One in a million: The ultimate Aaliyah playlist

“Move, it’s the L-I-Y-A-H,” is a lyric that introduced Aaliyah to her fans. "Back & Forth" was the first single from her debut album Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number. From her baggy wardrobe attire to her smooth vocals, “Back & Forth” put the world on notice as the single became a top-five hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

For Aaliyah’s second album, she went with a new type of sound by working with Timbaland and Missy Elliott. “If Your Girl Only Knew” showcased the production and songwriting genius of Timbo and Missy, while displaying the direction of Aaliyah’s new sound. “If Your Girl Only Knew” is all about Aaliyah calling out a guy for flirting with her while he has a girlfriend.

By the time Aaliyah released her third and final album, Timbaland was also brewing up a new sound of his own. Timbo and frequent collaborator Static Major wrote Aaliyah's single “We Need a Resolution,” with production that pushed them into another realm of experimental R&B. 

The Isley Brothers may be one of the most sampled groups in music history, but instead of a sample, Aaliyah decided to release her own cover of their hit song, “At Your Best (You Are Love)." It was quite the change of pace from Aaliyah's debut single, as this showed her range for singing love ballads. 

The single “One in a Million” was when she introduced the world to her signature look, her silky tresses with the swoop covering one eye. Aaliyah is the epitome of mixing street with sexy in her style, and it’s evident in the video. In the song, Aaliyah wants to profess her love as she says, “Baby you don't know, what you do to me / Between me and you, I feel a chemistry / Won't let no one come and take your place / Cause the love you give can't be replaced.”

On Aaliyah's final album, the second single “More Than a Woman,” was another collaboration with Static Major and Timbaland. Dancing became a huge part of Aaliyah's artistry and showmanship, so she made sure to include choreography in many of her videos.

Aaliyah's fans have a love-hate relationship with her debut album Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number. While they love the album because it was her introduction to the world, there's also some backlash because it’s the only Aaliyah album that’s available for streaming. The title track became the album’s final released single.

The fourth single from Aaliyah's sophomore album was the Timbaland-produced track “4 Page Letter.” For fans who may be too shy to profess their love and admiration, perhaps writing a letter is the way to go. Although she’s using the letter to showcase her feelings, there’s still a little skepticism as she hopes that she doesn’t get rejected.

“Rock the Boat” gives a Caribbean and island-vibe on the production, so it was evident why Aaliyah and her crew filmed the video in the Bahamas. Unfortunately, the video shoot concluded with the tragic death of Aaliyah and members of her crew due to a plane crash. Although the music video turned out beautifully, it's still a visual that may be hard for fans to watch.

Not only was Aaliyah’s “Are You That Somebody” one of the more popular singles from the Dr. Dolittle soundtrack, but it’s one of her most recognizable due to Timbaland's addition of a baby's cry on the production. The song earned Aaliyah her first Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

Sometimes fans need a song that's all about finding out which friends are true blue. On Aaliyah's track “Down with the Clique,” she's adamant about finding out who's really down to support her.

In 1997, Aaliyah dropped her single “Hot Like Fire,” and a flaming video to go along with it. The video begins with fire trucks soaring down the street before Aaliyah and her backup dancers give a fiery dance routine filled with red lights and pyrotechnics. Artists such as Magoo, Changing Faces, and Lil’ Kim made cameos in the video.

"Cause if at first, you don't succeed / You can dust it off and try again," is the famous line from Aaliyah's single, "Try Again." As the singer took on her first film role in Romeo Must Die alongside co-star Jet Li, she also released “Try Again” as the soundtrack's lead single. The Timbaland and Static Major-assisted track became a number one hit. 

While Aaliyah’s One in a Million sound was mostly heralded by the sound and songwriting from Timbaland and Missy Elliott, the album’s final single “The One I Gave My Heart To” was penned by renowned songwriter Diane Warren. The single proved Aaliyah’s soprano prowess on a ballad and became a top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Aaliyah's single “I Don’t Wanna” appeared on the soundtracks for both Next Friday and Romeo Must Die. The Billboard Top 40 hit was written by Johnta Austin and Jazze Pha alongside Donnie Scantz and Kevin Hicks. 

In 1997, Aaliyah was recruited to record “Journey to the Past,” a lead single for the Disney animated film Anastasia. The pop ballad was totally different from her edgy R&B sound, but it earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.

In 1997, Timbaland and Magoo released their debut album Welcome To Our World and the lead single was “Up Jumps Da Boogie.” The single featured Missy Elliott and Aaliyah and showcased how they were a collective union ready to take over the hip hop and R&B worlds. 

In 2000, Aaliyah landed her first movie role in Romeo Must Die alongside Jet Li and DMX. It was only right that Aaliyah and DMX collaborate on the soundtrack for the single “Come Back In One Piece.” DMX's signature bark and grit were perfect alongside Aaliyah's smooth vocal tone.

"Come Over" was a track released posthumously on the album I Care 4 U. Thanks to the songwriting geniuses Johntá Austin, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Kevin Hicks, "Come Over" is all about that feeling of getting back into town and yearning to meet up with a lover. 

“Miss You” was written by Johntá Austin, Ginuwine, and Teddy Bishop. Although the track was recorded a few years prior, the song was released posthumously on the I Care 4 U. The music video was a tribute to Aaliyah that featured cameos from artists such as DMX, Missy Elliott, Jamie Foxx, Quincy Jones, and Queen Latifah.