Alicia Keys’ 5 Most Iconic Music Videos
Alicia’s Keys is one of the best-selling musical artists in the world, so it’s no surprise that she’s also responsible for some of the best music videos in history. She played a major role in transforming the music video into an art in itself.
From her debut album to her most recent work, she has created some truly amazing videos to accompany her songs. Here’s our countdown of Alicia Keys’ five most iconic music videos from the IMVDb.
1. Fall Out (2001)
The lead single from Keys’ debut album obviously deserved a spot on this list. “Fallin'” opened at number 1 on the charts, so it’s only fitting that the music video is just as good. The song‘s moving lyrics and melancholy piano fit the story perfectly as Keys sings of the love and pain she feels for her man behind bars.
The whole thing has a quality of fantasy, almost as if their love is a sweet dream contrasting with the nightmare that is reality.
2. The Worth of a Woman (2001)
For his next single after “Fallin”, Keys and his team decided to make the music video a sequel. Following the “Fallin'” story, Keys’ partner is out of jail and on the straight and narrow. Swapping the sad piano for a funky synth, it’s clear things are still tough for the two, but their love helps them through.
Much of the song and video is about people understanding the value of their partners and the people around them, which contrasts the couple with good and not so good examples of others like them in the city.
3. Nobody (2007)
Keys’ “No One” was one of his biggest hits to date, with both the song and the music video reaching No. 1 on the charts. A particularly meaningful song for the artist, it is about clarity in relationships and being true in love.
With four distinct settings, Keys and the many instruments harmonize as she sings of her confidence in her relationship. The gears are a big part of the visuals, likely related to how her and her partner fit together perfectly.
4. Another Way to Die (2008)
Besides starring in films, Keys also makes music for them. “Another Way to Die” was created for the Bond movie Quantum of comfort. One of his few collaborations from his early career, it’s an equally rare rock-focused track.
Mixing piano and fast bursts of brass with a buzzing electric guitar, Keys and co-star Jack White sing about Bond and his exploits. All the while, they’re seen traveling through a lot of Bond-like locations, especially a desert environment like in the movie, with bits like Keys inside the iconic shot-through-barrel to tie it all together. .
5. Try to sleep with a broken heart (2009)
Released the same year as the infamous VMA incident, “Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart” is easily one of Keys’ best tracks and most intriguing videos. In the video, Keys is shown to have some sort of superpower, reviving a dead, flying dog. According to Keys, the main theme of the album is freedom, which is definitely emphasized here.
However, the rug is pulled out from under her when it is revealed that she cannot touch her lover without hurting him with her powers. This tragic ending contextualizes the lyrics throughout her longing for her touch and presence, as well as the introductory quote:
“Some of us are blessed with the power to save what is loved by another. But powerless to use that blessing to love ourselves.
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