Aaliyah’s full catalog is making its way to streaming services. A couple weeks ago, her sophomore album One In A Million showed up and it managed to debut at #10 on the Billboard 200 charts with 26,000 album equivalent units. (When it was first released in 1996, it debuted with 40,500 copies and landed at #20.) The following week, Aaliyah’s soundtracks to Romeo Must Die and Exit Wounds were released to DSPs. Today, her final, self-titled album — which came out 20 years ago this year — is finally available.
The arrival of these albums online has been a little contentious. Aaliyah’s uncle Barry Hankerson is the one that set this rollout in motion — he controls the master recordings for most of her catalog and founded her record label Blackground Recordings. But Aaliyah’s estate, who previously announced a different plan to get her music on streaming services last year, says that Henkerson’s deal is “unauthorized.” The estate has not been promoting these new releases.
Stream Aaliyah below.
Still to come are the compilations I Care 4 U and Ultimate Aaliyah, which will arrive on 10/8.