celeb news Grammys: "Mariah is the Blueprint & Songbird Supreme" | Career Retrospective

[suburbannature]

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Songbook: How Mariah Carey Became The Songbird Supreme, From Her Unmistakable Range To Genre-Melding Prowess
On the 25th anniversary of Mariah Carey's career-redefining 'Butterfly,' GRAMMY.com digs into every album and song that made her the unofficial Queen of Christmas and the pop queen of her generation.

 

Mariah Carey's personal favorite title might be "Queen of Christmas," but she has plenty more to her name: Five-time GRAMMY winner, Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, record-breaking chart-topper, and bonafide superstar — among many more.

The five-octave vocalist almost instantly became a household name upon her debut with 1990's "Vision of Love," which marked her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Carey has since landed an astounding 19 atop the chart (only one behind the record-holding Beatles), and sold more than 200 million albums worldwide.

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In fact, Carey loves Butterfly so much, she's releasing eight bonus tracks on Sept. 16 to commemorate the anniversary. GRAMMY.com is also getting in on the celebration, revisiting the hits, trailblazing remixes, holiday tunes, and musical risks that made the Songbird Supreme one of the most imitated vocalists and influential artists — and why her catalog remains a blueprint. The timeless success of "All I Want For Christmas Is You" earned Carey the unofficial title of "Queen of Christmas," but her extensive catalog and artistic versatility prove she's an icon outside of her holiday throne. Mariah Carey melded genres, influenced a generation of vocalists, and became the first artist with No. 1 singles across four decades — solidifying a legacy as the true Songbird Supreme.

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Released in 1990, Carey's eponymous debut studio album spawned an impressive four Hot 100 chart-toppers: "Vision of Love," "Love Takes Time," "Someday," and "I Don't Wanna Cry." Carey's five-octave range and signature whistle register made the then 20-year-old an instant success. But her producing and songwriting chops — unbeknownst to many at the time — set her apart from fellow divas Whitney Houston and Celine Dion.

 

To capitalize off the success of her debut album, Carey churned out her second studio effort, Emotions, a few months after earning her first two GRAMMY Awards in 1991. (She took home Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female for "Vision Of Love.") For Emotions, Carey enlisted C+C Music Factory's Robert Clivillés and the late David Cole for the LP's uptempo tunes, including "Make It Happen," as well as the lesser-known tracks "You're So Cold" and "To Be Around You."

The title track became Carey's fifth No. 1 single. With this feat, she's the only artist to have her first five singles soar to the top of the Hot 100.

 

In 1993, following two multi-platinum albums and a flawless MTV Unplugged performance, Carey welcomed the biggest blockbuster success of her three-decade career: Music Box. Sonically, the LP remains the most pop-leaning of Carey's discography, with the exception of gospel-infused "Anytime You Need a Friend," the album's final single. Perhaps most prominently, Music Box birthed "Hero," one of Carey's signature songs that even the most casual fans can probably recite word for word.

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While Butterfly is cited as Carey's transition from mostly pop music to R&B and hip-hop, 1995's Daydream was her first venture in those worlds thanks to collaborations with Boyz II Men ("One Sweet Day") and Jermaine Dupri ("Always Be My Baby"). "Underneath the Stars" pays homage to Minnie Ripperton, while "Long Ago" echoes Zapp & Roger's "More Bounce to the Ounce" bassline.

Daydream is also notable for kicking off Carey's long-standing tradition of autobiographical album closers. "She smiles through a thousand tears," Carey laments in the second verse of "Looking In," her most personal song at the time. The song served as an important shift for Carey, as it detailed her feelings of unhappiness and "adolescent fears" — despite having a highly successful music career — and showed a deeper side of the singer's songwriting abilities. 

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Ahead of Butterfly's 25th anniversary, Carey wrote on Instagram that it's her "favorite and probably most personal album." Butterfly's lead single "Honey" and final single "My All" earned Carey two more No. 1s, but the true highlights are within the deep cuts and other singles. Despite receiving little promotion, "The Roof (Back in Time)" and "Breakdown" quickly emerged as fan favorites. 

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At the time, Glitter marked her lowest first-week sales, despite showing artistic growth. Carey eventually got #JusticeForGlitter, though, as the 12-track LP is hailed as a gem among Carey's most loyal fans — thanks to classic, yet overlooked ballads like "Never Too Far" and "Reflections (Care Enough)." (A #JusticeForGlitter campaign even sparked on social media in 2018, helping the album top the iTunes album chart 17 years after its release.) 

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After two back-to-back underperforming albums with Glitter and Charmbracelet, it became easy for critics to write off Carey — that is, until the spring of 2005, when The Emancipation of Mimi arrived.

Following a moderate hit in lead single "It's Like That," second single "We Belong Together" proved that Mariah Carey the Chart Queen was back. Not only did the ballad spend 14 consecutive weeks at the No. 1 spot, but it was later crowned the "Song of the Decade" by Billboard. 

 

But Carey's reign didn't end there. Follow-up singles "Don't Forget About Us" and "Shake It Off" skyrocketed to No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. The album also earned her three more GRAMMYs at the 2006 GRAMMY Awards: Best Contemporary R&B Album, as well as Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "We Belong Together." (She earned 10 nominations total in 2006 and 2007.)

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n the 2010s, as music streaming continued to disrupt the industry, Carey once again proved her staying power, earning two top 5 albums — 2014's Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse and 2018's Caution — and a top 20 hit with "#Beautiful," featuring then-rising R&B star Miguel.

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Over the decades, Carey has also teamed up with legendary DJs Shep Pettibone and David Morales for club versions of some of her biggest hits, including 1990's "Someday" and 1993's "Dreamlover." When it comes to her best hip-hop reimaginings, standouts include "Thank God I Found You" (Make It Last Remix), "Always Be My Baby" (Mr. Dupri Mix), and "I Still Believe/Pure Imagination" (Damizza Remix), the latter of which features a genius Willy Wonka interpolation and is a true testament to Carey's artistry.

https://www.grammy.com/news/mariah-carey-discography-albums-songs-butterfly-anniversary-glitter-all-i-want-for-christmas-is-you-queen-music-box-songbird-supreme-songbook

 

They move from her impressive debut years to the transition to hip-hop-influenced R&B music to the Glitter years to the comeback to her iconic remixes to her holiday crown. It's worth a full read!

 

And they made a playlist:

 

Edited September 17, 2022 by suburbannature

[Mandalay]

I wonder why her debut has an AOTY nom and Butterfly doesn't.

[suburbannature]

Just now, Mandalay said:

I wonder why her debut has an AOTY nom and Butterfly doesn't.

Her Debut is a classic too  

 

Her three AOTY noms are all deserving (Debut, Daydream, Mimi) but Butterfly was indeed robbed. 

[James_Dean]

Mariah's catalog is truly impeccable. I'm so thankful I grew up with this woman's music. She literally a part of my life  she deserves all the praise!!!

[Aramis]

And where are the 20 Grammys she deserves?

[JCsNumba1Fan]

10 minutes ago, Aramis said:

And where are the 20 Grammys she deserves?

They always pull this. The retrospective praise and the lack of rewards to show for it. No way should Mariah Carey have FIVE GRAMMY AWARDS in 30+ years. 

[Kiss It Better]

14 minutes ago, Aramis said:

And where are the 20 Grammys she deserves?

this, the way even Hero and Music Box (album) won nothing is such a crime

[doonerr]

1 hour ago, Mandalay said:

I wonder why her debut has an AOTY nom and Butterfly doesn't.

Her debut probably had a huge campaign behind it, she was also the breakout star of 1990 

[Totami Legend]

Not going to read that payola book just give her more Grammys and go

[jim19911126]

Then give her all the grammys that she deserves, talk the talk is tiring.

[RainDreamer]

2 hours ago, Aramis said:

And where are the 20 Grammys she deserves?

Same with Whitney and Celine, the Grammy's thought of themselves as being above pop music back then, now they're literally begging popular artists to come to their show 

[beatinglikeadrum]

So why did you ignore her so many times ?

[ThisNihilist]

DESERVED

[Pecinta Mariah]

2 hours ago, RainDreamer said:

Same with Whitney and Celine, the Grammy's thought of themselves as being above pop music back then, now they're literally begging popular artists to come to their show 

They were robbed!

[RockStarShit101]

4 hours ago, Kiss It Better said:

this, the way even Hero and Music Box (album) won nothing is such a crime

yes, but who won those awards in the 1990s? no one remembers them! longevity>>>>> 

[TheVelvetFg]

Please. Critics are overrating her impact and the quality of her music so much in the last couple of years. You all stay hating on my fave JLo but she definitely did much more for music and has better albums than the Xmas lady  

[Frozen99]

i always cackle when grammys try to exploit mariah when they shunned her and gave her just 5 when she deserves many more

shameful

[Rocket]

41 minutes ago, TheVelvetFg said:

Please. Critics are overrating her impact and the quality of her music so much in the last couple of years. You all stay hating on my fave JLo but she definitely did much more for music and has better albums than the Xmas lady  

[TheVelvetFg]

6 minutes ago, Rocket said:

Problem?

[slw84]

12 hours ago, RainDreamer said:

Same with Whitney and Celine, the Grammy's thought of themselves as being above pop music back then, now they're literally begging popular artists to come to their show 

I'm not so sure Whitney and Mariah deserved more grammys.

Celine and Whitney got AOTY and are singers more than they are artists and out of the three Mariah deserved.

 

Celine got robbed for The POwer of love but that's it.

WHitney got robbed for Greatest love of all.

However, Mariah got robbed for Emotions, Dreamlover, Hero, Daydream, Always be my baby, Honey, Butterfly, Emancipation of Mimi (album), and We belong together ROTY. 

1 hour ago, TheVelvetFg said:

Please. Critics are overrating her impact and the quality of her music so much in the last couple of years. You all stay hating on my fave JLo but she definitely did much more for music and has better albums than the Xmas lady  

Troll responsibly, luv. If you want attention just say that.

[Katamari]

1 hour ago, TheVelvetFg said:

Please. Critics are overrating her impact and the quality of her music so much in the last couple of years. You all stay hating on my fave JLo but she definitely did much more for music and has better albums than the Xmas lady  

 

jlo has 0 acclaimed albums but okay 

[TheVelvetFg]

35 minutes ago, Katamari said:

 

jlo has 0 acclaimed albums but okay 

And you think Mariah influenced music in all of these ways? This article is a joke. 

[AlleyCat]

She's been robbed so many times 

Thanks for posting @suburbannature

[beans]

4 hours ago, TheVelvetFg said:

And you think Mariah influenced music in all of these ways? This article is a joke. 

You stan Jennifer Lopez, any opinion you have about music is already debatable. 

[Mandalay]

Here's what I thought about her Grammy history.

 

Emotions: should've won some other important categories if AOTY seems far-fetched. It's a mature album aka then-grammy material after all. The only problem it had was that it is from a commercially successful, young female singer. It has really good material.

 

Music Box: understandably didn't win or nominated for AOTY because it was deemed too commercial (but then again Celine won for Falling into you a few years later). I can understand Mariah's frustration or criticism towards Grammys in that regard now that the most popular pop stars would win AOTY with an album like Music Box.

 

Daydream: nominated for six Grammys including AOTY. It should've won at least two. I'm aware the competition was stiff for that year but she really deserved to win for fantasy, OSD, or Always be my baby.

 

Butterfly: definitely should have been nominated for album of the year. Look at the effort, look at the outcome. Come on.

 

Rainbow: a fun album I'd say. Some strong tracks, but it's ok.

 

Glitter: experimental for her. Excellent material, but I wouldn't get mad it wasn't nominated for any Grammys. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Charmbracelet: deserved to be nominated for some categories.

 

TEOM: The obvious snub toward We belong together for SOTY was blasphemy.

 

E=MC²: no 

 

Memoirs: deserved to be nominated for some categories in RnB field.

 

MIAM: same 

 

Caution: AOTY worthy. Definitely cohesive.