2020 marks three decades since the music world was introduced to arguably one of the greatest singers and songwriters of all time: Mariah Carey. Since her debut single, "Vision of Love", Carey has become well-known for her astronomical five-octave range that allowed her to stand out among other artists.
Throughout her illustrious career, Carey has released 15 albums, won five Grammy Awards, was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame and helped architect the worlds of R&B and hip-hop colliding for many years to come. She's one of the best-selling artists of all time with over 200 million records sold and has the most No. 1 singles in Billboard Hot 100 history.
Even with her many accolades, she chooses to celebrate them in her own way. Any true Mariah Carey fan, or "Lamb", is well aware that the singer does not believe in birthdays in the traditional sense; she actually calls them "anniversaries" to celebrate her life milestones. March 27 marks Carey's 50th life anniversary and to properly appreciate her musical contributions, here's a list of some of her best hit songs.
1. "Vision of Love" (1990)
The first single from Mariah Carey's self-titled debut album is one of the singer's most signature songs to date. A 20-year-old Carey had a voice like no other, and it was highlighted tremendously on "Vision of Love". Although the song was a pop ballad, the production and background vocals showcased a heavy gospel element alongside Carey's five-octave range.
2. "Emotions" (1991)
Every artist faces the thought of following up an album especially after the debut was such a major success. A year after her first one, Carey released her sophomore project, "Emotions", with the lead single of the same name. Produced by Robert Clivillés and David Cole of C+C Music Factory, "Emotions" marked Carey's fifth No. 1 single, making her the first artist to have her first five singles reach No. 1.
3. "Dreamlover" (1993)
In 1993, Mariah Carey released her third album, "Music Box", which is still her best-selling album to date. The album's lead single, "Dreamlover", is all about the perfect lover whisking her away. By this time Carey wanted to cater to more R&B and pop audiences and to do that, she worked with her longtime collaborator, Walter Afanasieff.
4. "One Sweet Day" - Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men (1995)
Carey's collaboration with Boyz II Men, "One Sweet Day", became one of their most popular songs. The song was the longest-running No. 1 song on Billboard's Hot 100 chart for 16 weeks and wasn't dethroned until over two decades later by Lil Nas X. The song was an inspiration for listeners dealing with grief and loss of a loved one, stressing how spending time with someone shouldn't be taken for granted.
5. "Honey" (1997)
By the time Mariah Carey released her sixth album, "Butterfly", she truly blossomed into handling music her way. She worked with producers like Missy Elliott, Trackmasters and Cory Rooney. The album's first single, "Honey", was produced by Sean "Diddy" Combs, Stevie J, and Q-Tip. Diddy also produced the remix that featured verses from Mase and The Lox. The song helped Carey gain more notoriety in the hip-hop world.
6. "All I Want For Christmas Is You" (1994)
If Mariah Carey decided to retire from music, the one song she will always make money from is her holiday hit, "All I Want For Christmas Is You." Although she released the song just over 25 years ago, she's earned over $60 million in royalties since its release, and in 2019 the track peaked at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time.
7. "Heartbreaker" ft. Jay-Z (1999)
On Carey's seventh album, "Rainbow", the singer continued to implement preferred sounds and sultry looks. The album's first single, "Heartbreaker" featured Jay-Z and was her first single that a rapper was featured on the original instead of the remix. It was a hit chart-topper that added to Carey's repertoire of the most No. 1 singles among other artists such as Elvis Presley and The Beatles.
8. "Loverboy" (2001)
As Mariah Carey starred in the feature film "Glitter", the film's soundtrack also showcased the singer with more of an ‘80s retro sound that helped highlight the film's era. The soundtrack's lead single "Loverboy" sampled Cameo's funky 1986 track, "Candy".
9. "When You Believe" - Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston (1998)
Magic happens when two powerhouse singers come together to create art. Mariah Carey teamed up with Whitney Houston on "When You Believe", a single from the animated feature film "The Prince of Egypt". The song adds to Carey's discography of inspirational ballads of having faith and believing that miracles can happen.
10. "Through The Rain" (2002)
By the time Mariah Carey released her ninth album, "Charmbracelet", it was the first one following the "Glitter" soundtrack that didn't reach the commercial success that many people hoped. The album's lead single, "Through The Rain", is Carey in her bag of ballads, a song that was produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. "Through The Rain" was a top 20 hit on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts.
11. "It's Like That" (2005)
Since "Glitter" and "Charmbracelet", were met with disappointing numbers and airplay, Mariah Carey knew she had to come back with a vengeance. She did just that on what was deemed her "comeback album", also known as "The Emancipation of Mimi". She worked with her longtime collaborator and friend Jermaine Dupri on the album's lead club hit, "It's Like That". The single was a top 20 hit and the start of the resurgence of Mimi.
12. "Touch My Body" (2008)
In 2008, Mariah Carey released her 11th studio album, "E=MC2." Carey was known for making music history throughout her career; however when she released the album's lead single "Touch My Body", it marked her 18th No. 1 single and she passed Elvis Presley as the solo artist with the most No. 1 singles in American history. The song was co-written by The-Dream and co-produced by Christopher "Tricky" Stewart.
13. "Obsessed" (2009)
On Mariah Carey's 12th studio album, "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel", the singer continued to collaborate with The-Dream and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart. The album's lead single, "Obsessed", had that signature The-Dream sound that was popular on his own discography. The song and music video showcase the daily dealings of a stalker obsessed with Carey's life and whereabouts.
14. "With You" (2018)
After a four-year hiatus, Mariah Carey released her 15th album, "Caution". The lead single, "With You", is a romantic ballad with production by DJ Mustard. The producer is typically known for creating sounds for hip-hop artists, and this was Mustard's prime-time moment to showcase that he can make magic for R&B and pop artists, even a ballad.
15. "Someday" (1990)
Carey's third No. 1 single, "Someday", was a different sound than her previous singles. Produced by Ric Wake, "Someday" is an upbeat dance track and was needed during the early ‘90s, as it competed with the popular New Jack Swing sound. It peaked on the Dance Club Songs chart and was certified a gold-selling success just three months after its release.
16. "Hero" (1993)
When Mariah Carey released, "Hero", it was a signature ballad that the singer was initially known for since "Vision Of Love". Co-written and co-produced by Walter Afanasieff, the song is not only an inspiration for listeners to find the strength and heroic tendencies within themselves, but it became one of Carey's most memorable songs. "Hero" is more piano driven, while her other ballads had more organ sounds.
17. "Always Be My Baby" (1995)
One of the producers Carey worked with on "Daydream" to elevate a new sound was Jermaine Dupri. The producer was already a hitmaker in the hip-hop world, so Carey worked with him on her single, "Always Be My Baby". Durpi also produced the single's remix that featured vocals from Xscape and a verse from Da Brat. "Always Be My Baby" was the start of a longtime friendship and work relationship between Carey and Dupri.
18. "Butterfly" (1997)
The title track to Mariah Carey's 1997 album was not only an inspirational message but a reflection into her life at the time. "Butterfly" told the tale of letting go of things from the past, and if it shall return, then it was meant to be.
19. "Crybaby" ft. Snoop Dogg (2000)
The fourth single from Mariah Carey's "Rainbow" album is "Crybaby." Rapper Snoop Dogg and his relaxed bars float effortlessly alongside Carey's smooth vocals. The two ended up collaborating again five years later on "The Emancipation of Mimi."
20. "U Make Me Wanna" - Jadakiss ft. Mariah Carey (2004)
Rapper Jadakiss recruited Mariah Carey to sing the hook to his 2004 hit, "U Make Me Wanna". This wasn't the first time the two collaborated, they previously worked together on Carey's remix of her 1997 hit, "Honey". Jadakiss' "U Make Me Wanna" was a top 10 hit on the Billboard hip-hop charts.
21. "Shake It Off" (2005)
Continuing the career resurgence on "The Emancipation of Mimi", Mariah Carey worked with Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Johntá Austin on the album's third single, "Shake It Off". Dupri and Cox have always worked well together, they've created hits for other artists including Usher and Jagged Edge. "Shake It Off" is the perfect break up anthem after dealing with infidelity.
22. "Love Takes Time" (1990)
Carey's second single "Love Takes Time" is a picture into how she launched her career singing many ballads before venturing into other sounds soon after. "Love Takes Time" tells the tale of dealing with heartbreak and trying to get over a past lover but knowing how time will heal it all.
23. "A No No" (2019)
On Mariah Carey's single "A No No", she worked alongside her longtime collaborator Jermaine Dupri. The song was a fan favorite before it became a single, mostly because of the sample of Lil' Kim's 1997 hit, "Crush On You". Many fans advocated to release a remix to it, featuring Lil' Kim herself; however, the official remix featured Stefflon Don.
24. "Endless Love" - Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey (1994)
In 1981, "Endless Love" was first recorded by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross. However, Mariah Carey's first major duet came with the late Luther Vandross when they recorded a cover to the track in 1994.
25. "Fantasy" (1995)
By the time Mariah Carey released her fifth album, "Daydream", the singer wanted to take more creative control of the album's sound, much to the dismay of her label and then-husband Tommy Mottola. Carey started working with other producers and incorporating more hip-hop sounds, which was evident on the album's lead single, "Fantasy". On the remix, she called on Wu-Tang Clan's Ol' Dirty Bastard for a verse and production from Sean "Diddy" Combs.
26. "Breakdown" (1998)
Keeping with a new hip-hop sound, Carey once again called on Stevie J and Diddy to write and produce the "Butterfly" single "Breakdown". Not only did Stevie J and Diddy give Mariah a more contemporary R&B sound, but the song also featured hip-hop collective Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Carey keeps her vocals smooth throughout the song, until listeners hear her elevating octave toward its end.
27. "Thank God I Found You (Make It Last Remix)" ft. Joe and Nas (2000)
The original version of "Thank God I Found You" featured Joe and 98 degrees, produced and written by the dynamic duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. However, in true Mariah Carey form, she released a remix that included Joe and Nas. The remix was a remake of Keith Sweat's "Make It Last Forever" while incorporating verses from the original, "Thank God I Found You".
28. "We Belong Together" (2005)
"The Emancipation of Mimi" was a statement album for Mariah Carey, proving that all artists go through albums that don't always live up to previous successes but can always make a comeback, and this album proved that the singer can still crank out the hits. The album's second single, "We Belong Together", is a signature Carey ballad that peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks.
29. "I Know What You Want" - Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey ft. Flipmode Squad (2003)
Over the years, Mariah Carey recruited rappers to spit verses on her songs and eventually the roles were reversed. There were several times when rappers wanted Carey's vocals on their hooks, one of which being Busta Rhymes. On Busta's 2003 single, "I Know What You Want", Carey gave the R&B element that wasn't always heard heavily in the rapper's catalog. The song became a top five hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
30. "Don't Forget About Us" (2005)
"The Emancipation of Mimi" showcased the sound of R&B during the early 2000s, as each of Carey's singles received rave reviews. The single "Don't Forget About Us" is a mid-tempo track with production from Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox.
(Yardbarker)
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