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Engraved portrait of Mariah Carey
Music · 1990s

Mariah Carey

Still with us 1969–present
Huntington, New YorkBorn
Famed five-octave range with whistle registerVocal range
Among the most in Billboard historyNumber one singles
Five, including Best New Artist 1991Grammy Awards
'One Sweet Day' spent 16 weeks at number oneSignature record
The Turning Point

In 1990, Mariah Carey's self-titled debut album introduced her five-octave range and made her the first artist to send her first five singles to number one. Powered by 'Vision of Love,' she won the Best New Artist Grammy and became the defining pop-soul voice of the 1990s.

Long Island Origins

Mariah Carey was born in 1969 in Huntington, New York, to a vocal-coach mother and an engineer father. She honed her remarkable voice and songwriting from childhood.

Instant Superstar

Her 1990 debut album spawned four number-one singles and won her the Best New Artist Grammy. Hits like 'Vision of Love' and 'Dreamlover' established her as the dominant pop voice of the early 1990s.

Lasting Legacy

Known for her five-octave range and prolific chart success, Carey blended pop, soul and hip-hop across the decade. Her holiday classic 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' remains a perennial favorite.

Career Timeline

  1. 1969Born March 27 in Huntington, New York
  2. 1990Self-titled debut album launches her career
  3. 1991Wins Grammy for Best New Artist
  4. 1993Album 'Music Box' sells over 28 million
  5. 1994'All I Want for Christmas Is You' released
  6. 1995'Daydream' yields smash 'Fantasy'
  7. 1995'One Sweet Day' begins record 16-week run
  8. 1997Releases more R&B-leaning album 'Butterfly'
  9. 2001Film 'Glitter' and public health struggles
  10. 2005'The Emancipation of Mimi' revives her career
  11. 2019'All I Want for Christmas' tops Hot 100

Biggest Hits

1990
Vision of LoveDebut single; her first US number one
1991
EmotionsTitle track; record fifth straight number one
1993
DreamloverEight-week number one from 'Music Box'
1995
FantasyDebuted at number one from 'Daydream'
1995
One Sweet Day16-week number one with Boyz II Men
1994
All I Want for Christmas Is YouHoliday standard that later topped Hot 100
Did You Know
  • She was the only artist to have her first five singles all reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
  • 'All I Want for Christmas Is You,' released in 1994, finally topped the Hot 100 decades later in 2019.

Portrait: David Shankbone · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

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