Hello Everyone.

I am a new member of Buzzjack as i have only recently discovered Buzzjack.I really enjoy Alicia Keys music, empire state of mind my faveourite song in the charts at the moment, i havnt bought her new album yet but i do hope to purchase it very soon. I dont have any of her albums yet, which album would you recommend me to buy first?

Hello Everyone.

I am a new member of Buzzjack as i have only recently discovered Buzzjack.I really enjoy Alicia Keys music, empire state of mind my faveourite song in the charts at the moment, i havnt bought her new album yet but i do hope to purchase it very soon. I dont have any of her albums yet, which album would you recommend me to buy first?

Hi there. Welcome to buzzjack and mostly, welcome to the Alicia Keys Forum :cheer: It's always great to see new fans. :D

 

It depends what sort of stuff you like. Alicia's albums all vary in quality, but still manage to keep "the Alicia sound". 'Songs In A Minor' is arguably her most creative album. However, as the albums have progressed and as Alicia likes to progress in her sound. The albums get more commercial as she goes on. 'The Element of Freedom' is a commercially loved album and has more "hit single" material on it, as opposed to her previous albums. 'As I Am' is lyrically, my favourite from Alicia. The songs are stunning. 'The Diary of' is just as good.

 

Hope all that makes sense and I hope it helps :P

Yes this does help me and i fully understand your comments, No one is a superb song so i might buy the as i am album.

Yes this does help me and i fully understand your comments, No one is a superb song so i might buy the as i am album.

You should go inside your nearest HMV store. All Alicia albums (bar her new one EOF) are in the 2 for £10 section! :D

It really depends on what you're after. I would agree "The Element of Freedom" is probably her most commercial album. A lot of people found "As I Am" boring, which I can understand to an extent, but the material is just pure soulful R&B at it's best. It doesn't contain big fancy hooks (aside from the killer "No One") but it's Alicia's artistry that makes the record come alive. "Diary" is probably my favourite Alicia record, I think that was her peak, but she's been incredibly consistent.

The singles of the element of freedom have been very consistent which is something she failed to manage before.

EoF is probably the 'easiest' to listen to and like (think maybe thats its comercialism) Very upbeat, happy all love songs and the like with a real 'feel good mood' about them. This is Alicia, not only matured as an artist, but freed of constraints (her own ? the record labels? her producers ? us ?) to produce a particular sound or type of music. hence the title.

As I am was much 'darker', more intense and as AAC said pure soulful R&B. This does not make either album better or worse but each with their time and purpose.

Diary was an excellent follow-up to songs in A minor, lyrically probably her most complex but less dark than As I am and much more mature than Songs. takes a good few listens to fully appreciate but I rate it very highly.

Songs is a brilliant debut album but has weaknesses but also some bloody good tracks. As HMV have 2 for a tenner I'd suggest As I Am and Diary. But do go back and get Songs in A Minor too as it is very good. :D

Best wait until May24th when she releases platinum collection which will be her first 3 albums all together. Though buying the earlier albums individually in the 2 for a tenner in HMV may still work out cheaper !!