Keyshia Cole, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Sade and more began trending on Twitter Monday morning (Sept. 6) as men on the app named their favorite tracks by female artists. Twitter user The Nostalgia Queen kicked off the conversation on Monday, tweeting, “** MEN & MEN ONLY ** Tell me a song by a woman you sing with your whole chest.”
Answers came in by the hundreds, causing female superstars like Mary J. Blige, Aaliyah, Fantasia and more to trend on the platform. As a happy consequence, Twitter also became flooded with flowers for the numerous pop, R&B and gospel queens.
“Aaliyah, Aretha [Franklin], Lauryn [Hill], Mariah [Carey] … I mean, there’s a whole list but I can NEVER resist Alicia [Keys],” one person tweeted in response. “She had me from day one & if I gotta choose just one it’s this,” they added, posting Keys’ 2003 track, “If I Ain’t Got You.”
Another person named “Free Yourself” by Fantasia as one of their favorites, writing, “I do a head back, fists clutched to my chest, full vocal blast, one leg kicked out performance.”
Another singing legend brought into the conversation was Anita Baker, whose music fans can now stream in good conscience. On Friday (Sept. 3), the 63-year-old star announced she finally gained ownership of her masters.
“All My Children Are Coming Home,” Baker tweeted alongside a photo of five of her albums. “…Impossible Things Happen… Every. Single. Day. Gratefully.”
Baker previously asked fans not to stream her music since she did not receive any of the revenue.
“Miraculously… I have out-lived ALL of my artist contracts,” the Rhythm of Love songstress tweeted back in March. “They no longer ‘own’ my name & likeness. And, by law… 30-year-old masters are to be returned to me. Unfortunately, they’re gonna make me fight [for] it. I’m prepared [to] do that.”
See the initial tweet that caused Baker’s and many other singers’ names to trend below, as well as male fans revealing their favorite songs by women.