Mariah Carey, The #14 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Four

 

(Continued from Part Three)

In 1999, Carey received a Congressional Award for her work with Camp Mariah and other causes and for "expanding opportunities for all Americans through their own personal contributions, and [setting] exceptional examples for young people through their own successes in life".

Finally, Mariah revived the Glitter project but in July of 2001, Carey suffered a public physical and emotional breakdown.  She posted strange, disturbing messages on her website and appeared erratic in public.  On July 26, Mariah was hospitalized and remained under the care of a doctor for two weeks.  

 

Both the movie and soundtrack album had to be delayed because of her condition.  When they finally were released, both failed miserably.  "Loverboy" stopped at #2 but did go Gold.  It captured the Billboard Music Award for Top R&B/Hip-Hop Single.

Three other singles from the album failed to chart and Virgin promptly paid Mariah $28 million not to record any more music for them.  Mariah moved to Italy and signed a deal with Island Records to launch the record label MonarC. 

In 2002, Carey starred in the movie WiseGirls and performed the American national anthem at Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans, Louisiana. She released the album Charmbracelet, which did not sell well.  "Never Too Far/Hero Medley" from her Greatest Hits album, and "Through The Rain" stopped at #81, and her string of failing to reach the Top 40 reached five straight.

Mariah toured North America, Europe, and Asia for three months to promote the album.  She performed "I Know What You Want" with Busta Rhymes and with his help, the song hit #3 in the U.S. and the U.K. and sold over one million copies.  The video was nominated for Best Hip-Hop Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Carey received a Diamond Award at the World Music Awards for sales of over 100 million records (combined singles and albums).  After two more singles from Charmbracelet failed to chart, Carey made an historic comeback with the album The Emancipation of Mimi.  "It's Like That" moved to #4 in the U.K. and #15 in the United States and went Gold.  It was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammys.

Carey gave 40 performances in North America, Africa, and Japan to support the album.  "We Belong Together" became Carey's 16th #1 song and racked up 14 weeks at the top spot, second only to "One Sweet Day".  It has sold over eight million copies in the U.S. alone.

Mariah received World Music Awards for 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 earned 10 Grammy nominations and won for Best Contemporary R&B Song and Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (for "We Belong Together").  It was also nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year and for Best Female Video and Best R&B Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.  

When "We Belong Together" and Mariah's next single, "Shake It Off" held the #1 and #2 positions on September 25, 2005, Carey became the first female to achieve that feat.  "Shake It Off" was also nominated for Best R&B Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Mariah was nominated for five American Music Awards, winning Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist (among nominations for Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Artist, Favorite Pop (Rock) Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Album.  "Don't Forget About Us" also roared to #1 and has sold over two million singles.  Carey received Grammy nominations for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

The Emancipation of Mimi was the best-selling album of the year with five million copies sold and has now cleared 12 million worldwide.  It earned 11 Billboard Music Awards from 16 nominations--awards for Female R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, Female R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Female Artist, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Artist, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Artist and Top R&B Hip-Hop Album and nominations for Hot 100 Artist of the Year and R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, and awards for Hot 100 Song of the Year, Rhythmic Top 40 Title of the Year and Hot 100 Airplay of the Year and nominations for Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Song and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Songs (for "We Belong Together").

Carey released the album E=MC2 in 2007, with "Touch My Body" becoming her 18th #1 song, #1 in the United States, #2 in Canada, #3 in Australia and #5 in the U.K. and has sold two million copies.  It also earned a nomination for Best Female Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.

The album debuted at #1 and Carey was nominated for Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album at the American Music Awards.  Mariah starred in the movies Tennessee and Precious.  On July 7, 2009, she performed "I'll Be There" at Michael Jackson's memorial service.  

She received a World Music Award nomination for Best-Selling R&B Female Artist.

When three subsequent singles failed, she released the album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, which reached #3 but in the less-competitive era, was by far the lowest-selling album of her career.  The lead single "Obsessed" peaked at #7, which allowed Mariah to tie Elton John and Janet Jackson for fifth all-time in Top 10 hits with 27.  It has sold three million singles to date.

Carey received a Special Achievement Award at the World Music Awards and an Honorary Award at the American Music Awards.  But four more singles failed, with the ill-advised remake of the Foreigner classic "I Want To Know What Love Is" the best of the bunch at #60.   

Mariah was named Hunger Ambassador of the World Hunger Relief Movement in 2008.  She married Nick Cannon in 2008 but they divorced in 2016.  In 2010, Carey released the holiday album Merry Christmas II You, which peaked at #4.  She also collaborated with Tony Bennett on the song "When Do The Bells Ring For Me?".

Carey received the Icon Award from BMI and was one of the judges on American Idol in 2012 and she appeared in the movie The Butler in 2013.  Mariah recorded "Almost Home" for the soundtrack album to the memorable movie Oz the Great and Powerful.   

 

In 2014, Mariah released the album Me.  I Am Mariah...The Elusive Chanteuse.  She began a residency at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.  "Beautiful" (with Miguel) sold two million singles but stopped at #15.  

She won World Music Awards for a Legend Award, Pop Icon Award and Solo Artist with the Most Number One Singles in America.

Unfortunately for Carey, her streak of singles that failed to chart has now reached 24 in a row.  She jumped labels again to join Epic Records in 2015 and began a residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.  She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame that same year.

Carey released the compilation album #1 to Infinity and directed the Hallmark Channel movie A Christmas Melody, which she also starred in.

Mariah toured Europe for the first time in 13 years in 2016.  The next year, she voiced a role in the animated film The Lego Batman Movie.  She then joined Lionel Richie for a tour.  She also worked on her own animated Christmas movie, Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You, released in 2017.  

In 2018, Carey returned to Las Vegas and then toured Europe and Asia.  Her song "The Star", from the movie of the same name, was nominated for Best Original Song at the Golden Globe Awards.  She released the album Caution.  The title song is one that was not released, but is among her best.

When her re-release of "All I Want For Christmas Is You" in 2019 peaked at #1, Carey became the only artist in history to enjoy a #1 song in four consecutive decades and it gave her 19 career #1's.

Mariah was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020.  The event hosted by Elton John raised over $8 million which was donated to research and supplies needed for COVID-19.  Carey also performed on the Rise Up New York! virtual telethon which raised over $115 million for victims of COVID.

Mariah released her memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, and the EP The Live Debut - 1990 in 2020.  She released the compilation album The Rarities, which included the lead single "Save The Day".  

Carey's range and melismatic style have influenced a generation of singers.  Among the many stars who credit Mariah as an inspiring singer are Rihanna, Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Mary J. Blige, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande.  Stevie Wonder told Richard Harrington of The Washington Post, "When people talk about the great influential singers, they talk about Aretha, Whitney and Mariah.  That's a testament to her talent.  Her range is that amazing.

Carey has won 20 World Music Awards out of 24 nomination, 8 American Music Awards from 37 nominations, 5 Grammy Awards from 33 nominations, 19 Billboard Music Awards with 28 nominations, 6 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards out of 7 nominations and 1 People's Choice Award with 7 MTV Video Music Award nominations and a Golden Globe nomination.

Carey has 48 career hits, with an impressive 27 of those reaching the Top 10 and 19 of those going to #1.  She hasn't been quite as popular with adults, but still 30 career hits with 21 Top 10's and 7 #1's.