Confessions is the fourth studio album by American R&B and pop singer-songwriter Usher, released March 23, 2004 on Arista Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from 2003 to 2004 and featured production by Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Lil Jon. Confessions showcases the vocals of Usher as a crooner. A R&B-centered album, it also encompasses musical genres such as hip hop and crunk. The album's themes generated controversy about Usher's personal relationship; however, the album's primary producer Jermaine Dupri claimed the record reflects his personal story. Confessions was an instant commercial success in the United States, selling 1.1 million copies in its debut, the most copies ever sold in a week by an R&B recording artist. The album's continued success was bolstered by its four chart-topping singles. As a strategy to boost its sales amid threats of bootlegging, a special edition of the album was issued featuring the hit single "My Boo". Although it received criticism for its lyrical quality, Confessions received generally positive reviews and earned Usher several awards. In 2005, the album won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album. The success of the album put Usher in the mainstream, becoming the biggest artist of 2004. Confessions has sold over 10 million copies in the United States, and has been certified diamond in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album has gone platinum and gold in over twenty