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

 

(Continued from Part One)

Carey and Afanasieff's songwriting partnership was paying big dividends and the two would continue to work together through 1997.  Mariah's 1993 album Music Box became the biggest of her career.  "Dreamlover" rose to #1 in the U.S. (for 8 weeks) and Canada and landed in the Top 10 in the U.K., Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands.  It has sold over two million copies. 

"Dreamlover" was nominated for Favorite Soul/R&B Single at the American Music Awards, and Carey was nominated for Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist.    

 

The Mariah Carey we heard in the early days was largely a manufactured Mariah Carey.  As we will see, she didn't have good instincts, though she was kept from making mistakes in her early career.  As we see here, she didn't want to record what turned out to be one of her greatest and most-loved songs.  While she was working on Music Box, Epic Records (a division of Sony) asked Mariah if she would write and record a song and release it on the soundtrack to the movie Hero, starring Dustin Hoffman and Geena Davis.

Afanasieff talked to Fred Bronson for the book Billboard's Book of #1 Hits about the writing of the song:

        I went to New York and we were in the studio

              and came to a break. I was sitting at the

             piano and told Mariah about this movie. 

             Within two hours, we had this incredible seed

             for this song, '"Hero". It was never meant for 

            Mariah to sing. In her mind, we were writing a

             song for Gloria Estefan for this movie. And we 

             went into an area that Mariah didn't really go

             into-in her words, it was a little bit too 

             schmaltzy or too ballady or too old-fashioned

             as far as melody and lyrics.

As the two completed work on the demo, Mottolo, CEO of Sony and Carey's fiancé walked into the studio.  After hearing the rough version, Mottola became interested in it, asking what project the song was for.  Mariah explained the concept and how the song would be used in the film.  "Are you kidding me?, Mottola responded.  "You can't give this song to this movie.  This is too good, Mariah, you have to take this song.  You have to do it." 

As usual, Tommy was spot-on and Mariah was wrong.  It rocketed to #1 for four weeks, sold over four million copies, was the #5 song for the year and is one of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*.

Carey picked up another American Music Award for Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Artist in 1995, and she was nominated for Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist, Favorite Pop (Rock) Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Album.  She also won a Billboard Music Award for Top Female Artist and "Hero" was nominated for Top Single.  Mariah's voice lends a nice touch to the Nilsson classic "Without You".  It reached the Top 10 in every major country in the world, her 11th consecutive Top 10 hit.

Music Box, a #1 album in virtually every country in the world, has now sold 28 million copies worldwide.  Mariah wrote this song when she felt desperately alone, cut off from her friends, as Mottola controlled not only her professional but her personal life as well.  The thoughts expressed in the song are Mariah's belief in God and what she thought God would say to us in times of fear.  Carey broke away, with the relationship ending in divorce in 1997, but her singing career would never be the same.  This is "Anytime You Need A Friend".

Mariah went on her first headlining concert tour to promote the album, something stage fright had prevented her from doing for the first two releases.  Here is "Music Box".

Carey won Best-Selling World Recording Artist, Best-Selling Pop Artist and Best-Selling American Recording Artist at the World Music Awards.  Carey and Luther Vandross collaborated on a remake of the classic "Endless Love".

Mariah was nominated for Grammy Awards for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female for both "Dreamlover" and "Hero" while "Endless Love" earned a nod for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.

Mariah released the holiday album Merry Christmas, which featured what has now become a standard, "All I Want For Christmas Is You".  It is featured in the great movie Love Actually and has now sold over 17 million singles, one of the top-selling songs of all-time.

Thanks to the single, Merry Christmas has sold over 15 million units globally.  Carey delivered a great version of "Joy To The World" that is also one of The Top 150 Christmas Songs of All-Time*. 

Mariah began shifting away from what had made her popular, introducing more R&B elements to her music on the album Daydream.   

"Fantasy", however, was a massive hit, debuting at #1 and remaining there for 8 weeks in the U.S. and also going to the top in Australia and Canada.  The single has sold over six million copies.

Carey took home Blockbuster Entertainment Awards for Favorite Pop Female Artist and Favorite Single.  "One Sweet Day", with superstars Boyz II Men, raced to #1 and stayed there for 16 weeks, breaking the all-time record for weeks at #1 in the United States, while also topping charts in Australia and New Zealand.  It too is over six million in single sales and won a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Adult Contemporary Single and the video was nominated for Best R&B Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Mariah won Billboard Music Awards for Top Hot 100 Singles Artist and a Special Award signifying the all-time record at #1 for "One Sweet Day" and the song was also nominated for Single of the Year.  "Open Arms", Carey's remake of the Journey classic, did not chart in the U.S., but did reach #4 in the U.K. and #8 in New Zealand.

Mariah donated proceeds from "One Sweet Day" to charities.   While recording Daydream, Carey also wrote, produced, and contributed backing vocals for Chick's album Someone's Ugly Daughter.  "Always Be My Baby", #1 in both the U.S. and Australia, made it three Triple Platinum singles from the album.

Carey captured World Music Awards for Best-Selling Overall Female Recording Artist, Best-Selling Female Pop Artist, Best-Selling American Female Recording Artist and Best-Selling Female R&B Artist.

Mariah won American Music Awards for Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist in 1996 and she was nominated in both categories the following year as well as Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist, Favorite Pop (Rock) Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Album.  "Forever" was a #2 smash on the Adult Contemporary chart.

Carey scored Grammy nominations for Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, Record of the Year and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals (for "One Sweet Day"), Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (for "Fantasy") and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (for "Always Be My Baby".  Daydream has sold over 20 million copies worldwide.  Carey toured Japan and Europe, but only gave seven combined performances.  Although "Underneath The Stars" was released as a single, it had limited pressings and did not chart.  Still, it is regarded as one of the best songs on the album.

Join us for Part Three!