Confessions is the fourth studio album by American R&B/pop singer Usher, released on March 23, 2004 on Arista Records. In the following week, it sold 1.1 million copies in the US, the most copies ever sold in one week by an R&B artist and sending it to the top of the Billboard 200, R&B/Hip Hop and Internet album charts in the US. It has also topped the charts in the UK and Canada and reached number 2 in Australia. The lead single "Yeah!" featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris has topped singles charts around the world. The album went 9x platinum in the United States and sold 16 million copies worldwide.

Usher told MTV that he was inspired by Augustine of Hippo to make the album sound as if he is confessing to something. "This album had to be a lot more personal than the last. It had to be something different than the last. For the most part, the topics, they're very much so personal. In a way, [I wanted] to play off the name Confessions, to make the entire album seem as if I'm confessing to someone or something. All of us have our Pandora's boxes or skeletons in our closets. I let a few of them out, you know. And with everything that's been happening in my life, I've got a lot to say. I've got a lot of stuff built in me that I just want to let go of."

As well, Usher wanted to continue with the traditions of R&B. The second song "Throwback" features a sample from a 1973 Dionne Warwick song written by the legendary Motown songwriting combination of Holland-Dozier-Holland. The album also features songwriting contributions by longtime collaborator Jermaine Dupri and R&B hopeful Thicke. However, when Usher presented the songs from the album to Antonio Reid, then in charge of Arista Records, they agreed that the album needed a first single. Usher recorded a couple of tracks with fellow Atlanta, Georgia resident, Lil Jon, including "Yeah!" in the crunk style that he is known for.