Mariah Carey’s catalogue is stacked. Sixteen studio albums. Nineteen US No.1 singles. Three UK No.1 singles. Over 220 million records sold globally. She’s one of the most commercially successful artists of all time, but her best songs aren’t just defined by chart stats. They’re moments where voice, vulnerability and vision align.
This list ranks her non-Christmas output using a combination of UK and US chart positions, verified sales, critical reception, streaming longevity and cultural impact. It’s not fan service, and it’s not just numbers. It’s the songs that define her.
11. “Can’t Let Go” (1991)
- Album: Emotions
- US Chart: No. 2
- UK Chart: No. 20
A masterclass in restraint. Mariah’s breathy falsetto glides over a sparse gospel-influenced arrangement, while the lyrics deliver pure heartache without melodrama. Criminally underrated in the UK, this was her first US single not to hit No.1 and still feels like a triumph.
10. “Obsessed” (2009)
- Album: Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel
- US Chart: No. 7
- UK Chart: No. 52
The internet didn’t invent the viral diss track, Mariah did, with this icy takedown aimed squarely at Eminem. Anchored by The-Dream’s sleek production, it became a fan anthem, a meme generator, and a late-career reminder that she could still dominate pop culture on her own terms.
9. “The Roof” (1998)
- Album: Butterfly
- US Chart: Not released as a commercial single
- UK Chart: No. 87
A cult favourite among critics and fans, “The Roof” is often hailed as her most atmospheric and sophisticated track. Its quiet confidence, layered harmonies and Wu-Tang-inspired sample show Mariah moving beyond pop conventions into moodier, more personal territory.
8. “Make It Happen” (1991)
- Album: Emotions
- US Chart: No. 5
- UK Chart: No. 17
Before it became a staple of motivational playlists, “Make It Happen” was Mariah’s autobiography in song: a rags-to-riches story told over churchy keyboards and gospel choirs. It’s pure early-’90s uplift, grounded by real-life struggle.
7. “My All” (1998)
- Album: Butterfly
- US Chart: No. 1
- UK Chart: No. 4
A stark, almost flamenco-tinged ballad, “My All” cuts through the usual ‘90s R&B gloss with a stripped-back emotional rawness. It was her 13th US No.1 and proved that even at her most fragile, her voice had authority.
6. “Heartbreaker” (ft. Jay-Z) (1999)
- Album: Rainbow
- US Chart: No. 1
- UK Chart: No. 5
This was a crossover moment. The first time Jay-Z appeared on a Mariah track, and the first time Mariah sampled a recognisable club beat (Stacy Lattisaw’s “Attack of the Name Game”). The result was playful, chart-friendly and hip-hop aware, a format she’d revisit many times after.
5. “Dreamlover” (1993)
- Album: Music Box
- US Chart: No. 1
- UK Chart: No. 9
Built around a sample of the Emotions’ “Blind Alley,” this was Mariah at her most free-spirited. It’s easy to overlook how radical this sound was for her at the time (looser, sunnier, less theatrical) but it was a key step in her pop evolution.
4. “Hero” (1993)
- Album: Music Box
- US Chart: No. 1
- UK Chart: No. 7
Dismissed by some as saccharine, “Hero” has endured. It’s been covered by X Factor hopefuls, played at weddings and funerals, and used as a shorthand for overcoming adversity. But beneath the sentiment lies a song that’s technically demanding and deceptively universal.
3. “Fantasy” (ft. O.D.B.) (1995)
- Album: Daydream
- US Chart: No. 1
- UK Chart: No. 4
The remix that changed everything. By blending her pristine vocals with O.D.B.’s wild energy and a Tom Tom Club sample, Mariah made the blueprint for the modern pop-R&B-hip-hop crossover. Without “Fantasy,” there is no Beyoncé, no Rihanna, no Doja Cat. It’s that important.
2. “We Belong Together” (2005)
- Album: The Emancipation of Mimi
- US Chart: No. 1 (14 weeks)
- UK Chart: No. 4
This wasn’t just a comeback. It was a reminder that Carey could still command the charts and sound totally contemporary. Her vocal control here is masterful, and the songwriting is airtight. Billboard named it the Song of the Decade for the 2000s. They weren’t wrong.
1. “Vision of Love” (1990)
- Album: Mariah Carey
- US Chart: No. 1
- UK Chart: No. 9
The debut that reset the bar. “Vision of Love” introduced the world to the whistle register, the melisma, the octave-spanning vocal agility and inspired a generation of singers, from Beyoncé to Ariana Grande. Three decades on, it still stuns.
PS: The Christmas Clause
Yes, All I Want for Christmas Is You (1994) exists.
Yes, it’s sold over 16 million copies worldwide.
Yes, it hits No.1 nearly every December.
And yes, it’s the biggest modern Christmas song ever recorded.
But it’s also so dominant, it would steamroll this list if included. So here’s its place, respectfully acknowledged, just not in the main rankings.
