Mariah Carey has spent 79 weeks at the number-one position on Billboard Hot 100, the greatest number for any artist in chart history. On that same chart, she has accumulated 18 number-one singles, the most for any solo artist (and second after only The Beatles). Her hit single "One Sweet Day", which featured Boyz II Men, spent sixteen consecutive weeks at the top of Billboard 's Hot 100 chart in 1996, setting the record for the most weeks atop the Hot 100 chart in history. Additionally, Carey has had three songs debut at number-one on the Billboard Hot 100: "Fantasy", "One Sweet Day" and "Honey", making her the artist with the most number-one debuts in the chart's 52-year history, and the first female artist to debut at number 1 in the with "Fantasy."
Carey has won 5 Grammy Awards, 19 World Music Awards, 11 American Music Awards, and 31 Billboard Music Awards. Referred to as the "songbird supreme" by the Guinness World Records, she is famed for her five-octave vocal range, power, melismatic style and signature use of the whistle register.
1. "Vision Of Love" was Carey's debut single, the first from her self-titled debut album. Written by Carey and Ben Margulies, "Vision of Love" was released on May 15, 1990 by Columbia Records.In the United States, "Vision of Love" entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 73 during the week of June 2, 1990, and reached the chart's summit nine weeks later. The song remained atop the chart for four consecutive weeks, and was ranked sixth on the Hot 100 year-end chart. It also topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for two weeks and Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks for three weeks. In August 1990, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the song gold, denoting shipments of over 500,000 units.
2. "Love Takes Time" was released as the second single for Carey's debut album. "Love Takes Time" was another success like Carey's debut single "Vision of Love" it reached number 1 in its ninth week on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent three weeks at the top of the chart, from November 10 to 24, 1990. It spent 17 weeks in the top 40 and the RIAA certified it gold. It topped every other Billboard chart for which it was eligible (including the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks). Because its success was divided over two calendar years it did not rank high on Billboard's year-end charts, making 76 on the 1990 chart and 69 on the 1991 chart.The song did not receive as many awards as "Vision of Love," but still managed to win a BMI R&B Award for Song of the Year and Songwriter Award. The song also won Carey the 1991 Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Urban Contemporary New Artist.
3. "Someday" was released as the third single from Mariah's debut album and is a jackswing-influenced track. "Someday" continued Carey's streak of number 1 hits in the U.S., becoming her third consecutive number 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. It reached number 1 in its eighth week on the Hot 100 and spent two weeks at the top of the chart, from March 3 to March 16, 1991. It replaced "All the Man That I Need" by Whitney Houston, and was replaced by Timmy T's "One More Try." "Someday" spent 15 weeks in the top 40 and was ranked 13 on the Hot 100 year-end chart of 1991, making it one of the year's biggest hits. The RIAA certified it gold.
4. "I Don't Wanna Cry" was released as the fourth single from her debut album, the song received a BMI Pop Award. "I Don't Wanna Cry" became Carey's fourth number 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, making her only the second act (and first female and first solo artist) after The Jackson 5 to have their first four singles reach number 1 on the Hot 100. It also made Mariah Carey a record-breaking album: every single released from it was a chart-topper in the United States. "I Don't Wanna Cry" reached number 1 in its eighth week and spent two weeks at the top, from May 19 to June 1, 1991. It replaced "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)" by Hi-Five, and was replaced by Extreme's "More Than Words." The single became Carey's third number 1 single on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. It remained in the top 40 on the Hot 100 for 13 weeks and was one of four Carey singles on the chart's 1991 year-end chart, ranking 26.
5. "Emotions" was written and produced by Carey, David Cole and Robert Clivillés of the C+C Music Factory, and recorded for Carey's second album of the same name. It was released as the album's first single on August 13, 1991 becoming Carey's fifth consecutive number 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, giving her the distinction of being the first and to date only act to have their first five singles make number 1 on the Hot 100. It reached number 1 in its seventh week and spent three weeks at the top, from October 12 to October 26, 1991. It replaced "Good Vibrations" by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch featuring Loleatta Holloway, and was replaced by Karyn White's "Romantic". It remained in the top 40 for 20 weeks and was one of four singles from Carey on the Hot 100's 1991 year-end charts, ranking 22. The song topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and became her second number 1 single on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. The RIAA certified it gold.
6. "I'll Be There" was recorded during Carey's appearance on MTV Unplugged in 1992, and released as the first single from her EP MTV Unplugged. Co-produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff, "I'll Be There" became Carey's sixth #1 single in the U.S., and her biggest hit elsewhere at the time. Out of all 18 number one singles. "I'll Be There" is the only one that was not written by Carey.
7. "Dreamlover" was released on July 27, 1993 by Columbia Records, as the lead single from Carey's third studio album Music Box. The song incorporates a sample of the hook from "Blind Alley" by The Emotions. "Dreamlover" was Carey's seventh number one single on the Billboard Hot 100, topping the chart in its sixth week and stayed there for eight consecutive weeks (September 5 to October 30, 1993)—her longest stay at the time. It replaced "Can't Help Falling in Love" by UB40, and was later replaced by Meat Loaf's "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)." It spent 26 weeks in the top 40 and was ranked number eight on the Hot 100 1993 Year-End Charts and 20 on the Decade-End Charts. The song was certified platinum by the RIAA, denoting shipments of over one million units throughout the United States. "Dreamlover" holds the title of the highest debuting song on the Billboard Pop Songs chart, entering the chart at number 12 on the week dated August 14, 1993 but tied by Swift's "Shake It Off" in 2014.
8. "Hero" was released on October 19, 1993 by Columbia Records as the second single from Carey's third studio album, Music Box. "Hero" became Carey's eighth chart topper on the Billboard Hot 100. It reached the number one position in its tenth week and spent four weeks at the top, from December 25, 1993 to January 15, 1994. It replaced "Again" by Janet Jackson, and was replaced by Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting's "All for Love". In total, the song remained in the top 40 for 25 weeks, with 14 of those spent in the top ten. On the Billboard year-end Charts for 1994, "Hero" finished at number five, number 53 on the decade-end chart and number three on the year-end Airplay Chart. "Hero" has been certified platinum by the RIAA, denoting shipments of over one million units throughout the country.
9. "Fantasy" was released on September 12, 1995 by Columbia Records as the lead single for Carey's fifth studio album, Daydream. The song was written by Carey and Dave Hall, both serving as primary producers alongside Sean Combs. The song heavily samples Tom Tom Club's 1981 song "Genius of Love." The remix for the song features rap verses from Ol' Dirty Bastard, something Carey arranged to assist in her transition into the hip-hop market."Fantasy" achieved strong commercial success around the world. The song became Carey's ninth number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It became the first single by a female artist to debut atop the chart, and only the second single to do so. It spent eight weeks at the top of the chart, from September 24 to November 18, 1995, Carey's longest stay at the time. It replaced "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio, and was replaced by Whitney Houston's "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)". "Fantasy" spent 23 weeks in the top 40 and was successful on other Billboard formats, including the R&B and dance charts. Its strong sales led it to be certified double-platinum by the RIAA, Carey's first single to do so.
"Fantasy" was the second best-selling single of 1995 in the US, with sales of over 1,500,000. It was ranked seventh on the Hot 100 year-end charts for 1995 and 49th on the 1996 year-end charts. "Fantasy" ranked at number 15 on the Hot 100 decade-end chart for the 1990s.
10. "One Sweet Day" was the second single released from Daydream. The song was written by Carey, Walter Afanasieff and the members of Boyz II Men: Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman, Nathan Morris, and Michael McCary. "One Sweet Day" became Carey's tenth chart topping single on the Billboard Hot 100 and Boyz II Men's fourth. The song remained at the peak for a record-breaking, 16 consecutive weeks, from December 2, 1995 to March 16, 1996. "One Sweet Day" replaced "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" by Whitney Houston at number one, and was replaced by Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me".
The single also debuted at number one, making Carey the first artist to have more than one number-one debut, and one of the two artists ever to have two consecutive singles debut at the top of the chart, along with Britney Spears, with "3" (2009) and "Hold It Against Me" (2011). One Sweet Day was the third best-selling single of 1995 in the US, with sales of over 1,300,000, with the second best-selling single being Carey's "Fantasy". The song spent 26 weeks in the top 40, was certified double platinum by the RIAA and was ranked number one on Billboard 's "Decade-End Charts". To date the single sold 2,334,000 physical units.
11. "Always Be My Baby" was released by Columbia Records on March 9, 1996 as the third U.S. single. The song became Carey's 11th chart topper on the Billboard Hot 100. "Always be My Baby" debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 behind Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me," which had replaced Carey's previous single, "One Sweet Day", at number one. "Always Be My Baby" stayed at number two for four weeks, and topped the Hot 100 on May 4, 1996, where it spent two weeks before returning to the number two position for an additional five weeks. At the end of its chart run, the song spent a total of nine weeks at number two, the fourth longest stay in the chart's history. The song became Carey's 11th chart topper in the United States, tying her with pop singers Whitney Houston and Madonna as the female solo artist with the most number one singles, a record she passed soon after. After spending two weeks atop the Hot 100, the three singles from Daydream had given Carey a combined 26 weeks (six months) atop the chart, something never duplicated by another artist until Usher and The Black Eyed Peas in the mid to late 2000s.
12. "Honey" was released as the lead single from her sixth studio album, Butterfly. on August 26, 1997. "Honey" became Carey's third single to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100; the most number one debuts of any artist to this day. Additionally, the song became her 12th chart topper, breaking the fifth place record she had shared with Whitney Houston and tying Madonna. It replaced "Mo Money Mo Problems" by The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Puff Daddy and Mase, and it was replaced by Boyz II Men's "4 Seasons of Loneliness." At this point, Carey was tied with The Supremes for fourth most U.S. number ones, behind Michael Jackson with thirteen, and Elvis Presley and The Beatles with 17 and 20, respectively. "Honey" was certified platinum by the RIAA, denoting shipments of over one million units. The song stalled at number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, spending 22 weeks in the chart. "Honey" finished number 32 on the Billboard end of year chart for 1997.
13. "My All" was released as the album Butterfly's second commercial single on April 21, 1998 by Columbia Records. The song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff. The song debuted at number 2 behind Next's Too Close and eventually became Carey's 13th chart topper in the United States, placing her in fourth place for most U.S. number ones. It stayed atop the Hot 100 for one week, and was certified platinum by the RIAA, denoting shipments of over one million units. "My All" peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and eighteen on the Adult Contemporary chart. It finished number seventeen on the Billboard end of year chart, and ninety-nine on the end of decade chart.
14. "Heartbreaker" was released on September 21, 1999 by Columbia Records as the lead single from Carey's seventh studio album, Rainbow. The song was written by Carey. Additional writers are credited, since the song's hook is built around a sample from "Attack of the Name Game" by Stacy Lattisaw. "Heartbreaker" pushed Carey even further into the R&B and hip-hop market, becoming her first commercial single to feature a hip-hop artist.
15. "Thank God I Found You" was released on January 25, 2000, through Columbia Records as the second single from Rainbow. The single features guest vocals from R&B singer Joe and boy band 98 Degrees. Written and produced by Carey along with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
16. "We Belong Together" was released as the second single from her tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi in 2005. Following her decline in popularity between 2001 and 2005, critics dubbed the song her musical comeback, as many had considered her career over. "We Belong Together" earned her several music industry awards and nominations throughout 2005–06. The song broke chart records in the United States and became Carey's sixteenth topper on the Billboard Hot 100. After staying at number one for fourteen non-consecutive weeks, it was placed as the second longest running number one song in U.S. chart history, behind Carey's "One Sweet Day" (1995). Billboard listed it as the "song of the decade" and the ninth most popular song of all time. Additionally, it broke several airplay records, gathering both the largest one-day and one-week audiences in history.During the week of September 25, 2005, Carey set another record, becoming the first female to occupy the first two spots atop the Hot 100, as "We Belong Together" remained at number one, and her next single, "Shake It Off" held the number two spot. Additionally, the song held the top position on the official Hot 100 Airplay chart for sixteen weeks, tying for the second all time spot with No Doubt's "Don't Speak" (1996)."We Belong Together" was certified Platinum by the RIAA, denoting shipments of a million copies throughout the United States. On the Billboard Hot 100 Year-end Chart of 2005, the song was declared the number one song, a career first for Carey.
17. "Don't Forget About Us" was released as the fourth international single from The Emancipation of Mimi, and the first from its re-release, the Ultra Platinum Edition. The song reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in its eleventh week, spending two consecutive weeks at the position. "Don't Forget About Us" became Carey's 17th chart-topping single in the United States, tying the record set by Elvis Presley for most number-one singles by a solo artist. Currently, the only act to hold more US number-one singles than Carey are The Beatles, who gained twenty throughout their career. "Don't Forget About Us" stayed in the top forty for eighteen weeks and reached number one on other Billboard component charts, including the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The song was certified Gold by the RIAA, denoting shipments of over 500,000 units.
18. "Touch My Body" was released as the lead single from her eleventh studio album, E=MC² After only a few hours worth of airplay, "Touch My Body" entered the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart at number seventy-eight the chart week of February 23, 2008. In its second week within the chart, it leaped to number twenty, before reaching its peak of number two. In its first complete week of radio airplay, the song garnered 46 million audience impressions, making its debut at number twenty-three on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay. The song made its debut at number fifty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100 as the "Hot Shot" of the week. The following week, "Touch My Body" jumped twenty-three spots to number thirty-four, making it Carey's 31st top-forty hit on the chart. It placed Carey as the woman with the fifth most top-forty entries on the Hot 100 in Billboard history. "Touch My Body" reached the top position on the Hot 100 in its fourth week, and became Carey's eighteenth chart topper, selling 286,000 digital downloads. The song's opening week broke several records, first making Carey the solo artist with the most number one singles in United States history, surpassing the record held by Elvis Presley. Additionally, it gave Carey her 79th week atop the Hot 100, tying her with Presley as the artist with the most weeks at number one in the Billboard chart history." The song also sold the highest amount of digital records in one week, surpassing Rihanna's "Umbrella" (2007), which sold 277,000 units. The following week, the song stayed at number one, and according to Mediabase, received over 400,000 spins in the United States within its second week at number one. By the song's sixth week of digital availability, "Touch My Body" had sold 879,000 units, and was eventually certified Platinum by the RIAA, denoting shipments of over one million units throughout the United States. According to Nielsen SoundScan, "Touch My Body" has sold over 1,459,000 copies in the United States as of August 15, 2010.
Source: R. Henslik, Lambz'R'us
