[3][4] Trouble also included the singles "Gunshot (Fiesta Riddim)", "Ghetto", "Belly Dancer (Bananza)" and "Pot of Gold", and was eventually certified Platinum by the RIAA and by the British Phonographic Industry in the United Kingdom, where it reached number one on the UK Albums Chart.

[4][5] Akon's increasing popularity led to him making numerous guest appearances on other artists' songs:[1] in 2005, he appeared on the singles "Baby I'm Back" by Baby Bash and "Soul Survivor" by Young Jeezy, which charted at number 19 and number four on the Billboard Hot 100 respectively.

[1][4] The singles "Smack That", "I Wanna Love You" and "Don't Matter" all achieved commercial success worldwide, with the former reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the New Zealand and UK singles charts,[6][7] and the latter two becoming his first songs to top the Hot 100.

[2][3] Akon contributed guest vocals to a large number of commercially successful singles throughout 2007 and 2008: "The Sweet Escape" by singer Gwen Stefani, which reached number two on the Australian, New Zealand and UK singles charts as well as in the United States, "I Tried" by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, "Bartender" by T-Pain, "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" by Wyclef Jean and "Dangerous" by Kardinal Offishall, among several others.

[2][6][7][8] Akon's third album, Freedom, marked a significant stylistic transition from his first two: it eschewed the hip hop and R&B influences of Trouble and Konvicted for a more dance-pop orientated sound.