Top 20 Mariah Carey Hits

Born in Huntington, Long Island, New York, in 1970, Mariah Carey (she was named after the song "They Call The Wind Mariah") was introduced into the world of music at the age of three. That's when her mother, Patricia Carey, a former singer with the New York City Opera, began coaching her.

Although Mariah completed 500 hours of beauty school after high school, she became a backing singer for vocalist Brenda K. Starr.

In 1988, Mariah met her future husband, Columbia Records executive, Tommy Mottola, and he signed her to a recording contract. Two years later, Mariah released her debut album. This album garnered her four number one singles. The first release from her second album also went to number one, making her the first artist to have her first five singles go to the top of the Billboard singles charts.

Mariah also holds the distinction of being the only female vocalist who has had three singles debut at the number one position. Michael Jackson is the only male performer to accomplish this feat, although he only has one.

On the charts, to date, Mariah has had 34 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Weekly Top 40 charts. Eighteen of these have gone to number one. This ties her with Elvis Presley for having 18 number one singles. The Beatles hold the record with 20. Here's a look at Mariah Carey's twenty biggest singles, according to Billboard's Weekly Top 40 charts.

1.One Sweet Day - 1995 - featuring Boys II Men, this single spent 16 weeks at number one and holds the record for most weeks at number one for any single.

2. We Belong Together - 2005 - after four years without a hit, this song spent 14 weeks at number one and was listed as #9 on Billboard's Hot 100 Songs Of All Time.

3. Dreamlover - 1993 - this song spent 8 weeks at #1 and topped 8 other Billboard charts.

4. Fantasy - 1995 - Mariah directed the music video of this song.

5. Hero - 1993 - a plagiarism suit filed by a former Sly Stone limo driver, claiming the lyrics were based on a poem he had written, was thrown out of court.

6. Vision Of Love - 1990 - Mariah's first number one single was nominated for three Grammys and she won for best female Pop Vocal Performance.

7. Honey - 1997 - one of three singles that debuted at number one on the charts, a feat that has yet to be duplicated.

8. Emotions - 1991 - Mariah's fifth consecutive number one single, another record for her, came from the album of the same title.

9. Love Takes Time - 1990 - also from her debut album; Kelly Clarkson did a cover of this song in 2003.

10. Touch My Body - 2008 - with this single going to #1, Mariah achieved another record of spending 79 weeks total at being at #1. Elvis has 80 weeks.

11. Don't Forget About Us - 2005 - from her tenth studio album "The Emancipation of Mimi", this single received two Grammy nominations.

12. Always Be My Baby - 1996 - although this song spent two weeks at number one, it spent nine weeks at number 2, another billboard record for Mariah.

13. Someday - 1991 - a demo of this song was handed by Brenda K. Starr to Columbia Records executive, Tommy Mottola, which led to Mariah getting a recording contract.

14. I Don't Wanna Cry - 1991 - another number one single from her debut album, "Mariah Carey.""

15. Heartbreaker - 1999 - features guest artist American rapper Jay-Z.

16. I'll Be There - 1992 - featuring Trey Lorenz, this was a remake of the Jackson 5's 1970 hit.

17. My All - 1998 - Mariah first performed this song on "The Rosie O'Donnell Show."

18. Thank God I Found You - 2000 - featuring Joe and 98 Degrees, this song was inspired by Mariah's boyfriend at the time.

19. Shake It Off - 2005 - while Mariah's single "We Belong Together" was at number one, this single peaked at #2, which gave Mariah the distinction of being the only female artist to occupy the top 2 positions of the weekly charts.

20. Can't Let Go - 1991 - this song, peaking at #2, ended Mariah's string of five consecutive #1 singles.

In 1990, Mariah received the Best New Artist Grammy.

Mariah's marriage to Tommy Mottola ended in 1998. In 2008, she married entertainer Nick Cannon (America's Got Talent host) and they are expecting their first child in the spring of 2011.

Mariah Carey continues to record and perform and she released her second Christmas album in 2010.

SOURCE: The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits.