Aaliyah (album)

Infobox Album
Name = Aaliyah
Type = Studio album
Artist = Aaliyah


Released = Start date|2001|7|17
(See release history)
Recorded = 1996–2001
Genre = Contemporary R&B
Length = 65:55
Label = Blackground/Virgin/EMI Records
7243 8 10767 2 9
V2-10767
Producer = Aaliyah
Barry Hankerson
Timbaland
Missy Elliott
Bud'da
Jeffrey "J-Dub" Walker
Rapture
E. Seats
Static Major
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:tw5f8qfpbtx4 link]
*"Entertainment Weekly" (B+) [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:tw5f8qfpbtx4 link]
*Review-Christgau|hm3|album=11015|
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|4|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/123191/aaliyah link]
*"Slant Magazine" Rating|4|5 [http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=1 link]
Last album = "One in a Million"
(1996)
This album = "Aaliyah"
(2001)
Next album = "I Care 4 U"
(2002)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = Studio Album


Lower caption = Limited edition animated package with bonus track and DVD Singles
Name = Aaliyah
Type = studio
single 1 = We Need a Resolution
single 1 date = April 24, 2001
single 2 = Rock the Boat
single 2 date = August 11, 2001
single 3 = More Than a Woman
single 3 date = November 13, 2001
single 4 = I Care 4 U
single 4 date = May 4, 2002

"Aaliyah" is the self-titled third and final studio album by the late American contemporary R&B singer Aaliyah, released by Blackground and Virgin Records on July 17, 2001 (see 2001 in music). It was primarily produced by Rapture & E. Seats, with additional production by Timbaland, Bud'da, Jeffrey "J-Dub" Walker, Static and Aaliyah. The album debuted at #2 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and was certified gold four weeks after release selling around 187,000 in its first week, but quickly jumped from number nineteen to number one with sales of almost 400,000 beating Mary J. Blige and Slipknot from number one [ [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1448658/20010905/aaliyah.jhtml Aaliyah Bests Blige, Slipknot For #1; Sales surge for late R&B singer will lead strong debuts on Billboard 200] ] following her death from a fatal plane crash on August 25, 2001. The album has sold over 2 million copies in the U.S"Aaliyah" was hailed as the singer's most mature project. Nearly all of its tracks were written by Steve "Static" Garrett, with Missy Elliott contributing the album's fourth single, "I Care 4 U". Written and demoed by Elliott and Timbaland for "One in a Million", although Aaliyah did not record the song for that album (it was determined that there was no room for it), and instead recorded the song for this album. The album was also nominated for a 2002 Best R&B Album.

Musical style

Though Aaliyah did not co-write any of the songs on her final studio project, as executive producer she added more creative input during the making of the album than she did on her previous two albums. The album, which was Aaliyah's most experimental, became a crossover hit while still keeping Aaliyah's huge popularity in urban music. The album is mainly composed of soul ballads, electropop/rock songs and contemporary R&B songs. The contemporary R&B/hip hop song "We Need a Resolution", the Marvin Gaye-influenced "Rock the Boat", the dance-pop hit "More Than a Woman" and soul ballad "I Care 4 U" were released as singles worldwide. The adventurous side of the album begins with the symphonic soul ballad "I Refuse", which was exclusively released in France. The unofficial single "I Can Be" incorporates hard rock combining the melodies of both Beatles' "Come Together" and Black Sabbath's "Hand of Doom" while the album closes with "What If" which was labeled by one music critic as "R&B King Crimson" [http://www.livedaily.com/news/3397.html]

Critical acclaim

"Aaliyah" was called one of the "strongest urban soul records of its time" by Allmusic, who gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars. "Rolling Stone" gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, calling it a "near-flawless declaration of strength and independence" and noting the Janet Jackson and Alanis Morissette influences on the album. Craig Seymour of "Entertainment Weekly" gave "Aaliyah" a B+, saying it "creates a largely, up-tempo thrillingly melodramatic set" that "takes a melancholy-at times sinister-view of matters of the heart". However, Seymour also stated that Aaliyah "missteps when she tries to stretch outside of her musical comfort zones", specifically mentioning the Latin pop "Read Between the Lines" and the nu metal "What If".Cite web |last=Seymour |first=Craig |title=Aaliyah|Music Review|Entertainment Weekly |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,255526,00.html |work=Entertainment Weekly |accessdate=2008-06-23]

Track listing

Trivia

*Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor was to produce a track for the album, but because of scheduling difficulties, the track could not be recorded. Aaliyah mentioned that she was a fan of Nine Inch Nails on several occasions.
*She dedicated this album to her grandmother, Mintis L. Hicks Hankerson.

References

succession box
before = "Now" by Maxwell
title = "Billboard" 200 number-one album
years = September 15 2001 – September 21 2001
after = "Toxicity" by System of a Down