I’ve been a Mariah Carey fan from the beginning of her career. Back in the early 1990s, Carey was pumping out Number One hits with regularity. Carey is the first artist in history to have their first five singles reach Number One on the Billboard Hot 100, from “Vision of Love” to “Emotions“.
Of course, everyone knows that Carey gambled on a movie called Glitter (2001) that opened the week of 9/11 and bombed. That lead to Carey’s emotional and artistic breakdown. If the story ended there, it would have been tragic. But, Carey got herself together and she returned to the top of music charts with The Emancipation of Mimi (2005), the world’s second-best-selling album of 2005. Mariah Carey has sold over 200 million records and her music still sounds good to me. This new release of early music possesses verve and energy. Are you a Mariah Carey fan? Any favorite songs? GRADE: A
TRACK LIST:
| 1. | “Here We Go Around Again” (1990) | Mariah CareyBen Margulies | CareyMargulies | 3:55 |
| 2. | “Can You Hear Me” (1991) | CareyBarry Mann | Carey | 4:06 |
| 3. | “Do You Think of Me” (1993) | CareyWalter AfanasieffMark C. RooneyMark Morales | CareyAfanasieffRooneyMorales | 4:48 |
| 4. | “Everything Fades Away” (1993) | CareyAfanasieff | CareyAfanasieff | 5:25 |
| 5. | “All I Live For” (1993) | CareyAfanasieff | CareyAfanasieff | 3:22 |
| 6. | “One Night” (1995) | CareyJermaine Dupri | CareyDupri | 4:41 |
| 7. | “Slipping Away” (1996) | CareyDave Hall | CareyHall | 4:31 |
| 8. | “Out Here on My Own” (2000) | Lesley GoreMichael Gore | Carey | 3:16 |
| 9. | “Loverboy” (2001 – Firecracker Original Version) | CareyMartin Denny | CareyClark Kent[a] | 3:14 |
| 10. | “I Pray” (2005) | CareyKenneth Crouch | CareyCrouch[a] | 2:53 |
| 11. | “Cool on You” (2007) | CareyDupriManuel Seal, Jr.Johntá Austin | CareyDupri[a]Seal[a] | 3:11 |
| 12. | “Mesmerized” (2012) | CareyLoris Holland | CareyHolland[a]Randy Jackson[a] | 3:22 |
| 13. | “Lullaby of Birdland” (2014 – Live) | George ShearingGeorge David Weiss | CareyJames “Big Jim” Wright[b] | 3:18 |
| 14. | “Save the Day” (2020 – with Ms. Lauryn Hill) | CareyDupriWrightCharles FoxNorman Gimbel | CareyDupri[a] | 3:48 |
| 15. | “Close My Eyes” (2020 – Acoustic) |
Not really a fan—about the only song of hers I know is the one that gets huge airplay around Christmas.
Deb, it took almost a decade for Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” to become the Top Christmas song.
I think the movie Love Actually helped with that
Maggie, I love the soundtrack to LOVE ACTUALLY, too!
Is it possible that I, or anybody, has just never heard Carey? If so, then I qualify. I didn’t buy her music, nor did I ever listen to the kind of radio stations that played it. That leaves television as the only possible source, perhaps on one of those seemingly limitless number of musical awards shows. But I never watched any of those, not even the Grammys or the Video Music Awards. It seems to be impossible, but if I ever heard her I was unaware of who she was. Lest you assume I was living in a cave, let me state that I have heard Whitney Houston, who I liked and who, for some reason, I associated with Carey.
Michael, both Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey could belt out a song. Back when people actually bought music CDs and listened to music radio, Carey dominated both charts for years. Then, everything changed…
No. “All I Want for Christmas” is it for me too. It was LOVE ACTUALLY that really made (and continues to make) that song huge.
Jeff, you’re right. LOVE ACTUALLY ignited a frenzy of radio play of “All I Want for Christmas.”
Same here. Love ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS from LOVE ACTUALLY. I might watch it today in fact.
Patti, we usually watch LOVE ACTUALLY around Christmastime each year. Great movie!
Jackie agrees with you. We watch it around Christmas too, though this year we did watch it again in June.
George, I’m not a fan of Mariah Carey either, though I have listened to many of her songs in the past. I’m currently listening to songs from the seventies and eighties.
Prashant, I’ve featured several CD compilations of 1970s and 1980s music. Just GOOGLE it and you’ll find them.
No teeny pop rock for me, thanks.
Rick, teeny pop rock takes me back to my youth!
Can’t stand Mariah!
Beth, Mariah has made some Bad Decisions over the course of her career.
I know who she is but I have no idea what songs she’s done! Completely off my radar!
Bob, any singer that has sold over 100 million records has earned my respect.