R&B superstar Usher has announced a special 25th anniversary edition of his critically acclaimed sophomore album, My Way.
The expanded edition will include all the original tracks, plus reimagined versions of three tracks: “My Way (Ryan James Carr Remake),” “Nice & Slow (Ryan James Carr Remake)” and “You Make Me Wanna… (Ryan James Carr Remake).” Usher previewed alternative tracks during his Tiny Desk concert in June.
Usher’s My Way (25th Anniversary Edition) will be available on all streaming platforms on Friday, Sept. 16, the same day as the album’s anniversary.
It will also be issued on vinyl. The deluxe edition will be pressed on 2LP 180G silver cloudy vinyl and will be available in early 2023. The package features new album art that pays homage to the original cover from 1997, plus three reimagined tracks and a lyric and photo booklet to flip through as you listen.
That’s not all. Usher will premiere a special mini-documentary on Friday to commemorate My Way.
Directed by Dolapo Sangokoya, the doc will feature interviews with Usher, Jermaine Dupri and Ryan James Carr. It will also include behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the reimagined tracks, as well as never-before-seen archival footage of Usher from the album’s era. The documentary will premiere on Usher’s YouTube channel.
My Way was released on Sept. 16, 1997, via LaFace Records. It debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 67,000 copies in the first week. During the week of Jan. 24, 1998, My Way peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200.
The Grammy-nominated album spawned three singles that helped propel Usher into mainstream stardom: “You Make Me Wanna…,” “Nice & Slow” and “My Way.”
“You Make Me Wanna…,” the album’s lead single that Usher co-wrote with Dupri and Manuel Seal, peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It spent 47 weeks on the chart.
“Nice & Slow” earned Usher his first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. It spent two weeks at the top of the coveted chart.
The album’s third single and title track peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the chart for 24 weeks.
Usher recently gained new certifications for My Way and two of its singles from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album is now certified 7x multi-platinum, with more than seven million equivalent copies sold.
My Way is on track to diamond status (10 million) with three million copies to go. My Way also marks Usher’s second most certified album. It trails behind his diamond-certified album, Confessions.
“You Make Me Wanna…” and “Nice & Slow” have been updated to 3x multi-platinum, selling more than three million copies each.
Usher is currently on break from his Las Vegas residency at Park MGM’s Dolby Live. He will resume his stint on Oct. 14 and will play through Oct. 29. He recently announced 25 additional shows for Usher: My Way The Vegas Residency, which will take place from March through June 2023.
It will mark his third consecutive year headlining a residency in Sin City.
Usher My Way (25th Anniversary Edition) Tracklist
1. You Make Me Wanna…
2. Just Like Me
3. Nice & Slow
4. Slow Jam
5. My Way
6. Come Back
7. I Will
8. Bedtime
9. One Day You’ll Be Mine
10. You Make Me Wanna…(Extended Version)
11. You Make Me Wanna… (Ryan James Carr Remake)
12. Nice & Slow (Ryan James Carr Remake)
13. My Way (Ryan James Carr Remake)
14. You Make Me Wanna… (Ryan James Carr Remake – Instrumental)
15. Nice & Slow (Ryan James Carr Remake – Instrumental)
16. My Way (Ryan James Carr Remake – Instrumental)
Presave/preorder Usher’s My Way (25th Anniversary Edition).
