Touch by Amerie

Touch is the second studio album by American R&B recording artist Amerie, released in the United States on April 26, 2005 by Columbia Records, Sony Urban Music and Richcraft Records. Following the release of her debut album, All I Have (2002), and her first acting role (in the film First Daughter), Amerie began work on her second studio album. As with All I Have, the album was co-written and produced by mentor Rich Harrison, with contributions from additional productions. Unlike her debut, Amerie co-wrote every track but one, and assumed more creative control over the visual imagery accompanying the album, such as music videos and artwork. Touch is a R&B album with a diverse musical style; a transition from Amerie's neo-soul debut. Its songs feature pulses, funky percussion, pumping energy, go-go beats with an organic core built around horns and electric pianos. Upon release, Touch received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised Amerie's vocals and Harrison's production. The album received numerous accolades including two Grammy Award nominations at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards including Best Contemporary R&B Album. Commercially the album fared well debuting at number five on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 124,000 copies and was later certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), having sold over 500,000 copies in the United States. The album also fared well elsewhere peaking within the top forty of the UK Albums Chart. The album spawned three singles including the lead single "1 Thing" which became Amerie's most commercially successful song to date, which peaked at number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was followed by the release of the less successful singles "Touch" and "Talkin' About".