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 periodically from January 1993 until early 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 been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).The album has sold over three million copies in the United States and six million copies worldwide. The album produced two US Billboard Hot 100 top-ten singles—"Back & Forth" and a cover of the 1976 Isley Brothers hit "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 Barry Hankerson signed a distribution deal between Blackground Records and Empire Distribution in August 2021, this work was the only studio album of Aaliyah’s available for legal digital streaming. The rights to the album are owned by Sony Music, a legal successor of Zomba Group of Companies (the original owner of Jive Records). Background and development Aaliyah's uncle Barry Hankerson, who was an entertainment lawyer, had been married to Gladys Knight. As a child, Aaliyah traveled with Knight and worked with an agent in New York, where she auditioned for commercials and television programs, including the sitcom Family Matters. In 1989, she went on to appear on Star Search at the age of 10, where she performed "My Funny Valentine". Aaliyah chose to begin auditioning while her mother made the decision to have her surname dropped. By the age of 11, she had started appearing in concerts alongside Gladys Knight. For five nights, Aaliyah performed alongside Knight in Las Vegas; during the concerts, she would perform a number during the middle