We lost the other one, so I'm recompiling. More retrospective reviews have been released as well. Critcs highlighted the genius move of Mariah switching things up to adapt to an 80s funk sound with a contemporaneous 00s flare, the strong ballads, being well ahead of the 80s throwback trend, and her implementation of hip-hop collaborations. Some of these go as far back as 2015-2017, but the true reappraisal definitely picked up steam in 2018 with the #JusticeforGlitter campaign and the 2021 anniversary.

 

Pop Matters (2021)

https://www.popmatters.com/mariah-carey-glitter-atr20

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A smart, loving paean to 1980s dance-pop, post-disco, synthpop, and pop-funk, Mariah Carey’s Glitter is a brilliant work of genius released 20 years ago. A pastiche of neon-spiked MTV disco and millennial urban-pop, Glitter is an important album that deserves to be ranked alongside other post-2000 classics like Radiohead’s Kid A, Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black, Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP, and Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

 

But Glitter should not be relegated to footnote status – it’s a brilliant, innovative, and witty record that should be recognized as a classic.

Albumism (2021):

https://albumism.com/features/mariah-carey-glitter-turns-20-anniversary-retrospective

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The ballads on Glitter are clear-eyed and exceptional. “Lead The Way” (co-written and co-produced with longtime collaborator Walter Afanasieff) has one of the most epic final notes of any ballad Carey has recorded. It’s almost twenty seconds long and Carey takes it for a thrill ride (trill ride?) over hills and around tight curves. No wonder why it’s the second song on the album. Carey knew she stuck the landing on that one and put it right up front for everyone to hear. 

 

“Reflections (Care Enough),” also co-written by Carey, places her in the shoes of an abandoned little girl (it’s kind of a “Billie’s Theme” in the movie), “Never Too Far” (featured prominently in the film’s penultimate scene) is a classic Carey requiem full of big emotion, and even the gentle and mournful “Twister” (also co-written by Carey)—a tribute to Carey’s former stylist who ended her life in 2000—stuns in its simplicity.

 

In my view, the reason why “Loverboy” didn’t catch fire on pop radio is because it was out of step with what big tent pop music had been doing in the past few years, which was to beat you over the head with BIG POP HOOKS. Acts like Spears, *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys had success with songs crafted by Swedish songwriters and producers whose main goal in songwriting was “don’t bore the audience.” 

 

What critics kept complaining about, though, was the number of rappers Carey enlisted for the album, with many writers deriding the amount of real estate they took up within certain songs on the soundtrack. I mean, HELLO did they even listen to Butterfly or Rainbow? Those albums were thankfully packed with rap and R&B artist features. Billboard peculiarly noted Carey’s continued “fascination” with hip-hop—as if she’s gazing upon a set of Faberge’ eggs that she’s not allowed to touch but really wants to.

Billboard (2021)

https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/mariah-carey-glitter-justice-retrospective-9627906/

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Well, Carey’s assertion that Glitter‘s retro sound was actually forward-thinking now rings truer than ever: Both The Weeknd and Dua Lipa have banked recent hits by embracing the sounds of the decade that came before they were born.

 

Then there’s the “Loverboy” sample of Candy’s “Cameo,” famously changed at the last minute after some rumored skullduggery from ex-husband Tommy Mottola involving Jennifer “I don’t know her” Lopez. Few artists have plundered the ’80s post-disco scene as effectively as Carey – just ask Beyoncé who interpolated the same track on her rendition of Maze’s “Before I Let Go” for 2019’s triumphant Homecoming.

 

NPR Feature (2021):

https://www.npr.org/2021/09/09/1035546987/20-years-of-the-war-on-terror-plus-redemption-for-mariah-careys-glitter

 

 

Mic (2021):

https://www.mic.com/p/mariah-careys-glitter-era-deserved-better-84362413

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The soundtrack has been recognized as a forward-thinking project that was an early adopter of the feature-heavy formula that is now the norm among artists across genres.

 

At its core, Glitter was Carey’s opportunity to provide a fresh glimpse into her world, both creatively and sonically, and a challenge to try something new. Though many used it as a means to defame and demean the pop music superstar, as I revisit the project as an adult, I cheer on its campy greatness and its message to put yourself first and never abandon your dreams — a theme Carey lived out in real life as she boldly navigated harsh critiques and continued to push through. The Glitter era is now a beloved symbol of the tenacity, resilience, and innovativeness Carey has shown throughout her legendary career.

Variety (2019):

https://variety.com/2019/music/columns/justice-for-glitter-mariah-carey-never-too-far-september-11-column-1203316238/

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“Never Too Far,” a song that transcended Carey’s catalogue and deserved to become a post-9/11 anthem. As Carey herself sings, while an experience may be too painful to talk about right when it happens, when your heart mends, you come to understand that “A place in time/ Still belongs to us/ Stays preserved in my mind/ In the memories/ There is solace.” In other words, what may have been too raw for many in the initial days, weeks and even months in late 2001 is more than worth a second look — well, listen — now.

 

The Independent (2018):

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/mariah-carey-glitter-britney-spears-glory-itunes-charts-madonna-janet-jackson-a9542691.html

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One of pop's secret masterpieces. 

Idolator (2018):

https://www.idolator.com/7688227/mariah-carey-glitter-soundtrack-top-10-itunes-justice?chrome=1

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A misunderstood [record]...one of the biggest pop music injustices of the 21st century.

Vulture (2018)

https://www.vulture.com/2018/11/mariah-carey-glitter-soundtrack-no-1-17-years.html

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Sure, the film was … well, you saw it. But its soundtrack, though? Undeniably ahead of its time even despite it being an homage to disco (and, please, let’s not even try to deny her “I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On” cover wasn’t a bop). For years, the Lambily has demanded that the public put some respect on the Glitter OST’s name — 17 years later, justice is served.

Bustle (2018):

https://www.bustle.com/p/how-mariah-careys-glitter-became-one-of-the-best-comeback-stories-of-2018-13180233

 

Billboard (2017) on Lead the Way:

https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/mariah-carey-most-underappreciated-songs-7717293/

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2. “Lead the Way”
Arguably her strongest vocal performance of the 2000s. This goes far beyond merely “underrated” in valuation as it was cannonballed by the biggest drama since 1901: The Great Glitter Saga. Also, note the longest recorded note of her career (21 seconds, kids). Shout-out to Ally McBeal for the song’s feature (and a Mimi-on-the-stand cameo) in 2001.

 

Complex (2015):

https://www.complex.com/music/2015/06/in-defense-of-mariah-carey

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I’ll never forgive the public for glossing over the perfect ’80s tribute Glitter

 

Jezebel (2016):

https://jezebel.com/lets-remember-the-glitter-soundtrack-mariah-careys-bes-1786540053 (behind paywall)

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Mariah was ahead of us all and the time is now 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 22, 20224 yr by suburbannature

Stream this masterpiece 

 

Only you know how to make me
Shudder with anticipation
All night long

 

There ain't nothing you can do with the man
Except for shake your ass and clap your hands
And bob your head and move your feet

 

Boy, I told you twice
I was only tryna be nice
Only tryna be nice
Oh, I didn't mean to turn you on

 

Never too far away
I won't let time erase
One bit of yesterday
'Cause I have learned that
Nobody can take your place
Though we can never be
I'll keep you close to me
When I remember

 

Lead The Way, If We, Reflections, Twister, Loverboy...the classics I fear

Loverboy, Reflections, Never Too Far, Last Night a DJ Saved My Life, All My Life, Didn’t Mean to Turn You On all ate

This but for Charmbible

Didn’t Mean to Turn You On did THAT!

3 minutes ago, Stepfon said:

Didn’t Mean to Turn You On did THAT!

An enormous bop. Her best studio cover, IMO.

One of her very BEST albums. Loverboy, Never Too Far, Lead the Way, Want You (underrated jam), Reflections, Twister, and Didn’t Mean To Turn You On.. who else was (or is!) making gems like these??

lead the way still makes my ovaries sob

21 hours ago, based said:

One of her very BEST albums. Loverboy, Never Too Far, Lead the Way, Want You (underrated jam), Reflections, Twister, and Didn’t Mean To Turn You On.. who else was (or is!) making gems like these??

YES. 
 

I put it in her top tier of albums: 

 

1. Butterfly 

2. Daydream

3. Emancipation 

4. Emotions

5. Caution

6. Mariah Carey 

7. Glitter

 

 The talent, the versatility 

Literally one of her best albums, it always irked me how underrated it was and that it wasn't appreciated for so long... I'm glad to see it now winning retrospect acclaim  Talent won in the end

Happy Anniversary, Glitter