2003–2005: The Diary of Alicia Keys and Unplugged Alicia Keys

keys performing @ consumer electronics show, 2004

keys followed debut diary of alicia keys, released in december 2003. album debuted @ number 1 on billboard 200, selling on 618,000 copies first week of release, becoming largest first-week sales female artist in 2003. sold 4.4 million copies in united states , certified 4 times platinum riaa. sold 8 million copies worldwide, becoming sixth biggest-selling album female artist , second biggest-selling album female r&b artist. album s lead single, don t know name , peaked @ number 3 on billboard hot 100 , number 1 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs 8 consecutive weeks, first top 10 single in both charts since 2002 s woman s worth . album s second single, if ain t got , released in february 2004 , peaked @ number 4 on billboard hot 100 , number 1 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs 6 weeks. album s third single, diary , peaked @ number 8 on billboard hot 100 , number 2 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs chart, being third consecutive top 10 single in both charts. album s fourth , final single, karma , peaked @ number 20 on billboard hot 100 , number 17 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs, first release fail achieve top ten status on both charts. if ain t got became first single female artist remain on billboard hot r&b/hip-hop songs chart on year. keys collaborated recording artist usher on song boo 2004 album, confessions (special edition). song topped billboard hot 100 6 weeks , hot r&b/hip-hop songs 3 weeks, became first number-one single in hot 100 since 2001 s fallin .

keys won best r&b video if ain t got @ 2004 mtv video music awards; performed song , higher ground lenny kravitz , stevie wonder. later year, keys released novel tears water: songbook of poems , lyrics, collection of unreleased poems journals , lyrics. title derived 1 of poems, love , chains line: don t mind drinking tears water. said title foundation of writing because have ever written has stemmed tears of joy, of pain, of sorrow, of depression, of question . book sold on us$500,000 , keys made new york times bestseller list in 2005. following year, won second consecutive award best r&b video @ mtv video music awards video karma . keys performed if ain t got , joined jamie foxx , quincy jones in rendition of georgia on mind , hoagy carmichael song made famous ray charles in 1960 @ 2005 grammy awards. evening, won 4 grammy awards: best female r&b vocal performance if ain t got , best r&b song don t know name , best r&b album diary of alicia keys, , best r&b performance duo or group vocals boo usher.

keys performed , taped installment of mtv unplugged series in july 2005 @ brooklyn academy of music. during session, keys added new arrangements original songs , performed few choice covers. session released on cd , dvd in october 2005. titled unplugged, album debuted @ number 1 on u.s. billboard 200 chart 196,000 units sold in first week of release. album sold 1 million copies in united states, certified platinum riaa, , 2 million copies worldwide. debut of keys unplugged highest mtv unplugged album since nirvana s 1994 mtv unplugged in new york , first unplugged female artist debut @ number one. album s first single, unbreakable , peaked @ number 34 on billboard hot 100 , number 4 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs. remained @ number 1 on billboard hot adult r&b airplay 11 weeks. album s second , final single, every little bit hurts , released in january 2006, failed enter u.s. charts.

keys opened recording studio in long island, new york, called oven studios, co-owns production , songwriting partner kerry krucial brothers. studio designed renowned studio architect john storyk of wsdg, designer of jimi hendrix electric lady studios. keys , brothers co-founders of krucialkeys enterprises, production , songwriting team have assisted keys in creating albums creating music other artists.