Studio Album · No. 4
Confessions Songwriting Credits by Usher
Produced by Jermaine Dupri, Lil Jon, Bryan-Michael Cox, Just Blaze, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis
LaFace Records
Contemporary R&BDance-PopHip-HopCrunk
71%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 12 of 17 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 12 / 17 documented
Who wrote the songs?
Scored across the 17 tracks with documented writers, by whether Usher carries a lyricist or composer credit.
12 trackswritten by Usher
5 tracksoutside writers
Usher's roles on this album
Share of the 17 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
Lyricist71%
Composer71%
Producer18%
Performer100%
By the Numbers
17
Tracks
41
Lyricists
22
Producers
4
No.1 Singles
15 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
2004
Released
Awards & Recognition 3
Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album (47th Grammy Awards, 2005)
Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for Yeah! (47th Grammy Awards, 2005)
Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for My Boo (47th Grammy Awards, 2005)
Data Insight
Confessions is Usher's most author-driven album: he co-wrote roughly half the tracks, including 'Confessions Part I,' 'Confessions Part II,' and several personal cuts alongside Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox. The narrative conceit of confessing infidelity through the album's arc is his own, though Lil Jon and Just Blaze wrote 'Yeah!' with no Usher credit, and Babyface and Jermaine Dupri wrote 'Burn' largely without him.
Confessions is the fourth studio album by Usher, released in March 2004 on LaFace Records and produced by Jermaine Dupri, Lil Jon, Kanye West, and Bryan-Michael Cox. The album became one of the best-selling records of the decade, moving over ten million copies in the United States alone and debuting at number one on the Billboard 200. The first four singles, 'Yeah!', 'Burn', 'Confessions Part II', and 'My Boo', all reached number one on the Hot 100, making Usher only the second artist in history to achieve this feat. The record's narrative arc of romantic infidelity and emotional reckoning resonated deeply with audiences, combining club-ready production with surprisingly vulnerable songwriting. Confessions is widely considered Usher's magnum opus and one of the greatest R&B albums of the 2000s.
Track Listing & Credits 17 tracks
Written by the artist
Written by outside writers
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Intro
|
James LackeyUsher Raymond IV | James LackeyUsher Raymond IV | James LackeyUsher Raymond IV | Usher (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
Yeah!
#1
|
Jonathan SmithSean GarrettPatrick SmithChristopher BridgesRobert McDowellJames PhillipsLaMarquis Jefferson | Jonathan SmithSean GarrettPatrick SmithChristopher BridgesRobert McDowellJames PhillipsLaMarquis Jefferson | Lil JonSean Garrett | Usher (Lead Vocals)Lil Jon (Featured Vocals)Ludacris (Featured Vocals) |
| 3 |
Throwback
|
Richard P. Butler Jr.Justin SmithQue SmithLamont DozierBrian HollandEdward HollandRichard Wylie | Richard P. Butler Jr.Justin SmithQue SmithLamont DozierBrian HollandEdward HollandRichard Wylie | Just Blaze | Usher (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
Confessions (Interlude)
|
Usher Raymond IVValdez BrantleyJuan NajeraAaron SpearsArthur Strong | Usher Raymond IVValdez BrantleyJuan NajeraAaron SpearsArthur Strong | Usher Raymond IVValdez BrantleyJuan NajeraAaron SpearsArthur Strong | Usher (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
Confessions Part II
#1
|
Jermaine DupriBryan-Michael CoxUsher Raymond IV | Jermaine DupriBryan-Michael CoxUsher Raymond IV | Jermaine DupriBryan-Michael Cox | Usher (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
Burn
#1
|
Jermaine DupriBryan-Michael CoxUsher Raymond IV | Jermaine DupriBryan-Michael CoxUsher Raymond IV | Jermaine DupriBryan-Michael Cox | Usher (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
Caught Up
#8
|
Andre HarrisVidal DavisJason BoydRyan Toby | Andre HarrisVidal DavisJason BoydRyan Toby | Dre & Vidal | Usher (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
Superstar (Interlude)
|
Usher Raymond IVValdez BrantleyJuan NajeraAaron SpearsArthur Strong | Usher Raymond IVValdez BrantleyJuan NajeraAaron SpearsArthur Strong | Usher Raymond IVValdez BrantleyJuan NajeraAaron SpearsArthur Strong | Usher (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
Superstar
|
Andre HarrisVidal DavisJason BoydRyan TobyNyticka Hemingway | Andre HarrisVidal DavisJason BoydRyan TobyNyticka Hemingway | Dre & Vidal | Usher (Lead Vocals) |
| 10 |
Truth Hurts
|
James Harris IIITerry LewisUsher Raymond IVBobby Ross AvilaIssiah J. Avila | James Harris IIITerry LewisUsher Raymond IVBobby Ross AvilaIssiah J. Avila | Jimmy JamTerry LewisBobby Ross Avila & IZ | Usher (Lead Vocals) |
| 11 |
Simple Things
|
James Harris IIITerry LewisUsher Raymond IVBobby Ross AvilaIssiah J. Avila | James Harris IIITerry LewisUsher Raymond IVBobby Ross AvilaIssiah J. Avila | Jimmy JamTerry LewisBobby Ross Avila & IZ | Usher (Lead Vocals) |
| 12 |
Bad Girl
|
James Harris IIITerry LewisUsher Raymond IVDanté BartonWil GuiceBobby Ross AvilaIssiah J. Avila | James Harris IIITerry LewisUsher Raymond IVDanté BartonWil GuiceBobby Ross AvilaIssiah J. Avila | Danté BartonJimmy JamTerry LewisBobby Ross Avila & IZ | Usher (Lead Vocals) |
| 13 |
That's What It's Made For
|
James Harris IIITerry LewisUsher Raymond IVBobby Ross AvilaIssiah J. AvilaJames Q. Wright | James Harris IIITerry LewisUsher Raymond IVBobby Ross AvilaIssiah J. AvilaJames Q. Wright | Jimmy JamTerry LewisBobby Ross Avila & IZJames Q. Wright | Usher (Lead Vocals) |
| 14 |
Can U Handle It?
|
Robin ThickeJames GassRobert DanielsUsher Raymond IV | Robin ThickeJames GassRobert DanielsUsher Raymond IV | Robin ThickePro J | Usher (Lead Vocals) |
| 15 |
Do It to Me
|
Jermaine DupriBryan-Michael CoxUsher Raymond IV | Jermaine DupriBryan-Michael CoxUsher Raymond IV | Jermaine DupriBryan-Michael Cox | Usher (Lead Vocals) |
| 16 |
Take Your Hand
|
Rich HarrisonUsher Raymond IVLeon HuffGene McFaddenJohn Whitehead | Rich HarrisonUsher Raymond IVLeon HuffGene McFaddenJohn Whitehead | Rich Harrison | Usher (Lead Vocals) |
| 17 |
Follow Me
|
Andre HarrisVidal DavisJason BoydRyan Toby | Andre HarrisVidal DavisJason BoydRyan Toby | Dre & VidalRyan TobyJason Boyd | Usher (Lead Vocals) |
Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 49 contributors
UR
Usher Raymond IV
Writer · Producer
TL
Terry Lewis
Writer · Producer
BR
Bobby Ross Avila
Writer
IJ
Issiah J. Avila
Writer
JH
James Harris III
Writer
BC
Bryan-Michael Cox
Writer · Producer
JD
Jermaine Dupri
Writer · Producer
JB
Jason Boyd
Writer · Producer
RT
Ryan Toby
Writer · Producer
AH
Andre Harris
Writer
VD
Vidal Davis
Writer
AS
Aaron Spears
Writer · Producer
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Frequently Asked Questions Confessions
How many number-one singles did Confessions by Usher produce on the Billboard Hot 100?
Confessions produced four consecutive number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100: "Yeah!", "Burn", "Confessions Part II", and "My Boo." Usher became only the second solo artist in history to score four consecutive number-one singles from a single album.
Who wrote Yeah! on Usher's Confessions album?
"Yeah!" was written by Lil Jon, Ludacris, and Sean Garrett; Usher does not hold a writing credit on the track. Despite that, the song spent twelve weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.
Did Usher write Confessions Part II?
Yes, Usher co-wrote "Confessions Part II" alongside Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox. The track is one of the most author-driven singles on Confessions and addresses personal betrayal directly in the lyrics.
How many copies did Confessions by Usher sell worldwide?
Confessions sold over 15 million copies worldwide, with more than 10 million units sold in the United States alone, earning 10x Platinum certification from the RIAA.
How many Grammys did Confessions by Usher win?
Confessions won three Grammy Awards at the 47th Grammy Awards in 2005: Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Yeah!", and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group for "My Boo" featuring Alicia Keys.
What did Caught Up by Usher peak on the Billboard Hot 100?
"Caught Up" peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the fifth charting single from Confessions and one of the few tracks on the album not to reach the top spot.