Alicia Keys: An Album Retrospective

Don't miss Alicia Keys on 106 tonight!

Alicia Keys Is On 106 & Park Tonight! - In 2001, Alicia Keys stepped into the R&B spotlight and made her own way, carving out her own piece in music history. The genius composer and vocalist has since gone on to a life full of platinum records, awards and love. Don't miss Alicia Keys on 106 & Park tonight at 6P/5C!(Photo: Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)

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Alicia Keys Is On 106 & Park Tonight! - In 2001, Alicia Keys stepped into the R&B spotlight and made her own way, carving out her own piece in music history. The genius composer and vocalist has since gone on to a life full of platinum records, awards and love. Don't miss Alicia Keys on 106 & Park tonight at 6P/5C!(Photo: Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)

Alicia Keys, Songs in A Minor - Alicia Keys' hugely successful first album had a huge impact on an increasingly stagnant R&B world in 2001. Though her vocal and songwriting abilities improved significantly in the years ahead, her way-ahead-of-her-years emphasis on understated musicality and classic R&B traditions refreshed the genre and birthed a superstar. (Photo: Courtesy J Records)

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Songs in A Minor - In 2001, Alicia Keys released her debut album, Songs In A Minor, to critical acclaim and racked up a world's worth of fans and Grammy Awards. Not too bad for a 20-year-old rising star. (Photo: J Records)

The Diary of Alicia Keys - Alicia Keys follow-up album, The Diary of Alicia Keys, spawned the hits "Karma," "Diary" and the romantic hit single "You Don't Know My Name." Staying true to her sound, Alicia kept the album true to old school R&B with no fluff. (Photo: J Records)

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The Diary of Alicia Keys - Alicia Keys follow-up album, The Diary of Alicia Keys, spawned the hits "Karma," "Diary" and the romantic hit single "You Don't Know My Name." Staying true to her sound, Alicia kept the album true to old school R&B with no fluff. (Photo: J Records)

Keep a Child Alive - In 2003, Alicia Keys decided to give back and do more, so she co-founded the non-profit organization Keep A Child Alive. Since then, the organization has done everything in its power to provide people in Africa and India with life saving medications that help battle the effects of HIV/AIDS.  (Photo: STUART PRICE/AFP/Getty Images)

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Keep a Child Alive - In 2003, Alicia Keys decided to give back and do more, so she co-founded the non-profit organization Keep A Child Alive. Since then, the organization has done everything in its power to provide people in Africa and India with life saving medications that help battle the effects of HIV/AIDS.  (Photo: STUART PRICE/AFP/Getty Images)

Unplugged - In 2005, Alicia Keys recorded Unplugged as a part of the wildly successful MTV franchise. She performed her hits and exposed a few new ones, including the powerful "Unbreakable." She went on to release the session as a CD and DVD which went to No. 1 on the Billboard charts. (Photo: L. Busacca/WireImage for J Records)

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Unplugged - In 2005, Alicia Keys recorded Unplugged as a part of the wildly successful MTV franchise. She performed her hits and exposed a few new ones, including the powerful "Unbreakable." She went on to release the session as a CD and DVD which went to No. 1 on the Billboard charts. (Photo: L. Busacca/WireImage for J Records)

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As I Am - Four years after The Diary of Alicia Keys, the R&B starlet released the No. 1 album As I Am. The album sold nearly 750,000 copies in its first week and spawned the hits "No One," "Like You'll Never See Me Again" and "Superwoman." (Photo: J Records)

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As I Am - Four years after The Diary of Alicia Keys, the R&B starlet released the No. 1 album As I Am. The album sold nearly 750,000 copies in its first week and spawned the hits "No One," "Like You'll Never See Me Again" and "Superwoman." (Photo: J Records)

The Element of Freedom - In a turn of events, Alicia Keys switched up her vocal and musical stylings for the 2009 album, The Element of Freedom. The album peaked at No. 2 with the Beyoncé-assisted "Put It in a Love Song" and Drake-written "Un-Thinkable." (Photo: J Records)

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The Element of Freedom - In a turn of events, Alicia Keys switched up her vocal and musical stylings for the 2009 album, The Element of Freedom. The album peaked at No. 2 with the Beyoncé-assisted "Put It in a Love Song" and Drake-written "Un-Thinkable." (Photo: J Records)

Alicia Keys - Alicia Keys bought the style of paradise to her big day. Her one-shouldered tunic-inspired dress gave Keys a special island princess beauty. (Photo: Courtesy Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz Official Wedding Photo)

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In Love and More - In 2010, before the arrival of her first child Egypt, Alicia Keys married the love of her life, Kaseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean.  (Photo: Official Wedding Photo)

Photo By Photo: Courtesy Alicia Keys

Girl on Fire - It's 2012 and after a dope performance on the VMAs and Black Girls Rock! (airing on Nov. 4 at 8P/7C), Alicia Keys is planning to release her fifth studio album, Girl on Fire, on November 27. (Photo: Columbia Records)

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Girl on Fire - It's 2012 and after a dope performance on the VMAs and Black Girls Rock! (airing on Nov. 4 at 8P/7C), Alicia Keys is planning to release her fifth studio album, Girl on Fire, on November 27. (Photo: Columbia Records)