"No One" | ||||
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Single by Alicia Keys | ||||
from the album As I Am | ||||
Released | October 9, 2007 | |||
Studio | ||||
Genre | R&B [1] | |||
Length | 4:13 | |||
Label | J | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Alicia Keys singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"No One" on YouTube |
"No One" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her third studio album As I Am (2007). It was written and produced by Keys and Kerry Brothers Jr., with additional writing by DJ Dirty Harry. The song was released as the lead single from As I Am on October 9, 2007, by J Records.
A commercial success, "No One" topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks and also reached number one in Croatia, Hungary and Switzerland, while charting within the top ten in 18 additional countries. It was the third most successful song of 2008 in Brazil and the United States, and was the most listened song on US radio, with 3.08 billion listeners. [2] It was also the sixth most successful song of the 2000s decade in the US.
"No One" has been certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has sold 5.6 million copies worldwide. Critically acclaimed, it won Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards (2008).
"No One" was written and produced by Alicia Keys, Kerry Brothers Jr., and George M. Harry. Keys told MTV News Canada that the song, "is really talking about the way that in relationships, the way that so many things are around you all the time to try to distract you. And even though people may talk and say whatever they may want to say, but then no one can get in the way of this." [3] Keys said that it was a song that "just wrote itself". [4] It was one of the last songs written for the album. [4]
The song was first heard in August 2007 after Keys included a clip of the song in a newsletter on her official website and fan club. It was released officially on September 10, 2007, and its radio premiere was on Atlanta's WVEE on August 29. Keys performed a medley of "No One" with George Michael's "Freedom! '90" at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards on September 9. Remixes of the song featuring Lil' Kim, Damian Marley, Junior Reid, Beenie Man, Barbee, and Kanye West exist. The official remix has a different but similar beat from the original version and features rapper Cassidy; it was produced by Swizz Beatz.
"No One" received critical acclaim upon release. Popjustice viewed the song as "one of [Keys'] best singles to date and possibly one of the eight best ballads of 2007". [5] Chuck Taylor of Billboard wrote that the song "shows the soulful chanteuse acting her age, in the best possible way" and that Keys "hold[s] back on the mastery of vocal craft to let cool, crisp production lead", adding that it "heralds her youth, while maintaining Keys' lockdown on penetrating hooks and soul-sopped production with a buoyancy that makes it a blast to sing along with." [6] Anthony Venutolo of The Star-Ledger felt that on "No One", Keys "attempts to offer uplift through cliches". [7]
Alex Fletcher of Digital Spy gave the song four stars out of five and called it "simplistic yet beautiful, fluttering, piano-tinkling ballad", the lyrics of which "expose Keys' vulnerability and current loved-up status". [8] David Mead of Paste commented that the song "showcases a new depth and width to the tone of her voice, which seems to get closer to that of Aretha Franklin with each album." [9] Nekesa Mumbi Moody of The Washington Post cited "No One" as one of the "gems" of the album and stated it "recalls a Bob Marley groove". [10]
"No One" was ranked at number three on Entertainment Weekly 's recap of "The 10 Best Songs of 2007", [11] while it was voted number 23 on The Village Voice 's 2007 Pazz & Jop critics' poll (tied with Modest Mouse's "Dashboard", R. Kelly's "I'm a Flirt" (Remix) featuring T.I. and T-Pain, and Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend"). [12]
Popjustice placed it at number 47 on their list of "The Greatest Singles of 2007". [13] In November 2012, Complex placed it at number one on their list of "The 25 Best Alicia Keys Songs", commenting that the "production was supreme, her vocals were at their strongest, and beyond technical merit". [14]
In November 2012, The Grio ranked it at number four on their list of "Alicia Keys' 15 Greatest Songs". [15] BET included the song at number two on its list of "The 25 Best Alicia Keys Songs", because "Alicia's soaring, power-packed alto contrast[s] beautifully with the soft piano cascades to create an undeniable anthem". [16] PopCrush placed it at number two on its list of "Top 10 Alicia Keys Songs". [17]
With only one full day of airplay, "No One" debuted at number 65 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart on the issue dated September 8, 2007. Seven weeks later, it reached the top position for 10 weeks—becoming Keys' fifth number-one single on the chart—before being knocked out by her own song "Like You'll Never See Me Again" during the first charting week of 2008. The song initially debuted at number 15 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles for the week of September 15, 2007, and managed to jump to the Billboard Hot 100 at number 71 the following week without the benefit of download sales. [18] The following week, it rose to number 15 because of digital downloads, and reached the top spot the charting week of December 1, 2007, staying atop for five weeks, preventing Timbaland and OneRepublic's song "Apologize" from reaching the summit. In the week between October 22–25, 2007, "No One" gained 14.3% in radio airplay and audience impressions which marks the single at number one. [19] It is Keys' first solo single to reach number one on the Hot 100 since her debut single "Fallin'" (2001) and her third single to top the chart. It is also the overall biggest hit that peaked in 2007. [20]
Additionally, "No One" went on to top several other Billboard charts, including the Hot 100 Airplay (for 14 weeks in a row, the longest run atop the chart since Mariah Carey's 2005 song "We Belong Together" spent 16 weeks at number one), the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, the Hot Adult R&B Airplay, the Pop 100, the Pop 100 Airplay, the Top 40 Mainstream, the Rhythmic Top 40, the Hot Digital Songs, and the Hot Digital Tracks. [21] By June 2014, the song had sold four million copies in the United States. [22] "No One" was the most listened-to song on US radio of 2008, with 3.08 billion listeners. [23] Billboard ranked it at number 48 on the list of "The All-Time Top 100 Songs" in 2013 and at number 14 on the list of the "Top Billboard Hot 100 R&B/Hip-Hop Songs" in 2008. [24] [25] In 2009, the song was placed at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 decade-end chart. [26]
The single was commercially successful in Europe as well, peaking at number two on the European Hot 100 Singles as well as reaching the top position in Hungary and Switzerland, and peaked within the top ten of the charts in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. In the latter country, "No One" has re-entered the UK Singles Chart twice since its official release, both times due to exposure on British television (firstly after being performed by an auditionee on Britain's Got Talent and secondly after Keys herself performed it within a medley on The X Factor ). In May 2009, it re-entered at number 54 on the UK Singles Chart, and in December 2009 it re-entered at number 51 on the chart.
It also charted highly in Oceania, peaking within the top ten of the charts in Australia and New Zealand. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), "No One" has sold 5.6 million copies. [27]
The music video for "No One", directed by Justin Francis, premiered on BET on September 24, 2007; it debuted on 106 and Park at number 10 the following day, and eventually peaked at number one. It premiered on Yahoo! Music on September 25 at number five and peaked at number one, and it premiered on Total Request Live on October 4 and peaked at number one. It debuted on VH1's VSpot Top 20 Countdown at number three, peaking at number one. The video was ranked at number 22 on VH1's "Top 40 Videos of 2007" and at number two on BET's "Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2007". [28] [29]
The video consists of four settings: the first one shows Keys lying on a chair in an empty room; the second one is a room filled with musical instruments in which Keys sings accompanied by a Roland Jupiter-8 keyboard; in the third one Keys is initially alone, playing the piano on a rainy street, and she later finds herself surrounded with dozens of people; in the fourth and final one Keys is in a blue-lit nightclub. The video ends with a gear divided into four fractions, each one featuring a previously shown setting, with Keys lying on the chair in the same room shown at the beginning of the video.
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Credits adapted from the liner notes of As I Am . [35]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Decade-end charts
| All-time charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia (ARIA) [129] | 6× Platinum | 420,000‡ |
Belgium (BEA) [130] | Gold | 25,000* |
Canada (Music Canada) [131] | 2× Platinum | 80,000* |
Canada (Music Canada) [132] Ringtone | 2× Platinum | 80,000* |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [133] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
France (SNEP) [134] | Gold | 66,666‡ |
Germany (BVMI) [135] | Gold | 150,000^ |
Italy (FIMI) [136] | Platinum | 157,109 [lower-alpha 1] |
Japan (RIAJ) [138] Digital | Gold | 100,000* |
Japan (RIAJ) [139] Full-length ringtone | Gold | 100,000* |
Mexico (AMPROFON) [140] | 2× Platinum | 120,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [141] | Platinum | 15,000* |
Portugal (AFP) [142] | Platinum | 20,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [143] | 2× Platinum | 40,000* |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [144] reissue | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
Sweden (GLF) [145] | Platinum | 20,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [146] | 2× Platinum | 1,200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [147] | Diamond | 10,000,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [148] Mastertone | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
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United States | October 9, 2007 | Rhythmic contemporary radio | J | |
October 16, 2007 | Contemporary hit radio | |||
October 23, 2007 | Digital download (EP) | |||
Germany | October 26, 2007 | CD | Sony BMG | |
France | December 3, 2007 |
"Fallin'" is the debut single of American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys from her debut studio album, Songs in A Minor (2001). Written and produced by Keys, "Fallin'" is generally considered her signature song. It was released as the lead single from Songs in A Minor on April 10, 2001, by J Records. The official remix features rappers Busta Rhymes and Rampage.
American singer Alicia Keys has released nine studio albums, eight live albums, one remix album, six reissue albums, three extended plays, seven box sets, 47 singles as lead artist, and six promotional singles. Throughout her career, Keys has sold over 65 million records worldwide. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Keys is the top certified female R&B artist of the millennium, with 20 million certified albums and 38 million certified digital singles in the United States. Billboard ranked her as the second top female artist of the 2000s decade, fourth top R&B/hip-Hop female artist of the 2010s decade and the 60th Greatest Artist of all time.
"A Woman's Worth" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her debut studio album Songs in A Minor (2001). A soul-R&B ballad, it was written by Keys and Erika Rose and produced by Keys. The song was released as the second single from Songs in A Minor on September 25, 2001, by J Records, following the worldwide success of her debut single "Fallin'".
"You Don't Know My Name" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her second studio album The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003). It was written by Keys, Kanye West and Harold Lilly, and produced by Keys and West. The song contains a sample from the 1975 song "Let Me Prove My Love to You", written by J. R. Bailey, Mel Kent and Ken Williams and performed by The Main Ingredient. It was released as the lead single from The Diary of Alicia Keys on November 10, 2003, by J Records.
"If I Ain't Got You" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her second studio album The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003). Inspired by the 2001 death of singer Aaliyah, the September 11 attacks, and other events in the world and in Keys' life, the song is about "how material things don't feed the soul". It was released as the second single from The Diary of Alicia Keys on February 17, 2004, by J Records. The single cover depicts Keys similarly to the subject of Man Ray's 1924 photograph Le Violon d'Ingres.
"My Boo" is a duet between American R&B singers Usher and Alicia Keys, written by the artists alongside Adonis Shropshire, Manuel Seal, and Jermaine Dupri, the latter of whom produced it with No I.D.—who is uncredited. It was included on the re-release of Usher's fourth studio album, Confessions (2004). The song was released as the album's fourth single on August 29, 2004.
"Don't Matter" is a reggae fusion–R&B song by Senegalese-American singer Akon from his second studio album, Konvicted (2006). The song was released as the album's third single in January 2007. In April of that year, it became Akon's second U.S. number-one single. "Don't Matter" was ranked number 31 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007. This song was also ranked number 81 on MTV Asia's list of Top 100 Hits of 2007.
"Karma" is a song by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, taken from her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003). Written by Keys, Kerry Brothers, Jr., and Taneisha Smith, the song takes influence from hip hop and classical music. It was released as the album's fourth and final single on November 1, 2004, by J Records. Peaking at number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 17 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, it's the album's only single not to top a Billboard chart. A mashup of "Karma" with Stevie Wonder's 1972 hit "Superstition" titled "Karmastition", produced by Go Home Productions, was also released.
"Bubbly" is the debut single of American singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat from her first album, Coco (2007). Written by Caillat and Jason Reeves and produced by Mikal Blue, the song was released as the album's lead single on May 15, 2007. "Bubbly" is Caillat's only song to peak within the top ten of US Billboard Hot 100; it remains her highest-charting song. Internationally, "Bubbly" reached number one in Australia, Brazil, and the Czech Republic. It also became a top-10 hit in several European countries, including Belgium, Germany, and Norway.
"Love Song" is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, released in June 2007 via Epic Records from her major-label debut album, Little Voice (2007). It was nominated for 2009 Grammy Awards in the categories Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
"Apologize" is a song written by Ryan Tedder, which first appeared on Timbaland's second studio album Shock Value (2007). It was then released as the third single from that album, along with the original recording by OneRepublic. It accordingly also served as the debut single for OneRepublic's debut album Dreaming Out Loud (2007), produced by Greg Wells. Timbaland's version omits the guitar solo after the second verse in the original, and includes an extra line of percussion, new backing vocals, and added sound samples, in addition to sound mixing and a few other minor changes. The song was the biggest radio airplay hit in the history of the Mainstream Top 40 chart in the United States, with 10,394 plays in one week, until its record was broken by Leona Lewis's "Bleeding Love", which was also co-written by Tedder. The song was a major hit internationally, reaching number one in 16 countries, including Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, Turkey, and the Netherlands, as well as staying at number one for eight consecutive weeks on the Billboard Pop 100 chart. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, staying in the top-10 for 25 weeks, and spent 13 weeks at number one in Canada.
"Like You'll Never See Me Again" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her third studio album As I Am (2007). Written and produced by Keys and Kerry Brothers Jr., it was first heard on October 25, 2007, on Atlanta's V103 WVEE radio station. Subsequently, it was released as the second single from As I Am on January 22, 2008, by J Records.
"No Air" is a song by American singer Jordin Sparks with Chris Brown. The song was written by James Fauntleroy II, Harvey Mason Jr., Steve Russell, Erik Griggs and Damon Thomas. It was released in the United States on February 11, 2008, and serves as the second single from Jordin Sparks, her first album.
"All Summer Long" is a song by American recording artist Kid Rock. It was released in March 2008 as the third single from his seventh studio album, Rock n Roll Jesus (2007). It samples Bob Seger's song "Night Moves", "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd and "Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon.
"Superwoman" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her third studio album As I Am (2007). Written by Keys, Linda Perry, and Steve Mostyn, it was released as the fourth and final single from As I Am on July 29, 2008, by J Records.
"Empire State of Mind" is a song performed by American rapper Jay-Z featuring American singer Alicia Keys from the former's eleventh studio album, The Blueprint 3 (2009). It was released by his then-newfound record label Roc Nation and Atlantic Records on October 20, 2009. Produced by Al Shux, the song features a music sample of "Love on a Two-Way Street" performed by The Moments. Angela Hunte and Janet Sewell-Ulepic originally wrote it as a tribute to their hometown, New York City. The following month, they submitted it to Roc Nation, whose reviews were discouraging. They later took the suggestion of an EMI Music Publishing associate and resubmitted it to Jay-Z, who kept the "New York" singing part on the hook, changed the verses, and recorded it. The song's title, similar to "New York State of Mind" by Billy Joel and "N.Y. State of Mind" by Nas, is a wordplay and tribute to New York's nickname "Empire State".
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"Empire State of Mind Broken Down" is a song by American singer Alicia Keys from her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom (2009). It is an answer song to the Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "Empire State of Mind" performed by Jay-Z featuring Keys. Produced by Al Shux and Keys, the song gained international airplay and download sales although it was only officially released in the United Kingdom as the second single from The Element of Freedom.
"Girl on Fire" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her fifth studio album of the same name. Keys co-wrote and co-produced the R&B ballad with Jeff Bhasker and Salaam Remi. The song contains an interpolation of the drums from the 1980 song "The Big Beat" by American rock guitarist Billy Squier, who received a writing credit on "Girl on Fire". Released on September 4, 2012, as the lead single from the album, "Girl on Fire" is Keys' first release under RCA Records following the closure of J Records, after a reorganization at Sony Music Entertainment.
"I'm Not the Only One" is a song recorded by English singer Sam Smith from their debut studio album, In the Lonely Hour (2014). It was written by Smith with Jimmy Napes, who also produced the song along with Steve Fitzmaurice. Capitol Records released it to digital download on 31 August 2014 as the album's third single in the United Kingdom and on 24 September 2014 as the album's second single in the United States; an alternative version with American rapper A$AP Rocky was also released.
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