To face rumors from American critics concerning the voice usurpation, Mariah Carey invited by MTV Unplugged, decides to perform in live her first success: Emotions, If It's Over, Someday, Vision Of Love, Make It Happen, and Can't Let Go as well as a song of the Jackson Five: Ill Be There. The producer of the TV program impressed by her performing decides to release an album and a video of her performance on June 20 1992. The Mariah Carey album sells over 10 million copies. The first single of this Mariah Carey album "I'll Be There" ranks #1 of the US charts, adding once again to the other #1 of Mariah Carey in the US, the single will also be #1 in Canada becoming the third Mariah Carey song to reach this first rank in this country.
In 1993, Mariah Carey married Tommy Mottola. Mariah Carey releases her fourth album "Music Box" (All I've Ever Wanted, Anytime You Need A Friend, Dreamlover, Hero, I've Been Thinking About You, Just To Hold You Once Again, Music Box, Never Forget You, Now That I Know, Without You), album which will reveal Mariah Carey in many countries. The first two Mariah Carey singles of this album, "Dreamlover" and "Hero" both rank on top of US charts. Following "Without You" and "Anytime You Need A Friend", this last one being a very gospel song, a style that Mariah Carey particularly loves. To be noted that "Without You" is the biggest success of Mariah Carey in Europe. Mariah Carey ended her tour, the Music Box, exclusively in the US.
In 1994 is released Mariah Carey album "Merry Christmas" (Silent Night, Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town (Anniversary Mix), Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town, O Holy Night, Miss You Most (At Christmas Time), Joy To The World, jesus Oh What A Wonderful Child, Jesus Born On This Day, hark! The Herald Angels Sing/Goria (In Excelsis Deo), God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), All I Want For Christmas Is You). The first single of this Mariah Carey album "All I Want For Christmas Is You" gets a rare success for a Christmas song (#2 in the UK and Australia) but it is in Japan that the impact of this Mariah Carey song is the most important as it is the biggest success of Mariah Carey as singles. In the US, "All I Want For Christmas Is You" only gets a relatively impact as it ranked #83 in the Billboard Hot 100. However, each end of the year, this song is added in US playlists, reaching radio audience as high as new titles of the moment. This Mariah Carey album sold at 15 million copies in the world, becoming the Christmas album the most sold ever to date.
Mariah Carey divorced in 1997 from her husband Tommy Mottola. Mariah Carey releases the same year "Butterfly" (Babydoll, Breakdown, Butterfly, Close My Eyes, Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise), Fourth Of July, Honey, My All, Outside, The Beautiful Ones, The Roof, Whenever You Call) and the butterfly becomes her symbol of freedom. This Mariah Carey album, which Mariah Carey considers as an important turn of her career, contains 2 songs ranked #1 in the US charts: "Honey" (directly #1) for three weeks and "My All" for one week. "Honey" is both #1 in Japan and #3 in the UK. Then according to the countries "Butterfly", "Breakdown" and "The Roof" are commercialized. The evolution of Mariah Carey is not only musical: Mariah Carey starts to adopt a clothing style more sexy. Mariah Carey album sells at over 17 million copies. Mariah Carey then starts her third tour: the Butterfly Tour. This time again, few countries will be visited: Australia, Japan, Taiwan and Hawaii.
In 1998, "Ones" (Always Be My Baby, Dreamlover, Emotions, Fantasy (Featuring O.D.B.), Hero, Honey, I Don't Wanna Cry, I Still Believe, I'll Be There (Featuring Trey Lorenz), Love Takes Time, My All, One Sweet Day (With Boyz II Men), Someday, Sweetheart (With JD), Vision Of Love, When You Believe (From "The Prince Of Egypt") (With Whitney Houston), Whenever You Call (With Brian McKnight)) is released. We can find on this Mariah Carey album all the singles #1, 3 duos "When You Believe" with Whitney Houston, which will be #1 in Japan and in Spain, "Whenever You Call" with Brian McKnight and "Sweetheart" in duo with Jermaine Dupri as well as 2 songs "Do You Know Where You're Going To" (Theme from Mahogany) and "I Still Believe" song of Brenda K Starr. The Mariah Carey album sold at over 16 million copies and becomes the album from a stranger the most sold ever in Japan (over 2 million). For many, this best closes the first part of Mariah Carey career.
In 1999, Mariah Carey releases "Rainbow" (After Tonight, Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now), Bliss, Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme), Crybaby, Did I Do That?, Heartbreaker, Heartbreaker (Remix), How Much, Petals, Rainbow (Interlude), Thank God I Found You, Vulnerability (Interlude), X-Girlfriend) which first single "Heartbreaker", duo with with Jay-Z, will rank #1 in Billboard and will stay for 2 weeks. Followed by "Thank God I Thank You" (which ranks first place in US charts becoming the 15th #1 of Mariah Carey in her natal country), Can't Take That Away", "Crybaby" and "Against All Odds". Mariah Carey sold more than 10 million copies of this album. Mariah Carey then really does a world tour: the Rainbow Tour. 3 continents (North America, Europe and Asia) could claim Mariah Carey the diva. However, many criticize Mariah Carey for a tired voice during this tour.
In 2001, Mariah Carey doesn't renew her contract with Sony, the recording company of her beginnings managed at that time by ex husband Mottola, and signs at Virgin for 5 albums for US$117 millions. Mariah Carey gets work on a film and an album which are both named: "Glitter" (All My Life, Didn't Mean To Turn You On, Don't Stop (Funkin' 4 Jamaica), If We, Last Night A DJ Saved My Life, Lead The Way, Loverboy, Loverboy Remix, Never Too Far, Reflections (Care Enough), Twister, Want You). The project, long worked by Mariah Carey herself, little by little falls out of her hands according to her and will become her first flop: only 3,5 million copies in the world and an 11th position in the US. To finalize her performance in the movie, Mariah Carey wins a Razzie Awards as worst actress of the year. Despite a #2 in the US Billboard with very controversial title "Loverboy", Mariah Carey is suddenly no more back up by the US radios and the press is no more tender with Mariah Carey. The same year, is released a best of called "Greatest Hits" under Sony label, her previous music recording company. Mariah Carey can't forbid the release of this album which will be sold a first time at 3 million copies.
In 2002, Mariah Carey is hospitalized following a nervous depression (preventing her from promoting the original soundtrack of "Glitter" around the world). Mariah Carey was so long considered by American press as the "little Cinderella of America" and who served as vocal model for all young artists, lives her darkest times: people criticize her clothing, her physical appearance and her acting desires. People even talk about suicide, which Mariah Carey denied after. Mariah Carey found refuge at her mother's. To close this difficult period, her father, with whom Mariah Carey tried to link back strong relationship, dies some times later.
Dropped from Virgin Records, Mariah Carey signs in 2002 a contract with Universal and creates her own label MonarC. Mariah Carey plays in a film "Wisegirld" which contrary to "Glitter" receives very good critics and where Mariah Carey creates the surprise. Her acting play was particularly appreciated during the famous festival of Toronto where the movie was presented. End 2002, Mariah Carey releases "Charmbracelet" (Boy (I Need You) feat. Cam'Ron, Bringin' On The Heartbreak, Clown, I Only Wanted, Irresistible (Westside Connection), Lullaby, My Saving Grace, Subtle Invitation, Sunflowers For Alfred Roy, The One, Through The Rain, Through The Rain (Remix) feat. Kelly Price and Joe, You Got Me feat. Jay-Z and Freeway, You Had Your Chance, Yours), album mainly dedicated to her father where are extracted the singles "Through The Rain"(#1 in Spain, #8 in the UK), "Boy (I Need You)", "I Know What You Want" and "Bringin' On The Heartbreak". This Mariah Carey album, very expected by the press after the first failure ("Glitter") of the singer who sold the most discs in the 90s is once again a half flop: it sold only around 4 million copies, including only 1,1 million in the US. Mariah Carey then starts a tour: the "Charmedbracelet Tour". 69 dates in total, including China and Malaysia, countries not very often visited by artists.
In October 2003, Sony, her previous recording company, releases a new album called "The Remixes" (Always Be My Baby - Mr. Dupri Mix featuring Da Brat and Xscape, Anytime You Need A Friend - C&C Club Version, Breakdown - Featuring Krayzie Bone & Wish Bone, Crybaby - Album Version Featuring Snoop Dogg, Dreamlover Def Club Mix, EMOTIONS 12" Club Mix, FANTASY Def Club Mix, Fantasy Feat. O.D.B., Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise) - Fly Away Club Mix, Heartbreaker - Remix Featuring Da Brat & Missy Elliott, Heartbreaker/"If You Should Ever Be Lonely" - Junior's Heartbreaker Club Mix, Honey - So So Def Mix Featuring Da Brat & JD, Honey Classic Mix, I Know What You Want - Album Version Busta Rhymes & Mariah Carey (Featuring Flipmode Squad), Loverboy - Remix, Miss You - Feat. Jadakiss, My All Morales - "My" Club Mix, My All/Stay Awhile - So So Def Remix Featuring Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz 4, Sweetheart - Album Version, The One - So So Def Remix Featuring Bonecrusher, Through The Rain HQ2 Radio Edit). This Mariah Carey album, which contains a lot of #1 of US clubs, will sell nearly 1 million copies around the he world. Mariah Carey didn't participate to the promotion of this album and didn't appreciate once again the methods of Sony.
Despite the failures that Mariah Carey encountered, Mariah Carey works very hard in 2004 to produce her new album. It is with the collaboration of the biggest in R&B and US rap (Jermaine Dupri, The Neptunes, Snoop Dogg, Pharell Williams, Kanye West,...), that Mariah Carey finishes her new concept album, the most worked according to her after "Butterfly".
"The Emancipation of Mimi" (Circles, Fly Like A Bird, Get Your Number featuring Jermaine Dupri, I Wish You Knew, It's Like That, Joy Ride, Mine Again, One
And Only featuring Twista, Say Somethin' featuring Snoop Dogg, Shake It Off, Stay The Night, To The Floor featuring Nelly, We Belong Together, Your Girl), released on April 12 2005, has been announced as "The return of THE Voice" by the American medias proclaiming the last Mariah Carey album as her big comeback to the international scene after the commercial failures of "Glitter" and "Charmbracelet".
The reappearance of Mariah Carey allows the public to strongly encourage her. Indeed, "Mimi" starts #1 of the US album sales with 405.000 copies the very first week. The Mariah Carey album will be sold at 5.7 million copies in her country and will be certified 6 times platinum disc. The Emancipation of Mimi stayed 22 weeks in the US top 5 including 2 weeks #1. This Mariah Carey album is the most sold in the US during 2005.
The first Mariah Carey "It's Like That" has had an enormous success. The Mariah Carey song is not even released in single in the US that it is already ranked #16 in this country just thanks to radios and legal downloads on Internet. The single is then released around the world becoming #1 in Japan and in the Philippines. The Mariah Carey single sells so well that it is out of stock! This excellent result allows "It's Like That" to rank #3 for world single sales!
But it is with the second Mariah Carey single from album "We Belong Together", that singer Mariah Carey really signs her comeback. Having beneficiated from a large diffusion on American radios, it becomes the 16th Mariah Carey single to reach #1 in the Hot 100 (her first since "Thank God I Found You" released in 2000). With 14 weeks spent at the top spot of Hot 100, the Mariah Carey single becomes the biggest success of the 2000s and in 2006 an US chart chooses the song as the most popular of this last 13 years by receiving 33% of the votes! "We Belong Together" has also been #1 in Japan, Canada, Australia, Brazil, South Africa and #2 in the UK, which allows it to be #1 of world sales during 5 weeks! This Mariah Carey song has become the song the most spread in the history of American music (beating the record of Mario with his title "Let Me Love You" releases a few months before).
With the success of her album and her singles, Mariah Carey decides to please herself by releasing her favorite song from "The Emancipation of Mimi", it is "Sake It Off" and Mariah Carey was right to please herself because this title which is only released in the US and in other English spoken countries will rock: it achieves #2 in the US just after..."We Belong Toegther" making Mariah Carey the first artist to rank two songs at the top of the charts at the same time in this country!
Her fourth single "Don't Forget About Us" doesn't lie the comeback of Mariah Carey. The Mariah Carey single becomes the 17th to rank #1 in the US, equaling the King Elvis Presley and ranks #2 for artists owning the more #1 in the US behind the Beatles who ranked 20, and in #2 for artists having the larger number of weeks spent on first position with 77 weeks, record being owned by Elvis Presley with 79 weeks. This title reappears in the re-edition of "The Emancipation Of Mimi", released on November 15 in the US and which counts 4 bonus titles. "Don't Forget About Us" has also been #1 in Brazil and in Finland.
The fifth and last Mariah Carey single is called "Say Somethin". This Mariah Carey title, released in a dozen of countries, didn't encounter a very big success, achieving only a #30 in the UK and Australia. In the US, it will be aired on the radios alternatively with the very gospel "Fly Like A Bird", which encounters a very nice success and also by being #1 of diffusions on R&B radios. In Europe, another title made the buzz: "Get Your Number". Big success on European radio diffusions, it will stay in numerous TOP 30 of single sales.
Therefore, "The Emancipation Of Mimi" allowed her to gain two new #1 in the US, her album selling 10 million copies in the world and Mariah Carey receiving 50 awards (including 3 Grammy Awards and 1 American Music Awards) just in 2005! It's really a comeback to the top for who people thought she was finished! What is more, Mimi engages in a new tour called: "The Adventures of Mimi: The Voice, The Hits, The Tour" which begins in Tunisia on July 22 2006.
The diva being once again at the top of charts, the advertising industry solicits her:
Mariah Carey participates for an ad for Intel and Mariah Carey becomes the new symbol of Pepsi and Gillette Venus (Mariah Carey obtains the award "Legs of Goddess" at New York).
Mariah Carey has also created over 20 cell phone ringtones for Mororola and should make her big comeback in a movie called "Tennessee". What is more Mariah Carey album "Greatest Hits" reappears in the charts and its sales will total around 4,5 million copies with half being sold in 2005 (and 600.000 copies in the UK, only country which it encounters such a success).
In 2006, after 16 years of career, Mariah Carey would have sold about 165 million albums in the world and rank 17 titles #1 in the US charts.
iah Carey.
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