Today Far beyond the extraordinary levels of success that Usher has already achieved in his meteoric rise to global superstardom as singer, composer, producer, film and television actor, businessman and philanthropist, 2004 managed to add even further levels of accomplishment to his profile. Consider the phenomenal success of his fifth album, Confessions, which (as of this writing) is certified 8-times RIAA platinum in the U.S. alone, has surpassed 11 million copies worldwide, and continues to sell about one million copies per month.
Released in March 2004, Confessions scanned a record-breaking 1.1 million units in its first week out, giving Usher his first #1 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart, and his first simultaneous #1 pop/#1 R&B entry. (The full extent of the album's historic first week will be detailed further, below.) The CD dominated the album charts throughout the year – spending a total of 12 weeks at #1 – as it spun off three consecutive #1 Pop/#1 R&B hit singles: "Yeah!" (featuring Lil' Jon & Ludacris), "Burn" and "Confessions Part II."
Confirming the album's chart-busting success was the decision, seven month's after its initial release, to issue Confessions (Special Edition), a deluxe repackaged, redesigned, limited-edition version of the album (with a distinctive 3-D lenticular cover and 2x2 panel fold-out poster inside the jewel box) also including four bonus tracks. Among those bonus tracks was a fourth #1 pop/#1 R&B hit single.....
