Look at any list of the greatest songs from the 90s, and you’ll surely find some releases from Usher. It isn’t surprising considering how popular he was in the late 90s, thanks to the two albums he released and the dominance of R&B in the charts at the time.
While he has become one of the most successful artists of all time, this list focuses on the early years of his career. An era filled with outstanding releases that have etched themselves into the memory of anyone growing up in the 90s.
You Make Me Wanna…
The year was 1997, and Usher had just released his second album, My Way. Leading the charge for this new album was You Make Me Wanna. A fantastic song with heavy acoustic guitar elements combining beautifully with Usher’s sensationally smooth vocals and a danceable underlying groove.
The song also proved to be a huge hit reaching #2 on the Billboard chart. It would have likely reached #1 if it wasn’t for the massive popularity of Elton John’s Candle In The Wind.
Nice & Slow
Building on the success of You Make Me Wanna, the follow-up single Nice & Slow dropped in 1998 and was an instant hit. It was the first Usher song to reach #1 on the USA Billboard charts and solidified Usher as a massive star.
This slow ballad includes heavy influences from various popular 90s genres, including R&B, pop, and hip-hop. It’s warm, velvety, and a fantastic tune to groove along to. This song also deserves it’s spot on our 90s love songs list.
My Way
Another fantastic song from the 1997 album that bears the same name. This groovy track perfectly highlights Usher’s silky vocals and includes rap segments and background vocals from Jermaine Dupri.
It was a popular track in the USA and reached #2 but didn’t perform as well overseas and didn’t even get a release in the UK. While it might not be his most successful release, it’s hard to resist the contagious beat and vocals.
Think Of You
At the tender age of 16, Usher’s self-titled first album hit the streets in 1994. The second single, Think Of You, with a catchy use of samples from Ronnie Laws’ song Tidal Wave, reached #58 on the Billboard Hot 100.
It’s a groovy track with slick lyrics written by Usher, Donell Jones, and Faith Evans. At this stage in his career, it wasn’t yet apparent how successful he would become but spend any time listening to Usher’s voice on this track, and the signs are all there.
Slow Jam
Usher has collaborated with a wide array of talented artists, but one of his earliest duos was with Monica for the track Slow Jam. And the result is a smooth and lush R&B jam that perfectly highlights the vocal talents of both artists.
This track was a cover of Midnight Star’s song of the same name that originally came out in 1983. This updated cover kept true to the original while injecting it with some modern R&B grooves. A great song that also made it to our 90s R&B songs list.
Can U Get Wit It
It’s hard to imagine what it would have been like for the 16-year-old Usher to see his debut album released to the world. Can U Get Wit It was the first single from that album, and the reception was lukewarm, reaching only #59 on the Billboard chart.
Some think it might be the unbelievability of a 16-year-old singing about sex and relationships. But I think people hadn’t realized exactly how talented Usher was. This slow groove jam is now arguably one of the best from Usher’s early years.
I Will
There are several well-known Usher tracks. But this mellow tune is often overlooked and underappreciated. If anything, it is a lot better than many of his other releases, and it helps highlight his vocal range and illustrates why he was signed at such a young age.
To have a voice this good at such a young age is rare, and as the years went by, he went from strength to strength. So whatever you do, don’t sleep on this stunning example of why Usher’s voice is among the best in the business.
I’ll Make It Right
I’ll Make It Right from Usher’s debut album takes a different approach to many of Usher’s other early tracks. Featuring a bouncier beat and samples from Top Billin’ by Audio Two and Jussummen by Daf EFX.
It still highlights Usher’s voice while providing a more danceable and hip-hop-inspired groove compared to some of his other R&B-focused releases.
The Start Of A Legendary Career
The 90s revolution of rap, hip-hop, and R&B gave us a huge number of notable artists that went on to have sensational careers. And Usher is among them.
The mid to late 90s were just a warm-up for this insanely talented artist who went on to stamp his presence in the 00s and beyond. Not only in music but also via his philanthropy work with various organizations. A true star that grew up in front of our eyes.
Watch The Full Playlist
The full playlist with every song in this post can be watched via the video below or directly on our YouTube channel.
