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About Chase from USA: I've been a fan of Mariah's since 1996, when I saw the video for "Always Be My Baby". Daydream was my first Mariah album and remains my number one, but other favorites include Butterfly, The Emancipation of Mimi, and Music Box. In 2000, I got to see Mariah live during the Rainbow Tour.

Mariah Hip-Hop / Showbiz 411 (38,381) by Chase from USA I sincerely hope the journalist's suggestion that creative issues have arisen, specifically concerning Mariah's desire to go hip-hop, is false. Sadly, I believe it may be true. I doubt I was the only one who gave an eye roll when I saw Mariah in the studio with Young Jeezy. I liked Mariah's early experiments with hip-hop, particularly on Butterfly, but I believe it is a completely stale genre for her. I was already sick of it by Rainbow, and I have rarely enjoyed the hip-hop tracks on her post-Butterfly albums. The general public does not look to Mariah for hip-hop, and her career has never been the same since it became her go-to genre. I am over it and will not fork over the $15 for another stale album. I hope this speculation is false, and if it isn't, then Mariah, please get it together. (Wednesday 26 June 2013; 6:19)

Vocal changes (37,913) by Chase from USA In the first years of Mariah's career, she discussed spacing live performances apart to keep her voice strong and healthy, although many legendary vocalists perform night after night and are no worse for the wear. I think her singing style, which requires incredible stress and strain, began to damage her vocal cords early on. That damage became particularly apparent during the Butterfly era and significantly more so in the following decade. Perhaps the lifestyle changes that followed her separation from Tommy added to this. She was liberated from a heavily-moderated and otherwise unhealthy lifestyle that probably helped to preserve her voice. I am only speculating. I'm sure Mariah knows the truth and is very much aware of these vocal changes, which have likely troubled her greatly. I am grateful that she is still doing her thing at 43, after spending over half of her life performing on stage and recording in the studio. (Saturday 18 May 2013; 2:22)

Medley served its purpose (37,912) by Chase from USA As others have mentioned, the live medley bumped #Beautiful back to the iTunes top 10, keeping the song alive longer, after it had begun to slip down the iTunes chart. As we (myself included) speculate about lip syncing, vocal issues, etc., let's keep in mind that this performance served its purpose and was a success. (Saturday 18 May 2013; 2:08)

Idol lip sync (37,890) by Chase from USA Yes, there's a good chance the performance was at least partially lipped, but I have a suspicion a lot of people would be complaining if it weren't. There have been some exceptions, but most of Mariah's live, televised performances of the past 5 or so years have been (in my opinion) pretty rough - to the point that I often don't watch them, because they are painful for me. If she had been outdone by Candice, who has power and control that many of Mariah's recent performances have lacked, it would have been a really bad look. (Friday 17 May 2013; 14:30)

Stacey / Antone (37,846) by Chase from USA Amen, Stacey. Just because we are fans and support Mariah, we do not have to love or agree with everything she does. I have been a fan since the mid-1990s and have supported Mariah throughout her career. She has done a lot that I love and some things I don't love, especially post-2006. I'm a free-thinking, individual human being, and that is something that should be celebrated on this board, not attacked. Our personal tastes are what attracted us to Mariah's music to begin with. Everyone here should be able to express how they feel without being insulted or insulting other people. Knowing the power of agreeing to disagree is a valuable skill. (Monday 13 May 2013; 23:38)

Beautiful already over? (37,844) by Chase from USA I hope Mariah performs #Beautiful at the Idol finale. She could at least tack it onto the beginning or end of a greatest hits medley. The video premiere on Idol gave the song a shot in the arm, and it went up a few spots on iTunes. It has now begun to descend well out of the iTunes top 10. This single created more buzz than any Mariah release since Obsessed, which is an accomplishment in and of itself. However, she is so close to having a bona fide hit on her hands, that I would be very disappointed to see it disappear as quickly as it arrived. The likelihood that the single has already peaked is a depressing notion that reminds me of the frustrating E=MC2 era. I'll take good music over high chart positions, and I can't complain about the positive reception and mild commercial success #Beautiful has already seen, but it shouldn't be finished and forgotten already. (Monday 13 May 2013; 22:35)

Idol (37,813) by Chase from USA Idol producers who are blaming low ratings on the judges need a reality check. This show has been on air an extraordinary twelve seasons. It is still a ratings draw and outpaces increasing competition, but I believe it will only continue its decline in ratings due to audience fatigue. Even with Mariah as a judge, I only tuned in occasionally, despite closely following the show's first several seasons. I'm not interested anymore, and I think most of the country feels that way. How many times has Idol already shaken up the roster to no avail? Their attempt to milk the controversy between Nicki and Mariah proved fruitless, and I'm glad Mariah kept her cool. I don't think another revamped judging panel will do anything for the ratings next season. I'm glad Mariah is leaving, and I don't think she intended to stay. It is frustrating that she will receive some blame for this weak season. (Friday 10 May 2013; 23:35)

The video (37,787) by Chase from USA If all Mariah can do anymore is wear skimpy outfits and caress her breasts as the camera pans over her body, I wish she'd simply stop making videos. (Friday 10 May 2013; 16:31)

Beautiful (37,713) by Chase from USA Where have you been, Mariah? This is the kind of song I've longed to hear from her for about 5 years. It really is Beautiful. Totally unexpected and fresh. I love the guitar, the harmonizing and Miguel. I am thankful for the lack of hip-hop beats and vocal histrionics. Mariah is so talented, and her music may be starting to live up to that talent for the first time in years. Big things ahead for her, I think. (Monday 6 May 2013; 16:52)

Low (37,673) by Chase from USA The past couple of weeks have brought plenty of negative Idol news, including the show's worst-ever ratings, the producers' suggestion that Mariah be more critical (and her bumbling attempt at that), rumors of J.Lo as a replacement, and now more of this ridiculous rivalry between Mariah and Nicki that panders to the lowest common denominator. I'll be the first to say that I think Nicki comes off much worse than Mariah during these fights, but the fact that Mariah is even involved is upsetting to me. I previously spoke positively about Mariah on Idol, but now I'm beginning to see it as just another low mark in a floundering career. With "Triumphant" and "Almost Home" having virtually no impact, I'm hoping that this next project can turn fortunes around. I think working with Miguel is a great choice. We'll see what happens. I'm sorry I'm often so negative, but I'm feeling totally out of touch and disconnected with Mariah's career, and every new development seems to knock me further out of her camp. I'm tired of feeling embarrassed for her. (Friday 3 May 2013; 6:57)

AI judging / Mariah struggling (37,544) by Chase from USA I still catch a moment of Idol here and there, and wow. It was painful for me to watch Mariah garble her words and struggle through critique after critique this week. I understand "the powers that be", as she appropriately stated, are asking her to up the ante on the criticism. I'm glad she explained that, because it was clear she was nervously trying to work her way through each commentary, struggling to correctly state her opinions and suggestions. The worst part is, I can tell she has something very intelligent to say, drawing from years of experience as a singer and performer. However, it comes out so messy and churned up, that all I feel like we're hearing is "ummmm" and "how can I put this", etc. Frankly, I think there are too many judges for this show, and there's not much time for any of them to provide the kind of thorough critique they expect from Mariah. It was extremely awkward, and I did feel for Mariah. For once, the ever-annoying Nicki Minaj was more straightforward than Mariah. I hope they can iron the kinks out. I'm afraid this season was, overall, poorly planned. I still give props to Mariah for doing Idol, and I think it remains a smart move, if she and "the powers that be" get this judging situation back on track. (Friday 12 April 2013; 15:46)

Mariah's Idol look (37,513) by Chase from USA I just wanted to say that, while I only occasionally catch Idol, I've been happy with Mariah's appearance and participation. She's been looking really good, regardless of cleavage controversy. After all, low cut outfits have been part of the package since 1997. She looks youthful, healthy, and clearly happy. I haven't seen her looking this good since E=MC2, when she was also clearly happy. I am glad her family life is going so well. I think being a mother is the most important job in her life, and she and her music will grow as a result. Also, I enjoy her commentary and emotional connection with the contestants. She talks about her experiences in the industry without making it all about her. Overall, perhaps this isn't the best career move, but it isn't hurting her, and it's a great way for her to get public attention and show she's got something good to say. (Thursday 4 April 2013; 16:19)

Edward / Jaker20 (37,305) by Chase from USA I am a fan who has backed up in recent years. For many years, I purchased every Mariah album and single as soon as it was released, even after I began to feel Mariah's music had become inconsistent and no longer represented what I had loved about her. However, I haven't jumped ship. I've been visiting this site since 1998 and always give Mariah's new material a chance. After several years of fairly consistent disappointment, I no longer rely on her music to provide the enjoyment and comfort that it did during the height of my support. My tastes have shifted along with my declining expectations. I have developed a more diverse music collection and discovered other artists who meet my musical preferences. I think you'll find that my story matches many other fans, particularly those who have grown from childhood into adulthood. That doesn't mean I have betrayed Mariah or am no longer a fan. It means I am not as devoted to her career. I am happy for Mariah. She has evolved musically and matured as a woman, wife and mother. (Sunday 24 February 2013; 21:55)

Almost Home (37,268) by Chase from USA I think "Almost Home" is alright. I agree with posters who stated it sounds like Rihanna, as that is what I thought as soon as the first verse kicked in. However, I think this is a modern spin on classic Mariah, as was "We Belong Together". Also, you know it's certainly not Rihanna when you hear the impressive vocals at the end. It was so refreshing to hear Mariah on a track that isn't overflowing with hip-hop elements and dull whispers. Am I thrilled? Not overall, because I still believe she has a lot more to give, and I prefer her without as much auto-tune. I hope she's holding back and putting that effort into her upcoming album. As far as chart success goes, I think it is too early for me to contribute much to that discussion. I believe if Mariah has her first big hit in years, whether this is it or not, it will start out slow and build over weeks or even months. The general public hasn't been craving Mariah's music for a while, so she's going to have to slowly infiltrate radio like a new artist. (Thursday 21 February 2013; 21:46)

Tommy M (37,047) by Chase from USA I've always considered Tommy Mottola an extremely important force in Mariah's early career and success, and I have sometimes been disappointed with Mariah's tendency to focus on freeing herself from the marriage. That said, I've also recognized he was probably not a squeaky clean character and certainly didn't have his wife's best interests at heart. After reading that article, I can clearly see just how self-centered, delusional, and cruel he really is. He did not and still does not treat Mariah like she is a human being. I don't think he ever viewed her as a wife, but rather an object he could mold and possess as a boost to his ego. It's clear he still sees her success that way. I wish him well in his future endeavors, and I am grateful for the positivity that came from the guidance he provided. As always, I am glad Mariah is free, and now I understand why she puts so much emphasis on gaining that freedom. (Monday 7 January 2013; 3:21)

Christmas Time Is In The Air Again / Christmas playlist (36,843) by Chase from USA This is one of my favorite songs on MCIIY. I hope it is successful as a single. I worked retail last year and occasionally heard this song at the mall. I made a playlist that combines both of Mariah's Christmas albums, and I was impressed by how well they mix together. I recommend other lambs do the same. The albums enhance each other. (Wednesday 28 November 2012; 15:46)

Paul / videos / BIOH / producers / Adventure of Mimi / old Mariah (36,733) by Chase from USA First of all, even with MTV, VH1, and BET barely playing videos, YouTube has become the place people go for music videos. Just look at the hundreds of millions of views some videos have on YouTube. I agree, Bring It On Home was nothing spectacular, but I appreciate the vocals and message and think it is a major improvement after Triumphant. It's not a single, anyway. I also agree Mariah should collaborate with new producers or even reconnect with old ones. It is good to hear she might work with Stevie J again. I have to disagree with your criticism of The Adventures of Mimi, which was well-received by reporters and fans all over North America. Were the vocals what they used to be? No, but I don't think many people are debating that. She sounds very good to me, and the performances exuded a confidence and comfort you won't find on MTV Unplugged or Fantasy at Madison Square Garden. I did not care for the two piece with the cape, however. That was unnecessary. Do fans miss the old Mariah so much? Most of the time, I'm playing an album from the '90s, and I do tend to reminisce. However, I'm glad Mariah continued to grow and transform into the 21st century. The Emancipation Of Mimi wouldn't have been possible otherwise. That said, I am disappointed with most of her post-Emancipation material, like many fans and the public. I imagine she can see that her sales figures reflect that. (Wednesday 14 November 2012; 16:13)

Videos / Rihanna (36,729) by Chase from USA Yes, Mariah is on a much higher level than Rihanna, certainly in terms of talent and contribution to pop culture. That said, Mariah has to step up the quality of relevant things, like music videos, in order to be competitive in this musical environment. I haven't watched Rihanna's video, and I wouldn't want Mariah to imitate Rihanna's style. However, there really is no excuse for the lack of quality in many of Mariah's recent videos. I think a lot of us are just asking for her to give us high quality Mariah Carey videos. (Monday 12 November 2012; 23:13)

Stacey / haters (36,658) by Chase from USA Stacey, thanks for your response. I actually haven't been labeled a hater in a while. I don't think there are as many fans who lash out anymore. If I may speak for you, the thing about you and me (and many other people who post here) is that we love Mariah so much and feel so deeply connected to her music that we won't accept something subpar. We know her talent better than that, and we want to see her at her best, doing what she and her fans love. Her music is such a blessing in our lives that we aren't fooled when we know she can do better. There are so many classic songs - Underneath the Stars, Mine Again, Anytime You Need a Friend, Can't Let Go, etc. - that have filled my life with joy. I know Mariah herself reveres those songs, too. I know she can still write and perform material that amazes us, and it frustrates me like crazy when most of the songs we've heard lately are uninspired and dull. There's no reason for that, and there's no reason we should be considered haters. We're anything but. (Friday 2 November 2012; 21:45)

Carla, Glitter / flop? (36,656) by Chase from USA Carla, I have to call you out for saying Glitter sold 10 million worldwide. The highest figure I've read is 3 million. There is no official way to track an album's worldwide sales, but judging from the fact that Glitter has, as of 2012, sold less than a million copies in the USA, I would be absolutely shocked if it has sold 10 million worldwide. I will agree it didn't flop as hard as the media suggested, but the film was an enormous critical and commercial failure, the soundtrack sold far less than any of Mariah's previous albums, and it was all accompanied by her very personal breakdown. Taken altogether, it was a very rough patch for Mariah. Of course, I think we can all agree that an album's chart position and sales figures are not representative of the music's quality. I didn't like Glitter at all, but many fans did, and I respect that. I love Charmbracelet. It is also considered a flop, but that doesn't change the quality of the music. It would have been nice if it had sold 10 million, but I'll take it just as it is. Same goes for MCIIY, which didn't exactly light the charts on fire. I still think it's a classic and hope it continues to sell annually. That said, I think some lambs get a little too excited and tend to inflate sales figures to show support. Next we'll be hearing Memoirs sold 20 million. (Friday 2 November 2012; 21:24)

Geezy (36,650) by Chase from USA Amen. That Christmas album was fantastic. She proved she can sing the hell out of a song and showcased her talent for songwriting on "When Christmas Comes" and "Christmas Time is in the Air Again". Wonderful album with great production. (Friday 2 November 2012; 2:20)

Suggestions (36,646) by Chase from USA I don't have ten things to suggest. I just think Mariah needs to grow with this album, as she did on many of her best and most successful albums. Daydream, Butterfly and The Emancipation of Mimi all sounded different than their predecessors, and they all showed new levels of growth and maturity. The image worked with the sound, too. I'll be blunt; "Triumphant" may be the worst song I have ever heard by Mariah Carey. At the very best, it sounds like a throwaway track from E=MC2, and the cover art looks like a leftover from that era or even TEOM. I have been disappointed with a majority of her music from 2008 on, and the videos have, at times, been shockingly bad. It's been painful. There has been little growth if any. I think of how extraordinary Mariah was during her heyday, and I sometimes struggle to even recognize that Mariah within the new material. Maybe she has drained the R&B well and needs to adopt a new style; maybe she just needs a savvy new manager to provide guidance. If she wants to stick with R&B, I think producers like James Poyser can give her a timeless sound, and some fresh blood from new collaborators, like Bangladesh or Sean Garrett, may help with modern R&B tracks. I hope she makes it fun and has fun. Somehow, the material, the promotion and the image all need a major shot in the arm. Otherwise, her new music will continue to be ignored by the general public as they occasionally play hits from the 90s and 2005 and reminisce about the "good ol' days". (Thursday 1 November 2012; 22:52)

Merry Christmas II You / hurricane (36,630) by Chase from USA The cool Fall weather is here, and that means I'm slowly beginning to play some of my favorite Christmas tunes. I won't be fully immersed in holiday music until mid-December, but I do want to express how much I appreciate Mariah's 2010 Christmas sequel. I am so grateful she covered more classics, like "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "The First Noel", two songs I used to wish were on the 1994 release. I also really love the quality of her voice on this album. This is all the proof that I need that she is still capable of incredible things when she has the right material. She sounds airy and delicate yet also powerful and confident. It gives me a very warm feeling. The "Born is the King" interlude is so smooth and moving. "Charlie Brown Christmas" is beautifully sentimental, and "When Christmas Comes" and "Christmas Time is in the Air Again" are testaments to Mariah's extraordinary skill and versatility as a writer and singer. "O Come All Ye Faithful" is like this album's "O Holy Night". It's a knockout. This Christmas sequel may not be as essential as its predecessor, but it compliments it perfectly. On a side note, my thoughts and prayers go to anyone on the East Coast. I hope everyone is safe and well. It sounds like Mariah's native Long Island is getting tossed around quite a bit. (Tuesday 30 October 2012; 5:29)

Overemphasis on charts and sales (36,620) by Chase from USA The other day, I saw that Mariah had a new image on her Facebook (I know she doesn't design the page): A collage of all of her number one singles. It was quite impressive to look at, and I felt proud of her massive accomplishment. However, I think many of us Mariah fans have become overly concerned with charts and sales. I didn't know what a number one was or which Mariah songs went to number one until she released that album in 1998. Ever since, I've had to know the new single's chart position, the new album's weekly sales, etc. Sometimes, this is really a detriment to the music. Charmbracelet is a beautiful album, despite its lower sales and lack of hits. It's a personal favorite now, but after TEOM came out in 2005 and far exceeded Charmbracelet's successes, I basically stopped listening to CB and my opinion of it temporarily declined. If it didn't add to her impressive report card of number ones, I decided it wasn't good enough. I think Mariah might be trying too hard to have a hit since E=MC2. It's like she's been behind the times ever since, recording material she thinks will chart and not including much variety or taking risks. For Memoirs, she collaborated solely with the producers who worked on the only hit from E=MC2, and "Triumphant" sounds like it belongs in 2007, not 2012. Most of all, I don't hear much Mariah in Mariah's music. Maybe she needs to stop thinking about the charts. (Sunday 28 October 2012; 23:44)

What's happening? (36,619) by Chase from USA Most of us are expressing a desire for Mariah to make a big change, musically and image-wise. Because she is a mother in her forties, one might expect a notable maturation in her style, but we didn't get that with "Triumphant". If she never made a record again or continued to release unimpressive material like "Triumphant", I would still be a fan for life, thanks to her classic material from 1990 to 2005. I feel like Mariah grew progressively from album to album from the debut to Butterfly, and the transitions made sense. After hitting a rough patch, she made an album that blended classic and modern R&B on The Emancipation of Mimi. The album revisited the strong vocals and smooth soul of her early career and also had its finger on the pulse of mid-2000s radio. Everyone got their Mariah fix with that album. Ever since E=MC2, it seems like she's been stuck in a rut, recreating tired R&B that is so safe and polished for radio that it fails to ignite much passion, at least for me. "Triumphant" might be the most dated thing she's released since 1991. What can she do to get back on track? Is she too scared to try something new? (Sunday 28 October 2012; 23:32)