Southern Plug Magazine: Leaders of the New School 2017 Volume 2 Issue 1 A | Page 88

One of the most successful pop-R&B artists of the
late 20th century and the early 21st century, Usher
debuted during the mid-'90s as a fresh-faced
teenager. As part of the thriving LaFace label roster,
he made an instant impact in R&B's post-new jack
swing era. He successfully rode mainstream
songwriting and production trends across three
decades and peaked artistically and commercially
during the mid-2000s, when his landmark fourth
album, Confessions, outshone all of its competitors.
It generated four straight number one pop hits and
joined the ranks of Thriller, Whitney Houston, and
CrazySexyCool by achieving diamond platinum
status -- over ten million copies sold in the U.S.
More than anyone else, as a singer, songwriter,
producer, dancer, and all-around entertainer, Usher
was the successor to Michael Jackson.