It’s hard to believe that a decade has passed since Usher released Hard II Love. The R&B superstar released his eighth studio album on September 16, 2016, four years after Looking 4 Myself. Ten years later, Hard II Love deserves another listen as an interesting chapter in the career of one of R&B’s biggest stars.
By the time Hard II Love arrived, Usher had already accomplished just about everything an R&B artist could hope for. He had classic albums, massive singles, Grammy Awards and more than two decades in the music business behind him. Instead of simply trying to recreate the sound of his earlier work, Usher used Hard II Love to combine the R&B style that made him famous with the changing sound of mid-2010s hip-hop and contemporary R&B.
Usher Entered a Different R&B Era
The four-year gap between Looking 4 Myself and Hard II Love was significant. During that period, the sound of R&B and hip-hop continued to change dramatically.
Usher responded by working with an impressive collection of producers and artists. The album included contributions from The-Dream, Tricky Stewart, Metro Boomin, Raphael Saadiq and others. That combination helped create a project that could move between traditional slow-burning Usher records and the trap-influenced production dominating music at the time.
The result was an album that still sounded like Usher while showing that he wasn’t afraid to work with a younger generation of Atlanta talent.
“No Limit” Became the Album’s Biggest Hit
One of the defining tracks from Hard II Love was “No Limit,” featuring Young Thug.
The song was a perfect example of Usher adapting to the musical landscape of 2016. Instead of abandoning R&B, he blended his smooth vocals with a more contemporary Atlanta hip-hop sound. Young Thug’s appearance further connected Usher with the generation of Atlanta artists who were becoming major forces in popular music.
“No Limit” became a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and helped introduce the upcoming album.
It also showed something Usher has done throughout his career: evolve without completely losing his identity.
“Crash” Showed Usher Could Still Deliver Emotion
While “No Limit” provided the album with its hip-hop edge, “Crash” was closer to the emotional R&B many longtime Usher fans expected.
Usher has always been at his best when singing about complicated relationships, heartbreak, desire and regret. “Crash” gave him another opportunity to showcase that side of his music.
The production was modern, but Usher’s voice remained the centerpiece.
That balance between new production and classic Usher vocals is one of the reasons Hard II Love remains an interesting album 10 years later.
Future Joined Usher for “Rivals”
Another memorable collaboration arrived with “Rivals,” featuring Future.
By 2016, Future had become one of Atlanta’s biggest stars. Pairing him with Usher represented two different generations of Atlanta music coming together.
“Rivals” feels even more significant looking back a decade later. Usher had helped make Atlanta one of the centers of R&B and pop music during the 1990s and 2000s, while Future was part of the generation that helped Atlanta dominate hip-hop during the 2010s.
The album also featured Young Thug and production from Metro Boomin, making Hard II Love an interesting bridge between those eras of Atlanta music.
The Deep Cuts Deserve Attention
The singles weren’t the only reason to revisit Hard II Love.
Songs such as “Missin U,” “Bump,” “Downtime,” “Make U a Believer,” “Tell Me,” “Stronger” and the title track gave the album plenty of variety.
“Tell Me” particularly stands out because of its length. Running more than eight minutes, the slow-burning record allowed Usher to settle into the type of grown R&B performance that had been part of his music for years.
“Bump” brought a little more energy, while “Missin U” mixed contemporary production with an old-school R&B feel.
The album closes with “Champions,” featuring Rubén Blades, which was connected to the boxing movie Hands of Stone. Usher portrayed legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard in the film.
Hard II Love Was Received Better Than Some May Remember
Although Hard II Love isn’t usually mentioned alongside My Way, 8701 or Confessions when discussing Usher’s greatest albums, its original critical reception was generally positive.
The album received a 74 Metascore, based on eight critic reviews. Several publications praised Usher’s vocal performance and his ability to incorporate contemporary sounds while remaining an R&B artist.
That makes the album worthy of another evaluation without comparing every song to Confessions.
Usher had nothing left to prove by 2016. Hard II Love was the work of an established superstar figuring out where he fit into an R&B landscape that he had helped influence.
Usher’s Voice Remained the Star
The biggest takeaway from revisiting Hard II Love is simple: Usher could still sing.
Trends changed. Producers changed. Younger artists arrived. But Usher’s voice remained his greatest weapon.
Even reviews that had reservations about certain parts of the album frequently highlighted his vocals. Pitchfork’s review, for example, praised how strong his voice sounded on the project, while AllMusic regarded the album as one of his most pleasing releases in years.
That’s important when looking at Usher’s longevity.
Many artists can dominate for several years. Remaining relevant across multiple generations is much more difficult.
Where Does Hard II Love Rank in Usher’s Discography?
Ten years later, Hard II Love probably isn’t going to replace Confessions at the top of most Usher album rankings. Albums such as My Way and 8701 also contain some of the defining music of his career.
But every album doesn’t have to be an artist’s greatest album to be important.
Hard II Love captured Usher at a transitional point.
He was no longer the young superstar trying to establish himself. He was now the veteran watching a new generation of R&B singers and Atlanta rappers dominate a musical landscape he helped create.
Instead of fighting that evolution, he participated in it.
Celebrating 10 Years of Hard II Love
The 10th anniversary of Hard II Love provides the perfect excuse to revisit the album.
Put on “No Limit” and remember how big the record sounded in 2016. Go back to “Crash” for Usher’s emotional side. Revisit “Rivals,” “Missin U,” “Bump,” “Downtime” and “Tell Me.”
You may discover that the album has aged differently than you expected.
Ten years later, Hard II Love represents another piece of Usher’s remarkable journey from teenage R&B star to veteran entertainer and one of the defining R&B performers of his generation. Check out the track listing and stream link for the Hard II Love album below.
What are your favorite songs from Hard II Love, and where does the album rank among Usher’s best projects 10 years later?
- Need U (Conversation with Priyanka Chopra)
- Missin U
- No Limit ft. Young Thug
- Bump
- Let Me
- Downtime
- Crash
- Make U a Believer
- Mind of a Man
- FWM
- Rivals ft. Future
- Tell Me
- Hard II Love
- Stronger
- Champions (From the Motion Picture “Hands of Stone”)
