Unplugged (Alicia Keys album)

Unplugged is the first live album (third overall) by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It was recorded as part of the television program MTV Unplugged on July 4, 2005 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, New York City, and released in the United States on October 11, 2005 by J Records, including songs from her multi-platinum albums Songs in A Minor and The Diary of Alicia Keys. The album debuted on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart at number one, with first-week sales of 196,000 copies in the U.S.^[1] and over 245,000 copies worldwide—the highest debut for an MTV Unplugged album since Nirvana's 1994 MTV Unplugged in New York and the first Unplugged by a female artist to debut at number one. The album has sold over one million copies in the United States and over 2.5 million copies worldwide. Additionally, it received four nominations for the 2006 Grammy Awards, including Best R&B Album.

The first single released from the album was "Unbreakable", which peaked at number thirty-four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The second single, "Every Little Bit Hurts", was released in January 2006. The video premiered on January 17 on BET's 106 & Park. The album and DVD includes songs from her multi-platinum albums Songs in A Minor and The Diary of Alicia Keys.

Track listing

Sample credits

• "A Woman's Worth" contains a sample of "Footsteps in the Dark" by The Isley Brothers (Ernest Isley, Christopher Jasper, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley, Marvin Isley, O'Kelly Isley, Jr.)
• "Unbreakable" contains a sample of Eddie Kendricks' "Intimate Friends" (Garry Glenn)
• "Streets of New York (City Life)" contains a sample of "N.Y. State of Mind" by Nas (Eric Barrier, Nasir Jones, Chris Martin, William Griffin)
• "You Don't Know My Name" contains a sample of "Let Me Prove My Love to You" by The Main Ingredient (J. R. Bailey, Mel Kent, Ken Williams)
• "Love It or Leave It Alone" contains a sample of "Love Me or Leave Me Alone" by Brand Nubian (Lorenzo DeChalus, Derek Murphy, Charles Davis) and "Latoya" by Just-Ice (Kirk Khaleel, Joseph Williams)

Charts and certifications

Chart procession and succession

Reception

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, with first-week sales of 196,000 copies, serving as Keys' third consecutive number-one debut in the United States. The album's two singles, "Unbreakable", reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart, and final single "Every Little Bit Hurts", it failed to enter the U.S. and international charts..

Critical reception

Upon its release, the album received generally positive reviews from most music critics, based on an aggregate score of 65/100 from Metacritic.^[30]E! Online said that the album "(...) She might be unplugged--but she's still electrifying (...)". Entertainment Weekly said that the album "(...) For once, Unplugged largely leaves Keys' runaway careerism in the dressing room, where it belongs (...)". Q Magazine said "(...) Stands as an apt reminder that she is the finest soul talent of her generation (...)". Billboard said "(...) This self-assured, illuminating "MTV Unplugged" performance underscores Keys' boundless passion for her craft (...)".Los Angeles Times said "(...) The problems in this 72-minute package come chiefly when the exquisite singer-songwriter moves to what you'd think would be the creative heart of the album: material that isn't on her earlier CDs. (...)". Rolling Stone said "(...) This recording bursts with sweet soul that seems to feed off the adoring crowd (...)". All Music Guide said "(...) An abbreviated "You Don't Know My Name," truly a producer's creation, falls flat here, and she treats covers of Gladys Knight's "If I Was Your Woman" and "Every Little Bit Hurts" like vocal auditions and not the blank canvases of an interpretive artist (...)".^[31]

Accolades

At the 48th Grammy Awards in 2006, Unplgged earned Keys four nominations; Grammy Award for Best R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for "Unbreakable", Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for "If I Was Your Woman".

Release history

References