Songs in A Minor
Songs in A Minor | ||||
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![]() Standard edition cover[a] | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 26, 2001 | |||
Recorded | 1998–2001 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | ||||
Length | 63:04 | |||
Label | J | |||
Producer |
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Alicia Keys chronology | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
![]() Deluxe edition cover, in lenticular print[b] | ||||
Remixed & Unplugged in A Minor[c] | ||||
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Singles from Songs in A Minor | ||||
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Songs in A Minor is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys. It was released on June 26, 2001, by J Records.
Keys began writing songs for the album in 1995 at age 14 and recording the album in 1998 for Columbia Records, but after they rejected it, she signed a recording contract with Clive Davis's Arista Records and eventually J Records. An accomplished, classically trained pianist, Keys wrote, arranged and produced the majority of the album herself. It is a neo soul album with elements of R&B, soul, jazz, hip hop, blues, classical, and gospel music. Lyrically, the songs explore the complexities and various stages of personal relationships. Despite the album's title, only one song, "Jane Doe," is actually written in the key of A minor.[8]
Songs in A Minor debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 236,000 copies in its first week. The album has since sold over 7 million copies in the United States and 12 million copies worldwide. It was also an immediate critical success and has since been regarded as a classic. The album earned Keys several accolades, including five Grammy Awards at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards. To promote the album, Keys embarked on her first headlining concert tour, entitled Songs in A Minor Tour.
In 2022, the album was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry.
Writing and recording
[edit]In 1995, then-14-year-old Keys, a classically trained pianist, began writing songs which would eventually constitute Songs in A Minor, with "Butterflyz" and "The Life" being among the first compositions.[d] At the time, she was a member of the girl group EmBishion, through which she was noticed by vocal coach Conrad Robinson. Robinson subsequently introduced Keys to his brother Jeff, who became her manager after the disbandment of EmBishion.[10][13] Jeff Robinson and A&R executive Peter Edge helped Keys assemble demo recordings and arrange showcases for record label executives.[14][15] After a bidding war ensued between labels, Keys signed a record deal with Columbia Records and Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings in 1996.[15][16] Around that time, she began working with Kerry Brothers Jr.[10] After graduating from the Professional Performing Arts School in 1997, aged 16, Keys was accepted into Columbia University; however, she dropped out after four weeks to pursue her music career.[10][15] Keys had already recorded the Rodney Jerkins-produced "Little Drummer Girl" for Dupri's 12 Soulful Nights of Christmas (1996), and co-wrote and recorded "Dah Dee Dah (Sexy Thing)" for the soundtrack to the 1997 film Men in Black.[13] However, she grew frustrated with recording sessions for Columbia, whose executives aimed to diminish her creative inputs, instead bringing established producers in order to construct her image into that of "the next teen pop idol".[10][13] Brothers consequently advised Keys to purchase her own equipment and to record without Columbia's interference.[10] Keys thus began producing and recording the album herself in 1998,[17] after moving out of her mother's apartment into an apartment in Harlem, where she recorded inside her bedroom. Afterwards, Keys and Brothers moved into a house in Queens, transforming its basement into the KrucialKeys Studios.[10] In the studio, Keys completed the record by the end of 1998. However, upon being presented with the demo, Columbia rejected it for lacking radio-friendly material.[18][10]
As she felt her creativity was being disrespected, Keys desired to terminate her contract with Columbia.[15] Upset by the situation, she wrote "Troubles", retrospectively stating: "Everything that I said in the verses was exactly how I felt, and what was said in the chorus was what I felt like God would be saying to me. I almost wanted to call it 'Conversations with God'."[10] According to Keys, as she wrote "Troubles", Songs in A Minor "started comin' [sic] together. Finally, I knew how to structure my feelings into something that made sense, something that can translate to people."[19] Soon thereafter, Edge introduced Keys to Clive Davis, founder and then-president of Arista Records.[14] Davis, who sensed a "special, unique" artist in Keys upon first hearing her,[9] bought out her contract with Columbia,[16] and Keys left the label to sign with Arista in early 1999.[13] Keys was also able to keep her recordings created under Columbia.[15] As Davis encouraged Keys to take creative control over her career,[9] she continued writing and recording songs for the album, also learning how to produce recordings by consulting with producers and audio engineers.[18][20] A total of 32 tracks were recorded for Songs in A Minor.[21] Prior to its inclusion on the album, "Rock wit U" was featured on the soundtrack for Shaft (2000),[22] while the eventual Japanese edition bonus track "Rear View Mirror" was included on the soundtrack for Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001).[23] While recording, Keys sought permission from Prince to cover his 1982 song "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?". Prince, notoriously reticent to his songs being covered and sampled by other artists, invited Keys to his estate Paisley Park. After Keys performed the song in front of Prince's close associates, he allowed her to cover the song, and the two established a rapport.[24][25] As Songs in A Minor neared completion in 2000, Davis was ousted from Arista and founded a new record label, J Records. Keys consequently left Arista and signed a record deal with J, under which she completed the album.[15]
Music and lyrics
[edit]Songs in A Minor is a neo soul album with classical piano references and arpeggios.[27] Keys incorporates classical piano with R&B, soul and jazz into the album's music.[16][18][28] With influences of classical piano, classic soul and East Coast hip hop,[16] Keys described the album as a "fusion of my classical training, meshed with what I grew up listening to [...] things I've been exposed to and drawn from and my life experiences".[26] Jane Stevenson of Jam! described the music as "old-school urban sounds and attitude set against a backdrop of classical piano and sweet, warm vocals".[29] USA Today's Steve Jones wrote that Keys "taps into the blues, soul, jazz and even classical music to propel haunting melodies and hard-driving funk".[30] John Mulvey of Yahoo! Music called the album "a gorgeous and ambitious melding of classic soul structures and values to hyper-modern production technique".[31]
The album's opening track, "Piano & I", begins with a rendition of Ludwig van Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, combined with a hip hop beat.[32] The introduction is followed by "Girlfriend", which was produced by Jermaine Dupri.[16] Commended for its "crisp production",[33] the song samples Ol' Dirty Bastard's "Brooklyn Zoo".[16] Keys' cover of Prince's 1982 ballad "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" (retitled "How Come You Don't Call Me") was inspired by a long-term relationship with a partner.[16][34] The music critic for PopMatters felt that the song was credible, but fell short from the original and Stephanie Mills's 1980s cover.[16] "Fallin'", the gospel-driven lead single and often considered Keys' signature song,[26][35] contains a sample of James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World".[16] The song earned Keys comparisons to Aretha Franklin.[36]
"A Woman's Worth", the second single released from the album, is a "gospel-tinged"[37] song that recommends that men show respect to their female partners.[38] "Jane Doe" is a funk-driven song, with backing vocals provided by Kandi Burruss.[16][38] "The Life", which elicits Curtis Mayfield's "Gimmie Your Love", describes Keys' "philosophy of life and struggle".[16] The song was compared to the work of the English band Sade.[37] "Mr. Man" contains elements of Latin American music[37] and was described as a "sexy and soulful duet", in which Jimmy Cozier "adds his spice".[38] The album ends with the hidden track "Lovin' U", which Christian Ward of NME compared to works of the musical group the Supremes.[37]
Marketing and touring
[edit]
Regarding the "grass-roots" marketing campaign for Songs in A Minor, J Records' then-executive vice president of artists and repertoire (A&R) Jeff Edge remarked that it was based on exposing Keys "in terms of performing in front of people in every way possible, because it wasn't just about listening to her record—to see her was to believe in her".[12] Originally titled Soul Stories in A Minor, the album was retitled to expand its marketability, and not to cater exclusively to R&B and hip-hop radio stations and retailers.[18] In advance of the album's lead single, "Girlfriend" was serviced to urban contemporary radio as a promotional single in early 2001 to "introduce" Keys to the general public.[16] Keys first performed "Fallin'" live at Davis' pre-43rd Annual Grammy Awards gala on February 20, 2001.[39] "Fallin'" was released as the lead single from Songs in A Minor on March 28,[40] going on to peak atop the US Billboard Hot 100,[41] and becoming a worldwide top-10 hit and the second-best-performing single of 2001 in the US.[42][43] Keys further promoted the album through print media, having been interviewed for the spring 2001 issue of The Fader,[44] and photographed for the cover of the June 2001 issue of Dazed.[45] Davis subsequently booked Keys for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and wrote a letter to Oprah Winfrey, persuading her to allow Keys to perform on the The Oprah Winfrey Show.[21] Winfrey agreed, and Keys performed on the show, alongside Yolanda Adams, India Arie, Mary Mary, and Jill Scott, on June 21.[46] The performance led to the album's pre-orders to double.[18]
Having been postponed from its original June 12 release at the last minute,[47] Songs in A Minor was released on June 26, 2001, by J Records.[e] Although originally set for a June 11 international release,[40] it would be progressively issued worldwide in subsequent months, starting with the UK on July 23.[f] Despite "Jane Doe" receiving heavy unsolicited airplay,[58] "A Woman's Worth" was released as the album's second single on October 2,[59] peaking at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100.[41] Keys continued promoting Songs in A Minor with televised performances on Good Morning America on July 13,[60] on Saturday Night Live on September 29,[61] and on Last Call with Carson Daly on January 8, 2002.[62] Interpolating Ludwig van Beethoven's "Für Elise", she performed "Fallin'" at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards on September 6, 2001,[63] later performing it as a medley with "A Woman's Worth", accompanied by flamenco dancer Joaquín Cortés, at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards on February 27, 2002.[64] She additionally performed at the VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards on October 23, 2001,[65] and at the 2001 Billboard Music Awards on December 4,[66] Internationally, she promoted the album by performing on Later... with Jools Holland in the UK on November 5,[67] on Wetten, dass..? in Germany on November 17,[68] and during the Sanremo Music Festival 2002 in Italy on March 8, 2002.[69]
Having toured as a supporting act on Maxwell's Now Tour from August to October 2001,[70] Keys embarked on her debut concert tour, the Songs in A Minor Tour, on January 22, 2002, initially touring North America until March 10.[71] On March 11, "How Come You Don't Call Me" was released as the third single from Songs in A Minor,[72] failing to replicate the success of its predecessors by peaking at number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100.[41] Afterwards, Keys commenced Good Morning America's annual Summer Concert Series on May 31.[73] The Songs in A Minor Tour resumed with the second North American leg on July 2.[74] Its August 10 concert at KeyArena in Seattle was partly recorded, with the live performances included on the Remixed & Unplugged edition of Songs in A Minor, released in select countries in October.[c] The tour was then expanded with a leg in Europe, from September to November 2002,[75][76] and ended with an Oceanian leg in December.[77] "Girlfriend" was released as the fourth and final single from Songs in A Minor outside North America on November 25, 2002,[78] peaking at number 24 on the UK Singles Chart.[79]
Anniversaries
[edit]In April 2011, Keys announced plans to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Songs in A Minor, with reissues in multiple formats and Piano & I: A One Night Only Event with Alicia Keys, originally intended as a singular concert at the Beacon Theatre in New York City on June 30.[80] In a statement, Keys said: "This album is possibly the most precious to me as your first album only happens once, and so Songs in A Minor will always hold a special place in my life that's filled with amazing memories. I'm so proud the songs are still being enjoyed, and I'm crazy excited to share songs never heard before."[81][80] However, the concert was swiftly expanded into a promotional tour, with additional dates in Paris, London and Los Angeles throughout June.[82][83][84] During the shows, Keys performed the album in its entirety and told stories of its recording.[81] Double-disc deluxe and box set collector's editions of Songs in A Minor were released on June 28. Both included previously unreleased material, while the collector's edition bonus DVD featured a documentary chronicling the making of the record. The original album was simultaneously made available on vinyl for the first time.[80] Furthermore, Keys performed a medley of "Typewriter", "Fallin'", "A Woman's Worth" with Bruno Mars, and "Maybach Music" with Rick Ross at the BET Awards 2011 on June 26,[85] as well as performing "Fallin'", "Butterflyz", and "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down" on Good Morning America on June 28, the same day a wax figure of her was revealed at Madame Tussauds New York.[86] BET aired The Story So Far, a special highlighting Keys' ten-year career through her BET performances and interviews, on June 29.[87]
Upon the 20th anniversary of Songs in A Minor, the album again reissued on June 4, 2021, with four bonus tracks, including the previously unreleased "Foolish Heart" and "Crazy (Mi Corazon)".[88] To promote the release, Keys performed a medley of "Piano & I", "A Woman's Worth", "How Come You Don't Call Me", and "Fallin'" at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards on May 23; the performance was introduced with a speech from Michelle Obama.[89] Keys also appeared on the cover of the May 26, 2021 issue of Bustle, which featured a story on the creation of Songs in A Minor and its subsequent impact.[90] Furthermore, Sony Music launched an interactive website dedicated to fan letters regarding the album.[91]
Critical reception
[edit]Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 78/100[92] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | B[35] |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The New Zealand Herald | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pitchfork | 8.5/10[13] |
Q | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
USA Today | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Village Voice | A−[99] |
Upon release, Songs in A Minor received widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, it received an average score of 78, based on 10 reviews.[92] Reviewing the album for NME, Sam Faulkner described the balance between contemporary classical music and R&B as "an act of pure genius".[95] Q hailed the record as "a prime candidate to head up the nu-soul revolution ... with a voice that challenges Mary J. Blige's".[96] Steve Jones of USA Today said that "Keys already has a musical, artistic and thematic maturity that many more experienced artists never achieve".[30] The Washington Post's Richard Harrington shared those sentiments, further directing praise towards Keys' musical influences.[100] Mark Anthony Neal praised Keys' performance on the album and called it "a distinct and oft-times brilliant debut from an artist who clearly has a fine sense of her creative talents" in a review published via PopMatters.[16] Robert Christgau, writing in The Village Voice, said that the "grace and grit" of the first half warrant the "auspicious debut" label and that, after some "bores that threaten to sink the project midway through", Keys sustains the album with the songs at the end.[99] Keys' vocal performance was lauded;[29][93][95] Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine declared that Keys' displayed a "powerful range, proving she can belt along with the best of them".[33] Uncut called the album "frequently stunning" and said that Keys sang like "a young Aretha Franklin".[101] However, some critics found Keys' lyricism to be subpar to her singing and musical abilities.[93][97] The New Zealand Herald's Russell Baillie stated that Keys "might indicate abundant talent aligned to neatly reverential vintage soul style", but expressed that the songs "don't add up to anything particularly memorable".[36] Entertainment Weekly's Beth Johnson called the second half of the album slacked with "sad sack teen themes", but called it a promising album.[35] Rolling Stone's Barry Walters perceived her singing as more mature than her songwriting, but commended Keys for her "commanding presence" on the album.[97] Los Angeles Times writer Robert Hilburn said that the album "makes a convincing case that's she's going far—in both a commercial and creative sense".[94]
Critical plaudits for Songs in A Minor persevered in retrospective commentaries, with numerous critics concurring that the record had aged well by its 10th anniversary.[g] Accordingly, George Lang of The Oklahoman felt the reissue was "oddly premature",[103] while Walters opined that "excepting a drum-machine beat or two, [the album] feels timeless".[104] In a review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine further perceived the sonic quality as "rich enough to compensate for some thinness in the writing" and called the album "a startling assured, successful debut that deserved its immediate acclaim".[93] In The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (2007), Colin Larkin called it an "exotic" fusion of urban R&B, hip hop, and blues on "a minor classic of modern soul".[105] Lloyd Bradley, via BBC, hailed the record as "a masterpiece of contemporary soul songwriting and arrangement".[102] Stephen Deusner wrote for American Songwriter that the original album's "resourceful musicality extends to the bonus tracks" on the collector's edition.[106] Preezy of The Boombox praised the album for being a "phenomenal debut" and "quite sophisticated for a 20-year-old piano prodigy". Dissecting its structure, he concluded: "One positive of the deeper cuts on Songs in A Minor is that they reveal a bit of the woman sitting behind the piano, as opposed to showcasing her immense talent, a mission the opening tracks on the accomplished."[12] Ahead of the 20th anniversary of Songs in A Minor, Clover Hope of Pitchfork also exalted it as an outstanding debut, and—despite dismissing tracks such as "Girlfriend" and "Jane Doe", which she perceived as thematically dated—she praised Keys' self-sufficient musicianship and "incredibly persuasive" vocal performance.[13] Like Preezy,[12] Justin Chadwick of the website Albumism noted a loss of consistency throughout the record's second half, but nonetheless declared the album a "masterfully executed hybrid of classic and contemporary soul with an acute streetwise sensibility to balance its creator's musical intelligence and passion".[22]
Accolades
[edit]Awards
[edit]Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
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2001 | My VH1 Music Award | Must Have Album | Nominated | |
2001 | Billboard Music Award | R&B/Hip-Hop Album of the Year | Nominated | |
Female Albums Artist of the Year | Nominated | |||
2002 | American Music Award | Favorite Soul/R&B Album | Nominated | |
2002 | Brit Award | International Album | Nominated | |
2002 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Album | Won | |
Edison Award | R&B/HipHop | Won | ||
2002 | Grammy Award | Best R&B Album | Won | |
2002 | Soul Train Music Award | R&B/Soul or Rap Album of the Year | Nominated | |
Best R&B/Soul Album – Female | Won | |||
2002 | Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Award | Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album | Won | |
2002 | Teen Choice Award | Choice Music – Album | Nominated | |
2002 | Soul Train Lady of Soul Award | R&B/Soul Album of the Year – Solo | Won | |
2002 | MOBO Award | Best Album | Won | |
TEC Award | Outstanding Creative Achievement – Record Production/Album | Nominated | ||
2003 | Brit Award | International Album | Nominated | |
2003 | Hungarian Music Award | Foreign Rap or Hip-Hop Album of the Year | Won |
Listings
[edit]Year | Publication | List | Position | Ref. |
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2001 | Billboard | The Critics' Choice | 3
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Blender | The 50 Greatest Albums of 2001 | 7
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Mojo | Best 40 Albums of 2001 | 27
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Musikexpress | Kritiker Top 50 | 18
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Oor | Jaarlijst | 22
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Q | The Best 50 Albums of 2001 | —
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Rolling Stone | Top 10 Albums of 2001 | 2
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Slant Magazine | Top 10 Albums of 2001 | |||
The Village Voice | Pazz & Jop | 18
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2003 | Q | 100 Greatest Albums Ever | —
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2009 | Adresseavisen | 100 Best Albums of the Decade | 66
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Greatest Albums Ever | 26
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Rolling Stone | 100 Best Albums of the 2000s | 95
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2012 | Entertainment Weekly | The Best Albums Ever | 57
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2019 | The Guardian | The 100 Best Albums of the 21st Century | 66
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2022 | Rolling Stone | 100 Best Debut Albums of All Time | 46
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Commercial performance
[edit]In the US, Songs in A Minor sold over 50,000 copies on its first day of release.[139] It sold 236,000 copies in its first week, debuting atop the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts dated July 14, 2001; it thus became the first number-one for J Records on both charts.[46][140] The number-one debut for then-new artist Keys in a highly competitive week was largely attributed to the critical acclaim the album received, the burgeoning performance of its lead single "Fallin'", and Keys' appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show upon the album's release.[46] Selling 174,000 units in its second week, the album descended to number two to Devil's Night by D12; the albums were separated by margin of merely 0.17 percent, equalling to 306 copies.[141][142] Keys' performance on Good Morning America prompted Songs in A Minor to return to the summit in its third week,[143] where it remained the following week for a final week atop the chart.[144][19] On the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, it spent six consecutive weeks at number one.[145] The album registered its best-selling week during the holiday season of 2001, with sales of 241,000 units.[146] It became one of the best-selling albums of 2001,[147] placing at number 13 on the Billboard 200 year-end chart.[148] Following its 10th anniversary reissue in June 2011, the album re-entered the Billboard 200 at number 69;[149] it has spent a total of 70 weeks on the chart.[150] For combined sales and album-equivalent units amounting to seven million in the country, the album was certified septuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in August 2020.[50]
Internationally, Songs in A Minor was a sleeper hit. It progressively ascended towards its peak of number two on the Canadian Albums Chart over two months after its release,[151] and went on to be certified quintuple platinum by then-Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) in July 2002.[152] Across Europe, the album gradually reached the top 10 in 13 countries,[153][154] peaking at number one in the Netherlands, within the top three in Germany and Switzerland,[153] and at number five on the European Top 100 Albums.[155] By selling three million copies in Europe, it was certified triple platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) in 2004.[156] Debuting at number 75 on the UK Albums Chart, the album peaked at number six in its 28th week on the chart,[154] having spent two non-consecutive weeks atop the UK R&B Albums Chart.[157] In November 2002, it was certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), for sales of 900,000 units in the UK.[54] Songs in A Minor reached its number-three peak in Australia in March 2002, over six months after its release;[158] it would be certified triple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) in 2019, for combined sales and album-equivalent units of 210,000.[159] Similarly, the album fluctuated within the New Zealand Albums Chart for six months before peaking at number four,[160] being certified platinum by then-Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) in August 2002, for shipments of 15,000 units in the country.[161] Songs in A Minor was the seventh best-selling album in the world of 2001, having sold 6,700,000 units by the end of the year.[162] As of 2011, it has sold over 12 million copies worldwide.[i]
Legacy
[edit]"I'm so honored and grateful that 'Songs in A Minor,' the entire album, gets to be recognized as such a powerful body of work that is just going to be timeless. What is it about [the album] that I think resonates with everybody for so long? I just think it was so pure. People hadn't quite seen a woman in Timberlands and cornrows and really straight 100% off of the streets of New York performing classical music and mixing it with soul music and R&B. And people could find themselves in it. And I love that."
Songs in A Minor is widely regarded as an influential, yet idiosyncratic, album of its era.[j] According to J'na Jefferson in USA Today, it largely influenced contemporary R&B trends and "set the new millennium's artistic bar sky high".[168] Numerous critics accentuated the record's distinction from 2001's pop music landscape, predominantly due to its intricate and sensible lyricism, and fusion of classical and modern musical styles.[k] The self-produced Songs in A Minor was further placed in juxtaposition with more elaborately produced concurrent recordings of other R&B artists, largely produced by Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins, and Bryan-Michael Cox, such as Aaliyah's eponymous third and final studio album and Usher's 8701.[168] Including Songs in A Minor on their listing of best debut albums of all time, Rolling Stone concluded: "In an increasingly digitized pop age, this album was a reminder that history still lived and talent still mattered."[138] Erlewine further credited it for eliciting a rise of not only fellow neo soul musicians, but also "ambitious yet classicist" singers-songwriters of other genres—such as Nelly Furtado and Norah Jones—to ubiquitous prominence.[165] The Library of Congress selected Songs in A Minor for inclusion in the 2022 class of the National Recording Registry, based on its "cultural, historical or aesthetic importance".[169]
In August 2001, Margena A. Christian of Jet classified Keys as one of the fastest-rising recording artists,[170] while Touré regarded her as "the next queen of soul" in the November 8, 2001 issue of Rolling Stone's cover story.[19] Upon the release of her second studio album The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003), Kris Ex of Blender declared Keys "the first new pop artist of the millennium who was capable of changing music", which he attributed to Songs in A Minor.[171] A later Billboard article reflected on Songs in A Minor introducing Keys as "a different kind of pop singer. Not only was she mean on the ivories, but she showed true musicianship, writing and performing her material."[167] Hope observed how its background and structure separated Keys from her contemporaries, namely Destiny's Child, Britney Spears, NSYNC, and Usher, and ultimately led to Keys being positioned at the forefront of popular music, alongside India Arie, as "new ambassadors of neo-soul".[13] Gail Mitchell of Billboard shared those sentiments, adding that the album exhibited Keys' multifaceted talents.[166] With five wins at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards, Keys tied Lauryn Hill's record of most Grammy Awards won by a woman at a single ceremony;[172] the record would eventually be broken by Beyoncé, who won six awards at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards (2010).[173] Keys was also among the most nominated and awarded artists at numerous award ceremonies between 2001–2002, including the American Music Awards,[109] the Billboard Music Awards,[108] and the Soul Train Music Awards.[114] In an essay published by the Library of Congress, author Jene Roswell emphasized the significance of Keys' record-breaking Grammy Award wins and performance on the 2001 Billboard Year-End charts with her debut effort, as those achievements helped her solidify her status among leading recording artists of the time.[174] Songs in A Minor was thus credited with setting high expectations for The Diary of Alicia Keys, regarding both artistic merit and commercial performance.[165][175] However, the latter exceeded first-week sales of the former, becoming Keys' second consecutive Billboard 200 number-one entry with 618,000 units sold,[146] and won Keys her second Best R&B Album award at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards (2005).[64]
Track listing
[edit]No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Piano & I" | Alicia Keys | 1:51 | |
2. | "Girlfriend" |
|
| 3:34 |
3. | "How Come You Don't Call Me" | Prince |
| 3:57 |
4. | "Fallin'" | Keys | Keys | 3:30 |
5. | "Troubles" |
| 4:28 | |
6. | "Rock wit U" |
|
| 5:36 |
7. | "A Woman's Worth" |
| Keys | 5:03 |
8. | "Jane Doe" |
|
| 3:48 |
9. | "Goodbye" | Keys | Brian McKnight | 4:20 |
10. | "The Life" |
|
| 5:25 |
11. | "Mr. Man" (duet with Jimmy Cozier) |
|
| 4:09 |
12. | "Never Felt This Way" (interlude) |
| Keys | 2:00 |
13. | "Butterflyz" | Keys | Keys | 4:08 |
14. | "Why Do I Feel So Sad" |
|
| 4:25 |
15. | "Caged Bird" | Keys | Keys | 3:02 |
16. | "Lovin U" (hidden track) | Keys | Keys | 3:48 |
Total length: | 63:04 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
17. | "Rear View Mirror" |
|
| 4:06 |
Total length: | 67:07 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
18. | "Fallin'" (Remix) (featuring Busta Rhymes and Rampage) | Keys | 4:18 | |
19. | "A Woman's Worth" (Remix Radio Edit) |
| 4:24 | |
Total length: | 75:49 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
16. | "Fallin'" (Remix) (featuring Busta Rhymes and Rampage) | 4:15 |
17. | "A Woman's Worth" (Remix) | 4:46 |
18. | "Lovin U" (hidden track) | 3:48 |
Total length: | 74:06 |
No. | Title | Director(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
17. | "Fallin'" (music video) | Chris Robinson | 3:27 |
18. | "A Woman's Worth" (music video) | Robinson | 4:39 |
19. | "Girlfriend" (music video) | Patrick Hoelck | 4:00 |
Total length: | 75:07 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
17. | "Fallin'" (Ali version) | Keys | Keys | 4:26 |
18. | "I Won't (Crazy World)" |
|
| 3:44 |
19. | "Foolish Heart" | Allen Cato | Cato | 4:39 |
20. | "Crazy (Mi Corazon)" |
| Brothers | 3:53 |
Total length: | 79:43 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Girlfriend" (KrucialKeys Sista Girl Mix) |
| 3:27 | |
2. | "Gangsta Lovin'" (Eve featuring Alicia Keys) |
| 3:59 | |
3. | "Fallin'" (Remix) (featuring Busta Rhymes and Rampage) | Keys | Brothers[b] | 3:56 |
4. | "A Woman's Worth" (Remix) |
| 3:20 | |
5. | "Butterflyz" (Roger's Release Mix) | Keys |
| 3:54 |
6. | "Troubles" (Jay-J & Chris Lum Bootleg Mix) |
| 4:24 | |
7. | "How Come You Don't Call Me" (Neptunes Remix) | Prince |
| 4:23 |
8. | "Fallin'" (Ali version) | Keys | Keys | 4:30 |
9. | "Moonlight Sonata" / "L'Interludio, Ambivalente" / "Ain't Misbehavin'" (live) | 2:22 | ||
10. | "Goodbye" (live) | Keys | 2:49 | |
11. | "Never Felt This Way" (interlude) (live) |
| 1:45 | |
12. | "Butterflyz" (live) | Keys | 0:52 | |
13. | "Caged Bird" (live) | Keys | 2:03 | |
14. | "I Got a Little Something for You" (live) | Keys | 1:45 | |
15. | "Someday We'll All Be Free" (live) |
| 6:24 | |
Total length: | 49:49 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "A Woman's Worth" (Remix) (featuring Nas) |
| 4:28 |
2. | "Juiciest" (Mixtape version) |
| 3:03 |
3. | "If I Was Your Woman" (Original Funky Demo) |
| 2:59 |
4. | "Fallin'" (Ali version) | Keys | 4:26 |
5. | "Typewriter" |
| 3:10 |
6. | "Butterflyz" (The Drumline Mix) | Keys | 3:49 |
Total length: | 21:55 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "A Woman's Worth" (Remix) (featuring Nas) |
| 4:28 |
2. | "Juiciest" (Mixtape version) |
| 3:03 |
3. | "If I Was Your Woman" (Original Funky Demo) |
| 2:59 |
4. | "Ghetto Man" (featuring muMs da Schemer) |
| 4:17 |
5. | "Fallin'" (Ali version) | Keys | 4:26 |
6. | "Typewriter" |
| 3:10 |
7. | "Butterflyz" (The Drumline Mix) | Keys | 3:49 |
8. | "I Won't (Crazy World)" |
| 3:44 |
9. | "Girlfriend" (KrucialKeys Sista Girl Mix – The UK Video Remix Edit) |
| 3:52 |
10. | "I Got a Little Something" (live) | Keys | 1:42 |
11. | "Moonlight Sonata" / "L'Interludio, Ambivalente" / "Ain't Misbehavin'" (live) |
| 2:07 |
12. | "Light My Fire" (live) | 3:27 | |
Total length: | 41:04 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Songs in A Minor Documentary" | |
2. | "A Harlem Love Story" ("Fallin'" / "A Woman's Worth") | |
3. | "Girlfriend" | |
4. | "How Come You Don't Call Me" |
- Notes
- All live tracks were recorded at KeyArena in Seattle, on August 10, 2002.[7][5]
- On the UK special edition, hidden track "Lovin U" is preceded by two minutes of silence.[1]
- The 20th anniversary edition excludes the Ali version of "Fallin'" and "I Won't (Crazy World)" from vinyl pressings.[179]
- In 2023, the digital deluxe edition was updated to include all additional tracks from the collector's and 20th anniversary editions.[4]
- ^[a] signifies an additional producer
- ^[b] signifies a producer and remix producer
- ^[c] signifies a remix producer
- ^[d] signifies a co-producer
- ^[e] signifies an additional producer and remix producer
- Sample credits
- "Girlfriend" contains an interpolation of "Brooklyn Zoo" by Ol' Dirty Bastard.
Personnel
[edit]Credits adapted from the liner notes of Songs in A Minor.[180]
Musicians
[edit]- Alicia Keys – vocals (all tracks); piano (tracks 1, 2, 6, 11–14, 16); vocal arrangement (tracks 1, 2, 9); keyboards (tracks 1, 6, 11, 16); background vocals (tracks 1–3, 5–10, 13, 14, 16); all instruments (tracks 3, 8); arrangement (tracks 4, 5, 7–13, 15, 16); all instruments except violin (track 4); all instruments except bass (track 5); digital programming (tracks 7, 10); piano concept (track 9); string arrangements (track 16)
- Kerry "Krucial" Brothers – drum programming (tracks 1, 3); digital programming (tracks 4–6, 8, 10, 14, 16)
- Brian Cox – keyboards (track 2)
- Miri – violin (tracks 4, 11); keyboards (track 11); additional strings (track 16)
- Cindy Mizelle – background vocals (track 4)
- Tammy Saunders – background vocals (track 4)
- Andricka Hall – background vocals (track 4)
- Tim Shider – bass (track 5); bass concept (track 14)
- Paul L. Green – background vocals (tracks 5, 7)
- Isaac Hayes – string arrangements, flute arrangements, Rhodes piano (track 6)
- The Isaac Hayes Orchestra – string arrangements, flute arrangements (track 6)
- Norman Hedman – percussion (tracks 6, 10)
- Gerald G. Flowers – guitar (tracks 6, 13, 14)
- Vic Flowers – bass (tracks 6, 14)
- Arty White – guitar (tracks 7, 10)
- Kandi – background vocals (track 8)
- Brian McKnight – all instruments (track 9)
- Anthony Nance – drum programming (track 9)
- Rufus Jackson – bass (track 10)
- Jimmy Cozier – vocals (track 11)
- Arden Altino – additional keyboards (track 11)
- Cato – guitar concept (track 13)
- Richie Goods – upright bass (track 13); bass (track 16)
- Reggie Flowers – additional fills (track 14)
- John Peters – organ (track 16)
- A & C Productions – strings (track 16)
Technical
[edit]- Alicia Keys – production (tracks 1–8, 10–16); executive production
- Kerry "Krucial" Brothers – production (tracks 1, 3, 6, 14); recording (tracks 3–6, 10, 13–16); additional production concepts (track 5, 10)
- Gerry Brown – recording (track 1); mixing (tracks 1, 5, 6, 13, 14)
- Jermaine Dupri – production (track 2)
- Brian Frye – recording (track 2)
- Phil Tan – mixing (track 2)
- Russ Elevado – mixing (tracks 3, 4, 16)
- Manny Marroquin – mixing (tracks 7–10)
- Kandi – production (track 8)
- Ralph Cacciurri – recording (track 8)
- Brian McKnight – production (track 9)
- Chris Wood – recording (track 9)
- Mary Ann Souza – recording assistance (track 9)
- Jimmy Cozier – production (track 11)
- Arden Altino – production (track 11)
- Miri Ben-Ari – production (track 11)
- Rick St. Hillaire – recording (track 11)
- Tony Maserati – mixing (track 11)
- Acar Key – recording (track 12)
- Clive Davis – executive production
- Peter Edge – executive production
- Jeff Robinson – executive production
- Herb Powers Jr. – mastering
Artwork
[edit]- Tony Duran – photography
- Alli – creative direction, art direction
- Nowhere – design, logo design
Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
|
Year-end charts[edit]
Decade-end charts[edit]
Centurial charts[edit]
All-time charts[edit]
|
Certifications
[edit]Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[159] | 3× Platinum | 210,000‡ |
Austria (IFPI Austria)[246] | Gold | 20,000* |
Belgium (BRMA)[247] | Gold | 25,000* |
Canada (Music Canada)[152] | 5× Platinum | 500,000^ |
Croatia (HDU)[248] | Silver | |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[249] | Platinum | 50,000^ |
France (SNEP)[57] | Platinum | 300,000* |
Germany (BVMI)[250] | Platinum | 300,000^ |
Italy (FIMI)[251] | Platinum | 150,000[252] |
Japan (RIAJ)[253] | Gold | 100,000^ |
Netherlands (NVPI)[254] | 2× Platinum | 160,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[161] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
Norway (IFPI Norway)[255] | Gold | 25,000* |
Poland (ZPAV)[256] | Gold | 20,000* |
South Africa (RISA)[198] | Platinum | 50,000* |
South Korea | — | 23,138[257] |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[199] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Sweden (GLF)[258] | Platinum | 80,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[259] | 2× Platinum | 80,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[54] | 3× Platinum | 1,144,603[260] |
United States (RIAA)[50] | 7× Platinum | 7,000,000‡ |
Summaries | ||
Europe (IFPI)[156] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000* |
Worldwide | — | 12,000,000[i] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
[edit]Region | Date | Edition(s) | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States | June 26, 2001 | Standard | J | ||
United Kingdom | July 23, 2001 | CD | |||
South Korea | August 16, 2001 |
|
BMG | ||
Australia | September 3, 2001 | CD | |||
Germany | |||||
Japan | September 26, 2001 | ||||
France | October 15, 2001 | ||||
Japan | February 27, 2002 | Remix Plus | |||
United Kingdom | March 11, 2002 | Special | Enhanced CD | J | |
Germany | October 28, 2002 | Remixed & Unplugged[c] | Double CD | BMG | |
Japan | February 26, 2003 | CD | |||
United States | December 9, 2003 | Standard | DVD-Audio | J | |
Germany | June 24, 2011 |
|
|
Sony Music | |
Australia | June 27, 2011 | ||||
France | |||||
United Kingdom | |||||
United States | June 28, 2011 | ||||
Standard | Vinyl | ||||
Japan | July 3, 2011 |
|
|
Sony Music Japan | |
United Kingdom | September 19, 2011 | Standard | Vinyl | Sony Music | |
Various | June 4, 2021 | 20th anniversary |
|
||
January 21, 2022 | Vinyl |
See also
[edit]- Alicia Keys discography
- List of best-selling albums by women
- List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 2001
- List of Billboard number-one R&B albums of 2001
- List of UK R&B Albums Chart number ones of 2001
- List of top 25 albums for 2002 in Australia
- New Zealand top 50 albums of 2001
- New Zealand top 50 albums of 2002
References
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ UK special edition cover features a photograph of Keys wearing a white top and black hat, against a white background.[1] Digital 20th anniversary edition cover features a wide shot of the original cover's photograph.[2]
- ^ On the physical deluxe edition cover, two photographs of Keys shift depending on the viewing angle.[3] Digital deluxe edition cover solely displays the photograph from the original cover.[4] Collector's edition cover features a silhouette of Keys' head, with Manhattan skyscrapers and piano keys painted over it.[5]
- ^ a b c d In Europe, Songs in A Minor was reissued to include a bonus disc of live performances and remixes, subtitled Remixed & Unplugged.[6] In Japan, the bonus disc was released on its own under the title Remixed & Unplugged in A Minor.[7] Both releases use the same cover.
- ^ attributed to multiple sources[9][10][11][12]
- ^ a b Contemporary articles regarding Songs in A Minor in multiple publications, as well as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), state June 26 as the album's release date.[16][48][49][50] Multiple retrospective articles incorrectly state June 5 as the release date.[51][52][53]
- ^ attributed to multiple sources[54][55][56][57]
- ^ attributed to multiple sources[93][102][103][104]
- ^ While Songs in A Minor did not make the top 10, it was listed among honorable mentions.
- ^ a b attributed to multiple sources[164][12][103]
- ^ attributed to multiple sources[164][165][166][167][12]
- ^ attributed to multiple sources[167][138][19][13][168][22]
- ^ The 2011 chart entries in France and the Netherlands are credited to the deluxe and collector's editions. In the US, the original album re-entered the Billboard charts, based on combined units of standard, deluxe, and collector's editions.
Citations
[edit]- ^ a b c Keys, Alicia (2002). Songs in A Minor (special edition CD). RCA Records. 74321-92889-2.
- ^ "Songs In A Minor (20th Anniversary Edition)". Legacy Recordings. June 4, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2025 – via Spotify.
- ^ a b Keys, Alicia (2011). Songs in A Minor (deluxe edition double CD). J Records, Legacy Recordings. 88697-90641-2.
- ^ a b "Songs In A Minor (Deluxe Edition)". J Records, Legacy Recordings. June 28, 2011. Retrieved May 22, 2025 – via Spotify.
- ^ a b c d Keys, Alicia (2011). Songs in A Minor (collector's edition box set). J Records, Legacy Recordings. 88697-90552-2.
- ^ Keys, Alicia (2002). Songs in A Minor: Remixed & Unplugged (double CD). Bertelsmann Music Group. 74321-96962-2.
- ^ a b Keys, Alicia (2003). Remixed & Unplugged in A Minor (CD). Bertelsmann Music Group. BVCP-27043.
- ^ "A Woman's Worth – Songs In A Minor Turns 20". Structures Capable Of Joy. June 5, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
- ^ a b c Gittins, Ian (November 2, 2001). "'I love Chopin. He's my dawg'". The Guardian. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Pareles, Jon (January 27, 2002). "Music; To Be Alicia Keys: Young, Gifted and in Control". The New York Times. pp. 1–3. Archived from the original on May 3, 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
- ^ "Soul princess Alicia key to 'Wall of Hope' success". China Daily. September 7, 2004. Archived from the original on December 8, 2008. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f Preezy (June 5, 2016). "How Alicia Keys' 'Songs In A Minor' Album Mastered The Art Of Classical Soul". The Boombox. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Hope, Clove (March 28, 2021). "Alicia Keys: Songs in A Minor". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
- ^ a b Merritt, Stephanie (March 21, 2004). "Soul sister number one". The Guardian. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "Oprah Talks to Alicia Keys". O, The Oprah Magazine. September 2004. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Neal, Mark Anthony (June 25, 2001). "Alicia Keys: Songs in A Minor". PopMatters. Retrieved May 2, 2009.
- ^ "New Faces in Music". Jet. Vol. 100, no. 5. July 16, 2001. p. 59. ISSN 0021-5996 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c d e Gaar 2002, p. 461
- ^ a b c d e Touré (November 8, 2001). "The Next Queen of Soul". Rolling Stone. pp. 1–6. Retrieved August 10, 2009.
- ^ Kimpel 2006, p. 68
- ^ a b Kimpel 2006, p. 69
- ^ a b c Chadwick, Justin (May 31, 2021). "Alicia Keys' Debut Album 'Songs in A Minor' Turns 20". Albumism. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
- ^ Birchmeier, Jason. "Dr. Dolittle 2 – Original Soundtrack". AllMusic. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
- ^ Shaffer, Claire (April 7, 2020). "Alicia Keys Had to Audition in Front of Prince to Cover His Song". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ^ Caldwell, Brandon (June 6, 2021). "Alicia Keys Recalls Needing Prince's Permission To Cover 'How Come You Don't Call Me'". HipHopDX. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Hot Product". Billboard. June 11, 2001. Retrieved August 10, 2009.
- ^ Smucker et al. 2004, p. 449.
- ^ MacDonald, Patrick (September 19, 2008). "Six years after 'Minor' success, Alicia Keys is a major star". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on May 2, 2009. Retrieved May 3, 2009.
- ^ a b Stevenson, Jane. "Album Review: Songs in A Minor". Jam!. Archived from the original on December 5, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
- ^ a b Jones, Steve (May 12, 2001). "Travis, made manifest R&B's Alicia Keys hits all the right ones". USA Today. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
- ^ Mulvey, John (August 16, 2001). "Alicia Keys Songs In A Minor Album Review". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
- ^ Strong & Peel 2002, p. 576
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- ^ "The Maestro". Vibe. Vol. 9, no. 10. October 2001. p. 98. ISSN 1070-4701 – via Google Books.
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- ^ a b c d Ward, Christian (August 10, 2001). "Alicia Keys : Songs in A Minor J Records". NME. Archived from the original on May 22, 2009. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
- ^ a b c Meyer, Carmen (January 30, 2002). "Songs in A Minor". iAfrica. Archived from the original on March 1, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
- ^ Newman, Melinda (January 30, 2025). "Clive Davis Shares His Favorite Memory From 50 Years of His Legendary Pre-Grammy Gala". Billboard. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
- ^ a b Hall, Rashaun (June 2, 2001). "Newcomer Alicia Keys Chooses 'Songs In A Minor' For Her J Records Debut". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 22. pp. 21, 23. Retrieved June 17, 2025 – via Google Books.
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- ^ "Alicia Keys – Fallin'". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
- ^ "The Billboard Hot 100 – 2001". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2006. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
- ^ Ducker, Eric (January 25, 2015). "Read Alicia Keys' First Ever Interview From 2001". The Fader. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
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- ^ a b c "American album certifications – Alicia Keys – Songs in A Minor". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ Kile, Meredith B. (May 18, 2021). "Alicia Keys to Perform 'Songs in A Minor' 20th Anniversary Medley at 2021 Billboard Music Awards (Exclusive)". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
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- ^ a b "Songs in A Minor". Sony BMG Australia. Archived from the original on September 9, 2007. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
- ^ a b "ソングス・イン・Aマイナー" [Songs in A Minor] (in Japanese). Bertelsmann Music Group. September 26, 2001. Retrieved May 22, 2025 – via Oricon.
- ^ a b c "French album certifications – Alicia Keys – Songs in A Minor" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. January 22, 2003. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
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- ^ "Episode 4". Later... with Jools Holland. Series 18. Episode 4. November 5, 2001. BBC Two. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
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Bibliography
[edit]- Gaar, Gillian G. (2002). She's a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll. Seal Press. ISBN 1-58005-078-6.
- Kimpel, Dan (2006). How They Made It. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 0-634-07642-6.
- Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th Concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85-712595-8.
- Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 [Hits Only: Year by Year, 1959–2002] (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Sociedad General de Autores y Editores. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- Smucker, Tom; et al. (November 2, 2004). Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- Strong, Martin C.; Peel, John (2002). The Great Rock Discography (6th ed.). Canongate Books. ISBN 1-84195-312-1.
External links
[edit]- Songs in A Minor at Discogs (list of releases)
- Official website
- 2001 debut albums
- Albums produced by Alicia Keys
- Albums produced by Brian McKnight
- Albums produced by Jermaine Dupri
- Albums recorded at Unique Recording Studios
- Albums with cover art by Tony Duran
- Alicia Keys albums
- Grammy Award for Best R&B Album
- J Records albums
- J Records remix albums
- United States National Recording Registry recordings
- United States National Recording Registry albums