Mariah Carey’s Lasting Influence on Soul and R&B

You can’t talk about Pop music without mentioning Mariah Carey. What makes Mariah Carey so great is the timelessness of her work. Through 15 albums, Carey’s impact on the landscape of music is undeniable.

If you want to learn more about this, read on for a quick run-through of Mariah Carey’s career and her lasting influence on Soul and R&B!

Humble Beginnings

Carey has music in her blood. Carey’s mother Patricia was a formally trained opera singer and vocal coach. Even Carey’s name was derived from a song, as her parents named her after the song They Call the Wind Maria, plucked straight out of Paint Your Wagon. Everything seems to have set Carey up for a career in music but things were far from easy when she was starting out.

Carey told Rolling Stone Magazine about the difficulties of landing her first record deal, as she had tirelessly worked on her demos to the point of exhaustion all while funnelling most of her money into her work. This often left the up and coming star with no money for a proper meal and days where she would fall asleep on the recording studio’s floor. Despite all of this, talent can’t be denied as Carey managed to land a record deal and release her debut self-titled album Mariah Carey back in 1990.

Record Breaking Repertoire

Since then, Carey has released a total of 15 albums throughout her long and illustrious career. Her latest album Caution, released back in 2018, was received with moderate success as it debuted at number 40 on the Top 100 charts, still the great quality of this last body of work remains irrefutable.

Witht that being siad, Carey is no stranger to the top of the charts. In fact, Carey currently holds the record for most No.1 singles by a solo artist with 19. She also used to hold the record for most weeks at the number one spot before she was dethroned early last year by Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road.

Despite all of that, if there’s one thing that Carey is known for it is All I Want for Christmas Is You. Released back in 1994 on the album Merry Christmas, Carey’s iconic Christmas ballad has been synonymous with the holidays since its release. The song managed to break records back in 2019 as it reached unprecedented heights. The Hollywood Reporter details that All I Want for Christmas Is You became the highest-charting holiday song on the US Hot 100 by a solo artist.

Lasting Influence

Given all of this, it’s no surprise that Mariah Carey is one of the most influential artists in contemporary music. Her hits have become the blueprint for artists today, as they all want to emulate her success.

Besides, the breathing legend keeps collecting accolades to her career, as she’s recently been inducted into the Songwriter Hall Of Fame 2020.

Her track A No No hits the perfect balance between accessible and technical talent, which is a recipe for a modern-day chart-topper — a balance that many artists today are still trying to figure out. It’s also no surprise that Mariah Carey’s biggest hits are still topping charts all over the world.

Carey features in Gala Bingo’s official Christmas playlist, with her iconic All I Want For Christmas Is You still very much a favourite all over the UK. The song is indeed a masterclass on song writing, as the track’s unique melody makes for a spectacular track that has stood the test of time.

What people may not know is that the song came about unexpectedly. Carey was messing around on the piano one day and stumbled upon the melody and chord progression of the song.

Accident or not there’s no denying the generational defining talent that is Mariah Carey. And while there are no signs of a new album on the horizon, Carey has already done enough to cement her place in the pantheon of music, as her music will continue to be popular for years to come.

If you want to read more about Carey’s impact on music, check out our feature on auréal who cites Carey as one of her main influences!