Aaliyah and her reign continues.
When Aaliyah’s “One In A Million” album first released in 1996, it peaked at No. 18 despite influencing the music industry and being a fan favorite.
Fast forward to 25 years later, HipHopDX reported that the late singer’s sophomore project — which recently became available on streaming platforms — has reentered the Billboard 200 and secured the No. 10 spot. According to MRC Data, “One in a Million” sold 26,000 equivalent album units.
After a drawn out legal battle between her label Blackground Records — now renamed Blackground Records 2.0 — and her estate, fans were finally granted their wish of access to Aaliyah’s entire discography. As previously reported by AfroTech, Blackground Records 2.0 partnered with Empire, an independent distribution company, for Aaliyah’s music to go digital. On Aug. 20, 2021, “One In A Million” kicked off the R&B icon’s music rollout.
Fans took their celebration to social media once the news broke out. The anticipation for the critically acclaimed album to hit streaming services led to Aaliyah becoming a trending topic. The buzz not only got Aaliyah stans excited, but also introduced today’s generation to her music — in turn boosting her streams, sales and placing “One in a Million“ at No. 10.
Although fans were overjoyed, Aaliyah’s estate slammed Blackground Records 2.0 and Empire’s partnership before the release. In a statement, they defined the deal as an “unscrupulous endeavor to release Aaliyah’s music without any transparency or full accounting to the estate.”
The classic now marks Aaliyah’s third album to break into Billboard 200’s top 10. Prior to the singer’s untimely passing in 2001, her self-titled album debuted at No. 2 and later took the No. 1 spot after her passing. Her posthumous compilation album “I Care 4 U” reached No. 3 on Billboard.
The “Romeo Must Die” soundtrack is next up on Aaliyah’s music rollout and will be available on streaming platforms on Sept. 3, followed by her self-titled album on Sept. 10. The late singer’s “I Care 4 U” and “Ultimate Aaliyah” will close out the lineup on Oct. 8.