Greatest Hits is the second greatest hits album by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey, released in the United States on December 4, 2001, by Columbia Records. It contains most of Carey's singles released during her tenure at Columbia from 1990 to 2000, including her then-fifteen US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles. The album has been certified two-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has sold 4.7 million copies worldwide.
Greatest Hits was re-released as The Essential Mariah Carey on January 10, 2011 internationally, as part of Legacy Recordings's The Essential series, and features the same track listing. The US edition, released on April 24, 2012, replaces some tracks with extended mix versions and additional non-single tracks, selected by Carey.
The release of Greatest Hits was part of a four-album deal to fulfill Carey's contract with Columbia Records, in exchange for her early departure from Columbia to join Virgin Records in 2001.[1][2] The four-album deal consisted of two greatest hits albums: #1's (1998) and Greatest Hits, a studio album: Rainbow (1999), and a remix album: The Remixes (2003).[1][3] Carey had little involvement in the development of Greatest Hits,[4] and there are no personal messages within its liner notes;[5][6] when asked about the album on its release day by Entertainment Tonight, Carey remarked: "Does it come out today? Oh, ha ha."[7]
#1's, a compilation of her then-thirteen US number-one singles, was previously described by Carey as "not a greatest hits album", due to the exclusion of various songs that she felt was her "best work".[8] Notable tracks not previously included in #1's are "Underneath the Stars", "Butterfly", "Make It Happen", "Anytime You Need a Friend", "Endless Love", and "Can't Let Go", which Carey named in the liner notes of #1's as desired inclusions in a future greatest hits album.[9] All tracks from #1's, with the exception of "Whenever You Call" and the international bonus track "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)", are included on Greatest Hits.
Greatest Hits was re-released as The Essential Mariah Carey by Legacy Recordings internationally in 2011, and in the United States in 2012. For the US edition, Carey contributed creative input to its track selection. In a press release, she stated: "I wanted to create a collection of some of my favorite songs, several of them are very big hits and some are more obscure favorites of mine as well as fan faves."[10] Carey selected four additional non-single tracks, "Vanishing" from Mariah Carey (1990), "Close My Eyes" and "The Roof" from Butterfly (1997), and "Bliss" from Rainbow (1999), as well as the extended club remix versions of "Emotions" and "Anytime You Need a Friend", for the album.[10]
Greatest Hits received generally positive reviews from critics. Critics noted the timing of the album's release in light of the personal and commercial troubles surrounding Carey's Glitter project, which released in September 2001.[6][13][14][12]Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic praised the "archival" nature of the album, but criticized its long runtime, recommending the "more concentrated" #1's instead.[6] Sal Cinquemani of Slant gave the album 3.5 out of 5 stars, praising the inclusion of "Make It Happen", "Without You", and "Underneath the Stars", stating that they "have certainly earned their spots next to hits" like "Hero" and "One Sweet Day".[13] Cinquemani also noted this album as an attempt by Carey's ex-husband and Columbia attempted to "cash in Carey's pre-borderline "Columbia Years"".[13] Devon Powers of PopMatters also praised the album, describing Carey as a "pop princess, hammering out fast numbers with a zeal and determination" highlight that the album moves "chronologically through [her] remarkable career".[14] In a negative review, Sarah Liss of Now criticized the songs as "bland" and "hard to distinguish from each other".[12]
Greatest Hits debuted at number 52 on the US Billboard 200, charting for a total of 13 weeks, and remained her lowest peaking album on the chart until 2020, when Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special charted at number 100.[15] It also debuted at number 46 on the UK Albums Chart on the week ending December 15, 2001,[16] but later reached a new peak of number seven on the week ending October 29, 2005, following the success of her tenth studio album The Emancipation of Mimi;[17] it has charted for a total of 38 weeks on the chart.[18] On the same week, the album also charted its first of four non-consecutive weeks at number one on the UK Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart; it is her seventh number one album on the chart.[18]
The RIAA certified the album two-times platinum, denoting shipments of one million in the United States; the RIAA counts each disc separately for certification purposes.[19] As of November 2018, Greatest Hits has sold 1,230,000 copies in the US.[20] The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) certified the album three-times platinum, signifying over 900,000 copies sold in the UK.[21] Globally, the album has sold an estimated 4.7 million copies.[22][23]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
^"Top National Sellers"(PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 20, no. 7. February 9, 2002. p. 15. ISSN0006-2510. Archived(PDF) from the original on August 13, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2020 – via American Radio History.
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