Most frequent collaboratorKerry Brothers Jr. · 30 tracks
GenresR&BSoulPop
Complete Artist
97%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 122 of 126 tracks
Does Alicia Keys write her own songs?
Yes. Alicia Keys is credited on about 97% of her catalogue, writing most of her songs and producing much of her own work at the piano. She wrote 'Fallin'' and 'If I Ain't Got You' herself, and co-writes others with a small circle of collaborators. She is a songwriter and producer, not just a vocalist.
By the Numbers
8
Studio Albums
126
Tracks Credited
97%
Self-Written
over 90 million
Records Sold
25
Years Active
237
Collaborators
Authorship Breakdown 122 / 126 self-written
Who wrote the songs?
Across all 126 tracks: how many Alicia Keys wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.
Alicia Keys has a writing credit97%
16%
81%
3%
Sole author20tracks16%
Co-written102tracks81%
Outside writers4tracks3%
Role Fingerprint how they contribute
Alicia Keys's roles across the catalogue
Share of all 126 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.
Lyricist (words)97%
Composer (music)97%
Producer87%
Performer86%
Authorship Over Time writing credit per album
Alicia Keys's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.
avg 97%
88%
93%
100%
91%
100%
100%
100%
100%
2001Songs in A Minor
2003The Diary of Alicia Keys
2007As I Am
2009The Element of Freedom
2012Girl on Fire
2016Here
2020ALICIA
2021Keys
Early · 93% written
Mid · 98% written
Late · 100% written
Authorship by Decade track-weighted
93%
2000s
Songs in A Minor, The Diary of Alicia Keys +2 more
100%
2010s
Girl on Fire, Here
100%
2020s
ALICIA, Keys
Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author
Where Alicia Keys sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.
Alicia Keys
Other artists on the site
Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.
Bubble size = tracks worked on together. Showing the 150 most frequent of 234. HL Harold Lilly
The Authorship Story
Data Insight
Alicia Keys holds songwriter credits on virtually every track she records across eight studio albums, an unusually consistent pattern for a mainstream R&B artist. She also functions as a principal producer on most of her records, resulting in nearly identical lyricist and composer scores. Kerry 'Krucial' Brothers Jr. is her most consistent collaborator, appearing across the first six albums. The double album Keys (2021) is analytically interesting: the same underlying compositions appear twice under entirely different production contexts. The Originals side retains her traditional piano-led sound while the Unlocked side was handed to Mike Will Made-It.
Quick Facts
SalesHas sold over 90 million records worldwide
GrammysWon 17 Grammy Awards, including five for her debut in a single night
Songs in A MinorHer 2001 debut sold around 12 million copies and swept the Grammys
Number onesHad four consecutive number-one albums on the Billboard 200
Classically trainedA trained pianist who writes at the keyboard and produces much of her music
Creative Fingerprint
A writer and producer at the piano: Alicia Keys is credited on about 97% of her catalogue, writing most songs herself and producing much of her own work, sometimes alone and often with a small circle of collaborators.
The Story
Alicia Keys, born Alicia Augello Cook on January 30, 1981, in New York City, is a classically trained pianist and singer-songwriter whose debut album Songs in A Minor (2001) debuted at number one and sold over 230,000 copies in its first week. Raised in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, she studied at the Professional Performing Arts School and was signed by Columbia Records at 15 before finding her creative home at J Records, where she developed a genre-blending sound rooted in R&B, soul, and classical piano. Her catalog of eight studio albums demonstrates an unusual level of creative authorship for a mainstream pop star. She co-writes and co-produces extensively across all her records. Her albums include The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003), As I Am (2007), The Element of Freedom (2009), Girl on Fire (2012), Here (2016), ALICIA (2020), and the double album Keys (2021), the latter featuring an 'Originals' side produced in a stripped piano style and an 'Unlocked' side reimagined with Mike Will Made-It. With 15 Grammy Awards and over 90 million records sold, she is one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Awards & Recognition
Won 17 Grammy Awards across her career
Songs in A Minor (2001) won five Grammys in a single night, including Best New Artist and Song of the Year for 'Fallin''
Had four consecutive number-one albums on the Billboard 200
Ranked among the best-selling R&B artists of all time, with over 90 million records sold
Frequently Asked Questions Alicia Keys
Does Alicia Keys write her own songs?
Yes. Alicia Keys is credited on about 97% of her catalogue, writing most of her songs and producing much of her own work at the piano. She wrote 'Fallin'' and 'If I Ain't Got You' herself, and co-writes others with a small circle of collaborators. She is a songwriter and producer, not just a vocalist.
Who wrote 'Fallin''?
'Fallin'' was written and produced entirely by Alicia Keys for her 2001 debut Songs in A Minor. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 and won Song of the Year at the Grammys, establishing her as a self-contained artist from the start.
Did Alicia Keys write 'If I Ain't Got You'?
Yes. 'If I Ain't Got You,' from The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003), was written solely by Keys. Inspired in part by the death of Aaliyah, it became one of her signature ballads and a showcase for her piano-driven songwriting.
Who wrote 'Empire State of Mind'?
'Empire State of Mind' (2009) is credited to @@mdlink0@@ and its writers, with Alicia Keys featured on and co-writing the hook. Keys later released her own version, 'Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down,' on her album The Element of Freedom.
How many Grammys has Alicia Keys won?
Alicia Keys has won 17 Grammy Awards, including five in one night for her debut Songs in A Minor. That haul reflects how much of her success comes from her own writing and production.
How many albums has Alicia Keys released?
This catalogue covers her studio albums from Songs in A Minor (2001) through Keys (2021), a body of work spanning R&B, soul, and pop.
Does Alicia Keys produce her own music?
Yes. She is a principal producer on most of her albums, shaping the piano-based sound herself. Combined with her writing, that makes her one of the most self-contained artists in mainstream R&B.
What genre is Alicia Keys?
Alicia Keys makes R&B, soul, and pop built around her piano and voice, from classic soul ballads like 'If I Ain't Got You' to anthems like 'Girl on Fire.'
Alicia Keys
