Career Timeline of Mariah Carey: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Mariah Carey built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Mariah Carey is a highly acclaimed American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress, often referred to as the "Songbird Supreme." Celebrated for her exceptional five-octave vocal range, melismatic style, and distinctive whistle register, she has had a profound impact on the music industry. Her influence is undeniable, evidenced by Rolling Stone ranking her as the fifth-greatest singer of all time in 2023, solidifying her status as a prominent figure in music and pop culture.
1983: Glitter film set in 1983
The movie 'Glitter', which Mariah Carey was given full conceptual and creative control over, was set in 1983, recreating a 1980s post-disco era
December 1988: Demo Tape to Tommy Mottola
In December 1988, Mariah Carey gave her demo tape to Tommy Mottola, the head of Columbia Records, at a music executive's party, leading to her signing with Columbia Records.
June 5, 1990: First Public Appearance at NBA Finals
On June 5, 1990, Mariah Carey made her first public appearance at the 1990 NBA Finals, singing "America the Beautiful".
1990: Performance at the NBA Finals
In 1990, Mariah Carey performed "America the Beautiful" at the NBA Finals, where Rolling Stone writer Brittany Spanos noted that the players were struck by her incredible talent.
1990: Rise to Fame with Debut Album
In 1990, Mariah Carey rose to fame with her eponymous debut album and became the only artist to have their first five singles reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
1990: Vision of Love Sets Melisma Bar High
In 1990, Mariah Carey's debut hit "Vision of Love" set the bar insanely high for melisma in pop music, according to The New York Times in 2010.
1991: Co-writing and Release of Emotions
In 1991, Mariah Carey co-wrote, co-produced, and recorded her second studio album, Emotions, which was released on September 17.
1991: Best-Selling Album in the United States
In 1991, Mariah Carey's debut album Mariah Carey was the best-selling album in the United States.
March 16, 1992: MTV Unplugged Performance
On March 16, 1992, Mariah Carey performed and recorded an intimate seven-song show for MTV Unplugged at Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens, New York. The performance was highly acclaimed, and her live version of "I'll Be There" became a hit single.
August 31, 1993: Release of Music Box
On August 31, 1993, Music Box was released. The album was produced by Carey and Afanasieff and it began a songwriting partnership that would extend until 1997's Butterfly.
1993: International Success with Music Box
In 1993, Mariah Carey achieved international success with the best-selling album Music Box.
1993: Collaboration with David Morales on "Dreamlover"
In 1993, Mariah Carey collaborated with disc jockey David Morales on "Dreamlover", which popularized the tradition of remixing R&B songs into house records.
November 1, 1994: Release of Merry Christmas Album
On November 1, 1994, Mariah Carey released her holiday album Merry Christmas.
1994: Co-founded Camp Mariah and Released Merry Christmas
In 1994, Mariah Carey co-founded Camp Mariah with the Fresh Air Fund and released the holiday album Merry Christmas.
September 1995: Release of Someone's Ugly Daughter
In September 1995, Mariah Carey worked on the alternative rock album "Someone's Ugly Daughter" by the band Chick, contributing writing, production, vocals, and art direction, however, her vocals were masked by Clarissa Dane's vocals upon release.
1995: Enlisting hip hop and house producers for album compositions
From 1995 onward, Mariah Carey enlisted both hip hop and house producers to re-structure her album compositions, starting with "Fantasy".
1995: International Success with Daydream
In 1995, Mariah Carey achieved international success with the best-selling album Daydream.
1995: Release and Acclaim of Daydream
In 1995, Mariah Carey released her fifth studio album, Daydream. The album received critical acclaim and marked a consolidation of her creative control.
1996: Last album by solo female artist to become the year's best-selling album
In 1996, the last album by a solo female artist to become the year's best-selling album within the country was Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill. This fact is mentioned in the passage to contrast with Mariah Carey's achievement in 2005.
1996: Daydream World Tour and Top-Earning Female Musician
In early 1996, Mariah Carey embarked on the Daydream World Tour, and Forbes named her the top-earning female musician of 1996, with an estimated $32 million.
September 10, 1997: Release of Butterfly
On September 10, 1997, Mariah Carey released "Butterfly", an album that marked a shift towards incorporating more hip hop and R&B elements, featuring collaborations with producers like Sean Combs, Q-Tip, and Missy Elliott. Critics noted a more subdued singing style and overtly sexual image in the music video for the lead single, "Honey".
1997: End of Songwriting Partnership
In 1997 Mariah Carey ended her songwriting partnership with Afanasieff after they worked together since Music Box in 1993, until 1997's Butterfly.
1997: Adoption of Hip Hop-Inflected Sounds with Butterfly
In 1997, Mariah Carey adopted a new image with hip hop-inflected sounds, following a remix to "Fantasy" with Ol' Dirty Bastard, and more extensively on Butterfly.
1997: Songs for other projects
In 1997, Mariah Carey wrote songs for other projects, such as Men in Black
1997: First Number one album since Butterfly
The album The Emancipation of Mimi, released in 2005, became Mariah Carey's first number-one album and first since Butterfly (1997).
April 14, 1998: VH1 Divas Benefit Concert
On April 14, 1998, Mariah Carey participated in the VH1 Divas benefit concert, performing alongside Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Gloria Estefan, and Carole King.
1998: Collaboration on "The Roof (Back in Time)"
In 1998, Mariah Carey collaborated with Mobb Deep on the single "The Roof (Back in Time)". Carey has expressed appreciation for rappers such as the Sugarhill Gang, Eric B. & Rakim, the Wu-Tang Clan, and The Notorious B.I.G.
1998: VH1's Divas Live special performance
In 1998, Mariah Carey made one of her most high-profile benefit concert appearances on VH1's Divas Live special, during which she performed alongside other female singers in support of the Save the Music Foundation.
November 2, 1999: Release of Rainbow album
On November 2, 1999, Mariah Carey released her album "Rainbow", which explored collaborations with new producers and marked the first album without Walter Afanasieff. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with the highest first-week sales of her career at the time.
1999: Congressional Award
In 1999, Mariah Carey was presented with a Congressional Award for contributing to expanding opportunities for all Americans through their own personal contributions, and setting exceptional examples for young people through their own successes in life.
2000: Divas 2000 special participation
In 2000, Mariah Carey participated in the Divas 2000 special, following up on the success of her appearance in the 1998 Divas Live special.
2000: Songs for How the Grinch Stole Christmas
In 2000, Mariah Carey wrote songs for other projects, such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas
April 2001: Signing with Virgin Records
In April 2001, Mariah Carey signed an $80 million five-album recording contract with Virgin Records (EMI Records) after receiving Billboard's Artist of the Decade Award and the World Music Award for Best-Selling Pop Female Artist of the Millennium, effectively parting ways with Columbia Records.
2001: All That Glitters film project
In 2001, Carey began conceptualizing a film project All That Glitters, later re-titled to simply Glitter, and wrote songs for other projects
2001: Failure of Glitter and Career Decline
In 2001, Mariah Carey faced the failure of her film Glitter and a relative career decline.
2001: Glitter Film's Release
In 2001, during the rollout of Mariah Carey's film, Glitter, it received heavy media attention and became a "tabloid legend".
December 2002: Release of Charmbracelet
In December 2002, Mariah Carey released her ninth studio album, "Charmbracelet", which she described as a "new lease on life".
2002: Ashanti on chart
In 2002, Ashanti had topped the chart while being a featured singer on the number two single. The event is listed in the passage to provide a contrast to Mariah Carey's accomplishment on September 25, 2005.
2002: Acting role in Wisegirls and Father's death
In 2002, Mariah Carey acted in the independent film "WiseGirls", and her father, Alfred Roy, passed away from cancer; she dedicated the song "Sunflowers for Alfred Roy" to his memory.
2003: Featured on Busta Rhymes' "I Know What You Want"
In 2003, Mariah Carey was featured on Busta Rhymes' song "I Know What You Want".
September 25, 2005: Chart Records with We Belong Together and Shake It Off
During the week of September 25, 2005, Mariah Carey became the first woman to hold the top two spots on the Hot 100, with "We Belong Together" at number one and "Shake It Off" at number two.
2005: Best-Selling Album of the Year
In 2005, "The Emancipation of Mimi" was the best-selling album in the United States, selling nearly five million units.
2005: Comeback with The Emancipation of Mimi
In 2005, Mariah Carey made a comeback with The Emancipation of Mimi, one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century.
2005: Live 8 performance and Hurricane Katrina relief telethon
In 2005, Mariah Carey performed for Live 8 in London and at the Hurricane Katrina relief telethon "Shelter from the Storm", contributing to relief efforts.
November 2006: Wish Idol Award from the Make-A-Wish Foundation
In November 2006, Mariah Carey was awarded the Make-A-Wish Foundation's Wish Idol for her extraordinary generosity and her many wish granting achievements.
2006: Grammy Nominations for The Emancipation of Mimi
In 2006, "The Emancipation of Mimi" earned eight Grammy Award nominations for Mariah Carey, marking the most nominations she had received in a single year.
2006: Endorsement deals and jewelry line launch
In 2006, Mariah Carey participated in endorsement deals for Intel Centrino personal computers and launched a jewelry and accessories line for teenagers, Glamorized, in American Claire's and Icing stores. During this period, as part of a partnership with Pepsi and Motorola, Carey recorded and promoted a series of exclusive ringtones.
2007: Additional Grammy Nominations
In 2007, "The Ultra Platinum Edition" of "The Emancipation of Mimi" received two additional Grammy nominations, adding to the album's accolades.
2007: Fragrance release and Elizabeth Arden deal
In 2007, Mariah Carey released her own fragrance, "M", after signing a licensing deal with Elizabeth Arden. This Elizabeth Arden deal has since earned her $150 million. She won a Basenotes Fragrance Award for Best Celebrity Women's Fragrance as well as being nominated in three other categories for the fragrance.
2007: Austerlitz on Mariah Carey's Image Transformation
In 2007, author Saul Austerlitz wrote that Mariah Carey had been "marketed as a whitebread pop princess" in her earlier music videos, adding the plots, directorial styles, clothes, and auras from later videos like "Heartbreaker" were very different and she was displayed as an "R&B diva".
2007: Working on E=MC²
In early 2007, Mariah Carey began working on her eleventh studio album, E=MC². Two weeks before the album's release, the lead single "Touch My Body" reached the top position on the Billboard Hot 100.
August 2008: Charity single Just Stand Up!
In August 2008, Mariah Carey and other singers recorded the charity single, "Just Stand Up!", produced by Babyface and L.A. Reid, to support Stand Up to Cancer.
December 2008: Tour Cancellation and Miscarriage
In early December 2008, Mariah Carey's extensive tour in support of E=MC² was suddenly cancelled due to her pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage.
2008: Release of Luscious Pink fragrance
In 2008, Mariah Carey released the Luscious Pink fragrance with Elizabeth Arden as part of their ongoing collaboration.
2008: Named Hunger Ambassador of the World Hunger Relief Movement
In 2008, Mariah Carey was named Hunger Ambassador of the World Hunger Relief Movement, recognizing her efforts to combat hunger.
January 20, 2009: Inaugural Ball Performance
On January 20, 2009, Mariah Carey performed "Hero" at the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball after Barack Obama was sworn in as the first African-American president of the United States.
July 7, 2009: Memorial Service Performance for Michael Jackson
On July 7, 2009, Mariah Carey, along with Trey Lorenz, performed her version of "I'll Be There" at the memorial service for Michael Jackson.
2009: Release of Forever fragrance
In 2009, Mariah Carey released the Forever fragrance with Elizabeth Arden, continuing her line of fragrances.
2009: Starred in Precious
In 2009, Mariah Carey starred in the film Precious.
February 2010: 100% as theme song for the 2010 Winter Olympics
In February 2010, the song, "100%", which was originally written and recorded for the film, Precious, was used as one of the theme songs for the 2010 Winter Olympics, with all money proceeds going to Team USA.
November 29, 2010: HSN collection debut
On November 29, 2010, Mariah Carey debuted a collection on HSN, which included jewelry, shoes, and fragrances.
2010: Melisma's Influence on Pop Music
In a 2010 article for The New York Times, David Browne wrote that in the early 1990s, "melisma overtook pop in a way it hadn't before", and that Mariah Carey's debut hit from 1990, "Vision of Love", set the bar high for this vocal technique.
March 2011: Announcement to donate Save the Day royalties
In March 2011, Carey's representative Cindi Berger stated that royalties for the song "Save the Day", written for her fourteenth studio album, would be donated to charities that create awareness for human rights. Berger also said that Carey "has and continues to donate her time, money and countless hours of personal service to many organizations both here and abroad."
November 2011: Named brand ambassador for Jenny Craig, Inc.
In November 2011, Mariah Carey was announced as the "brand ambassador" for Jenny Craig, Inc., participating in a company initiative involving public service announcements and community and education programs.
2013: Starred in The Butler and Judged American Idol
In 2013, Mariah Carey starred in the film The Butler and served as a judge on American Idol.
2015: Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
In 2015, Mariah Carey was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2016: Divas holiday edition
In 2016, Mariah Carey participated in Divas holiday edition. She also appeared at the America: A Tribute to Heroes nationally televised fundraiser in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and performed before peacekeeping troops in Kosovo.
October 2017: "All I Want for Christmas Is You" Achieves Milestone
By October 2017, Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" had become the 11th best-selling single in history with over 16 million copies sold worldwide.
2018: Advertisement for Hostelworld
In 2018, Mariah Carey featured in an advertisement for Hostelworld with the tagline "Even Divas are Believers".
August 25, 2019: Walkers crisps brand partnership
On August 25, 2019, Mariah Carey signed a $12 million contract with the Walkers crisps brand as part of their Christmas campaign and starred in a commercial for the company.
2019: Billboard Icon Award
In 2019, Mariah Carey received a Billboard Icon Award.
2019: Variety's Power of Women honor
In 2019, Mariah Carey was honored by Variety's Power of Women for her work with The Fresh Air Fund's Camp Mariah.
December 2020: Mariah's Cookies launch
In December 2020, Mariah Carey launched a partnership with Virtual Dining Concepts and restaurateur, Robert Earl, for a biscuit line titled Mariah's Cookies.
2020: Release of The Meaning of Mariah Carey
In 2020, Mariah Carey released her memoir, "The Meaning of Mariah Carey", which revealed her contributions to the album "Someone's Ugly Daughter" by the band Chick.
2020: The Meaning of Mariah Carey Reached Number One
In 2020, Mariah Carey's memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, reached number one on The New York Times Best Seller list.
2021: Launch of Black Irish alcohol line and partnership with McDonald's
In 2021, Mariah Carey announced the launch of a new line of alcohol called Black Irish, an homage to her Black, Venezuelan, and Irish heritage. That same year, Carey also partnered with McDonald's, promoting an entirely new limited time menu.
2021: Honored by African American Film Critics Association
In 2021, Mariah Carey was honored at the African American Film Critics Association with a Special Achievement Innovator Award for her "visual storytelling in her music videos and specials".
2022: MasterClass: Mariah Carey Teaches the Voice as an Instrument
In 2022, Mariah Carey recorded nine video lessons for MasterClass titled "Mariah Carey Teaches the Voice as an Instrument", for which she re-recorded "The Roof (Back in Time)" alongside Brandy.
February 2023: "It's a Wrap" revival on TikTok
In February 2023, the 2009 track "It's a Wrap" experienced a revival on TikTok, prompting Mariah Carey to release an EP for the song.
September 8, 2023: Music Box deluxe version release
On September 8, 2023, Mariah Carey released a deluxe version of her album Music Box in celebration of its thirtieth anniversary.
December 17, 2023: Merry Christmas One and All! tour concludes
On December 17, 2023, Mariah Carey concluded her 16-date "Merry Christmas One and All!" concert tour in the United States. The tour grossed approximately $30 million and sold more than 200,000 tickets.
2023: BRIT Billion Award
In 2023, Mariah Carey became one of the first 13 recipients of the BRIT Billion Award, for surpassing one billion streams in the United Kingdom.
November 6, 2024: Mariah Carey's Christmas Time tour begins
On November 6, 2024, Mariah Carey embarked on her "Mariah Carey's Christmas Time" tour, which was scheduled to conclude after 18 shows on December 17.
May 2025: The Emancipation of Mimi twentieth anniversary edition release
In May 2025, Mariah Carey released a twentieth anniversary edition of "The Emancipation of Mimi".
July 21, 2025: Release of "Sugar Sweet" single
On July 21, 2025, Mariah Carey released "Sugar Sweet" as the second single from her record, featuring Kehlani and Shenseea.
September 26, 2025: Release of sixteenth studio album, Here for It All and "Play This Song" single
On September 26, 2025, Mariah Carey released her sixteenth studio album, "Here for It All", which debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200. The album was her first studio release through Gamma as part of a multi-album deal. Also on this day, the third single from the album, "Play This Song", assisted by Anderson .Paak, was released.
2025: BET Ultimate Icon Award
In 2025, Mariah Carey received a BET Ultimate Icon Award.
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