"Crash"
Single by Usher
from the album Hard II Love
ReleasedJune 10, 2016
GenreElectropop
Length3:31
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Usher singles chronology
"No Limit"
(2016) 		"Crash"
(2016) 		"Missin U"
(2016)
Alternative cover
Music video
"Crash" on YouTube

"Crash" is a song by American singer Usher, recorded for his eighth studio album, Hard II Love. It was released by RCA on June 10, 2016, available for digital download and online streaming. The audio for the song was also released on his Vevo and YouTube accounts the same day. "Crash" is the follow-up single to "No Limit", released the day before. Both singles appear on Usher's eighth studio album, Hard II Love. The song was written by Usher, Corey Latif, Lee Stashenko, Carlos St. John (Saint Jhn), while production was handled by Saint JHN and f a l l e n.

Background and release

The song was released as the second single from his album Hard II Love.

Composition

A writer from Jezebel wrote the song has a "sub-house BPM of 104, saying “Crash” sits at the humid intersection of Kygo-style tropical house and the futuristic adult contemporary (call it nu-AC) tendencies that are creeping through R&B at the moment."[1]

Live performances

Usher performed the song live for the first time as a part of his headlining set at the "BET Experience", Which he performed his other new single "No Limit" and other old hits including "Yeah!", "U Don't Have to Call", "Love in This Club", and "OMG". On July 28, 2016, Usher performed "Crash" for the first time on television on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In September he will also perform the song as a part of his set at the iHeartRadio Music Festival 2016.

Critical reception

"Crash" received comparisons to his 2012 Grammy Award-winning single "Climax". Joe Lynch of Billboard called it "post-"Climax", saying "Ush, melding his masterful R&B vocal stylings with the kind of subdued, moody electronics taking over airwaves thanks to Diplo".[2] Christina Lee from Idolator wrote that "Like with “Climax,” this R&B vet makes such vocal prowess — and vulnerability — seem easy."[3] Dennis Edward from Young Herald described the song as a "pulsating banger that does exactly what Climax did hitting us with killer verses and then demure choruses."[4] A writer from Jezebel wrote that in the song, "Spotlit is his gorgeous falsetto much as it was in “Climax,” with which “Crash” shares a sort of spot-the-hook sensibility—it seems to build from one pre-chorus to the next, teetering on the brink of a hook until you realize the whole damn thing is a hook."[5] Sasha Geffen of MTV praised his vocal ability, saying it "soars to the very top of his vocal range, offering a beautiful falsetto chorus against lightweight, delicate production.[6]

Music video

On June 17, 2016, Raymond uploaded the music video for "Crash" on his YouTube and Vevo account.[7] The music video was directed by Christopher Sims.[8] The video begins with Usher dressed all in black laying against a black background. In the video Usher performs an interpretive dance to the lyrics in both solo and in scenes accompanied by two male dancers. Through the video he is singing to a woman, portrayed by model Leslie Allen, in larger-than-life representation that is haunting his thoughts.[9]

Cover art

The single cover art is a sculpture of Usher that was done by Daniel Arsham, which he had to stand still for 4 hours for him to complete. The photo was taken by James Law.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[10]

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[22] 2× Platinum 140,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[23] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Beyond 'Work': Here Are the Songs of the Summer".
  2. ^ "Hear Usher's Sensual Electro R&B Single 'Crash'".
  3. ^ "Usher Releases "Crash," His Second Single Out This Week: Listen | Idolator". Music News, Reviews, and Gossip on Idolator.com. 2016-06-10. Retrieved 2016-06-11.
  4. ^ "Usher - Crash [New Song]". youngherald.com. Retrieved 2016-06-10.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ Staff, Jezebel. "Beyond 'Work': Here Are the Songs of the Summer". The Muse. Retrieved 2016-06-11.
  6. ^ "Usher Flexes That Amazing Falsetto On His Second New Song Of The Week". MTV News. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
  7. ^ UsherVEVO (2016-06-17), Usher - Crash, retrieved 2016-06-17
  8. ^ "Usher's still got all the Usher moves in his new video". Digital Spy. 2016-06-17. Retrieved 2016-06-18.
  9. ^ "Usher tears up in new 'Crash' video". UPI. Retrieved 2016-06-18.
  10. ^ "Crash / Usher TIDAL". Tidal. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  11. ^ "Usher – Crash". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  12. ^ "Usher Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  13. ^ "Usher – Crash" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  14. ^ "Usher Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard.
  15. ^ "NZ Heatseekers Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. June 20, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  16. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  17. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  18. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  19. ^ "Usher – Chart History: Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  20. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles 2016". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 6, 2017.
  21. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Urban Singles 2016". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 6, 2017.
  22. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2018 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  23. ^ "British single certifications – Usher – Crash". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
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