Released: November 17, 1998
Label: Columbia
Genre: Pop ∙ soul ∙ R&B
Producer: Mariah Carey ∙ Jermaine Dupri ∙ Babyface ∙ Walter Afanasieff ∙ Stevie J ∙ Mike Mason
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Greatest hits albums are compilation albums that have songs by an artist that are usually their most known and successful works. For an artist like Mariah Carey, her entire catalog is a greatest hits collection. By 1998, Mariah was a force to be reckoned with in the music industry, with multiple accolades under her belt…including becoming the only artist to her their first five singles reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Also that year, Mariah began developing a concept for a film and sound project titled All That Glitters (later re-worked as 2001’s (Glitter). After production had indefinitely halted, the singer worked on an album Sony wanted to release that feature her US number 1 singles…that didn’t have any new material. However, Mariah felt not having new material would be unfair to fans…and fought hard to include four new songs on what would become #1’s.
Released November 17, 1998, #1’s isn’t your ordinary greatest hits album. It not only has four new songs included, but it has 13 of her number 1 hits at the time…making her one of the very few artists at the time to have such a feat. To this day, she holds the crown of being the only solo artist next to The Beatles to have the most Hot 100 hits. Iconic, right?
#1’s symbolizes Mariah’s legacy and contributions to music in such a short time span. Mariah Carey was able to obtain in eight years what took many artists before her YEARS to achieve. That’s why she always comes out on top every single time.
#1’s debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 charts with 221,000 copies sold in its first-week. The album has since gone 6x platinum by the RIAA, and has sold 15 million copies globally. Timeless!
Ladies & Gentlemen, I present to you: Mariah Carey’s #1’s.
“Sweetheart ” (featuring JD, 1998)
Written by Rainy Davis ∙ Peter Warner
The album opens with the immaculate cover of Sweetheart, which was a cover of a song by Rainy Davis. Featuring Jermaine Dupri (credited as JD,) the new song was a record Mariah liked in high school and was hopeful that it would be appreciated by younger generations.
The song appeared on this record, & JD’s Life in 1472, & contains elements of pop, electro-funk, dance, hip-hop and R&B. Due to being a limited single release, the lead single Sweetheart did not chart on the US Bilboard charts…but is truly one of Mariah’s under appreciated works of art.
***Sweetheart was originally recorded by Rainy Davis.
“When You Believe” with Whitney Houston, From The Prince of Egypt, 1998)
Written by Stephen Schwartz
For the life of me, I never understood why the general public wanted a diva feud between Mariah and the late Whitney Houston..who recorded When You Believe for the 1998 film, The Prince Of Egypt. From a lyrical perspective, the song speaks towards the ability to obtain miracles when they call out to God and have faith to believe in themselves.
Serving as the lead single from the soundtrack, second single for #1’s and Whitney’s fourth studio album, My Love Is Your Love, When You Believe peaked at 15 on the Billboard Hot 100..number 4 on the UK singles chart. Also, When You Believe was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals & Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television.
“Whenever You Call” with Brian McKnight, from Butterfly 1997)
Written by Mariah Carey ∙ Walter Afanasieff
Whenever You Call has become one of my favorite album cuts from Mariah, and it gets a little love from the #1’s album. Originally recorded for 1997’s Butterfly, the song was re-recorded as a duet with Brian McKnight.
From a lyrical perspective, Whenever You Call is a beautiful ballad that showcases the beauty of commitment, love and support that a couple have for each other. It’s a perfect wedding song. Initially added to the album to be included as a single, it fell through but has since been an album cut fans have appreciated and will appreciate until the end of time.
“My All” (from Butterfly)
Written by Mariah Carey ∙ Walter Afanasieff
My All is one of the most beautiful love songs I’ve ever heard in my life, and. I am not lying with this statement. My All is a slow-tempo R&B ballad with influences from Latin music. From a lyrical standpoint, the song is based on true events that transpired between Mariah & baseball legend Derek Jeter.
The song describes the yearning and desire of being with the one you love after a wonderful night of love and passion from them. A song that is so beautifully written and crafted by the songbird supreme. Released as the fifth and final single from the Butterfly album, My All peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, giving Mariah her 13th number 1 single at the time.
“Honey” (from Butterfly)
Honey was a whole redefining moment for Mariah’s career. While it pushed her further into the hip hop scene, the sound kept her traditional R&B influences incorporated…and blended together beautifully.
Honey was one of the songs that made hip hop music..POP music. It is an important song to her legacy, as it is her 12th number one. Honey reveals a more confident and mature woman, and we loved every moment.
***Honey contains samples of:
- “Hey DJ” by The World’s Famous Supreme Team
- “The Body Rock” by the Treacherous Three
“Always Be My Baby” (from Daydream, 1995)
Written by Mariah Carey ∙ Jermaine Dupri ∙ Manuel Seal
The third single from the Daydream album, Always Be My Baby is about the feeling of attachment and unity the singer feels towards her estranged lover..and states that he will always be a part of her even though they are no longer together.
The song became her eleventh number one single, and tied her with Whitney Houston and Madonna for the most number one songs by a woman at that time.
One Sweet Day (with Boyz II Men) (from Daydream)
We love a HIT RECORD WITH A POWERFUL MESSAGE. One Sweet Day is a tearjerker for sure, but is a song that speaks about the death of a loved one…and how they took their presence for granted, how much they miss them and how they will see them again. The song also was relatable to the AIDS epidemic in the mid-1990s.
One Sweet Day became Mariah’s tenth chart topper, and Boyz II Men’s fourth. Until 2017, it held the title of being the only song to top them charts for sixteen weeks. That’s longevity for your ass!
Fantasy (remix) (featuring ol’ dirty bastard) (from Daydream)
Fantasy was a defining moment in Mariah’s career at the time. Fantasy is a pop masterpiece that showcases the beauty of how a music sample could be converted into a remarkable record. Mariah is credited for pioneering R&B & hip hop collaborations into mainstream pop culture (NOT THE FIRST, but she made it stick like grits,) & it became the standard for rap artists to be a featuring act on a pop star’s single.
The lyrics of the song discusses how a woman is so in love with a man, and how every time she sees him, she starts fantasizing about an impossible relationship with him.
Fantasy Remix featured the late legendary rapper ODB (Ol’ Dirty Bastard) of the Wu Tang Clan, and became Mariah’s ninth number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was also the first single by a woman to debut at the top of the charts. Talk about iconic.
***Fantasy (remix) is a remix of Fantasy by Mariah Carey
Fantasy contains a sample of:
- Genius of Love by Tom Tom Club
Hero (from Music Box, 1993)
Written by Mariah Carey ∙ Walter Afanasieff
Mariah has a very extensive catalog, so it is very difficult to pick a signature record to tie with her. But if there is one song you can pick, Hero is definitely one of them! Originally for Gloria Estefan for the Hero film in 1992, Mariah was convinced to keep the song and thank God she did!
The mid-tempo ballad is inspirational and emphasizes the importance of being confident in who you are and staying strong during times of trouble and struggle. Mariah has stated how she never personally cared for the song at first, but after fan requests and becoming a favorite throughout her fan base, she’s made it crucial to perform it any chance she gets ever since. Hero became her 8th chart topper, and is considered to be one of her most personal ballads.
Dreamlover (from Music Box)
Written by Mariah Carey ∙ Dave Hall
Described as a mid-tempo pop and light R&B track, Dreamlover is a record that has Mariah longing for the perfect lover to come into her life and rescue her. Dreamlover was Mariah’s first song to have a hip hop influenced sound to the song, which would become more prevalent in Mariah’s subsequent records after Music Box. Dreamlover became Mariah’s 7th chart topper on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, and peaked at number two on the R&B charts.
The Def Club Mix to Dreamlover was another vibe on the house music tip and was her first song collaborating with David Morales, who would eventually work on a lot of her remixes in the future. THE TRANSFORMATION FROM BEING A HIP HOP INFLUENCED RECORD TO A HOUSE MASTERPIECE IS TRULY JAW DROPPING. Whew!
***Dreamlover contains a sample of:
Blind Alley by The Emotions
I’ll Be There (Jackson 5 cover) (featuring Trey Lorenz) (from MTV Unplugged, 1992)
Written by Hal Davis ∙ Berry Gordy ∙ Willie Hutch ∙ Bob West
I’ll Be There is a beautiful cover of the Jackson 5 classic ballad, & features the amazing Trey Lorenz. Recorded during the live taping of Mariah’s MTV Unplugged performance, the song was released as the lead single…peaking at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. I’ll Be There became Mariah’s 6th chart topper and sold over two million copies.
***I’ll Be There was originally recorded by Jackson 5
Emotions (from Emotions, 1991)
Written by Mariah Carey ∙ David Cole ∙ Robert Clivillés
The title track to Mariah Carey’s second studio album was titled Emotions, which has elements of R&B, disco & gospel. Released as the lead single, Emotions has the singer expressing how in love she is with her romantic partner, and how it has her going through a range of emotions.
The song was produced by David Cole & Robert Clivillés, who also wrote the song with Mariah. Emotions gave Mariah her fifth consecutive number one single in a row on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making her the first artist to date to accomplish a feat. The song also gave Mariah her third number one single on the Billboard R&B charts. Emotions has since been certified platinum by the RIAA
***Emotions contains a sample of:
- Best of My Love by The Emotions
I Don’t Wanna Cry (from Mariah Carey. 1990)
Written by Mariah Carey ∙ Narada Michael Walden
Y’all know I am a SUCKER for a Mariah ballad! I Don’t Wanna Cry is my favoriteeeeee song from the debut album. Why? Because the music people! It is why I call her the Queen of Music. The somber yet soulful R&B ballad tells a tale of a love affair gone sour and how nothing will bring them back to the good times and memories they once shared.
One of my favorite producers Narada Michael Walden worked on this record…and it is crazy how Mariah dislikes the song due to the bad experiences that occurred during the production stages. Nevertheless it became her fourth number 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the only first solo act to have their first four singles reach number one on that particular chart.
Someday (from Mariah Carey, 1990)
Written by Mariah Carey ∙ Ben Marguiles
Mariah showcased her versatility with the uptempo Someday. The dance-pop bop contains elements of new jack swing and R&B..and was included on her original demo tape she composed with Ben Margulies. Lyrically, the song speaks about Mariah wanting bad karma to happen to the lover who left her. It is Mariah’s 3rd consecutive number one record.
Love Takes Time (from Mariah Carey)
Written by Mariah Carey ∙ Ben Marguiles
Love Takes Time serves as the second single for the debut album and was Mariah’s second number one. The album was finished and being mastered when she and Margulies wrote the record and made a quick demo.
The song was eventually played on a company plane, and sent to producer Walter Afanasieff, who would go on to collaborate with Mariah for the next decade. LoveTakes Time is a song that has Mariah singing mourning the breakup with her ex lover and the title of the song is a confession you’ll heal even though those memories of your ex lover are still fresh in your brain.
Vision of Love (from Mariah Carey)
Written by Mariah Carey ∙ Ben Marguiles
The Magna Carta of melisma, Vision of Love was the perfect song to not only be the intro to the Mariah Carey album, but to introduce the world to Mariah Carey. It is a love song with pop, gospel, soul and R&B influences. The lyrical content from the song has been noted to speak about a relationship between Mariah and God, or a lover. Mariah has stated that VOL has a connection to her childhood, using her feelings about her life in the songs she writes instead of keeping those past scars bottled up.
Vision of Love was Mariah’s first number one hit record and quickly shot Mariah to stardom. This song has influenced singers to sing, and utilize melisma in their records. A whole QUEEN.
I Still Believe (1998)
Written by Antonina Armato ∙ Giuseppe Cantarelli
The album closes with Mariah Carey’s superb cover of I Still Believe, which was originally recorded by Brenda K. Starr. Mariah’s history with Brenda goes back to when she sang background on Brenda’s records, so in a way this cover pays tribute and homage to Brenda and her guidance towards Mariah achieving superstardom. Released as the third and final single from the project, I Still Believe peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
***I Still Believe was originally recorded by Brenda K. Starr
#1’s showcases the power Mariah Carey had so early in her career. She was and still is a force to be reckoned with. These songs have been the soundtrack to my life for so many years, and I am positive it is the same for anyone who’s loved and appreciated Mariah Carey’s artistry for the past 35 years. She’s truly one of the best to have ever done it. -MW.
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