Top 20 Usher Songs
This legendary singer and Super Bowl headliner has no shortage of memorable tracks to choose from. Let's dive in! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best songs recorded by R&B superstar Usher.
Transcript
00:00 [Music]
00:04 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best songs recorded by R&B superstar, Usher.
00:12 [Music]
00:18 Number 20 - Moving Mountains
00:21 Is it any surprise we're kicking this list off with a song about relationship problems?
00:25 Few can write a song about being unlucky in love like Usher.
00:29 And Moving Mountains is a behemoth of a ballad.
00:31 [Music]
00:37 Over rattling drums and bass and delicate keys, Usher croons about a romance gone south.
00:42 Though this obviously wasn't his first time tackling this subject,
00:46 the passion he sings with makes you feel his heartbreak fully.
00:50 And the electronic flourishes are tastefully incorporated, accentuating Usher without overpowering him.
00:56 [Music]
01:03 If you know what it's like to have someone you love turn into a stranger, this song should resonate.
01:09 [Music]
01:14 Number 19 - I Don't Mind featuring Juicy J
01:18 It's not unfair to assume that a song about an exotic dancer featuring hip-hop legend Juicy J
01:23 is going to be a bit on the crass side.
01:25 [Music]
01:33 But while I Don't Mind might not exactly be a feminist anthem, it is surprisingly sweet.
01:39 Usher tells his main squeeze that he doesn't judge or feel insecure about her line of work
01:44 because he's confident in the strength of their bond.
01:47 He also acknowledges that it would be hypocritical for him to get upset,
01:50 given that he met her when she was performing.
01:52 [Music]
01:59 Juicy J's verse brings some different energy, but the core message stays intact.
02:04 We don't mind hearing this song at the club.
02:05 [Music]
02:10 Number 18 - Hey Daddy, Daddy's Home
02:13 Usher was ahead of the curve on the daddy trend.
02:16 This banger from his Raymond vs. Raymond album has it twice in the title
02:20 and plenty more times in the lyrics.
02:21 [Music]
02:28 You don't need to pay very close attention to the lyrics to know that this is a song about sex.
02:34 But Usher knows how to make a steamy song in a way few others can match.
02:39 Steamy but not smutty and erotic but not distasteful,
02:42 Hey Daddy is a song that could fall apart in the wrong hands.
02:45 [Music]
02:52 Fortunately, it's in Usher's hands and they know how to handle such sensitive subject matter.
02:57 [Music]
03:03 Number 17 - Think of You
03:06 Many pop stars, even the biggest ones, need some time to find their footing in the industry.
03:11 But Usher established his voice early and his second single is a perfect example of that.
03:16 [Music]
03:22 Released when he had just turned 16, Think of You is a song brimming with confidence.
03:27 Usher's vocals shine as he sings to an ex about how much he misses her.
03:31 In other words, it's a classic R&B song.
03:34 [Music]
03:40 But he nails the charisma and presence needed to make the subject matter feel fresh.
03:45 It'd be an impressive effort by a 20-something, let alone a teenager.
03:49 Though this song doesn't fully indicate Usher's eventual superstardom,
03:53 it does suggest he's destined for big things.
03:55 [Music]
04:00 Number 16 - More
04:02 An event like the NBA All-Star Game deserves a song that's as hype as possible.
04:07 And on More, Usher delivers all that and, well, more on this heater.
04:12 Performed at the 2010 iteration of the game, it's the kind of track arenas are made for.
04:18 [Music]
04:25 Usher projects his signature voice with pure swagger as he sings about just how driven he is.
04:30 And the triumphant production is the perfect match in terms of energy.
04:35 Though the passion is already off the charts on the original mix,
04:38 the Red One - Jimmy Joker remix turns things up even further.
04:42 [Music]
04:49 If there's one thing we can count on Usher doing,
04:52 it's giving us more than we were anticipating.
04:54 [Music]
05:02 Number 15 - My Way
05:04 No, this isn't a rendition of the classic ballad made famous by Frank Sinatra.
05:08 Instead, it's another example of a young Usher showing just how much flair he has.
05:13 [Music]
05:20 How much?
05:21 Well, he tells the boyfriend of his new love how much better he is at providing satisfaction.
05:27 Jermaine Dupri, who produced the track,
05:29 also provides an uncredited guest verse that furthers the fearless taunting.
05:33 [Music]
05:39 We can't claim that the concept behind My Way is particularly ethical or mature.
05:44 But, Usher's audacity and the catchy beat are just impossible to resist.
05:49 Now, can you imagine Sinatra's version?
05:51 [Music]
05:58 Number 14 - You Don't Have To Call
06:00 Few singer-producer combinations are more enticing than Usher plus the Neptunes.
06:06 Even before Usher has fully kicked into gear,
06:08 Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo's unmistakable sound marks this hit as a keeper.
06:13 [Music]
06:19 Written by Williams, You Don't Have To Call is an Usher two-for-one,
06:23 both a breakup song and a club song.
06:26 After being dumped, he decides that rather than wallow in self-pity,
06:30 he's gonna go out and have some fun.
06:31 [Music]
06:38 Usher avoids coming across as bitter or vindictive towards the other person.
06:42 Though he might still be in pain, he knows that time heals all wounds,
06:46 particularly a broken heart.
06:48 [Music]
06:54 Number 13 - Caught Up
06:56 If you were paying any attention to music in 2004,
06:59 you remember how much of a blockbuster Usher's Confessions album was.
07:03 But while Caught Up might not have the same legacy as its chart-topping brethren,
07:08 it's still one hell of a song.
07:09 [Music]
07:15 Emphasizing the album's theme of infidelity,
07:18 Usher and the urgent production puts you in his shoes and in the moment.
07:22 A sudden burst of infatuation finds him not thinking straight.
07:26 He can't explain what exactly is happening or why.
07:29 All he knows is that he's enchanted despite his better judgment.
07:33 [Music]
07:40 Once again, Usher deftly manages to make a theoretically unsympathetic narrator bearable.
07:46 Probably because we're so caught up in how good this sounds.
07:49 [Music]
07:55 Number 12 - Love in This Club featuring Young Jeezy
07:59 Inspired by Sin City and written specifically for the ladies,
08:02 this slow jam was the first single from Usher's fifth studio album.
08:06 After all, the female fanbase had dipped significantly upon Usher's marriage to Tameka Foster.
08:12 But an opening line shout-out set the tone for the gentlest of club bangers.
08:16 [Music]
08:22 As if the singer's voice didn't provide enough sizzle,
08:25 Young Jeezy was brought on to deliver rhymes that complemented the seducing vocals perfectly.
08:29 [Music]
08:36 Hitting number one on the Billboard Hot 100,
08:38 this successful tune proved that Usher still had it,
08:41 even more than a decade after the release of his debut album.
08:45 [Music]
08:52 Number 11 - Confessions Part 2
08:54 Are you ready for some real talk?
08:56 Contrary to popular belief, this Jermaine Dupri-produced track
09:00 wasn't about Usher's breakup with TLC's Chili,
09:02 but rather a character study about a cheating man with an insatiable appetite for sex.
09:06 [Music]
09:12 Usher confronts the realities of unplanned pregnancies
09:15 and the mental preparation that comes along with delivering the news to your girlfriend.
09:19 [Music]
09:26 In other words, Confessions Part 2 is an eloquent way of saying,
09:30 "Did I do that?"
09:31 Stay safe, my friends.
09:33 [Music]
09:39 Number 10 - You Remind Me
09:41 We've all been there.
09:42 You meet somebody cool and you like the way they look,
09:44 but their face conjures up memories of a bad relationship.
09:48 Such was the case in this Usher track when he delivered the awkward news to a potential flame.
09:52 [Music]
09:58 Lyrically, You Remind Me references a woman on her creep
10:02 and how she was just sexing it up all over town.
10:04 [Music]
10:10 With then-girlfriend Chili in the song's music video,
10:13 the song won Usher his first of many Grammy Awards
10:16 and found its way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
10:20 [Music]
10:27 Number 9 - Oh My God Featuring Will.i.am
10:30 Truly a jam for the millennial crowd,
10:32 this song was written by Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.i.am,
10:35 who appears to drop a verse as well.
10:37 [Music]
10:44 The concept of Oh My God focuses on the club
10:47 and a particular honey that's popping and dropping like it's nobody's business.
10:51 Although Usher isn't exactly sophisticated when describing this woman's appearance,
10:55 one can't blame him for losing his mind on the dance floor.
10:58 [Music]
11:05 Together, the tandem of Usher and Will.i.am turned Oh My God
11:09 into one of the most popular joints of 2010
11:12 and created another number one hit for the R&B superstar.
11:15 [Music]
11:20 Number 8 - Nice and Slow
11:22 Usher was barely 18 years old when he recorded this rather provocative single,
11:26 but he showed skill beyond his age.
11:29 Equipped with a voice that would make Al Green blush
11:31 and lyrical game comparable to Marvin Gaye,
11:34 Usher released the ultimate foreplay song for a new generation.
11:37 [Music]
11:45 Nice and Slow is exactly that, nice and slow.
11:48 And the tension builds as the singer prepares to get freaky.
11:51 [Music]
11:57 With a remarkable set of closing rhymes,
11:59 Usher established a style that would make him a mainstay on sensuous slow jam playlists.
12:04 [Music]
12:11 Number 7 - DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love Featuring Pitbull
12:14 Kicking off a new decade, this song referenced the club in the opening line
12:19 and laid the foundation for another Usher banger.
12:22 Sure, DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love isn't necessarily a lyrical masterpiece,
12:27 but it was designed to keep your body moving long into the night.
12:30 [Music]
12:37 You got Usher hitting the high notes and then boom,
12:40 Pitbull arrives with his own unique style of rhyming.
12:42 [Music]
12:48 In the music video, Usher straight up works the dance floor by getting his crump on,
12:53 and you are bound to do the same when the song hits the speakers.
12:56 [Music]
13:03 Number 6 - My Boo
13:05 A duet with a singer as powerful as Usher is a hard ask for any performer.
13:10 But if there's anyone who's up to the task, it's Alicia Keys.
13:13 [Music]
13:19 On this number one hit, Usher and Keys share and trade vocals
13:23 as they sing from both sides of a lost romance.
13:26 Both had already proven they knew how to make a poignant tune.
13:29 [Music]
13:34 And their forces combined result in a song so good,
13:38 it makes us want a whole album of duets between them.
13:41 Breaking up is hard to do, but songs like My Boo make it go down a bit easier.
13:46 [Music]
13:52 Number 5 - Climax
13:53 Though we were still Usher fans in 2012,
13:56 we didn't know if he was still capable of surprising us.
13:59 That question was basically answered by Climax,
14:02 which quickly entered the Usher canon.
14:05 And even more than a decade later, it holds up amazingly well.
14:09 [Music]
14:16 A tender and daring song about a relationship in decline,
14:19 Climax boasts both one of Usher's best vocal performances
14:22 and some of the best production on any of his songs, courtesy of Diplo.
14:26 [Music]
14:34 Its sound was partially inspired by The Weeknd's breakout mixtape,
14:38 House of Balloons.
14:39 But Usher doesn't sound like he's chasing trends,
14:41 only showing how seamlessly he can adapt to new eras.
14:44 [Music]
14:51 Number 4 - You Got It Bad
14:53 Based on a conversation between Usher and his producer Jermaine Dupri,
14:57 this sex-funk single examines the effects of being sick with love.
15:00 In the opening lyrics of You Got It Bad,
15:03 Usher reveals the lessons learned from his mistakes
15:05 before directly addressing the listeners.
15:07 [Music]
15:14 You might say this jam is a musical case study
15:17 on being dependent on another in a relationship,
15:19 as Usher details how one can just spiral out of control
15:22 and quickly lose their cool.
15:23 [Music]
15:31 The singer's X-Flame, Chilli,
15:33 makes yet another appearance in the music video,
15:35 as both parties clearly have it bad.
15:37 [Music]
15:45 Number 3 - Burn
15:47 Speaking of Chilli,
15:48 the title of this slow jam references the unraveling
15:51 of a once steamy relationship.
15:53 By combining his own life experiences with those of his friends,
15:56 Usher created a powerful breakup song with Burn,
15:59 which earned him another Grammy nomination.
16:01 [Music]
16:07 Shot at the former Hollywood home of Frank Sinatra,
16:10 Usher took cool to a new level
16:12 while reflecting on his rather chilly love life.
16:15 [Music]
16:20 Just like old Blue Eyes himself,
16:22 Usher handled himself with class
16:24 and just let this one burn.
16:26 [Music]
16:33 Number 2 - You Make Me Wanna
16:35 It's been said that nice guys finish last,
16:37 and of course, nice girls often do too.
16:40 With this billboard smash,
16:41 Usher addressed the desire to leave your partner
16:44 to start a new relationship.
16:45 [Music]
16:52 With a fresh beat from Jermaine Dupri,
16:54 You Make Me Wanna introduced Usher to the world,
16:57 and his equally fresh dance moves
16:59 made him the next big thing in pop music.
17:01 [Music]
17:06 The lyrics are undeniably relatable,
17:08 and the music video was destined to become an MTV sensation.
17:12 And so, the legend of Usher Raymond was born.
17:15 [Music]
17:20 Before we unveil our top pick,
17:22 here are some honorable mentions.
17:24 "Good Good"
17:25 The lead single from Usher's latest album
17:27 sees him alongside newer stars Summer Walker and 21 Savage.
17:31 [Music]
17:38 "There Goes My Baby"
17:40 A great showcase of Usher's falsetto.
17:42 [Music]
17:48 "Dive"
17:49 We absolutely wanna dive into this chorus.
17:52 [Music]
17:59 "Here I Stand"
18:00 This Grammy-nominated ballad
18:02 earned comparisons to Stevie Wonder himself.
18:04 [Music]
18:11 "Pop Your Collar"
18:12 If there was ever a song that called for collar popping,
18:15 it's this one.
18:16 [Music]
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18:37 "Number 1"
18:40 Yeah, featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris.
18:42 Usher, baby.
18:44 Truly a pop song for the ages.
18:46 This monster jam united crunk-tastic Lil Jon
18:49 and the hip-hop giant Ludacris.
18:51 People simply lose all control when the song is played.
18:54 And its enormous success led to a number two ranking
18:56 for Billboard's most successful tracks of the decade.
18:59 [Music]
19:07 Lyrically, Usher sings about a shorty getting low
19:10 and Ludacris wraps up the joint with spectacular rhymes
19:12 about milking cows and booty popping.
19:14 [Music]
19:19 Few jams bring the energy like "Yeah,"
19:21 which won the Grammy Award for best rap/sung collaboration.
19:25 Usher Raymond, the definitive master of club bangers.
19:29 [Music]
19:35 What Usher song do you have it bad for?
19:38 Let us know in the comments.
19:39 [Music]
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19:52 [Music]