Don’t Forget That Mariah Carey is More Than the Queen of Christmas

Mariah Carey’s Vocal and Songwriting Impact

In 1990, “Vision of Love” introduced the world to Carey’s vocal prowess. The power ballad raised the bar for pop singers, incorporating intricate vocal runs and the first of many whistle notes during the song’s climax. The sheer range required to sing “Vision of Love” immediately put Carey in a different tier of vocalists. Carey, Whitney Houston, and Celine Dion were often referred to by fans as “the Vocal Trinity of the 1990s.” Current pop stars like Beyoncé and Kelly Clarkson have specifically cited the impact of Carey’s mastery of vocal runs on this track and subsequent records throughout the decade.

Unlike Houston and Dion, Carey has the distinction among this group of being the only member of the “Vocal Trinity” to write the majority of her hits. This aspect of her talent has long been overshadowed by her vocal abilities up until recently, when Carey was inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 2022. To put this into perspective, imagine having the hit-making abilities of a pop songwriter like Taylor Swift or Max Martin but also being able to outsing the vast majority of your peers. Not very many contemporary solo artists with that unique combination of skills come to mind.

As a songwriter, Carey was able to feed the mainstream with catchy hits like “Always Be My Baby” and “We Belong Together.” But then there are also numerous deep cuts in her catalog that point to a more introspective maturity that was ahead of its time. For instance, the song “Outside,” which closes her sixth studio album Buttery (1997), is widely speculated to be about the challenges of being a biracial person in both society and in the entertainment space: “It’s hard to explain / Inherently, it’s always been strange / Neither here nor there / Always somewhat out of place everywhere.” This wasn’t exactly subject matter that the average pop star addressed in their music at the time. Yet, Carey consistently snuck in ballads about this complex subject matter into her work while at the height of her career. For more examples of this aspect of Carey’s catalog, check out the songs “Looking In” and “Close My Eyes.” 

In addition to writing about her experience as an outsider, Mariah Carey also managed to change the game by infusing hip-hop into mainstream pop. Remember how throughout the 2000s and still to this day, rappers would contribute verses on pop songs, from “Crazy in Love” to “Levitating?” Well, Mariah Carey was one of the first mainstream artists to do that. The 1995 remix of “Fantasy” was so influential that Pitchfork named it the best song of the ‘90s. The publication refers to the groundbreaking inclusion of hip-hop stylings on the record as “a reclamation of agency and identity, a blueprint for a new kind of pop song that would be replicated for decades to come.”

Mariah Carey’s vocal and songwriting talents paid off big time when it came to the Billboard charts. Her 19 number one hits have made her the most successful solo artist in the history of the Billboard Hot 100. That’s right after the Beatles, who have 20.  She also was the only artist to release a number one song in each year of the 1990s. To put it plainly, if you look at Carey’s success from a vocal, songwriting, or sales standpoint, she is practically unmatched. Sure, the majority of this success was achieved in the first decade of her career, but no other musical act has been able to reach this level of wide-ranging success since. 

The “Queen of Christmas” is Not Enough 

While the Christmas memes about Mariah Carey are seemingly all in good fun, it’s hard to be a devoted fan of hers and not feel the need to remind people of her legacy beyond that one song. Of course, “All I Want for Christmas is You” seems to be the gift that keeps on giving for Carey. After all, it was only this past year that she was able to reclaim the title of having the longest-running number one hit. 

Still, one would hope that the enduring relevance of that song could inspire younger generations of listeners to explore Carey’s full discography. Consuming the catalog of Mariah Carey from 1990 to today is like following the evolution of pop music at large. From the era of power ballads to the age of hip-hop crossover hits, Carey has contributed far more to the craft of writing and performing pop songs than most people give her credit for. So this year, let’s not “retire” Mariah Carey until December. Let’s celebrate the ways in which she has influenced countless pop stars today by listening to her other classics.