The 25 Best Alicia Keys Songs
Anthems and classics from one of the best to ever do it.
1 / 26
The 25 Best Alicia Keys Songs - Alicia Keys is reaching her 31st year today, January 25, and she's made the most of them: a mantle full of Grammys, millions of records sold and an almost year-old son, Egypt. But her most lasting impact will be in her amazing, timeless music, from pop anthems to instant soul standards to chart-topping power ballads. Here, BET.com counts down Alicia Keys' 25 best songs. —Alex Gale (Photo: J Records)
2 / 26
25. "Put It in a Love Song" - This all-star meeting of the minds, which featured Alicia recruiting Beyoncé and hubby Swizzy, was slated to be the fourth single to her fourth album, The Element of Freedom — an expensive-sounding video was even shot in Brazil — but was pulled back last minute by the label. We're not sure why; the song is a perfect combination of its creators' talents, with its pulsing, percussive Swizz production, atmospheric pianos from Alicia and Bey's pure singing prowess. (Photo: Anthony Harvey/PictureGroup; Michelly Rall/Getty Images for Live Earth Events)
3 / 26
24. "Samsonite Man" - With its all-too-wise take on a rolling-stone lover and Wonder-esque hints of '70s funk, this smoky song perfectly exemplifies how an already-poised Alicia matured and expanded her horizons even more between her 2001 debut, Songs in A Minor, and 2003's The Diary of Alicia Keys.
4 / 26
23. "If I Was Your Woman/Walk on By" - Alicia makes the old-school R&B influence on her second album explicit here, smartly blending Gladys Knight & the Pips' "If I Was Your Woman" and Isaac Hayes' take on "Walk on By" into a hip hop soul banger.(Photo: Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup)
Photo By Photo: Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup
5 / 26
22. "Heartburn" - A's band expertly replays producer Timbaland's stutter-step beat on this Diary of Alicia Keys burner, channeling Shaft and inspiring her to get funkier than ever before.(Photo: M. Caulfield/WireImage/Getty Images)
ADVERTISEMENT
6 / 26
21. "Slow Down" - On this song from her sophomore LP, Alicia once again finds her early sweet spot: moody, classical piano lines, hard hip hop drums and her pleading, jazz-inflected vocals.(Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)
7 / 26
20. "Karma" - On this neck-snapping scorned-woman 2003 single, a vengeful Alicia smartly blends hip hop and classical music, in the form of a spiraling violin loop, to dramatic effect. (Photo: J Records)
8 / 26
19. "Doesn't Mean Anything" - This 2009 hit recalls her earlier classic "No One," once again featuring pensive pianos and a four-on-the-floor pulse — but here, Alicia beautifully recasts the high-flying pop melodies with pain and heartbreak. (Photo: J Records)
9 / 26
18. "How Come You Don't Call Me" - Years before she showed off her Prince influence on "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart," Alicia took the Purple One head-on by covering his "How Come You Don't Call Me" on her debut album. Her sassy take on the classic O.G. showed a fully formed soul diva, already confidently in control of her massive pipes and advanced musical smarts. (Photo: J Records)
10 / 26
17. "Superwoman" - Alicia connected with hitmaking guru Linda Perry to write this inspirational Grammy Award-winning 2007 ballad, delivered "soft and subtle," but with an undeniably powerful message. (Photo: J Records)
ADVERTISEMENT
11 / 26
16. "When You Really Love Someone" - Here, Alicia resurrects "A Woman's Worth" — boom-clack drums, cloudy keys and lessons for suitors-to-be — but this time with another couple years' wisdom and her rapidly maturing vocal prowess backing her up for extra oomph.(Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)
12 / 26
15. "Wreckless Love" - Alicia switches from breathy come-on to soaring shout on a dime over a lush brass backing, once again taking classic soul's swag into the new millennium.(Photo: REUTERS/Albert Ferreira)
13 / 26
14. "Teenage Love Affair" - Over a funky sample from the Temprees' 1972 "(Girl) I Love You," Alicia does her own take on retro R&B Brit-pop and takes on one of her favorite topics: infatuating, starry-eyed love. (Photo: J Records)
14 / 26
13. "Unbreakable" - This single from 2005's Unplugged album uses a dog-eared Eddie Kendricks Wurlitzer riff for another Alicia trademark about everlasting, richer-or-poorer love.(Photo: REUTERS/Gary Hershorn)
15 / 26
12. "Stolen Moments" - One of the highlights from Alicia's amazing Unplugged album was this soul steamer, which featured beautiful vocal harmonies, her band at its tightest and a co-writing credit from funk guitar legend Melvin "Wah-Wah Watson" Ragin. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Clear Channel)
ADVERTISEMENT
16 / 26
11. "Like You'll Never See Me Again" - Channeling Purple Rain–era Prince, a whispery, pleading Alicia is softer, sweeter and more vulnerable than ever on this delicate tear-jerker from As I Am. (Photo: J Records)
17 / 26
10. "Troubles" - Alicia revisits the heartbreak of "Fallin'" on this moody standout from her debut album, showing startling, way-beyond-her-years maturity over one of her signature melancholy piano riffs. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
18 / 26
9. "Butterflyz" - Much of Songs in A Minor leaned on hip hop-influenced production and stiff drum machines, which is why "Butterflyz" stood out so much: Accompanied by a beautifully sparse guitar-and-piano arrangement, Alicia proved her voice was more than enough here.(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Photo By Photo credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
19 / 26
8. "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart" - On "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart," Alicia once again updates old R&B formulas and makes them her own, mining early-'80s Prince at his softest, wettest and synth-iest. Alicia usually sings about the joys of love and devotion, but if this what she sounds like with a broken heart, we want more.(Photo: J Records)
20 / 26
7. "A Women's Worth" - Alicia followed up the gut-punching sorrow of "Fallin'" with the understated, gospel-influenced "A Woman's Worth," proving she had more — much more — beautiful music on the way. (Photo: J Records)
ADVERTISEMENT