Usher has had a big 2026. Just after his 48th birthday he is out on the road with The R&B Tour, a 33-date stadium run across North America that opened in Denver on 26 June and finishes in Tampa on 11 December. It follows the record-breaking Past Present Future Tour, which included ten sold-out nights at London's O2 in spring 2025.
Three decades on, he is still the standard every R&B performer is measured against. Browse more tribute designs in our R&B music collection.
Usher Fact File
| Full name | Usher Raymond IV |
| Date of birth | 14 October 1978 (age 48) |
| Place of birth | Dallas, Texas, USA (raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee and Atlanta, Georgia) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Singer, songwriter, dancer, actor, businessman |
| Years active | 1991-present |
| Genres | R&B, pop, hip hop, dance |
| Labels | LaFace, Arista, Jive, RCA, Mega/Gamma |
| Known for | Confessions, nine US number one singles, Super Bowl LVIII halftime show |
Career History
| Year | Album | Label/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Usher | LaFace - debut |
| 1997 | My Way | LaFace - US No. 4, 7x Platinum |
| 2001 | 8701 | Arista - UK No. 1, 5x Platinum |
| 2004 | Confessions | Arista - US and UK No. 1, Diamond |
| 2008 | Here I Stand | LaFace - US and UK No. 1 |
| 2010 | Raymond v. Raymond | LaFace/Jive - US No. 1, 3x Platinum |
| 2012 | Looking 4 Myself | RCA - US No. 1 |
| 2016 | Hard II Love | RCA - US No. 5 |
| 2024 | Coming Home | Mega/Gamma - US No. 2 |
The table lists Usher's nine solo studio albums. Chart positions are Billboard 200 (US) and Official Charts (UK) peaks, and certifications are from the RIAA. EPs, collaborations and compilations are not included.
Early Years in Chattanooga and Atlanta
Raised mostly in Chattanooga, Usher started singing in a church choir at nine and joined a local group, NuBeginning, at 12. After the family moved to Atlanta he appeared on Star Search aged 13, then sang for L.A. Reid, who signed him to LaFace Records. His self-titled debut arrived in 1994, when he was just 15.
Celebrate those roots with our Usher Music Icon Frame Men's Hoodie.
The Breakthrough: My Way and 8701
My Way (1997) made him a star. Its single Nice & Slow gave him his first Billboard Hot 100 number one, and the album went seven times platinum in the US. 8701 followed in 2001 with two more chart-toppers, U Remind Me and U Got It Bad, and brought his first Grammy wins in 2002 and 2003.
Wear the era with our Usher Men's Hoodie.
Confessions and the Defining Moments
Confessions (2004) is one of the biggest R&B albums ever made. It sold around 1.1 million copies in its first US week, went Diamond and produced four US number ones, including Yeah! and Burn. Love in This Club and OMG later took his tally to nine.
Then came 11 February 2024. Usher headlined the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, joined by Alicia Keys, Ludacris, Lil Jon, H.E.R., will.i.am and Jermaine Dupri, drawing well over 120 million US viewers and three Emmy nominations. His ninth album, Coming Home, dropped the same weekend.
Mark the moment with our Usher Music Icon Frame Men's T-Shirt.
Residencies, Tours and Where He Is Now
After a Las Vegas residency from 2021 and eight Paris nights in 2023, the Past Present Future Tour played 54 North American shows to almost 739,000 fans, then ten O2 nights in London in 2025. In 2026 he is co-headlining The R&B Tour across the US and Canada.
Awards and Honours
Grammy Awards
- 8 wins from 23 nominations
- Best Male R&B Vocal Performance - U Remind Me (2002), U Don't Have to Call (2003)
- Three wins in 2005, including Best Contemporary R&B Album for Confessions
- Best Contemporary R&B Album for Raymond v. Raymond (2011) and Best R&B Performance for Climax (2013)
Other Honours
- Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2016)
- BET Lifetime Achievement Award (2024)
- 18 Billboard Music Awards and 8 American Music Awards
- Georgia Music Hall of Fame (2007)
Away From the Spotlight
In 1999 Usher founded Usher's New Look, a charity that helps young people develop leadership and career skills. He has also been a coach on The Voice.
FAQs
How old is Usher?
Usher was born on 14 October 1978, so he is 48 years old as of October 2026.
What is Usher's real name?
His full name is Usher Raymond IV. He has performed under his first name since his debut in 1994.
How many albums has Usher released?
Usher has released nine solo studio albums, from Usher (1994) to Coming Home (2024).
How many Grammys has Usher won?
He has won eight Grammy Awards from 23 nominations, three of them in 2005 for Confessions-era recordings.
Is Usher touring in 2026?
Yes. He is co-headlining The R&B Tour, which runs from June to December 2026 across stadiums in North America.
Shop the Usher Collection
Pick your favourite fan tribute design from our Usher range below.
Usher Men's Hoodie
£39.99
Usher Men's T-Shirt
£29.99
Explore more in our R&B music collection and pop music collection, or put your own name on a custom name hoodie.
Part of our Icon Profiles series. Read next: Michael Jackson: The King of Pop, His Albums and His Legacy and Whitney Houston: The Voice, Her Albums, Story and Legacy.
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