Mariah Carey Is Named The Most Successful Singer Of All Time

According to Time Magazine, Mariah Carey has been named "The Most Successful Singer Of All Time". Beating out artists like The Beatles, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Madonna, Elvis Presley, Prince, The Supremes, Barbra Streisand, Stevie Wonder and other artists before her music career. Mariah also surpasses artists during her music decade and artists of today like Christina Aguilera, Adele, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Jay-Z, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj, Ne-Yo, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, Usher and Lil' Wayne.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGNb-7QZR20

Oh how many times have we heard an artist being called 'The most successful singer of all time'? On what basis do Time reach that conclusion? For a start, the term 'singer' means individual - so that leaves out all the groups. Beatles, Supremes etc. And if you are to believe Wiki, Elvis has sold 3 times as many records as Carey [[600 million).
I think the phrase 'most successful singer' has become as generic as calling all female artists 'diva'. Overused and incorrect.

Means nothing to me. Video says longest and most successful career. This is stated in the same week that Barbra Streisand goes number one in six succeeding decades. Time Magazine calling her the most successful singer of all time is as significant as Billboard calling Diana Ross The Entertainer of The Century or Barbara Walters calling Honey Boo Boo a Most Fascinating Person.

My opinion is also insignificant, but just for longevity and continuing popularity, I would put Diana - including her Supremes years, Barbra, and Sinatra way above Mariah.

No list is significant. Just because TIME has a magazine in which to publish their list, does not make it gospel

I think is a great honor for her. She has put out a stunning collection of not only hit music, but good music over the last 23-24 years. Congratulations Mariah!

Try this one on. One Direction reportedly has 94/#1 singles globally. Though they are a guilty pleasure, will "One Direction, the Musical" be on Broadway in 50 years? I wouldn't count on it. And can anyone in this forum sing 5 One Direction songs, but, maybe, me? I'd be surprised.

Statiscal analysis are easily manipulated to suit an agenda.

Mariah's last album sold 9,000 units the first week and disappeared quicker than a bad case of food poisoning. I am a fan, but, superfluous titles doesn't make her anymore relevant than the next pop fad.

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Originally Posted by Bokiluis

Try this one on. One Direction reportedly has 94/#1 singles globally. Though they are a guilty pleasure, will "One Direction, the Musical" be on Broadway in 50 years? I wouldn't count on it. And can anyone in this forum sing 5 One Direction songs, but, maybe, me? I'd be surprised.

Statiscal analysis are easily manipulated to suit an agenda.

Mariah's last album sold 9,000 units the first week and disappeared quicker than a bad case of food poisoning. I am a fan, but, superfluous titles doesn't make her anymore relevant than the next pop fad.

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I think after nearly a quarter of a century of extraordinary success and great music, Mariah Carey is definitely more than a pop fad.........she is simply the best! She's from Long Island too,............! I love it!

Most successful? I'm not knocking Mariah but uh, shouldn't that title go to Barbra or Aretha?

I find it funny how hard people try to minimize the talent or importance of an artist they don't care for.

Well I know In October 1993, Diana Ross was inducted in the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS, as " THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FEMALE MUSIC ARTIST OF ALL TIME " in history, due to her success in the United States and United Kingdom for having more hits than any female artist in the charts with a career total of 150 hits , singles and albums ,with her work with the Supremes and as a solo artist. I believe Madonna has now broken the record. What credentials does Time magazine have to make such a statement?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0tKpz1K_tA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OLz2evV2vI

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Originally Posted by vgalindo

Well I know In October 1993, Diana Ross was inducted in the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS, as " THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FEMALE MUSIC ARTIST OF ALL TIME " in history, due to her success in the United States and United Kingdom for having more hits than any female artist in the charts with a career total of 150 hits , singles and albums ,with her work with the Supremes and as a solo artist. I believe Madonna has now broken the record. What credentials does Time magazine have to make such a statement?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0tKpz1K_tA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OLz2evV2vI

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Thanks for those links, vigilando. Very enjoyable - I hadn't seen them before. I was impressed with Diana's honesty and humility when she said "I'm not a great singer like Aretha...."

For me Diana will always be THE greatest but after all it's just subjective just like this list.

I like much of Mariah's work but no doubt at some stage another list will appear with someone else as #1.

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Originally Posted by soulster

I find it funny how hard people try to minimize the talent or importance of an artist they don't care for.

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When people do that it is instantly obvious to me that they are hardly being objective. They have a favorite singer who they wished could have achieved that same honor Mariah has. Even though she grew up on Long Island, she did not have it easy whatsoever coming up. I like more of Aretha's music than Mariah's, but I am still proud of her and believes she deserves it.

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Originally Posted by soulster

I find it funny how hard people try to minimize the talent or importance of an artist they don't care for.

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That never happens here at SDF. Thanks...I needed a good laugh!

Mariah had huge hits at a time when sales were huge; she was the Beatles and Supremes of her time, and at that time, there were much biggers sales than there have been since 2000. She was the lady who became top diva when Whitney Houston gave herself over to drugs and Mariah eventually passed the Crown to Beyoncé.

She's a great singer but whether anyone should have been singled out is a good question. Is she on the Cover? These labels are all a little over the top and made to creates excitement and sell magazines.

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Originally Posted by marv2

When people do that it is instantly obvious to me that they are hardly being objective. They have a favorite singer who they wished could have achieved that same honor Mariah has. Even though she grew up on Long Island, she did not have it easy whatsoever coming up. I like more of Aretha's music than Mariah's, but I am still proud of her and believes she deserves it.

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That's exactly my opinion. Just because carey has this honor doesn't take away from anyone else. It means that she is part of that exclusive club.

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Originally Posted by soulster

I find it funny how hard people try to minimize the talent or importance of an artist they don't care for.

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thats real real funny and never happens on this here forum. Thanks for the great laugh on this blessed Sunday.

Roberta

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Originally Posted by Lulu

That never happens here at SDF. Thanks...I needed a good laugh!

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it sure is a real funny observation Lulu. LOL

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Originally Posted by Roberta75

it sure is a real funny observation Lulu. LOL

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Yes dear...how quickly they forget!

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Originally Posted by Lulu

Yes dear...how quickly they forget!

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That is what makes this forum so special, no one has an agenda to try and undermine the obvious accomplishments of one rather accomplished artist over the rather scanty achievements of another. [[I have a precious collection of wooden nickels for the member that agrees with that one).

All the singers mentioned in this thread are accomplished, successful, and popular singers who have maintained their careers over decades. They each deserved to be honored. There is always a conflict when comparing one as BEST, or MOST or whatever. They are given by different sources and each source tabulates differently. Also, some are manufactured by the the artist's publicist or by the artist himself. Wasn't there an awards show that wanted Michael Jackson as a presenter and he would not go on unless they presented him an award? They created a one time award and presented it to him and he went on the show.

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Originally Posted by milven

All the singers mentioned in this thread are accomplished, successful, and popular singers who have maintained their careers over decades. They each deserved to be honored. There is always a conflict when comparing one as BEST, or MOST or whatever. They are given by different sources and each source tabulates differently. Also, some are manufactured by the the artist's publicist or by the artist himself. Wasn't there an awards show that wanted Michael Jackson as a presenter and he would not go on unless they presented him an award? They created a one time award and presented it to him and he went on the show.

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I believe Mariah Carey earned this award/designation through her talent and hardwork. I don't recall a year beginning in 1990 where she hasn't had at least one great song on the market.

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Originally Posted by marv2

I believe Mariah Carey earned this award/designation through her talent and hardwork. I don't recall a year beginning in 1990 where she hasn't had at least one great song on the market.

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I don't disagree with you. It is when we start comparing one singer against another that we get in trouble. Mariah is now in the ranks of those who have sustained their career over a substantial number of years. In the fickle music industry that caters to youth, that is commendable.

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Originally Posted by milven

I don't disagree with you. It is when we start comparing one singer against another that we get in trouble. Mariah is now in the ranks of those who have sustained their career over a substantial number of years. In the fickle music industry that caters to youth, that is commendable.

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That is what i'm saying!

Again, I don't understand why there are two threads on this very same topic: one under Motown Forum and one under Soulful Detroit. How on earth does this qualify as belonging in a Motown forum? Because she once covered "I'll Be There"? Isn't there a way to get these two separate threads combined into one?

Incidentally, Mariah's tour is off to a rough start in Japan [[Mariah has never been a very strong live performer from the evidence I've seen):

http://www.billboard.com/articles/co...se-tour-opener

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Originally Posted by pghmusiclover

Again, I don't understand why there are two threads on this very same topic: one under Motown Forum and one under Soulful Detroit. How on earth does this qualify as belonging in a Motown forum? Because she once covered "I'll Be There"? Isn't there a way to get these two separate threads combined into one?

Incidentally, Mariah's tour is off to a rough start in Japan [[Mariah has never been a very strong live performer from the evidence I've seen):

http://www.billboard.com/articles/co...se-tour-opener

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I think it was brought up because, as marv2 says in his original post, she has toppled Motown acts like Michael Jackson, The Supremes, and Stevie Wonder.

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Originally Posted by pghmusiclover

Again, I don't understand why there are two threads on this very same topic: one under Motown Forum and one under Soulful Detroit.

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They do that to make sure everyone sees their thread because they know that some people only click on one or the other. Me? I just click on "New Posts" so I see them all. I don't know why everyone doesn't do it that way.

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Isn't there a way to get these two separate threads combined into one?

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I've complained about this for years, but I guess Ralph likes it this way.

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Incidentally, Mariah's tour is off to a rough start in Japan [[Mariah has never been a very strong live performer from the evidence I've seen):

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As good as her most recent album is, it bombed big.

Sooner or later, ALL artists bomb.

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Originally Posted by Lulu

I think it was brought up because, as marv2 says in his original post, she has toppled Motown acts like Michael Jackson, The Supremes, and Stevie Wonder.

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We have a couple of younger generations that grew up on her music.

I don't deny that Mariah's been successful. I admired her early work. She's the only solo artist that I know that had their first five singles reach #1 [[Whitney waited two singles before she finally began going #1 and even her record of consecutive #1's has remained unbroken 26 years later). That said, I have to argue that Mariah hasn't always been consistent. 1990-2000, she always had a #1 single and/or top ten single and all of her albums went multi-platinum. Then she went through a rough spell between 2001 and 2004, only to come back between 2005-2007. The latest downwards trend has been between 2008 and now. No one stays on top forever but I just wished she had made smarter decisions. I still argue that Barbra should be considered as such considering she's the only one to have a number one album in six decades.

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Originally Posted by milven

All the singers mentioned in this thread are accomplished, successful, and popular singers who have maintained their careers over decades. They each deserved to be honored. There is always a conflict when comparing one as BEST, or MOST or whatever. They are given by different sources and each source tabulates differently. Also, some are manufactured by the the artist's publicist or by the artist himself. Wasn't there an awards show that wanted Michael Jackson as a presenter and he would not go on unless they presented him an award? They created a one time award and presented it to him and he went on the show.

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Yep Michael did that. If he didn't have his way, he wasn't going. It could very well be a PR move on Mariah's part but no one's arguing the fact that she is indeed one of the most successful singers of all time.

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Originally Posted by midnightman

I don't deny that Mariah's been successful. I admired her early work. She's the only solo artist that I know that had their first five singles reach #1 [[Whitney waited two singles before she finally began going #1 and even her record of consecutive #1's has remained unbroken 26 years later). That said, I have to argue that Mariah hasn't always been consistent. 1990-2000, she always had a #1 single and/or top ten single and all of her albums went multi-platinum. Then she went through a rough spell between 2001 and 2004, only to come back between 2005-2007. The latest downwards trend has been between 2008 and now. No one stays on top forever but I just wished she had made smarter decisions. I still argue that Barbra should be considered as such considering she's the only one to have a number one album in six decades.

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Her problems started when she divorced Tommy Mottola, left Sony once her contract was up, and signed with Virgin, and called her own shots. When the "Glitter" soundtrack bombed. she had an emotional breakdown. Not that all of those factors were related, but she wanted to go after the contemporary sounds, not realizing that many in her old audience didn't like her more contemporary sound, and the rest had aged and had moved on. The situation was so bad with "Glitter" because the label had such high expectations of her, they paid her to leave the label! She made out nicely, but it was embarrassing and demoralizing. But, she recovered and got a new contract, obviously, but has never regained what she had in the 90s.

The main reason she went after the younger audience is partly because of her marriage to Mottola. He tried to mold her into something she wasn't. She didn't like having to conform to an image, either professionally, or as his wife. And, he was much older than she was. She basically went right from living with her mother to marrying him, so she never had a chance to sow her wild oats, so to speak.

Having said that, give a listen to her latest album. It was a return to form, of sorts, and there is some great stuff in there, especially the opening track, but the rest is unexciting [[to me, anyway). IMO, her best stuff was all on Columbia from the beginning to the end of that contract. But, during that time, and a bit afterward, she achieved a lot of accomplishments, and deserves her rewards for them.

What I didn't like was how she kept using that high-pitched note as her signature. Most of her fans loved it, I hated it. She could ruin her voice doing it. Just look at what happened to Whitney Houston. I mean, the high pitch was fun on her hit single "Emotions", but it was overdone. It got to the point where all she had to do was go out in front of an audience and wail, and get a standing applause.

According to the Guinness World Records, Mariah is not the most successful female singer at all, considering actual sales!

http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/...cording-artist