If you've been anxiously awaiting an upcoming R&B release only to find that it keeps getting delayed and pushed back with no explanation, your Guide to R&B feels your pain. And in order to keep track of album delays, record deal cancellations, etc., every quarter we hit you with a list of the top 10 upcoming albums that have been delayed, pushed back or rescheduled. So if you're wondering about the long-delayed albums by Usher, Mya, Maxwell and others, read the Fall 2007 list of delayed albums.
"The Truth," Usher
Usher was originally planning on recording and releasing his fifth album in the final quarter of 2007, but in an October 2007 interview he said that he was putting The Truth on the back burner to focus on his new wife and their (as yet unborn) son. The album has unofficially been pushed back to sometime in 2008.
"The Declaration," Ashanti
Single cover © The Inc. Records.
The fourth studio album by Ashanti was originally due out in September, then was pushed back to October, then December due in part to the weak performances of the first two singles. The latest word now is that The Declaration won't be out until around February 2008.
"Black Summer's Night," Maxwell
On his MySpace page in 2006, Maxwell promised that his latest album, Black Summer's Night, would be released on Feb. 13, 2007 - the day before Valentine's Day. Well, we all know that that date came and went without an album, or even a song from him. Maxwell himself has been mum for months, but the conventional wisdom is that this album's definitely not coming out in 2007 and we'd be lucky if it was in stores anytime in 2008.
"Liberation," Mya
Album cover © Universal Motown.
The fourth album from Mya was supposed to be released in January 2007, but Liberation was then pushed back to April, then June after the first two singles, "Ayo," featuring DJ Kool, and "Lock U Down, feat. Lil' Wayne, didn't do so well. A single called "Ridin'" was released to radio in July and the album's 'official' release date of Sept. 18, 2007 came and went. As of now, the album will probably be out in either November or December of '07.
"Go," Mario
Album cover © J Records.
The often-delayed third album by singer-actor Mario Barrett, which features the singles "How Do I Breathe" and "Crying Out for Me," is currently scheduled to be released by J Records on Nov. 27, 2007, almost exactly a full year after the originally scheduled release date of Nov. 28, 2006. Unfortunately, the album's been leaked all over the Internet months in advance of its official release. (And no, I won't tell you how or where to find it.)
"Because I Love It," Amerie
In the fall of 2006, Amerie released a mixtape, with the promise of another mixtape to follow in early 2007, followed by a full album in the spring. Well, the album was released in Europe in May 2007, but the U.S. released hasn't happened yet and there's no word on if/when it will.
"Ocean Drive," Johnta Austin
Ocean Drive, the debut album by singer-songwriter Johnta Austin is currently set to be released on Nov. 6, 2007. It was originally scheduled for release in 2006, then early 2007, but was pushed back a few times due to the label he's signed to, So So Def, leaving Virgin Records for Island Def Jam. Plus the poor chart performance of the album's singles didn't help any, either. Among the guest artists on the album are Mary J. Blige and Johnta's mentor, Jermaine Dupri.
"Ghetto Rose," Keke Wyatt
Album cover © TVT Records.
The new album by KeKe Wyatt was originally due in early 2006 when she was signed to hip-hop label Cash Money Records. But then she left Cash Money and signed with TVT Records in August 2006. Her Cash Money album, Emotional Rollercoaster was shelved indefinitely, but Keke has a new album of material called Ghetto Rose that was at one point expected out in October 2007, but has since been been pushed back to nebulous "Coming Soon" status.
"Cheri Dennis," Cheri Dennis
Image © Bad Boy Records.
Cheri Dennis is on Sean "Diddy" Combs's Bad Boy label, although you'd hardly know it because she receives barely a fraction of the publicity and attention that other artists on the label get. The most notoriety she's gained came when she was arrested during a June 2007 incident in Florida. Anyway, her self-titled debut album was originally expected out in June 2006 - about a year before her arrest for arguing with a cop - but now is supposedly coming out on Jan.29, 2008. We shall see.
"Soundtrack of My Life," Deemi
Image © Atlantic Records.
The original release date promised for this singer's debut album was June 5, 2007. Then her label, Atlantic Records, said the album would be out in "Summer 2007." But summer came and went. So when will the album be out? November or December of 2007. Maybe.
