Ranking My 10 Favorite Mariah Carey Songs
Happy Anniversary Mimi!
Today is Mariah Carey’s anniversary! So, to celebrate, I am attempting to rank my top 10 favorite Mariah Carey songs. This list is not definitive and is subject to change at any given moment. Let’s say it’s a rough estimate. This woman has 15 albums and even more EPs full of remixes. It’s impossible to just pick 10, but I tried. Everyone, listen to my Mimi Essentials playlist in honor of my favorite diva’s anniversary!
Top 10 Playlist
Apple Music // Spotify
Mimi Essentials Playlists
Apple Music // Spotify
Ranking Mariah’s Music Videos - My post from her anniversary 2 years ago. Can’t believe I didn’t put Get Your Number on there.
P.S. Happy Birthday to Fergie as well!!!!!!!! and to my Cat Davey
1. Up Out My Face Ft. Nicki Minaj (Memoirs…Of An Imperfect Angel 2011)
I still remember the first time I heard this song. I was in a hotel lobby in 2011 and this was playing on the TV. Not sure why, but my life from that moment on was forever changed. I wish I could say that the original version of this song hits just as hard but I would be lying. When it comes to Target music videos, this one is the best.
If we were two Lego blocks, even the Harvard University Class of 2010 couldn’t put us back together again
Greatest lyric of all time? I think so. This song has saved me from the trenches of depression. It is there for me when I am happy, sad, feeling myself, or just need a laugh. This was before the American Idol beef. We had it so good. Regardless this was histroy.
2. The Roof (Butterfly 1997)
When I go out, I want to look like Mariah in the back of that limo. I just know Derek Jeter was dicking that girl down because she was distraught after they broke up. My god. Light skins will do it to you every time. At least we got this song and the entire Butterfly album1 out of it. This song is perfect. It was my most listened-to song of 2020. My entire lockdown could be attributed to this song and Nice to Meet Ya by Meghan Trainor.2 Watching Mariah sing this live in Vegas last year was a life-peak moment. I am eternally grateful. This also includes the version with Brandy. I never thought it would be possible to like another version of this song as much as I love the original, but here we are.
3. Giving Me Life (Caution 2018)
One of the greatest regrets of my life was not becoming a Mariah stan a year earlier so I could have seen her on the Caution world tour. I will regret that for the rest of my life. This song makes me feel elated. When I fall in love, I want it to feel like this song. Until a couple of months ago, I thought the lyric was “Just a little sensitivity and a soul,” but it’s actually “Just a little sensitivity, yeah, that’s all.” I would never question the queen, but I like my version better, LOL. One of the greatest nights of my life was when I went to Mariah Night at 3 Dollar Bill. I saw a performer perform a strip tease to this song. Caution (the album) deserved to go #1 and I’ll never forgive the general public for that!
4. Cruise Control (E=MC2 2008)
I am an Einstein truther!!!! IDC!!!! This album is how I feel when I’m drunk. The sister album to Emancipation of Mimi and I prefer this one! I don’t care. One of the craziest things about me is I don’t listen to Emancipation that much. I love a few of the songs but I rarely play it front to back. I know people consider that her comeback but I don’t believe she had anything to come back from. Charmbracelet went #3! Anyway, I love this song because she is randomly Jamaican. I love it when divas have a random island moment. This one is my favorite of Mariah’s. I have an entire playlist dedicated to the meaning of this song.
might need to go slow - Apple Music // Spotify
5. Make It Happen Live from MSG (1995)
This song is the sole reason why I survived 2020. I would listen to this song on a loop coming back from my terrible job at Marshall’s.
“This is for anybody out there reaching…for a dream. Don’t ever give up. Never ever listen to anybody when they try to discourage you. Because they do that…believe me”
If Mariah can go from being abandoned and alone without a penny to her name to becoming THE Mariah Carey I can get through whatever I am going through. Many people say songs have saved their lives and this one unironically saved mine. Her voice is a gift from God. I hope to be able to thank her one day. When she runs across the stage!!! This song is truly a gospel song. A perfect manifestation song.
6. Didn’t Mean Turn You On (Glitter 2001)
I stand by the fact that Mariah had nothing to “come back” from with Emancipation. Despite the movie flopping, Glitter (the album) still went top 10 at #7! Her next album, Charmbracelt, went #3. It’s ironic when people call you a flop because your album went #3 instead of #1 like they usually do. Like, please! It also went #1 on the Billboard Soundtrack chart! Therefore, it should go without saying that this album is incredible. One of her best.
This is my favorite version of this song. Sorry to the other girls but Mariah tore. The harmonies alone wash the other versions. The greatest song about friend-zoning? Possibly! Want You is my other favorite (and I almost picked it over this but I had to be serious). And BTW Glitter is not THAT bad of a movie. I’ve certainly seen worse.
7. Breakdown Ft. Krayzie Bone & Wish Bone (Butterfly 1997)
If I had heard this song in high school after going through a breakup, I probably would have jumped off a bridge. You can’t listen to this song when you’re actually sad because you will fall deeper into depression. This song is somber yet catchy and has incredible replay value. The production is just immaculate. The video ranked #3 for my favorite Mariah videos. It was hard to choose between Babydoll and this one, but the ending of Breakdown takes it. Babydoll was my favorite on Butterfly for probably about 3 years.
8. Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise)( Fly Away Club Mix) (Butterfly EP 1997)
Yes, this song is 9 minutes. Yes, you need to do it in full every time. Sometimes a song needs to build! That’s what Barbra was trying to teach the kids in the latest episode of Abbot Elementary and it applies here. It’s insane that this house music bop was how the song was originally imagined and then someone convinced her to make it a ballad. The ballad version is also incredible but we would have been fine if they left it as a house song. David Morales, we speak your name! Thank you for your contribution to house music and music in general!
8. Honey (Classic Mix) (Honey EP 1997)
Another song that understands the importance of building. There are so many versions of this song, that it was really hard to pick just one. Y’all know I love the So So Def version too. But the screaming in this song takes me to a heavenly place. She needed that cum honey and she needed it now!!!! IKTR Mimi. Every gay club should be playing some version of this song every night.
10. Long ago (Daydream 1995)
I never realized this was my favorite song on Daydream until writing this. A forgotten gem. I don’t know if Mariah has ever acknowledged this song. I wish there was a music video for this song. This song is the epitome of 90s R&B to me. This song is so good it took me a while to realize she didn’t write a bridge. I love her tone in this song. Her belts, the lyrics, and the bass line are perfect! But this one is my favorite as of today. I would sing it for karaoke more if anyone even knew it! My lamb friends don’t even talk about this song. Justice for Long Ago! The Daydream Interlude and Underneath the Stars are my other favorites.
and a couple more on other albums
Don’t ask