Aaliyah fans will have to wait a little bit longer before the late R&B icon’s full music catalog is available on streaming services.
The Aaliyah Estate took to social media on Saturday (Jan. 16) — what would’ve been the late singer and actress’ 42nd birthday — to provide an update on when the world might have access to more of her music digitally.
“We hear you and we see you. While we share your sentiments and desire to have Aaliyah’s music released, we must acknowledge that these matters are not within our control and, unfortunately, take time,” Aaliyah’s estate wrote. “Our inability to share Aaliyah’s music and artistry with the world has been as difficult for us as it has been for all of you. Our priority has always been and will continue to be Aaliyah’s music.”
While her debut album, Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number, is widely available on major streaming services, the singer’s estate has held back the majority of her remaining catalog, which includes her 1996 follow-up, One in a Million, and her 2001 self-titled album.
“In the meantime, however, we are working diligently to protect what is in our control — Aaliyah’s brand, legacy, and intellectual property,” the estate continued. “In doing so, we will continue to release unique and exciting projects to keep Aaliyah’s legacy and light shining. While we understand this may be challenging, we need the support of the fans Aaliyah loved so dearly, until we can resolve all the issues in freeing her music. Undoubtedly, we understand how frustration can lead to angry and disappointment. However, we ask all of you for your continued support and love as we aim to achieve these goals for all of you and our babygirl. We appreciate you.”
The Aaliyah estate’s last update on the subject was on Aug. 25, 2020, which marked the 19th anniversary of her tragic death by plane crash in 2001 at age 22. In a statement, the estate claimed it had commenced communication with “various record labels” regarding the status of the singer’s catalog, including “its availability on streaming platforms in the near future.”
Aaliyah’s music catalog has been under the purview of her uncle and founder of Blackground Records, Barry Hankerson.
Fans have long demanded the release of the singer’s music, and there have been numerous false-starts along the way. In 2017, a greatest-hits collection of her music titled Ultimate Aaliyah was pulled just hours after appearing on iTunes and Apple Music. In 2019, a tweet from an account seemingly belonging to Hankerson teased that the singer’s full discography would be made available for streaming on Aaliyah’s birthday last year, but the day came and went with no update.
Read the Aaliyah estate’s latest update in the tweet below.
A message to our fans. We hear you and we see you. Thank you for your continued support. – The Estate of Aaliyah#aaliyah #aaliyahhaughton #babygirl #aaliyahforever pic.twitter.com/fzFPf2CLLn
— Aaliyah (@AaliyahHaughton) January 15, 2021
