Usher – 8701 / Arista Audio CD 2001 / 74321 87471 2
UPC 743218747120
8701 is the third studio album by American singer Usher, released in the United Kingdom on July 9, 2001, and in the United States on August 7, 2001, by Arista Records. Recording was handled by several producers including The Neptunes, Jermaine Dupri, Babyface, Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, Mike City, Bryan Michael Cox, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Although intended for an October 31, 2000, release under the title All About U, the album was delayed numerous times, following the leak of several tracks onto the online music store Napster. Usher subsequently recorded new tracks and released the album under the new title, 8701, which is derived from Usher singing for the first time in his local church in 1987 and the album's US release date of August 7, 2001. The single "Can U Help Me" was supplied with Windows XP Service Pack 2 and later Windows versions to showcase Windows Media Player 11 and higher WMP versions.
8701 takes inspiration from multiple artists, including Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Michael Jackson. It follows the theme of Usher's relationship experience, along with the emotions of love and heartache. Usher promoted the album by embarking on the supporting tour, Evolution 8701 Tour in 2002, to which it he performed in forty-four shows across North America. He also made appearances in television shows, including Live! with Regis and Kelly and Total Request Live.
8701 produced two Billboard Hot 100 number one singles, "U Remind Me" and "U Got It Bad", along with the top three single "U Don't Have to Call". The album debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart, with 210,000 copies sold in its first week. 8701 has since been certified five-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has sold eight million copies worldwide as of 2010. 8701 received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised Usher's vocals and development as an artist, but were ambivalent towards some of the album's material. The album earned Usher numerous awards, including a BET Award, two Grammy Awards, and three Billboard Music Awards.
| Label: |
Arista – 74321 87471 2 |
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| Format: |
CD, Album
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| Country: |
Europe |
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Released:
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2001 |
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| Genre: |
Funk / Soul |
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| Style: |
Contemporary R&B |
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Tracklist:
1
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Intro-Lude 8701
Arranged By [Vocals Arranged By] – Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Co-producer – Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Producer – Usher Raymond
Recorded By [Assisted By], Mixed By [Assisted By] – Jason Dale
Recorded By, Mixed By – Patrick Viala
Written-By – U. Raymond
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0:45
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| 2 |
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U Remind Me
Engineer [Pro-Tools] – Mark Rains
Mixed By – Kevin "KD" Davis
Mixed By [Assisted By] – Steve Baughman
Recorded By – John Frye, Mark Rains
Recorded By [Assisted By] – Brad Todd, Warren Bletcher
Vocals [All Vocals] – Usher
Written-By – A. McCloud, E. Clement
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4:27
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| 3 |
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I Don't Know
Arranged By [All Instruments Arranged By], Instruments [All Instruments Performed By] – Chad Hugo, Pharrell Williams
Featuring – P. Diddy
Mixed By – Supa Engineer "Duro"
Mixed By [Assisted By] – Jason Stasium
Producer – The Neptunes
Recorded By – Bryan Garten
Written-By – D. Goss, P. Williams
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4:27
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| 4 |
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Twork It Out
Acoustic Guitar – Dave Barry
Coordinator [A&R Coordinator] – Sue Owens (2)
Drums [Live Drums] – Stokley
Instruments [All Additional Musical Instruments] – Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Producer, Arranged By – Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Recorded By [Assisted By], Mixed By [Assisted By] – Brad Yost, Xavier Smith
Recorded By, Mixed By – Steve Hodge
Vocals [All Vocals] – Usher
Written-By – J. Harris III, T. Lewis, U. Raymond
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4:58
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| 5 |
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U Got It Bad
Guitar – William "Billy" Odum
Mixed By [Assistant Mix Engineer] – John Horesco IV
Recorded By – Brian Frye
Vocals [All Vocals] – Usher
Written-By – B.M. Cox, J. Dupri, U. Raymond
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4:13
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| 6 |
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Pop Ya Collar
Backing Vocals – Usher
Engineer [Assistant Engineer] – Seth Waldman
Instruments [All Instruments] – She'kspere
MIDI Controller [Midi], Sound Designer [Sound] – She'kspere
Mixed By – Kevin "KD" Davis
Producer – She'kspere
Producer [Vocal Production] – Kandi Burruss, She'kspere, Usher
Programmed By [Additional Programming] – Focus (4)
Recorded By – She'kspere, Marcus Goins
Written-By – K. Burruss, K. Briggs, U. Raymond
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3:39
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| 7 |
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If I Want To
Backing Vocals – Sheree Ford-Payne
Coordinator [A&R Coordinator] – Diane McDonald, Ivy Skoff
Mixed By [Assistant Mix Engineer] – John Horesco IV
Performer [Music Performed By] – Babyface, Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri
Performer [Samples Of "Going Back To Cali"] – The Notorious B.I.G.
Recorded By – Paul Boutin
Vocals [Additional Vocals] – Jermaine Dupri
Written-By – Babyface, B.M. Cox, C. Wallace, J. Dupri, O. Harvey, R. Troutman, U. Raymond
Written-By [Excerpts From "Going Back To Cali"] – C. Wallace, O. Harvey, R. Troutman
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3:53
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| 8 |
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I Can't Let U Go
Mixed By [Assistant Mix Engineer] – John Horesco IV
Recorded By – Brian Frye
Vocals [Additional Vocals] – Jermaine Dupri
Written-By – B.M. Cox, J. Dupri, U. Raymond
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3:35
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| 9 |
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U Don't Have To Call
Arranged By [All Instruments Arranged By], Instruments [All Instruments Performed By] – Chad Hugo, Pharrell Williams
Backing Vocals [Female Background Vocals] – Kelis
Mixed By – Supa Engineer "Duro"
Mixed By [Assisted By] – Scott Kieklak
Producer – The Neptunes
Recorded By – Bryan Garten
Written-By – P. Williams
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4:42
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| 10 |
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Without U (Interlude)
Arranged By [Vocals Arranged By] – Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Co-producer – Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Guitar – Juan "Johnny" Najera
Keyboards – Arthur Strong, Valdez Brantley
Producer – Usher Raymond
Programmed By – Valdez Brantley
Recorded By [Assisted By], Mixed By [Assisted By] – Jason Dale
Recorded By, Mixed By – Patrick Viala
Written-By – U. Raymond
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0:56
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| 11 |
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Can U Help Me
Coordinator [A&R Coordinator] – Sue Owens (2)
Drum Programming – Alex Richbourg
Instruments [Additional Musical Instruments] – Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Keyboards – James "Big Jim" Wright
Mixed By [Assisted By] – Brad Yost, Xavier Smith
Producer, Arranged By – Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Recorded By – Dave Rideau, Steve Hodge
Recorded By [Assisted By] – Brad Yost, Dave Ashton, Xavier Smith
Vocals [All Vocals] – Usher
Written-By – J. Harris III, T. Lewis, U. Raymond
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5:51
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| 12 |
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How Do I Say
Backing Vocals [Background Female Vocals] – Bria Fuentes
Co-producer – James "Big Jim" Wright
Coordinator [A&R Coordinator] – Sue Owens (2)
Drums [Live Drums] – Stokley
Guitar – Dave Barry
Instruments [All Additional Musical Instruments] – Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Keyboards [Keys] – Big Jim Wright
Producer, Arranged By – Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Recorded By [Assisted By], Mixed By [Assisted By] – Brad Yost, Xavier Smith
Recorded By, Mixed By – Steve Hodge
Vocals [All Male Vocals] – Usher
Written-By – J. Harris III, T. Lewis, U. Raymond
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6:23
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| 13 |
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Hottest Thing
Backing Vocals – Tajuanna Ford, Usher
Engineer [Assistant Engineer] – John Horesco IV, Steve Gamberoni
Producer – Mike City
Recorded By – Phil Tan
Vocals [All Male Vocals] – Usher
Written-By – M. Flowers
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3:50
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| 14 |
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Good Ol' Ghetto
Guitar – LaMarquis Jefferson
Mixed By [Assisted By] – John Horesco
Recorded By – Brian Frye
Written-By – B.M. Cox, J. Dupri, U. Raymond
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4:01
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| 15 |
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U-Turn
Mixed By [Assistant Mix Engineer] – Antranika Clack, John Horesco IV
Recorded By – Brian Frye
Vocals [Additional Vocals] – Jermaine Dupri
Written-By – B.M. Cox, J. Dupri, U. Raymond
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3:12
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| 16 |
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T.T.P.
Mixed By [Assistant Mix Engineer] – John Horesco IV
Recorded By – Brian Frye
Written-By – B.M. Cox, J. Dupri, U. Raymond
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3:38
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| 17 |
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Separated
Acoustic Guitar – Dave Barry
Coordinator [A&R Coordinator] – Sue Owens (2)
Drum Programming, Programmed By [MIDI Programming], Engineer [Pro-Tools] – Alex Richbourg
Instruments [Additional Musical Instruments] – Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Mandolin – Peter Ostroushko
Mixed By [Assisted By] – Brad Yost, Xavier Smith
Piano – James "Big Jim" Wright
Producer, Arranged By – Cedric Moore, Daron Jones, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Recorded By – Brian Smith (3), Dave Rideau, Steve Hodge
Recorded By [Assisted By] – Brad Yost, Dave Ashton, Xavier Smith
Written-By – C. Moore, D. Jones, U. Raymond
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- A&R [A&R Direction] – Kawan "KP" Prather
- Art Direction, Design – Gravillis Inc
- Co-producer – Bryan-Michael Cox (tracks: 5, 7, 8, 14 to 16)
- Coordinator [A&R Coordinator] – Celeste Moses
- Creative Director [Creative Consultant] – D.L. Warfield, Joe Mama-Nitzberg
- Executive-Producer – Antonio "LA" Reid, Jermaine Dupri, Usher Raymond
- Management [Artist Development] – J-Pat Management, Jonetta Patton
- Mastered By – Herb Powers, Jr.
- Mixed By – JD* (tracks: 5, 7, 8, 14 to 16), Phil Tan (tracks: 5, 7, 8, 13 to 16), Steve Hodge (tracks: 11, 17)
- Photography By – Christian Lantry
- Producer – Babyface (tracks: 7), Edmund "Eddie Hustle" Clement (tracks: 2), Jermaine Dupri (tracks: 5, 7, 8, 14 to 16), Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis (tracks: 2)
- Producer [Associate Producer] – Kawan "KP" Prather
- Stylist [Grooming] – Marcos Smith (2)
- Stylist [Styling] – Eric Archibald, Rodney O'Neal
- Vocal Coach, Producer [Vocal Pre-Production] – Jan Smith, Jan Smith Studios, Inc.
