Recorded: 1990-1998

Released: Nov. 17, 1998

Rating:

Genre: pop

Quotable: “her best, most consistent album, filled with songs that represent state-of-the-art ‘90s adult contemporary and pop-oriented urban soul” – Stpehen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Album Tracks:

1. Sweetheart (with Jermaine Dupri)
2. When You Believe (with Whitney Houston)
3. Whenever You Call (with Brian McKnight)
4. My All
5. Honey
6. Always Be My Baby
7. One Sweet Day (with Boyz II Men)
8. Fantasy
9. Hero
10. Dream Lover
11. I’ll Be There (live with Trey Lorenz)
12. Emotions
13. I Don’t Wanna Cry
14. Someday
15. Love Takes Time
16. Vision of Love
17. I Still Believe

Sales:

5 million
300,000
2 million
15.5 million

Peak:

4
10

Singles/Hit Songs:

• Vision of Love (6/2/90) #1 US, #9 UK, #1 AC, #1 RB. Gold single.
• Love Takes Time (9/15/90) #1 US, #37 UK, #1 AC, #1 RB. Gold single.
• Someday (1/19/91) #1 US, #38 UK, #5 AC, #3 RB. Gold single.
• I Don’t Wanna Cry (4/6/91) #1 US, #1 AC, #2 RB
• Emotions (8/31/91) #1 US, #17 UK, #3 AC, #1 RB. Gold single.
• I’ll Be There (5/30/92) #1 US, #2 UK, #1 AC, #8a RB
• Dreamlover (8/7/93) #1 US, #9 UK, #1 RB, #2 AC. Platinum single.
• Hero (10/23/93) #1 US, #7 UK, #5 RB, #2 AC. Platinum single.
• Fantasy (9/9/95) #1 US, #4 UK, #1 RB, #8 AC. 2x platinum single.
• One Sweet Day (11/18/95) #1 US, #6 UK, #2 RB, #1 AC. 2x platinum single.
• Always Be My Baby (3/23/96) #1 US, #3 UK, #1 RB, #2 AC. Platinum single.
• Honey (9/6/97) #1 US, #3 UK, #2 RB. Platinum single.
• My All (4/18/98) #1 US, #4 UK, #4 RB, #18 AC. Platinum single.
• Sweetheart (9/19/98) #45a RB
• When You Believe (11/14/98) #15 US, #4 UK, #3 AC, #33 RB. Gold single.
• I Still Believe (1/30/99) #4 US, #16 UK, #8 AC, #3 RB. Platinum single.

Awards:

Huh? “Between 1990’s Vision of Love and 1998’s My All, all but four commercially released singles (‘Anytime You Need a Friend,’ ‘Can't Let Go,’ ‘Make It Happen,’ ‘Without You’) hit number one, with only a handful of radio-only singles (‘Butterfly,’ ‘Breakdown’) making the airwaves, not the charts. That leaves 12 big hits on #1’s, all number ones” (Erlewine). That seems as close to the definition of ‘greatest hits’ as one can get.

“Since Carey’s singles always dominated her albums, it comes as no surprise that #1’s is her best, most consistent album, filled with songs that represent state-of-the-art ‘90s adult contemporary and pop-oriented urban soul” (Erlewine).

“That said, it isn’t a perfect overview – a couple of good singles are missing because of the self-imposed ‘#1 rule’; plus, the Ol’ Dirty Bastard mix of Fantasy is strong, but fans familiar with the radio single will be disappointed that the chorus is completely missing on this version” (Erlewine).

“The album is also padded with a personal favorite (her Brian McKnight duet Whenever You Call, taken from Butterfly) and three new songs – the Jermaine Dupri-produced Sweetheart, the Whitney Houston duet When You Believe (taken from The Prince of Egypt soundtrack), and I Still Believe, a remake of a Brenda K. Starr tune – which are all fine, but not particularly memorable” (Erlewine).

“Still, that’s hardly enough to bring down a thoroughly entertaining compilation that will stand as her best record until the ‘official’ hits collection is released” (Erlewine).