'In Common' is a jam though, so I don't know why it failed to ignite the charts. Speaking of which, PartyNextDoor recently told The New York Times that Rihanna's Drake-assisted smash 'Work' was almost given to Alicia. "Rihanna’s label didn’t care for Caribbean music at the time so I almost kept the song and considered giving it to Alicia Keys. Rihanna fought for it" he said.
The song would not have been a hit for Keys. It might have stood a chance with Drake's feature, but it would not have encountered the same success. Instead, it would just come across as forced and not genuine. I think that's why they settled for something tamer like 'In Common,' because the song does have some Island vibes but still allows Alicia to sing it in a way that doesn't come across as contrived.
Ebony: