Mariah Carey is one of the most successful artists of all time with incredible 19 number 1 hits in the Billboard Hot 100. She keeps the record as a solo artist with the most chart strikers in history. But the “Songbird Supreme” did not only bring it so far with happiness or appearance.
Diva, mother and superstar
Carey has released 15 studio albums over the course of her career, almost all of which have been awarded platinum or multi-platinum for over one million units in the USA. Music Box From 1993 the Reciting Industry Association of America (RIAA) awarded diamond for more than ten million copies sold in the United States alone. Three of Carey’s publications were at the Grammys For the album of the year nominated (she was also nominated as a producer of the year).
From pop to hip-hop, from gospel to R&B-Carey’s albums comprise various genres and styles, whereby the singer shining with her several octaves, which comprises several octaves, both in delicate ballads and in powerful farewell songs. In combination with their inimitable texts, Carey’s albums take the audience on a autobiographical journeyfrom a painful childhood, a bitter divorce and phases of self -doubt to a self -proclaimed Emanzcipation suffices. Each album offers new sounds that match the new stories. This made 15 distinctive works that Carey show as a diva, mother and superstar.
Before the publication of her highly expected 16th studio album Here for it all Rolling Stone rated all the albums from Carey. From her groundbreaking self -titled debut album from 1990 to her last publication, Caution from 2018.
15. Me. I am Mariah… The Elusive Chantuse (2014)
Carey experienced a phase of personal upheavals when she recorded the word -rich album “Me. I am Mariah … The Elusive Chantuse”. She had just separated from her husband Nick Cannon at the time. And went through a change of management, while she recovered from a shoulder injury that she had contracted on the set of her remix video for the title song “#beautiful”.
Careys 14th studio album with the original title “The Art of Letting Go” was originally supposed to appear in 2012. However, due to problems with the label and the disappointing performance of the previously planned singles, it was postponed. When “Miam” was finally published, the hype had laid around “#beautiful”. Carey remained an album without any other real hit.
Of course, as with many albums from Carey, one could argue that “Miam” was simply a little ahead of his time. “Thirsty” would have been a hit in today’s TIKTOK world, while “You Don’t Know What To Do” would have hit the clubs with a few more RPMS (and a little less whales). Overall, “Me. I am Mariah” is not a bad album on which the singer courageously tried different genres and styles. But compared to Carey’s other publications, this album looks a bit overloaded. Somewhat overproduced. And something unbalanced.
14. Rainbow (1999)
As Carey 1999 “Rainbow“Recorded, her contract was launched with the Sony label of her ex-husband Tommy Mottola. She finally wanted to free herself from his constraints.”Rainbow“Was the last studio album that she owed Sony, and the singer took it in less than three months. The end result is a mixture of intrusive R&B songs and sugar-sweet ballads, which are passable but not particularly memorable.
“Heartbreaker” (and the Missy-Elliott remix) remains one of the most rousing hits of the singer. “Can’t Take That Away (Mariah’s Theme)” is one of the best songs on the subject of self -empowerment in her repertoire. But everything else on the album seems immature.
13. Merry Christmas II you (2010)
Nothing will surpass the intoxicating intoxication of Carey’s first Christmas album. But Merry Christmas II you It deserves to be played in the Christmas season, if only because of the festive “Oh Santa!” and the heavenly “O Come All Ye Faithful (Hallelujah Chorus)”, in which Carey Note can keep up with her mother Patricia, an opera singer.
Of course it is Carey who sings the last tone (whistle) of the song. Because what is it useful to be the queen of Christmas if you are not allowed to climb the throne?
12. Emotions (1991)
After the success of her debut album, Carey was brought back to the studio to maintain the momentum that she had built up with “Vision of Love” and the following three charters. Fortunately, there was no Sophomore Slump here. Emotions the singer gave her fifth number a single single in a row with the title song. At the same time, she presented the fan favorites “Make It Happen” and “Can’t Let Go”, which have now become classics.
Emotions Also contained a soulful title wrote by Carole King, “if it’s over”, which could easily have been the B-page of “(You Make Me Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman”. Of all the publications of Careys, emotions feel most likely to feel accordingly. What is not a bad thing, as the four million albums sold have proven since then. Nevertheless, the songs may be the most outdated titles in a catalog that otherwise includes a number of timeless, imperishable hits.
11. Charmbracelet (2002)
After the controversy Glitter (her only album at Virgin) signed Carey a contract with Island Records and started working Charmbraceletthat should be your big comeback. The lead single “Through the Rain” was Performing, albeit disarming. But the following singles could not assert themselves in the charts.
Critics argued that Carey was fighting to find her old form. But maybe their expectations were misguided. It is true that the singer put more on her “Whistle voice” on the album. But songs such as “Lullaby” and “Irresistable” (with Westside Connection) let their silky voice float about serious hip-hop beats. Which led to some of their most sophisticated rap and hip-hop cooperations.
Ice Cube and Co. weren’t the only rappers who were guests on the album. Cam’Ron, Jay-Z and Freeway were also heard on “Charmbracelet”, as well as Jadakiss and Busta Rhymes on international editions. On the masterful “clown”, Carey starts a “Frail Shook One” in a clapback track covered with sugar. While everyone was expecting a light and happy comeback album from Carey, the singer provided an unexpected turn.
10. Glitter (2001)
Let us leave it to Carey’s fans – or “Lambs”, as they call themselves – to take a self -proclaimed “great burden” off the singer to the singer. Carey spoke in detail about how Glitterwhich was published on September 11, “almost ruined my life”, since rumors about an alleged collapse and the low box office of the film dominated the headlines at that time. But in 2018 brought them Lambile The hashtag #Justiceforglitter on social media is a trend. And catapulted the soundtrack Back to the top of the charts.
The campaign only underlined what many fans already knew. Glitter In fact, contains some of the most inspired works by the singer in the studio, which mixes the synthesizers and disco beats of the 80s with their contemporary hip-hop and R&B style. Not every song is a hit – the collaboration with mystic “Don’t Stop (Funkin ‘4 Jamaica)” remains a mystery. But most of it works if not for the radio, then at least for the nostalgia.
The outstanding title is the stirring ballad “Lead the Way”, which ends with one of the most complex passages that Carey has ever tried. It led to another trend inspired by “Glitter”. The “Lead the Way Riff Challenge“, Which still lists many calls and attempts today.
9. Mariah Carey (1990)
Few artists had such an immediate influence on the music industry as Carey when they were in 1990 debut album of the same name published. The singer with the big voice (and the big hairstyle) was just 20 years old when “Vision of Love” stormed the charts. Although she showed a maturity that went far beyond her age. In fact, she later revealed in her autobiography “The Meaning of Mariah Carey,“That she wrote many of the songs as a teenager on her debut album.
While the entire album is still surprisingly good, there are two outstanding titles. The moving “Alone in Love”, which Carey wrote at the age of only 15, and the heartbreaking “Vanishing”, which was created just a few years later. “I stretch my hand into the distance, search for the ghosts of the past, only for a trace of your existence that I can take,” she complains.
“And if I could somehow bring all the memories back and bring to life, then I would do that, God knows.” The song – and the album – laid the foundation for a career full of revealing melodies. And moments that should still come.
8. Music Box (1993)
Carey may belong to the R&B king class today. But on Music Box she was the pop princess of the people who dominated the radio with one hit after the other and at the same time provided the soundtrack for weddings, final balls and parties. Music Box showed the power of Carey’s unmistakable voice when she sang with ballads like the wistful “All I’ve ever wanted” or reinforced the singing for the C+C Music Factory Remix from “AnyTime You Need a Friend”.
And then there is “hero” that Carey originally wrote for Gloria Estefan, but finally decided to record and publish it himself. Although she had written it for someone else, it quickly became hers Signature hymnfor which millions of fans are grateful to her forever.