Entertainment
A guide to Aaliyah’s One In A Million album as R&B masterpiece hits streaming services after 15 years
Aaliyah’s music is finally available on streaming platforms (Picture: AP, Atlantic Records)
It’s a momentous day for Aaliyah fans as the late singer’s iconic second album, One In A Million, has been released on streaming services for the first time.
The R&B superstar died in a plane crash on August 25, 2001 at the age of 22 just as she was reaching the peak of her fame and success.
Since then, it has been a huge frustration that fans haven’t been able to easily listen to Aaliyah’s music and keep her legacy alive. This was due to the singer’s family not approving of the release of her music due to a dispute with Blackground Records, which is run by Aaliyah’s uncle Barry Henkerson.
However, that all changed earlier this month when Spotify finally announced a release schedule for five of Aaliyah’s albums, kicking off with One In A Million on August 20. Most of her discography will also be available on Apple Music and other streaming platforms.
It will allow mature Aaliyah fans to enjoy the nostalgia of her 90s classics, while the TikTok generation will no doubt create several dance challenges to her mid-tempo bops.
Whichever category you fall into, here’s a rundown of everything you need to know about Aaliyah’s second studio album…
When did Aaliyah release One In A Million?
Aaliyah dropped her second album, One In A Million, on August 27, 1996. It came just over two years after her debut, Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number.
One In A Million was Aaliyah’s second album (Picture: Blackground, Atlantic Records)
Several of Aaliyah’s albums will hit streaming platforms over the next two months (Picture: Spotify)
Aaliyah died in August 2001 aged 22 (Picture: WireImage)
Why is Aaliyah’s One In A Million so important?
One In A Million marked the first time in her career that Aaliyah had stepped away from working with R Kelly, who produced her debut album and was heavily involved in her professional development.
It also sparked the beginning of her lifelong partnership with producers Timbaland and Missy Elliott, as well as Jermaine Dupri and Rodney Jerkins, all of whom worked on the record.
One In A Million debuted at number 20 on the Billboard 200 chart after selling 40,500 copies in its opening week. However, its cultural significance meant so much more.
This album not only remains a diamond in Aaliyah’s catalogue but Missy and Timbaland’s discography too.
The song One In A Million introduced a mature and sultry sound for Aaliyah, while the bouncy If You’re Girl Only Knew revealed her cheeky, sassy and confident personality.
Standout ballad, 4 Page Letter, allowed Aaliyah the chance to showcase how brilliantly she can master and embody a stripped back beat.
At a time when the likes of Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston were dominating the airwaves with their big powerhouse vocals, Aaliyah proved she could also nail a Dianne Warren-penned ballad with the silky The One I Gave My Heart To.
Opening up about the direction of the album, Aaliyah told the AP at the time: ‘It shows the growth over the past two years, I’m 17 now so this album shows that. It shows my vocals, my vocal range. I took a lot of risks on the album, I tried a lot of different things and that’s the main change from the two albums.
‘I wanted the different varieties on the album to showcase all parts of my personality. I love the soul, hip hop and R&B, I love it all, but I do want people to see me as the type of artist that can sing any kind of music.’
Why isn’t Aaliyah’s debut album Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number available to stream?
It was glaringly noticeable that Aaliyah’s first album, 1994’s Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number, was missing from Spotify’s release schedule.
However, it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise given that the entire record was produced by disgraced R&B singer R Kelly.
The I Believe I Can Fly singer became a mentor for Aaliyah at the beginning of her career and signed on as lead songwriter and producer of her debut album.
Songs like I’m So Into You and, of course, the title track Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number, are now difficult to listen to given Kelly allegedly married Aaliyah when she was just 15 and in light of the sexual exploitation charges against him.
With Kelly as a songwriter and producer, it’s likely he would earn royalties from any streams of the album. He was essentially blacklisted from Spotify playlists in 2019 when fresh sexual abuse charges emerged.
More: US Showbiz news
When will Aaliyah’s other albums be available for release?
Spotify plans to release four more Aaliyah albums over the next two months:
September 3
Romeo Must Die Soundtrack
September 10
Aaliyah
October 8
I Care 4 U + Ultimate Aaliyah
Aaliyah’s One In A Million is available to stream now.
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