''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' is the second studio album by American singer

Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. A classically trained pianist, Keys started composing songs when she was 12 and was signed at 15 years old by Col ...

. It was released on December 2, 2003, by

J Records J Records was an American record label owned and operated by Bertelsmann Music Group until it was transferred to Sony Music Entertainment when they acquired all of BMG’s record labels in late 2008. It was distributed through the RCA Music Gro ...

. The album was recorded at several recording studios, and production was handled primarily by Keys with contributions from

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...

and

Kerry Brothers Jr. Kerry Brothers Jr. (born October 1, 1970), also known as "Krucial", is an American record producer, songwriter and hip hop artist. Brothers and singer-songwriter Alicia Keys began a musical partnership in the mid-1990s, co-writing and co-producin ...

, who described it as "an R&B album". Upon its release, ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' received generally positive reviews from music critics. The album debuted at number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 618,000 copies in its first week. It became Keys' second consecutive number-one debut in the United States and spawned three top-ten singles. ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' earned Keys three

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards. The album has sold over five million units in the United States and over eight million copies worldwide.

Background and development

Keys' debut studio album ''

Songs in A Minor ''Songs in A Minor'' is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, released on June 5, 2001, by J Records. Keys began writing songs for the album in 1995 at age 14 and recording the album in 1998 for Columbia Records, ...

'' was released on June 5, 2001. Debuting atop the US ''Billboard'' 200, it went on to sell over 6.2 million copies and earned Keys five

at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards, tying Keys with

Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being one of the most influential musicians of her generation. ...

as the female artist with most Grammy Awards won in a single ceremony (the record has since been broken by

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...

and

Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a reco ...

). Keys embarked on the Songs in A Minor Tour (2001–2002) in support of the album; while touring, Keys started writing songs for her second studio album. Due to the extreme popularity of ''Songs in A Minor'', there was a lot of pressure on ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' to match or exceed that success. Speaking on the subject, album contributor

Kerry Brothers, Jr. Kerry Brothers Jr. (born October 1, 1970), also known as "Krucial", is an American record producer, songwriter and hip hop artist. Brothers and singer-songwriter Alicia Keys began a musical partnership in the mid-1990s, co-writing and co-producin ...

said in 2018:

Recording and production

Kanye West at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival (cropped)

Following the completion of the Songs in A Minor Tour, Keys started recording ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' in late 2002; while touring, Keys solely wrote several songs for the album, including "Dragon Days" and the interlude "Feeling U, Feeling Me". Initial recording sessions took place at the Kampo Studio in

Tribeca Tribeca (), originally written as TriBeCa, is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan in New York City. Its name is a syllabic abbreviation of "Triangle Below Canal Street". The "triangle" (more accurately a quadrilateral) is bounded by Canal Stre ...

and the first song recorded was the album's closing track "Nobody Not Really", which "set the tone for the album" according to engineer Ann Mincieli. The album was mostly recorded at studios in New York City; some of the New York City recording sessions were interrupted by the

Northeast blackout of 2003 The Northeast blackout of 2003 was a widespread power outage throughout parts of the Northeastern and Midwestern United States, and most parts of the Canadian province of Ontario on Thursday, August 14, 2003, beginning just after 4:10 p.m ...

. In order to capture the 1960s–1970s sound she wanted on the album, Keys equipped her studio with "vintage" instruments. Among producers, Keys worked with

Timbaland Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...

Dre & Vidal Dre & Vidal is a songwriting and production duo consisting of Andre Harris and Vidal Davis, who are best known as the main producers for Jill Scott and Glenn Lewis. Alumni of DJ Jazzy Jeff's A Touch of Jazz production team, Dre & Vidal were also ...

Easy Mo Bee Osten Harvey Jr. (born December 8, 1965), better known by his stage name Easy Mo Bee, is an American hip hop and R&B record producer, known for his production work for artists such as Big Daddy Kane and Miles Davis, as well as his affiliatio ...

D'wayne Wiggins D'wayne Patrice Wiggins (born February 14, 1961) is an American singer, guitarist, and record producer best known as the founding member of the 1990s soul/R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné! Early life Wiggins was born in Oakland, California; spec ...

and Kumasi. Dre & Vidal's

Andre Harris Andre "Dre" Harris is an American songwriter and record producer. Biography Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Harris grew up in a city known for its contributions to Black American music, namely the sub-genre of Philly soul. De ...

stated he and Keys "crossed paths in the studio" while Dre & Vidal were working on Usher's album '' Confessions'' (2004) and started working together afterwards. Timbaland-produced "Heartburn" was recorded at the Hit Factory Criteria in Miami. "If I Was Your Woman", a cover of " If I Were Your Woman" by

Gladys Knight & the Pips Gladys Knight & the Pips were an American R&B, soul and funk family music group from Atlanta, Georgia, that remained active on the music charts and performing circuit for over three decades starting from the early 1950s. Starting out as simpl ...

, was originally recorded for ''

'' (2001) but remained unreleased until it was reworked with the cover of " Walk on By" by

Isaac Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, actor, songwriter, and composer. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwri ...

; the original version was included on the 10th anniversary reissue of ''Songs in A Minor'' in 2011. Lellow, Keys' alter ego, was introduced on the album, making an appearance on "So Simple". Brothers stated: "Lellow is her alter ego. That was what we called her when she was in her hip-hop mode so it's dope they recorded her singing in one key and pitched her up to make it sound high-pitched." The final stage of the recording took place internationally–in Paris, London and Amsterdam–with Keys having already embarked on a promotional tour in support of ''The Diary of Alicia Keys''. The final track recorded was the album's intro "Harlem's Nocturne".

Music and lyrics

Predominantly an R&B and

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...

album, ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' was largely influenced by 1960s and 1970s music, with Keys calling music from that era "some of the best music ever created". Lyrically, the album mostly explores complexities of romantic relationships, following their different stages. However, some songs address social issues, such as materialism ("If I Ain't Got You") and war ("Wake Up"). The album opens with the intro "Harlem's Nocturne", a classical track with " hip-hop drums", which introduces the album as a

diary A diary is a written or audiovisual record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. Diaries have traditionally been handwritten but are now also often digital. A personal ...

in which Keys would express her thoughts.

Horn Horn most often refers to: *Horn (acoustic), a conical or bell shaped aperture used to guide sound ** Horn (instrument), collective name for tube-shaped wind musical instruments *Horn (anatomy), a pointed, bony projection on the head of various ...

-infused

alternative hip hop Alternative hip hop (also known as alternative rap) is a subgenre of hip hop music that encompasses a wide range of styles that are not typically identified as mainstream. AllMusic defines it as comprising " hip hop groups that refuse to confor ...

song "

Karma Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptivel ...

" follows; it contains excerpts from Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77 by

Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid- Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped wit ...

. Titled after the concept of

karma Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptivel ...

, the song follows the narrator whose former lover wants to restart their relationship despite leaving her before, but she has moved on; the lover is now in the position she was once in, and in being rejected receives his

just deserts Desert () in philosophy is the condition of being deserving of something, whether good or bad. It is sometimes called moral desert to clarify the intended usage and distinguish it from the dry desert biome. It is a concept often associated wi ...

("what goes around comes around"). The third track "Heartburn" "marries the explosive brass and choppy guitars of a

Blaxploitation Blaxploitation is an ethnic subgenre of the exploitation film that emerged in the United States during the early 1970s. The term, a portmanteau of the words "black" and "exploitation", was coined in August 1972 by Junius Griffin, the president o ...

soundtrack to a beat bearing the influence of visionary producer

". "If I Was Your Woman"/"Walk on By" is a double

cover Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of co ...

of " If I Were Your Woman" by

and " Walk on By" by

. The album's lead single "

You Don't Know My Name "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 excerpts and a sample of "Let Me Prove My Love to You" by

The Main Ingredient The Main Ingredient was an American soul and R&B group best known for their 1972 hit song "Everybody Plays the Fool". Early history The group was formed in Harlem, New York City in 1964 as a trio called the Poets, composed of lead singer Dona ...

. An R&B-soul song, "You Don't Know My Name" follows Keys as a waitress who fell in love with a customer; the song is interrupted by a spoken-word interlude, which is Keys' phone call to her love interest in which she asks him out. Keys was inspired by Aaliyah's

death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...

and the

September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...

when writing the album's sixth track "

If I Ain't Got You "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 ...

", as those events made her realize what's truly important in life. The soul-

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

song condemns materialism: "Some people want diamond rings / Some just want everything / But everything means nothing / If I ain't got you, yeah". The album's title track "

Diary A diary is a written or audiovisual record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. Diaries have traditionally been handwritten but are now also often digital. A personal ...

" features

Tony! Toni! Toné! Tony! Toni! Toné! was an American soul/ R&B band from Oakland, California, popular during the late 1980s and early to mid-1990s. During the band's heyday, it was composed of D'wayne Wiggins on lead vocals and guitar, his brother Raphael Saadiq ...

on bass,

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

, organ and

Wurlitzer The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to as simply Wurlitzer, is an American company started in Cincinnati in 1853 by German immigrant (Franz) Rudolph Wurlitzer. The company initially imported stringed, woodwind and brass instruments ...

, while Jermaine Paul provides uncredited additional vocals;

Stokley Williams Stokley Williams (born July 15, 1967) also known simply as Stokley, is an American singer, record producer, and percussionist. Williams is best known as the lead singer and studio drummer of the band Mint Condition. Career In 2011, he was feat ...

was originally set to sing on the track but was replaced by Paul. The song instructs Keys' love interest to tell her his secrets and to think of her as "pages in isdiary". Sal Cinquemani of ''

Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...

'' described the song as reminiscent of

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...

and

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...

's work. In an interview to ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' prior to the release of ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'', Keys called "Dragon Days" and "So Simple" the most adventurous tracks from the album. "Dragon Days" features "bouncy

keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

classic rock Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, primar ...

guitar licks, and sultry, surprisingly

disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...

-fied vocal delivery" and follows Keys as a

damsel in distress The damsel in distress is a recurring narrative device in which one or more men must rescue a woman who has either been kidnapped or placed in general peril. Kinship, love, or lust (or a combination of those) gives the male protagonist the motiv ...

who needs to be saved by her "knight in shining armor". Following the

anti-war An anti-war movement (also ''antiwar'') is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term anti-war can also refer to pa ...

song "Wake Up", "So Simple" is the album's tenth track, featuring an appearance from Keys'

alter ego An alter ego (Latin for "other I", " doppelgänger") means an alternate self, which is believed to be distinct from a person's normal or true original personality. Finding one's alter ego will require finding one's other self, one with a differen ...

Lellow, whose verses see Keys' voice manipulated to sound high-pitched. Its lyrics follow a narrator seeking reconciliation with a former lover. The eleventh track,

neo soul Neo soul (sometimes called progressive soul) is a genre of popular music. As a term, it was coined by music industry entrepreneur Kedar Massenburg during the late 1990s to market and describe a style of music that emerged from soul and contempo ...

ballad "When You Really Love Someone", speaks about sacrifices one must make for their significant other. The interlude "Feeling U, Feeling Me" follows, featuring "a squawky

synthesizer A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...

straight off Stevie Wonder's ''

Innervisions ''Innervisions'' is the sixteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter, and musician Stevie Wonder, released on August 3, 1973, by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. A landmark recording of Wonder's "classic period", the album has bee ...

''". The thirteenth track "Slow Down" sees Keys as a narrator who feels like her relationship is going too fast and is asking her lover to "slow down". "Samsonite Man" is a neo soul song with

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

percussion and guitar. Its lyrics follow a narrator who's ending her relationship and telling her lover to leave; it was later revealed the song was about Keys' father, who abandoned her and her mother when she was two years old. The album closes with "Nobody Not Really", in which Keys sings: "Who really cares? / Who really cares / When I talk / What I feel / What I say? / Nobody not really". UK and Japanese editions of the album include bonus track "Streets of New York (City Life)", a hip hop song featuring

Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air ( ...

and

Rakim William Michael Griffin Jr. (born January 28, 1968), better known by his stage name Rakim Allah or simply Rakim (), is an American rapper and record producer. One half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he is widely regarded as one of t ...

. Sampling " N.Y. State of Mind" by Nas, the song is an "affectionate ode" to New York City.

Title and artwork

The album was titled ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' due to it being conceived so each of its tracks acts as a

entry, making the album itself a diary. In the intro "Harlem's Nocturne", Keys introduces it as such and says she would express her thoughts in it.

Peter Edge Peter Edge is an English-American record executive. He is the chairman and CEO of RCA Records. Early life and education Edge was born near Coventry, England. Fueled in part by his sister’s record collection – which included influential ...

, executive producer of ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' and now-chairman and CEO of

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...

, said about the title in 2018: The album cover for ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' was photographed by Warwick Saint. A portrait of Keys, it features half of her face and body covered by a piano.

Release and promotion

The promotional tour for ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' started in November 2003, before the album's production finished, in Europe; Keys performed the lead single "You Don't Know My Name" on television shows such as '' CD:UK'' and ''

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...

''. Keys returned to the United States to perform the song at the 2003 ''Vibe'' Awards on November 20, later performing on ''

Good Morning America ''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. Th ...

'' on November 26 and December 2, AOL Broadband Rocks! Live on December 1, ''

Total Request Live ''Total Request Live'' (known commonly as ''TRL'') was an American television program broadcast on MTV that premiered on September 14, 1998. TRL featured popular music videos played during its countdown, and was also used as a promotion tool by ...

'' on December 2, and ''

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that first aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009. It resumed production on March 1, 2010 and ended on February 6, 2014. The fourth incarnation of the ...

'' on December 4 and 5. ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' was first released on December 1, 2003, internationally, before being released in the United States the following day by

; its limited edition with a bonus DVD was released simultaneously. The US promotional tour continued in 2004, with Keys performing at

WGCI-FM WGCI-FM (107.5 MHz) is an urban contemporary radio station that is licensed to Chicago, Illinois, serving the Chicago metropolitan area and Northwest Indiana. It is owned and operated by iHeartMedia (formerly known as Clear Channel Communicat ...

's Big Jam Slow Jams on February 13. In Germany, Keys performed "You Don't Know My Name" on '' Wetten, dass..?'' on February 28. Afterwards, Keys co-headlined the Verizon Ladies First Tour with

and

Missy Elliott Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...

in North America from March until April 2004. After performing on ''

Today Today (archaically to-day) may refer to: * Day of the present, the time that is perceived directly, often called ''now'' * Current era, present * The current calendar date Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Today'' (1930 film), a 1930 A ...

''s

Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

Concert Series on May 7, Keys embarked on a five-month international tour which visited various venues and festivals in Europe, Asia and Australia. She continued performing in the United States, performing "If I Ain't Got You" and "Diary" on ''

The Early Show ''The Early Show'' is an American morning television show that aired on CBS from November 1, 1999 to January 7, 2012, and the ninth attempt at a morning news-talk program by the network since 1954. The program aired Monday through Friday from ...

''s Summer Concert Series on June 8, "If I Ain't Got You" at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards on August 29, and "Heartburn" at 2004

Fashion Rocks Fashion Rocks is an annual international charity fundraiser event, which features fashions by the world's top designers presented as live performances by popular music acts. Fashion Rocks Worldwide is the owner of the intellectual property rights ...

on September 8. In September, a double-disc special edition (also titled collector's tour edition) was released outside the United States. Keys performed "Karma" at the 2004 World Music Awards on September 15, American Music Awards of 2004 on November 14, and the 2004 ''Billboard'' Music Awards on December 8. Following her performance of "If I Ain't Got You" at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards on February 13, 2005, Keys toured North America on her Diary Tour from February until April.

Singles

" was released as the

lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...

from ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' on November 10, 2003. It peaked at number three on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and atop the

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...

, becoming her second Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number-one. The song's accompanying

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

, directed by Chris Robinson and Andrew Young, features Keys as a waitress at a restaurant and rapper

Mos Def Yasiin Bey (; born Dante Terrell Smith, December 11, 1973), previously and more commonly known by his stage name Mos Def (), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. His hip hop career began in 1994, alongside his siblings in the s ...

playing Michael Harris, her love interest. At the 47th Annual Grammy Awards (2005), the song won the

Grammy Award for Best R&B Song The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song (sometimes known as the R&B Songwriter's Award) has been awarded since 1969. From 1969 to 2000, it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song. Beyoncé has won it a record four times, while Bab ...

. "You Don't Know My Name" was certified

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA) on August 11, 2020, for shipping 500,000 units in the United States. "

" was released as the second single on February 23, 2004. It peaked at number four on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and became her second consecutive Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number-one. Its accompanying music video, directed by

Diane Martel Diane Martel (also known as Bucky Chrome) is an American music video director and choreographer. Awards Diane Martel was nominated for the Video of the Year for her work in "Blurred Lines" – Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell & T.I. in 2013. Fil ...

, is set in a wintry New York City and features a cameo by rapper and actor

Method Man Clifford Smith, Jr. (born March 2, 1971), better known by his stage name Method Man, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is known as a member of the East Coast hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He is also half of t ...

as Keys' on-screen boyfriend. The song outpeaked its ''Billboard'' Hot 100 position on the 2004 ''Billboard'' Hot 100 year-end chart, placing at number three, while being number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs year-end chart. At the 47th Annual Grammy Awards, the song won for

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (previously called Best Rhythm and Blues Solo Vocal Performance, Female) was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards ...

, while being nominated for Song of the Year. On August 11, 2020, "If I Ain't Got You" was certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA for shipments of four million units. "

" was released as the third single on May 24, 2004. It became Keys' third consecutive ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top-ten single, peaking at number eight, while peaking at number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The song's music video, directed by Lamont "Liquid" Burrell, Rod Isaacs, Jeff Robinson, and Brian Campbell, contains footage of several live concerts from both the Verizon Ladies First Tour (2004), which Keys took part in, and her own Diary Tour (2005). At the 47th Annual Grammy Awards, the song was nominated for

Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals The Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1970 and 2011. From 1967 to 1969 and in 1971 the award included instrumental performances. The award had several minor name changes: *From 1967 to 1968 the ...

. "Diary" was certified gold by the RIAA on August 11, 2020. "

" was released as the fourth and final single on November 1, 2004. It became the album's only single to miss the top ten on both ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, peaking at numbers 20 and 17 on the charts, respectively. The music video for "Karma", directed by Chris Robinson and Keys herself, was filmed over three days in August 2004, with parts shot in New York City and at

Casa de Campo The Casa de Campo (, for Spanish: ''Country House'') is the largest public park in Madrid. It is situated west of central Madrid, Spain. It gets its name 'Country House' because it was once a royal hunting estate, located just west of the Ro ...

Altos de Chavón Altos de Chavón is a tourist attraction, a re-creation of a 16th century Mediterranean–style village, located atop the Chavón River in the city of La Romana, Dominican Republic. It is the most popular attraction in the city and hosts a cultu ...

amphitheatre. At the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, the video earned Keys the award for

Best R&B Video The MTV Video Music Award for Best R&B was first awarded in 1993 under the name of Best R&B Video, and it was given every year until 2006, as the following year MTV revamped the VMAs and eliminated all the genre categories. The following year, thou ...

. "Karma" was certified gold by the RIAA twice–on September 27, 2005, and on August 11, 2020.

Critical reception

''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' received generally positive reviews from critics; it holds an

average In ordinary language, an average is a single number taken as representative of a list of numbers, usually the sum of the numbers divided by how many numbers are in the list (the arithmetic mean). For example, the average of the numbers 2, 3, 4, 7, ...

score of 71, based on 17 reviews, at

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...

.The Diary Of Alicia Keys Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic
.

. Retrieved on 2009-09-27. ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...

'' said that the album "confirmed her place in musical history". Critics described Keys' music as

and

contemporary R&B Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music. The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhythm ...

. ''

''s Sal Cinquemani said that it "triumphs" the neo soul "achievements" of ''Songs in A Minor'' and is "a deft mix of modernism and classicism, not to mention street and class."Cinquemani, Sal (2003-12-03).
Alicia Keys: The Diary Of Alicia Keys
.

. Retrieved on 2009-09-20. '' Q'' magazine called it "a proper soul album which hooks you with the first pneumatic beat and draws you deeper with every heady atmosphere and vivid emotion."

Jon Pareles Jon Pareles (born October 25, 1953) is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of ''The New York Times''.The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', claimed that "it has taken ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' ... to testify that soul songwriting can survive" and felt that the album "echoes familiar soul sounds, but Ms. Keys sounds undaunted by her sources, and she's learning fast."Pareles, Jon (2003-12-07).
Alicia Keys Fights For Soul's Survival
. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

''. Retrieved on 2009-09-20.

Rob Sheffield Robert James Sheffield (born February 2, 1966) is an American music journalist and author. He is a long time contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'', writing about music, TV, and pop culture. Previously, he was a contributing editor at '' Ble ...

, writing in ''

'', called the album "an assured, adult statement, steeped in the complicated love life and musical dreams of an ambitious young woman who has absorbed enough

Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, ...

and

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...

records to live up to the soul promise of 'Harlem's Nocturne'." Dimitri Ehrlich of ''

Vibe ''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down producti ...

'' said that Keys is able to "sustain drama over the course" of the "masterful" album, which appropriates the "minimalist" productions of classic soul.Ehrlich, Dimitri.
Review: ''The Diary of Alicia Keys''
. ''

'': 127–128. February 2004. Kris Ex of ''

Blender A blender (sometimes called a mixer or liquidiser in British English) is a kitchen appliance, kitchen and laboratory appliance used to mix, crush, purée or emulsion, emulsify food and other substances. A stationary blender consists of a blender ...

'' called it "an enthusiastic album full of masterful strokes and electrifying intensity." In a mixed review,

Josh Tyrangiel Josh Tyrangiel is an American journalist. He was previously the deputy managing editor of ''TIME'' magazine and an editor at ''Bloomberg Businessweek''.Stephanie Clifford (November 17, 2009"Josh Tyrangiel Named Editor of BusinessWeek"/ref> In Ju ...

of ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...

'' said that the album's first six songs are "models of how to make nostalgic music that is not anti-present", but the second half "sags". David Browne, writing in ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

'', similarly said that the second half "drifts into a narcotized semi-slumber of one earnest, samey retro-soul piano ballad after another." Laura Sinagra of ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the crea ...

'' felt that the album's songs lack hooks and other "surface content", sounding instead like unfinished vocal sketches.Sinagra, Laura (2003-12-30).
Singing School
". ''

''. Retrieved on 2009-09-20.

Mark Anthony Neal Mark Anthony Neal is an American author and academic. He is the Professor of Black Popular Culture in the Department of African and African-American Studies at Duke University, where he won the 2010 Robert B. Cox Award for Teaching. Neal has writt ...

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

said that it only shows "fleeting glimpses" of Keys' actual sensibilities and said that, although it "clearly evinces Keys's growth as an artist since ''Songs in A Minor''," the album is "clearly laboring to be relevant to the current marketplace and thus suffers from a serious lack of cohesion.Neal, Mark Anthony (2003-12-11).
Alicia Keys: The Diary of Alicia Keys
.

. Retrieved on 2009-09-20. Alexis Petridis, writing in ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'', found it creatively safe and marred by "anodyne slow numbers studded with knowing references to old records". ''

Uncut Uncut may refer to: * ''Uncut'' (film), a 1997 Canadian docudrama film by John Greyson about censorship * ''Uncut'' (magazine), a monthly British magazine with a focus on music, which began publishing in May 1997 * '' BET: Uncut'', a Black Enter ...

'' found Keys' lyrics boring and filled with a "litany of cliche and hackneyed need-a-man" wailing.

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...

of ''

'' rated the album a "dud", indicating "a bad record whose details rarely merit further thought."

Accolades

''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' was named the seventh best album of 2004 by ''

''. At the 47th Annual Grammy Awards in 2005, it won the

Grammy Award for Best R&B Album The Grammy Award for Best R&B Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the R&B music genre. Honors ...

, while its songs earned Keys two other awards, including

for "If I Ain't Got You" and

Best R&B Song The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song (sometimes known as the R&B Songwriter's Award) has been awarded since 1969. From 1969 to 2000, it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song. Beyoncé has won it a record four times, while Bab ...

for "You Don't Know My Name". Keys also won three

Soul Train Music Awards The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards show which previously aired in national broadcast syndication, and honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of ''Soul Train'', the pro ...

– Best R&B/Soul Single – Female for "You Don't Know My Name" in 2004 and "If I Ain't Got You" in

2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...

, and Best R&B/Soul Album – Female for ''The Diary of Alicia Keys''. In 2007, the

National Association of Recording Merchandisers The Music Business Association (Music Biz), formerly known as the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM), is a not-for-profit trade association based in Nashville, Tennessee that seeks to promote sustained financial growth and bolst ...

(NARM) and the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...

released a list of what they termed "The Definitive 200 Albums of All Time"; ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' was ranked at number 129 on the list. The album was also ranked at number 129 on the ''

New York Daily News The New York ''Daily News'', officially titled the ''Daily News'', is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, NJ. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in ta ...

s list of Top 200 Albums of All Time, and number 277 in the 2020 revision of ''Rolling Stone'''s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.

Commercial performance

''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' debuted at number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 618,000 copies in its first week. This became Keys' second consecutive number-one debut. It was the highest first-week sales by a female artist of the year. In its second week, the album dropped to number two on the chart, selling an additional 324,000 copies, but returned to the top in its third week with 370,000 units sold. The album spent 88 weeks on the chart, leaving at number 198 in 2005. By January 2006, the album had sold 4.4 million copies in the United States. On August 11, 2020, the album was certified quintuple platinum by the

(RIAA) for combined sales and

album-equivalent unit The album-equivalent unit, or album equivalent, is a measurement unit in music industry to define the consumption of music that equals the purchase of one album copy. This consumption includes streaming and song downloads in addition to traditi ...

s of five million units in the United States. In the United Kingdom, ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' debuted at number 13 on the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...

and atop the UK R&B Albums Chart. The album was certified platinum by the

British Phonographic Industry British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with th ...

(BPI) for shipping 300,000 units. It reached the top ten in Finland, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and Norway, while peaking at number one in Switzerland and number five on the

European Top 100 Albums The European Top 100 Albums chart was the European adaptation of the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart. It ran from March 1984 until December 2010. Also commonly referred to as Eurochart Top 100 Albums, the chart showcased the sales of an act in 19 E ...

. By November 2007, the album had sold over eight million copies worldwide.

Track listing

Sample credits * "

" contains excerpts from Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77 by

* "Streets of New York" contains a sample of " N.Y. State of Mind" by

(written by Eric Barrier, Nasir Jones, Chris Martin, William Griffin) * "

" contains excerpts and a sample of "Let Me Prove My Love to You" performed by

(written by J. R. Bailey, Mel Kent, Ken Williams) * "If I Was Your Woman" is a

of " If I Were Your Woman" by

(written by Gloria Jones, Clarence McMurray, Pam Sawyer) * "Walk on By" is a cover of and contains excerpts from " Walk on By" performed by

(written by Burt Bacharach, Hal David)

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''The Diary of Alicia Keys''.

Musicians

*Alicia Keys – clavinet, instrumentation, keyboards, multi instruments, piano,

Rhodes Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the So ...

, string arrangements, synthesizers, synthesizer piano, backing vocals, vocals *Sanford Allen – concertmaster, violin *Elijah Baker – bass *Julien Barber – viola *Katreese Barnes – background vocals *Pablo Batista – percussion *Richard Brice – viola *Kurt Briggs – violin *

– digital programming, instrumentation , drums *Avril Brown – violin *Stockley Carmichael – background vocals *Fred Cash Jr. – bass *Robert Chausow – viola *

Ray Chew Ray Chew is an American musician who specializes in keyboards and contemporary and orchestral arranging. He is the music director of ABC's Dancing with the Stars (2014–present). Chew was music director for Fox's American Idol from 2010 to 20 ...

– strings arrangement and conductor *

– instrumentation *Ronnie Drayton – guitar *Darryl Dixon – horns *Marisol Espada – cello *Barry Finclair – viola *

Eileen Folson Eileen M. Folson (born Eileen M. Garden, 1956 – February 4, 2007) was a Broadway theatre, Broadway composer, professional cellist, and a Grammy nominee. Early life and education Folson was born in 1956 as the fourth of six children. She began pla ...

– cello *Onree Gill –

Hammond B3 Hammond may refer to: People * Hammond Innes (1913–1998), English novelist * Hammond (surname) * Justice Hammond (disambiguation) Places Antarctica * Hammond Glacier, Antarctica Australia *Hammond, South Australia, a small settlement in South ...

, Rhodes *L. Green – background vocals *Sharief Hobley – guitar *Andricka Hall – background vocals *Stanley Hunte – violin *Paul John – drums * Steve Jordan – drums *Kumasi – digital programming, additional synths *Gwendolyn Laster – violin *

John Legend John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He began his musical career by working behind the scenes, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Ever ...

– background vocals *Harold Lilly – background vocals *

Hugh McCracken Hugh Carmine McCracken (March 31, 1942 – March 28, 2013) was an American rock guitarist and session musician based in New York City, primarily known for his performance on guitar and also as a harmonica player. McCracken was additionally ...

– guitar *Melissa Meell – cello *Lori Miller – violin *Cindy Mizelle – background vocals *Caryl Paisner – cello * Jermaine Paul – background vocals *Marion Pinheiro – violin *Ricky Quinones – guitar *Artie Reynolds – bass *Maxine Roach – viola *Steve "Styles" Rodriguez – bass *Joe Romano – horns *Erika Rose – background vocals *Tim Christian Riley – piano *John "Jubu" Smith – guitar *Taneisha Smith – background vocals *Denise Stoudmire – background vocals *Dale Stuckenbruck – violin *Peter VanDerwater – viola *Arcell Vickers – organ *Alexander Vselensky – violin *David Watson – horns ; saxophone, flute *

Willie Weeks Willie Weeks (born August 5, 1947) is an American bass guitarist. He has gained fame performing with famous musicians in a wide variety of genres. He has been one of the most in-demand session musicians throughout his career. Weeks has also ...

– bass *Carl "Rev" Wheeler –

, organ *Artie White – guitar *

– sitar, bass ; guitar *Jessica Wilson – background vocals *Xin Zhao – violin

Additional personnel

*Alli – art director, design *Chris LeBeau – art production *Warwick Saint – photography *Nicole Tucker – hair stylist *Patti Wilson – stylist

Technical personnel

*Alicia Keys – executive producer, producer *Kerry Brothers Jr. – producer; recording *Dre & Vidal - producers *Kumasi – producer *

– producer *

– digital programming , producer *

– producer *D'wayne Wiggins – producer *Peter Edge – executive producer *Jeff Robinson – executive producer *Tony Black – recording engineer, mixing *Vincent DiLorenzo – additional recording *Dan Gautreau – recording assistant *Walter Millsap III – recording *Ann Mincieli – additional recording *

Russell Elevado Russell Elevado (born 1966 in the Philippines) is a recording engineer and record producer based in New York City. Accolades Russell Elevado has a catalog of 50 full albums from the over 100 albums in his discography. Elevado earned a Grammy ...

– mixing *Alan Ford – assistant mixing *

Manny Marroquin Manny Marroquin (born September 21, 1971) is an American mixing engineer.Daley, Dan (May 2005).Manny Marroquin. ''Sound on Sound''. Retrieved February 10, 2007 He has received ten Grammy awards for his professional audio work. Life and career M ...

– mixing *Rabeka Tuinei – assistant mixing *Pat Viala – mixing *Herb Powers Jr. – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

All-time charts

Certifications

Release history

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Diary Of Alicia Keys, The 2003 albums Alicia Keys albums Albums produced by Alicia Keys Albums produced by DJ Premier Albums produced by Dre & Vidal Albums produced by Easy Mo Bee Albums produced by Kanye West Albums produced by Timbaland J Records albums Grammy Award for Best R&B Album