Here I Stand (Usher album)
Encyclopedia
Here I Stand is the fifth studio
album by American R&B
recording artist Usher
, released on May 13, 2008 by LaFace Records
. Inspired by love for his new wife—Tameka Foster
—and son, Usher recorded many ballad
s for the album. Prior to the album's recording, Usher split with his mother, Jonnetta Patton, as manager and hired Benny Medina
. Usher's estranged father died months before the release of Here I Stand; this also influenced themes of the album. It was originally to be titled "Measure of a Man", but Usher named it Here I Stand to mark "a new chapter in [his] life".
Usher promoted Here I Stand by performing on several television shows including Total Request Live
, 106 & Park
and Good Morning America
. Among other concert appearances, he embarked on a One Night Stand: Ladies Only Tour, performing fifteen shows in November 2008. Five singles were released from Here I Stand: "Love in This Club
", "Love in This Club Part II", "Moving Mountains
", "What's Your Name
" and "Trading Places
". "Love in This Club", which features rapper Young Jeezy
, topped the Billboard Hot 100
and New Zealand Singles Chart.
Here I Stand received mixed to positive reviews from music critics. Some music critics praised Usher's growth and maturity, while others were unimpressed by the change in style from Confessions
(2004). Here I Stand debuted atop the Billboard 200
, and sold 433,000 copies in the US in its first week of release, and has since sold 1.5 million copies in that country. The album also reached number one on the Canadian Albums Chart
, UK Albums Chart
and Australian Albums Chart
, and has sold five million units worldwide.
Although it had sold two million copies by August 2008, Here I Stand was seen as a commercial failure relative to Confessions, which had sold nineteen million copies. Tyler Lewis of PopMatters
put the album's limited success down to Usher's and Foster's marriage; he believed that Usher's fan
s disliked Foster, whom he divorced in 2009.
was released in 2004 and became the most-shipped album of the year. Shortly before the album's release, he broke up with his girlfriend Chilli. In December 2005, he became romantically involved with stylist Tameka Foster
; the two wed on August 3, 2007, although Usher's mother and manager, Jonnetta Patton, did not attend. Foster gave birth to Usher Raymond V later that year.
In May 2007, Usher split with Patton as his manager. This prompted "gossip" that Usher had "fired" her because of his growing relationship with Foster. He denied the claims, saying, "I love my mother...I decided not to fire, not get rid of, but to give [my mother] the ultimate compliment—to retire her to be a full-time grandmother." He continued by stating that the split was a mutual decision. It was speculated that Patton's dismissal was due to his engagement with Foster; Usher dismissed these claims on Total Request Live
(TRL) in May 2008. In what MTV News
' Shawn Adler called an "angry tirade", Usher stated, "My wife had nothing to do with me firing my mother — nothing like that, that's trash. I hear y'all talking crazy out there. She's a beautiful black woman. Stop. Stop talking. And I love her. Stop it." The outbreak was compared to Mariah Carey
's unannounced appearance on TRL, when she handed out popsicles to the show's audience and performed a "striptease", while some fans noted Usher's speech as evidence that Foster was being controlling of Usher. Usher hired Benny Medina
as his new manager; Medina said of Usher, "The thing that excited me most is the intense commitment to his art, his incredible professionalism and the fact that I feel as though he's just hitting a stride."
Usher's father, Usher Raymond III, died in January 2008. Both men regretted not spending more time in each other's lives. "Prayer for You", the seventh track on Here I Stand, is an interlude
dedicated to Usher's son, reflective on his relationship with his own father; "No matter what happened, my father always prayed for me. The only difference is, I'm gonna be there to be the father that my dad wished he was to me." The first album name that artists and repertoire representative Mark Pitts conceived was "Measure of a Man", but that title had already been used by Clay Aiken
for his debut album, so Usher called it Here I Stand. Pitts said, "It was perfect because becoming a man is about going though pain, sorrow, and happiness. Usher's done that! From the love songs to the party joints, it's exactly the story he wanted to tell." Usher noted Here I Stand as beginning "a new chapter in my life"; the album's liner notes
contain a verse from 1 Corinthians 13
: "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." Here I Stand marked Usher's growth from boyhood to manhood. In March 2007, it was announced that work on the album had begun. Usher outlined the album's concept: "A lot of what I plan to offer with this album is kinda standing in this spot...The king's back. I ain't gonna say 'back,' I never left."
A Rich Harrison
-produced track, "Dat Girl Right There", leaked on November 11, 2007. The song charted on the Billboard
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
at number seventy-four due to high airplay
. Featuring Ludacris
—with whom Usher collaborated on "Yeah!
" in 2004—the song was originally thought to be the lead single from Here I Stand; however it was not included on the record. Other potential tracks cited before the album's release were "All the Time", produced by T-Pain
, and "The Realest", produced by Jermaine Dupri
, although neither was included on the album. Here I Stand contains eighteen tracks; James "JLack" Lackey, Polow da Don
, Tricky Stewart, Jazze Pha
, The-Dream
, Los da Mystro, will.i.am
, Dupri, Manuel Seal
, LRoc, Dre & Vidal
, Bryan-Michael Cox, Stargate
, Ne-Yo
, Danja, Soundz
and J. R. Rotem
all produced tunes on the album. On the iTunes Store
deluxe edition, "Revolver" was included, which was produced by Alexander "Prettyboifresh" Parhm.
album, Josh Eells of Blender
summed up much of the production of Here I Stand as "cocktail-lounge crunk, full of splashy cymbals, jazzy electric guitar and tinkly pianos". Many of its themes were inspired by Foster and Raymond V, resulting in a great number of ballad
s. Here I Stand opens with an "Intro" (titled "Forever Young" on some copies), while the lead single "Love in This Club" follows, on which Young Jeezy
appears. The mid-tempo
song features a shuddering synth beat and speaks of a lusting desire in a nightclub
. "This Ain't Sex" is a disco
-influenced song that "speaks of sex as a privileged act between two consenting adults". "Trading Places
" uses guitar
instrumentation to host role reversal in both sexual and non-sexual situations in a relationship. "Moving Mountains
" is a ballad
that draws on synth beats to relate a love struggle to an impossible task, such as moving mountains. The album's sixth track is "What's Your Name
", an electro song which features New Wave
-influenced synths produced by will.i.am
, who also contributes vocals to the song. The "Prayer for You" interlude follows, an ode to Usher's son in which Raymond V cries. Usher prays for his son to be "better than me".
"Something Special" is a pop
ballad that begins acoustically
, and was inspired by Robin Thicke
and John Mayer
because of its honesty. Usher discussed the song: "It's about the feeling when you're in real love. It could be about my son or my wife."
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According to Usher "Love You Gently", a piano
-based classic rhythm and blues
ballad, is "the one [track] you throw on with your significant other when it's time to get to it. This is why my son's here. It's a baby-maker." Jay-Z
appears on the horn
-founded "Best Thing", which is about transition to manhood. Usher outlines lifestyle changes since his wife's arrival and turns away from his days as "a hustler and a player" in "Before I Met You", which makes use of guitar and heavy drum
s. He is suspected of infidelity and compared to his girlfriend's cheating ex-partner on "His Mistakes". The thirteenth track on Here I Stand is "Appetite", which utilizes flute
s and has Usher tempted to cheat on his wife. "What's a Man to Do" opens with a Native Indian
call, while "Lifetime" contains influences of 1990s R&B. "Love in This Club Part II" features vocals from Beyoncé Knowles
and Lil Wayne
and samples The Stylistics
' "You Are Everything
" (1971); its lyrical content is similar to that of Part I, and Wayne's voice is modified through the use of a vocoder
. The album's soul
and pop jazz-derived title track, "Here I Stand
", drew comparisons to Stevie Wonder
. With a theme of commitment, it was played at Usher's and Foster's wedding. Here I Stand closes with "Will Work for Love", although it was placed as a hidden track
on some copies; Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
called it "cute".
, "The last couple [of] times I've been around [Usher], you could tell he's got the bug to hurry up and put this record out. He wants to get back out here and give the people that. He's got that itch." Here I Stand was released by LaFace Records
in Mexico and most European countries on May 13, 2008, in Germany on May 20, in Australia and New Zealand on May 23 in Canada and the United States on May 27, and in Japan on May 28.
Usher promoted Here I Stand by appearing at Radio 1's Big Weekend in 2008, where he performed "This Ain't Sex", "Moving Mountains", "What's Your Name", "Here I Stand" and "Love in This Club", as well as singles from his previous albums.
On the day of the album's release, Usher appeared on television shows TRL and 106 & Park
, and on May 30, 2008 he performed on Good Morning America
. In June 2008 he performed "Love in This Club" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Usher sang "Love in This Club" with Young Jeezy on reality television show The Hills
third season
finale on May 12, 2008, and again, by himself, at the finale of the sixth season
of Dancing with the Stars on May 20, 2008. The 2008 BET Awards, hosted on June 23, were opened by Usher performing the single. "Love in This Club" and "This Ain't Sex" were sung by Usher on Saturday Night Live
on May 17, 2008. Usher performed a one-off showcase concert for 1,500 fans at indigO2, London
on May 22, 2008, for which the tickets were allocated by ballot. On September 4, 2008, Usher performed "Here I Stand", "Trading Places" and "What's Your Name" at the warmup concert for the 2008 National Football League Kickoff game
, at Columbus Circle
, New York City
. Natasha Bedingfield
and Keith Urban
also sang before the game, which saw the Washington Redskins
play the New York Giants
.
, prior to its release on February 22, 2008. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100
, the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
and the New Zealand Singles Chart, while reaching the top ten of numerous other record charts. It was certified platinum in the United States and New Zealand. A sequel was created, titled "Love in This Club Part II", and was sent to radio as the album's second single on April 28, 2008. While it did not have the commercial success of the original, it emerged on the Hot 100, the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, the Canadian Hot 100
, and the ARIA Singles Chart
, and received a gold certification from the RIAA.
"Moving Mountains" was released on May 23, 2008. It appeared on multiple singles charts below the top twenty. However, it peaked at number six on the New Zealand Singles Chart, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
on March 29, 2009. The fourth single to be released from Here I Stand was "What's Your Name"; it impacted radio on August 18, 2008. "What's Your Name" charted on the Canadian Hot 100 and the ARIA Singles Chart, where it peaked at numbers eighty-four and ninety-one, respectively. The album's final single, "Trading Places", was released on October 17, 2008 and reached number forty-five on the Hot 100 and number four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
, Marvin Gaye
and Prince. Enjoying the challenge of a female-only tour, Usher said, "There [are] only a few artists that can pull that off, I feel like I've had such a connection with my audience. This album, I felt like, was definitely the type of one that was more intimate. So what better way to get up close and personal than to make it all women?" Usher performed the tour with a Dsquared2 wardrobe. At each show, one fan was brought onstage "for an even more intimate experience with the singer". This took place during "Superstar"; a female fan was served champagne and strawberries by Usher while sitting on his lap as he sang to her. Among Usher's own songs, the setlist also included portions of Stevie Wonder
's "Rocket Love", Gaye's "I Want You
" and Prince's "Do Me, Baby
". At the Detroit show he also gave T-Baby's "It's So Cold in the D". Usher was supported by a five-piece band, three backing vocalist
s and four backup dancers.
's Jason MacNeil rated the Toronto show three-and-a-half stars out of five, praising Usher's connection with the female audience. Lee Hildebrand of the San Francisco Chronicle
commended Usher's live vocal ability.
Parimal M. Rohit from Buzzine stated in his positive review of the Los Angeles show that, "everyone will be talking about the entertaining concert".
s. At Metacritic
, which assigns a normalized
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
score of 65, based on 15 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". Mark Edward Nero of About.com
gave the album four out of five stars, and wrote that Usher's marriage had a positive effect on his music. He called Here I Stand "as good - if not better" than Confessions. IGN
critic Chad Grischow wrote that "Growing up may have taken toll on Usher’s personal life, but it has not altered the man’s ability to create refreshing music"; Grischow rated the album 8.1 out of 10. USA Today
praised the maturity of Usher's lyrics on Here I Stand and gave the album three-and-a-half out of four stars. While Entertainment Weekly
Leah Greenblatt disliked the album's length and lyrics, she wrote that "a good portion of [Here I] Stand tunes deserve a place in the dance-floor pantheon", and awarded it a B+ grade. Andy Kellman from Allmusic scored the record three-and-a-half stars out of five and stated that "the album leaves no doubt that the R&B male crown...should not change hands", referring to Usher's King of R&B honorific nickname. Richard Cromelin of the Los Angeles Times
did not appreciate the numerous ballads on the release, but compared it to Usher's previous work and declared, "it's a more accomplished version of Confessions, the hooks more effortless, the singing even better, the songwriting more consistent." The A.V. Club
Joshua Alston commended the album's ballads and gave it a B rating. Jim DeRogatis from the Chicago Sun-Times
rated the record three-and-a-half out of four stars, and saw it as evidence for Usher to claim the 'King of R&B' title from R. Kelly
.
However, Dan Gennoe of Yahoo! Music
felt that the album lacked inspiration, and wrote, "nothing sticks, there's no guts, no depth and no matter how much he protests to the contrary, nothing to believe", and gave it five out of ten stars. Rolling Stone
Melissa Maerz perceived that Usher had put little effort into the record and stated that "now that he's got the American Dream, he sounds like he's stopped trying." Blender Josh Eells was let down by the large number of ballads and lack of sexual content. Clover Hope of The Village Voice
described it as "pure grown-man bidness" and "a little too sitting-on-the-dock-of-the-bay for Chris Breezy–trained earbuds". Josh Eells of Blender
gave the album three out of five stars and commented that "Usher has called Here I Stand his 'grown and sexy' album, and he's half right [...] behind his butter-smooth voice, Usher is almost too well behaved". Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
scored Here I Stand two-and-a-half stars out of five, and considered the music "almost always just one notch above mediocrity." The Observer
Steve Yates rated the album one of five stars and called the work "gloop [Usher] wades through". In his consumer guide for MSN Music
, critic Robert Christgau
cited the songs "Trading Places" and "Best Thing" as "choice cuts", indicating "good song[s] on an album that isn't worth your time or money". Jon Pareles of The New York Times
wrote that "tension, not bliss, creates the album's best songs", referring to "Moving Mountains
", "His Mistakes", "Appetite" and "What’s a Man To Do". At the 51st Grammy Awards
, the album's title track was nominated for the Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
award, but lost to Ne-Yo
's "Miss Independent
" from his 2008 album, Year of the Gentleman
.
The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200
chart. Selling 433,000 copies domestically in its first week of release, it was the second highest selling US debut of the year at the time, behind Mariah Carey
's E=MC2. In its second week of release, it sold 145,000 copies and dropped to number three on the Billboard 200. It has now sold over 1.5 million copies in the United States, and has received a platinum certification
from the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA). Here I Stand also debuted atop the Canadian Albums Chart
, and spent eight weeks on the chart.
On the UK Albums Chart
, Here I Stand debuted at number one on the chart of June 7, 2008. It was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry
(BPI), and lasted seventeen weeks in the chart before dropping out. The album peaked at number two on the Irish Albums Chart
, remaining for fifteen weeks in the chart and was awarded a gold certificate from the Irish Recorded Music Association
(IRMA). In mainland Europe, the album was received well; it appeared at number three on the European Top 100 Albums
, and received a platinum award from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). It reached the top ten in the Belgian Ultratop
charts of both Flanders and Wallonia, as well as in the album charts of France, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland
. Here I Stand was certified gold in several European nations. In Oceania, Here I Stand attained a number-one position on the Australian Albums Chart
and reached number five on the New Zealand Albums Chart. It received a gold certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA), denoting shipments of 35,000 copies in the country. Worldwide sales of the album stand at over five million.
, Patti Webster, resigned on August 1, 2008. Usher rehired Patton as his manager on August 6, 2008 and "dissolved his management arrangement with Benny Medina". At the time of the split from Medina, Here I Stand had sold two million copies worldwide compared to Confessions nineteen million copies; some speculated that the disunion was because of the poorer album sales. Medina said that he and the singer "parted ways amicably", and deflected comments that he was responsible for the lower album sales. He pointed out that Here I Stand and "Love in This Club" reached number one on the US charts, and that the music industry had changed since the release of Confessions. Due to the decrease in sales figures, Here I Stand was seen as a commercial failure. According to Tyler Lewis from PopMatters
its failure was spurred by Usher's marriage to Foster; "his fanbase hated his wife".
Usher filed for divorce from Foster in June 2009, stating that their marriage was "irretrievably broken". "Papers
", the first single from Usher's next album Raymond v. Raymond (2010), discussed the divorce process, although it was recorded before the couple split.
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
album by American R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
recording artist Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
, released on May 13, 2008 by LaFace Records
LaFace Records
LaFace Records is an American record label, owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment.-Company history:LaFace was formed in 1989 as a joint venture between the producing duo Antonio "L.A." Reid & Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, and Arista Records. The combined nicknames of the duo's successful...
. Inspired by love for his new wife—Tameka Foster
Tameka Foster
Tameka Foster is an American hair stylist, wardrobe stylist and philanthropist. She is best known as the ex-wife of singer Usher.Foster has worked as a personal stylist for Lauryn Hill.-Career:...
—and son, Usher recorded many ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s for the album. Prior to the album's recording, Usher split with his mother, Jonnetta Patton, as manager and hired Benny Medina
Benny Medina
Benny Medina is the CEO of The Medina Company and son of legendary Jazz drummer Ahmad "Benny" Medina. He has worked in the music business as a producer, talent manager and record executive...
. Usher's estranged father died months before the release of Here I Stand; this also influenced themes of the album. It was originally to be titled "Measure of a Man", but Usher named it Here I Stand to mark "a new chapter in [his] life".
Usher promoted Here I Stand by performing on several television shows including Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
, 106 & Park
106 & Park
106 & Park is a Top Ten Hip-Hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that airs weekdays at 6:00 PM on BET . Since its inception, it was the network's #1 rated show...
and Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
. Among other concert appearances, he embarked on a One Night Stand: Ladies Only Tour, performing fifteen shows in November 2008. Five singles were released from Here I Stand: "Love in This Club
Love in This Club
"Love in This Club" is a song by American R&B singer Usher. Featuring rapper Young Jeezy, it was released on February 22, 2008 as the lead single from Usher's fifth studio album, Here I Stand. The song was written by Usher, Polow da Don, Young Jeezy, Darnell Dalton, Ryon Lovett, Lamar Taylor and...
", "Love in This Club Part II", "Moving Mountains
Moving Mountains (song)
"Moving Mountains" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Usher. It was released on May 23, 2008, as the third single from his fifth studio album, Here I Stand. It was written by Usher with Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Kuk Harrell and The-Dream, and was produced by Stewart and The-Dream....
", "What's Your Name
What's Your Name (Usher song)
"What's Your Name" is a song by American recording artist Usher and features will.i.am. Written by Usher, will.i.am and Toby Gad and produced the latter, it was sent to radio on August 18, 2008 as the fourth single from Usher's fifth studio album, Here I Stand, and was later released as a compact...
" and "Trading Places
Trading Places (song)
"Trading Places" is a song by American recording artist Usher. Released on October 17, 2008 as the fifth and final single from his fifth studio album Here I Stand, Usher wrote the song with The-Dream and Carlos "Los Da Mystro" McKinney...
". "Love in This Club", which features rapper Young Jeezy
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
, topped the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and New Zealand Singles Chart.
Here I Stand received mixed to positive reviews from music critics. Some music critics praised Usher's growth and maturity, while others were unimpressed by the change in style from Confessions
Confessions (Usher album)
Confessions is the fourth studio album by American R&B recording artist Usher, released March 23, 2004, on Arista-imprint label LaFace Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2003 to 2004 with production by Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Lil Jon...
(2004). Here I Stand debuted atop the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, and sold 433,000 copies in the US in its first week of release, and has since sold 1.5 million copies in that country. The album also reached number one on the Canadian Albums Chart
Canadian Albums Chart
The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS...
, UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
and Australian Albums Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, and has sold five million units worldwide.
Although it had sold two million copies by August 2008, Here I Stand was seen as a commercial failure relative to Confessions, which had sold nineteen million copies. Tyler Lewis of PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
put the album's limited success down to Usher's and Foster's marriage; he believed that Usher's fan
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
s disliked Foster, whom he divorced in 2009.
Background
Usher's fourth studio album, ConfessionsConfessions (Usher album)
Confessions is the fourth studio album by American R&B recording artist Usher, released March 23, 2004, on Arista-imprint label LaFace Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2003 to 2004 with production by Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Lil Jon...
was released in 2004 and became the most-shipped album of the year. Shortly before the album's release, he broke up with his girlfriend Chilli. In December 2005, he became romantically involved with stylist Tameka Foster
Tameka Foster
Tameka Foster is an American hair stylist, wardrobe stylist and philanthropist. She is best known as the ex-wife of singer Usher.Foster has worked as a personal stylist for Lauryn Hill.-Career:...
; the two wed on August 3, 2007, although Usher's mother and manager, Jonnetta Patton, did not attend. Foster gave birth to Usher Raymond V later that year.
In May 2007, Usher split with Patton as his manager. This prompted "gossip" that Usher had "fired" her because of his growing relationship with Foster. He denied the claims, saying, "I love my mother...I decided not to fire, not get rid of, but to give [my mother] the ultimate compliment—to retire her to be a full-time grandmother." He continued by stating that the split was a mutual decision. It was speculated that Patton's dismissal was due to his engagement with Foster; Usher dismissed these claims on Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
(TRL) in May 2008. In what MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
' Shawn Adler called an "angry tirade", Usher stated, "My wife had nothing to do with me firing my mother — nothing like that, that's trash. I hear y'all talking crazy out there. She's a beautiful black woman. Stop. Stop talking. And I love her. Stop it." The outbreak was compared to Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
's unannounced appearance on TRL, when she handed out popsicles to the show's audience and performed a "striptease", while some fans noted Usher's speech as evidence that Foster was being controlling of Usher. Usher hired Benny Medina
Benny Medina
Benny Medina is the CEO of The Medina Company and son of legendary Jazz drummer Ahmad "Benny" Medina. He has worked in the music business as a producer, talent manager and record executive...
as his new manager; Medina said of Usher, "The thing that excited me most is the intense commitment to his art, his incredible professionalism and the fact that I feel as though he's just hitting a stride."
Usher's father, Usher Raymond III, died in January 2008. Both men regretted not spending more time in each other's lives. "Prayer for You", the seventh track on Here I Stand, is an interlude
Break (music)
In popular music, a break is an instrumental or percussion section or interlude during a song derived from or related to stop-time – being a "break" from the main parts of the song or piece....
dedicated to Usher's son, reflective on his relationship with his own father; "No matter what happened, my father always prayed for me. The only difference is, I'm gonna be there to be the father that my dad wished he was to me." The first album name that artists and repertoire representative Mark Pitts conceived was "Measure of a Man", but that title had already been used by Clay Aiken
Clay Aiken
Clayton Holmes "Clay" Aiken is an American singer, songwriter, actor, producer and author who began his rise to fame on the second season of the television program American Idol in 2003. RCA Records offered him a recording contract, and his multi-platinum debut album Measure of a Man was released...
for his debut album, so Usher called it Here I Stand. Pitts said, "It was perfect because becoming a man is about going though pain, sorrow, and happiness. Usher's done that! From the love songs to the party joints, it's exactly the story he wanted to tell." Usher noted Here I Stand as beginning "a new chapter in my life"; the album's liner notes
Liner notes
Liner notes are the writings found in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes.-Origin:...
contain a verse from 1 Corinthians 13
1 Corinthians 13
Chapter 13 of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, written by Paul the apostle covers the subject of love, principally the love that Christians should have for everyone. In the original Greek, the word αγαπη agape is used throughout...
: "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." Here I Stand marked Usher's growth from boyhood to manhood. In March 2007, it was announced that work on the album had begun. Usher outlined the album's concept: "A lot of what I plan to offer with this album is kinda standing in this spot...The king's back. I ain't gonna say 'back,' I never left."
A Rich Harrison
Rich Harrison
Rich Harrison is a Grammy Award-winning record producer and songwriter from Washington, D.C.. He is primarily an R&B/Hip-Hop producer...
-produced track, "Dat Girl Right There", leaked on November 11, 2007. The song charted on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
at number seventy-four due to high airplay
Airplay
* Airplay is the amount of time a song is played on the radio.It may also refer to:* AirPlay, an audio & video streaming technology from Apple Inc.* Airplay , Foster & Graydon music project from 1980* Citroën C1, Citroën C1 Airplay...
. Featuring Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
—with whom Usher collaborated on "Yeah!
Yeah! (Usher song)
"Yeah!" is a song by American singer Usher, released on 3 February 2004 as the lead single from his hit fourth studio album Confessions. The song was written by Lil Jon, Sean Garrett, Patrick J. Que Smith, Ludacris, Robert McDowell, and LRoc. It was produced by Lil Jon, who combined crunk and R&B...
" in 2004—the song was originally thought to be the lead single from Here I Stand; however it was not included on the record. Other potential tracks cited before the album's release were "All the Time", produced by T-Pain
T-Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...
, and "The Realest", produced by Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
, although neither was included on the album. Here I Stand contains eighteen tracks; James "JLack" Lackey, Polow da Don
Polow Da Don
Polow-Freache Jamal Fincher Jones , better known by known by professional name Polow da Don or Awesome Jones, is an American record producer, songwriter, rapper, and singer. His cousin is Atlanta singer Monica. He has produced for a variety of artists including Usher, Nelly, Christina Aguilera, T.I...
, Tricky Stewart, Jazze Pha
Jazze Pha
Phalon Anton Alexander , also known as Jazze Pha , is an American singer, and songwriter.raised in Memphis, TN; son of James Alexander ....
, The-Dream
The-Dream
Terius Youngdell Nash , better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He is known for co-writing "Umbrella" for Rihanna and "Single Ladies " for Beyoncé, as well as for his three solo albums, Love Hate, Love vs...
, Los da Mystro, will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
, Dupri, Manuel Seal
Manuel Seal
Manuel Seal, Jr. is an American Hip-Hop/R&B record producer and songwriter.Formerly a contract songwriter and producer at Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings, Manuel Seal, Jr...
, LRoc, Dre & Vidal
Dre & Vidal
Dre & Vidal is a Multi-Grammy Award Winning songwriting and production duo consisting of Andre Harris and Vidal Davis, who are best known as the main producers for Jill Scott and Glenn Lewis...
, Bryan-Michael Cox, Stargate
Stargate (production team)
This is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Produced singles:-1999:5ive - Invincible*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"Noora Noor - Curious*01. "Curious"...
, Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
, Danja, Soundz
Soundz
Soundz is a producer specialising in Hip-Hop and R&B genres. Soundz has produced many songs of these genres, including "Look at Her" by One Chance, and has produced a lot of content for artists Pitbull, Trina, Young Boss, Ciara, Brandy and Rihanna....
and J. R. Rotem
J. R. Rotem
- Early life :Rotem was born in South Africa to Israeli immigrant Jewish parents. He moved to Toronto at the age of two and finally to Moraga, California when he was twelve.Rotem's entry point into music was in receiving classical piano tuition at a young age...
all produced tunes on the album. On the iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
deluxe edition, "Revolver" was included, which was produced by Alexander "Prettyboifresh" Parhm.
Composition
An R&BContemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
album, Josh Eells of Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
summed up much of the production of Here I Stand as "cocktail-lounge crunk, full of splashy cymbals, jazzy electric guitar and tinkly pianos". Many of its themes were inspired by Foster and Raymond V, resulting in a great number of ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s. Here I Stand opens with an "Intro" (titled "Forever Young" on some copies), while the lead single "Love in This Club" follows, on which Young Jeezy
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
appears. The mid-tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
song features a shuddering synth beat and speaks of a lusting desire in a nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
. "This Ain't Sex" is a disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
-influenced song that "speaks of sex as a privileged act between two consenting adults". "Trading Places
Trading Places (song)
"Trading Places" is a song by American recording artist Usher. Released on October 17, 2008 as the fifth and final single from his fifth studio album Here I Stand, Usher wrote the song with The-Dream and Carlos "Los Da Mystro" McKinney...
" uses guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
instrumentation to host role reversal in both sexual and non-sexual situations in a relationship. "Moving Mountains
Moving Mountains (song)
"Moving Mountains" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Usher. It was released on May 23, 2008, as the third single from his fifth studio album, Here I Stand. It was written by Usher with Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Kuk Harrell and The-Dream, and was produced by Stewart and The-Dream....
" is a ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
that draws on synth beats to relate a love struggle to an impossible task, such as moving mountains. The album's sixth track is "What's Your Name
What's Your Name (Usher song)
"What's Your Name" is a song by American recording artist Usher and features will.i.am. Written by Usher, will.i.am and Toby Gad and produced the latter, it was sent to radio on August 18, 2008 as the fourth single from Usher's fifth studio album, Here I Stand, and was later released as a compact...
", an electro song which features New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
-influenced synths produced by will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
, who also contributes vocals to the song. The "Prayer for You" interlude follows, an ode to Usher's son in which Raymond V cries. Usher prays for his son to be "better than me".
"Something Special" is a pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
ballad that begins acoustically
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
, and was inspired by Robin Thicke
Robin Thicke
Robin Charles Thicke is an Award-winning American R&B singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and actor. Thicke's albums, which he previously released under the moniker Thicke, are noted for their feature of a predominantly R&B sound. Robin Thicke has penned hits for popular artists such as...
and John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
because of its honesty. Usher discussed the song: "It's about the feeling when you're in real love. It could be about my son or my wife."
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
-based classic rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
ballad, is "the one [track] you throw on with your significant other when it's time to get to it. This is why my son's here. It's a baby-maker." Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
appears on the horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
-founded "Best Thing", which is about transition to manhood. Usher outlines lifestyle changes since his wife's arrival and turns away from his days as "a hustler and a player" in "Before I Met You", which makes use of guitar and heavy drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s. He is suspected of infidelity and compared to his girlfriend's cheating ex-partner on "His Mistakes". The thirteenth track on Here I Stand is "Appetite", which utilizes flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
s and has Usher tempted to cheat on his wife. "What's a Man to Do" opens with a Native Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
call, while "Lifetime" contains influences of 1990s R&B. "Love in This Club Part II" features vocals from Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
and Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
and samples The Stylistics
The Stylistics
The Stylistics are a soul music vocal group, and were one of the best-known Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. They formed in 1968, and were composed of lead Russell Thompkins, Jr., Herbie Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith, and James Dunn. All of their US hits were ballads, graced by the...
' "You Are Everything
You Are Everything
Another cover was by one-time Motown singing duo, Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye. Released as the second UK single from their Diana & Marvin album, the song reached #5 in the UK Singles Chart in April 1974. It also reached #13 on the Dutch charts and #20 on the Irish Singles Chart...
" (1971); its lyrical content is similar to that of Part I, and Wayne's voice is modified through the use of a vocoder
Vocoder
A vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder...
. The album's soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and pop jazz-derived title track, "Here I Stand
Here I Stand (Usher song)
"Here I Stand" is a song by American recording artist Usher. It appears as the seventeenth track from his fifth studio album of the same name, which was released by LaFace Records on May 13, 2008...
", drew comparisons to Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
. With a theme of commitment, it was played at Usher's and Foster's wedding. Here I Stand closes with "Will Work for Love", although it was placed as a hidden track
Hidden track
In the field of recorded music, a hidden track is a piece of music that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, vinyl record or other recorded medium in such a way as to avoid detection by the casual listener...
on some copies; Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
called it "cute".
Release and promotion
Usher originally hoped to release Here I Stand in November 2007, but "issues in his personal life" delayed the album. According to reports, Usher pushed back to album to spend more time with his then-pregnant wife. The expected November release was booked to coincide with that of Usher's fragrance line. The album's release was rescheduled for June 2008, but was brought forward, and Here I Stand was released on May 13, 2008. The continually changing release dates became frustrating for Usher; Dupri said to BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
, "The last couple [of] times I've been around [Usher], you could tell he's got the bug to hurry up and put this record out. He wants to get back out here and give the people that. He's got that itch." Here I Stand was released by LaFace Records
LaFace Records
LaFace Records is an American record label, owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment.-Company history:LaFace was formed in 1989 as a joint venture between the producing duo Antonio "L.A." Reid & Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, and Arista Records. The combined nicknames of the duo's successful...
in Mexico and most European countries on May 13, 2008, in Germany on May 20, in Australia and New Zealand on May 23 in Canada and the United States on May 27, and in Japan on May 28.
Usher promoted Here I Stand by appearing at Radio 1's Big Weekend in 2008, where he performed "This Ain't Sex", "Moving Mountains", "What's Your Name", "Here I Stand" and "Love in This Club", as well as singles from his previous albums.
On the day of the album's release, Usher appeared on television shows TRL and 106 & Park
106 & Park
106 & Park is a Top Ten Hip-Hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that airs weekdays at 6:00 PM on BET . Since its inception, it was the network's #1 rated show...
, and on May 30, 2008 he performed on Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
. In June 2008 he performed "Love in This Club" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Usher sang "Love in This Club" with Young Jeezy on reality television show The Hills
The Hills
The Hills is a reality television series which originally aired on MTV from May 31, 2006 until July 13, 2010. The show uses a reality television format, following the personal lives of several young adults living in Los Angeles, California, but tends towards a narrative format more commonly found...
third season
The Hills (season 3)
The third season of The Hills premiered on August 13, 2007 and concluded on May 12, 2008. The season focused mostly on the feud between Lauren Conrad and Heidi Montag which arose from Lauren's suspicion that Heidi and Spencer Pratt were responsible for rumors that she starred in a sex tape with ex...
finale on May 12, 2008, and again, by himself, at the finale of the sixth season
Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 6)
The sixth season of Dancing with the Stars premiered on March 17, 2008; the first results show was a double-elimination episode airing on March 25, 2008. The show followed the format of previous seasons, with 12 couples....
of Dancing with the Stars on May 20, 2008. The 2008 BET Awards, hosted on June 23, were opened by Usher performing the single. "Love in This Club" and "This Ain't Sex" were sung by Usher on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
on May 17, 2008. Usher performed a one-off showcase concert for 1,500 fans at indigO2, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on May 22, 2008, for which the tickets were allocated by ballot. On September 4, 2008, Usher performed "Here I Stand", "Trading Places" and "What's Your Name" at the warmup concert for the 2008 National Football League Kickoff game
National Football League Kickoff game
The NFL Kickoff game, and related festivities, mark the start of the National Football League season. The first game of the season is currently scheduled for the Thursday following Labor Day. A single game is held, preceded by a concert and other ceremonies. Since the 2004 season, the defending...
, at Columbus Circle
Columbus Circle
Columbus Circle, named for Christopher Columbus, is a major landmark and point of attraction in the New York City borough of Manhattan, located at the intersection of Eighth Avenue, Broadway, Central Park South , and Central Park West, at the southwest corner of Central Park. It is the point from...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle...
and Keith Urban
Keith Urban
Keith Lionel Urban is a New Zealand-born Australian, country music singer, songwriter and guitarist whose commercial success has been mainly in the United States and Australia. Urban was born in New Zealand and began his career in Australia at an early age...
also sang before the game, which saw the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
play the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Singles
Five singles were released from Here I Stand. "Love in This Club" was leaked in early 2008 by its producer, Polow da DonPolow Da Don
Polow-Freache Jamal Fincher Jones , better known by known by professional name Polow da Don or Awesome Jones, is an American record producer, songwriter, rapper, and singer. His cousin is Atlanta singer Monica. He has produced for a variety of artists including Usher, Nelly, Christina Aguilera, T.I...
, prior to its release on February 22, 2008. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
and the New Zealand Singles Chart, while reaching the top ten of numerous other record charts. It was certified platinum in the United States and New Zealand. A sequel was created, titled "Love in This Club Part II", and was sent to radio as the album's second single on April 28, 2008. While it did not have the commercial success of the original, it emerged on the Hot 100, the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
, and the ARIA Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, and received a gold certification from the RIAA.
"Moving Mountains" was released on May 23, 2008. It appeared on multiple singles charts below the top twenty. However, it peaked at number six on the New Zealand Singles Chart, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
on March 29, 2009. The fourth single to be released from Here I Stand was "What's Your Name"; it impacted radio on August 18, 2008. "What's Your Name" charted on the Canadian Hot 100 and the ARIA Singles Chart, where it peaked at numbers eighty-four and ninety-one, respectively. The album's final single, "Trading Places", was released on October 17, 2008 and reached number forty-five on the Hot 100 and number four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
Tour
Usher toured fourteen cities in North America, coining the trip One Night Stand: Ladies Only Tour. Mainly targeting women, the tour commenced on November 2, 2008 and concluded on November 25, 2008. The tour's female-focused concept was inspired by other male recording artists who "did things special like this for their female fans", such as Teddy PendergrassTeddy Pendergrass
Theodore DeReese "Teddy" Pendergrass was an American R&B/soul singer and songwriter. Pendergrass first rose to fame as lead singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes in the 1970s before a successful solo career at the end of the decade...
, Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
and Prince. Enjoying the challenge of a female-only tour, Usher said, "There [are] only a few artists that can pull that off, I feel like I've had such a connection with my audience. This album, I felt like, was definitely the type of one that was more intimate. So what better way to get up close and personal than to make it all women?" Usher performed the tour with a Dsquared2 wardrobe. At each show, one fan was brought onstage "for an even more intimate experience with the singer". This took place during "Superstar"; a female fan was served champagne and strawberries by Usher while sitting on his lap as he sang to her. Among Usher's own songs, the setlist also included portions of Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's "Rocket Love", Gaye's "I Want You
I Want You (Marvin Gaye song)
-Background:Madonna recorded a cover version of "I Want You" with British trip-hop group Massive Attack for her ballads compilation album Something to Remember and the Marvin Gaye tribute album Inner City Blues: The Music of Marvin Gaye in 1995...
" and Prince's "Do Me, Baby
Do Me, Baby
"Do Me, Baby" is a Prince ballad, the third and final U.S. single from his 1981 album, Controversy. With a running time of almost eight minutes, it is the longest track on the album. The song was written by André Cymone, but credited to Prince....
". At the Detroit show he also gave T-Baby's "It's So Cold in the D". Usher was supported by a five-piece band, three backing vocalist
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
s and four backup dancers.
Setlist
- "Forever Young"
- "Love in this Club"
- "Follow Me"
- "U Remind MeU Remind Me"U Remind Me" is a 2001 single from Usher's 2001 album 8701. It was the first US single from the album...
" - "This Ain't Sex"
- "That's What It's Made For"
- "U Got It BadU Got It Bad"U Got It Bad" is a 2001 single from Usher's 2001 album 8701. It was the second US single from the album and the third international single, reaching number 1 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart, and reaching the top 5 in the United Kingdom and Australia.The song was produced by...
" - "Trading Places"
- "Do Me, BabyDo Me, Baby"Do Me, Baby" is a Prince ballad, the third and final U.S. single from his 1981 album, Controversy. With a running time of almost eight minutes, it is the longest track on the album. The song was written by André Cymone, but credited to Prince....
"/"Adore" - "Seduction"
- "Nice & Slow"
- "Dot Com"
- "Rocket Love"
- "Superstar"
- "Bad Girl"
- "You Make Me Wanna..."
- "I Don't Know"
- "I Want You"
- "Confessions Part IIConfessions Part II"Confessions Part II" is a song by R&B singer Usher, and co-produced by Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox for Usher's fourth album Confessions. Written by Usher, Dupri and Cox, the song is a confession of a man to his woman about his impregnated mistress, a continuation of "Confessions Part I"...
" - "Medley" ("My BooMy Boo (Usher and Alicia Keys song)"My Boo" is a duet between American R&B singers Usher and Alicia Keys, written by Usher, Keys, Jermaine Dupri, Adonis Shropshire, and Manuel Seal, Jr. Set over a hip hop-style track, the song was produced by Dupri. It was included on the re-release of Usher's fourth studio album, Confessions...
"/"Back in the Day"/"Think of YouThink of You"Think of You" is the second single from Usher's 1994 album Usher. It was co-written by Usher alongside labelmate Donell Jones and Faith Evans, and samples jazz musician Ronnie Laws' song "Tidal Wave" off of the album Pressure Sensitive....
"/"I Need a GirlI Need a Girl (Part One)"I Need a Girl " is a single by American rapper P. Diddy with the collaboration of Usher and Loon from the album We Invented the Remix Vol. 1. Along with "I Need a Girl ", P. Diddy achieved a rare occurrence by having two parts of a song become chart hits. Part one peaked at #2 on the US Billboard...
"/"Can U Get Wit It"/"Lovers & FriendsLovers & Friends"Lovers and Friends" is a song that was released in 2004 as a single by Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz from their album Crunk Juice. The single features Usher and Ludacris. The single peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100....
") - "That's What It's Made For"
- "Yeah!Yeah! (Usher song)"Yeah!" is a song by American singer Usher, released on 3 February 2004 as the lead single from his hit fourth studio album Confessions. The song was written by Lil Jon, Sean Garrett, Patrick J. Que Smith, Ludacris, Robert McDowell, and LRoc. It was produced by Lil Jon, who combined crunk and R&B...
" - "Here I Stand"
- Encore: "Caught Up"
- Source:
Dates and venues
| Date | City | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| November 2, 2008 | Atlantic City | Borgata Borgata The Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa is a luxury hotel, casino, and spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by Marina District Development, a joint venture between Boyd Gaming and a divesture trust established by MGM Resorts International... |
| November 3, 2008 | New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... |
Hammerstein Ballroom Hammerstein Ballroom The Hammerstein Ballroom is a two-tiered, 12,000 square feet ballroom located within the Manhattan Center Studios on 311 West 34th Street in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States of America. It is known for its elegant appearance and excellent acoustical design... |
| November 4, 2008 | Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... |
Warner Theatre Warner Theatre (Washington, D.C.) The Warner Theatre is a theater located at 513 13th Street, N.W. in Downtown Washington, D.C.. The basement level is at 1299 Pennsylvania Avenue.-History:... |
| November 5, 2008 | Philadelphia | Electric Factory Electric Factory The Electric Factory is a concert venue in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaThe original "Electric Factory" venue was a converted tire warehouse at 22nd and Arch Streets, which opened in 1968. The first performers, on February 2, 1968, were the Chambers Brothers... |
| November 7, 2008 | Mashantucket | MGM Grand at Foxwoods |
| November 8, 2008 | Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... |
Kool Haus |
| November 10, 2008 | Atlanta Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in... |
The Tabernacle The Tabernacle The Tabernacle, informally known as The Tabby, is a mid-size concert hall, in the U.S. city of Atlanta, currently managed by concert promoter Live Nation... |
| November 12, 2008 | Detroit | The Fillmore Detroit The Fillmore Detroit The Fillmore Detroit is a mixed-use entertainment venue operated by Live Nation. The Detroit Music Awards are held annually at The Fillmore Detroit in April. Built in 1925, the Fillmore Detroit was known for most of its history as the State Theatre, and prior to that as the Palms Theatre... |
| November 13, 2008 | Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... |
House of Blues House of Blues House of Blues is a chain of 13 live music concert halls and restaurants in major markets throughout the United States. House of Blues first location was in Cambridge's Harvard Square. It was opened in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, star of The Blues Brothers... |
| November 18, 2008 | San Francisco | The Warfield The Warfield The Warfield, also known as The Warfield Theater, is a 2,300 seat music venue located at 982 Market Street, San Francisco, California. It was built as a vaudeville theater, and opened as the Loews Warfield on May 13, 1922.-History:... |
| November 19, 2008 | Los Angeles Los Ángeles Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants... |
Club Nokia, L.A. Live |
| November 20, 2008 | ||
| November 21, 2008 | Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous... |
The Pearl |
| November 24, 2008 | Houston | House of Blues |
| November 25, 2008 | Dallas |
Reception
Sun MediaSun Media
Sun Media Corporation is the owner of several widely read tabloid and broadsheet newspapers in Canada and the 49 percent owner of Sun News Network...
's Jason MacNeil rated the Toronto show three-and-a-half stars out of five, praising Usher's connection with the female audience. Lee Hildebrand of the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
commended Usher's live vocal ability.
Parimal M. Rohit from Buzzine stated in his positive review of the Los Angeles show that, "everyone will be talking about the entertaining concert".
Critical response
Here I Stand received mixed to positive reviews from most music criticMusic criticism
See also Music journalism for reporting on classical and popular music in the media.The Oxford Companion to Music defines music criticism as 'the intellectual activity of formulating judgments on the value and degree of excellence of individual works of music, or whole groups or genres'. In this...
s. At Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which assigns a normalized
Standard score
In statistics, a standard score indicates how many standard deviations an observation or datum is above or below the mean. It is a dimensionless quantity derived by subtracting the population mean from an individual raw score and then dividing the difference by the population standard deviation...
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
Weighted mean
The weighted mean is similar to an arithmetic mean , where instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others...
score of 65, based on 15 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". Mark Edward Nero of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
gave the album four out of five stars, and wrote that Usher's marriage had a positive effect on his music. He called Here I Stand "as good - if not better" than Confessions. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
critic Chad Grischow wrote that "Growing up may have taken toll on Usher’s personal life, but it has not altered the man’s ability to create refreshing music"; Grischow rated the album 8.1 out of 10. USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
praised the maturity of Usher's lyrics on Here I Stand and gave the album three-and-a-half out of four stars. While Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
Leah Greenblatt disliked the album's length and lyrics, she wrote that "a good portion of [Here I] Stand tunes deserve a place in the dance-floor pantheon", and awarded it a B+ grade. Andy Kellman from Allmusic scored the record three-and-a-half stars out of five and stated that "the album leaves no doubt that the R&B male crown...should not change hands", referring to Usher's King of R&B honorific nickname. Richard Cromelin of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
did not appreciate the numerous ballads on the release, but compared it to Usher's previous work and declared, "it's a more accomplished version of Confessions, the hooks more effortless, the singing even better, the songwriting more consistent." The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
Joshua Alston commended the album's ballads and gave it a B rating. Jim DeRogatis from the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
rated the record three-and-a-half out of four stars, and saw it as evidence for Usher to claim the 'King of R&B' title from R. Kelly
R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
.
However, Dan Gennoe of Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...
felt that the album lacked inspiration, and wrote, "nothing sticks, there's no guts, no depth and no matter how much he protests to the contrary, nothing to believe", and gave it five out of ten stars. Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
Melissa Maerz perceived that Usher had put little effort into the record and stated that "now that he's got the American Dream, he sounds like he's stopped trying." Blender Josh Eells was let down by the large number of ballads and lack of sexual content. Clover Hope of The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
described it as "pure grown-man bidness" and "a little too sitting-on-the-dock-of-the-bay for Chris Breezy–trained earbuds". Josh Eells of Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
gave the album three out of five stars and commented that "Usher has called Here I Stand his 'grown and sexy' album, and he's half right [...] behind his butter-smooth voice, Usher is almost too well behaved". Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
scored Here I Stand two-and-a-half stars out of five, and considered the music "almost always just one notch above mediocrity." The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
Steve Yates rated the album one of five stars and called the work "gloop [Usher] wades through". In his consumer guide for MSN Music
MSN Music
MSN Music was a part of the MSN web services. It delivered music news, music videos, spotlights on new music, artist information, and live performances of artists. In 2004, Microsoft created an MSN Music download store to compete with Apple's iTunes Music Store, though its sales in comparison were...
, critic Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
cited the songs "Trading Places" and "Best Thing" as "choice cuts", indicating "good song[s] on an album that isn't worth your time or money". Jon Pareles of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
wrote that "tension, not bliss, creates the album's best songs", referring to "Moving Mountains
Moving Mountains (song)
"Moving Mountains" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Usher. It was released on May 23, 2008, as the third single from his fifth studio album, Here I Stand. It was written by Usher with Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Kuk Harrell and The-Dream, and was produced by Stewart and The-Dream....
", "His Mistakes", "Appetite" and "What’s a Man To Do". At the 51st Grammy Awards
51st Grammy Awards
The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA on February 8, 2009. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the biggest winners of the night, jointly winning five awards including Album of the Year and Record of the Year...
, the album's title track was nominated for the Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance was awarded between 1968 and 2011. The award has had several minor name changes:*In 1968 it was awarded as Best R&B Solo Vocal Performance, Male...
award, but lost to Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
's "Miss Independent
Miss Independent (Ne-Yo song)
"Miss Independent" is a 2008 single by American pop/R&B singer Ne-Yo. It is the second single from his album Year of the Gentleman and was produced by Stargate. It samples the song "Forget About Me" by Lil Bit. The song was written by Ne-Yo and co-written by Stargate...
" from his 2008 album, Year of the Gentleman
Year of the Gentleman
Year of the Gentleman is the third studio album by American R&B and pop singer-songwriter Ne-Yo, released September 16, 2008, on Def Jam Recordings in the United States...
.
Commercial performance
Here I Stand had unweighted first-day sales of 146,000 in the US, and in its first three days of release sold an unweighted 267,000 units.The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart. Selling 433,000 copies domestically in its first week of release, it was the second highest selling US debut of the year at the time, behind Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
's E=MC2. In its second week of release, it sold 145,000 copies and dropped to number three on the Billboard 200. It has now sold over 1.5 million copies in the United States, and has received a platinum certification
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
from the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA). Here I Stand also debuted atop the Canadian Albums Chart
Canadian Albums Chart
The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS...
, and spent eight weeks on the chart.
On the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, Here I Stand debuted at number one on the chart of June 7, 2008. It was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
(BPI), and lasted seventeen weeks in the chart before dropping out. The album peaked at number two on the Irish Albums Chart
Irish Albums Chart
The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically...
, remaining for fifteen weeks in the chart and was awarded a gold certificate from the Irish Recorded Music Association
Irish Recorded Music Association
Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:...
(IRMA). In mainland Europe, the album was received well; it appeared at number three on the European Top 100 Albums
European Top 100 Albums
The European Top 100 Albums chart is the European adaptation of the Billboard 200 albums chart. It was created in March 1984.The European Top 100 Albums, commonly referred to as Eurochart Top 100 Albums shows the sales of an act in 19 European countries based on IFPI data.The European Top 100...
, and received a platinum award from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). It reached the top ten in the Belgian Ultratop
Ultratop
Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts...
charts of both Flanders and Wallonia, as well as in the album charts of France, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland
Swiss Music Charts
The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75...
. Here I Stand was certified gold in several European nations. In Oceania, Here I Stand attained a number-one position on the Australian Albums Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
and reached number five on the New Zealand Albums Chart. It received a gold certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA), denoting shipments of 35,000 copies in the country. Worldwide sales of the album stand at over five million.
Impact
Usher's publicistPublicist
A publicist is a person whose job is to generate and manage publicity for a public figure, especially a celebrity, a business, or for a work such as a book, film or album...
, Patti Webster, resigned on August 1, 2008. Usher rehired Patton as his manager on August 6, 2008 and "dissolved his management arrangement with Benny Medina". At the time of the split from Medina, Here I Stand had sold two million copies worldwide compared to Confessions nineteen million copies; some speculated that the disunion was because of the poorer album sales. Medina said that he and the singer "parted ways amicably", and deflected comments that he was responsible for the lower album sales. He pointed out that Here I Stand and "Love in This Club" reached number one on the US charts, and that the music industry had changed since the release of Confessions. Due to the decrease in sales figures, Here I Stand was seen as a commercial failure. According to Tyler Lewis from PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
its failure was spurred by Usher's marriage to Foster; "his fanbase hated his wife".
Usher filed for divorce from Foster in June 2009, stating that their marriage was "irretrievably broken". "Papers
Papers (song)
"Papers" is a song by American recording artist Usher. The song was a buzz single for his sixth studio album Raymond v. Raymond. It was written by Usher, Alonzo "Gorilla Zoe" Mathis, Sean Garrett and Zaytoven, and was produced by the latter two. Although it was never identified as a track from the...
", the first single from Usher's next album Raymond v. Raymond (2010), discussed the divorce process, although it was recorded before the couple split.
Track listing
Personnel
Credits for Here I Stand adapted from Allmusic.- The AmbassadorsThe AmbassadorsThe Ambassadors is a 1903 novel by Henry James, originally published as a serial in the North American Review . This dark comedy, one of the masterpieces of James's final period, follows the trip of protagonist Lewis Lambert Strether to Europe in pursuit of Chad, his widowed fiancée's supposedly...
– keyboards - Marcella "Ms. Lago" Araica – mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Chris Athens – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Johntá AustinJohnta AustinJohntá Austin is an American singer-songwriter, who is currently signed to Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings. He is commonly known for collaborating with Producers Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri & The Production Team StarGate. Austin was awarded two Grammy Awards for his work on the songs...
– vocal production - Tim Blacksmith – managementManagementManagement in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
- Adam Blackstone – music
- B.M.C. – bassBass (instrument)Bass describes musical instruments that produce tones in the low-pitched range. They belong to different families of instruments and can cover a wide range of musical roles...
, stringsString instrumentA string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
, drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
, editing - G. Preston Boebel – engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Kobie Brown – music clearance
- Míguel Bustamante – mixing assistance
- Candice Childress – production coordination
- Brian Michael Cox – arrangement, production
- Danny D – management
- Vidal Davis – productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, instrumentation - Vincent Dilorenzo – engineering, mixing
- Dylan Dresdow – mixing
- Assa Drori – violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
- Jermaine Dupri – production, mixing
- Mattias Eng – music clearance
- Mikkel S. Eriksen – engineering, instrumentation, grand piano
- Donald Ferrone – double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
- Brent Fischer – conductorConductingConducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, string arrangements - Clare Fischer – string arrangements
- Armen Garabedian – principal
- Brian Gately – production coordination
- Serban Ghenea – mixing
- Mark Gray – engineering assistant
- Ryan Greene – engineering
- Donato Guadagnoli – music clearance
- John Hanes – digital editing
- Kuk HarrellKuk HarrellThaddis "Kuk" Harrell is an American songwriter, vocal producer, arranger and engineer. He is managed by RedZone Entertainment, and is a member of a songwriting–production team composed of himself, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and Terius "The Dream" Nash...
– production, engineering, vocal production - Andre Harris – production, instrumentation
- Vahe Hayrikyan – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
- Karl Heilbron – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, engineering - Tor Erik Hermansen – instrumentation
- Chris Hicks – author, management
- Leticia Hilliard – artist coordination
- Ray Holton – guitar
- John Horesco IV – engineering
- Josh Houghkirk – mixing assistance, assistance
- Dave Hyman – engineering
- Jay-ZJay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
– vocalsRappingRapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”... - Jazze PhaJazze PhaPhalon Anton Alexander , also known as Jazze Pha , is an American singer, and songwriter.raised in Memphis, TN; son of James Alexander ....
– production - Padraic Kerin – engineering
- Beyoncé KnowlesBeyoncé KnowlesBeyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- James Lackey – production
- Lyah Beth LeFlore – liner notesLiner notesLiner notes are the writings found in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes.-Origin:...
- Lil Wayne – vocals
- Espen LindEspen LindEspen Lind, , is a Norwegian songwriter, producer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is one half of the production team Espionage.- Solo records :...
– guitar - Craig Love – guitar, production
- Manny Marroquin – mixing
- Derrick "Young World" McAlister – keyboards
- Carlos "Los Da Mystro" McKinneyCarlos McKinneyCarlos "Los Da Mystro" McKinney is a Grammy-nominated American record producer and jazz pianist.-Biography:McKinney was born into an eminent Detroit jazz family; he is a nephew to pianist Harold McKinney, bassist Ray McKinney, trombonist Bernard McKinney , and drummers Earl McKinney and Walter...
– production - Benny MedinaBenny MedinaBenny Medina is the CEO of The Medina Company and son of legendary Jazz drummer Ahmad "Benny" Medina. He has worked in the music business as a producer, talent manager and record executive...
– author, management - Tadd Mingo – engineering assistance
- Scott Naughton – engineering
- Ne-YoNe-YoShaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
– production - Alec Newell – engineering
- Greg Ogan – engineering
- Carlos Oyanedel – mixing assistance
- Anthony Palazzole – mixing assistance
- Joe Peluso – engineering assistance, mixing assistance
- Dave Pensado – mixing
- Kazi Pitelka – violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
- Mark Pitts – executive productionExecutive producerAn executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
, author, A&RA&RArtists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :... - Christian Plata – mixing assistance
- Polow da DonPolow Da DonPolow-Freache Jamal Fincher Jones , better known by known by professional name Polow da Don or Awesome Jones, is an American record producer, songwriter, rapper, and singer. His cousin is Atlanta singer Monica. He has produced for a variety of artists including Usher, Nelly, Christina Aguilera, T.I...
– production, instrumentation - Tameka Raymond – stylist
- UsherUsher (entertainer)Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
– vocals, executive production - Geoff Rice – engineering assistance
- Tim Roberts – Pro-Tools
- J.R. Rotem – arrangement, production, instrumentation
- Norman Jean Roy – photography
- Brian Schunck – mixing assistance
- Manuel SealManuel SealManuel Seal, Jr. is an American Hip-Hop/R&B record producer and songwriter.Formerly a contract songwriter and producer at Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings, Manuel Seal, Jr...
– guitar, production - Harry Shirinian – viola
- Cory Shoemaker – engineering assistance
- S.O.S. Horn Players – hornHorn (instrument)The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
- SoundzSoundzSoundz is a producer specialising in Hip-Hop and R&B genres. Soundz has produced many songs of these genres, including "Look at Her" by One Chance, and has produced a lot of content for artists Pitbull, Trina, Young Boss, Ciara, Brandy and Rihanna....
– production - Brian Springer – engineering
- Brian Stanley – engineering, mixing
- Christopher "Tricky" Stewart – production
- Phil TanPhil TanPhil Tan is an Atlanta, GA-based music/audio engineer.He is a 3-time Grammy Award recipient, as mixing engineer for Mariah Carey's "The Emancipation of Mimi" , Ludacris' "Release Therapy" and Rihanna's "Only Girl " .Among the artists on Tan's list of credits: Jill Scott, Jennifer...
– mixing - Tony Terrebonne – engineering
- Sam Thomas – engineering
- Pat Thrall – engineering
- Andrew Weupper – mixing assistance
- will.i.amWill.i.amWilliam James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
– synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, production, engineering, Fender Rhodes, drum programming, vocals - Corey Williams – engineering
- Andrew Wuepper – mixing assistance
- Young JeezyYoung JeezyJay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
– vocals
Chart positions
| Chart (2008) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
1 |
| Australian Urban Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
1 |
| Austrian Albums Chart | 24 |
| Belgian Albums Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... (Flanders) |
3 |
| Belgian Albums Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... (Wallonia) |
8 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
1 |
| Dutch Albums Chart MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
5 |
| Danish Albums Chart Tracklisten Tracklisten is a Danish top 40 record chart that is presented every Thursday midnight at .The weekly Danish Singles Chart also known as Track Top-40 combines the 40 best selling tracks from legal music downloads and the sales of music singles on either CD or vinyl... |
15 |
| European Top 100 Albums European Top 100 Albums The European Top 100 Albums chart is the European adaptation of the Billboard 200 albums chart. It was created in March 1984.The European Top 100 Albums, commonly referred to as Eurochart Top 100 Albums shows the sales of an act in 19 European countries based on IFPI data.The European Top 100... |
3 |
| Finnish Albums Chart Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... |
39 |
| French Albums Chart | 7 |
| German Albums Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
10 |
| Irish Albums Chart Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
2 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
5 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
16 |
| Polish Albums Chart OLiS OLiS is the official list of the highest selling music albums in Poland. The list exists since October 23, 2000 and is provided by ZPAV.... |
36 |
| Swedish Albums Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
18 |
| Swiss Albums Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
4 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
1 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
1 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2008) | Rank |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
62 |
| Australian Urban Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
10 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
27 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
7 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
|---|---|
| Australia Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
Gold |
| Belgium | Gold |
| Denmark | Gold |
| Europe | Platinum |
| France Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
Gold |
| Hungary Mahasz Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary.... |
Gold |
| Ireland Irish Recorded Music Association Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:... |
Gold |
| Japan Recording Industry Association of Japan The Recording Industry Association of Japan is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved the music industry... |
Gold |
| Mexico | Gold |
| Switzerland | Gold |
| United Kingdom British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Gold |
| United States Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
Platinum |
Release history
| Region | Date |
|---|---|
| Austria | May 13, 2008 |
| Belgium | |
| Denmark | |
| Finland | |
| France | |
| Ireland | |
| Italy | |
| Mexico | |
| Netherlands | |
| Norway | |
| Portugal | |
| Spain | |
| Sweden | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Germany | May 20, 2008 |
| Australia | May 23, 2008 |
| New Zealand | |
| Canada | May 27, 2008 |
| United States | |
| Japan | May 28, 2008 |