Aaliyah's Record Labels: A Complete Look at Her Music Career Contracts
Aaliyah was primarily signed to two major record labels during her career: Jive Records and later Blackground Records, which was founded by her uncle Barry Hankerson.
Her journey in the music industry began in 1991 when she signed with Jive Records at the young age of 12. During her time with Jive, she released her debut album "Age Ain't Nothing but a Number" in 1994, which was produced by R. Kelly.
In 1996, Aaliyah made a significant change by leaving Jive Records and signing with her uncle's label, Blackground Records. This move proved to be instrumental in shaping her career. Through Blackground Records, she released two more studio albums: "One in a Million" (1996) and her self-titled final album "Aaliyah" (2001).
Blackground Records had a distribution deal with Atlantic Records during the release of "One in a Million," and later partnered with Virgin Records for the distribution of her self-titled album. This arrangement helped ensure her music reached a wider audience while maintaining creative control through her family-owned label.
Tragically, Aaliyah remained with Blackground Records until her untimely death in 2001. The label continued to release her posthumous compilations and previously unreleased material, including "I Care 4 U" (2002) and "Ultimate Aaliyah" (2005).
In 2021, Blackground Records 2.0 (rebranded) made Aaliyah's full catalog available on streaming platforms through a distribution partnership with Empire, allowing new generations to discover her music.