It was also his first (and only) album to be nominated for a Grammy, making the Best Contemporary Album ballot in 2010. In addition to its major radio and chart success, Ready became Songz’s first certified gold and platinum album. It’s no surprise that “I Invented Sex” featuring Drake, earned Songz his first chart-topper on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. On the chart front, Ready became Songz’ then-highest on the Billboard 200, coming in at number three in its opening week. Songz also experimented with electronic and rock-inspired sounds, exhibited on songs like “Black Roses” and “Love Lost.” He established his signature “Yuh/Yup” vocal stamp. Ready marked a couple of music firsts for Songz. While a few songs eventually made the album, Anticipation helped solidify his fanbase and introduced a sexier side of Songz that has been displayed throughout the latter parts of his career. The project was released two months before the album to hold fans over. One of the biggest noisemakers for Ready was Songz’s Anticipation mixtape. The rollout included fan interaction via the now-defunct blog and new track shared every Monday on Twitter. The table-setter for Ready was the marketing behind it. There were signs of vocal maturity that listeners heard through the melodies and in the upgraded song structures this time around. The lyrical content on Ready was sensual and daring. His journey to grown man status didn’t just stop at the shedding of his braids, his music transformed along with him. Songz chopped his signature cornrows and opted for a fresh clean cut with a more tailored look to match. While we were already familiar with Songz from his 2005 debut I Gotta Make It and his certified gold follow-up Trey Day, Ready introduced his diehard fans to the sexy R&B heartthrob we know today. “This album is very self-defining and very definitive of the type of artist I’m going to be for the rest of my career,” Songz told Billboard in July 2009. Released on August 31, 2009, Ready notably cemented Songz’s name in the hall of fame of contemporary R&B gents. With two solid albums and a Grammy nomination under his belt, Trey Songz was Ready to begin a new chapter in his personal and professional life on his third album.
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