8701 "introduces touches of '80s rock guitar and the nominal rhythm of '80s hip hop" displaying versatility, according to NME's Lucy O'Brien. Although soul-crushing to lots of supporters, the rest of the audio world stepped up to fill the void, and so we finished up with some of the most unbelievable and influential rock tunes the earth has known. On his 8701 Evolution Tour in 2002, Larry Nager of The Cincinnati Enquirer hailed his simultaneous capability, stating "the 23-12 months-previous Atlantan proved you can sing and dance at the exact time. Of program, that is how James Brown, Jackie Wilson and Usher's most obvious part product Michael Jackson did it, but in modern substantial-tech, gimmicky live shows, it is a misplaced artwork", professing his clearly show "finished the reign of 'Nsync, Britney and the rest of the lip-synching, teenager-pop functions". Usher's third album 8701 would be motivated by really like and heartache, made up of influences from Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson. On lots of instances, Usher has named Michael Jackson as his most important influence.
