Direct, relatable messages accompanied by catchy hooks, funky beats, and solid production. It’s not necessarily an unexplored sentiment, but I think that’s what really makes this album shine. I think the style of this album is represented on the track Simple Things which recounts the age-old tale of “money can’t buy you happiness”, concluding that its the time spent with your significant other and the adventures you have that matter more than the materialistic gifts you could ever provide. Perhaps, if anything, pop and adjacent genres have become more introspective, which I think is a good thing. I find that there is more of a focus on the exploration of their feelings and experiences in their songs. Being able to compare what could be regarded as a quintessential RnB album to modern trailblazers is really intriguing. My experience with pop music has ranged from Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga’s careers to indie and power pop artists like Charli XCX, Allie X, to more modern and alternative RnB artists like the Weeknd, H.E.R., and SZA (to name a few at least). Usher focuses more on recounting his experiences to the listener, while also expressing his feelings in that particular moment.įull disclosure, I am 22, which would have made me the grand old age of 6 when this was released. My initial impression of Usher’s arguably most successful release is that it is simple, yet elegant. Cover Art of Usher’s Grammy-Award Winning album, Confessions.

Usher confessions album artist