The 23 best Mariah Carey songs that DIDN’T hit number-one: Underrated hits from the elusive chanteuse

Daniel Montgomery
·4 min read
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Mariah Carey is famous for topping the charts. In fact, she holds the record for the most number-one hits by a solo artist on the Billboard Hot 100 (19), and she became the first artist ever to hit number-one in four different decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s). But of course no one can send every song they’ve recorded to the top of the charts. A number of Carey’s greatest hits didn’t reach the summit, but they belong in any discussion of her storied career. Scroll down for our countdown of her best non-chart-toppers.

Early in her career it was hard to find Carey singles anywhere but number-one. The first four from her very first album reached that position (“Vision of Love,” “Love Takes Time,” “Someday” and “I Don’t Wanna Cry”). The 1990s continued at that same pace: a whopping 14 of her chart leaders were released in that decade. The 2000s were less auspicious for her: she had career and tabloid trouble when her movie “Glitter” and its accompanying soundtrack underperformed. But true to form she followed that with one of the very biggest hits, “We Belong Together” from her Grammy-winning comeback album “The Emancipation of Mimi.”

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But the 21st century hasn’t brought her as much overwhelming success as the 1990s did. She only reached number-one five times since the turn of the century (an enviable number for most artists who aren’t Mariah Carey), but while she didn’t dominate pop music like she once did, it wasn’t necessarily reflective of a loss of quality. In fact, her 15th studio album “Caution” (2018) was one of the most acclaimed of her career (and a few of its songs made our list).

So which songs are the epitome of Carey’s career despite not adding to her legendary list of chart-toppers? Check them out below, and let us know if you agree with our choice for her number-one non-number-one.

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23. “Loverboy” featuring Cameo (2001)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-two on the Hot 100.

22. “Through the Rain” (2002)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-81 on the Hot 100, but topped the dance chart.

21. “I Know What You Want” with Busta Rhymes featuring Flipmode Squad (2003)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-three on the Hot 100.

20. “#Beautiful” featuring Miguel (2013)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-15 on the Hot 100, but reached number-three on the Hot R&B/Hop-Hop Songs chart.

19. “Obsessed” (2009)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-seven on the Hot 100.

18. “Bye Bye” (2008)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-19 on the Hot 100.

17. “It’s Like That” (2005)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-16 on the Hot 100.

16. “With You” (2018)

Chart Achievement: Reached number-seven on the Adult Contemporary chart.

15. “I’ll Be Lovin’ U Long Time” (2008)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-58 on the Hot 100.

14. “A No No” (2018)

Chart Achievement: The album “Caution” hit number-five on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

13. “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak” (2003)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-five on the Billboard dance chart.

12. “I Still Believe” (1999)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-four on the Hot 100.

11. “Breakdown” with Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone (1998)

Chart Achievement: Reached number-four in New Zealand.

10. “Shake it Off” (2005)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-two on the Hot 100.

9. “Forever” (1996)

Chart Achievement: Reached number-two on the Adult Contemporary chart.

8. “GTFO” (2018)

Chart Achievement: The album “Caution” reached number-five on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

7. “Can’t Let Go” (1991)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-two on the Hot 100.

6. “Anytime You Need a Friend” (1994)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-12 on the Hot 100.

5. “Endless Love” with Luther Vandross (1994)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-two on the Hot 100.

4. “Butterfly” (1997)

Chart Achievement: Reached number-11 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

3. “When You Believe” with Whitney Houston (1998)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-15 on the Hot 100.

2. “Without You” (1994)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-three on the Hot 100.

1. “Make it Happen” (1992)

Chart Achievement: Peaked at number-five on the Hot 100.

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