The Remixes | ||||
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Released | June 25, 2003 | |||
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Length | 140:15 | |||
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Mariah Carey chronology | ||||
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The Remixes is the first remix album by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey, released on June 25, 2003, by Columbia Records. It is primarily a collection of remixes of some of Carey's songs: disc one is compiled of club mixes, while disc two contains Carey's hip hop collaborations and remixes.
Following the demise of her marriage with Sony Music CEO Tommy Mottola after the release of her sixth studio album Butterfly (1997), American singer Mariah Carey negotiated her exit from record label Columbia in exchange for the release of four albums: #1's (1998; her first greatest hits album), Rainbow (1999; her seventh studio album), Greatest Hits (2001; her second greatest hits album), and The Remixes (2003; her first remix album). [1] By the time of the latter's release, Mottola had resigned from Sony Music and Carey was consequently more creatively involved in the album than Greatest Hits, [2] for which she admitted not knowing of its impending release in 2001. [3] In a 2003 interview with the Scripps Howard News Service, Carey summed up The Remixes' release as "a contractual Sony thing". [4] However, Carey told The Hollywood Reporter she had always wanted to put out a remix album and reflected positively about its tracklist. [5]
The Remixes received a staggered release worldwide as a cassette and compact disc. [6] Sony Music Japan International released the album in Japan on June 25, 2003, to correspond with Carey's Charmbracelet World Tour dates in that country. [7] While a United States release was scheduled for the previous day, [8] Columbia Records delayed the album multiple times to July 1, [9] August 5, [10] and September 2, [11] before releasing it on October 14. [12] Elsewhere, The Remixes was released on October 6 in the United Kingdom, [13] October 14 in Taiwan, [14] October 21 in Canada, [15] October 24 in South Korea, [6] and November 3 in Australia. [16]
The Remixes is a dance, [5] pop, [6] [17] and R&B album. [13] Disc one features songs with disco, [12] electronica, [18] gospel, [12] house, [18] and techno influences, [18] while disc two contains hip-hop collaborations with rappers. [12] The album features Carey's duet with Busta Rhymes, "I Know What You Want" (2003), originally recorded for Rhymes' album It Ain't Safe No More . It also includes two tracks previously only available in Japan: the So So Def Remix of "The One", a canceled single from Carey's Charmbracelet (2002) album; and the remix of "Miss You" featuring Jadakiss, which was originally recorded for Charmbracelet and samples "It's All About the Benjamins", which featured Jadakiss as part of The Lox alongside Diddy, Lil' Kim and The Notorious B.I.G.
Five of the tracks on disc two - "Breakdown" (1997), "Sweetheart" (1998), "Crybaby" (1999), "Miss You" and "I Know What You Want" - are not remixes at all. All three of Carey's record labels - Columbia Records, Virgin Records and Island Records - agreed to license tracks for the album, while "I Know What You Want" was licensed from J Records.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [19] |
Dayton Daily News | B [17] |
Deseret News | [20] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [21] |
New Straits Times | [22] |
The Province | [23] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [24] |
Slant Magazine | [25] |
Music critics opined on the release of a remix album and the remixes themselves. Kevin C. Johnson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch considered a remix album better than another greatest hits compilation, [26] the Malay Mail 's Yushaimi Yahaya said it was "a commercial strategy to sell old songs", [18] and R. S. Murthi of the New Straits Times felt it indicated Carey was "desperate to boost flagging sales". [22] Reviewing for Slant Magazine , Sal Cinquemani thought Carey's enthusiasm for the project disproved the latter's notions. [25] He viewed the album as suited to dedicated fans rather than general audiences, as did Yahaya and Billboard's Michael Paoletta. [25] [18] [12] Apart from "Emotions", Scott Iwasaki of the Deseret News considered the remixes "just as boring as the originals". [20] In contrast, Johnson felt the remixes enhanced Carey's songs as they "lacked flavor" in their original forms. [26] Tom Harrison of The Province said some songs make "radical departures" from the originals. [23] AllMusic's William Ruhlmann agreed, stating, "in many cases, the songs as initially heard are virtually unrecognizable". [19]
Reviewers wrote about both the dance and hip-hop discs. Derek Ali of the Dayton Daily News described the first as monotonous [17] and The Denver Post 's Elana Ashanti Jefferson questioned whether "the remix process entailed adding stale house beats and club sirens." [27] Cinquemani thought some songs sound dated but praised Carey for re-recording her vocals. [25] In contrast, Paoletta felt David Morales's production on disc one "remains fresh and alive" [12] and New York Times music critic Kelefa Sanneh considered it complementary of Carey's voice. Sanneh thought disc two songs remixed by Jermaine Dupri were of lesser quality and chose "Breakdown" and "Miss You" as highlights for the dynamic between Carey and rappers. [28] Jefferson thought the "vast pool of talent and influence" that went into producing tracks on disc two made the album worth more than one listen. [27] Referencing the samples and rappers present, Ali chose "Fantasy", "Thank God I Found You", and "Loverboy" as highlights from disc two [17] while Johnson selected "Loverboy", "My All/Stay Awhile", "Breakdown", and "Always Be My Baby". [26] Murthi disagreed, writing that the rappers failed to enhance the songs. [22]
The Remixes sold 40,687 copies in its first week of release in the United States. [29] It debuted and peaked at number twenty-six on the Billboard 200 albums chart, lower than the number three peak of her previous album Charmbracelet but higher than her prior compilation album Greatest Hits, which peaked at number fifty-two. The album spent a total of five weeks on the chart, the lowest of Carey's career at the time. [30] It experienced greater success on the genre-specific Top Electronic Albums chart, where it spent two months at number one. [31] By April 2005, The Remixes had sold 205,000 units in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan. [32] In November 2018, the album reached 289,000 sales. [33] The Recording Industry Association of America certified it gold in October 2019. [34] As a double album over 100 minutes long, it achieved Gold status after it sold 250,000 equivalent units instead of the standard 500,000 because its discs are counted separately for certification purposes. [35]
Elsewhere, The Remixes peaked within the top forty of national album charts in New Zealand, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. [36] [6] [37]
Tracks and composition details adapted from the album's liner notes. [38] Track lengths adapted from Sony Music Entertainment via Jaxsta. [39]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "My All" (Morales "My" Club Mix) | 7:08 | ||
2. | "Heartbreaker/If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior's Heartbreaker Club Mix) |
|
| 10:18 |
3. | "Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise)" (Fly Away Club Mix) |
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| 9:50 |
4. | "Anytime You Need a Friend" (C+C Club Version) |
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| 10:50 |
5. | "Fantasy" (Def Club Mix) |
| 11:14 | |
6. | "Honey" (Classic Mix) |
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| 8:05 |
7. | "Dreamlover" (Def Club Mix) |
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| 10:43 |
8. | "Emotions" (12" Club Mix) |
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| 5:57 |
9. | "Through the Rain" (HQ2 Radio Edit) |
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| 4:09 |
Total length: | 78:14 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Fantasy" (featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard) |
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| 4:50 |
2. | "Always Be My Baby" (Mr. Dupri Mix featuring Da Brat and Xscape) |
| 4:40 | |
3. | "My All/Stay Awhile" (So So Def Remix featuring Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz) |
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| 4:43 |
4. | "Thank God I Found You" (Make It Last Remix featuring Joe and Nas) |
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| 5:09 |
5. | "Breakdown" (featuring Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone) |
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| 4:44 |
6. | "Honey" (So So Def Mix featuring Da Brat and Jermaine Dupri) |
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| 5:11 |
7. | "Loverboy" (Remix featuring Da Brat, Ludacris, Twenty II and Shawnna) |
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| 4:29 |
8. | "Heartbreaker" (Remix featuring Da Brat and Missy Elliott) |
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| 4:36 |
9. | "Sweetheart" (featuring Jermaine Dupri) |
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| 4:22 |
10. | "Crybaby" (featuring Snoop Dogg) |
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| 5:19 |
11. | "Miss You" (featuring Jadakiss) |
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| 5:07 |
12. | "The One" (So So Def Remix featuring Bone Crusher) |
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| 4:36 |
13. | "I Know What You Want" (Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey featuring Flipmode Squad) |
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| 4:15 |
Total length: | 62:01 |
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Mariah Carey is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Songbird Supreme" by Guinness World Records, she is known for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whistle register. As an influential figure in music, she was ranked as the fifth greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone in 2023.
"Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey for her seventh studio album Rainbow (1999). The song was written by Carey and Diane Warren, and produced by Carey and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. It was released as the third single from Rainbow and a double A-side with "Crybaby" on April 17, 2000, by Columbia Records. 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 finding inner strength, and not allowing others to tear away your dreams.
"Through the Rain" is a song by American singer Mariah Carey, taken from her ninth studio album, Charmbracelet (2002). It was written by Carey and Lionel Cole, and produced by the former and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The song was released as the album's lead single on September 30, 2002 by Island Records and also the first single to released by Carey's own record label, MonarC Entertainment. A shorter version was used as the ending credits theme for a 2002 Japanese drama known as You're Under Arrest. Classified by Carey as a ballad, it is influenced by R&B and soul music genres, and features a simple and under-stated piano melody, backed by soft electronic synthesizers. "Through the Rain" was meant to be an insight into Carey personal struggles throughout 2001, and lyrically talks about encouraging others.
"Boy (I Need You)" is a song by American singer Mariah Carey, taken from her ninth studio album, Charmbracelet (2002). It was written by Carey, Justin Smith, Norman Whitfield and Cameron Giles, and produced by the former and Just Blaze. The song was released as the album's second single on November 26, 2002, by Island Def Jam and Carey's own label, MonarC Entertainment. Initially, "The One" had been chosen as the second single from the album, however, halfway through the filming of a music video for it, the singer decided to release "Boy (I Need You)" instead. Considered by Carey as one of her favorites, the track is a reworked version of rapper Cam'ron's song "Oh Boy" released earlier that year.
"Bringin' On the Heartbreak" is a song by English rock band Def Leppard. A power ballad, it was the second single from their 1981 album High 'n' Dry. The song was written by three of the band's members, Steve Clark, Pete Willis and Joe Elliott.
"Sweetheart" is a song originally recorded by American singer Rainy Davis. It was written by Davis and Pete Warner, and produced with Dorothy Kessler. The track was released in 1986 by independent record label SuperTronics as a single from Davis's 1987 studio album Sweetheart. A freestyle, hip hop pop, and synth-funk song, "Sweetheart" appeared on R&B and dance music-based record charts in the United States.
"All I Want for Christmas Is You" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her fourth studio album and first holiday album, Merry Christmas (1994). Written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff, the song was released as the lead single from the album on October 29, 1994, by Columbia Records. The track is an uptempo love song that includes bell chimes, backing vocals, and synthesizers. It has received critical acclaim, with The New Yorker describing it as "one of the few worthy modern additions to the holiday canon". The song has become a Christmas standard, with a significant rise in popularity every December.
Greatest Hits is the second greatest hits album by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey, released on December 4, 2001, by Columbia Records. Released after her departure from Columbia, the album includes most of Carey's singles from 1990 to 2000, spanning her tenure at the label. It features her then fifteen US number-one singles, along with the UK number-one hits "Without You" and "Against All Odds".
"My All" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her sixth studio album, Butterfly (1997). It was released as the album's fifth single overall and second commercial single on April 21, 1998, by Columbia Records. The song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff. "My All" is built around Latin guitar chord melodies, and makes subtle use of Latin percussion throughout the first chorus, before taking on a more conventional R&B-style beat. Carey was inspired to write the song and use Latin inspired melodies after a trip to Puerto Rico, where she was influenced by the culture. The song's lyrics tell of a lonely woman declaring she would give "her all" to have just one more night with her estranged lover. It is the first song Carey wrote for the Butterfly album.
"Fantasy" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on August 23, 1995, by Columbia Records as the lead single from her fifth album, Daydream (1995). The track was written and produced by Carey and Dave Hall. It samples Tom Tom Club's 1981 song "Genius of Love". The 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, something Carey arranged to assist in her crossover into the hip-hop market and credited for introducing R&B and hip hop collaboration into mainstream pop culture, and for popularizing rap as a featuring act.
"Honey" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her sixth studio album, Butterfly (1997). It was released as the lead single from Butterfly on July 29, 1997, by Columbia Records. The song was written and produced by Carey, Sean Combs, Kamaal "Q-Tip" Fareed and Steven "Stevie J" Jordan. The song samples "Hey DJ" by World-Famous Supreme Team and "The Body Rock" by the Treacherous Three. "Honey" was a redefining song in Carey's career, pushing her further into the hip hop scene.
Charmbracelet is the ninth studio album by American singer Mariah Carey, released in North America on December 3, 2002, through MonarC Entertainment and Island Records. The album was Carey's first release since her breakdown following the release of her film Glitter (2001) and its accompanying soundtrack album. Critics described Charmbracelet as one of Carey's most personal records, following 1997's Butterfly. Throughout the project, she collaborated with several musicians, including Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, 7 Aurelius and Dre & Vidal.
Merry Christmas is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, and her first Christmas album. Released by Columbia Records on October 28, 1994, at the peak of the initial stretch of Carey's career, between Music Box (1993) and Daydream (1995), the album features cover versions of popular Christmas songs in addition to original material. Carey worked with Walter Afanasieff, with whom she wrote all of the original tracks, as well as producing Carey's interpretations of the covered material. Three singles were released from the album, of which "All I Want for Christmas Is You" went on to become one of the best-selling singles of all time and the best-selling Christmas ringtone in the United States.
American singer Mariah Carey has released fifteen studio albums, two soundtrack albums, eight compilation albums, four extended plays, and one remix album. Carey is one of the best-selling music artists of all-time, having sold over 220 million records globally. She was presented with the Millennium Award at the 2000 World Music Awards for becoming the best-selling female artist of the millennium. According to the RIAA, she is the highest-certified female artist and tenth overall recording artist with shipments of 75 million albums in the US. She is also ranked as the best-selling female artist of the US Nielsen SoundScan era (1991–present) with album sales of 55.5 million.
"I Still Believe" is a song written and composed by Antonina Armato and Giuseppe Cantarelli, and originally recorded by pop singer Brenda K. Starr for her eponymous second studio album, Brenda K. Starr (1987). It is a ballad in which the singer is confident she and her former boyfriend will be together again one day. It is Starr's biggest hit in the United States, reaching the top-twenty on the Billboard Hot 100 and being considered her signature song. "I Still Believe" was covered by American singer Mariah Carey, a former backup singer for Starr before she achieved success, for her #1's album in 1998 and released as a single in 1999. It was also recorded by Cantopop singer Sandy Lam in 1989.
It Ain't Safe No More... is the sixth studio album by American rapper Busta Rhymes. It was released on November 26, 2002, by Flipmode Records and J Records. It served as his final album for J. The production on the album was handled by multiple producers including Swizz Beatz, J Dilla, DJ Scratch, The Neptunes and Rick Rock among others. The album also features guest appearances by Mariah Carey, Sean Paul, Carl Thomas, Spliff Star and many more.
"Bye Bye" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey for her eleventh studio album E=MC² (2008). She co-wrote the song with its producers Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen and Johntá Austin. The pop and R&B track features a piano and keyboard-driven melody. Lyrically, it is a dialogue in between Carey and her deceased father throughout the verses, and a universal salute to departed loved ones on the chorus. The song was released as the second single from E=MC² on April 22, 2008, by Island Records.
Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel is the twelfth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on September 29, 2009 in the United States, by Island Records, Def Jam Recordings and The Island Def Jam Music Group. After promotion for her previous album, E=MC² (2008) ended, Carey began to work on a new album, producing songs with Terius "The-Dream" Nash and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, and revealed the album's title through Twitter. Carey said that Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel would have "big ballads", and that "each song is its own snapshot of a moment in a story".
"Up Out My Face" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (2009). Written and produced by Carey, Tricky Stewart and The-Dream, it is a song which includes a marching band in its instrumentation. The lyrics for the song have been speculated to be directed at American rapper Eminem, whom Carey has a longstanding feud with since the early 2000's after his claims that they were in a relationship.
The Rarities is the eighth compilation album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on October 2, 2020, by Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings. The album coincided with Carey's 2020 memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey, which discussed various songs on the albums, their meanings and stories. The album was released as a part of "#MC30", a promotional marking campaign which marked the 30th anniversary of Carey's self-titled debut album.
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