Mariah Carey, The #1 Female Artist of the Rock Era

Mariah was born on Long Island, New York, her name derived from the song "They Call the Wind Mariah" from the Broadway musical Paint Your Wagon.  Mariah's parents divorced when she was three, and Mariah lived with her mother.  Carey began writing poems and putting music to them while attending Harborfields High School in Greenlawn, New York. 

Carey began demonstrating the whistle register, the highest register of the human voice.  With training from her mother, Mariah began to master it.  She began working with Gavin Christopher in high school, and soon added keyboardist Ben Margulies.  Carey and Christopher began writing songs during Mariah's senior year, with the goal of recording a demo tape.

Mariah moved into a one-room apartment in Manhattan, which she shared with four other female students.  Carey worked as a waitress, and continued to work with Margulies on completing the demo tape.  Finally, she recorded four songs and sent it to several record labels.  Each time, she was turned down. 

Mariah then met singer Brenda K. Starr, who wanted to help Carey.  Starr brought Mariah to a gala for record executives, where Carey gave her tape to Tommy Mottola, head of Columbia Records.  Mottola listened to the music on his way home.  After two songs, Tommy was so impressed that he went back to the event, only to find the aspiring singer had left.  What follows is one of those once-in-a-lifetime stories.

Mottola searched for Carey for two weeks, finally being able to contact her through Starr's management.  Mottola immediately signed Mariah to a recording contract and began plotting a course for her debut.  While Carey wanted to continue working with Margulies, Tommy had bigger plans.  He brought in some of the top producers available, including Narada Michael Walden. 

Columbia planned to market Carey as its top female artist, competing with the likes of Madonna and Whitney Houston.  The label spent more than $1 million to promote Mariah's self-titled debut album, released in 1990. 

Carey released the single "Vision Of Love" as her first release.  It promptly went to #1 on both the R&B and Popular charts in the United States, sold over one million copies, and also topped charts in Canada and New Zealand, hit #8 in the Netherlands, and reached #9 in the U.K. and Australia.  "Vision of Love" is today still one of The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era*.

Carey won Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards.  "Vision of Love" was honored for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and was nominated for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year (should have won both).  Mariah's debut was also nominated for Album of the Year.

Carey was nominated for three American Music Awards.  Incredibly, she did not win for Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist, one of the most colossal blunders in music history.  She was also nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist.  "Love Takes Time" matched its predecessor for chart performance in the United States, and was #2 in Canada and #9 in New Zealand.  It too was certified Gold, and was named Song of the Year at the BMI Pop Music Awards.

After Carey wowed the world at the Grammy Awards presentation, the album soared to #1 and stayed there for eleven consecutive weeks.  Carey came home with Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (for her incredible song "Vision of Love").  Mariah's single "Someday" also hit #1 in the U.S. and Canada, giving her three in a row to begin her career, as well as three straight million-sellers.  Carey was nominated for Favorite Dance Single at the American Music Awards.

  

Carey became the first artist since the Jackson 5 in 1970 to produce four consecutive #1 songs out of the gate, as "I Don't Wanna' Cry" also hit the top in the United States and was #2 in Canada.  Oddly, no other country had it in the Top 10, and they clearly missed the boat on Mariah early.  Carey won BMI Pop Music Awards for Best Songwriter for "I Don't Wanna' Cry", "Someday", and "Vision Of Love".  

Carey's debut has now gone over the nine-million mark in sales in the U.S. and is over 15 million worldwide.  Not only did it contain four #1 songs, but some other amazing tracks as well.  If ever a song deserved to be released, it was "Vanishing".

Carey won an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist, and she was nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist.   Mariah captured seven Billboard Music Awards in her freshman year:  Hot 100 Singles Artist, Top Adult Contemporary Artist, Top Pop Artist, Top Female Album Artist, Top Pop Album Artist, Top Album Artist and Top Female Single Artist.  The track "There's Got To Be A Way" received some airplay in the U.K.

Carey released the sophomore album Emotions in 1991.  The title song gave her a fifth straight #1 to open her career, tying the Jackson 5 for that distinction.  "Emotions" also went to #1 in Canada, #3 in New Zealand and #9 in the Netherlands.  It was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards, and sold over one million copies. 

Carey won Billboard Music Awards for Top Female Album Artist and Top Female Single Artist, and she was nominated for Top Pop Female Artist and Top R&B Female Artist.  The single "Can't Let Go" strangely stopped her streak of #1's, although it should have been another chart-topper.  Billboard stopped the song at #2, and it peaked at #3 in Canada.  Mariah was named Songwriter of the Year at the BMI Pop Music Awards. 

Emotions has reached four million in sales in the United States alone and eight million across the world.  "Make It Happen", one of The Most Important Songs of the Rock Era*, is another song that should have reached #1.  Billboard  ranked that one at #5, while Canada put it at #7.

Carey was nominated for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical, at the Grammy Awards.  She also captured BMI Pop Music Awards for Best Song for "Emotions", "Can't Let Go", and "Make It Happen".

Carey hadn't toured yet, citing stage fright, along with the strenuous nature of her songs that made it tough to perform night after night.  But, to counter criticisms that she was just a "studio artist" incapable of producing the perfect pitch and five-octave vocal range live, she appeared on Unplugged on MTV.  She chose to sing "I'll Be There", a cover of the Jackson 5 classic from 1970.  Although she had reheard it just a few times before appearing on the show, Carey's performance drew critical acclaim, so much so that MTV aired it three times as much as their average episode.

Sony took note also, and released the EP Unplugged, as well as the single "I'll Be There".  The album has now gone triple-Platinum, while the single gave Carey already six number one songs and eight consecutive Top 10 hits to begin her career. 

Unplugged won the American Music Award for Favorite Adult Contemporary Album, sold over one million copies, and helped Mariah win Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist as well.  Carey was also nominated for Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Single ("I'll Be There") and Favorite Soul/R&B Album.  Mariah received Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the album, and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "I'll Be There".

In the early 1990's, Mariah Carey co-founded a camp in Fishkill, New York, as part of the Fresh Air Fund.  The camp allows inner-city youth to experience the arts and encourages them to plan for careers.  Mariah visits the children several times each year, and has provided over $1 million in donations to the Fresh Air Fund.  Carey later received a Congressional Horizon Award for her work.

Carey and Columbia agreed to put a more popular flavor on her next album.  Mariah began writing with Walter Afanasieff, who would also produce most of the album.  Meanwhile, Carey and Mottola became romantically involved, and married on June 5, 1993.  

Carey released Music Box in August, which topped album charts in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Australia, France, the Netherlands and Switzerland.  The lead single, "Dreamlover", returned Carey to #1, a spot she would not relinquish for eight weeks.  The rest of the world was beginning to figure out that Mariah had amazing talent;  the single hit #1 in Canada, #2 in New Zealand, #7 in Australia, #8 in the Netherlands and #9 in the U.K.   Carey earned her tenth Grammy nomination for "Dreamlover", nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.  

"Dreamlover" gave Mariah nine straight Top 10 songs out of the gate, tying her with New Kids on the Block for third place all-time (behind Lionel Richie's 13 and Georgia Michael's 11).  The song sold over two million copies and is entrenched as one of The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era*.  Carey won another ASCAP Songwriting Award, and she was named Best Songwriter of the Year for the third time at the BMI Pop Music Awards.

The incredible album has now gone Diamond in the United States (over 10 million sold) and has topped 32 million in sales worldwide.  Carey then released arguably the best song of her career.  "Hero" also hit #1 in the United States, #2 in New Zealand, #3 in Canada, #5 in France, #7 in the U.K. and Australia and #10 in the Netherlands.  It also went Platinum, and is not only one of The Top 20 Songs of the Rock Era*, but one of The Most Important Songs of the Rock Era* as well.  Carey was recognized for her great songwriting on the song at the ASCAP Awards. 

Carey assumed sole possession of third place for The Most Consecutive Top 10 Hits Out of the Gate* with "Hero" being her tenth straight.  And, since both Richie and Michael were part of groups prior to their solo achievements, Carey's was the strongest musical debut of the Rock Era.  But Carey then tied Michael with her eleventh straight Top 10, a cover of the Nilsson classic "Without You".  It reached #1 in the U.K., Germany, France, New Zealand, Sweden, the Netherlands and Switzerland, #3 in the United States and Australia and #4 in Canada.  Lady Gaga has since tied Carey and Michael with her eleventh straight Top 10 in 2011.  

"Hero" was nominated along with "Dreamlover" for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.  Her two songs probably split the vote, and even though "Hero" should have won, it did not.

Carey received an incredible 15 Billboard Music Awards in 1993 and 1994 for her work on Music Box.  She won awards for Top Hot Adult Contemporary Artist, Top Pop Female Artist, Top Singles Female Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album Female Artist and Top Hot 100 Airplay Track (for "Dreamlover").  Mariah's other nominations were for Top Pop Artist, Top Female Album Artist, Top Singles Female Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album Artist, Top Billboard 200 Albums (for Music Box) and Top Hot 100 Single and Top Hot 100 Airplay Track for ("Hero"), Top R&B Female Artist, Top R&B Female Album Artist and Top R&B Female Singles Artist.  

In 1994, Carey earned nominations for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single (for "Dreamlover") at the American Music Awards.  Carey's next single, "Anytime You Need A Friend" was her first to land outside the Top 10 in the U.S. at #12, although it reached #1 in the Netherlands, #5 in Japan and New Zealand, and #8 in the U.K. 

Carey received the Best Pop Songwriter Award at the BMI Pop Music Awards for "Dreamlover", "Hero", and "Anytime You Need A Friend", and she won a Songwriting Award at the ASCAP Awards for "Anytime You Need a Friend".  As we've seen with most of the artists in the Top 25*, their albums don't consist of hits with filler; there are plenty of other quality tracks.  The title cut fits that bill.

As great song after great song emerged from Music Box, Carey won a fourth American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist, and she was nominated for Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist, and Favorite Pop/Rock Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Album.  Carey also included the song "All I've Ever Wanted" on Music Box.

Carey won World Music Awards for Best-Selling World Recording Artist, Best-Selling American Recording Artist, Best-Selling Pop Artist, and Best-Selling Overall Female Recording Artist. 

Mariah went on her first tour, albeit a very short six dates in North America.  She joined Luther Vandross for a cover of another classic, Diana Ross & Lionel Ritchie's "Endless Love".  It was a #1 smash in New Zealand, hit #2 in the U.S. and Australia, #3 in the U.K., and was #6 in Canada, the Netherlands and Switzerland.  The single sold over two million copies, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.

Carey then released the album Merry Christmas, which contained a new song--"All I Want For Christmas Is You".  The two million-selling song became one of the only worthy new songs of the last twenty years to become a Christmas standard.  It hit #2 in the U.K., Australia and Japan, #4 in New Zealand and #5 in the Netherlands.  Mariah's album became the top-selling Christmas album of all-time, selling five million copies in the United States alone and over 15 million worldwide.

Carey released the album Daydream in 1995, and achieved her ninth career #1 with "Fantasy".  The lead single spent eight weeks at #1 and also went double-Platinum, also reaching #1 in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and hitting #4 in the U.K., #5 in France, #9 in the Netherlands and #10 in Switzerland.  It's another of Carey's hits to make The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*, and it helped Mariah win Blockbuster Entertainment Awards for Favorite Single and Favorite Pop Female.   

Mariah's next release was a record-breaker.  Her song with Boyz II Men remained at #1 for 16 weeks, the longest-running number one song in history in the U.S., topped charts in Canada and New Zealand, landed in the runner-up spot in Australia and the Netherlands, and peaked at #5 in France and #6 in the U.K.  "One Sweet Day" has now sold over two million singles and is ranked in The Top 20 Songs of the Rock Era*.

The classic received a Special Award for 16 weeks at #1 at the Billboard Music Awards, and it was nominated for Top Hot 100 Single.  "One Sweet Day" was named Favorite Adult Contemporary Single, Female, at the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, the video was nominated for Best R&B Video at the MTV Video Music Awards, and Carey was nominated for Favorite Female Musical Performer at the People's Choice Awards.  Mariah also won a Rhythm & Soul Songwriter Award at the ASCAP Awards for "One Sweet Day".  Carey also won Song of the Year at the BMI Pop Music Awards.

Another album, another seven Billboard Music Award nominations...just another day in the office for Ms. Carey.  Mariah won recognition for Top Adult Contemporary Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album Female Artist, and Top Hot 100 Singles Artist, and she was nominated for Top Hot 100 Singles Female Artist, Top Hot 100 Single Sales and Top Hot Dance Maxi-Single Sales (for "Fantasy") and Top R&B Female Album Artist. 

Carey won three more World Music Awards:  Best-Selling American Female Recording Artist, Best-Selling Female Pop Artist and Best-Selling Female R&B Artist.  That is what is respectable about the World Music Awards; pardon the cliché but they award on "just the facts, ma'am".  Once opinions start entering into it, everything goes haywire.

You know how the Academy Awards ridiculously justifies not giving Meryl Streep an Oscar because of the lame reason "she would win it every year" (even though she doesn't)?  The same could be said for the Grammy Awards in Mariah's early years.  She was nominated for seven Grammys in 1996--Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (for "Fantasy"), Record of the Year and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals (for the all-time top #1 "One Sweet Day"), and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (for "Always Be My Baby").  Carey won none of the seven.

Daydream has now sold 10 million copies in the United States and 25 worldwide.  A short tour of Japan and Europe followed.  Carey broke records when all 150,000 tickets for her three shows in the Tokyo Dome sold in less than three hours, breaking the mark set by the Rolling Stones. 

Mariah won American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist.  Carey's cover of the Journey classic "Open Arms" was a hit in some European countries.  Her single "Always Be My Baby" returned her to #1 in the U.S. and Canada, while peaking at #3 in the U.K. and #5 in New Zealand.  It was Mariah's eleventh career #1, placing her just one shy of the record set by the Supremes for the most chart toppers by a female artist.

"Always Be My Baby" received Top Hot 100 Airplay Track at the Billboard Music Awards, and it was nominated for Top Hot 100 Single.

In 1997, Carey received five more American Music nominations for her work on Daydream--Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist, Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Album.  Mariah picked up four BMI Pop Music Awards for Best Pop Songwriter for "One Sweet Day", "Fantasy", "Forever", and "Always Be My Baby".  Another great track on Daydream is "Forever".

The battle over the direction of her music, however, caused relationship problems with Mottola.  But Carey insisted on more control over her albums. 

Carey released the album Butterfly in 1997.  Listeners began to notice a marked change in her sound.   The first single, "Honey", tied Carey with the Supremes (both with 12 career #1's), as it reached #1 in the United States and Canada, #3 in the U.K. and New Zealand, and #8 in Australia and the Netherlands. 

Carey captured a World Music Award for Best-Selling Female R&B Artist.  She also won a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Female Album Artist, was nominated for Best Female Video at the MTV Video Music Awards, and she won her seventh Songwriting Award at the ASCAP Awards.  "Honey" was nominated for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards, while the album was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Carey and Mottola separated, and eventually divorced.  Three consecutive singles released in Europe met with only spotty airplay and success.  Carey was able to pull just one more hit off the album, "My All", which set the Rock Era record for most #1's by a female artist.  It reached #4 in the U.K. and #6 in Canada.

Carey received a special Billboard Music Award honoring achievement for setting the Rock Era Record for Female Artists with 13 #1 songs, also being nominated for Top R&B Female Artist, Top Hot Dance Maxi-Singles Sales for "My All" and for Top Hot Dance Maxi-Singles Sales Artist, and an American Music Award in 1998 for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist.  Butterfly sold five million albums in the U.S., but little outside the country.

Carey was named Best Songwriter of the Year for the third time at the BMI Pop Music Awards, and she earned Best Pop Songwriter honors for "Butterfly", "Honey", and "My All".

Carey had come so far so fast.  It seemed she was destined to be one of the all-time greats.  But Mariah began to transform from popular and R&B music (songs she wouldn't have done were it not for Mottola) to hip-hop, music that has been nowhere near as successful for Carey specifically or in general.  Had Carey continued doing what she did best, she had it within her to become the #1 artist in history.  Sure, she lands at #1 among females, but way behind her male counterparts.  It's too bad, because it would have been interesting to see what she could do.  She did the music she wanted to do, but she will never be considered in the same league as the Beatles or Elvis, for example.

In 1998, Carey performed in the VH1 Divas benefit concert.  She began working on a movie called All That Glitters, later shortened to Glitter.  But the project was not going anywhere and had to be put on the back burner.

Carey released her compilation album #1's, which included a new duet with Whitney Houston.  The song hit #2 in Switzerland, #4 in the U.K., #5 in France and the Netherlands, and #8 in Germany and New Zealand, but only #15 in the U.S. and #20 in Canada.  It did, however, sell over one million copies, and earned the pair a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals, and a Blockbuster Entertainment Award nomination for Favorite Song from a Movie.

Carey received the Billboard Music Award for Artist of the Decade, and she was nominated for Top Billboard 200 Female Album Artist.  She received World Music Awards for Best-Selling Artist of the 90's, Best-Selling Female Artist of the Millennium, and Best-Selling R&B Female.  Mariah also won Blockbuster Entertainment Awards for Favorite Pop Female and Favorite Female R&B Artist.

#'1s has sold five million in the United States and over 17 million worldwide.  Another new song on the album, "I Still Believe", gave Carey an incredible 17 Top 10 songs out of 20 releases in the United States.  Her percentage from here on out with her change of direction would be far less than 50%.

Carey received the Horizon Award from the United States Congress, presented to "individuals from the private sector who have contributed to expanding opportunities for all Americans through their own personal contributions, and who have set exceptional examples for young people through their own successes in life."  Mariah was also recognized by the U.S. Congress when she was presented with the Howard Humanitarian Award.

In 1999, Carey released Rainbow, which gave her two more #1's.  It would be her last big album for six years.  The single "Heartbreaker", with Jay-Z, went to #1 in the United States, Canada and New Zealand, #4 in France, #5 in the U.K., #7 in Switzerland and the Netherlands, #9 in Germany and #10 in Australia. 

Carey received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the American Music Awards in 2000, and she was nominated for Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Female Artist at the Billboard Music Awards.  Rainbow was Carey's final album on Sony.  Carey publicly feuded with the label about which songs should be released.  The album sold three million copies in the U.S.  Mariah's follow-up was "Thank God I Found You" with Joe and 98 Degrees.  It was another #1 song and Gold record for Carey in the United States, #2 in Canada and #10 in the U.K. 

"Thank God I Found You" received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals, but three consecutive singles flopped. 

Carey received Best-Selling Female Artist of the Millennium from the World Music Awards and the Artist of the Decade Award at the Billboard Music Awards.  Mariah appeared in the VH1 television special Divas 2000.

Her glory days at Sony were over, and she signed a $100 million five-album contract with Virgin Records.  She was given full control over her albums, and she strayed further and further from the music that had won her so many fans.

A few months later, Carey suffered a very public physical and emotional breakdown.  She began posting strange, disturbing messages on her official website, and was erratic at several live appearances.  In July, she made a surprise appearance on an MTV program, in which she came out pushing an ice cream cart and then began a striptease.  Clearly, Carey was not the woman the world had fallen in love with, but rather a singer with a great voice that had been molded in an image and been told to sing the songs that Tommy Mottola wanted.

On July 26, Carey was hospitalized, citing "extreme exhaustion" and a "physical and emotional breakdown".  Mariah remained under medical care for two weeks, followed by a long absence from the public.  Virgin Records and 20th Century Fox delayed the release of Glitter, but finally released it in 2001. 

 

The movie Glitter was finally released in 2001, but "Loverboy" was the only single out of four releases to connect.  It hit #2 in the U.S. and #3 in Canada, and picked up Billboard Music Awards for Top Hot 100 Single Sales and
Top Hot Dance Maxi-Singles Sales Artist.

Glitter was torn up in the press.  And Virgin then proceeded with a nearly unprecedented move--they paid Carey the sum of $50 million not to record any more albums.  She did get a contract with Island Records later in the year, and started her own label, MonarC Entertainment.  

Mariah was down--but not out.  Through all of this, to her great credit, she continued to do things for those not as fortunate as her.  In 2001, she received the Make-A-Wish Foundation's Celebrity Wish Granter of the Year Award.

Carey appeared in the movie WiseGirls.  She performed the U.S. national anthem superbly at Super Bowl XXXVI.  Mariah also performed at the nationally televised fundraiser America:  A Tribute to Heroes, following the September 11, 2011 murders.

The album Charmbracelet followed in 2002, and Carey's big plans for her new style were met with failure--"Through the Rain" was her biggest worldwide hit on the album, only reaching #81 in the United States.  It did earn a Billboard Music Award nomination, not in the major categories, but in Top Hot Dance Maxi-Single Sales, and it didn't win.  The album went Platinum, but was one/tenth as successful as those released in her heyday. 

In 2003, Carey received the Chopard Diamond Award from the RIAA in recognition of her worldwide album sales of over 100 million.  Mariah was the first female ever to receive the award. 

Carey went out on her most extensive tour of her career, performing 69 shows.  She joined Busta Rhymes for the song "I Know What You Want", which went to #3 in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia, #5 in Canada and Switzerland, #6 in the Netherlands, #7 in New Zealand and #9 in Germany.  The video was nominated for Best Hip-Hop Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Mariah then made a comeback in 2004 with the album The Emancipation of Mimi.  The album was well-received both by critics and fans, with Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian calling the tracks "some of the first Mariah Carey tunes in years which I wouldn't have to be paid to listen to again."

  

The first single, "It's Like That", was a #1 song in Japan and #4 in the U.K., but success was contained there.  But the second release, "We Belong Together", became one of Carey's biggest career hits.  It spent 14 weeks at #1 in the U.S., second only to her collaboration with Boyz II Men ("One Sweet Day") for the most weeks at #1 in the Rock Era.  "We Belong Together" went Platinum, also topped the Australian charts, and was #2 in the U.K., New Zealand and the Netherlands, and #4 in Switzerland.   It is Carey's biggest post-2000 release and is another of her songs in The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*. 

Carey received Song of the Year honors at the ASCAP Awards for "We Belong Together", and it was later honored as Song of the Decade.  Mariah also received the BMI Pop Music Award as the #1 Billboard Song.  Carey won an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist, and she was nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist for the first time in eight years.  Mariah was also nominated for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist for The Emancipation of Mimi.  She also received MTV Video Music Award nominations for Best Female Video and Best R&B Video. 

Mariah broke another record shortly after releasing the follow-up single "Shake It Off".  When it moved to #2, Carey became the first female to own both the #1 and #2 songs simultaneously.  The single went Gold, and also reached #5 in New Zealand and #6 in Australia, while the video earned Carey another MTV Video Music Award nomination for Best R&B Video. 

In 2006, Carey was nominated for five other American Music Awards:  Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist, and The Emancipation of Mimi was nominated for a second straight year for Favorite Soul/R&B Album. 

The Emancipation of Mimi was far and away her best effort since Daydream ten years prior.  It sold six million copies in the United States and twelve million worldwide, the top-selling album of the year.  The single "Don't Forget About Us" also sold over one million copies and went to #1 in the United States.

Carey broke all kinds of records when she was nominated for a mind-blowing 36 Billboard Music Awards for The Emancipation of Mimi, winning seven.  Mariah's huge comeback was honored with awards for Top Billboard 200 Album Female Artist, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Female Artist, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Female Album Artist, Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Female Singles Artist, and Top Hot 100 Single, Top Hot 100 Single Airplay and Top Rhythmic Song (for "We Belong Together"). 

Carey was nominated for Top Pop Artist, Top Pop Female Artist, Top Pop 100 Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album Artist, Top Hot 100 Singles Artist, Top Hot 100 Female Singles Artist, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Artist, Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Artist, Top Hot Adult R&B Artist, Top Rhythmic Artist, Top Hot Dance Club Play Artist, Top Hot Dance Airplay Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album, and Top Pop 100 Song, Top Pop 100 Airplay Track, Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Song, Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Song, Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Song Airplay, Top Adult R&B Song, Top Hot Dance Club Play Single, all for "We Belong Together".

Carey was nominated for Top Billboard 200 Album Female Artist, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Female Artist, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist, Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Female Singles Artist, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Female Artist and Top Hot Adult R&B Artist again in 2006.  She also was nominated for Top Hot Adult R&B Song ("Fly Like A Bird") and Top Dance Club Play Single (for "Don't Forget About Us").  Mariah also received Best Pop Songwriter honors at the BMI Pop Music Awards for "Don't Forget About Us" and "Touch My Body", and Most Performed Song honors for "We Belong Together", "Don't Forget About Us" and "Shake It Off".

Carey also received 10 Grammy nominations, bringing her career total to 33.  She won the Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Album, and Best R&B Song and Best R&B Female Vocal Performance (for "We Belong Together").  Mariah was nominated for Album of the Year, Record and Song of the Year (for "We Belong Together"), Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (for "It's Like That"), Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (for "Don't Forget About Us"), and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for "Mine Again".

Carey won four World Music Awards for her work on The Emancipation of Mimi:  Female Entertainer of the Year, Best-Selling Pop Female Artist, Best-Selling R&B Artist, and World's Most-Played Single for "We Belong Together".

Carey's tour included forty dates in the North America, Africa and Japan.  Mariah then began work on her next album, E=MC2.  The single "Touch My Body" was released prior to the album, and gave Carey her eighteenth career #1.  That tied her with Elvis Presley for second place for the most #1 songs of the Rock Era, second only to the Beatles, and set her alone as the female artist with the most career #1's.  It also gave Carey 79 weeks at #1, tying her with Presley for that record.

Unfortunately, the new version of Carey believed her body was her talent, and not her voice.  Specifically, she forgot how she got to where she was, with one of the most incredible singing voices in history.  Carey received a nomination for Best Female Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.  

When E=MC2 went to #1 in the U.S., it tied Mariah with Janet Jackson and Britney Spears for the third most #1 albums by a female artist.  Barbra Streisand, of course, leads with nine while Madonna has seven.  Carey's album has gone Platinum, with worldwide sales of 2.5 million.  In 2007, Mariah partnered with Elizabeth Arden to release Carey's fragrance, M.

Carey won an Honorary Award from the American Music Awards in 2008, her tenth career AMA, and she received nominations #38 and 39 for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album.  She also picked up Billboard Music Award nominations for Top R&B/Hip-Hop Female Artist and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Female Album Artist.  Mariah also won a Special Achievement Award from the World Music Awards, and she was nominated for Best-Selling R&B Female.

It was around this time that Carey married Nick Cannon, whom she met while filming the video for her single "Bye Bye".  Mariah made a cameo appearance in the movie You Don't Mess with the Zohan in 2008.  Also that year, Mariah was named Hunger Ambassador of the World Hunger Relief Movement. 

Carey performed "Hero" at an Inaugural Ball to celebrate the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States.  She sang "I'll Be There" at the memorial service for Michael Jackson in 2009.  In 2009, she earned her 34th career Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Performance on the song "I Understand" with Kim Burrell, Rance Allen & Bebe Winans.

Later in the year, Carey appeared in the movie Precious and received generally positive reviews.  Mariah then released the album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel.  "Obsessed" was the initial single, which went to #7 in the U.S. and #8 in France, and was Carey's 40th career hit.  Mariah received a Most Performed Song honor at the ASCAP Awards. 

Carey was nominated for Top Hot 100 Single Sales for "Obsessed" at the Billboard Music Awards, and she won a People's Choice Award for Favorite R&B Artist.  "Obsessed" was Mariah's 27th career Top 10, tying her with Elton John and Janet Jackson for fifth place in the Rock Era. 

Further efforts to pull more Top 10 hits off the album failed.  Thus far, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel is Mariah's first to not go Platinum, although it has sold 500,000 in the U.S. and two million across the world.  

Carey's huge hit "We Belong Together" was further recognized in 1999 at the Billboard Music Awards when it won Hot 100 Song of the Decade and Radio Song of the Decade.

Carey's tour included North America, Brazil and Singapore.  Mariah then released a second Christmas album, Merry Christmas II You.  Carey combined with Tony Bennett for the song "When Do The Bells Ring For Me" on Tony's album Duets II.  

Carey won her 18th World Music Award in 2013 for World's Best Video (for the song "Almost Home").

Carey then accepted a lucrative salary to appear on American Idol for a season.  She appeared in the excellent movie The Butler last year.  Mariah released the single "Beautiful" with Miguel in advance the album Me, I am Mariah...The Exclusive Chanteuse.  The song peaked at #15, but unfortunately, two further singles have flopped, with "You're Mine (Eternal)" being the next best at #88. 

Besides her aforementioned work with Camp Mariah, Carey donated royalties from her smashes "Hero" and "One Sweet Day" to charities.  She has worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to grant wishes to children with life-threatening diseases.  In 2006, Carey received the Foundation's Wish Idol for her "extraordinary generosity and her many wish-granting achievements."  She has contributed to the obstetrics department of New York Presbyterian Hospital Cornell Medical Center, and volunteered for the New York City Police Athletic League. 

Carey burst onto the scene with a voice and a range that was marvelous.  She wrote amazing songs that helped define a decade.  Her five-octave range and melismatic style influenced an entire generation of singers. 

Vocal gymnastics became one of Mariah's trademarks.  Carey's style is evident all over the popular scene today, in artists such as Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears, Pink, Mary J. Blige, Nelly Furtado, Missy Elliott, and Leona Lewis, just to name a few.   

Later, Carey brought R&B and hip hop into the mainstream.  It was a career choice which Carey herself was happy with, even though the results reflect a downturn in her career.  She began focusing on sex and her body, rather than the amazing voice that she was gifted to have.  To put it another way, in bizarre fashion, she tried to emulate Madonna and Britney Spears.  Since Mariah's career ranks as  The #1 Female Artist of the Rock Era*, not those two, it should have been Madonna and Britney trying to bring themselves up to Carey's level. 

Still, Carey has won five Grammy Awards out of 34 nominations, 11 American Music Awards (out of 38 nominations), 31 Billboard Music Awards out of 89 nominations, and 18 World Music Awards.

In the United States, Carey ranks third among female artists in album sales, with over 63 million, and her worldwide sales have now gone over 200 million.  She has spent 79 weeks at #1, tied for the Rock Era record, and she is tied with Elvis Presley for second all-time with 18 #1 songs, behind only the Beatles with 20.

Carey has 46 career hits, with 27 of those going Top 10 and 18 career #1 songs.