Since bursting onto the scene with the release of "Vision of Love" on May 15, 1990, Mariah Carey has remained one of the most commercially successful and critically-acclaimed recording artists of all time for over 29 years. Her list of accomplishments is unrivaled by her peers: 5 Grammy awards, 18 US no.1 singles, two Billboard Songs of the Decade (for "One Sweet Day" and "We Belong Together"), and sales of over 230 million records worldwide, earning her the title of Billboard's best-selling female album artist of all time. Not only a gifted vocalist, Mariah also co-writes and co-produces the majority of her own material, which is deservedly a point of pride for the ageless diva.
While her popularity has had ebbs and flows over the years, the quality of her music has never diminished. With her thirtieth anniversary fast approaching, it feels like the perfect time to celebrate the Elusive Chanteuse's immaculate discography once again. For part one, we'll be rating what is undoubtedly Mariah's commercial peak: the run of albums from her self-titled debut released in 1990 to her first greatest hits compilation, appropriately titled "#1's", released in 1998. You'll have six weeks (plus the possibility of an extension, if needed) to rate the 74 songs from this era of her discography.
—
"Mariah Carey"
(1990)
01 Vision Of Love × music video
02 There's Got To Be A Way × music video
03 I Don't Wanna Cry × music video
04 Someday × music video
05 Vanishing
06 All In Your Mind
07 Alone In Love
08 You Need Me
09 Sent From Up Above
10 Prisoner
11 Love Takes Time × music video
—
"Emotions"
(1991)
01 Emotions × music video
02 And You Don't Remember
03 Can't Let Go × music video
04 Make It Happen × music video
05 If It's Over
06 You're So Cold
07 So Blessed
08 To Be Around You
09 Till The End Of Time
10 The Wind
—
"MTV Unplugged"
(1992)
01 I'll Be There (feat. Trey Lorenz) × music video
—
"Music Box"
(1993)
01 Dreamlover × music video
02 Hero × music video
03 Anytime You Need A Friend × music video
04 Music Box
05 Now That I Know
06 Never Forget You
07 Without You × music video
08 Just To Hold You Once Again
09 I've Been Thinking About You
10 All I've Ever Wanted
—
"Merry Christmas"
(1994)
01 All I Want For Christmas Is You × music video
02 Miss You Most (At Christmas Time) × music video
03 Jesus Born On This Day
—
"Daydream"
(1995)
01 Fantasy × music video
02 Underneath The Stars
03 One Sweet Day (with Boyz II Men) × music video
04 Open Arms
05 Always Be My Baby × music video
06 I Am Free
07 When I Saw You
08 Long Ago
09 Melt Away
10 Forever × music video
11 Daydream Interlude (Fantasy Sweet Dub Mix)
12 Looking In
—
"Butterfly"
(1997)
01 Honey × music video
02 Butterfly × music video
03 My All × music video
04 The Roof × music video
05 Fourth Of July
06 Breakdown (feat. Krayzie Bone & Wish Bone) × music video
07 Babydoll
08 Close My Eyes
09 Whenever You Call × music video
10 Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise)
11 The Beautiful Ones (feat. Dru Hill)
12 Outside
—
"#1's"
(1998)
01 Sweetheart (with JD) × music video
02 When You Believe (with Whitney Houston) × music video
03 Whenever You Call (with Brian McKnight)
04 I Still Believe × music video
05 Do You Know Where You're Going To (Theme From Mahogany)
—
"Extras"
01 Do You Think Of Me (b-side to "Dreamlover")
02 Everything Fades Away (b-side to "Hero")
03 Slipping Away (b-side to "Always Be My Baby")
04 Endless Love (with Luther Vandross) × music video
05 Anytime You Need A Friend (C+C Mix) × music video
06 Fantasy (Bad Boy Remix feat. O.D.B.) × music video
07 Always Be My Baby (Mr. Dupri Mix feat. Da Brat & Xscape) × music video
08 Honey (So So Def Remix feat. Da Brat & JD)
09 My All / Stay Awhile (So So Def Remix feat. Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz) × music video
10 I Still Believe / Pure Imagination (Damizza Reemix feat. Krayzie Bone & Da Brat) × music video
—
01 Please give all 74 songs listed above a score between 0 and 10, with your ONE favorite song getting an 11. Decimal points are fine and help to break ties, so feel free to use them as needed.
02 Commentary is greatly encouraged - and very much appreciated - but it's not mandatory.
03 Mariah's discography is very ballad-heavy, especially these early albums, so if ballads aren't your thing, then this rate might not be for you.
04 For songs with multiple versions and/or remixes, feel free to rate whichever version you prefer. The only exceptions are the remixes in the extras section; you must rate the versions listed.
05 Please use the PM list I've provided, and send your ballots in that exact order. It makes things so much easier for me when inputting your scores into the spreadsheet!
06 PM your finished scores, alongside any commentary you've written, to me by:
July 29th @ 11:59 pm EST.
Last edited:
