Destination Jam: Top 5 Aaliyah songs that epitomize late R&B star's legacy and impact on the music industry
Aaliyah, Hebrew for 'highest, most exalted one, the best', was a name the singer herself thought of as beautiful. She strived to live up to it every day of her life. But despite the success she saw in her short-lived career, even she could not have predicted the impact her legacy would leave on the world long after her death.
At the age of 12, Aaliyah was already signed to Jive Records as well as Blackground Records. The latter was owned by her uncle, Barry Hankerson, who would later introduce the young singer to her future mentor, songwriter, producer, and illegal husband, R Kelly not long after she was signed. And soon after this partnership was struck, Aaliyah dropped her hit debut album, 'Age Ain't Nothing but a Number' in 1994. After the dissolution of her illegal marriage to Kelly, Aaliyah would end her partnership with Jive and move on to Atlantic Records, where she struck another hit-making partnership with Timbaland and Missy Elliott. The trio would go on to become industry moguls in their own right, all starting with Aaliyah's second album, 'One in a Million', which released in 1996.
Aaliyah was just at the beginning of what many predicted would be a career that would reshape the industry. Sadly, she passed away in 2001 while on a flight from the Bahamas where she was filming what would be her final music video for the single 'Rock The Boat'. Her legacy includes a slew of awards and accolades, but most importantly, Aaliyah is remembered for redefining the contemporary R&B, pop, and hip hop genres. She continues to be known as the 'Princess of R&B' and 'Queen of Urban Pop', and she continues to serve as an inspiration to many artistes across several genres.
In memory of the tenth most successful female R&B artist of the past 25 years, and the 27th most successful in history, according to Billboard, here are five career-defining songs from Aaliyah that helped reshape contemporary music.
'Age Ain't Nothing But a Number'
While 1994's 'Back and Forth' was Aaliyah's first hit single, 'Age Ain't Nothing But a Number' was the song that really put the singer on everyone's radar. Only 15 when she released both tracks, both produced by R Kelly, not many paid too much heed to their overt sexual innuendos or their early indications of how Kelly viewed the underaged singer he was mentoring. One reason for this was Aaliyah's stunning vocals that delivered the R&B track with such ease, it made everyone stop and take notice of the new talent that just graced the scene, often forgetting just how young she was when she singing these songs.
'Age Ain't Nothing But a Number' sampled a line from Bobby Caldwell's 1978 top 10 hit 'What You Won't Do For Love'. The song would go on to be a top 40 hit on the R&B chart, later peaking at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #75, while Aaliyah's debut album of the same name peaked at number 18 on the overall album chart.
'If Your Girl Only Knew'
Released in 1996 when Aaliyah was only 17, 'If Your Girl Only Knew' was produced by Timbaland, who also co-wrote the track with Missy Elliott. It served as the first record that showcased the real range of talent all three of these artistes had. The song hit number one on the R&B singles chart and went ranked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. The music video featured all three artistes in addition to cameos from Lil' Kim and Ginuwine. Additionally, it featured Aaliyah's trademark sunglasses.
The song featured on Aaliyah's second album 'One In a Million', which went on to be both a critical and commercial success. Rolling Stone listed the release as one of the top 100 albums of the 1990s. Additionally, several other writers have named the album as one of the most influential in the hip hop community in the 1990s. 'The One I Gave My Heart To', another hit single off the record, would also become one of Aaliyah's defining songs owing to it showcasing her impressive vocal abilities. Songwriter Diane Warren later shared in an interview with Vibe magazine, "She could go where the Whitneys went. She wailed on that single I wrote for her. I write songs that challenge singers, and she rose to the occasion."
'Are You That Somebody'
Released in 1998, 'Are You That Somebody' featured in the soundtrack to the film 'Dr Doolittle'. Produced by Timbaland, this song dropped to critical acclaim for both artistes, eventually leading to Aaliyah's first Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Rolling Stone also listed the song as one of the top 50 songs of the 1990s. The song notably earned Timbaland attention for his unique producing choices which, on 'Are You That Somebody', included a sample of a baby cooing. This sound clip has since featured in several other recordings, though it was originally heard on a 1966 song from electronic music pioneers Perrey and Kingsley titled 'Countdown at 6'.
'Try Again'
Arguably one of Aaliyah's most recognized songs, 'Try Again' was also her only single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It also became the first song to top the chart based solely on radio airplay. 'Try Again' was recorded for the 2000 film 'Romeo Must Die', which starred Jet Li and Aaliyah in her first major movie role. Another Timbaland produced track, the song would go on to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, in addition to winning two MTV Video Music Awards including Best Female Video. Rolling Stone counted the track as one of the 100 best of the decade.
Following her appearance in 'Romeo Must Die', Aaliyah appeared in the film 'Queen of the Damned' and dropped her self-titled third and final studio album. The release went on to top the Billboard 200.
'Rock The Boat'
Released posthumously in 2002, 'Rock The Boat' was the final music video Aaliyah filmed. Written by Static Major, Eric Seats, and Rapture Stewart for the singer's final self-titled album, the song peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for twenty-five weeks. The song was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. In addition to 'Rock The Boat,' Aaliyah also left behind several other unreleased tracks prior to her untimely demise. This included 'Miss You', which was initially put aside by Blackground who didn't think the song would be a hit, and 'I Care 4 U', penned by Timbaland and Elliott.
'Miss You' would go on to hit number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earn an MTV Video Music Award nomination for Best R&B Video. Many thought the track's poignant lyrics combined with Aaliyah's soulful vocals made the song seem more personal than her other tracks, which made it all the more special for her fans and peers who were still in shock over her death. 'I Care 4 U' hit number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 3 on the R&B chart. The song was originally recorded for 'One In a Million' but was only completed after the album was ready. It was saved for her next album and released over 18 months after her death. Despite being roughly seven years old, the song sounded as fresh as ever and managed to have a significant impact on pop and R&B music that followed.
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