Aaliyah - Age Ain't Nothing but a Number (1994/2021)

Age Ain't Nothing but a Number is the debut studio album by American singer Aaliyah. It was released on May 24, 1994 by Blackground Records and Jive Records. After being signed by her uncle Barry Hankerson, Aaliyah was introduced to recording artist and producer R. Kelly. He became her mentor, as well as the lead songwriter and producer of the album. The duo recorded the album at the Chicago Recording Company in Chicago from January 1993 until February 1994.

Age Ain't Nothing but a Number received generally favorable reviews from critics. Many noted Aaliyah's vocal ability and praised the lyrical content. Aaliyah was credited for redefining R&B by blending her voice with Kelly's new jack swing. The album peaked at number 18 on the US Billboard 200 and has sold over three million copies in the United States. It has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). To date, the album has sold over six million copies worldwide.

The album produced two US Billboard Hot 100 top-ten singles—"Back & Forth" and "At Your Best (You Are Love)"; both singles were certified gold by the RIAA. The title track was released as the third and final US single, while "Down with the Clique" and "The Thing I Like" were released as the fourth and fifth singles, respectively, in the United Kingdom.

Before signing the deal between Blackground Records and Empire Distribution in August 2021, it was the only studio album of Aaliyah available on digital legally, as its rights are nowadays owned by Sony Music, a legal successor of Zomba Group of Companies (the original owner of Jive Records).