Fans hoping to buy Usher's new album in time for Christmas are facing an extended wait - the release of Raymond Vs. Raymond has been pushed back.

The Yeah! hitmaker's sixth studio album was originally scheduled to hit stores in early 2010 but then bosses at LaFace Records bumped up the date to 21 December.

But now the future of Raymond vs. Raymond is uncertain after Usher announced he's not ready for a holiday release.

A representative for Usher says, "We believe that the album is so strong that we want to give it the opportunity to have the proper set-up before coming out."

The R&B singer has revealed the new record will be inspired by experiences from his personal life, which has been rocked by a divorce from wife Tameka Foster.