Stryker's- Artist of the Month: Whitney Houston

Whitney Elizabeth Houston (born August 9, 1963) is an American R&B/pop singer and actress, most famous for her work as the former. Houston is the most awarded female artist of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 2 Emmy Awards, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among a total of 415 career awards as of 2010. Houston is also one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 170 million albums and singles worldwide.

Inspired by several prominent soul singers in her extended family, including mother Cissy Houston and cousins Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick, as well as her godmother, Aretha Franklin, Houston began singing with New Jersey church's junior gospel choir at age 11.After she began performing alongside her mother in night clubs in the New York City area, she was discovered by Arista Records label headClive Davis. As of 2011, Houston has released seven studio albums and three movie soundtrack albums, all of which have had diamond, multi-platinum, platinum, or gold certification.

Houston's 1985 debut album, Whitney Houston, became the best-selling debut album by a female act at the time of its release. Her second studio album, Whitney (1987), became the first album by a female artist to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart.Houston's crossover appeal on the popular music charts as well as her prominence on MTV, starting with her video for "How Will I Know",enabled several African-American female artists to follow in her success.

Houston's first acting role was as the star of the feature film The Bodyguard (1992). The movie's original soundtrack won the 1994 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Its lead single, "I Will Always Love You", became the best-selling single by a female artist in music history.^[7]The album makes her the only female act ranked in the list of the top-10 best-selling albums, at number four. Houston continued to star in movies and contribute to soundtracks, including with the films Waiting to Exhale (1995) and The Preacher's Wife (1996). Three years after the release of her fourth studio album, My Love Is Your Love (1998), she renewed her recording contract with Arista Records. She released her fifth studio album, Just Whitney, in 2002, and the Christmas-themed One Wish: The Holiday Album in 2003. Amid widespread media coverage of personal and professional turmoil, Houston ended her 14-year marriage to singer Bobby Brown in 2006. In 2009, Houston released her seventh studio album, I Look To You.

"You Give Good Love" is a song by American recording artist Whitney Houston, released as the lead single 

from her self-titled debut album, entitled Whitney Houston in the United States in Februay 1985 by Arista Records, and the second single from the album in the United Kingdom. The song was written by LaLa and produced by Kashif. When LaLa sent Kashif a copy of the song, originally offered toRoberta Flack, he thought it would be a better fit for Houston and told Arista he would be interested in recording with Houston. The song garnered mostly positive reviews from critics, but brought Houston a bit of notoriety when it turned up among several songs cited by advice columnist Ann Landers as having suggestive titles.

The release of "You Give Good Love" was designed to give Houston a noticeable position and standing within the black music market first, which topped the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart, but it also made an unexpected crossover pop hit, peaking at number three on theBillboard Hot 100 chart. It was later certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The single was released officially in some countries such as Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and United Kingdom, but failed to make the top 40 in the countries except Canada, reached the top ten. The song won Favorite Soul/R&B Single at The 13th American Music Awards, and was nominated forBest R&B Song and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female at the 28th Grammy Awards in 1986.

The music video for the song directed by Karen Bellone, shows Houston performing at a club and a photographer focusing his camera on her. Houston performed the song on various TV shows and awards ceremonies such as The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The 1985 R&B Countdown and The 1st Soul Train Music Awards of 1987, as well as on her first three tours and select dates of The Bodyguard World Tour (1993–94) and My Love Is Your Love World Tour (1999). "You Give Good Love" is also featured on three of Houston's compilation albums, Whitney: The Greatest Hits (2000), Love, Whitney (2001) and The Essential Whitney Houston (2011).

"Saving All My Love for You" is the second hit single from Whitney Houston's self-titled debut album. This jazzy ballad (released in August 1985) is about a love affair with a married man, and the singer is saving all her love for him. The song was written by Michael Masser andGerry Goffin. The song was arranged by Gene Page. It was also a minor hit for Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. in 1978 on their albumMarilyn & Billy (although Davis’ voice was not heard on their version).

"Greatest Love of All" is an inspirational song written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed and originally recorded by George Benson for the 1977 Muhammad Ali biopic The Greatest. The song was later popularized by Whitney Houston. Creed wrote the lyrics in the midst of her struggle with breast cancer. The words describe her feelings about coping with great challenges that one must face in life, being strong during those challenges whether you succeed or fail, and passing that strength on to children to carry with them into their adult lives. Creed eventually succumbed to the disease in April 1986 at the age of 36; at the time her song was an international hit by Whitney Houston.



"I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" is the first single from Whitney Houston's second studio album Whitney. It was produced by Narada Michael Walden, and written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam of the band Boy Meets Girl, who had previously written the number-one Whitney Houston hit "How Will I Know". The original arrangement was more of a country tune but was transformed to make it a dance song by Walden.

"Didn't We Almost Have It All" is the second single from Whitney Houston's second album Whitney, and was nominated for Song of the Year at the 1988 Grammy Awards. The song was written by Michael Masser and Will Jennings and was released in August 1987. Originally, another song was to be released as the second single, "For The Love Of You", but Arista Records decided to release "Didn't We Almost Have It All" instead.

The single was number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 even though there was not a video for the song. A live performance of the song recorded during Houston's successful 1987–1988 Moment of Truth World Tour was played on MTV, VH1, and BET. The performance is from a Saratoga Springs, New York date.

"So Emotional" is a song recorded by American pop/ R&B singer Whitney Houston. The song was the third single from her second albumWhitney, and was released on November 12, 1987.

"So Emotional" was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly , who also penned Madonna's "Like a Virgin", Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors",Heart's "Alone" (all also previous #1 songs), The Bangles "Eternal Flame" (another #1 song) and Linda Ronstadt's "How Do I Make You". The song centers on Houston loving being in love, singing "I get so emotional baby / Every time I think of you / I get so emotional / Ain't it shocking what love can do".

"Where Do Broken Hearts Go" is the fourth single from Whitney Houston's second album, Whitney. The ballad was released in February 1988. The song was written by Frank Wildhorn and Chuck Jackson. Wildhorn approached Jackson about the opportunity to write for Whitney Houston. He gave him the title, and Wildhorn completed the music & lyrics for the song.

Initially, Houston did not want to record the song, feeling there was no special message to convey. However, Arista Records CEO Clive Davisbelieved the song would go to number one if she recorded it, so she agreed. The single became Houston's seventh consecutive number one single in the United States.

"Love Will Save the Day" was the fifth single by American singer-songwriter Whitney Houston from her second multi-platinum studio albumWhitney. The single was released in July 1988 by Arista Records.

"Love Will Save the Day" is the fastest-tempoed song on the album Whitney. Produced by Jellybean Benitez and featuring Roy Ayers, the song is one of the uptempo numbers on the album that also includes "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" and "So Emotional".

"One Moment in Time" is an Emmy Award winning song written by Albert Hammond and John Bettis, and recorded by American singerWhitney Houston for the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 1988 Summer Paralympics held in Seoul, South Korea.



"I'm Your Baby Tonight" is the lead single and title track from Whitney Houston's third studio album of the same name. The song was written and produced by L.A. Reid and Babyface. The single features a B-side, "Feels So Good", which has not been featured on any Whitney Houston album. While L.A. Reid/Babyface mix version was released in the United States, Yvonne Turner mix version, called as 'international version', in other countries. Houston was nominated for "Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female" with this track at the 33rd Grammy Awards in 1991.

"All the Man That I Need" is a song written by American songwriters Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore. The song was first recorded by singer Linda Clifford, in 1982, for her album I'll Keep on Loving You. It was later recorded and released as a single by the musical groupSister Sledge. Their version reached number forty-five on the United States Billboard R&B Singles chart. Later, in 1990, American recording artist Whitney Houston recorded her version and subsequently released it as a single. Her version featured production from Narada Michael Walden. Musically, the song is an R&B number, and the lyrics speak about a special one.

Houston's version received mainly positive reviews from music critics, and also reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. It also peaked at number on the Billboard R&B Singles and Adult Contemporary charts. Elsewhere, the song reached number one in Canada, while peaking within the top twenty in Ireland, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, while reaching the top forty in countries like Austria, France, Germany, New Zealand, and Switzerland.

Houston has performed the song on her Feels So Right Tour (1990), I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour (1991), The Pacific Rim Tour (1997), and The European Tour (1998). She has also performed the song on many other appearances including the televised concert Welcome Home Heroes with Whitney Houston, dedicated to the troops, their families, and military and government dignitaries in honor of those returning from the Gulf War. She later performed the song on Hollywood Rock festival and other shows.

"Miracle" is the third single from Whitney Houston's multi-platinum third album, I'm Your Baby Tonight. It was written and produced by L.A. Reid and Babyface. The song is about a girl who had an abortion but later feels she made a mistake. In an interview at that time, Houston acknowledged the song was indeed about abortion and praised Babyface for digging so deep with the song's lyrical content. Not wanting to alienate any fans, however, the video for the song doesn't stick with the subject, instead showing Houston singing and various photographs injected periodically. The single reached #9 on the US Hot 100 (becoming her 13th Top Ten hit), #2 on the R&B Chart, and #4 on the Adult Contemporary Chart.

In 1992, singer Whitney Houston recorded the song for the soundtrack to The Bodyguard, her film debut. Houston was originally to recordJimmy Ruffin's "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" as the lead single from The Bodyguard. However, when it was discovered the song was to be used for Fried Green Tomatoes, Houston requested a different song and her co-star Kevin Costner brought her Linda Ronstadt's 1975 version of "I Will Always Love You" from her album Prisoner in Disguise. Houston and producer David Foster re-arranged the song as a soul ballad. Her record company did not feel a song with an a cappella introduction would be as successful; however, Houston and Costner insisted on retaining the a cappella intro. The tenor saxophone solo was played by Kirk Whalum. Whitney Houston's recording is not the only version of the song featured in the movie. In a scene where she dances with Kevin Costner, a version by John Doe can be heard playing on a jukebox.

Houston's version was a massive worldwide success, appearing at number sixty-eight on Billboard's "Greatest Songs of All Time."

Whitney Houston recorded the song for The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album. Houston's version was produced by Narada Michael Walden, with additional production by David Cole and Robert Clivillés. It was released as the soundtrack's second single in January 1993.

"I Have Nothing" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston and released as the third single from The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album on February 20, 1993 by Arista Records. The song was written by David Foster and Linda Thompson, and produced by Foster. The song is a richly orchestrated power ballad about deep love and commitment to one's lover.

After the back-to-back successes of Houston's "I Will Always Love You" and "I'm Every Woman," "I Have Nothing" became yet another hit, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and being certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The song also became a hit with a number four peak on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles and a number one peak on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. Houston established another historic milestone in Billboard chart history with the two previous singles off the soundtrack and this song, becoming the first artist to have three songs inside top 11 of the Hot 100 chart in the same week, since the chart used Broadcast Data System and SoundScan data in 1991. Internationally, the song reached the number one in Canada, the top five in Ireland and the United Kingdom, and peaked within top forty in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Switzerland. It received nomination for anAcademy Award for Best Original Song at the 65th Academy Awards of 1993, for a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media at the 36th Grammy Awards of 1994, and for a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B Single, Female at the 1994 Soul Train Music Awards.

The song was promoted by Houston with live performances on her worldwide concert tour, The Bodyguard World Tour (1993–94) only, and also in various awards ceremonies and concerts such as the 4th Billboard Music Awards in 1993, the 21st American Music Awards in 1994,Whitney: The Concert for a New South Africa in 1994, and the 1st BET Awards in 2001. "I Have Nothing" is also featured on Whitney: The Greatest Hits (2000), Love, Whitney (2001), The Ultimate Collection (2007), and The Essential Whitney Houston (2011).

As of most of Houston's material, the song has been an extremely popular choice on the reality television series around the world, in particular, American Idol, where it became one of the most performed songs with six times since 2003.

"Run to You" is a song performed by Whitney Houston and is the fourth single released from The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album.

"Run to You" was written by Jud Friedman and Allan Rich. Originally intended to be a break-up song, it was approved by the production and stars. However, a month later, the director of The Bodyguard (Mick Jackson) called, saying he liked the song so much, but he'd rather have it to be a love song so the entire song was rewritten, except for the title.

All of the previous releases from The Bodyguard had been successes, landing in the top five. "Run to You" became a moderate hit, peaking at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the U.S., it spent six weeks inside the top 40, five of which were spent at the number 31 peak. Airplay and singles sales topped out at number 26 and 41, respectively. The single sales stalled at number 41 on the Hot 100 Singles Saleschart, most likely due to the fact its parent album, The Bodyguard, already was certified 8x platinum and nearing 9x platinum status quickly. Single sales were moderate because most consumers own the song by simply owning the album.

On other Billboard charts, the song was moderately well received. On the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, it reached a peak position of number 31. The song cracked the top 10 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks, peaking at number 10.

Internationally, it was not as well received, except in the UK, peaking at number 15.

"Run to You" and it's soundtrack-mate "I Have Nothing," were nominated for a 1992 Academy Award for Best Original Song, but they lost to "A Whole New World" from Aladdin.

The music video for "Run to You" features scenes from The Bodyguard intercut with scenes of an angelic Houston running on clouds.

"Queen of the Night" is a song co-written and performed by American pop/R&B singer Whitney Houston. It was the fifth and final single released from the multiplatinum The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album.

"Queen of the Night" is an uptempo rock-pop-dance number, with Houston expressing how she "rules the club scene," proclaiming herself "queen of the night." It was not released as a single in America, but it received such substantial radio play that it rose to number 36 on theHot 100 Airplay. However, because of Billboard magazine rules at the time (which have since been modified), a song with no commercial single available could not chart on the main Billboard Hot 100. The song reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play, becoming Houston's fifth number 1 dance single. It was released in several other countries, peaking at number 14 in the UK.

The music video for "Queen of the Night" is the full performance Houston gives in the motion picture The Bodyguard. In the film, the performance is interrupted by violence.

In live performances, the song's arrangement is more faithful to the CJ MacIntosh mix.

This song was covered during the Believe Again Tour performed by Delta Goodrem at various locations throughout Australia in 2009. The 2009 X Factor contestants also performed this song on Sunday 18 October 2009 as a group performance. 2009 X Factor contestant Stacey Solomon who came third, performed this song on The X Factor Live Tour 2010.

"Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" is a song by American recording artist Whitney Houston, featured on the soundtrack for the film Waiting to Exhale. It was released as the lead single from the soundtrack on November 7, 1995, by Arista Records. The song was written and produced by Babyface. A mid-tempo R&B ballad, composed in the key of C major, the song's lyrics speaks about growing up and learning to let go. The song garnered mostly positive reviews from critics, many of whom noted Houston's vocal maturity in the song.

In the United States, it became the third single to debut on top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in Billboard's history, and Houston's eleventh number one single. It was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipments of one million copies. The song also reached number one in Canada, and the top ten in Finland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Sweden. Additionally, it peaked within the top twenty in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. At the 39th Annual Grammy Awards, held on February 26, 1997, "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" received four nominations, including the Grammy Award for the Song of the Year, and won in the category of Best R&B Song. The song also won four other awards, including a Soul Train Music Award.

The music video for the song, directed by Forest Whitaker, shows close-up scenes of Houston inter-cut with scenes from the film Waiting to Exhale. Houston performed the song at the 39th Grammy Awards ceremony, and on the HBO special Classic Whitney Live from Washington, D.C. in October 1997. It was included in the set-list of Houston's three tours and select dates of various concerts. "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" is also featured on three of Houston's compilation albums, Whitney: The Greatest Hits (2000), Love, Whitney (2001), The Ultimate Collection (2007), and The Essential Whitney Houston (2011).

"Count on Me" is a duet by American recording artists Whitney Houston and CeCe Winans. It is an uplifting song about leaning on a friend for support when needed. Released in early 1996, the song was the fourth single from the soundtrack album of the motion picture Waiting to Exhale, and the second single by Houston released from that album. It became Winans highest position reached on the US Hot 100 as the single reached the top ten, peaking at number eight. It was certified Gold in the U.S.

"Why Does It Hurt So Bad" is a song recorded by American singer Whitney Houston for the 1995 film Waiting to Exhale. It was released on July 7, 1996, by Arista Records as the seventh and final single from the accompanying soundtrack. The song was written and produced solely by Babyface. Musically, it is an R&B ballad, and the lyrics chronicle a lovelorn lament.

The song garnered positive reviews from critics, who commended Houston's vocal effort. It charted in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number twenty-six. It also reached a peak position of number twenty-two in the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number six on the Adult Contemporary chart. In Canada, the song reached a peak of number forty-five on the RPM Singles chart. Although there is no official music video for the song, a performance of the song at the 1996 MTV Movie Awards was taped and is used as a promotional clip. The song was later included as a medley, in her My Love Is Your Love World Tour (1999), along with a few other songs.

"I Believe in You and Me" is a ballad written by Sandy Linzer and David Wolfert. The song was first recorded and released by the R&Bgroup The Four Tops in 1983. The song was written by Linzer and Wolfert in 1982, and the Four Tops released it as a single in 1983 (although the song is, in essence, a solo recording by lead vocalist Levi Stubbs). While it failed to crack the US Top 40, it became a moderate R&B hit for the group on the US R&B chart, peaking at #40 on the Hot Black Singles chart in early 1983. Later in 1996, R&B/popsinger Whitney Houston recorded it for her film The Preacher's Wife and released it as a single.



"Step by Step" is a pop song written and originally recorded by singer Annie Lennox, later popularized by R&B/Pop singer Whitney Houston. The song served as the second single from Houston's 1996 soundtrack album, The Preacher's Wife. Lennox's recording originally appeared as the B-side to her 1992 single Precious Largely, Houston's version replaces Lennox's verses with new lyrics and omits portions from the bridge as well. Annie Lennox also provides background vocals in Houston's rendition.

"When You Believe" is an Academy Award-winning song by American recording artists Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. The song was written and composed by Stephen Schwartz for the 1998 DreamWorks animated feature The Prince of Egypt. A version of "When You Believe" was produced as a single with additional music by writer-producer Babyface for the film's soundtrack album. Additionally, the song was featured on Houston's fourth studio album, My Love Is Your Love and Carey's first compilation album, Number 1's. The song was described as a big ballad, with meaningful and inspirational lyrics, describing the ability each person has to achieve miracles when they reach out to God and believe.

The song received generally mixed reviews from contemporary music critics. "When You Believe" experienced moderate success on the USBillboard charts, peaking at only number fifteen on the Hot 100, despite heavy media attention and live promotion. The song however, achieved strong charting throughout Europe and other worldwide regions, peaking within the top five in Belgium, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Due to strong single sales in Europe and the US, the song was received various certification awards throughout many major music markets.

"When You Believe" was awarded the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 71st annual ceremony on March 21, 1999. Prior to their performance of the song that night, Schwartz left Babyface's name off the nomination submission sheet. He felt that because the additions Babyface added to the song were not featured in the actual film version, he did not deserve writing credits. However, while Babyface did not receive the Oscar, Carey and Houston performed his version of the song, because they were more familiar with it than the one in the film. Prior to their performance at the Academy Awards, they sang it on November 26, 1998 on The Oprah Winfrey Show, promoting the song, as well as both their albums.

The song featured two music videos. The first and most commonly seen video was filmed at Brooklyn Academy of Music performing arts center. The video features both females, and begins with Houston and Carey performing in a large auditorium, giving the allusion of a concert. Towards the end of the video, clips of the film are projected onto a large screen at the concert, whole they belt out the final verse. The alternate video features a similar synopsis, with both singers performing on a large stage an old Egyptian pyramid. The main difference however, is the fact that no film clips are played in the video and there is no audience present.

"Heartbreak Hotel" is a song by American R&B/Pop singer Whitney Houston. It is the second single released from her My Love Is Your Love album. The song also features R&B singers Faith Evans and Kelly Price accompanying her. "Heartbreak Hotel" reached the Top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100 on January 26, 1999 and peaked at number two on March 9 and number one on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs on February 2, and was certified Platinum by the RIAA. It was a hit in several countries worldwide. The song also received two nominations at the 2000 Grammy Awards: Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance by a Group or Duo, though it did not win. The video was nominated for Best R&B Video at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards.

It holds the distinction as being one of only three songs to be on both discs for Houston's 2000 Greatest Hits collection, in its original and remixed formats. It is absent on the 2007 The Ultimate Collection.

"Heartbreak Hotel" was not initially released in the UK at the time of the My Love Is Your Love album release. It was released as the third single from Houston's Whitney: Greatest Hits album in December 2000 and peaked at #25.

"It's Not Right but It's Okay" is a 1999 R&B/dance song by American singer Whitney Houston, from her fourth studio album My Love Is Your Love. Initially featured as the B-Side of "Heartbreak Hotel," it became the album's third single and peaked at #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart on July 3, 1999. It was #1 on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, peaked at #7 on the top 100 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, and was certified Gold by the RIAA. The music video was directed by Kevin Bray. Houston won the 2000Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for this song. The song reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart in March 1999 and stayed in the chart for 15 weeks, while also being a hugely popular radio hit.

The song examines a woman confronting her lover about his infidelity.

"My Love Is Your Love" is a 1999 song by American R&B singer Whitney Houston. Released as the fourth single off Houston's album of the same name, it peaked at #4 in the U.S., #2 on the U.S. R&B chart, and #2 in the U.K. It was later certified platinum by the RIAA.

Along with the original mid-tempo reggae-influenced version that was produced by Wyclef Jean, a dance remixed version by Jonathan Peterswas also released.

The single was extremely successful worldwide, hitting the Top Ten in nearly two dozen international markets. At over three million units sold globally, it stands as Houston's third most successful single, after "I Will Always Love You" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)".

"I Learned from the Best" is a 2000 single from American R&B/Pop singer Whitney Houston; the fifth and final single from Houston's multiplatinum 1998 album My Love Is Your Love. The ballad became a moderate hit, peaking at number twenty-seven on the US Hot 100. Dance remixes of the song by Hex Hector and Junior Vasquez topped the U.S. dance chart for three weeks. (Whitney's record label released the single well after the song had become a smash in the dance clubs, had the song been released before the song became such a huge hit, the song would have charted higher). Houston gained another Top 20 hit on the UK singles chart with this song, where it peaked at number 19. The song was written by Diane Warren.



"Could I Have This Kiss Forever" is a 2000 duet from singers Whitney Houston and Enrique Iglesias, written by Diane Warren. The song first appeared on Iglesias's debut English-language album Enrique as a slow Latin styled ballad. It achieved success in many countries, including Switzerland where it topped the chart.

"If I Told You That" is a 2000 duet by American singer Whitney Houston and British singer George Michael, and is the second single from Houston's Whitney: The Greatest Hits album. The song first appeared on Houston's 1998 multi-platinum My Love Is Your Love album, where she sang it solo. George Michael's vocals were later recorded to the song when it was being added to Houston's greatest hits package.

While Houston has performed the song in concert, the two have never collaborated on a live version. As well, Michael has yet to perform the song live at any of his concerts. Although "If I Told You That" was a hit, it did not appear on Michael's compilation album, Twenty Five.

"Fine" is a song by American R&B singer Whitney Houston, and was the fourth single from her 2000 compilation album, Whitney: The Greatest Hits. The song peaked at number fifty-one on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.



"Whatchulookinat" is a 2002 single released by American R&B/pop singer Whitney Houston. The song serves as the initial single from Houston's U.S. platinum selling fifth studio album, Just Whitney. The song, which was co-written by Houston, was her response to what she felt was intense and sometimes unfair and inaccurate media criticism at the time. The single peaked at #96 on the Billboard Hot 100, but fared much better on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart, where it hit #1. "Whatchulookinat" has several remixes from Thunderpuss,Full Intention, Junior Vasquez, Peter Rauhofer, Razor 'N Guido and P. Diddy. The single performed strongly in some international markets; reaching #3 in Canada, #6 in Belgium, #17 in Italy and #13 in the United Kingdom.



"Try It on My Own" (also known as "On My Own") is a 2003 single released by American R&B/pop singer Whitney Houston. The song is about overcoming doubts or fears so a person can reach the point in their life where they can "try it on their own". It was the third single released off Houston's platinum album Just Whitney and, like "Whatchulookinat" and "One of Those Days" before it, was a modest hit on the Hot 100. It became a hit on the U.S. adult contemporary singles chart reaching number ten, and the remixed version became a number-one U.S. dance hit. Houston performed "Try It on My Own" on an episode of the television series Boston Public ("Chapter Sixty-Six"), which first aired in May 2003. On May 20, 2003 Arista released a DVD single featuring the videos for "Try It on My Own" and "One of Those Days", both which were certified gold by the RIAA. "Try it On My Own" was remixed by Thunderpuss, Mike Rizzo, Maurice Joshua, Pound Boys and Mauve. The single sold 800.000 copies worldwide.



"Million Dollar Bill" is a song performed by American R&B and pop recording artist Whitney Houston, from her seventh studio album titled I Look to You which samples R&B singer Loleatta Holloway's "We're Getting Stronger" from Holloway's 1976 debut LP. It was released as the official worldwide lead and only single (second US single) from the album on August 18, 2009 through Arista Records in the US and August 24, 2009 through RCA Records in the UK.

STRYKER's Artist of the Month: Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey (born March 27, 1970 is an American R&B/pop singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. She made her recording debut in 1990 under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, and became the first recording artist to have her first five singles top the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Following her marriage to Mottola in 1993, a series of hit records including "Dreamlover", "Hero", "Without You", "Fantasy", "One Sweet Day" and "Always Be My Baby" from the diamond albums Music Box and Daydream established her position as Columbia Records' highest-selling act.
Following her separation from Mottola in 1997, she introduced elements of hip hop into her album work, to much initial success, but when she left Columbia in 2001 her popularity was in decline. She signed an unprecedented $100 million deal with Virgin Records, only to be dropped from the label and bought out of her contract in the following year. This radical turn of events was due to the highly publicized physical and emotional breakdown, as well as the poor reception that was given to Glitter, her film and soundtrack project. In 2002 Carey signed a $24 million deal with Island Records, and after a relatively unsuccessful period, she returned to the top of pop music in 2005 with her album The Emancipation of Mimi. The album became her best-selling album in the 2000s and its single, "We Belong Together," became her most successful solo single of her music career and was also awarded Song of the Decade by Billboard.
In a career spanning over two decades, Carey has sold more than 200 million albums, singles, and videos worldwide, according to Island Def Jam, which makes her one of the world's best-selling music artists. Carey was cited as the world’s best-selling recording artist of the 1990s at the World Music Awards in 1998, and was named the best-selling female artist of the millennium by the same awards show in 2000. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the third-best-selling female artist, with shipments of 63 million albums in the U.S. In 2006 Carey was listed in 6th place on the Forbes Richest 20 Woman In Entertainment list. In April 2008, "Touch My Body" became Carey's eighteenth number one single on the Hot 100, the most by any solo artist. Carey was included in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the world in 2008. Carey starred in the film Precious (2009), which earned her a Breakthrough Performance Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and an NAACP Image Award nomination.
Aside from her commercial accomplishments, she composes all her own material, has earned five Grammy Awards, seventeen World Music Awards, and is known for her five-octave vocal range, power, melismatic style and signature use of the whistle register.

 Mariah Carey singles discography

"Vision of Love" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It served as Carey's debut single, the first from her self-titled debut album. Written by Carey and Ben Margulies, "Vision of Love" was released on May 15, 1990 by Columbia Records. After being featured on Carey's demo tape for Columbia, the song was re-sung and produced by Rhett Lawrence and Narada Michael Walden. "Vision of Love" features a slow-dance theme tempo, backing vocals sung by Carey herself, and introduces her usage of the whistle register. Lyrically, the song describes a past and present relationship with a lover. Carey describes the 'vision of love' she dreamed of, as well as the present love she feels for him.
The song's music video was filmed in April 1990. It features Carey in a large cathedral, where she meditates and sings by a large carved window. "Vision of Love" was performed on several television and award show ceremonies, such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Arsenio Hall Show and the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards. It has been performed on almost every one of Carey's concerts and tours, and is featured on Carey's live album MTV Unplugged (1992) and on many of her compilation albums, Number 1's (1998), Greatest Hits (2001) and The Ballads (2008).
"Vision of Love" was lauded by contemporary music critics. It has been credited with bringing the use of melisma to modern music and for inspiring several artists to pursue a career in music. The New Yorker named "Vision of Love" the "Magna Carta of melisma" for it and Carey's influence on pop and R&B singers and American Idol contestants. Additionally, Rolling Stone said that "the fluttering strings of notes that decorate songs like "Vision of Love", inspired the entire American Idol vocal school, for better or worse, and virtually every other female R&B singer since the nineties." The song topped the singles charts in Canada, New Zealand and the United States, where it spent four weeks atop the chart.

"Love Takes Time" is a song written by Mariah Carey and Ben Margulies, and produced by Walter Afanasieff for Carey's debut album, Mariah Carey (1990). It was released as the album's second single in the third quarter of 1990. It was the first of several adult contemporary-influenced Carey ballads to be released as a single, and its protagonist laments the loss of a lover and confesses that "love takes time" to heal and that her feelings for her ex-lover remain. It became Carey's second number 1 single in the United States and Canada, but was only a moderate success elsewhere.




"Someday" is a song written by Mariah Carey and Ben Margulies, and produced by Ric Wake for Carey's debut album, Mariah Carey (1990). It was released as the album's third single in 1990 and is a jackswing-influenced track. Though it topped the U.S. charts, it was not a huge success elsewhere. As did previous singles from Mariah Carey, "Someday" received a BMI Pop Award.






"I Don't Wanna Cry" is a song written by Mariah Carey and Narada Michael Walden, and produced by Walden for Carey's debut album, Mariah Carey (1990). The ballad was released as the album's fourth single in the second quarter of 1991. It became another U.S. number 1 single for Carey. Like the previous singles released from Mariah Carey, the song received a BMI Pop Award.






"Emotions" is a song written and produced by Mariah Carey, and David Cole and Robert Clivillés of the C+C Music Factory, and recorded for Carey's second album Emotions (1991). It was released as the album's first single in the third quarter of 1991 in the United States and in the fourth quarter elsewhere. This disco-influenced song has its protagonist going through a variety of emotions, from high to low, up to the point where she declares "you got me feeling emotions" and sings high notes.





"Can't Let Go" is a ballad written and produced by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff, and recorded for Carey's second album Emotions (1991). It was released as the album's second single in the fourth quarter of 1991 in the United States and the first quarter of 1992 elsewhere. The protagonist of this synthesizer-heavy ballad laments an ex-lover who has moved on, and though she tries she "can't let go".
Carey had fallen out with her songwriting partner Ben Margulies following a financial dispute, and her record label suggested that she work with the other producers of her debut album such as Rhett Lawrence, Ric Wake and Narada Michael Walden. She chose Walter Afanasieff, who had produced her second single "Love Takes Time" (1990), and "Can't Let Go" was one of the songs they created. After the release of the single "Emotions," "Can't Let Go" was promoted on both The Arsenio Hall Show in September 1991 and Saturday Night Live in November 1991.

"Make It Happen" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. Written and produced by Carey and C+C Music Factory's David Cole and Robert Clivillés, it was released on April 4, 1992 by Columbia Records as the third single from her second studio album, Emotions (1991). It is a pop, R&B and dance track which also incorporates traces of gospel throughout the song's bridge. Described by author Chris Nickson as her most personal and inspirational song (up until "Hero"), lyrically it tells of Carey's personal struggles prior to her rise to fame and how her faith in God helped guide her to inner peace.
The song was praised by contemporary music critics, many of whom applauded Carey's incorporation of several musical genres, as well as the song's personalized lyrical content. Aside from its critical acceptance, "Make It Happen" performed moderately in the United States and achieved weak international charting in comparison to her previous singles. It peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, and finished at number forty-two on the Year-End Charts. It reached number seven in Canada, the top forty in the United Kingdom and Australia, and outside the top fifty in the Netherlands and Germany, respectively.
The song's music video was filmed in a large cathedral-like church in Long Island, New York. The benefit event, titled "Save Our Chruch," features Carey as the main performer, leading a choir in song as she sings to the constant cheering and applaud of the crowd. Aside from the video's message of religious unity, an anthem expressed in the song as well, the video features men and women of different races and orientations together at the benefit, in order to promote racial equality and unity. Carey included the song on the set-lists of several of her concert tours throughout her career, making its debut on the Music Box Tour and is featured on Carey's compilation albums Greatest Hits (2001) and Playlist: The Very Best of Mariah Carey (2010).

"Dreamlover" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on July 27, 1993, by Columbia Records as the lead single from Carey's third studio album, Music Box. It was written by Carey and Dave Hall, and produced by Carey, Hall, and Walter Afanasieff. The song incorporates a sample of the hook from "Blind Alley" by The Emotions into its melody and instrumentation. The song helped Carey transition into the pop music market, a choice made following the mixed reception to her previous studio effort Emotions (1991), which featured gospel and 1960s soul influences. Lyrically, the song portrays a protagonist calling for a perfect lover, her "dreamlover", that will whisk her away into the night and not delude her with false hopes.
"Dreamlover" received generally positive reviews from contemporary music critics, many of whom praised the song's incorporated sample and Carey's carefree vocal style. The song was the first of several in which Carey sampled older tunes for use in her lead singles, as seen in "Fantasy" (1995), "Honey" (1997), and "Heartbreaker" (1999). "Dreamlover" experienced strong worldwide success, becoming Carey's seventh chart topper in the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at number one in Canada and became a top-ten single in Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Carey performed "Dreamlover" live on several televised talk and award shows around the world, including The Arsenio Hall Show, the British music chart program Top of the Pops, and Music Fair in Japan, held in September 1993. The song was included in the 1999 Mariah Carey Homecoming Special and her appearance on The Today Show. Additionally, the song was featured in the set-lists of most of Carey's succeeding tours, making its debut on the Music Box Tour (1993). "Dreamlover" was included on Carey's compilation albums, Number 1's (1998) and Greatest Hits (2001).
The song's music video was filmed by Diane Martel in an undisclosed location in upstate New York during August 1993. It features cameo appearances by Carey's dog Jack, and shows Carey frolicking through a flowerbed and field, swimming in a large pond, boarding a hot air balloon, and dancing alongside several shirtless male dancers. Author Chris Nickson felt the video's carefree setting harmonized well with the song's soft instrumentation. Due to the strong radio airplay and extended chart success of the song, the video received frequent play on several music video channels throughout the summer of 1993.

"Hero" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on October 19, 1993 by Columbia Records as the second single from Carey's third studio album, Music Box (1993). Originally intended for Gloria Estefan, the song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff. While writing the song, Carey didn't connect to its style or sound, therefore forfeiting it over to the soundtrack of the film of the same name. However, after being convinced to keep it, she personalized it, giving it a more pop and R&B melody, as well as changing some of the lyrics to more precisely fit her personality. Lyrically, the song is regarded as one of Carey's most inspirational and personal ballads, with its protagonist declaring that even though we may feel discouraged or down at times, in reality we are "heroes" if we look inside ourselves and see our own inner strength; in time, it will help us "find the way."
The song received mixed reviews by contemporary music critics for its lyrical content as well as Carey's vocal performance. Aside from its lyrics, "Hero" derived its hook and sound from several musical instruments such as the guitar, piano and organ. The song experienced strong success in several international markets, becoming Carey's eighth chart topper on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, it was ranked at number eleven on the Billboard Year-End Chart, and number fifty-three on the Decade-End Chart. Outside the United States, "Hero" enjoyed strong charting, reaching the top five in Canada, France, Ireland, New Zealand and Norway and the top ten in Australia and the United Kingdom. Due to its extended popularity, "Hero" was covered by the 2008 UK X Factor finalists and released as a single, topping the charts in Ireland the UK for three weeks and becoming one of the biggest selling songs in British history.
Due to fan requests and letters, as well as their connection to its personal meaning and content, the song remains one of Carey's most performed songs. Deemed by many as her signature song, the song was originally performed on The Arsenio Hall Show, The Jay Leno Show, and Hey Hey It's Saturday during its original chart run. Additionally, Carey performed it on several live telethons and specials, such as Pavarotti and Friends and Michael Jackson & Friends in 1999, America: A Tribute to Heroes in 2001, Live 8 in 2005, and the inaugural ball for Barack Obama in 2009. Additionally, the song was featured on the set-lists of all of Carey's tours, usually serving as the encore or closing number, and making its debut during the album's accompanying set of concerts, the Music Box Tour. The song was included on several of Carey's compilation albums, Number 1's (1998), Greatest Hits (2001) and The Ballads (2008).
Throughout the course of her career, Carey has re-recorded the song twice, as well another music videos aside from the original. The first music video for the song was filmed by Larry Jordan in July 1993 during a private concert at Proctor's Theatre, later released on the home video Here Is Mariah Carey. In 2001, following the September 11 attacks, Carey re-recorded the song as a mash-up single titled Never Too Far/Hero Medley, a medley with her single at the time, Never Too Far. Additionally, prior to the release of her compilation album The Ballads, Carey re-recorded "Hero" and filmed a new video featuring behind the scenes footage of the studio. "Hero" won two ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards, one ASCAP Pop Music Award and one BMI Pop Award for the Songwriter Award. The song has been covered several times during both studio and live recordings, such as on global singing competitions.

"Anytime You Need a Friend" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on May 31, 1994 by Columbia Records as the fourth and final single from Carey's third studio album, Music Box (1993). Written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff, the song draws influence from pop, R&B and gospel music genres. While the album focused heavily on pop oriented and radio friendly material, "Anytime You Need a Friend" deviated from the formula, finishing as the only gospel-infused song on Music Box. Lyrically, the song's protagonist tells her love interest that anytime he may need a friend, she will be there unconditionally for him. Throughout the song's bridge and climax, critics noted the lyrics altering from those of a friend, to those of a lover.
The song was well received by contemporary music critics, many of which felt Carey's large spanning vocal range on the song, as well as its gospel influence was missing on most of Music Box. Aside from its critical acceptance, the song achieved strong worldwide charting, placing at number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100, however becoming her first single to miss the top-ten. Additionally, it peaked at number five in Canada and topped the singles charts in Finland and the Netherlands. The song attained a top-twenty peak position in Australia, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Carey performed "Anytime You Need a Friend" live on several televised talk and award shows around the world, including The David Letterman Show, the British music chart program Top of the Pops, German entertainment show Wetten, dass..?, Australian breakfast program Hey Hey It's Saturday, and the 1993 Music Fair in Japan. Additionally, the song served as a closing number on Carey's Music Box and Daydream World Tours, and was featured on her compilation albums, Greatest Hits (2001) and The Ballads (2008). Apart from the several remixes commissioned for the song, the C+C remix became the most notable, being produced by C+C Music Factory's David Cole and Robert Clivillés, and the first of Carey's remixes to feature her on production credits.
The song's music video was filmed by Danielle Federici, in New York during the summer of 1994. The video was filmed in black-and-white fashion, and features Carey's first image makeover, where she appears with a straightened hairstyle for the first time in her career. Additionally, the music video showcases scenes of Carey singing by a large church choir in a foyer, as well as several people, ranging from a small child to an elderly man, who are alone and depressed. As the video progresses, the child and man are befriended after brief interludes and prayers to God. The song's C+C remix also features its own music video, displaying behind the scenes footage of Carey and her staff enjoying themselves during the original video's filming.

"Fantasy" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on September 12, 1995 by Columbia Records as the lead single for her fifth studio album, Daydream (1995). The song was written by Carey and Dave Hall, both serving as primary producers alongside Sean Combs. The song samples the hook from Tom Tom Club's 1982 song Genius of Love, and incorporates various other beats and grooves arranged by the former. The song's lyrics describe a woman who is in love with a man, and how every time she sees him she starts fantasizing about an impossible relationship with him. The remix for the song features rap verses from Ol' Dirty Bastard (O.D.B), something Carey arranged to assist in her transition into the R&B and hip-hop market.
The song was positively reviewed by contemporary music critics, many of whom complimented its clever use of the "Genius of Love" hook as well as Carey's vocal performance. "Fantasy" experienced strong success around the world, especially in the United States. It became the second song in Billboard history and the first by a female, to debut atop the Hot 100. Additionally, aside from topping the chart for eight consecutive weeks, the song achieved strong success outside the US, topping the charts in Australia, Canada and New Zealand and becoming a top-five hit in Belgium, Finland, France and the United Kingdom.
Carey performed "Fantasy" live on several television and award show appearances around the world. Carey performed the song at the 23rd annual American Music Awards, held on January 29, 1996. Additionally, it was performed live on British music chart program Top of the Pops and on French television. "Fantasy" was part of the set-lists on several of Carey's succeeding tours, making its debut during the album's accompanying set of concerts, the Daydream World Tour and is featured on her compilation albums, Number 1's (1998), Greatest Hits (2001) and Playlist: The Very Best of Mariah Carey (2010).
The cover of the single was shot by top fashion photographer Steven Meisel. The cover for her album Daydream is a cropped version of the single cover. Carey directed the music video for "Fantasy", making it her directorial debut. Carey created the video's concept and chose the filming location. After being disappointed with the final result in many of her previous videos, Carey decided to single handedly direct the video. The video showed Carey's roller blading through an amusement park, singing and enjoying herself. Mid-way through the video, O'l Dirty Bastard (O.D.B) makes a cameo appearance as a clown. The video concludes with Carey dancing atop the sunroof of a car, with many others present and enjoying the music and celebration.

"One Sweet Day" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey and R&B group Boyz II Men. The song was written by Carey, Walter Afanasieff and the members of Boyz II Men: Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman, Nathan Morris, and Michael McCary. "One Sweet Day" was produced by Carey and Afanasieff for her fifth studio album Daydream, and was released as the album's second single on November 14, 1995 (1995-11-14). Lyrically, the song speaks about losing a loved one, and one day seeing them in heaven once again, and how the protagonist misses them with each passing day. Both Carey and Boyz II Men wrote the song about specific people in their lives, however also dedicating the song to the AIDS epidemic that manifested itself globally in 1995.
"One Sweet Day" was positively reviewed by music critics, many of whom complimented its lyrical content and vocals, as well as calling it a standout track from Daydream. The song experienced success in many countries around the world, especially in the United States. It spent sixteen weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and is the longest running number one song in US chart history. The song also achieved strong success around the world, topping the charts in Canada and New Zealand, and reaching the top-ten in Australia, Belgium, France, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Carey performed "One Sweet Day" live on several television and award show appearances around the world. She performed it alongside Boyz II Men at the 38th annual Grammy Awards ceremony, held on February 26, 1996. Additionally, the song was performed and at Princess Diana's memorial service in September 1997. "One Sweet Day" was part of the set-lists on several of Carey's succeeding tours, making its debut during the album's accompanying set of concerts, the Daydream World Tour and is featured on her compilation albums, Number 1's (1998), Greatest Hits (2001) and The Ballads (2008).
The music video for "One Sweet Day" was filmed in early 1996, and features snippets of Carey and Boyz II Men in the studio recording parts of the song. Carey explained the reasoning behind the basic video, claiming that due to her and Boyz II Men's busy schedules, they feared there wouldn't be enough time to record a proper video. For this reason, they had a video set made in the studio while they wrote and recorded the song, using bits of the recording process for the music video. Carey later said that she was content a real music video was never filmed, fearing that no video could truly capture the song's strong lyrical message. Critics felt the video choice was wise, and agreed that the simple concept paid homage to the song's selfless message.

"Always Be My Baby" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her fifth studio album, Daydream. It was released by Columbia Records on March 9, 1996 as the third US single and fourth overall. The song was written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri and Manuel Seal, who also produced the song. A mid-tempo song, its lyrics describe the feeling of attachment and unity the protagonist feels towards her estranged lover, even though they are no longer together. She says he will always be a part of her and will "always be her baby" even after they move on.
Music critics have praised "Always Be My Baby". The song became Carey's eleventh chart topper on the Billboard Hot 100, tying her with Madonna and Whitney Houston for most number one singles for a female artist. It spent two weeks atop the chart and became Carey's eight chart topper on the Canadian Singles Chart. In other regions, the song performed moderately, peaking at number three in the United Kingdom, number five in New Zealand, number seventeen in Australia and in the top twenty in most music markets where it charted.
The song's music video features scenes of Carey frolicking by a campsite, as well as swinging on a large swing over a lake. Additional inter-cuts include scenes of two children, one male and female, sneaking out at night and spending time together by a campfire similar to Carey's location. The song was performed live during her Daydream World Tour (1996) and many of her future tours and concerts. "Always Be My Baby" was also featured in Carey's compilation albums, Number 1's (1998), Greatest Hits (2001) and The Ballads (2008).

"Honey" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her sixth studio album, Butterfly. It was released as the lead single from the album on August 26, 1997 by Columbia Records. The song was written by Carey, Puff Daddy, Q-Tip and Stevie J, all of whom served as the song's producers as well. Due to the song's use of two samples: "Hey DJ" by the World's Famous Supreme Team, and "The Body Rock" by the Treacherous Three, additional writers are credited. "Honey" was a re-defining song in Carey's career, pushing her farther into hip-hop than she had gone before. The song's lyrics describe the feeling the protagonist feels towards her lover, and compares the sensation to honey, and its overbearing sweetness.
The song was praised by contemporary music critics, who called Carey's musical transition "genuine". The song experienced strong success in the United States, becoming Carey's third single to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100, a feat that has yet to be duplicated. The song stayed at number one for three weeks, before its descent down the chart. "Honey" also reached number one in Canada, and reached the top ten in Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. In other most European countries, the song charted outside the top ten, not matching the success of Carey's previous singles.
"Honey" was nominated for two Grammy Awards at the 1998 ceremony, for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song. The song did not win either nomination, a typical trend of Carey's nominations at the Grammys. Carey performed "Honey" at the 1998 World Music Awards, Top of the Pops and on Japanese television. Additionally, it was performed throughout Carey's supporting concert tour, the Butterfly World Tour, which played throughout 1998. Carey included the song in the set-list of various live shows and future tours, where she would sing both the original and remix versions.
"Honey" is well known for its accompanying music video, which presented a more sexual and less conservative image of Carey than had been previously seen. The video features Carey being held hostage in a mansion, which she soon after escapes in a James Bond themed video. Subsequent scenes sequence Carey escaping her assailants on a watercraft, dancing aboard a ship with sailors, and frolicking on a beautiful island with her lover. The video garnered much controversy, as many comparisons were made in between the video and the rumors of Carey's failing marriage. While Carey denied the comparisons were anything more than coincidence, many close friends including Walter Afanasieff, Carey's writing partner, felt they were more than obvious.

"Breakdown" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her sixth studio album, Butterfly. It was released as the third single from the album on March 24, 1998 by Columbia Records. Like "Butterfly", "Breakdown" received a limited worldwide release due to Carey's conflict at the time with Columbia. The song was written and produced by Carey, Stevie J and Puff Daddy, and features rap verses by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. The song's lyrics describe the emotions someone feels when their lover suddenly stops loving and leaves them, and the pain, or breakdown, it causes the person. The song was well received by contemporary music critics.
In the music video, Carey goes through a variety of different colorful outfits, with matching make-up. Of the many changes, two scenes predominantly occupy the video. The first in Carey dressed in flamenco style clothing, while dancing on a chair with two other female dancers. The other features Carey and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony gambling in a casino. Carey performed the song live during her Butterfly World Tour in 1998, as well as various other dates in her future tours. Due to the songs limited release, "Breakdown" did not chart in most major music markets, with the exception of Australia and New Zealand, where it peaked at numbers thirty eight and four, respectively. In the US, due to Billboard rules at the time, the song was unable to chart on the Hot 100, but charted at number fifty-three on the Hot 100 Airplay

"When You Believe" is an Academy Award-winning song by American recording artists Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. The song was written and composed by Stephen Schwartz for the 1998 DreamWorks animated feature The Prince of Egypt. A version of "When You Believe" was produced as a single with additional music by writer-producer Babyface for the film's soundtrack album. Additionally, the song was featured on Houston's fourth studio album, My Love Is Your Love and Carey's first compilation album, Number 1's. The song was described as a big ballad, with meaningful and inspirational lyrics, describing the ability each person has to achieve miracles when they reach out to God and believe.
The song received generally mixed reviews from contemporary music critics. "When You Believe" experienced moderate success on the US Billboard charts, peaking at only number fifteen on the Hot 100, despite heavy media attention and live promotion. The song however, achieved strong charting throughout Europe and other worldwide regions, peaking within the top five in Belgium, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Due to strong single sales in Europe and the US, the song was received various certification awards throughout many major music markets.
"When You Believe" was awarded the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 71st annual ceremony on March 21, 1999. Prior to their performance of the song that night, Schwartz left Babyface's name off the nomination submission sheet. He felt that because the additions Babyface added to the song weren't featured in the actual film version, he didn't deserve writing credits. However, while Babyface did not receive the Oscar, Carey and Houston performed his version of the song, because they were more familiar with it than the one in the film. Prior to their performance at the Academy Awards, they sang it on November 26, 1998 on The Oprah Winfrey Show, promoting the song, as well as both their albums.
The song featured two music videos. The first and most commonly seen video was filmed at Brooklyn Academy of Music performing arts center. The video features both females, and begins with Houston and Carey performing in a large auditorium, giving the allusion of a concert. Towards the end of the video, clips of the film are projected onto a large screen at the concert, whole they belt out the final verse. The alternate video features a similar synopsis, with both singers performing on a large stage an old Egyptian pyramid. The main difference however, is the fact that no film clips are played in the video and there is no audience present.

"Heartbreaker" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on September 21, 1999 by Columbia Records as the lead single from Carey's seventh studio album, Rainbow (1999). The song was written by Carey and Jay-Z and produced by the former and DJ Clue. Additional writers are credited, since the song's hook is built around a sample from "Attack of the Name Game" by Stacy Lattisaw. "Heartbreaker" pushed Carey even further into the R&B and hip-hop market, becoming her first commercial single to feature a hip-hop artist. Lyrically, the song tells of a relationship from the female perspective, and how the protagonist incessantly returns to her lover, even though he continuously cheats on her and breaks her heart.
The song received mixed reviews from music critics, many of which felt it was not original or innovative in terms of a creative step forward. Additionally, it was compared heavily to Carey's previous song "Fantasy" (1995), which also built its hook from a sampled beat. "Heartbreaker" experienced strong worldwide success, peaking atop the charts in Canada and the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Carey's fourteen chart topper there. Across Europe and Australasia, the song achieved high charting, peaking atop the charts in New Zealand and Spain, and becoming a top five single in France and the United Kingdom.
Carey performed "Heartbreaker" live on several television and award show appearances around the world. She performed "Heartbreaker" and the Desert Storm remix at the MTV European Music Awards, held on November 11, 1999 in Dublin, Ireland. Additionally, the song was performed on The Oprah Winfrey Show, British music chart program Top of the Pops and The Today Show. Additionally, the song was featured the set-lists of all of Carey's succeeding tours, making its debut during the album's accompanying set of concerts, the Rainbow World Tour and was featured on Carey's compilation album, Greatest Hits (2001).
The song's music video, directed by Brett Ratner, became a "fan favorite" according to MTV News.Additionally, it became one of the most expensive ever made, costing over $2.5 million. The video features Carey and her friends visiting a movie theater and catching her boyfriend (played by Jerry O'Connell) on a date with another woman. The video features Carey playing two characters, the brunette villainous named Bianca, and herself, during a physical altercation in between the two women in the bathroom. Due to contractual agreements at the time of its filming, Jay-Z was unable to make an appearance in the video, instead being portrayed as an animated cartoon. The video was inspired by several films including Grease and Enter the Dragon.

"Thank God I Found You" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It features guest vocals from R&B singer Joe and American boy band 98 Degrees. Written and produced by Carey along with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the song was released on January 25, 2000, by Columbia Records as the second single from her seventh studio album, Rainbow (1999). "Thank God I Found You" is an R&B power ballad that was inspired by a relationship Carey was going through at the time, and lyrically recounts a powerful love relationship in which the protagonist tells her lover "thank God I found you."
"Thank God I Found You" received mostly negative reviews from contemporary music critics; some felt it was "un-listenable" and "forgettable". Nevertheless, the song became Carey's fifteenth number-one single on the United States Billboard Hot 100 and remained her last chart topping single there until 2005's comeback single "We Belong Together". The single was later certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of 500,000 units. Aside from its peak of number two in Canada, the song achieved moderate international charting, reaching the top ten in the United Kingdom and peaking within the top thirty in Australia, Belgium (Wallonia), France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.
A music video for "Thank God I Found You", directed by Brett Ratner, features Carey, Joe, and 98 Degrees performing the song live in an outdoor concert. The Make It Last Remix had its own music video, which was shot at a club in Hamburg, Germany. Carey performed the song live at the 27th Annual American Music Awards. It was featured on the set-lists of the Rainbow World Tour (2000) and The Adventures of Mimi Tour (2006), with Trey Lorenz serving as the male vocalist.
Carey re-recorded her vocals for the song's main remix titled "Thank God I Found You" (Make It Last Remix), which features vocals from Joe and Carey's label-mate, rapper Nas. The remix is a remake of Keith Sweat's song "Make It Last Forever" (1988), and incorporates a few verses from the original version of "Thank God I Found You". DJ Clue produced the remix, transforming it into a slow groove R&B number. In September 2000, US songwriters Seth Swirsky and Warren Campbell filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Carey claiming that "Thank God i Found You" borrowed heavily from the song "One of Those Love Songs" they composed for R&B group Xscape. The lawsuit was eventually settled in favor of Carey.

"Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released by Columbia Records on June 6, 2000, and was written by Carey and Diane Warren, and produced by Carey and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for Carey's seventh studio album Rainbow (1999). It was released as the album's third single as a double A-side with "Crybaby". The song is a ballad, blending pop and R&B beats while incorporating its sound from several instruments including the violin, piano and organ. Lyrically, the song speaks of inner strength, and not allowing others to tear away your dreams.
The song was well received by critics, many of whom complimented the lyrics, as well as Carey's vocals. Aside from its critical acceptance, the song achieved weak charting due to its limited release. The song was the center of a very public controversy between Carey and her label Sony, due to their weak promotion of the single. It peaked outside the top twenty in both Belgium (Wallonia) and the Netherlands, however peaking at number four in Canada. Stateside, due to Billboard rules at the time, it was not eligible to chart on the Hot 100, only managing a peak of number six on the dance chart.
Two music videos were filmed for "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)". Both feature personal videos left by five fans, re-telling their stories of pain and emotional abuse and how the song had inspired them. Additionally, a large screen is shown next to Carey throughout the video, playing other inspirational stories from famous athletes. The ending alternates in both videos, with one climaxing on the balcony overlooking the city, while the other by a large indoor window. The song was performed on The Today Show and The View, as well as Carey's Rainbow (2000) and Charmbracelet World Tours (2002–03).

"Loverboy" is a song written by American singer Mariah Carey, using a song sample originally written by Larry Blackmon and Thomas Jenkins, and produced by Carey and Clark Kent for Carey's soundtrack album Glitter (2001). It is built over the sample of "Candy" by Cameo, who are featured artists on the song. The song's protagonist fantasizes about her "loverboy," and it was released as the album's first single in 2001. It has been certified Gold in United States and Australia.
"Loverboy" won a Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Award for R&B/hip-hop singles sales.



"Never Too Far" is a song written and produced by American singer Mariah Carey, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for Carey's tenth album/soundtrack, Glitter. The protagonist of this ballad states that although physical distance can sometimes separate lovers, the love they share will never be too far apart. It was released as the album's second single in 2001, and was Carey's first radio airplay-only release in the U.S. after 1998 when Billboard magazine had given chart eligibility to singles that weren't released in a physical format.
"Never Too Far" became Carey's first U.S. single to not appear on the Billboard Hot 100, but it reached number 5 on Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, which represents the twenty-five singles below the Hot 100's number 100 position which have not yet appeared on the Hot 100. It was not solicited to R&B radio stations in the U.S. As a double A-side with "Don't Stop (Funkin' 4 Jamaica)", the single reached the top forty in the United Kingdom and Australia. In Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Sweden, it was released on its own and peaked outside the top forty.
No remixes of the song were commissioned, though a radio edit reduces the lengthy introduction. The charity single "Never Too Far/Hero Medley" combines the first verse of "Never Too Far" with a re-recorded version of the second verse and bridge of Carey's "Hero" (1993), and it was later released in the U.S. and charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
Carey was unable to film a music video for the single as she was recovering from an emotional and physical breakdown. Instead, a video was created using a scene taken directly from the film Glitter, where Billie Frank (played by Carey) sings the song at Madison Square Garden during her first sold-out concert. Frank's performance of the song in the film omits its entire second verse, and the song's development runs in parallel with the film's love story.

"Through the Rain" is a song performed by singer Mariah Carey. It was composed and written by Carey and Lionel Cole for her ninth studio album Charmbracelet (2002), and it was released as the album's first single in 2002. The song speaks of having faith that one will overcome any turmoil or obstacle (rain) and will persevere throughout any situation. The song is arranged in a typical order with verse one, chorus, verse two, bridge and chorus. Carey uses her long signature high note to link the bridge to the final chorus. Carey's vocal range spans from G#3 to F5.




"Boy (I Need You)" is a song co-written and co-produced by Mariah Carey and Just Blaze for Carey's twelfth album Charmbracelet (2002). It features a sample of the Rose Royce song "I'm Going Down", which is also sampled in the same fashion in rapper Cam'ron's 2002 single "Oh Boy". Cam'ron himself provides verses for the song. "Boy (I Need You)" was released as the album's second single in 2003.







"It's Like That" is a song written by Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, and Johntá Austin, and produced by Carey, Dupri, and Seal for Carey's tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). It borrows the hook "it's like that y'all" from the Run-D.M.C. tracks "Hollis Crew" (1984) and "Here We Go (Live)" (1983), and shares its name with another Run DMC song. It was the first single to be released from the album, in 2005. It was a top twenty hit in several countries, including the United States, and was nominated for a 2006 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
"Stay the Night" featuring Kanye West was originally planned to be the lead single from the album. Later, however, it was announced that "Say Somethin'" featuring Snoop Dogg would be the lead single. Eventually, however, plans were changed again, and "It's Like That" was chosen as the lead single.

"We Belong Together" is a song recorded by Mariah Carey for her tenth studio album The Emancipation of Mimi (2005) and released as the album's second single in 2005. Written and produced by Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, and Johntá Austin, the song was inspired by 1980s R&B and soul. Its arrangement is built on simple piano chords and an understated backbeat, and its lyrics chronicle a woman's desperation for her former lover to return after their separation.
Following a decline between 2001 and 2005, Carey achieved major worldwide success with "We Belong Together" as the song topped the charts in Australia and the United States. The song had stayed at the number one spot for 14 non-consecutive weeks, Carey's second longest stay at the number one spot since her 1995 single, One Sweet Day with Boyz II Men, which stayed at number one for 16 consecutive weeks. In the U.S., the song also repeatedly broke many BDS Airplay records and was warmly received by critics. The song won Carey a number of industry awards, including two Grammy Awards in 2006. The song has been certified platinum by the RIAA, and has sold over 5 million copies worldwide. Billboard magazine listed "We Belong Together" ninth on The Billboard: All-Time Hot 100 Top Songs and the most successful song of the 2000s.




"Shake It Off" is a song performed by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, taken from her tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). It was written and produced by Carey with Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Johntá Austin. and recorded for Carey's tenth album, The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). The song initially impacted radio on July 12, 2005 as the album's third single in the United States, while "Get Your Number" served as the album's third single elsewhere. The song was later released as a single in Australia and New Zealand, and as a double A-side with "Get Your Number" in Ireland and the United Kingdom.
According to producer Jermaine Dupri the song's style takes from the album Confessions (2004) by American R&B singer, Usher. Described by Dupri as "ghetto," the track is a pop and R&B song that makes use of hip-hop sounds and a simple, sparse production. Lyrically, the song's protagonist speaks of moving forward from a relationship and talking about packing up her things and breaking up through an answering machine. The song was well-received by critics, although they noted the song's simplicity, with Bill Lamb of About.com referring to it as "pop fluff."
The song peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, as it was denied the top spot by Carey's own "We Belong Together" for six weeks. It was successful on both urban and pop radio formats, succeeding "We Belong Together" as the number one song on the Pop Songs chart, and reaching number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Internationally, the song reached the top ten in both Australia and New Zealand. Across the British Isles, the song charted as a double A-side single with "Get Your Number," reaching numbers fifteen and nine in Ireland and the United Kingdom, respectively.
The song's music video, directed by Jake Nava features numerous extravagant wardrobe changes. It sees Carey moving from her boyfriend's posh apartment, then riding off through "Hollyhood" with another man, played by actor Chris Tucker. The video's beginning and end contrast, with it opening with Carey in a bathtub with rose petals, then ending with her moving on into the sunset, dropping her robe. The video was nominated for Best R&B Video at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. Carey performed the song a number of times including at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, the 2005 World Music Awards, and one her The Adventures of Mimi Tour. The song's DJ Clue-produced remix features rappers Jay-Z and Young Jeezy.

"Don't Forget About Us" is a song co-written by Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Johntá Austin and Bryan-Michael Cox, and recorded by Carey for the re-release of her tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). It was co-produced by Carey, Dupri and Austin and released as the album's fifth single (fourth in North America) in late 2005. The song reached number one in Finland, Flanders and the U.S., and the top forty elsewhere. It was nominated for two awards at the 49th Grammy Awards.





"Touch My Body" is a song co-written by American singer Mariah Carey, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Crystal "Cri$tyle" Johnson and The-Dream for Carey's eleventh studio album, E=MC². Produced by Carey, Stewart and Nash, it was released as the lead single of the album. The song is Carey's eighteenth number 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 and it gave Mariah her 79th week at number 1 on that chart.






"Bye Bye" is a song written by American singer Mariah Carey, Johntá Austin, Mikkel S. Eriksen, and Tor Erik Hermansen for Carey's eleventh studio album, E=MC². It was produced by Carey and Stargate, and was released as the second single from the album. The song peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.








"I Stay in Love" is a song written by Mariah Carey, Bryan-Michael Cox, WyldCard, and Roderick Hollingsworth for Carey's eleventh studio album, E=MC². Produced by Carey and Cox, it was released as the album's fourth and final single. The song was performed at the American Music Awards on November 23, 2008. Although the single has reached number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, it failed to chart in the Billboard Hot 100, which prompted Island Def Jam to cancel any further singles from the album.





"Obsessed" is a R&B song by American singer Mariah Carey from her twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. The song, produced and written by Carey, The-Dream (who did the intro on the song) and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, was released to U.S. radio on June 16, 2009 as the lead single from the album which was released on September 29, 2009. The single became Carey's 12th Platinum single, the most by any female artist.






"Angels Cry" is a song performed by American R&B singer Mariah Carey. Written by Carey, Christopher Stewart, Crystal Johnson, James Wright the song features on her twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. It was remixed to feature fellow American R&B singer, Ne-Yo and then released on February 23, 2010 as the intended second single from Carey's now cancelled thirteenth studio album and second remix album, Angels Advocate. "Angels Cry" was moderately successful having peaked at number 26 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart and its music video was produced by Carey and husband, Nick Cannon. Soon after its release, Angels Advocate was cancelled as well as all subsequent promotion and release of the song.