo Jo, Tank and some other c-list R&B singers in my area. Tickets are like $75.

Hell to the nah.

Shit Id go...

Shit I'd do!

This should've been MUCH bigger!

CynicKill said:

Shit I'd do!

This should've been MUCH bigger!

Climax was big..

Terrib3Towel said:

CynicKill said:

Shit I'd do!

This should've been MUCH bigger!

Climax was big..

I'm talking Rihanna ten-weeks-at-number-one big!

Did it even go Top ten pop?

I know it was popular but...

mjscarousal said:

Terrib3Towel said:

Usher is so fine.

So is Ginuwine.

Speaking of Ginuwine, he has concert along with K-Ci & Jo Jo, Tank and some other c-list R&B singers in my area. Tickets are like $75.

Hell to the nah.

Shit Id go...

$75 is a lot to spend on a leisure activity. I'm a broke college student, I can't afford such luxuries.

CynicKill said:

Terrib3Towel said:

Climax was big..

I'm talking Rihanna ten-weeks-at-number-one big!

Did it even go Top ten pop?

I know it was popular but...

Lol. Climax was a top-10 hit. I think it went to number 8 pop.

It had to grow on me, at first I was like wtf is this. But the radio has the odd ability to play something so damn much you can't help but to like it after about 1000 spins.

Terrib3Towel said:

mjscarousal said:

Shit Id go...

$75 is a lot to spend on a leisure activity. I'm a broke college student, I can't afford such luxuries.

Same!... just saying I would go.

CynicKill said:

Terrib3Towel said:

Climax was big..

I'm talking Rihanna ten-weeks-at-number-one big!

Did it even go Top ten pop?

I know it was popular but...

He won a Grammy for it.

Terrib3Towel said:

Usher is so fine.

So is Ginuwine.

Speaking of Ginuwine, he has concert along with K-Ci & Jo Jo, Tank and some other c-list R&B singers in my area. Tickets are like $75.

Hell to the nah.

Damn, that was cold as ice! "C-list R&B singers..." I'll love Jodeci until the day I die, but damn if I only see 50% of them for $75.

May be cold, but it is true!

musicman said:

CynicKill said:

I'm talking Rihanna ten-weeks-at-number-one big!

Did it even go Top ten pop?

I know it was popular but...

He won a Grammy for it.

I dont know why, Adorn was a smash last year and was more commercially successful than Climax.

They gave it to him because his Usher.

I also don't understand why people are still hating on Tameka. How long have she and Usher been divorced now?

Didn't he supposedly sleep with one of the bridesmaids?

He did. Old boy ain't no prize.

SoulAlive said:

people need to understand...there will never be a "new" Michael Jackson.Legendary artists can't be duplicated.

Thank You. What you said is so true. I wonder why people, media always wants there to be the "new" Michael Jackson. As you stated, there will NEVER be another Michael Jackson.

co-sign

But we desperately need one though.

The old one was so flawed and a bit of a mess.

Or maybe that was what made him so special.

I don;t know why this writer is hating on Usher for losing his way in R&B when the whole genre took a dive after 2004 and is only now beginning to make a comeback. Sure he did a lot of dance-pop, but so did a bunch of other artists, particularly Ne-Yo. And the ones who didn't were basically forced to do hip-hop collaborations, thus even further watering down R&B music in general. Plus R&B music is plagues with generic cookie-cutter Casio keyboard beats which sound like crap. Doesn't anyone know how to play drums anymore?

At any rate, Usher wasn't the only R&B artist who either went downhill, took a break, or disappeared in the mid to late 2000's. Justin Timberlake focused on his acting career after Future.Sex.Love.Sounds, and artists like Lloyd, Mario, and Omarion practically disappeared. Sure, Chris Brown became huge in R&B, but he was doing some of the same dance stuff as Usher and Ne-Yo, and Trey Songs was doing some of the same generic crappy R&B as everyone else.