8701
8701 | ||||
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Singles from 8701 | ||||
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8701 is the third studio album by American singer
8701 takes inspiration from multiple artists, including
8701 produced two
Background
Usher had initially planned to release the album entitled All About U, as his third studio album on October 31, 2000. The album was to follow his successful My Way (1997) which to date, has sold over seven million copies.[1][2] On March 13, 2000, multiple tracks from the album had leaked on to online music store Napster several months prior to its release, including "T.T.P.", "U R the One" and "Pop Ya Collar".[1] Following the event, the album's release was delayed twice, on December 5, 2000, to July 17, 2001.[1] During the taping of MTV Icon Janet Jackson special, Usher explained that he returned to the studios to record new songs, stating "I didn't want that to be the way my record was remembered or the way I would present that to my fans [...] It turned out a lot better" while adding that tracks that were available for download on the site were not going to be included on the new album.[1] With new tracks produced, Usher's publicist announced a new name for the album, under the title 8701, who claims that it is "practically a new album".[3] The origin of its new name was initially unknown, with speculation that it subsides with its US release of August 7, 2001 (8/7/01), though Usher's publicist claimed that this was purely coincidental, and was not the reasoning for the title.[3] Usher hinted that it was derived after something significant to him, and he would disclose it in the upcoming months.[3] Eventually, his spokesperson revealed that the '87' segment of the title refers to the year 1987, when Usher sang in public for the first time at his church in Atlanta, with the '01' referring to the year 2001.[4]
Recording
8701 was recorded in the United States, in the cities of Los Angeles, New York, Minneapolis and Atlanta.
Composition
In an interview with MTV, Usher commented that lyrically, 8701 represents his "soul", and elaborated by explaining that he was inspired by love and heartache; "I listen to a lot of Donny Hathaway's, Stevie Wonder's, Marvin Gaye's and Michael Jackson's earlier records, those Motown greats. There's a little bit of all of that in the album. I really appreciate what music was back then as well as in the early '90s when you had artists like Troop and Jodeci, and Michael Jackson was in his prime."[6] Usher explained that the album's lyrics also reflect on what has been going on with his relationship;[7] 8701 is predominantly an R&B album.[8] "Can U Help Me", is about a deep relationship to which Usher experienced.[7] "U Don't Have to Call" is a hip hop song inspired by Jackson, while "U Got It Bad" is an R&B slow-jam.[7][9][10] About "U Got It Bad", Kyle Anderson of MTV wrote that it makes use of the acoustic guitar and a "slow-burning bassline" throughout.[10] The album's lead single "U Remind Me" is also an R&B track,[11] and its lyrics is based on meeting a woman who reminds Usher of an ex-girlfriend, and therefore cannot date her.[11][12]
Singles
"
The album's second single was instead "U Got It Bad", released on August 21, 2001.
Release and promotion
Usher initially planned to release his third studio album on October 31, 2000, under the title All About U, but due to the leak of multiple tracks several months prior to the date, it was delayed.
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 67/100[38] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [8] |
Blender | [39] |
Entertainment Weekly | B−[40] |
NME | 8/10[41] |
Q | [42] |
Rolling Stone | [43] |
Slant Magazine | [44] |
Vibe | 3/5[45] |
8701 received generally positive reviews from
Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine noted the distinction between several of the album's songs with Janet Jackson's, while comparing Usher's vocals to that of another Jackson member, Michael Jackson "[...] bring out the other Jackson in Usher, bolstering falsetto vocal bridges on "I Don't Know" and "U Don't Have to Call" that are undeniably Pop Royalty."[44] Vibe's Jason King complimented some of the material on the album, but was disappointed with the "heavyweight producers" not producing any "masterpieces".[45] Stephen Erlewine of AllMusic gave a positive opinion on Usher's development, writing "He looks good, his material is smooth and seductive, and he has a nice voice, even if he tends to favor melisma". Erlewine also labelled the album as "a classy, seductive affair" but was ambivalent towards its material, due to the lack of memorable tracks.[8] Entertainment Weekly's Josh Tyrangiel said that the tracks "blend harmlessly together", but was ambivalent towards the quality of the songs produced after Usher's four-year hiatus.[48]
Accolades
The album earned Usher numerous accolades. At the
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number-four on the US
The album debuted atop the
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Intro-Lude 8701" | Soulshock & Karlin | 3:56 | |
Total length: | 57:09 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Intro-Lude 8701" | Raymond |
|
| 4:24 |
Total length: | 64:55 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
18. | "U Remind Me" (KC's Smooth Remix) (featuring Chemistry) |
|
| 4:32 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Pop Ya Collar" (G-Force Double Bass Flex) |
|
|
| 3:56 |
3. | "U Got It Bad" (Soulpower Remix) |
| 4:03 | ||
4. | "U Got It Bad" (Tee's Latin Remix) |
| 7:58 | ||
5. | "U Got It Bad" (Tee's Dub) |
| 5:22 | ||
6. | "U-Turn" (Almighty Mix) |
| 7:22 | ||
7. | "U Don't Have to Call" (Pound Boys Boogie Vocal) | Williams |
| 6:47 | |
8. | "U R the One" |
| Soulshock & Karlin | 3:57 |
Notes
Sample credits[64]
- "If I Want To" contains excerpts from "Goin' Back to Cali", written by Christopher Wallace, Osten Harvey, and Roger Troutman, and performed by The Notorious B.I.G.
Personnel
Credits for 8701 adapted from
|
|
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[104] | 2× Platinum | 140,000^ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[105] | Platinum | 20,000‡ |
France ( SNEP)[106]
|
Gold | 100,000* |
Germany (BVMI)[107] | Gold | 150,000‡ |
Japan (RIAJ)[108] | Gold | 100,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[109] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
South Africa (RISA)[110] | Platinum | 50,000* |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[111] | Gold | 20,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[112] | 2× Platinum | 600,000* |
United States (RIAA)[113] | 5× Platinum | 5,000,000‡ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
Netherlands[114][115] | July 1, 2001 | Arista Records | |
United Kingdom[31] | July 9, 2001 | ||
France[116][117] | July 10, 2001 | ||
Germany[118][119] | July 30, 2001 | ||
Australia[33][120] | August 7, 2001 | ||
Canada[34][121] | Sony Music Entertainment
| ||
United States[32][122] | Arista Records | ||
New Zealand[123][124] | August 13, 2001 |
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{{cite magazine}}
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