Usher

Solo Artist

Photo: Ames Friedman · CC BY 2.0
Active 1993-present
Origin Chattanooga, Tennessee
Albums 10
Tracks 144
Most frequent collaborator Jermaine Dupri · 21 tracks
Genres R&BPopHip Hop SoulDance-Pop
Songwriter
74%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 106 of 144 tracks

Did Usher write his own songs?

Partly. Usher holds a writing credit on roughly three-quarters of his tracks, and his authorship grew over his career, but he is a vocalist first. He co-wrote hits like 'Burn' and 'Confessions Part II' with Jermaine Dupri, yet some of his most famous songs, including 'Yeah!,' 'OMG,' and 'U Don't Have to Call,' were written entirely by outside hitmakers.

By the Numbers

10
Studio Albums
144
Tracks Credited
74%
Self-Written
100M+
Records Sold
33
Years Active
366
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 106 / 144 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 144 tracks: how many Usher wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Usher has a writing credit74%
1%
72%
26%
Sole author2tracks1%
Co-written104tracks72%
Outside writers38tracks26%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Usher's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 144 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)74%
Composer (music)74%
Producer3%
Performer100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Usher's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 74%
29%
60%
73%
71%
100%
71%
71%
93%
100%
70%
1994Usher
1997My Way
20018701
2004Confessions
2008Here I Stand
2010Raymond v. Raymond
2012Looking 4 Myself
2016Hard II Love
2018A
2024Coming Home
Early · 59% written
Mid · 85% written
Late · 79% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

42%
1990s
Usher, My Way
82%
2000s
8701, Confessions +1 more
82%
2010s
Raymond v. Raymond, Looking 4 Myself +2 more
70%
2020s
Coming Home

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Usher sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Usher
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Aaliyah0%
EXO8%
Backstreet Boys25%
NSYNC41%
Kelly Rowland53%
Pink85%
Black Eyed Peas100%
74%Usher
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Think of You
Usher
Written by Faith Evans, Donell Jones, Usher Raymond IV
Co-wrote
You Make Me Wanna...
My Way
Written by Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, Usher Raymond IV
Co-wrote
Nice & Slow
My Way
Written by Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, Usher Raymond IV, Brian Casey
Co-wrote
U Remind Me
8701
Written by Anita McCloud, Edmund 'Eddie Hustle' Clement
Outside writers
U Got It Bad
8701
Written by Usher Raymond IV, Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox
Co-wrote
U Don't Have to Call
8701
Written by Pharrell Williams
Outside writers
Yeah!
Confessions
Written by Jonathan Smith, Sean Garrett, Patrick Smith, Christopher Bridges, Robert McDowell, James Phillips, LaMarquis Jefferson
Outside writers
Burn
Confessions
Written by Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, Usher Raymond IV
Co-wrote
Confessions Part II
Confessions
Written by Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, Usher Raymond IV
Co-wrote
Caught Up
Confessions
Written by Andre Harris, Vidal Davis, Jason Boyd, Ryan Toby
Outside writers
Love in This Club
Here I Stand
Written by Usher Raymond IV, Jamal Jones, Lamar Taylor, Jay Jenkins, Ryon Lovett, Keith Thomas, Darnell Dalton
Co-wrote
Trading Places
Here I Stand
Written by Usher Raymond IV, Carlos McKinney, Terius Nash
Co-wrote
Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)
Raymond v. Raymond
Written by Usher Raymond IV, Richard P. Butler Jr., Andrew Harr, Jermaine Jackson, Algernod Washington
Co-wrote
Lil Freak
Raymond v. Raymond
Written by Usher Raymond IV, Elvis Williams, Jamal Jones, Esther Dean, Onika Maraj, Stevland Morris
Co-wrote
OMG
Raymond v. Raymond
Written by William Adams
Outside writers
There Goes My Baby
Raymond v. Raymond
Written by Richard P. Butler Jr., James Scheffer, Frank Romano, Danny Morris
Outside writers
Climax
Looking 4 Myself
Written by Usher Raymond IV, Thomas Pentz, Ariel Rechtshaid, Sean 'Redd Stylez' Fenton
Co-wrote
Scream
Looking 4 Myself
Written by Martin Karl Sandberg, Karl Johan Schuster, Savan Kotecha, Usher Raymond IV
Co-wrote
No Limit
Hard II Love
Written by Usher Raymond IV, Brandon Hodge, Christopher Perry, Theron Thomas, Timothy Thomas, Keith Thomas, Jeffrey Williams
Co-wrote
Good Good
Coming Home
Written by Usher Raymond IV, Summer Walker, Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, Paul Dawson, Nija Charles, Keith Thomas, Tauren Stovall, Rafael Ishman, Caleb Ishman, Jaylyn McDonald, Melvin Hough II, Rivelino Wouter
Co-wrote

Discography 10 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Usher144 tracks
21Jermaine Dupri, 21 tracks 16Terry Lewis, 16 tracks 13Jimmy Jam, 13 tracks BC12Bryan-Michael Cox, 12 tracks KT12Keith Thomas, 12 tracks MS10Manuel Seal, 10 tracks JH10James Harris III, 10 tracks Z9Zaytoven, 9 tracks RL8Ryon Lovett, 8 tracks JA8Johntá Austin, 8 tracks RL8Rico Love, 8 tracks N8Natural, 8 tracks S'7Sean 'Puffy' Combs, 7 tracks BR7Bobby Ross Avila, 7 tracks IJ7Issiah J. Avila, 7 tracks T7The-Dream, 7 tracks FE6Faith Evans, 6 tracks JL6James Lackey, 6 tracks JN6Juan Najera, 6 tracks RP5Richard P. Butler Jr., 5 tracks AH5Andre Harris, 5 tracks VD5Vidal Davis, 5 tracks RT5Ryan Toby, 5 tracks J5JLack, 5 tracks CS5Christopher Stewart, 5 tracks TS5Tricky Stewart, 5 tracks RB5Richard Butler Jr., 5 tracks TT5Theron Thomas, 5 tracks DE5Dernst Emile II, 5 tracks DA5Dimitri Anthony McDowell, 5 tracks ET5Elliott Trent, 5 tracks RI5Rafael Ishman, 5 tracks CT4Chucky Thompson, 4 tracks PW4Pharrell Williams, 4 tracks BR4Bobby Ross Avila & IZ, 4 tracks TN4Terius Nash, 4 tracks KH4Kuk Harrell, 4 tracks NH4Nathaniel Hills, 4 tracks MA4Marcella Araica, 4 tracks D4Danja, 4 tracks JS4James Scheffer, 4 tracks JJ4Jim Jonsin, 4 tracks D4D'Mile, 4 tracks TG4Terius Gesteelde-Diamant, 4 tracks KG3Kiyamma Griffin, 3 tracks AJ3Albert Joseph Brown III, 3 tracks AB3Al B. Sure!, 3 tracks KE3Kenneth Edmonds, 3 tracks B3Babyface, 3 tracks JS3Jonathan Smith, 3 tracks SG3Sean Garrett, 3 tracks JB3Jason Boyd, 3 tracks D&3Dre & Vidal, 3 tracks JJ3Jamal Jones, 3 tracks WA3William Adams, 3 tracks on Black Eyed Peas's page W3will.i.am, 3 tracks on Black Eyed Peas's page DM3Daniel Morris, 3 tracks EB3Eric Bellinger, 3 tracks PJ3Paris Jones, 3 tracks F3Future, 3 tracks DG3Deion Gill, 3 tracks MM3Major Myjah, 3 tracks JA3Jocelyn A. Donald, 3 tracks DH3Deitrick Haddon, 3 tracks PD3Paul Dawson, 3 tracks JM3Jaylyn McDonald, 3 tracks IL2Isaiah Lee, 2 tracks AR2Alexander Richbourg, 2 tracks DD2Donald DeGrate Jr., 2 tracks DS2DeVante Swing, 2 tracks DJ2Donell Jones, 2 tracks HM2Herb Middleton, 2 tracks DH2Dave Hall, 2 tracks WC2Ward Corbett, 2 tracks BC2Brian Casey, 2 tracks TN2The Neptunes, 2 tracks CW2Christopher Wallace, 2 tracks on The Notorious B.I.G.'s page L2Ludacris, 2 tracks JP2James Phillips, 2 tracks VB2Valdez Brantley, 2 tracks AS2Aaron Spears, 2 tracks AS2Arthur Strong, 2 tracks LT2Lamar Taylor, 2 tracks JJ2Jay Jenkins, 2 tracks DD2Darnell Dalton, 2 tracks PD2Polow da Don, 2 tracks KD2Kasseem Dean, 2 tracks MS2Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, 2 tracks TE2Tor Erik Hermansen, 2 tracks S2StarGate, 2 tracks MP2Miguel Pimentel, 2 tracks FR2Frank Romano, 2 tracks BJ2Billy Joel, 2 tracks KC2Kevin Cossom, 2 tracks MM2Mr. Morris, 2 tracks PM2Pierre Medor, 2 tracks EH2Earl Hood, 2 tracks EG2Eric Goudy II, 2 tracks E&2Earl & E, 2 tracks KÅ2Klas Åhlund, 2 tracks SA2Steve Angello, 2 tracks on Swedish House Mafia's page SI2Sebastian Ingrosso, 2 tracks on Swedish House Mafia's page AH2Axel Hedfors, 2 tracks SH2Swedish House Mafia, 2 tracks FM2Faheem Mardre, 2 tracks RC2Robert Calloway, 2 tracks BH2Brandon Hodge, 2 tracks TT2Timothy Thomas, 2 tracks B2B.A.M., 2 tracks MJ2Mario Jefferson, 2 tracks DG2Darius Ginn Jr., 2 tracks CS2Carlos St John, 2 tracks YA2Yonatan Ayal, 2 tracks TW2Tony Wilson, 2 tracks CC2Carlos Coleman, 2 tracks PM2Phillip Moses, 2 tracks P2Pheelz, 2 tracks TS2Tauren Stovall, 2 tracks EB2Etdrick Bohannon, 2 tracks G2Ghost-Kid, 2 tracks KT2K. Thomas, 2 tracks C2Chang, 2 tracks JM2Jermaine Mauldin, 2 tracks AR2Anthony R. Smith, 2 tracks DB1Darren Benbow, 1 track LS1Laquentis Saxon, 1 track BA1Brian Alexander Morgan, 1 track JH1Joe Howell, 1 track MS1Mark South, 1 track DP1Darryl Pearson, 1 track E'1Edward 'Eddie F' Ferrell, 1 track K'1Kenneth 'Kenny Love' Tonge, 1 track DH1Dave Hollister, 1 track on Blackstreet's page GC1Gordon Chambers, 1 track LK1Lil' Kim, 1 track BW1Boaz Watson, 1 track BL1Belinda Lipscomb, 1 track SJ1Sidney Johnson, 1 track M1Monica, 1 track JC1Joe Cocker, 1 track CS1Chris Stainton, 1 track S'1Sprague 'Doogie' Williams, 1 track CH1Chauncey Hannibal, 1 track on Blackstreet's page SB1Sherri Blair, 1 track EW1Eric Williams, 1 track on Blackstreet's page RI1Ronald Isley, 1 track OI1O'Kelly Isley Jr., 1 track RI1Rudolph Isley, 1 track AM1Anita McCloud, 1 track E'1Edmund 'Eddie Hustle' Clement, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. Showing the 150 most frequent of 357. BC Bryan-Michael Cox · KT Keith Thomas · MS Manuel Seal

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Usher occupies a middle tier of authorship: he co-writes consistently on personal and narrative tracks, most notably throughout Confessions, but routinely cedes full songwriting credit to outside hitmakers like Jermaine Dupri, Lil Jon, and Ryan Tedder on his uptempo and dance-oriented material. The result is an authorship score of roughly 30-35%, reflecting genuine but selective creative involvement.

Quick Facts

  • GrammysEight Grammy Awards
  • ConfessionsHis 2004 album is diamond-certified, selling over 14 million copies in the US
  • Super BowlHeadlined the 2024 Super Bowl LVIII halftime show, drawing 123 million US viewers
  • Key collaboratorCo-wrote and recorded much of his best work with Jermaine Dupri
  • RangeR&B and pop hitmaker whose career spans from teen R&B to dance-pop

Creative Fingerprint

A vocalist first: Usher co-writes a good share of his catalogue, especially with Jermaine Dupri, but many of his signature hits, including 'Yeah!' and 'OMG,' were written entirely by outside hitmakers.

The Story

Usher (Usher Raymond IV) is an American singer, songwriter, and dancer from Chattanooga, Tennessee, who rose to fame in the mid-1990s as a teenager on LaFace Records. He became one of the defining artists of 2000s R&B, with his 2004 album Confessions standing as one of the best-selling albums of that decade. Known for his commanding stage presence and smooth vocal delivery, Usher has earned eight Grammy Awards and sold over 80 million records worldwide.

Awards & Recognition

Eight Grammy Awards
Over 100 million records sold worldwide, one of the best-selling music artists of all time
Confessions (2004) is diamond-certified, selling over 14 million copies in the United States
Headlined the 2024 Super Bowl LVIII halftime show, drawing 123 million US viewers

Frequently Asked Questions Usher

Did Usher write his own songs?
Partly. Usher holds a writing credit on roughly three-quarters of his tracks, and his authorship grew over his career, but he is a vocalist first. He co-wrote hits like 'Burn' and 'Confessions Part II' with Jermaine Dupri, yet some of his most famous songs, including 'Yeah!,' 'OMG,' and 'U Don't Have to Call,' were written entirely by outside hitmakers.
Who wrote 'Yeah!'?
'Yeah!' (2004), Usher's biggest hit, was written by its producer Lil Jon along with Sean Garrett and Ludacris, who also raps on it. Usher does not hold a writing credit on the song; he was the performer.
Who wrote 'OMG'?
'OMG' (2010) was written and produced by will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas. Usher sang it but is not credited as a writer, making it one of his outside-written number-one hits.
Who is Usher's main songwriting collaborator?
Jermaine Dupri is his most frequent co-writer and producer, behind hits like 'You Make Me Wanna...,' 'Burn,' and 'Confessions Part II.' Their partnership shaped much of Usher's peak-era sound.
Who wrote 'Burn'?
'Burn' (2004) was co-written by Usher with Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox. It was one of the biggest singles from Confessions and a number-one hit.
How many albums has Usher released?
This catalogue covers 10 of his studio albums, from his 1994 self-titled debut to Coming Home (2024).
How many records has Usher sold?
Over 100 million worldwide, led by his diamond-certified 2004 album Confessions.
How many Grammys has Usher won?
Eight Grammy Awards over the course of his career.
What is Usher's best-selling album?
Confessions (2004). It is diamond-certified and has sold over 14 million copies in the US, powered by 'Yeah!,' 'Burn,' and 'Confessions Part II.'
Did Usher headline the Super Bowl?
Yes. He headlined the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show in February 2024, a performance seen by around 123 million viewers in the US.

Sources

Wikipedia: Usher (musician)