Ranking All The Mariah Carey Studio Albums
Mariah Carey has enjoyed a long and successful career as a recording artist and performer. So far, the superstar diva has recorded 12 studio albums. Fans and critics have agreed on which was the best and which was not. She’s done everything from Christmas albums to LPs and Greatest Hits over the past 30 years. Here are her top 12 studio albums ranked in order of their popularity.
12. “Glitter”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXT8wAFrWEU&list=PLncKGQLcRq9AwwafCblGHJgA7IOZY02DD
According to Soul in Stereo, the least popular album dropped by Mariah Carey was her 2001 release “Glitter.” The album received an overall rating of 3 out of 5, which isn’t bad, but it wasn’t her best effort. The soundtrack to the film was about as popular as the film itself, which wasn’t the big hit that everyone had hoped for. Favorite songs on the album included “All My Life” and “Want You.”
11. “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ner12V41_5A&list=PLr7AxEAVTFLYUJFKnARYWPcH10mguSaH4
“Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel” was released in 2009. This album receives a little higher rating with a 3.5 out of 5 possible stars. Still, the album didn’t shine. It was probably because of the ongoing feud she had going with superstar Eminem at the time. The problems between the two megastars did have an impact on the album when it was released. The best songs on this album are “Angels Cry” and “Up Out My Face.” It wasn’t bad, but the album lacked depth and content. It wasn’t one of her best projects, according to critics.
10. “Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse”
This album dropped in 2014. The favorite fan tracks from the album include “Camouflage,” “Faded,” and “Make It Look Good.” It received the same rating as “Me I Am Mariah.” A 3.5 out of 5 stars cumulative ratings wasn’t bad, but it could have been better. The album contained too many uneven songs. There was a lot of bloating in the album that resulted in this one getting lost in favor of better artistic works.
9. “Charmbracelet”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrGaVsEi9t0&list=PLr7AxEAVTFLac9-KEwrdKgJhaSgrNIoK4
“Charmbracelt was released in 2002. It came on the heels of “Glitter,” and Mariah Carey worked hard to redeem some of what she lost with the less than stellar performance on the last album and accompanying film. This project signified a return to her roots in sound with a hip-hop flavor, love songs, and ballads. It still wasn’t quite what everyone was looking for. The best cuts from the album include “The one,” “You Got Me,” and “Boy (I Need You).”
8. “Rainbow”
“Rainbow” was released in 1999. The album received an overall rating of 3.5 out of 5. These ratings come from both critics and fans. It contained some of her more soulful tunes. Some fillers gave it a lack of focus. it did, however, show how diverse she can be. “Rainbow” features guest artists including Mystikial, Master P, Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliott, Da Brat, and Jay Z, which helped bump it up in popularity. The best cuts of the album include “Bliss” and “Heartbreaker.”
7. “E=MC2”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlucxbN2F7M&list=PLncKGQLcRq9B2ymZ8SL2ihvaQXs2ivlh8
“E=MC2” is one of the more popular Mariah Carey Albums that was released in 2008. At the time it dropped, the project was harshly criticized for its similarity to “The Emancipation of Mimi.” There was a lot of screaming on it and some of Mariah’s fans were getting a little tired of it. Still, loyal fans bought the album and gave it higher ratings than her previous effort with a 4 out of 5 possible stars for “I’ll be Lovin’ U Long Time” and “I Stay In Love.”
6. “Emotions”
“Emotions” ws released in 1991, as one of the more dominant albums of her career. She took a journey away from her pop roots and returned to her gospel beliefs with an album filled with ballads and hit singles that showcased her amazing vocal abilities. Favorite songs on this project include “And You Don’t Remember,” “If It’s Over,” and “Till the End of Time.”
5. “Caution”
Buzzfeed ranks “Caution” as the fifth-best album released by Mariah Carey. This project signified a return to her roots in R&B with a careful melding of her old style with a few new twists. it was a popular album that became one of the all-time favorites. This is her most recent release and it shows the world that after 30 years, Mariah Carey has still got it!
4. “Mariah Carey”
“Mariah Carey” is her debut album that still ranks high on the list of favorites. This album has withstood the test of time. It speaks to the talents and style that made her a star. The self-titled album delivers high on that ’80s era sound with “Vision of Love” which became one of her biggest hit songs.
3. “The Emancipation of Mimi”
“The Emancipation of Mimi is the third-best album of her career. It was a turning point in her career that was geared toward making a commercial comeback for the superstar. It has since been elevated to the status of iconic with the astronomical hit “We Belong Together.” The album overall was well-balanced and executed to perfection.
2. “Daydream”
“Daydream” is an iconic album that occupies the second spot on the top-ranked albums of Mariah Carey. Three of the biggest hits of her career are tracks on the project. It’s nothing short of a well-planned and executed masterpiece that is hard to follow. It’s that close to perfection. Perhaps it set the bar a little too high?
1. “Butterfly”
“Butterfly” is the number one album of Mariah Carey’s three-decade career in the music industry. It has been referred to by some as her magnum opus. The tracks on the album are artistic, personal, and very much heartfelt. It’s an emotional album that allowed Mariah to showcase her multiple talents and it seemed to be effortless for her.
