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20. Skydive (Open) (2021)
Two different genres take one album – traditional, one more heavy – put together, Keys was an experiment that didn’t work, but Skydive, written by Raphael Saadiq, is a good song: Both versions are good but Mike WiLL Made-It’s bumping rework wins a little.
19. Jane Doe (2001)
A collaboration with Xscape singer Kandi Burruss, Jane Doe is a slice of ’00s get-your-hands-off-my-man R&B. When you sit, if it doesn’t sound exactly right, you can put it next to the songs that Burruss wrote for TLC and Destiny’s Child: No Scrubs, Bills Bills Bills and Bug a Boo.
18. Wait Till You See My Smile (2009)
Unashamedly 80s bombast – Billy Joel’s piano, booming drums, playful rock music – meets emotional sophistication: on one level, Wait and See My Smile is completely silly, and unstoppable, and Keys’ voice, by turns, sounds amazing.
17. Love Looks Better (2020)
There’s a familiar EDM note about the synths on Love Looks Good and the song, written by Ryan Tedder, is bright white pop. Of course we’re a long way from Keys’ classic R&B, but her vocals bring life, and she’s a badass that never goes out of her way.
16. Blended Family (What You Do About Love) (ft A$AP Rocky) (2016)
It’s hard to think of many other pop songs about the joys of being a stepmother, or to think of one that’s as sweetly touching as this one: the catchphrase (“even though I’m married to your father / That’s not the only reason I’m here for you”), a killer sample from Edie Brickell’s What I Am, a great guest verse by A$AP Rocky.
15. Days of the Dragon (2003)
If you want, you can see The Diary of Alicia Keys as an album about the ups and downs of the writer’s love life. Dragon Days, which sprouts in the middle, captures him very much on the rise: his voice is a breathless cry, the music is very difficult.
14. Fire We Make (ft Maxwell) (2012)
Fire We Make couldn’t be more straightforward: a classic, slow-paced jam, embellished with horns and a haunting guitar riff. But who needs magic when the music is this good, and includes Maxwell in falsetto lover-man street?
13. The Importance of a Woman (2005)
Originally a string-filled dance track from her debut album Songs in A Minor, Woman’s Worth sounds at its best on the album Untethered: very fast, free from drums, bass, piano and guitar, inspired by the rapturous audience.
12. It Means Nothing (2009)
The first single from The Element of Freedom, Keys’ fourth album, was released to rave reviews: the main criticism was that it was boring, but you can easily picture it as Keys does: a boring but well-written, piano-driven, mid-tempo, well-played song, job done.
11. Diary (ft Tony! Toni! Toné! and Jermaine Paul) (2003)
The diary is all about the slow burn, its gradual transition from intimacy to power. The lyrics are about a relationship that seems to be going on in secret, but by the end of the song, things seem to have gone awry – a climax that is amplified by Tony’s appearance! Tony! Tony!
10. Empire State of Mind Part II (Broken Down) (2009)
You can expect the interpretation of Keys piano for the 21st century in New York, New York will be more sad than the version of Jay-Z: it keeps the music of the monster, but if it is, it is romantic and shiny, close to the music of the show. It’s still a fun song.
9. Like You’ll Never See Me Again (2007)
Keys covered Prince’s How Come You Don’t Call Me on her debut album and her influence is palpable around the likes of You Won’t See Me Again, a beautiful, rich falsetto workhorse. But not only does it sound like Prince, but you can almost imagine him singing, which counts as a huge compliment.
8. Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart (2009)
Keys’ album The Element of Freedom provided a radical change in music, influencing 70s soul movement and inspiration from 80s pop. Try To Sleep With A Broken Heart is a prime example: a powerful classic hip-hop beat, a similar style, and, most importantly, a classic pop song at its core.
7. Karma (2003)
Keys trained as a former pianist – studied the Suzuki method and loves Chopin. Perhaps the foundation went into Karma’s voice, which divides the difference between the high-quality strings that were popular in the early 00s hip-hop and the more complex, rococo arrangements.
6. Underdog (2020)
Co-written by Ed Sheeran and his regular collaborator Amy Wadge, Underdog’s desperation began again when Covid was declared a pandemic two months after the song’s release. But you don’t have to be in the middle of a global tragedy to appreciate his stormy voice and message of hope.
5. Nothing (2007)
The first and standout track from Keys’ third album, Like Me, Nobody boasts that it’s probably the best song the singer has ever recorded in the studio: no fireworks, just a haunting sound from the opening credits. Also, the music is amazing.
4. Unthinkable (I’m Ready) (remix ft Drake) (2010)
The original is great, but it’s Drake’s remix – recorded on top of his original patch – that you want to hear. It’s dreamy and brooding in its lyrics, which fit the story perfectly: a close-up of 20s romance.
3. You Don’t Know My Name (2003)
The pillowy sound of soft soul from the 70s that has been surprisingly revived in the 21st century – the sample comes from Main Ingredient’s 1975 album Let Me Prove My Love to You – You Don’t Know My Name is beautiful and topical: the whole song sounds like a whirlwind of unrequited love.
2. Fallin’ (2001)
Fallin’ was a breakthrough for Keys, but it came after several false starts: the big deal of the 90s went nowhere. It is tempting to say that you can hear him feeling that this may be his last chance at the power of his voice: indeed, it is the most powerful introduction to his career.
1. If I Don’t Have You (2003)
Obviously a love song, but inspired by the death of Aaliyah and the 9/11 attack that happened a few weeks after the death of the singer, If I Ain’t Got You is the most popular song of Alicia Keys – more than 1.5 billion streams on Spotify alone – for reasons: beautiful playing and singing, and Keys’ excellent sound skills in modern music. not retro. The truth about pub questions: he almost gave it to Christina Aguilera, believing that “I’ll write a hundred more like this”, until his A&R convinced him not to.
