Alicia Keys songs, ranked: 21 greatest hits from R&B star who went from Hell’s Kitchen to ‘Hell’s Kitchen’

Daniel Montgomery
·2 min read
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Alicia Keys ranks among the great R&B voices of the 21st century. But what are her very best songs? Scroll down for our list of her greatest hits. Do you agree with our choice for number-one?

21. “Perfect Way to Die” (2020)

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20. “Fire We Make” with Maxwell (2013)

19. “Gangsta Lovin'” with Eve (2002)

18. “A Beautiful Noise” with Brandi Carlile (2020)

17. “Underdog” (2020)

16. “Superwoman” (2008)

15. “How Come You Don’t Call Me” (2002)

14. “Diary” featuring Tony! Toni! Tone! (2004)

13. “Doesn’t Mean Anything” (2009)

12. “Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart” (2009)

11. “Karma” (2004)

10. “Un-Thinkable (I’m Ready)” (2010)

9. “My Boo” with Usher (2004)

8. “Like You’ll Never See Me Again” (2007)

7. “You Don’t Know My Name” (2003)

6. “A Woman’s Worth” (2002)

5. “No One” (2007)

4. “Girl on Fire” (2012)

3. “Empire State of Mind” with Jay-Z (2009)

2. “Fallin'” (2001)

1. “If I Ain’t Got You” (2004)

Alicia Keys was a star as soon as she debuted in 2001 with her breakthrough single “Fallin'” from her debut album “Songs in A Minor.” The song was a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and the album topped the Billboard 200 albums chart. Both have been certified multiplatinum. Those recordings also made her an immediate contender for Grammys. But there was an unexpected wrinkle that year: despite six nominations, she was unexpectedly snubbed from Album of the Year, with a nomination instead going to fellow R&B breakout India.Arie. Keys came out on top, though, winning five prizes including Song of the Year (“Fallin'”) and Best New Artist.

That was just the beginning of a storied career. She has accumulated 16 Grammys out of 31 nominations. She even hosted those music kudos in 2019 and 2020. And her life inspired a jukebox musical, “Hell’s Kitchen,” which premiered off-Broadway in 2023 and moved to Broadway in 2024. Quite a full-circle moment for a musician whose career already spans three decades with many years left ahead of her.

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