My Way (Usher album)

My Way is the second studio album by American singer Usher. It was released on September 16, 1997, by LaFace Records in North America. Serving as the follow-up to his self-titled debut album (1994), which had produced the Gold-certified single "Think of You" but failed to establish him as a star, My Way underwent several creative iterations before producer Jermaine Dupri assumed the role of primary and executive producer. This shift allowed Usher to take a more active role in the album' conception, while also collaborating with Babyface, Sprague "Doogie" Williams, and guest artists Monica and Lil' Kim.

The album received generally positive reviews, with critics praising Usher's vocal performance and the overall production, though some highlighted inconsistency in quality, an overabundance of downtempo tracks, and uneven songwriting. Commercially, My Way marked Usher’s breakthrough into mainstream R&B: it debuted at number 15 on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 66,000 copies and eventually peaked at number four. It also topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for three consecutive weeks, achieved seven-times platinum certification, and has sold over seven million copies worldwide.

The album was supported by three singles, all of which became hits and were certified platinum, including "You Make Me Wanna...", "Nice & Slow", and the title track, with the first earning Usher a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. My Way also received a Male Album of the Year nomination at the 1998 Billboard Music Awards. To further promote the album, Usher served as an opening act for Mary J. Blige on her Share My World Tour and for Janet Jackson on The Velvet Rope Tour. In 2022, to commemorate the album’s 25th anniversary, he released a digital deluxe edition of the album.