Legendary '70s Singer, With 2 No. 1 Hits, Would Have Turned 84 Today

Born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee, Aretha Franklin was widely recognized as the "queen" of soul music in America. She was one of few soul singers who managed to market her music to wider audience, gaining international recognition for her dazzling vocals and catchy songwriting.

Franklin was signed to Columbia Records at just eighteen years old, after having spent the majority of her childhood in a gospel choir in Detroit. Though it took a while for her professional career to take off, she recorded plenty of successful soul albums throughout the '60s such as Lady Soul and Aretha Now.

Franklin landed her first Top 10 single in 1967, shortly after leaving Columbia Records for Atlantic Records. "I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Loved You)" was recorded in just one day and skyrocketed to No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, introducing listeners around the world to Franklin's soulful voice for the first time.

Franklin's first No. 1 single came later that year with "Respect". Originally recorded by Otis Redding, Franklin's cover was a much more energetic and soulful version that shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains her most popular song today.

The singer continued to gain international recognition with singles "Chain of Fools" and "Ain't No Way", for which she took home the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

Though Franklin's career saw a commercial downfall in the mid-'70s, she remained a cultural icon and one of the most powerful voices in the soul genre. It wasn't until Franklin paired up with Wham! frontman George Michael for a powerful duet of "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" that she found herself back at the top of the charts, landing her second and final No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Franklin continued releasing new music and performing classic hits until 2017, when she was forced to step back due to worsening health problems. She gave her final performance at the 25th anniversary gala for the Elton John AIDS Foundation on November 7, 2017. She died less than a year later from a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour, surrounded by her friends and family.

Her compilation album, 30 Greatest Hits, re-entered the charts at No. 7 after her death. It was her highest chart performance in 46 years.