History of Alicia Keys in Timeline
Alicia Keys is an American singer-songwriter and classically trained pianist who began composing at a young age. She achieved mainstream success with her debut album, Songs in A Minor (2001), featuring the hit single "Fallin'" and winning five Grammy Awards. Her second album, The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003), continued her success, selling millions of copies and producing popular singles like "You Don't Know My Name" and earning her four more Grammy Awards. Keys is known for her soulful voice, piano skills, and contributions to the music industry.
1960: Ray Charles made "Georgia on My Mind" famous
In 1960, Ray Charles made the Hoagy Carmichael song "Georgia on My Mind" famous. Alicia Keys, Jamie Foxx and Quincy Jones performed a rendition of the song at the 2005 Grammy Awards.
1969: Release of "Gimme Shelter"
In July 2007, Alicia Keys and Keith Urban performed The Rolling Stones' 1969 song "Gimme Shelter" at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey at the American leg of the Live Earth concerts. The song was originally released in 1969.
1973: Performed "Someday We'll All Be Free"
Alicia Keys performed Donny Hathaway's 1973 song "Someday We'll All Be Free" at the America: A Tribute to Heroes televised benefit concert following the September 11 attacks.
January 25, 1981: Alicia Keys Born
On January 25, 1981, Alicia Augello Cook, known professionally as Alicia Keys, was born. She is an American singer and songwriter.
1985: Appearance on The Cosby Show
In 1985, at the age of four, Alicia Keys appeared on "The Cosby Show" as Maria, one of Rudy's slumber-party friends.
1994: Nirvana's MTV Unplugged in New York
In 1994, Nirvana's MTV Unplugged in New York album was released, which was the highest debut for an MTV Unplugged album until Alicia Keys' 2005 album.
1994: Met Jeff Robinson
In 1994, manager Jeff Robinson met 13-year-old Alicia Keys, who was participating in his brother's youth organization and performing in Harlem. Robinson was impressed by her talent and took her under his wing.
1995: Introduction to Peter Edge
In 1995, after her group disbanded, Alicia Keys contacted Jeff Robinson, who introduced her to A&R executive Peter Edge to pursue a solo career.
1996: Performed "Little Drummer Girl"
In 1996, Alicia Keys performed "Little Drummer Girl" for So So Def's Christmas compilation while under contract with Columbia Records.
1997: Co-wrote "Dah Dee Dah (Sexy Thing)"
In 1997, Alicia Keys co-wrote the song "Dah Dee Dah (Sexy Thing)" for the Men in Black film soundtrack, which was the only released recording she made with Columbia Records.
1998: Introduction to Clive Davis
In 1998, Peter Edge introduced Alicia Keys to Clive Davis, then-president of Arista Records, after she requested to be released from her contract with Columbia Records.
1998: Signed with Arista Records
In late 1998, Alicia Keys, with the help of Jeff Robinson and Clive Davis, negotiated out of her contract with Columbia and signed with Arista Records, retaining the rights to her created music.
2000: Ranked Fifth-Most Successful Artist of the 2000s
Billboard ranked Alicia Keys as the fifth-most successful artist and top R&B artist of the 2000s decade.
2000: Contributed to Shaft soundtrack
In 2000, Alicia Keys contributed her song "Rock wit U" to the soundtrack of the film Shaft.
2000: Signed with J Records
In 2000, after Clive Davis was ousted from Arista Records, he formed J Records and immediately signed Alicia Keys to the new label.
2000: Billboard Recognition
In the 2000–2009 decade, Alicia Keys was ranked as the top R&B recording artist by Billboard magazine and ranked at number five as artist of the decade, while "No One" was ranked at number six on the magazine's top songs of the decade.
June 5, 2001: Release of 'Songs in A Minor'
On June 5, 2001, "Songs in A Minor", which included material rejected by Columbia Records, was released to critical acclaim, incorporating classical piano with R&B, soul, and jazz.
2001: Contributed to Dr. Dolittle 2 soundtrack
In 2001, Alicia Keys contributed her song "Rear View Mirror" to the soundtrack of the film Dr. Dolittle 2.
2001: Success of 'Fallin''
In 2001, Alicia Keys had her first number-one single on the Hot 100 with "Fallin'".
2001: Release of 'Songs in A Minor'
In 2001, Alicia Keys released her debut studio album, "Songs in A Minor", through J Records. The album was met with critical acclaim and commercial success, selling over 12 million copies worldwide.
2001: Remarks on Father's Absence
In 2001, Alicia Keys remarked about her father's absence in her life, stating that she was not in contact with him and that it helped her see the strength of her mother.
2001: Statements on Columbia Departure
In 2001, Alicia Keys spoke about her departure from Columbia Records, stating that it was a test of confidence and faith, and that success to her meant more than just being a singer.
2001: Best-Selling New Artist and R&B Artist
In 2001, Alicia Keys was recognized as the best-selling new artist and best-selling R&B artist.
2001: Marriage between classical and soul music
In 2001, Jet stated that Alicia Keys ushered in a marriage between classical and soul music, transcending genres.
February 2002: Release of "A Woman's Worth"
In February 2002, "A Woman's Worth", the second single from Alicia Keys' album, was released and peaked at seven on the Hot 100 chart.
June 2002: Protest Against Budget Cuts for Students' Education
In June 2002, Alicia Keys protested at the New York City Hall against proposed budget cuts for students' education.
2002: Success of 'A Woman's Worth'
In 2002, 'A Woman's Worth' was Alicia Keys' first Top 10 single on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts.
2002: 5 Grammy Awards
In 2002, Alicia Keys received 5 Grammy Awards, becoming the second female artist to win as many in one night.
2002: Grammy Awards and Contributions
In 2002, Alicia Keys won five Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year for "Fallin'". She also wrote and produced "Impossible" for Christina Aguilera's album, "Stripped".
2002: Release of 'The Nanny Diaries' Novel
In 2002, the novel 'The Nanny Diaries' was released. It was adapted into a film in 2007, in which Alicia Keys co-starred.
December 2003: Release of 'The Diary of Alicia Keys'
In December 2003, Alicia Keys released her second album, 'The Diary of Alicia Keys', which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling over 618,000 copies in its first week and becoming the largest first-week sales for a female artist in 2003.
2003: Co-founded Keep a Child Alive
In 2003, Alicia Keys co-founded the nonprofit HIV/AIDS-fighting organization Keep a Child Alive, where she serves as Global Ambassador.
2003: Release of 'The Diary of Alicia Keys'
In 2003, Alicia Keys released her second album, "The Diary of Alicia Keys", which continued her success, selling eight million units worldwide and spawning several singles.
February 2004: Release of 'If I Ain't Got You'
In February 2004, Alicia Keys released "If I Ain't Got You" as the second single from 'The Diary of Alicia Keys'. The song peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for six weeks.
May 2004: Announcement of Film Debut
In May 2004, during the Cannes Film Festival, it was announced that Alicia Keys intended to make her film debut in a biopic about Philippa Schuyler, a biracial piano prodigy. Halle Berry and Marc Platt were set to co-produce the film.
2004: "My Boo" Number One Single
In 2004, Alicia Keys' duet with Usher, "My Boo", became her second number-one single in the United States.
2004: Success of Feels like Home by Norah Jones
In 2004, Norah Jones' album Feels like Home had a large sales week, which was later surpassed by Alicia Keys' album As I Am in 2007.
July 2005: Taping of MTV Unplugged
In July 2005, Alicia Keys performed and taped her installment of the MTV Unplugged series at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, adding new arrangements to her songs and performing covers.
October 2005: Release of 'Unplugged' Album
In October 2005, Alicia Keys released 'Unplugged' on CD and DVD, which debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart.
2005: Released cover version of "Don't Give Up"
In 2005, Alicia Keys and Bono released a cover version of Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush's "Don't Give Up" to raise funds for Keep a Child Alive.
2005: Performed at Live 8, ReAct Now, and Shelter from the Storm
In 2005, Alicia Keys performed in Philadelphia as part of the worldwide Live 8 concerts. In the same year, Alicia Keys also performed on ReAct Now: Music & Relief and Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast, two benefit programs that raised money for those affected by Hurricane Katrina.
2005: Release of 'Tears for Water: Songbook of Poems and Lyrics' and MTV award.
In 2005, Alicia Keys released her book 'Tears for Water: Songbook of Poems and Lyrics', a collection of her unreleased poems and lyrics. It became a New York Times bestseller. Also in 2005, she won a second consecutive award for Best R&B Video at the MTV Video Music Awards for the video 'Karma', and performed at the Grammy Awards, winning four awards.
2005: Release of 'Unplugged'
In 2005, Alicia Keys released her first live album, "Unplugged", which debuted atop the Billboard 200, making her the first female artist to achieve this with an MTV Unplugged project.
2005: Songwriters Hall of Fame Hal David Starlight Award and ASCAP Songwriter of the Year
In 2005, Alicia Keys was awarded the Songwriters Hall of Fame Hal David Starlight Award and ASCAP awarded her Songwriter of the Year at its Rhythm & Soul Music Awards.
2005: Time's 100 Most Influential People
In 2005, Time Magazine named Alicia Keys as one of the 100 most influential people.
January 2006: Release of 'Every Little Bit Hurts'
In January 2006, Alicia Keys' album's second and final single, "Every Little Bit Hurts", was released, it failed to enter the U.S. charts.
October 2006: Voice Acting Debut and Personal Struggles
In October 2006, Alicia Keys voiced Mommy Martian in 'Mission to Mars,' an episode of 'The Backyardigans,' singing 'Almost Everything Is Boinga Here.' That year, facing her grandmother's death and family dependency, she nearly had a mental breakdown, leading her to a crucial three-week escape to Egypt.
November 2006: Performance with David Bowie
In November 2006, Alicia Keys performed live with David Bowie at a fundraising event in New York. This was David Bowie's last public performance.
July 2007: Performed "Gimme Shelter" at Live Earth
In July 2007, Alicia Keys and Keith Urban performed The Rolling Stones' 1969 song "Gimme Shelter" at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey at the American leg of the Live Earth concerts.
October 27, 2007: No One Reached No. 1
On October 27, 2007, "No One" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
November 2007: Release of 'As I Am'
In November 2007, Alicia Keys released her third studio album, 'As I Am', which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 742,000 copies in its first week.
December 11, 2007: Nobel Peace Prize Concert Performance
On December 11, 2007, Alicia Keys participated in the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, along with other artists.
2007: Film Debut and Other Appearances
In 2007, Alicia Keys made her film debut in 'Smokin' Aces' and co-starred in 'The Nanny Diaries'. She also guest-starred in an episode of the drama series 'Cane'.
2007: Release of 'As I Am' and film debut in Smokin' Aces
In 2007, Alicia Keys released her third album, "As I Am", and made her film debut in the action-thriller "Smokin' Aces".
2007: The Recording Academy Honors Recipient
In 2007, Alicia Keys was a recipient of The Recording Academy Honors, which celebrate outstanding individuals whose work embodies excellence and integrity and who have improved the environment for the creative community.
February 16, 2008: Like You'll Never See Me Again Number One
On February 16, 2008, 'Like You'll Never See Me Again' was at No. 1, marking 17 weeks that Alicia Keys was on top of the chart, more consecutive weeks than any other artist on the Hot R&B/Hip/Hop Songs chart.
April 2008: Premiere of 'Fresh Takes' Micro-Series
In April 2008, Alicia Keys starred in 'Fresh Takes', a commercial micro-series created by Dove Go Fresh, which premiered during 'The Hills' on MTV to celebrate the launch of new Dove Go Fresh products.
April 2008: Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland Documentary
In April 2008, the documentary Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland, which recorded Alicia Keys's work in Africa, was released.
2008: Guinness World Record
In 2008, Alicia Keys set a Guinness World Record for being the first artist to replace herself at number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Airplay chart with "No One" and "Like You'll Never See Me Again".
2008: Honored at the BET Honors
In 2008, Alicia Keys was honored at the BET Honors for her contributions to music with the Entertainment Award.
2008: End of Relationship with Kerry Brothers Jr.
Until 2008, Alicia Keys was in a low-profile romantic relationship with her long-time good friend and collaborator Kerry Brothers Jr..
December 2009: Release of 'The Element of Freedom'
In December 2009, Alicia Keys released her fourth studio album, 'The Element of Freedom', which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 417,000 copies in its first week.
2009: Awarded the ASCAP Golden Note Award
In 2009, ASCAP honored Alicia Keys with its Golden Note Award for extraordinary career milestones.
2009: Songwriting and Production for Whitney Houston and Collaboration with Jay-Z
In 2009, Alicia Keys co-wrote and produced "Million Dollar Bill" for Whitney Houston's album 'I Look to You'. Months later, she was featured on Jay-Z's song "Empire State of Mind" from his album 'The Blueprint 3'. She also received the Golden Note Award and collaborated with Alejandro Sanz.
2009: NAACP Image Awards Nomination
In 2009, Alicia Keys received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture at the NAACP Image Awards for her role in the feature The Secret Life of Bees. She also received three nominations at the 2009 Grammy Awards and won Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for 'Superwoman'.
2009: BET Humanitarian Award
In 2009, Alicia Keys received the Humanitarian Award at the BET Awards.
2009: Release of 'The Element of Freedom'
In 2009, Alicia Keys released her fourth album, "The Element of Freedom", which peaked atop the UK Albums Chart and sold four million copies worldwide.
February 2010: Release of 'Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down'
In February 2010, Alicia Keys released the fourth single, 'Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down' from the album The Element of Freedom.
December 2010: Release of 'Wait Til You See My Smile'
In December 2010, Alicia Keys released the sixth and final single, "Wait Til You See My Smile", in the United Kingdom from the album The Element of Freedom.
2010: Hope for Haiti Now Performance
In 2010, Alicia Keys performed the song "Prelude to a Kiss", retitled "Send Me an Angel", from her 2007 album As I Am for the Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief telethon in response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
June 2011: Spoke at United Nations AIDS Conference
In June 2011, Alicia Keys spoke alongside Annie Lennox at the United Nations AIDS conference in New York, participating in a panel titled "HIV Priorities for Positive Change: In Women's Words", calling for support for organizations providing treatment and care for families affected by AIDS.
2011: Billboard Top 20 Hot 100 Songwriters
In 2011, Alicia Keys was recognized as one of three female artists included on Billboard magazine's list of the "Top 20 Hot 100 Songwriters, 2000–2011" for writing songs that topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
September 2012: Featured in "30 Songs / 30 Days" Campaign
In September 2012, Alicia Keys was featured in a campaign called "30 Songs / 30 Days" to support Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, a multi-platform media project inspired by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn's book.
December 2012: Performed at 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief
In December 2012, Alicia Keys performed alongside many other artists in 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief to benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy.
2012: Release of 'Girl on Fire'
In 2012, Alicia Keys released her fifth album, "Girl on Fire", which was her fourth non-consecutive album to peak the Billboard 200.
March 2013: Launched EMPOWERED Campaign with Greater Than AIDS
In March 2013, Alicia Keys teamed up with Greater Than AIDS to launch EMPOWERED, a public information campaign to reach women in the United States about HIV/AIDS.
2014: Ranked Thirteenth-Most Awarded Musician of All Time
In 2014, Fuse ranked Alicia Keys as the thirteenth-most awarded musician of all time.
2015: Ranked on Billboard's List of Greatest R&B Artists
In 2015, Alicia Keys was placed at number 27 on Billboard's "35 Greatest R&B Artists of All Time" list.
2015: Recording Artists' Coalition Award
In 2015, The Recording Academy honored Alicia Keys with the Recording Artists' Coalition Award for her artistry, philanthropy, and passion for creators' rights as a founding member of the Academy's GRAMMY Creators Alliance.
July 2016: Participated in "23 Ways You Could Be Killed if You are Black in America" Video
In July 2016, Alicia Keys participated in a video on taking action against systemic racism in the United States titled, "23 Ways You Could Be Killed if You are Black in America".
2016: Release of 'Here'
In 2016, Alicia Keys released her sixth album, "Here", which peaked at number two on the Billboard chart.
2016: Significant Impact on R&B-soul-jazz Sound
In 2016, BBC's Babita Sharma stated that Alicia Keys had a significant impact on the R&B-soul-jazz sound of the last two decades.
2017: Women's March on Washington and Ambassador of Conscience Award
In 2017, After the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States, Alicia Keys protested during the Women's March on Washington and was one of the key speakers. In 2017, Alicia Keys also received and shared the award for the Ambassador of Conscience from Amnesty International alongside Canadian Indigenous rights activists.
2017: Time's 100 Most Influential People
In 2017, Time Magazine again named Alicia Keys as one of the 100 most influential people.
2018: Honored at Variety's Power of Women Luncheon
In 2018, Alicia Keys was honored at Variety's Power of Women luncheon for her work with Keep a Child Alive.
2018: Honored by The Recording Academy's Producers & Engineers Wing and The National Music Publishers Association
In 2018, Alicia Keys was honored by The Recording Academy's Producers & Engineers Wing for her outstanding artistic contributions and accomplishments. Also in 2018, The National Music Publishers Association honored Keys with the Songwriter Icon award for her credits as a music creator and her role as an inspirational figure to millions.
2018: Featured on Cultured Magazine Cover
In the summer of 2018, Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz were featured on the cover of Cultured magazine where they delved into Gordon Parks's works and The Dean Collection.
July 26, 2019: Reported Avidly Purchasing Art
On July 26, 2019, Bloomberg News reported that Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz were avidly purchasing works by artist Tschabalala Self and decided to keep two pieces and donate one to the Brooklyn Museum.
2020: Release of 'Alicia'
In 2020, Alicia Keys released her seventh studio album, "Alicia", which spawned the singles "Show Me Love" (featuring Miguel) and "Underdog".
2020: Listed Among Top Female Artists of the 21st Century
In 2020, Pollstar listed Alicia Keys among the top female artists of the 21st century in the concert industry.
September 9, 2021: Release of "Lala (Unlocked)"
On September 9, 2021, Alicia Keys released "Lala (Unlocked)" featuring Swae Lee, preceding her upcoming album 'Keys'.
September 23, 2021: Release of "Lala (Unlocked)" Music Video
On September 23, 2021, Alicia Keys released the music video for her single "Lala (Unlocked)", which features Swae Lee.
December 10, 2021: Release of 'Keys' Album
On December 10, 2021, Alicia Keys released her eighth studio album, 'Keys', as a double album featuring produced and broken-down versions of new material.
2021: Release of 'Keys'
In 2021, Alicia Keys released her eighth studio album, "Keys", which spawned the singles "Lala" and "Best of Me".
April 7, 2022: Release of "City of Gods (Part II)"
On April 7, 2022, Alicia Keys released "City of Gods (Part II)" through her label AKW Records, a sequel to the single "City of Gods".
June 9, 2022: Alicia + Keys World Tour Start
On June 9, 2022, Alicia Keys embarked on the global Alicia + Keys World Tour.
July 14, 2022: Release of "Come for Me" and album re-release announcement
On July 14, 2022, Alicia Keys unveiled the release of "Come for Me" featuring Khalid and Lucky Daye, along with the announcement of the Keys II album re-release.
2022: Release of 'Santa Baby'
In 2022, Alicia Keys released her ninth album, "Santa Baby", a holiday album and her first independent release.
January 2023: Ranked on Rolling Stone's List of Greatest Singers
In January 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Alicia Keys at number 185 on their list of The 200 Best Singers of All Time.
November 2023: Premiere of Hell's Kitchen
In November 2023, Alicia Keys' musical, Hell's Kitchen, co-created with Kristoffer Diaz, premiered at The Public Theater in New York City.
November 27, 2023: Publication of "Lifeline"
On November 27, 2023, "Lifeline," the second original song from The Color Purple film, written and performed by Alicia Keys, was published.
2023: Broadway Debut with Hell's Kitchen
In 2023, Alicia Keys wrote, composed, and co-produced her first Broadway musical, "Hell's Kitchen", which won two Tony Awards.
February 2024: Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Performance
In February 2024, Alicia Keys performed as a guest of Usher during the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show, singing "If I Ain't Got You" and their duet "My Boo."
March 2024: Release of "Kaleidoscope"
In March 2024, Alicia Keys released "Kaleidoscope" as the lead single from the Hell's Kitchen soundtrack album.
August 2024: Release of "Finally"
In August 2024, Alicia Keys's collaboration with Swedish House Mafia, "Finally", was released.
March 2025: Ranked on Billboard's chart of the Top 100 Women Artists
In March 2025, Alicia Keys was ranked at number ten on Billboard's chart of the Top 100 Women Artists of the 21st Century.
March 2025: Named as one of the essential R&B female artists
In March 2025, The Recording Academy recognized Alicia Keys as one of the essential R&B female artists, highlighting her blend of classical piano and R&B.
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