Aaliyah's Record Label: Which Company Signed the R&B Princess?
Aaliyah was signed to multiple record labels throughout her career, with Blackground Records being her primary label. She first signed with Jive Records in 1991 when she was just 12 years old, through a distribution deal with Blackground Records, which was founded by her uncle Barry Hankerson.
During her time with Jive Records, she released her debut album "Age Ain't Nothing but a Number" in 1994. However, she left Jive Records in 1996 and moved to Atlantic Records, again through a distribution deal with Blackground Records.
With Atlantic Records, Aaliyah released her sophomore album "One in a Million" in 1996 and recorded several hit singles. This partnership continued until 2001 when she released her third and final self-titled album "Aaliyah" through Virgin Records, while still maintaining her connection with Blackground Records.
To summarize Aaliyah's record label timeline: - 1991-1996: Jive Records (via Blackground Records) - 1996-2001: Atlantic Records (via Blackground Records) - 2001: Virgin Records (via Blackground Records)
Throughout her entire career, Blackground Records remained constant as her primary label, with these other major labels serving as distribution partners. The label was instrumental in launching and managing her career until her tragic death in 2001.
It's worth noting that Blackground Records maintained control of much of Aaliyah's catalog for many years after her death, which is why her music was unavailable on streaming platforms for an extended period. In 2021, Blackground Records 2.0 partnered with Empire Distribution to finally make her catalog available on streaming services.
