| "Try Again" | ||||
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&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Try_Again.png) North American editions cover | ||||
| Single by Aaliyah | ||||
| from the album Romeo Must Die: The Album | ||||
| B-side | "Come Back in One Piece" | |||
| Released | March 21, 2000 | |||
| Recorded | 1999 | |||
| Studio | Manhattan Center (New York City) | |||
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| Producer(s) | Timbaland | |||
| Aaliyah singles chronology | ||||
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| Alternative cover | ||||
&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Aaliyah-Try-Again-cover.png) International editions cover | ||||
"Try Again" is a song recorded by American singer Aaliyah for the soundtrack to Romeo Must Die (2000). After its initial release, it appeared as a bonus track on international editions of Aaliyah's eponymous third and final studio album (2001). The song was written by Static Major and Timbaland, while production was handled by the latter. "Try Again" was released to Rhythmic contemporary radio stations by Blackground and Virgin Records on March 21, 2000. Musically, it is an R&B, electro, dance-pop, and trip hop song. It also includes influences from hip hop, EDM, and acid house. The intro contains an interpolation from Eric B. & Rakim's song "I Know You Got Soul" (1987). Lyrically, the narrator (Aaliyah) encourages a potential partner not to give up when she initially rejects his advances.
The song received critical acclaim from music critics for its innovative futuristic production. In retrospective reviews, critics have credited the song for helping "smuggle the innovative techniques of electronic dance music onto the American pop charts". In 2001, Aaliyah earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for the song. Aside from its critical success, the song enjoyed commercial success as well. In the United States, it peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first single to reach number one based solely on airplay. Internationally, "Try Again" peaked within the top ten in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
An accompanying music video for "Try Again" was directed by Wayne Isham. It is a dance-heavy video that combines futuristic elements with re-created stunt scenes from the movie. In addition, Aaliyah's co-star Jet Li and producer Timbaland appear in the video. After its release, the video received acclaim from the music industry, winning Best Female Video and Best Video from a Film at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. The video also was nominated for Best R&B Clip and Maximum Vision Video at the 2000 Billboard Music Video Awards. In 2001, the video earned a nomination for Outstanding Music Video at the NAACP Image Awards. Throughout the years, critics have praised the video for its fashion and choreography, with many deeming Aaliyah's look iconic.