Born on October 14, 1978, the now 38-year-old Usher has come a long way as a singer and songwriter. After his first album, which was self-titled, was released back in 1994, he received harsh words from listeners who thought him to be too young to be singing about serious topics. He was only able to gain fans after releasing his second album, titled My Way, in 1997. The single “You Make Me Wanna…” came from this album, and was the first of Usher’s songs to be a top single, marking only the beginning of his success. Now, in 2016, with all of his success he has reached a net worth value of $180 million. Take a look back at his career so far to see how Usher got to be worth $180 million.
Born in Dallas, Texas, Usher spent most of his life living in Chattanooga with his mom, stepfather, and half-brother. He started singing when he joined his church youth choir when he was nine years old, and to help get his talent across to those who could help him produce music, the family moved to Atlanta, Georgia.
Usher’s Net Worth as of 2019: $180 Million
1990-1993
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When Usher was 13, he competed on the show Star Search, which led to his being discovered by LaFace Records, who signed him on the spot right after he auditioned for them. He was almost dropped, however, because it was during this time that Usher was going through puberty, and when his voice changed, the label got skeptical. Luckily, Usher pleaded to be kept on, and they agreed. They sent him off to live with Puff Daddy, as a “camp” to help him mature while keeping his sound.
1994-1996
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In 1994, Usher released his first album, with P Diddy having helped produce several tracks and co-produced. He made it to number 25 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and has sold over 500,000 copies of the album to date. The album didn’t go as well as planned though, and he was almost let go from the label again, but his mom took control and helped him build a better fan base through working talent shows for awhile. By the end of 2006, he had regained the trust and confidence of the producers, and was featured on the Kazaam soundtrack with his hit, “I Swear I’m in Love.”
1997-1999
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His second album, titled “My Way,” was released in 1997 with the help of record producer, Jermaine Dupri, which had several number one singles, like “Nice & Slow.” The album has been certified platinum six times since then. By the beginning of 1998, he had set off on a series of tour sets with stars like Mary J. Blige and Janet Jackson. Using the music from his touring, Usher released his first concert album, titled “Live,” in 1999, which later was certified gold. It was during this time that he also made his acting debut, appearing several times on the hit TV series Moesha, and then on the film screen in “The Faculty,” which also led to roles in “She’s All That,” and “Geppetto.”
2000-2003
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The first single, “Pop Ya Collar,” from what was expected to be Usher’s third album (8701) was released in 2000, followed by the album release in 2001. The album was certified platinum four times, and two of the singles, “U Remind Me,” and “U Got It Bad,” topped the Billboard charts for over six weeks. In 2001, he also made an appearance in the film “Texas Rangers,” which led to roles in various TV series throughout 2002, like The Twilight Zone, 7th Heaven, and American Dreams.
2004-2007
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In 2004, Usher started the year off by releasing his fourth album, “Confessions,” which had 1.1 million sales after it’s debut; by 2016, the number has made its way to 20 million. “Yeah,” the hit single from this record, spent the next six weeks as number one on Billboard’s Top 100 Chart. Following “Confessions” was “The Truth Tour,” opening with Kanye West and Christina Milian. The DVD of the tour later sold 7 million copies. Between 2005 and 2007, he collaborated with various artists like Lil’ John, Omarion, R. Kelly, and Mary J. Blige on their albums. In 2006, he also made his Broadway debut in the hit show Chicago, as Billy Flynn. His run with the show only later two months, until he was hit with strep throat and had to be replaced.
2008-2011
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Usher’s next album, “Here I Stand,” was released in 2008, and received mostly positive reviews, but didn’t reach quite the success of his previous albums. He set off for his fifteen stop tour, “One Night Stand,” by the end of 2008. Afterwards, in 2009, he sang with Stevie Wonder and Shakira at the Obama Inaugural Celebration, and did a tribute at Michael Jackson’s funeral. This brought him into 2010, when he released the album “Raymond vs. Raymond,” just a few months after he went through a divorce. The album was his third consecutive one to be the Number 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart. Between 2010 and 2011, he went on his “O.M.G.” tour, and performed at the Super Bowl XLV.
2012-2015
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“Looking 4 Myself,” Usher’s seventh album was released in 2012, and he announced that it would have a new vibe, something he penned “revolutionary pop.” In an MTV interview, he stated that he thought it was the most artistic of his albums. In 2013, he took a new turn and took over as as coach for the NBC hit show, “The Voice,” during which he also announced his workings on his eighth album, “UR.” By 2014, he had begun his “UR Experience Tour,” which included 27 cities throughout North America. In 2015 though, after delaying the release of the album, he announced a title change to “Flawed,” and to date has still not released it.
2016-2017
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On September 16, 2016, Usher released his eighth studio album Hard II Love.
Currently in 2017, Usher’s net worth stands strongly at an impressive $180 million. It’s still early though, so keep an eye out for what he might release yet this year.
2018
Pop artist and actor will hope to fire on all cylinders with his 2018 movie release ‘Burden,’ and steer his way towards success.
2019
Usher has started divorce proceedings months after reports of their separation and is trying to keep the court records hidden from the public.
