When the "Rain" begins to chart
Talk about close calls. It looked like I was going to have to report that 2002 was the first year in her chart career that Mariah Carey did not have a song debut on Billboard's Hot 100. Beginning with her first entry, "Vision of Love" in 1990, Carey has had at least one new title debut every calendar year. As of last week, her most recent chart entry was the medley of "Never Too Far/Hero", which opened at No. 81 the week of Dec. 29, 2001 (Carey had already charted in 2001 with "Loverboy").
In a last minute, 52nd-week save, Carey's "Through the Rain" (MonarC/Island) enters the Hot 100 at No. 84. Commercially released vinyl singles combined with airplay gave "Rain" enough fuel to drive onto the chart. It's the lowest-debuting song of Carey's 27 chart entries, but given that it keeps her string of chart songs intact, who cares? In an odd coincidence, Carey also has her first chart entry of 2002 Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. She has had at least one title debut every year since 1990 on this survey as well, and that accomplishment holds as "Irresistible (West Side Connection)" (MonarC/Island) enters at No. 81. Carey is joined on "Irresistible" by Ice Cube, Mack 10 & WC. (Billboard) Many thanks to MariahDownunder.com.
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