Aaliyah sizzles in her final role in ‘Queen of the Damned’.

Today would have been the 34th birthday of the one and only Aaliyah, had she not been killed in a tragic plane crash at the age of 22 years in 2001. Still, her legacy survives and there is no better to celebrate her memory than with our Way Back Wednesday special!

Known for her natural sex appeal, sultry yet sweet vocals and slick dance moves, Aaliyah was on her way to becoming one of the brightest stars of her generation. Yet, despite the short length of her career, she managed to leave a lasting impression on the genre of R&B, and influenced the styles of several artists, such as Drake, Brandy (the Full Moon album), Tweet, Ashanti and Ciara.

It was Aaliyah who served as the muse for both Timbaland and Missy Elliott to revolutionise the sound of late 1990s R&B, and laid the foundation for their work with other performers in the early 2000s. So, let’s reflect on the hits that made her one of the most important popular culture figures of her era.

Check out some of Aaliyah’s more memorable songs below:

“Age ain’t Nothing but a Number”

“Are You that Somebody?”

“I Care 4 U”

“If Your Girl Only Knew”

“Miss You”

“More than a Woman”

“One in a Million”

“Rock the Boat”

“Try Again”

“We need a Resolution”

When people discuss Aaliyah’s career, there conversations entail several “should of…would of…and could of” mentions regarding where she would rank among the big stars of today. However, it is simply impossible to guess her career path, especially since most of the acts of her time have lost their footing.

Brandy and Monica have not scored a single major hit between them in years, Mya seems more interested in vacationing in the Caribbean than making music, and even Timbaland has lost his touch. In fact, the only artists of Aaliyah’s age group who are still relevant on the charts are Justin Timberlake, Beyonce and Usher, the last of whom is slowly fading away.

So, the best way to remember Aaliyah is to simply do that. Reflect on her music and the success that she enjoyed during her prime instead of trying to compare her to today’s dominant artists. Anything else would be an insult to her memory.

What was your favourite Aaliyah song? Which is the best of those listed above? What other song should have been mentioned? Vote in our poll and share your opinion!