Mariah Carey | ||
| Allmusic Biography : The best-selling female performer of all time, Mariah Carey rose to superstardom on the strength of her stunning five-octave voice. An elastic talent who has easily moved from glossy ballads to hip-hop-inspired dance-pop throughout her career, she earned early comparisons to Whitney Houston and Céline Dion, and did them both one better by co-writing almost all of her own material from the start. All four singles off her multi-platinum debut album, Mariah Carey (1990), topped the Billboard Hot 100, beginning with "Vision of Love," which also led to Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female. Each one of her proper studio albums, including the diamond platinum releases Music Box (1993) and Daydream (1995), as well as the Grammy-winning The Emancipation of Mimi (2005), has peaked within the Top Five of the Billboard 200, promoted with smash-hit singles that either pushed or adapted to contemporary pop production trends with solid songwriting at the core. By the time she released her 15th album, Caution (2018), Carey was one of only six artists with two songs in the upper half of the Billboard Top 100s All-Time Hot 100 Songs (the record-breaking "One Sweet Day" and "We Belong Together"). Born in Huntington, New York, on March 27, 1970, Carey moved to New York City at the age of 17 -- just one day after graduating high school -- to pursue a music career. There she befriended keyboardist Ben Margulies, with whom she began writing songs. Her big break came as a backing vocalist on a studio session with dance-pop singer Brenda K. Starr, who handed Careys demo tape to Columbia Records head Tommy Mottola at a party. According to legend, Mottola listened to the tape in his limo while driving home that evening, and was so immediately struck by Careys talent that he doubled back to the party to track her down. After signing to Columbia, Carey entered the studio to begin work on her 1990 self-titled debut LP. The heavily promoted album was a chart-topping smash, launching four number one singles: "Vision of Love," "Love Takes Time," "Someday," and "I Dont Wanna Cry." Overnight success and Grammy wins in the categories of Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female (for "Vision of Love), made expectations high for the follow-up, 1991s Emotions. The album did not disappoint, as the title track reached number one -- a record fifth consecutive chart-topper -- while both "Cant Let Go" and "Make It Happen" landed in the Top Five. Careys next release was 1992s MTV Unplugged EP, which generated a number one cover of the Jackson 5s "Ill Be There." Featured on the track was backup singer Trey Lorenz, whose appearance immediately helped him land a recording contract of his own. In June 1993, Carey wed Mottola in a headline-grabbing ceremony. Months later, she released her third full-length effort, Music Box, which became her best-selling record to that point. Two more singles, "Dreamlover" and "Hero," reached the top spot on the Hot 100. After her first tour and a break, she resurfaced in 1994 with a holiday release titled Merry Christmas, scoring a seasonal smash with "All I Want for Christmas Is You." Released in 1995, Daydream reflected a new artistic maturity. The first single, "Fantasy," debuted at number one, making Carey the first female artist and just the second performer ever to accomplish the feat. The follow-up, "One Sweet Day" -- a collaboration with Boyz II Men -- repeated the trick, and remained lodged at the top of the Hot 100 for a record 16 weeks. After separating from Mottola, Carey returned in 1997 with Butterfly, another staggering success and her most hip-hop-flavored recording to date. #1s -- a collection featuring her 13 previous chart-topping singles as well as "The Prince of Egypt (When You Believe)," a duet with Whitney Houston effectively pairing the two most successful female recording artists in pop history -- followed late the next year. With "Heartbreaker," the first single from her 1999 album, Rainbow, Carey became the first artist to top the Hot 100 in each year of a decade; the record also pushed her ahead of the Beatles as the artist with the most cumulative weeks spent atop that chart. After signing an $80 million deal in 2001 with Virgin -- the biggest record contract ever -- she starred in her first film, Glitter, and made her label debut with its attendant soundtrack, which went platinum thanks to the single "Loverboy." Virgin and Carey parted ways early in 2002, with the label paying her $28 million. That spring, she found a new home with Island/Def Jam, where she set up her own label, MonarC Music. In December, she released her ninth album, Charmbracelet, her first proper studio album to go merely platinum rather than multi-platinum. The Emancipation of Mimi, her most successful work in years, appeared in 2005. It climbed to multi-platinum status and earned Carey three Grammy Awards -- Best Contemporary R&B; Album and, for the single "We Belong Together," Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance and Best R&B; Song -- thus restoring her status as a megastar. Two weeks before the release of her subsequent album, 2008s E=MC2, Carey scored her 18th number one hit with "Touch My Body," a feat that pushed her into second place (and past Elvis Presley) among all artists with the most chart-topping singles. That hit song, along with the late April news that she had married Nick Cannon, kept her in the spotlight that year. Carey went back to work fairly quickly, and in 2009, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel -- featuring collaborations with the-Dream, including the Top Ten hit "Obsessed" -- became her 12th studio album. The following year, Carey released her second Christmas album, Merry Christmas II You. She gave birth to twins in 2011, and within a year was performing again and judged the 12th season of American Idol. The Miguel collaboration "#Beautiful," the lead single to her next album, was released in 2013 and went platinum. Me. I Am Mariah: The Elusive Chanteuse, her first album for Def Jam, followed in 2014 and debuted at number three. Between releases, Carey started a residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, which ran from January 2015 to July 2017 and showcased all 18 of her number one singles. She also made appearances on the small screen, directing a Hallmark Channel movie, A Christmas Melody, and guest starring on Empire. On the big screen, she lent her talents to 2017s animated The Lego Batman Movie and the hit comedy Girls Trip. After the conclusion of a summer co-headlining jaunt with Lionel Richie, she debuted a new Vegas residency, which commenced in July 2018. Caution, an album featuring appearances from Slick Rick, Blood Orange, and Ty Dolla $ign, arrived five months later as her first release for Epic. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 33 Title: Mariah Carey Released: 1990-08-22 Tracks: 11 Duration: 46:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Vision of Love (03:30) 2 There’s Got to Be a Way (album version) (04:53) 3 I Don’t Wanna Cry (04:48) 4 Someday (04:08) 5 Vanishing (04:12) 6 All in Your Mind (04:45) 7 Alone in Love (04:12) 8 You Need Me (03:51) 9 Sent From Up Above (04:04) 10 Prisoner (04:24) 11 Love Takes Time (03:49) |
| Mariah Carey : Allmusic album Review : This extremely impressive debut is replete with smooth-sounding ballads and uplifting dance/R&B cuts. Carey convincingly seizes many opportunities to display her incredible vocal range on such memorable tracks as the popular "Vision of Love" (featured during her television debut on The Arsenio Hall Show, an appearance noted by many as her formal introduction to stardom), the energetic "Someday," and the moody sounds of the hidden treasure "Vanishing." With this collection of songs acting as a springboard for future successes, Carey establishes a strong standard of comparison for other breakthrough artists of this genre. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 33 Title: Emotions Released: 1991-09-13 Tracks: 10 Duration: 47:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Emotions (04:09) 2 And You Don’t Remember (04:26) 3 Can’t Let Go (04:27) 4 Make It Happen (05:07) 5 If It’s Over (04:38) 6 You’re So Cold (05:05) 7 So Blessed (04:13) 8 To Be Around You (04:37) 9 Till the End of Time (05:35) 10 The Wind (04:41) |
| Emotions : Allmusic album Review : A strong follow-up to Mariah Careys self-titled debut album, Emotions puts to rest any concern of a "sophomore slump." The same mix of dance/R&B/ballads that gave Careys debut such tremendous auditory appeal can be found with equal strength on this release, indicating that placing firm belief in the notion of "Why fool with success?" may, in fact, have its merits. Most notably, the gospel influences of "If Its Over" (with music co-written by Carole King), the yearning cries for a lost love in "Cant Let Go," and the catchy, upbeat title track all serve to send the listener on a musical journey filled with varying emotions. However, the one emotion that prevails upon completion of the album is definitely a positive one: satisfaction. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 33 Title: MTV Unplugged Released: 1992-06-02 Tracks: 7 Duration: 28:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Emotions (03:59) 2 If It’s Over (03:47) 3 Someday (03:56) 4 Vision of Love (03:36) 5 Make It Happen (04:09) 6 I’ll Be There (04:42) 7 Can’t Let Go (04:35) |
| MTV Unplugged : Allmusic album Review : This live performance is the perfect peek into the life of rising pop/soul vocal sensation Mariah Carey at a youthful and innocent age in an intimate, acoustic setting. Throughout this performance, recorded live for MTVs Unplugged, Carey is quite electric and charismatic within her vocal presence and succeeds in enlightening the already engaged audience from the get-go. The audience certainly feels the warmth and sincerity of Careys lyrical messages of longing, loss, friendships, and love. Careys supporting cast of gifted group musicians back her up with soulful melodiousness, spontaneity, and enriching percussion. Gradually, the power and esteem of these tales lift to new heights and remain at a peak with the breathtaking, moment-making performance of "Ill Be There," a charming song first cut by the Jackson 5. All and all, this is an inspiring event, though still simple enough for the listener to catch those musical places that need to be polished. "Cant Let Go," Careys radio single for the album, makes it as the seventh and final track, though the cameras are shut off for the Unplugged episode. Certainly, this is a record of hope, virtue, and the possibilities of newfound love. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 33 Title: Live USA Released: 1993 Tracks: 9 Duration: 45:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Emotions (05:43) 2 Hero (04:22) 3 Without You (04:38) 4 Make It Happen (06:32) 5 Take Me Away (05:18) 6 Anytime You Need A Friend (05:47) 7 Someday (04:31) 8 All That You Have Given To Me (03:49) 9 Ill Be There (04:22) |
 | Album: 5 of 33 Title: Music Box Released: 1993-08-31 Tracks: 10 Duration: 41:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dreamlover (03:54) 2 Hero (04:19) 3 Anytime You Need a Friend (04:26) 4 Music Box (04:57) 5 Now That I Know (04:19) 6 Never Forget You (03:46) 7 Without You (03:35) 8 Just to Hold You Once Again (03:59) 9 I’ve Been Thinking About You (04:48) 10 All I’ve Ever Wanted (03:52) |
| Music Box : Allmusic album Review : Mariah Carey has been stung by critical charges that shes all vocal bombast and no subtlety, soul, or shading. Her solution was to make an album in which her celebrated octave-leaping voice would be downplayed and she could demonstrate her ability to sing softly and coolly. Well, she was partly successful; she trimmed the volume on Music Box. Unfortunately, she also cut the energy level; Carey sounds detached on several selections. She scored a couple of huge hits, "Hero" and "Dreamlover," where she did inject some personality and intensity into the leads. Most other times, Carey blended into the background and let the tracks guide her, instead of pushing and exploding through them. It was wise for Carey to display other elements of her approach, but sometimes excessive spirit is preferable to an absence of passion. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 33 Title: Merry Christmas Released: 1994-10-29 Tracks: 11 Duration: 39:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Silent Night (03:41) 2 All I Want for Christmas Is You (04:01) 3 O Holy Night (04:27) 4 Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (02:35) 5 Miss You Most (at Christmas Time) (04:33) 6 Joy to the World (04:20) 7 Jesus Born on This Day (03:43) 8 Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (03:24) 9 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing / Gloria (In excelsis deo) (03:00) 10 Jesus Oh What a Wonderful Child (04:29) 11 God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (01:18) |
| Merry Christmas : Allmusic album Review : Pretensions to high opera on "O Holy Night" and a horrid dance club take on "Joy to the World." On the positive side, her co-penned (one of three) "All I Want for Christmas Is You" is a well-crafted Phil Spector tribute, with Beach Boys-style harmonies, jangling bells, and a sleigh-ride pace, injecting one of the few bits of exuberant fun in this otherwise vanilla set. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 33 Title: Daydream Released: 1995-09-27 Tracks: 12 Duration: 46:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Fantasy (04:04) 2 Underneath the Stars (03:33) 3 One Sweet Day (04:42) 4 Open Arms (03:30) 5 Always Be My Baby (04:20) 6 I Am Free (03:09) 7 When I Saw You (04:24) 8 Long Ago (04:33) 9 Melt Away (03:42) 10 Forever (04:00) 11 Daydream Interlude (Fantasy Sweet dub mix) (03:04) 12 Looking In (03:36) |
| Daydream : Allmusic album Review : Mariah Carey certainly knows how to construct an album. Positioning herself directly between urban R&B with tracks like "Fantasy," and adult contemporary with songs like "One Sweet Day," a duet with Boyz II Men, Carey appeals to both audiences equally because of the sheer amount of craft and hard work she puts into her albums. Daydream is her best record to date, featuring a consistently strong selection of songs and a remarkably impassioned performance by Carey. A few of the songs are second-rate -- particularly the cover of Journeys "Open Arms" -- but Daydream demonstrates that Carey continues to perfect her craft and that she has earned her status as an R&B/pop diva. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 33 Title: Butterfly Released: 1997-09-10 Tracks: 12 Duration: 57:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Honey (05:02) 2 Butterfly (04:35) 3 My All (03:52) 4 The Roof (05:15) 5 Fourth of July (04:22) 6 Breakdown (04:44) 7 Babydoll (05:07) 8 Close My Eyes (04:21) 9 Whenever You Call (04:21) 10 Fly Away (Butterfly reprise) (03:49) 11 The Beautiful Ones (06:59) 12 Outside (04:47) |
| Butterfly : Allmusic album Review : Upon its release, Butterfly was interpreted as Mariah Careys declaration of independence from her ex-husband (and label president) Tommy Mottola, and to a certain extent, thats true. Butterfly is peppered with allusions to her troubled marriage and her newfound freedom, and the music is supposed to be in tune with contemporary urban sounds instead of adult contemporary radio. Nevertheless, it feels like a Mariah Carey album, which means that its a collection of hit singles surrounded by classy filler. What is surprising about Butterfly is the lack of up-tempo dance-pop. Apart from the Puffy Combs-produced "Honey," Butterfly is devoted to ballads, and while they are all well-crafted, many of them blend together upon initial listening. Subsequent plays reveal that Careys vocals are sultrier and more controlled than ever, and that helps "Butterfly," "Break Down," "Babydoll," and the Prince cover, "The Beautiful Ones," rank among her best; also, the ballads do have a stronger urban feel than before. Even though Butterfly doesnt have as many strong singles as Daydream, its one of her best records, illustrating that Carey is continuing to improve and refine her music, which makes her a rarity among her 90s peers. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 33 Title: VH1: Divas Live Released: 1998-10-06 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:14:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 My All (05:45) 2 Make It Happen (05:29) 3 Turn the Beat Around (05:07) 4 Heavens What I Feel (04:54) 5 Megamix: Dr. Beat / Conga / Rhythm Is Gonna Get You / 1-2-3 / Get on Your Feet (03:32) 6 Man! I Feel Like a Woman! (04:34) 7 Youre Still the One (03:37) 8 Chain of Fools (04:24) 9 River Deep, Mountain High (05:49) 10 The Reason (05:59) 11 My Heart Will Go On (05:13) 12 Youve Got a Friend (05:29) 13 A Natural Woman (05:15) 14 Testimony (09:47) |
 | Album: 10 of 33 Title: #1’s Released: 1998-11-16 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:13:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Sweetheart (04:25) 2 When You Believe (04:36) 3 Whenever You Call (04:24) 4 My All (03:52) 5 Honey (05:02) 6 Always Be My Baby (04:20) 7 One Sweet Day (04:42) 8 Fantasy (04:54) 9 Hero (04:19) 10 Dreamlover (03:54) 11 I’ll Be There (04:26) 12 Emotions (04:09) 13 I Don’t Wanna Cry (04:48) 14 Someday (04:08) 15 Love Takes Time (03:49) 16 Vision of Love (03:30) 17 I Still Believe (03:56) |
| #1’s : Allmusic album Review : Protest as she may -- and she does, claiming in the liner notes that #1s is "not a greatest hits album! Its too soon, I havent been recording long enough for that!" -- its hard to view #1s, Mariah Careys first compilation, as anything other than a greatest-hits album. Carey was fortunate enough to have nearly every single she released top the pop charts. Between 1990s "Vision of Love" and 1998s "My All," all but four commercially released singles ("Anytime You Need a Friend," "Cant Let Go," "Make It Happen," "Without You") hit number one, with only a handful of radio-only singles ("Butterfly," "Breakdown") making the airwaves, not the charts. That leaves 12 big hits on #1s, all number ones. Since Careys singles always dominated her albums, it comes as no surprise that #1s is her best, most consistent album, filled with songs that represent state-of-the-art 90s adult contemporary and pop-oriented urban soul. That said, it isnt a perfect overview -- a couple of good singles are missing because of the self-imposed "#1 rule"; plus, the Ol Dirty Bastard mix of "Fantasy" is strong, but fans familiar with the radio single will be disappointed that the chorus is completely missing on this version. The album is also padded with a personal favorite (her Brian McKnight duet "Whenever You Call," taken from Butterfly) and three new songs -- the Jermaine Dupri-produced "Sweetheart," the Whitney Houston duet "When You Believe" (taken from The Prince of Egypt soundtrack), and "I Still Believe," a remake of a Brenda K. Starr tune -- which are all fine, but not particularly memorable. Still, thats hardly enough to bring down a thoroughly entertaining compilation that will stand as her best record until the "official" hits collection is released. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 33 Title: Around the World Released: 1999-04-27 Tracks: 14 Duration: 43:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Butterfly Intro / Emotions (04:11) 2 Fantasy (05:23) 3 Dreamlover (02:47) 4 My All (02:31) 5 Japan/New York (01:45) 6 Conversation with Brenda K. Starr (01:05) 7 I Still Believe (03:39) 8 Ill Be There (feat. Trey Lorenz) (03:29) 9 Fun In Australia (02:40) 10 Hopelessly Devoted To You (feat. Olivia Newton-John) (01:58) 11 #1 Fan Appreciation Party (00:37) 12 Whenever You Call (feat. Brian Mc Knight) (03:08) 13 Honey (05:02) 14 Hero (05:05) |
 | Album: 12 of 33 Title: Rainbow Released: 1999-10-27 Tracks: 14 Duration: 56:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Heartbreaker (04:47) 2 Can’t Take That Away (Mariah’s theme) (04:33) 3 Bliss (05:45) 4 How Much (03:32) 5 After Tonight (04:16) 6 X‐Girlfriend (03:59) 7 Heartbreaker (remix) (04:34) 8 Vulnerability (interlude) (01:13) 9 Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) (03:25) 10 Crybaby (05:21) 11 Did I Do That? (04:18) 12 Petals (04:24) 13 Rainbow (interlude) (01:34) 14 Thank God I Found You (04:17) |
| Rainbow : Allmusic album Review : Mariah Carey claims Rainbow, her first album since divorcing Tommy Mottola, "chronicles my emotional roller coaster ride of the past year," but less subjective listeners could be forgiven for viewing it as simply another Mariah Carey album. After all, all the elements are in place -- the crossover dance hits, the ballads, the cameos, the hip producers, the weird cover choice from the early 80s. But dig a little deeper, and her words ring true. Rainbow is the first Carey album where shes written personal lyrics, and allusions to her separation from Mottola are evident throughout the album, even if it doesnt really amount to the "story" she mentions in the liner notes. As appropriate for any introspective album, its a bit ballad-heavy, which makes Rainbow seem a little samey. Yet thats not the only reason the record has a weird sense of déjà vu, since this follows the same formula as its two predecessors, distinguished primarily by her newfound fondness for flashing flesh. That repetition isnt necessarily a problem, since she does formula very well, managing to appeal to both housewives as well as b-boys. Rainbow proves that she can still pull off that difficult balancing act, but its hard not to be a little disappointed that shed didnt shake the music up a little bit more -- after all, it would have been a more effective album if the heartbreak, sorrow, and joy that bubbles underneath the music were brought to the surface. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 33 Title: Valentines Released: 2000-01-01 Tracks: 5 Duration: 19:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Vision of Love (03:30) 2 Underneath The Stars (03:33) 3 My All (03:52) 4 Babydoll (05:07) 5 Do You Know Where Youre Going To (Theme From Magohany) (03:47) |
 | Album: 14 of 33 Title: Glitter Released: 2001-08-18 Tracks: 13 Duration: 56:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Loverboy (remix) (04:30) 2 Lead the Way (03:53) 3 If We (04:20) 4 Didnt Mean to Turn You On (04:54) 5 Dont Stop (Funkin 4 Jamaica) (03:38) 6 All My Life (05:09) 7 Reflections (Care Enough) (03:21) 8 Last Night a DJ Saved My Life (06:43) 9 Want You (04:43) 10 Never Too Far (04:21) 11 Twister (02:26) 12 Loverboy (03:50) 13 Loverboy (MJ Cole Main Remix Radio Edit) (04:13) |
| Glitter : Allmusic album Review : It wasnt supposed to be this way. Mariah Careys first album for Virgin Records was supposed to be a triumph, an album that confirmed her status as pops reigning diva, while serving as the soundtrack to a film that proved her crossover status was every bit as potent as that of her unexpected arch-rival Jennifer Lopez. Instead, Glitter proved to be an utter meltdown -- the pop equivalent of Chernobyl. Its hard not to sympathize with everybody involved, actually, from Mariah herself, to all the musicians and producers involved in this and the film, plus the label that shelled out millions of dollars for a proven quantity that suddenly stopped delivering the goods. Because Glitter is a catastrophe -- it captures Mariah on a downturn of creativity and popularity, just when she needs to shine the brightest, and then it was paired with an extremely public emotional breakdown, highlighted by a bizarre appearance on TRL, where she was seemingly dressed only in a T-shirt and handing out Popsicles, plus a scarily suicidal message posted and then quickly deleted from her website. Poor Mariah! Poor Virgin! Who could have predicted this pop perfect storm? And, when youre seeing it unfold, or listening to it unspool, its hard not to be shocked by the miscalculation of every aspect of Glitter. Superficially, its not that all far removed from her last Columbia album, Rainbow, but if that record illustrated the freeing effect of her divorce from Tommy Motolla, this album shows that Mariah needs some guiding force, something to keep her on track. Otherwise, she sinks into gormless ballads, covers of early-80s funk tunes that sound exactly like the originals, hip-hop funk that plays plastic and stiff. This touches on everything Mariah tried before, but nothing works -- not the oversinging, not the sentimental, not the desperate attempts for street cred. If she indeed was paranoid about Lopezs career and success, as certain tabloid reports indicated, she shouldnt have made a record that seems to ape On the 6 the way that album slavishly followed prime Mariah. Its an embarrassment, one that might have been easier to gawk at if its creator wasnt so close to emotional destruction at the time of release. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 33 Title: Greatest Hits Released: 2001-12-04 Tracks: 28 Duration: 1:59:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Vision of Love (03:30) 2 Love Takes Time (03:49) 3 Someday (04:08) 4 I Don’t Wanna Cry (04:48) 5 Emotions (04:09) 6 Can’t Let Go (04:27) 7 Make It Happen (05:07) 8 I’ll Be There (04:26) 9 Dreamlover (03:54) 10 Hero (04:19) 11 Without You (03:35) 12 Anytime You Need a Friend (04:26) 13 Endless Love (04:20) 14 Fantasy (04:04) 1 One Sweet Day (04:42) 2 Always Be My Baby (04:20) 3 Forever (04:00) 4 Underneath the Stars (03:33) 5 Honey (05:02) 6 Butterfly (04:35) 7 My All (03:52) 8 Sweetheart (04:25) 9 When You Believe (04:36) 10 I Still Believe (03:56) 11 Heartbreaker (04:47) 12 Thank God I Found You (04:17) 13 Can’t Take That Away (Mariah’s theme) (04:33) 14 All I Want for Christmas Is You (So So Def remix) (03:43) |
| Greatest Hits : Allmusic album Review : Mariah protested loud and often when her first hits collection, #1s, was released that the album was not a hits collection: "I havent been recording long enough for that!" Nothing will age your catalog like leaving your record label, however, so when she flew the Columbia coop for Virgin in 2000, her old label assembled Greatest Hits for release a couple months after the monumental disaster of Glitter, her Virgin debut. Now, this move was surely designed to further wound the ailing Mariah, but this kind of collection was essentially inevitable, and its about as good as it could be, containing all of her big hits (including songs that did not make it to the top of the charts) over the course of 28 tracks. This is certainly helpful, since it rounds up everything, but its double-disc running time is a bit of a detriment, since it simply is too much. By the end of the second disc, the collection feels a little padded, and her music simply sounds better in the more concentrated collection of #1s, since it runs smoother and has all the really big hits (with the notable exception of the original version of her best single, "Fantasy"). But if you want more simply for archival reasons, this will suit the bill (even though the packaging is unbearably skimpy: no notes, just publishing information and thumbnails of the single covers, which is like having no packaging at all). | ||
 | Album: 16 of 33 Title: Charmbracelet Released: 2002-12-03 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:04:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Through the Rain (04:49) 2 Boy (I Need You) (05:14) 3 The One (04:08) 4 Yours (05:06) 5 You Got Me (04:22) 6 I Only Wanted (03:38) 7 Clown (03:17) 8 My Saving Grace (04:09) 9 You Had Your Chance (04:24) 10 Lullaby (04:56) 11 Irresistible (05:06) 12 Subtle Invitation (04:27) 13 Bringin’ On the Heartbreak (04:34) 14 Sunflowers for Alfred Roy (02:59) 15 Through the Rain (remix) (03:32) |
| Charmbracelet : Allmusic album Review : If it didnt follow Glitter, the gold standard for diva implosions in the early 21st century, Mariah Careys Charmbracelet would simply be her worst album, but since it was rushed out in late 2002 in an effort to mask that disaster, to treat it as if it never happened, it achieves a special kind of grandeur -- its a botched attempt to restore a career after a botched attempt at a crossover. Of course, the Carey party line, including her new label Island (who has sponsored her vanity imprint, MonarC), claims her lone Virgin album, Glitter, shouldnt be considered an official Mariah album since it was a soundtrack, but not only does that theory not hold water (perhaps Purple Rain shouldnt be considered a Prince album, then?), it signals that everybody realizes that Glitter wasnt just a disaster, but that her whole ghetto-fabulous trip of the late 90s eroded her core MOR audience. So, with Charmbracelet, the backpedalling is immediately evident, from the demure photos gracing the artwork (the tight shorts of Rainbow are long gone) and the first single/opening track "Through the Rain," a slow ballad designed as "Vision of Love" meets "Hero." Mariah is back in the adult contemporary camp, no longer trying to prove that shes real. She hasnt completely abandoned hip-hop, but whenever it rears its head on Charmbracelet, its utterly jarring, whether its Jay-Zs and Freeways guest spots on "You Got Me," the club-ready groove of "You Had Your Chance" (built on the same bassline as "Nuthin But a G Thang"), or the blatant rewrite of Camrons "Oh Boy" on "Boy (I Need You)" (he may endorse it with a cameo, yet the sampled vocal hook remains singularly annoying no matter how its presented), or the crackling vinyl used as ambient noise on "Irresistible," or the distracting use of dripping water as percussion on "I Only Wanted." Weirdly enough, even these detours are nothing more than flourishes -- window-dressing on songs that remain firmly in the middle of the road, since thats where the sales are, or at least where Mariahs aging fan base is. This, of course, is not a problem, since shes done hip-hop-influenced dance tunes and ballads very well before. What is a problem is that there are no good songs on this record outside of Def Leppards power ballad classic "Bringin on the Heartbreak," which isnt even covered all that well. What is a greater problem is that Mariahs voice is shot, sounding in tatters throughout the record. Whenever she sings, theres a raspy whistle behind her thin voice and she strains to make notes throughout the record. She cannot coo or softly croon, nor can she perform her trademark gravity-defying vocal runs. Her voice is damaged, and theres not a moment where it sounds strong or inviting. That alone would be disturbing, but since the songs are formless and the production bland -- another reason why the hip-hop announces itself, even though its nowhere near as pronounced as it has been since Butterfly -- her tired voice becomes the only thing to concentrate on, and its a sad, ugly thing, making an album that would merely have been her worst into something tragic. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 33 Title: The Remixes Released: 2003-10-14 Tracks: 22 Duration: 2:20:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 My All (Morales "My" club mix) (07:10) 2 Heartbreaker / If You Should Ever Be Lonely (Juniors heartbreaker club mix) (10:18) 3 Fly Away (Butterfly reprise) (Fly Away club mix) (09:50) 4 Anytime You Need a Friend (C&C club version) (10:54) 5 Fantasy (Def club mix) (11:15) 6 Honey (classic mix) (08:06) 7 Dreamlover (Def club mix) (10:45) 8 Emotions (12" club mix) (05:49) 9 Through the Rain (HQ2 radio edit) (04:08) 1 Fantasy (04:52) 2 Always Be My Baby (Mr. Dupri mix) (04:40) 3 My All / Stay Awhile (So So Def remix) (04:44) 4 Thank God I Found You (make it last remix) (05:09) 5 Breakdown (04:45) 6 Honey (So So Def mix) (05:12) 7 Loverboy (remix) (04:31) 8 Heartbreaker (remix) (04:37) 9 Sweetheart (04:25) 10 Crybaby (05:21) 11 Miss You (05:09) 12 The One (So So Def remix) (04:38) 13 I Know What You Want (04:12) |
| The Remixes : Allmusic album Review : Columbia Records cannot be accused of stinting on the two-CD Remixes set, which has a running time over two hours and 20 minutes. Mariah Careys former label, before she moved to Virgin and then Island Def Jam (where she recorded under her own MonarC imprint), has made a point of licensing extra tracks from those subsequent corporate associations, as well as borrowing a track from J Records in compiling a survey of the various remixes of Careys recordings. This means that the collection stretches as far back as 1991 for the "12 Club Mix" of "Emotions" and all the way up to 2003 for the "So So Def Remix" of "The One." The result is a kind of history of remixes over that 12-year period. Of course, the term "remix" is, as usual, an excessively modest one to describe what has been done to the original recordings. A variety of remix producers have not only manipulated the original tracks, but also added various elements of their own to the point that, in many cases, the songs as initially heard are virtually unrecognizable. Every now and then, one hears a snatch of lyric or a familiar musical excerpt, but for the most part these are dance-oriented musical productions with only a nodding resemblance to Careys records. Of course, Carey herself is always in the thick of the reinvention. The first disc contains more danceable material, while the second is given over to tracks reconstructed from a rap perspective and is filled with guest appearances that include Snoop Dogg, O.D.B., Da Brat, Missy Elliott, and, in the album-closing duet, "I Know What You Want," Busta Rhymes, who is actually billed in front of Carey. A large part of Careys massive success of the 1990s came from her relationship to the dancefloor, and this compilation shows what her music sounded like there. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 33 Title: The Emancipation of Mimi Released: 2005-04-04 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:09:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 It’s Like That (03:23) 2 We Belong Together (03:21) 3 Shake It Off (03:52) 4 Mine Again (04:01) 5 Say Somethin (03:44) 6 Stay the Night (03:57) 7 Get Your Number (03:15) 8 One and Only (03:14) 9 Circles (03:30) 10 Your Girl (02:46) 11 I Wish You Knew (03:34) 12 To the Floor (03:27) 13 Joy Ride (04:03) 14 Fly Like a Bird (03:53) 15 Sprung (03:25) 16 Don’t Forget About Us (03:53) 17 Makin It Last All Night (What It Do) (03:52) 18 So Lonely (One & Only, Part II) (03:53) 19 We Belong Together (remix) (04:25) |
| The Emancipation of Mimi : Allmusic album Review : The titular "Mimi" of The Emancipation of Mimi is, by all accounts, an alter ego of Mariah, a persona that captures Careys true feelings and emotions. In case you didnt know what "emancipation" means, Mariah helpfully provides a dictionary definition of the word in the opening pages of the liner notes for her eighth proper album: it means "to free from restraint, control, oppression, or the power of another" or "to free from any controlling influence" or "to free somebody from restrictions or conventions." So, on The Emancipation of Mimi, Mariah frees herself from the constraints of being herself, revealing herself to be -- well, somebody that looks startlingly like Beyoncé, if the cover art is any indication. Mimi, or at least the sound of her emancipation, sounds remarkably like Beyoncé, too, working a similarly sultry, low-key, polished club groove. And thats the main story of The Emancipation of Mimi: since the reserved, tasteful adult contemporary pop of 2002s Charmbracelet failed to revive her career, shes done a 180 and returned to R&B;, in hopes that maybe this will create some excitement. Its not a bad idea, particularly because Mariah could use any change at this point, and its not executed all that badly either, as all 14 tracks -- heavy on mid-tempo cuts and big ballads, with a few harder dance tunes featuring big-name guest rappers scattered along the way -- all follow the same deliberately smoky, late-night template. While the Neptunes provide the best dance cut here with "Say Somethin" (featuring a cameo by Snoop Dogg), especially welcome are some nice old-school 70s smooth soul flourishes, best heard on James Poysers deliciously sleek "Mine Again" and such "Big Jim" Wright productions as "I Wish You Knew" and "Fly Like a Bird." As good as those Wright-helmed cuts are, they are also the times that the mixes slip and dont hide the flaws in Mariahs voice, and it sounds as airy, thin, and damaged as it did on Charmbracelet, where her ragged vocals dealt a fatal blow to an already weak album. Here, apart from those Wright tracks, the producers camouflage her voice in a number of ways, usually involving putting the groove and the sound of the production in front of the vocals. While the tunes arent always memorable, it does make for a consistent album, one thats head and shoulders above the other LPs shes released in the 2000s, even if it doesnt compare with her glory days of the 90s. Ironically enough, a big reason why The Emancipation of Mimi doesnt sound as good as those 90s albums is that Mariah never sounds like herself on this record. When shes not sounding like Beyoncé, she sounds desperate to be part of the waning bling era, dropping product placements for Bacardi, Calgon, and Louis Vuitton, or bragging about her house in Capri and her own G4, all of which sounds a little tired and awkward coming from a 35-year-old woman in her 15th year of superstardom. Disregarding these two rather sizeable problems, The Emancipation of Mimi still works, at least as a slick, highly crafted piece of dance-pop -- it might not be as hip as it thinks it is, nor is it as catchy as it should be, but its smooth and listenable, which is enough to have it qualify as a relative comeback for "Mimi" Carey. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 33 Title: E=MC² Released: 2008-01-01 Tracks: 15 Duration: 55:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Migrate (04:17) 2 Touch My Body (03:24) 3 Cruise Control (03:32) 4 I Stay in Love (03:32) 5 Side Effects (04:22) 6 Im That Chick (03:31) 7 Love Story (03:56) 8 Ill Be Lovin U Long Time (03:01) 9 Last Kiss (03:36) 10 Thanx 4 Nothin (03:05) 11 O.O.C. (03:26) 12 For the Record (03:26) 13 Bye Bye (04:26) 14 I Wish You Well (04:39) 15 Heat (03:34) |
 | Album: 20 of 33 Title: The Ballads Released: 2008-10-20 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:13:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Hero (04:19) 2 Vision of Love (03:30) 3 Without You (03:35) 4 Always Be My Baby (04:20) 5 My All (03:52) 6 How Much (03:30) 7 Dreamlover (03:54) 8 Thank God I Found You (Make It Last remix) (05:09) 9 The Roof (05:15) 10 One Sweet Day (04:42) 11 Anytime You Need a Friend (04:26) 12 Ill Be There (04:43) 13 I Still Believe (03:56) 14 Reflections (Care Enough) (03:21) 15 Open Arms (03:28) 16 Against All Odds (03:21) 17 Endless Love (04:20) 18 All I Want for Christmas Is You (04:01) |
| The Ballads : Allmusic album Review : In 1998, it would have been a cheap joke to say that Mariah Carey had no other kind of hits than ballads, but in the ensuing decade she steadily remade herself into an R&B; diva, obscuring if not quite erasing the well-mannered adult contemporary singer of the 90s. The 2009 compilation The Ballads -- released just before Valentines Day 2009 -- attempts to turn back the clock by focusing just on those AC tunes -- 18 of them, in fact, including such mammoth hits as "Hero," "One Sweet Day," "Vision of Love," "Ill Be There," "I Still Believe," "Dreamlover," and "Always Be My Baby." Of course, this concentration on middle of the road ballads is a side effect of label affiliation: The Ballads is a product of Sony, who had Mariah during the 90s, before the club R&B; overshadowed these office-friendly hits, so its easier for them to cobble together a comp of Carey at her most sentimental. And thats what The Ballads is: nothing but big love songs sung in a big voice. For fans who have missed this side of Mariah in the 2000s, this is a welcome reminder of what they used to love. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 33 Title: Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel Released: 2009-09-29 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:12:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Betcha Gon Know (the prologue) (04:00) 2 Obsessed (04:02) 3 H.A.T.E.U. (04:27) 4 Candy Bling (04:03) 5 Ribbon (04:21) 6 Inseparable (03:33) 7 Standing O (04:00) 8 Its a Wrap (04:00) 9 Up Out My Face (03:41) 10 Up Out My Face (the reprise) (00:51) 11 More Than Just Friends (03:37) 12 The Impossible (04:00) 13 The Impossible (the reprise) (02:25) 14 Angel (the prelude) (01:04) 15 Angels Cry (04:01) 16 Languishing (the interlude) (02:33) 17 I Want to Know What Love Is (03:27) 18 Obsessed (Cahill radio mix) (03:22) 19 Obsessed (Seamus Haji & Paul Emanuel radio edit) (03:14) 20 Obsessed (Jump Smokers radio edit) (03:21) 21 Obsessed (Friscia and Lamboy radio mix) (04:11) |
| Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel : Allmusic album Review : Like many big-budget albums of the last years of the 2000s, Mariah Careys Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel faced shifting release dates, all as the final product was tweaked in light of disappointing reactions to early singles, particularly the Eminem-baiting "Obsessed." Unlike many of those big-budget albums, including several made by Mariah herself, Memoirs isnt the product of a stable of producers and collaborators; it is almost entirely the work of The-Dream and Tricky Stewart, the team best known for their tracks for Rihanna. Certainly, there are echoes of "Umbrella" to be heard on Memoirs, just as there are elements of the gauzy "Touch My Body," The-Dream and Tricky Stewarts previous single for Mariah, although working with mainly one set of producers does give Memoirs a cohesion that can sometimes lapse into sameness, but not in an unpleasant fashion. Even if it doesnt smack of the confessional autobiography of the title, theres no denying that Memoirs is an album, not a collection of tracks, possessing its own flow and mood, which gives it a personality the slightly desperate E=MC2 lacked, even if it never manages to kick out a song that is all that distinctive on its own terms. Nevertheless, what it also lacks is the pandering, heavy-handed sexuality Mariah has relied upon too heavily this decade -- and in doing so, it feels age appropriate in a way she hasnt in a long time, despite a collection of silly, jumbled lyrics. All Memoirs needs to push it over the edge is a great pair of singles, and their absence does hurt the album a bit, but not enough to prevent it from being her most interesting album in a decade. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 33 Title: The Collection Released: 2010 Tracks: 14 Duration: 58:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dreamlover (03:55) 2 Bliss (05:45) 3 Melt Away (03:42) 4 Breakdown (04:44) 5 Make It Happen (05:09) 6 Outside (04:46) 7 Vanishing (04:14) 8 Looking In (03:36) 9 Emotions (04:10) 10 Babydoll (05:08) 11 I Am Free (03:10) 12 Fantasy (04:50) 13 Underneath the Stars (03:33) 14 Rainbow (Interlude) (01:47) |
| The Collection : Allmusic album Review : From the back cover of this budget compilation: “Mariah Carey was the first recording artist to have her first five singles top the U.S. Billboard Top 100 chart.” A disc with a definitive title like The Collection -- one featuring a statement such as that on the packaging -- should contain those five songs. But it contains none of them. Instead, The Collection is a random assortment of low-rung singles and album cuts. Nobody needs it. | ||
 | Album: 23 of 33 Title: Playlist: The Very Best of Mariah Carey Released: 2010-01-26 Tracks: 14 Duration: 58:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dreamlover (03:54) 2 Bliss (05:45) 3 Melt Away (03:42) 4 Breakdown (04:44) 5 Make It Happen (05:07) 6 Outside (04:47) 7 Vanishing (04:12) 8 Looking In (03:36) 9 Emotions (04:10) 10 Babydoll (05:07) 11 I Am Free (03:09) 12 Fantasy (04:54) 13 Underneath The Stars (03:33) 14 Rainbow (interlude) (01:34) |
| Playlist: The Very Best of Mariah Carey : Allmusic album Review : With its no-frills, eco-friendly packaging -- its part of an extensive budget-line series distributed by Sony -- Playlist: The Very Best of Mariah Carey is clearly aimed at casual fans. However, the set is a little too skimpy to be all that recommendable at all, since it favors some of the singers second- and third-tier singles over Top Tens. Playlist is more like a sampler, one that does feature some must-own Carey songs in "Dreamlover," "Emotions," "Fantasy," and "Make It Happen." | ||
 | Album: 24 of 33 Title: Lovesongs Released: 2010-02-09 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:09:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Hero (04:19) 2 Vision of Love (03:30) 3 Without You (03:35) 4 Always Be My Baby (04:20) 5 My All (03:52) 6 How Much (03:30) 7 Dreamlover (03:54) 8 Thank God I Found You (05:10) 9 The Roof (05:15) 10 One Sweet Day (04:42) 11 Anytime You Need a Friend (04:26) 12 Ill Be There (04:43) 13 I Still Believe (03:56) 14 Reflections (03:22) 15 Open Arms (03:28) 16 Against All Odds (03:21) 17 Endless Love (04:20) |
 | Album: 25 of 33 Title: Merry Christmas II You Released: 2010-11-02 Tracks: 13 Duration: 46:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (intro) (00:22) 2 Oh Santa! (03:31) 3 O Little Town of Bethlehem / Little Drummer Boy (medley) (03:32) 4 Christmas Time Is in the Air Again (03:01) 5 The First Noel / Born Is the King (interlude) (04:32) 6 When Christmas Comes (04:46) 7 Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) / Housetop Celebration (03:28) 8 Charlie Brown Christmas (02:49) 9 O Come All Ye Faithful / Hallelujah Chorus (03:38) 10 O Holy Night (live from WPC in South Central Los Angeles) (05:00) 11 One Child (04:25) 12 All I Want for Christmas Is You (Extra Festive) (04:02) 13 Auld Lang Syne (The New Years Anthem) (03:47) |
| Merry Christmas II You : Allmusic album Review : Merry Christmas was released in 1994, and 16 years later Mariah Carey delivers a sequel, appropriately titled Merry Christmas II You and also featuring the diva in a sexy little Santa suit. The similarities don’t end there, either: Mariah revives her original seasonal tune “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and often touches upon the classy, clean updated traditional vibe of her readings from the 1994 set. Underneath this surface, Merry Christmas II You has a different vibe than its predecessor, derived in large part from the numerous originals here. Five of the 12 full songs bear a Carey writing credit (including that revival of “All I Want for Christmas Is You”) and these new tunes sometimes give Merry Christmas II You a lively modern feel, particularly the jumping Jermaine Dupri/Bryan-Michael Cox co-written opener “Oh Santa!” and the slow groove of “When Christmas Comes,” highlights that balance the too saccharine sentiment of “Christmas Time Is in the Air Again” and “One Child.” The range of these originals indicates the scope of the record as a whole, how it touches on a little of everything to please every kind of audience, mixing up “Auld Lang Syne” and a medley of Vince Guaraldi’s Charlie Brown Christmas with traditional religious carols and secular favorites like “Here Comes Santa Claus.” Apart from that pair of stiff originals, the whole thing is cheerful and engaging, a worthy sequel to its predecessor. | ||
 | Album: 26 of 33 Title: Auld Lang Syne (The New Year’s Anthem) (The Remixes) Released: 2010-12-14 Tracks: 9 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Auld Lang Syne (The New Year’s Anthem) (Ralphi Rosario Traditional club mix) (?) 2 Auld Lang Syne (The New Year’s Anthem) (Rosario Traditional Mixshow) (?) 3 Auld Lang Syne (The New Year’s Anthem) (Rosario Traditional radio edit) (?) 4 Auld Lang Syne (The New Year’s Anthem) (Ralphi’s alternative club mix) (?) 5 Auld Lang Syne (The New Year’s Anthem) (Ralphi’s alternative Mixshow edit) (?) 6 Auld Lang Syne (The New Year’s Anthem) (Johnny Vicious Warehouse mix) (?) 7 Auld Lang Syne (The New Year’s Anthem) (Johnny Vicious Warehouse radio) (?) 8 Auld Lang Syne (The New Year’s Anthem) (Johnny Vicious Warehouse dub) (?) 9 Auld Lang Syne (The New Year’s Anthem) (Johnny Vicious Warehouse mix) (No vocal intro) (?) |
 | Album: 27 of 33 Title: The Essential Mariah Carey Released: 2011-01-10 Tracks: 28 Duration: 2:11:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Vision of Love (03:30) 2 Love Takes Time (03:49) 3 Vanishing (04:12) 4 I Don’t Wanna Cry (04:48) 5 Emotions (12" club mix) (05:49) 6 Can’t Let Go (04:27) 7 Make It Happen (05:07) 8 I’ll Be There (04:26) 9 Dreamlover (03:54) 10 Hero (04:19) 11 Without You (03:35) 12 Anytime You Need a Friend (C&C club remix) (10:52) 13 Endless Love (04:20) 14 Fantasy (04:04) 1 One Sweet Day (04:42) 2 Always Be My Baby (04:20) 3 Underneath the Stars (03:33) 4 Honey (05:02) 5 Butterfly (04:35) 6 My All (03:52) 7 Close My Eyes (04:20) 8 The Roof (Mobb Deep extended version) (05:31) 9 When You Believe (04:36) 10 I Still Believe (03:56) 11 Heartbreaker (04:47) 12 Bliss (05:45) 13 Thank God I Found You (04:17) 14 Can’t Take That Away (Mariah’s theme) (04:33) |
| The Essential Mariah Carey : Allmusic album Review : The 2011 double-disc collection The Essential Mariah Carey is a retitled reissue of the 2001 set Greatest Hits, containing the same 29 tracks in the same sequence. All Mariah’s big hits of the ‘90s are here, including several singles that never made it to the top of the charts, and while it loses momentum by the end of the second disc, this is a good and thorough retrospective of Mariah in her prime. | ||
 | Album: 28 of 33 Title: Triumphant (Remixes) Released: 2012-09-09 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:19:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Triumphant (Vintage Throwback Mix) (04:53) 2 Triumphant (Vintage Throwback Radio) (03:54) 3 Triumphant (Vintage Throwback Extended) (05:22) 4 Triumphant (Mariah Carey vs. Laidback Luke Vocal Club) (05:15) 5 Triumphant (Mariah Carey vs. Laidback Luke Radio) (02:55) 6 Triumphant (Mariah Carey vs. Laidback Luke Dub) (05:00) 7 Triumphant (Pulse Club Mix) (05:28) 8 Triumphant (Pulse Radio) (04:12) 9 Triumphant (Pulse Instrumental) (05:24) 10 Triumphant (The New Iberican League Club Mix) (07:03) 11 Triumphant (The New Iberican League Radio) (03:13) 12 Triumphant (The New Iberican League Instrumental) (07:03) 13 Triumphant (Danny Verde Remix) (08:14) 14 Triumphant (Danny Verde Radio) (03:46) 15 Triumphant (Danny Verde Dub) (07:21) |
 | Album: 29 of 33 Title: You’re Mine (Eternal): The Dance Remixes Released: 2014-01-01 Tracks: 7 Duration: 32:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 You’re Mine (Eternal) (Fedde Le Grand remix) (05:39) 2 You’re Mine (Eternal) (Fedde Le Grand remix edit) (03:16) 3 You’re Mine (Eternal) (Chus & Ceballos remix) (07:00) 4 You’re Mine (Eternal) (Chus & Ceballos remix edit) (04:21) 5 You’re Mine (Eternal) (Gregor Salto & Funkin Matt remix) (04:33) 6 You’re Mine (Eternal) (Gregor Salto & Funkin Matt remix edit) (03:39) 7 You’re Mine (Eternal) (Gregor Salto & Funkin Matt instrumental) (04:03) |
 | Album: 30 of 33 Title: Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse Released: 2014-05-23 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:01:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Cry. (04:51) 2 Faded (03:41) 3 Dedicated (04:17) 4 #Beautiful (03:21) 5 Thirsty (03:26) 6 Make It Look Good (03:22) 7 Youre Mine (Eternal) (03:44) 8 You Dont Know What To Do (04:46) 9 Supernatural (04:42) 10 Meteorite (03:59) 11 Camouflage (04:49) 12 Money ($ * / ...) (04:57) 13 One More Try (06:21) 14 Heavenly (No Ways Tired/Cant Give Up Now) (05:38) |
| Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse : Allmusic album Review : Mariah Careys first proper album since 2009 is a couple covers away from being as nostalgic as the Glitter soundtrack. Its title -- well, the part that precedes the ellipses -- is taken from a self-portrait, reproduced on the back, drawn at the age of three and a half. "Ill just sit right here and sing that good old school shit to ya," she sings on "Dedicated," a song seasoned with a Wu-Tang sample, a Nas throwback verse, and reminiscent chatter. Like many other songs on the album, flashbacks are laced through the music as well as in the lyrics, with Carey reflecting upon happier moments in a relationship while either pining or scolding. The feel-good "You Dont Know What to Do," one of a few songs made with Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox, cleverly interpolates Inner Lifes 1979 disco classic "Im Caught Up (In a One Night Love Affair)" and has Carey channeling the groups Jocelyn Brown throughout, especially in the intro. In sharp contrast with Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, a set produced strictly by Carey, Tricky Stewart, and the-Dream, this involves numerous co-writers and co-producers who bring distinct material, from the dusty and dreamy feel of "#Beautiful" (with Miguel) to the pumping, Eddie Kendricks-sampling "Meteorite" (a Q-Tip co-production). Additional co-producers Hit-Boy and Mike WiLL Made-It provide up-to-date elements, while the latter half involves a couple of gospel-flavored standouts, the latter of which is an inspired tribute to the Reverend James Cleveland. The quality level is as varied as the sounds -- a quality that makes the set play out like a collection of songs that could have been edited and/or sequenced in innumerable ways. The standard edition could have done without the clumpy and jumbled "Money ($ * / ...)," the oddly cheap-sounding cover of George Michaels "One More Try," and the stiff and empty "Thirsty," all of which weigh down the hour-plus program. Carey unfortunately doesnt feel nostalgic for the succinctness of her early albums, but this shows that shes still capable of delivering 40 minutes of strong, supremely voiced R&B when shes up for it. | ||
 | Album: 31 of 33 Title: At the Pearl Palms Concert Theatre Released: 2014-12-18 Tracks: 10 Duration: 39:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Daydream (live) (02:39) 2 Shake It Up (live) (03:44) 3 Touch My Body (live) (03:20) 4 Fly Like a Bird (live) (03:01) 5 Angels Cry (live) (03:57) 6 Subtle Invitation (live) (04:16) 7 Obsessed (live) (03:48) 8 Up Out My Face (live) (03:45) 9 I Want to Know What Love Is (live) (05:09) 10 Hero (live) (05:38) |
 | Album: 32 of 33 Title: #1 to Infinity Released: 2015-05-18 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:19:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Vision of Love (03:30) 2 Love Takes Time (03:49) 3 Someday (03:56) 4 I Don’t Wanna Cry (04:48) 5 Emotions (04:09) 6 I’ll Be There (04:24) 7 Dreamlover (03:54) 8 Hero (04:19) 9 Fantasy (Bad Boy Fantasy) (04:50) 10 One Sweet Day (04:41) 11 Always Be My Baby (04:20) 12 Honey (04:59) 13 My All (03:50) 14 Heartbreaker (04:45) 15 Thank God I Found You (04:17) 16 We Belong Together (03:21) 17 Dont Forget About Us (Radio Edit) (03:53) 18 Touch My Body (03:25) 19 Infinity (03:59) |
| #1 to Infinity : Allmusic album Review : Coordinated with her May and July 2015 residency at Las Vegas Caesars Palace, #1 to Infinity features all 18 of Mariah Careys number one pop hits, the basis of those celebratory performances. The anthology presents the songs in chronological order, from "Vision of Love" (1990) through "Touch My Body" (2008), and is therefore the first compilation to combine Careys Columbia and Island material. Additionally, theres a new breakup song, the first three-and-a-half minutes of which are an elaborate and mystifying set-up for a display of Careys whistle range. Given the timing, #1 to Infinity is undoubtedly opportunistic, but it updates and improves upon #1s, a 1998 anthology filled out with four previously unreleased songs that, obviously, were not number ones. Many of Careys lower-performing but just as significant career highlights, such as "Make It Happen" and "I Still Believe," can be found on earlier anthologies like Greatest Hits and The Essential Mariah Carey. | ||
 | Album: 33 of 33 Title: Caution Released: 2018-11-16 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples AlbumCover | 1 GTFO (03:27) 2 With You (03:47) 3 Caution (03:16) 4 A No No (03:07) 5 The Distance (03:27) 6 Giving Me Life (06:08) 7 One Mo’ Gen (03:25) 8 8th Grade (04:48) 9 Stay Long Love You (03:02) 10 Portrait (04:01) |