The Element of Freedom cover art

  Studio Album · No. 4

The Element of Freedom Songwriting Credits by Alicia Keys

2009 J Records 11 tracks 53 min

Produced by Alicia Keys, Kerry Brothers Jr., Jeff Bhasker, Swizz Beatz, 40  ·  Engineered by Ann Mincieli, Manny Marroquin, Tony Maserati, Dave Kutch

J Records R&BSoulPop
91%
Authorship
Artist

Holds writing credit on 10 of 11 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 10 / 11 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 11 tracks with documented writers, by whether Alicia Keys carries a lyricist or composer credit.

91%
10 trackswritten by Alicia Keys 1 trackoutside writers
Alicia Keys's roles on this album

Share of the 11 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist91%
Composer91%
Producer82%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

11
Tracks
12
Lyricists
5
Producers
over 4 million copies
Worldwide Copies Sold
2009
Released

Awards & Recognition 3

Best R&B/Soul Female Artist (2010)
The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter's Award (2010)
Outstanding Music Video (Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)) (2011)
Data Insight

The Element of Freedom is Alicia Keys' most cohesive self-driven project to that point, with Keys producing or co-producing nearly every track alongside collaborators including Kerry Brothers Jr., Jeff Bhasker, Swizz Beatz, and Toby Gad. The album leans into a softer, atmospheric synth-and-piano sound rather than the classic soul of her earlier records, and Keys co-wrote all of its songs. Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) emerged from a writing session with Drake and Noah "40" Shebib, marking one of Keys' earliest crossovers into the Toronto R&B sound. The record functions as a loose concept piece about emotional independence, framed by spoken interludes around the title theme.

Alicia Keys' fourth studio album, released December 15, 2009. The Element of Freedom debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and features the hit singles 'Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart,' 'Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)' (featuring Drake), and 'Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down.' Production is shared between Kerry Brothers Jr., Jeff Bhasker, Swizz Beatz, and Drake's collaborator Noah '40' Shebib. The closing track samples Bert Keyes and Sylvia Robinson's 'Love on a Two-Way Street' and lists Jay-Z as a co-writer due to the shared Empire State of Mind foundation.

Track Listing & Credits 11 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Distance and Time
Alicia KeysKerry Brothers Jr. Alicia Augello CookKerry Brothers Jr. Alicia KeysKerry Brothers Jr. Alicia Augello Cook (Lead Vocals)
2
Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart #27
Alicia KeysJeff BhaskerBilly Kraven Alicia Augello CookJeff BhaskerBilly Kraven Swizz BeatzJeff Bhasker Alicia Augello Cook (Lead Vocals)
3
Wait Til You See My Smile
Alicia KeysKerry Brothers Jr.George M. Harry Alicia Augello CookKerry Brothers Jr.George M. Harry Alicia KeysKerry Brothers Jr. Alicia Augello Cook (Lead Vocals)
4
Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) #21
Alicia KeysKerry Brothers Jr.Drake40 Alicia Augello CookKerry Brothers Jr.Aubrey GrahamNoah Shebib Kerry Brothers Jr.40 Drake (vocals)
5
I'm Searching
Alicia KeysKerry Brothers Jr. Alicia Augello CookKerry Brothers Jr. Alicia KeysKerry Brothers Jr. Alicia Augello Cook (Lead Vocals)
6
Love Is Blind
Alicia KeysKerry Brothers Jr.Billy Kraven Alicia Augello CookKerry Brothers Jr.Billy Kraven Alicia KeysKerry Brothers Jr. Alicia Augello Cook (Lead Vocals)
7
Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down #55
Alicia KeysJay-ZAngela HunteSylvia RobinsonBert Keyes Alicia Augello CookShawn CarterAngela HunteSylvia RobinsonBert Keyes Alicia KeysKerry Brothers Jr. Alicia Augello Cook (Lead Vocals)
8
Like the Sea
Alicia KeysKerry Brothers Jr. Alicia Augello CookKerry Brothers Jr. Alicia KeysKerry Brothers Jr. Alicia Augello Cook (Lead Vocals)
9
How It Feels to Fly
Alicia KeysKerry Brothers Jr.Jeff Bhasker Alicia Augello CookKerry Brothers Jr.Jeff Bhasker Alicia KeysJeff Bhasker Alicia Augello Cook (Lead Vocals)
10
That's How Strong My Love Is
Roosevelt Jamison Roosevelt Jamison Alicia KeysKerry Brothers Jr. Alicia Augello Cook (Lead Vocals)
11
Love Is My Disease
Alicia KeysKerry Brothers Jr.Billy Kraven Alicia Augello CookKerry Brothers Jr.Billy Kraven Alicia KeysKerry Brothers Jr. Alicia Augello Cook (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 17 contributors

AK
Alicia Keys
Writer · Producer
On this album10 written
AA
Alicia Augello Cook
Writer · Vocals
On this album10 written
KB
Kerry Brothers Jr.
Writer · Producer
On this album8 written
BK
Billy Kraven
Writer
On this album3 written
JB
Jeff Bhasker
Writer · Producer
On this album2 written
4
40
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
AH
Angela Hunte
Writer
On this album1 written
AG
Aubrey Graham
Writer
On this album1 written
BK
Bert Keyes
Writer
On this album1 written
D
Drake
Writer · Vocals
On this album1 written
GM
George M. Harry
Writer
On this album1 written
J
Jay-Z
Writer
On this album1 written

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Frequently Asked Questions The Element of Freedom

Did Alicia Keys write The Element of Freedom herself?
Alicia Keys co-wrote every song on The Element of Freedom rather than writing entirely alone. She worked with collaborators such as Kerry Brothers Jr., Drake, Noah "40" Shebib, Toby Gad, and Swizz Beatz across the album. Keys also produced or co-produced nearly every track.
Who wrote Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) by Alicia Keys?
Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) was written by Alicia Keys, Drake (Aubrey Graham), Kerry Brothers Jr., and Noah "40" Shebib. It was produced by Keys, Brothers Jr., and Shebib. The song grew out of a writing session that brought Keys together with the Toronto-based team behind Drake's early sound.
How did Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) by Alicia Keys perform on the charts?
Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. It performed far better on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it reached number one and spent twelve consecutive weeks at the top, the longest-running R&B/Hip-Hop number one of 2010. The track was later certified 4x Platinum in the United States.
What genre is The Element of Freedom by Alicia Keys?
The Element of Freedom is primarily an R&B and soul album with pop elements. Compared to Keys' earlier work, it favors a softer, atmospheric production built on synths and piano. The record blends balladry with mid-tempo material throughout.
Who produced The Element of Freedom by Alicia Keys?
Alicia Keys served as a producer or co-producer on nearly every track. She worked alongside Jeff Bhasker, Kerry Brothers Jr., Toby Gad, Noah "40" Shebib, Al Shux, and Swizz Beatz. Mixing was handled largely by Manny Marroquin and Tony Maserati, with Ann Mincieli engineering.
What was the lead single from Alicia Keys' The Element of Freedom?
Doesn't Mean Anything was the lead single, peaking at number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100. Later singles included Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart at number 27, Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down at number 55, and Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) at number 21. Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) became the album's biggest commercial success despite a lower Hot 100 peak.
How many copies did The Element of Freedom by Alicia Keys sell?
The Element of Freedom sold over 4 million copies worldwide as of 2012. In the United States it had sold about 1.6 million copies by 2014, supporting its 2x Platinum RIAA certification. It debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200 with 417,000 first-week copies.
What is Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down on Alicia Keys' The Element of Freedom?
Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down is Keys' solo, stripped-down piano version of the Jay-Z hit Empire State of Mind, on which she had originally sung the hook. Released as a single from the album, it peaked at number 55 on the Billboard Hot 100. It reframes the New York anthem as an intimate ballad.
Did The Element of Freedom by Alicia Keys win any awards?
Yes. Keys won Best R&B/Soul Female Artist and The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter's Award at the 2010 Soul Train Music Awards during the album's campaign. The music video for Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) won Outstanding Music Video at the 2011 NAACP Image Awards.

Sources

Wikipedia: The Element of Freedom Wikipedia: Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) MusicBrainz release-group search: The Element of Freedom Cover Art Archive: The Element of Freedom front cover Cover Art Archive: The Element of Freedom by Alicia Keys