Mariah's debut single became her first No. 1 hit 36 years ago
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Mariah Carey was one of several female singers who owned the 1990s. Sixteen of Carey's 19 career No. 1 singles were released during the decade. Right off the bat, the Huntington, New York native was an instant star. Carey's debut single, "Vision of Love", was released on May 15, 1990, and less than three months later, reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
Thirty-six years ago today, Augusr 4, 1990, "Vision of Love took over the top spot on the Hot 100, unseating "She Ain't Worth It" by Glenn Medeiros featuring Bobby Brown. The song would remain on top for four weeks before giving way to Sweet Sensation's "If Wishes Came True". It also earned Carey the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and a Soul Train Music Award for Best Female R&B/Soul Single.
Carey would have two songs off her self-titled first album climb to No. 1 in 1990, with "Love Takes Time" earning that accolade in November.
"Vision of Love" would be the first of four consecutive No. 1 singles off Carey's debut album. "Love Takes Time", "Someday" and "I Don't Wanna Cry" all topped the Hot 100, and while a fifth single, "There's Got to Be a Way", didn't generate much traction, Carey landed another No. 1 with "Emotions", the first single and title track of her 1991 followup.
Overall, "Vision of Love" would finish at No. 1 on the year-end U.S. Contemporary Hit Radio for 1990 and No. 6 on the Billboard year-end Hot 100. It was also the No. 1 song of the year in Brazil and No. 91 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the decade of the 1990s.
"This No. 1 hit was the world's first introduction to the voice of Mariah Carey," wrote Bill Lamb for About.com in 2019. "Echoes of Whitney Houston's influence are evident, but the sheer power and swooping highs are all Mariah's own. This debut still ranks as one of her very best recordings."
(Men's Journal)
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Lainsky from Philippines wrote:
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Longevity queen. "Vision of Love" was never popular in the Philippines at that time because I had not heard of it. Radio was my life back then, from sunrise until I fell asleep, and we didn't have cable either. It was "Love Takes Time" that introduced me to Mariah Carey, and I fell in love with her from that moment on. I only heard "Vision of Love" when I bought the cassette album, which was already in 1993. "Music Box" was the very first album I bought, and I quickly collected "Mariah Carey" and "Emotions" shortly after. That was the beginning of my rush to the record store whenever she released a new album. Suddenly, I feel so old. Lol.
(Wednesday 5 August 2026; 11:22)
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nancy from Switzerland wrote:
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I was 13 when that happened. I was in the shower. From the bathroom I heard this song. I immediately had to step out of the shower, ran to the tv with my towel on. Astonished I said to myself: Who is this woman?, What a voice, what song is this? Back then you didn't have the possibility to replay it again like today. I wrote down the name, went to the store immediately and bought her first album. Without even listening to it before. I somehow knew it was something special. And still is.  
(Wednesday 5 August 2026; 20:02)
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