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About 4real4real from UK: Mimi is the GOAT

Here For It All streaming party countdown (111,361) by 4real4real from UK
For those of you listening along, we are up to day 10: The Emancipation of Mimi.
(Sunday 21 September 2025; 10:21)
this is a reply to message 111,330
Here For It All streaming party countdown (111,330) by 4real4real from UK
Day 8 (again): Charmbracelet (2002)
+ Through the Rain EP
+ The One EP
+ Boy EP
+ Bringing On the Heartbreak EP
+ I Only Wanted EP
+ I Know What You Want (The Remixes)
+ Miss You (The Remixes)
+ Gotta Thing 4 U (with Da Brat)
+ U Make Me Wanna (with Jadakiss)

Here For It All will be released globally at midnight 26th September 2025, New York time. For full impact, commence streaming each album from midnight NY time in your local area.

September 20, Day 8 (again) - Tonight we slide into one of the most quietly fascinating chapters of Mariah's story.

After the saga that was Glitter and the chaos around its release, MC walked away from Virgin with a cool $70M payout and the rights to every by master she recorded there. (A queen collects her coins and keeps the receipts.) She didn't stay idle for long. She signed with Island/Def Jam, brought back her ride-or-dies Jermaine Dupri and Jam & Lewis, and opened the door to new names like Just Blaze and 7 Aurelius. That's a mix of classic and fresh that only Mariah could balance.

Here's the thing: back then, a lot of people really thought she'd lost her voice. The press was brutal, the casuals were loud. But only now, with the perspective of Mimi and everything since, can we see that those whispers on Charmbracelet weren't weakness; they were a creative choice. Listen to the way she slides from featherlight phrases to full, rich belts. Those transitions are hard, and she makes them sound effortless.

And then came "I Know What You Want" with Busta Rhymes, a track that proved her ear was still razor-sharp. That song went all the way to #3 on the Hot 100 and had the early 2000's in a chokehold. Riding that wave, she wanted "You Got Me" to be the next single (her third link-up with Jay-Z after "Heartbreaker" and "Things That U Do"). If you've never heard the version tucked on Freeway's album with extra ad-libs, do yourself a favour. The label missed a trick by not releasing it after IKWYW's success.

Instead, the suits pushed "Through the Rain" a ballad they basically forced her to write. It's heartfelt, sure, but you can almost hear the boardroom in it. Still, MC stacked the album with her kind of ballads: the gorgeous, Latin-tinged "I Only Wanted", which completes a trilogy with "My All" and "After Tonight" (or a quadrilogy if you count "I Don't Wanna Cry"). There's the uplifting gospel of "My Saving Grace", and the dreamy "Yours", which started as a duet with Justin Timberlake. It sits right alongside ethereal gems like "Fourth of July" and "Bliss".

Mariah covering a Def Leppard power ballad was not on anyone's 2002 bingo card, but leave it to her to take something unexpected and make it her own. She flips "Bringing On the Heartbreak" from arena rock into an almost ethereal slow jam, layering those whispery verses over a sleek R&B track before letting the belts soar in the final chorus. It's proof she was still willing to play and stretch her range, even when the industry wanted to box her in. The arrangement is so clever: keeping the song's aching core while smoothing the edges into that "quiet storm" vibe that runs through Charmbracelet. It's a risk that feels so natural in her hands.

Then there's "Sunflowers for Alfred Roy", maybe the most personal thing she's ever put on record. Written for her father not long after he passed, it's tender without a trace of melodrama. Just a daughter speaking to her dad through music. You can almost see the scene: Mariah alone at the piano, sunlight on the keys, turning grief into something soft and beautiful. The melody drifts like a memory, and her voice stays close, never oversinging, just letting the words land. For anyone who's ever lost someone, this song feels like a quiet hug. It's her way of saying goodbye and thank you in the language she knows best.

This is also the era when a lot of us "real" lambs found each other online for the first time, gushing over deep cuts like "There Goes My Heart Again" and "Subtle Invitation" (which honestly should've been the album title). We had message-board debates, we argued, we defended, we laughed, but that's family. Even now, the Charmbracelet conversation can divide the lambily, but in the end, love wins.

If you're exploring outside the standard track list, make sure to queue up "Miss You" and plus Da Brat's "Gotta Thing 4 U" and Jadakiss' "U Make Me Wanna". They round out the world Charmbracelet was quietly building.

The truth is, Island didn't quite know what to do with her pre-LA Reid. They tried to please everyone and ended up pleasing nobody. But tucked inside that confusion is a record that's as intimate as anything she's done. A "quiet storm" album made for late nights.

So tonight, turn off every light, let a few candles burn low, pour some cocoa (or a glass of something stronger if that's your lane), and press play. Hear her healing, experimenting, whispering secrets, and still slipping in those crystal-clear belts. That's the sound of an artist regrouping, refining, and getting ready to remind the world exactly who she is. LYM.

Mariah Carey "Here For It All" release countdown streaming calendar: Midnight Eastern Time September 20th Charmie, 21st Emancipation, 22nd E=MC2, 23rd Memoirs, 24th Elusive Chanteuse, 25th Caution plus beyond, 26th HFIA?
(Saturday 20 September 2025; 12:02)
this is a reply to message 111,311
Album length (111,319) by 4real4real from UK
Bill, this is hilarious.
(Friday 19 September 2025; 22:06)
this is a reply to message 111,309
Here For It All streaming party countdown (111,311) by 4real4real from UK
Day 8: Glitter (2001)
+ Out Here On My Own (Rarities)
+ Loverboy (Original Firecracker Version) (The Rarities)

Here For It All will be released globally at midnight 26th September 2025, New York time. For full impact, commence streaming each album from midnight NY time in your local area.

September 18, Day 7 - tonight we hit the most misunderstood chapter of Mariah's catalogue: Glitter. For years it was the punchline, but we know better. This is the record where she finally had zero label restrictions (the movie's another story) and just let the music and her creative juices flow. You can literally hear her laughing on every uptempo. That's freedom on tape.

This was her first release on Virgin after breaking Janet's contract record with a $100M deal. Big leap, big pressure, but also a clean slate. And she made a soundtrack that doubles as one of the most fun, vocally crazy, 80s-inspired dance albums ever. Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis still call it one of the best dance records of all time.

"Loverboy" was the lead. The biggest-selling song of 2001 and by now everyone knows the drama: the original Firecracker sample got snatched, so she reworked it overnight with Cameo's "Candy". We didn't hear the real version until The Rarities in 2020, and it was worth the wait. I like to stream both versions back to back, followed by the remix.

If the label had sense, they would've led with "If We". That thug love duet blueprint basically set the tone for half of the 2000s. And "Lead The Way"? That vocal climax is still one of the most technically perfect and emotional moments of her career. The clip of her singing it to the point of collapse goes viral once every few years for good reason. That's not a stunt, that's her giving everything.

The whole record is drenched in 80's sparkle and she was ahead of the revival by a few years. You can hear her love for Stacey Lattisaw, Kashif, Lisa Lisa... all over it. "Didn't Mean to Turn You On" is a perfect throwback including Jam & Lewis' original production. It's pure, fizzy fun and a cover Cherrelle's original, but with MC's voice wrapped around that Jam & Lewis production like silk.

Then there's "All My Life", one of the most underrated tracks in her whole catalogue. The story behind it is producer Rick James apparently requested everything be white for the session: white limo, white suit, and, well... let's just say a certain extra-white powdery "accessory". The song itself is smooth and dreamy, the kind of late-night groove you want on repeat until sunrise.

And shout-out to the Lambs for finally getting Glitter the respect it deserves: we pushed it to #1 on iTunes during the Caution countdown back in 2018, leading Mariah to finally allow it onto streaming. We're still waiting for the videos and singles, including all of the remixes, to get a proper release. Come on MC, come through. Can you swing it on home with a YouTube release, at least?

The movie turns 24 in two days, on the 21st. On that day we will be up to The Emancipation of Mimi on the countdown. Once you've spun the album, pair director Vondie Curtis Hall's Gridlock'd (1997, starring Tupac) with Glitter for a back to back double feature. See how Hall handled grit and glamour- and how Billie Frank deserved better.

So hit play and celebrate Mariah at her most unfiltered. Under the glitter there's heart, humour, and vocals for days. She made this for herself, but she left it here for us. LYM?

Mariah Carey "Here For It All" release countdown streaming calendar: Midnight Eastern Time September 19th Glitter, 20th Charmie, 21st Emancipation, 22nd E=MC2, 23rd Memoirs, 24th Elusive Chanteuse, 25th Caution plus beyond, 26th HFIA.​
(Friday 19 September 2025; 11:40)
this is a reply to message 111,267
Here For It All streaming party countdown (111,310) by 4real4real from UK
The vocals were vocalling. One of my faves from her.
(Friday 19 September 2025; 11:37)
this is a reply to message 111,280
Here For It All streaming party countdown (111,267) by 4real4real from UK
Day 6 - #1's (1998)
+ Sweetheart EP
+ I Still Believe EP
+ Do You Know Where You're Going To EP

September 17 is day 6 of the listening party, and we're stepping into the #1's era - a moment that doesn't always get the spotlight it deserves, but is way more interesting than people give it credit for.

By '98, Mariah had officially shut the door on the Tommy chapter and was living in a new kind of freedom. She went above the execs and flew straight to Japan after the divorce to meet with the head of Sony and hammer out her exit. That meeting cleared the way for a new five-album deal and a chance to steer her own ship. The label pitched a standard "greatest hits", but MC felt it was too soon to put a bow on her first act. So she turned it into a thank you to the fans - a celebration of becoming the female artist with the most U.S. #1 singles (13 at that point, edging out Madonna's 12).

What makes #1's special is that it wasn't just a trophy case; she gave us four new songs to keep the story moving. Sweetheart, a cover of Rainy Davis's ‘86 jam, came via Jermaine Dupri. The JD collab is fun, but the solo Mariah mix is where the magic lives: the production has room to breathe and her voice is front and center. And those low low's. My oh my. I know many of you listen to Dreamlover, Fantasy, Honey and Heartbreaker, in that order. The solo version slides perfectly between Honey and Heartbreaker.

And then there's When You Believe - the song that won an Oscar and gave us a moment nobody dared to dream of until it happened. Babyface built this sweeping gospel ballad for The Prince of Egypt, but it became something even bigger the instant Mariah and Whitney walked into the studio together. Two-thirds of the vocal trinity, finally side by side, not as rivals but as women with voices powerful enough to move mountains. You can feel the respect in every note, the way they listen to each other and lift each other up. What started as a soundtrack cut turned into the beginning of a real, lasting friendship between two legends who'd been unfairly set against each other for years. RIP Whitney - her light is still in that song.

I Still Believe is a full-circle moment: the Brenda K. Starr song she used to sing backing vocals on, now reimagined as her own. That EP is one of her best. The Pure Imagination remix, Stevie J's take with Mocha & Amil (her second all-female feature after the ABMB remix), and a stack of club mixes that still sound fresh today. The single made it to all the way to #4, proof that even her "bonus" tracks could almost hit the top.

Finally, Do You Know Where You're Going To (aka the Mahogany theme) finds Mariah leaning into introspection, and also into the Diana Ross lineage she's always nodded to. Tommy supposedly encouraged J.Lo to cover it after hearing Mariah wanted to release it as a single - so yes, it seems the seeds of sabotage were planted well before the Glitter days. But we love everybody and we move on.

And can we talk about the cover? That silver mini, the hair, the attitude, that pose - she looks sexy in the best way, referencing Ross's Diana album while serving "I'm free and I know it". It's easily one of her best covers.

Looking back, #1's quietly set a template: after MC, everyone from Michael Jackson to Destiny's Child to The Beatles put out their own "#1's" sets. But Mariah's wasn't just a compilation; it was a statement that she was still writing the story, even as she paused to celebrate the wins.

So spin the album and the EPs tonight. #1's might look like a stopgap on paper, but it's really the sound of an artist closing one door, opening another, and thanking the fans who'd been with her every step. LYM. Mariah Carey "Here For It All" release countdown streaming calendar: Midnight September 17th #1's, 18th Rainbow, 19th Glitter, 20th Charmie, 21st Emancipation, 22nd E=MC2, 23rd Memoirs, 24th Elusive Chanteuse, 25th Caution plus beyond, 26th HFIA.
(Wednesday 17 September 2025; 15:43)
this is a reply to message 111,164
Here For It All streaming party countdown (111,164) by 4real4real from UK
Day 3 - Music Box 30th Anniversary
+ Dreamlover EP
+ Anytime You Need a Friend EP
+ Never Forget You EP

Anyway....for those of us who are actually interested in the topic at hand: listening along to Mariah's discography on the lead up to HFIA, today we move on to Music Box - the album that quietly took over the world in '93 and made MC a household name.

Shout out to all the lambs who were introduced to Mariah during this era. We don't acknowledge time but you have been a loyal fan for 32 minutes and counting.

Some fans call Music Box her "AC ballad era", but the real ones know there's way more happening: the layering on Never Forget You, the gospel storm that is Anytime You Need a Friend, the dancefloor readiness of Now That I Know, the haunting otherworldliness of Everything Fades Away.

Trivia time: Music Box sold over 28 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling albums of the '90s. It gave us three US top 5 singles - "Dreamlover" and "Hero" both hit #1, while "Anytime..." peaked at #12 but became a huge fan fave (and that gospel outro still slaps 30 years later).

The 30th anniversary edition includes Mariah's full live set from her 1993 Proctor's Theater show in New York - the show that a lot of fans only knew via bootlegs or partial tapes. Now we get almost the entire concert in high quality. Two songs ("Hero" and "Dreamlover") were the only ones previously released from this concert, the rest is new-to-official release. It's like stepping back to 1993 and seeing her voice still finding even more power and nuance in a live space.

And I know some of you are young enough to remember the remix culture this era birthed. The Dreamlover EP had David Morales' Def Club Mix, a moment that cemented Mariah as a legit dance floor girlie. The Anytime You Need a Friend EP turned a gospel anthem into a house stomper, and Never Forget You showed off her R&B instincts long before that was cool for pop stars, so remember to revisit the EPs as well. LYM.
(Saturday 13 September 2025; 17:54)
this is a reply to message 111,128
Here For It All streaming party countdown (111,156) by 4real4real from UK
You are correct, this is not an echo chamber. However, an echo chamber is when existing beliefs or opinions are reinforced, not existing facts. Mariah's record is a fact which can easily be confirmed. It is not a belief or an opinion. Thank you. Stream Emotions.
(Saturday 13 September 2025; 05:01)
this is a reply to message 111,145
Here For It All streaming party countdown (111,130) by 4real4real from UK
Whitney's first singles were Hold Me with Teddy Pendergrass which reached no 46, followed by You Give Good Live which reached no 3. She did not send her first five singles to number one. This record by Mariah is a well known and well documented fact and why are we talking about Whitney when it has nothing to do with Mariah's streaming party and the new album?
(Friday 12 September 2025; 16:31)
this is a reply to message 111,129
Here For It All streaming party countdown (111,128) by 4real4real from UK
Day 2 - Emotions (1991)
+ MTV Unplugged EP
+ Emotions EP
+ Make It Happen EP
+ Can You Hear Me (The Rarities)

Today we're streaming Emotions - aka Mariah's "I'm not a one-album wonder" moment. For those of you joining us we will delve deeper in to R&B and gospel territory with splashes of dance and even a jazzy moment (where are our "The Wind" fans at?). Some say "And You Don't Remember" is her best ballad, others "Can't Let Go". They are both included on this spectacular sophomore effort.

With the lead single "Emotions" ("You're So Cold" was initially considered) she became the first and only artist ever to send her first five singles to #1 on the Hot 100. Legend behavior and it was only album #2.

She proved the naysayers wrong with the MTV Unplugged EP - including the ultimate version of "Someday" and the Hot 100 #1 "I'll Be There" cover with Trey Lorenz. Also check out "Can You Hear Me" from The Rarities, which was written during this era. How was this not even a B-Side, at least?

Today's plan: blast the Emotions album with us, followed by the EPs and "Can You Hear Me", then go full living-room concert with MTV Unplugged. Let's show some love to this underrated era. I don't have any social media accounts so feel free to spread this far and wide.
(Friday 12 September 2025; 15:30)
this is a reply to message 111,115
Here For It All streaming party countdown (111,115) by 4real4real from UK
Day 1 - Mariah Carey (1990)
+ live debut EP
+ Someday EP
+ There's Got To Be A Way EP
+ Here We Go Around Again (The Rarities)

It's finally here - our streaming party countdown to Here For It All begins today. Today's about celebrating the moment Mariah stepped out and shared her gift with us for the first time. For those of you joining in, we're kicking things off with the album that started it all: Mariah's self-titled debut (1990). This record introduced the world to that voice and gave us timeless #1 songs like Vision of Love, Love Takes Time, Someday and I Don't Wanna Cry. Her pen game and ear for a good melody is strong out the gate. It's pure heart, raw talent, and a reminder of how far she's come since singing backing vocals and writing on the subway. Don't forget to spin the EP's and Here We Go Around Again from The Rarities, as well. Let's enjoy this moment.
(Thursday 11 September 2025; 19:15)
Why the dislike? (111,114) by 4real4real from UK
It was originally intended to be a duet with KCI and JoJo (of Jodeci) but for whatever reason that fell through. In that context the song makes perfect sense. It sounds very much like All My Life, their previous US no 1. Joe and 98 Degrees just didn’t have the same cred or vibe as Jodeci so it just came off cheesy. But the remixes are fire indeed.
(Thursday 11 September 2025; 19:10)
this is a reply to message 111,110
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