Aretha Franklin Back in the Top 10!; 'The Only Thing Missin'' Hits #10 on Urban AC Monitor.

Entertainment Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 16, 2003

Upcoming new album, SO DAMN HAPPY, featuring Mary J. Blige on two

songs, in stores Sept. 16th

Arista recording artist Aretha Franklin has zoomed to #10 on the Billboard Urban AC Monitor with "The Only Thing Missin'," the first single from SO DAMN HAPPY, her eagerly anticipated new album, it was announced today by Antonio "L.A." Reid, President and CEO, Arista Records. As "The Only Thing Missin'" enters its fourth week at radio, it is the #2 spin gainer, with a total audience in excess of 5.2 million and adds continuing to pile up from every market, a strong showing of support for Aretha's latest hit.

"The Only Thing Missin'" is the opening track on SO DAMN HAPPY, set to arrive in stores on September 16th. It is Aretha's 12th Arista album since 1980, and her first major new release since 1998's A Rose Is Still A Rose. That album featured the title tune hit single and its follow-up, "Here We Go Again," and generated nearly a dozen Grammy and NAACP Image Awards nominations in 1999. "The Only Thing Missin'" was produced by Troy Taylor, and co-written by Taylor with Gordon Chambers, Myiia Davis, and Rick Williams.

"The Only Thing Missin'" is one of many outstanding collaborations on SO DAMN HAPPY, which goes on to contain:

-- "Holdin' On," produced by Troy Taylor, co-written by Taylor

and special guest performer Mary J. Blige;

-- "Wonderful," produced and co-written by Ron "Amen-Ra"

Lawrence;

-- "So Damn Happy," produced and written by Aretha Franklin;

-- "Everybody's Somebody's Fool," produced and written by Jimmy

Jam, Terry Lewis & Big Jim Wright for Flyte Time Productions;

-- "You Are My Joy," produced and written by Aretha Franklin;

-- "No Matter What," produced by Troy Taylor, co-written by

Taylor and special guest performer Mary J. Blige;

-- "Good News," produced and written by Norman West;

-- "Ain't No Way," produced and written by Barry J. Eastmond and

Gordon Chambers;

-- "Falling Out Of Love," produced and co-written by Burt

Bacharach;

-- "You Are My Joy (Reprise)," produced and written by Aretha

Franklin

Aretha is performing "The Only Thing Missin'" as well as her other classic hits on her current tour, entitled "The Queen Is On... The 2003 Tour." As an added surprise, certain concerts will include at least one special guest duet performance with Aretha, with such names as Cissy Houston (in a rare reunion), Ronald Isley (Isley Brothers), Dennis Edwards (Temptations), and Ali "Ollie" Woodson (Temptations) already confirmed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT www.arista.com or www.sodamnhappy.com