American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey has received many awards and honors throughout her career. Three of her major achievements include: Billboards Artist of the Decade (1990s), World Music Awards' Best Selling Female Artist of the Millennium and a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1991. Throughout her career, Carey has won a total of 6 Grammy Awards (including a Grammy Global Impact Award), 19 World Music Awards, 14 Billboard Music Awards and 10 American Music Awards. She is also an inductee of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2014, she was the eighth most awarded recording artist.
Carey's fifth studio album, Daydream received critical acclaim and the music industry took note of her success. Most notably Carey won many awards at the Billboard Music Awards, including the Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year, Hot 100 Airplay ("Always Be My Baby"), Hot Adult Contemporary Artist of the Year and Special Award for 16 weeks at number-one for "One Sweet Day". Despite this, Carey did not win any Grammy Awards at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards. Vulture called it one of "the greatest Grammys snubs of all time" saying that the song "cemented a career resurgence for [Carey] and has aged flawlessly, becoming one of her best-known songs". In 2024, the Recording Academy's Black Music Collective honored her with the Global Impact Award.
Throughout her career, Carey has been honoured several times for her musical and philanthropic work. In 1995, Carey was honoured as the Best-Selling World Recording Artist by the World Music Awards. In 2026, she was honored as Person of the Year by the Recording Academy's MusiCares. Towards the end of the '90s decade, Carey was named the Artist of the Decade by Billboard with Entertainment Tonight calling it one of her "biggest milestones". In August 2015, Carey was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2017, Carey was honoured at the VH1 Hip Hop Honors for her contributions to R&B and hip-hop genre. In 2019, Carey was honoured by Varietys Power of Women for her work with The Fresh Air Fund's Camp Mariah alongside Jennifer Aniston, Awkwafina, and numerous others. Dubbed the "Queen of Christmas" by the media, Carey and her popular song "All I Want For Christmas Is You" set four Guinness World Records in 2019. In 2021, Carey broke three more Guinness Word Records.
Despite music being her primary source of accomplishment, Carey has also received nominations and awards for other works in retail and film. In 2007, Carey released her own fragrance, "M", in which went on to win a Basenotes Fragrance Award for Best Celebrity Women's Fragrance as well as being nominated in three other categories. The film is listed in Golden Raspberry Award founder John Wilson's book The Official Razzie Movie Guide as one of the 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made. Conversely, in 2009, Carey starred in Precious, which went on to win numerous awards. Carey herself won the Breakthrough Performance Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival for her work in Precious. In 2023, she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical for producing the Broadway show Some Like It Hot.
Awards and nominations
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="width: 100%;"
|+Name of the award, year the award was awarded, recipient or nominee, category and result
|-
! scope="col" | Award
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Recipient(s) and nominee(s)
! scope="col" | Category
! scope="col" | Result
! scope="col" class="unsortable"|
|-
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists
| 2009
| Cast of Precious
| Best Ensemble Cast
|
| align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="37"| American Music Awards
| rowspan="3"| 1991
| rowspan="5"| Herself
| Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
|
| align="center" rowspan="37" |
|-
| Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist
|
|-
| Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1992
| Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
|
|-
| Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist
|
|-
| "Someday"
| Favorite Dance Single
|
|-
| rowspan="6"| 1993
| rowspan="3"| Herself
| Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
|
|-
| Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist
|
|-
| Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist
|
|-
| "I'll Be There"
| Favorite Pop/Rock Single
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| MTV Unplugged EP
| Favorite Adult Contemporary Album
|
|-
| Favorite Soul/R&B Album
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1994
| rowspan="2"| Herself
| Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
|
|-
| Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist
|
|-
| "Dreamlover"
| Favorite Soul/R&B Single
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1995
| rowspan="2"| Herself
| Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
|
|-
| Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Music Box
| Favorite Pop/Rock Album
|
|-
| Favorite Soul/R&B Album
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1996
| rowspan="5"| Herself
| Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
|
|-
| Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist
|
|-
| rowspan="5"| 1997
| Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
|
|-
| Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist
|
|-
| Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Daydream
| Favorite Pop/Rock Album
|
|-
| Favorite Soul/R&B Album
|
|-
| 1998
| rowspan="4"| Herself
| Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist
|
|-
| rowspan="5"| 2005
| Artist of the Year
|
|-
| Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
|
|-
| Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| The Emancipation Of Mimi
| Favorite Pop/Rock Album
|
|-
| Favorite Soul/R&B Album
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| 2006
| rowspan="2"| Herself
| Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
|
|-
| Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist
|
|-
| The Emancipation Of Mimi
| Favorite Soul/R&B Album
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2008
| Herself
| Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
|
|-
| E=MC²
| Favorite Soul/R&B Album
|
|-
| rowspan=1"|Amigo Awards
| 1997
| Herself
| Best International Female Solo Artist
|
| align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="7"|ALMA Awards
| rowspan="4"|1999
| Around the World
| Outstanding Performance by Individual in a Music Series or Special
|
| align="center" rowspan="7"|
|-
| The Prince of Egypt
| Outstanding Performance of a Song for a Feature Film
|
|-
| "When You Believe" <small>(with Whitney Houston)</small>
| rowspan="2"|Outstanding Music Video
|
|-
| "Honey"
|
|-
| 2000
| "Heartbreaker"
| Outstanding Music Video Performers
|
|-
|2002
| America: A Tribute to Heroes
| Outstanding Performance by Individual in a Music Series or Special
|
|-
| 2006
| Herself
| Favorite Female Music Artist
|
|-
| rowspan=1"|Bambi Awards
| 2005
| Herself
| Pop Artist of the Year
|
| align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="4" | Basenote Awards
| rowspan="4" | 2008
| rowspan="4" | "M" by Mariah Carey
| Best Celebrity Women's Fragrance
|
| align="center" rowspan="4" |
|-
| Best New Women's Fragrance
|
|-
| Best Designer, Mainstream or Fine Fragrance
|
|-
| Best Women's Fragrance for Day Wear
|
|-
| rowspan="4"|BET Awards
|2005
| rowspan="2"|Herself
| rowspan="2"|Best Female R&B Artist
|
| align="center" rowspan="4"|
|-
| Top Adult Contemporary Artist
|
|-
| Top Hot 100 Singles Artist
|
|-
|Mariah Carey
| Album of the Year
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1994
| Herself
| Top Female Artist
|
|-
| "Hero"
| Top Single
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1996
| Herself
| Top Hot 100 Singles Artist
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|"One Sweet Day"
| Special Award
|
|-
| Single of the Year
|
|-
| 1998
| rowspan="2"|Herself
| Special Award
|
|-
| 1999
| Female Artist of the Year
|
|-
| rowspan="7"| 2005
| rowspan="4"| Herself
| Female R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year
|
|-
| Female Billboard 200 Album Artist of the Yea
|
|-
| Hot 100 Artist of the Year
|
|-
| R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| "We Belong Together"
| Rhythmic Top 40 Title of the Year
|
|-
| Hot 100 Airplay of the Year
|
|-
| Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Song
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2006
| rowspan="2"| Herself
| Female Billboard 200 Album Artist of the Year
|
|-
| Female R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year
|
|-
| 2020
| Herself
| rowspan="2"|Chart Achievement Award
|
|-
| 2023
| "All I Want For Christmas Is You"
|
|-
| rowspan="8"| Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards
| 2002
| "Loverboy"
| Top R&B/Hip-Hop Single - Sales
|
| align="center" rowspan="8"|
|-
| rowspan="7"|2006
| rowspan="4"|Herself
| Top R&B/Hip Hop Artists
|
|-
| Top R&B/Hip Hop Female Artist
|
|-
| Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Artist
|
|-
| Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Artist
|
|-
| The Emancipation of Mimi
| Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album
|
|-
| We Belong Together
| rowspan="2"|Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|
|-
| Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Songs
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|Black Reel Awards
| rowspan="2"| 2010
| Cast of Precious
| Best Ensemble Cast
|
| align="center" rowspan="2"|
|-
| Best Supporting Actress
| Herself
|
|-
| rowspan="7"| Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
| 1995
| Herself
| Favorite Pop Female Artist
|
| align="center" rowspan="7"|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1996
| "Fantasy"
| Favorite Single
|
|-
| "One Sweet Day" <small>(with Boyz II Men)</small>
| Favorite Adult Contemporary Single
|
|-
| 1998
| Butterfly
| Favorite Album by a Female Artist
|
|-
| 1999
| rowspan="2"| Herself
| Favorite Pop Female Artist
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2000
| Favourite Female R&B Artist
|
|-
| "When You Believe" <small>(with Whitney Houston)</small>
| Favorite Song from a Movie
|
|-
| rowspan="31"| BMI Pop Music Awards
| rowspan="5"| 1991
| rowspan="2"| "Love Takes Time"
| Song of the Year
|
| align="center" rowspan="31"|
|-
| rowspan="4"| Best Songwriter
|
|-
| "I Don't Wanna Cry"
|
|-
| "Someday"
|
|-
| "Vision of Love"
|
|-
| 1992
| Herself
| Songwriter of The Year
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1993
| "Can't Let Go"
| rowspan="3"| Best Song
|
|-
| "Emotions"
|
|-
| "Make It Happen"
|
|-
| 1994
| rowspan="2"| "Dreamlover"
| rowspan="5"| Songwriter of the Year
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1995
|
|-
| "Hero"
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| "Anytime You Need a Friend"
|
|-
| 1996
|
|-
| rowspan="5"| 1997
| rowspan="2"| "One Sweet Day"
| Song of the Year
|
|-
| rowspan="5"| Best Pop Songwriter
|
|-
| "Fantasy"
|
|-
| "Forever"
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| "Always Be My Baby"
|
|-
| 1998
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1999
| Herself
| rowspan="4"| Songwriter of the Year
|
|-
| "Butterfly"
|
|-
| "Honey"
|
|-
| "My All"
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| 2006
| rowspan="2"| "We Belong Together"
| Top Billboard Song
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| Most Performed Song
|
|-
| "Don't Forget About Us"
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| "Shake It Off"
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2007
| rowspan="3"| Songwriter of the Year
|
|-
| "Don't Forget About Us"
|
|-
| 2008
| "Touch My Body"
|
|-
| Boston Society of Film Critics
| 2009
| Cast of Precious
| Best Ensemble Cast
|
| align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="6"|Brit Awards
| rowspan="2"| 1991
| rowspan="6"| Herself
| International Breakthrough Act
|
| align="center" rowspan="5"|
|-
| rowspan="4"| International Female Solo Artist
|
|-
| 1994
|
|-
| 1996
|
|-
| 2006
|
|-
| 2023
| Brits Billion Award
|
| align="center"|
|-
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards
| 2014
| Cast of The Butler
| Best Acting Ensemble
|
| align="center"|
|-
| Drama League Awards
| 2023
| Some Like It Hot
| Outstanding Production of a Musical
|
| align="center"|
|-
| rowspan=1"|Echo Awards
| 1995
| Herself
| International Rock/Pop Female Artist
|
| align="center"|
|-
| Golden Globe Awards
|2018
|"The Star"
|Best Original Song
|
| align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="2"|Golden Raspberry Awards
| rowspan="2"|2002
| Herself in Glitter
| Worst Actress
|
| align="center" rowspan="2"|
|-
|Herself and her cleavage in Glitter
|Worst Screen Couple
|
|-
| rowspan="34"| Grammy Awards
| rowspan="5"| 1991
| Mariah Carey
| Album of the Year
|
| align="center" rowspan="34"|
|-
| rowspan="3"|"Vision of Love"
| Record of the Year
|
|-
| Song of the Year
|
|-
| Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female
|
|-
| Herself
| Best New Artist
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1992
| Herself <small>(with Walter Afanasieff)</small>
| Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
|
|-
| "Emotions"
| Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1993
| "I'll Be There" <small>(with Trey Lorenz)</small>
| Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
|
|-
| MTV Unplugged EP
| Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female
|
|-
| 1994
| "Dreamlover"
| Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1995
| "Hero"
| Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
|
|-
| "Endless Love" <small>(with Luther Vandross)</small>
| Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
|
|-
| rowspan="6"| 1996
| rowspan="2"| Daydream
| Album of the Year
|
|-
| Best Pop Vocal Album
|
|-
| "Fantasy"
| Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| "One Sweet Day" <small>(with Boyz II Men)</small>
| Record of the Year
|
|-
| Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
|
|-
| "Always Be My Baby"
| Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1998
| rowspan="2"| "Honey"
| Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance|Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
|rowspan = 2
|-
| Best R&B Song
|-
| "Butterfly"
| Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
|
|-
| 2000
| "When You Believe" <small>(with Whitney Houston)</small>
| rowspan="2"| Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
|
|-
| 2001
| "Thank God I Found You" <small>(feat. Joe & 98 Degrees)</small>
|
|-
| rowspan="8"| 2006
| rowspan="2"| The Emancipation of Mimi
| Album of the Year
|
|-
| Best Contemporary R&B Album
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| "We Belong Together"
| Record of the Year
|
|-
| Song of the Year
|
|-
| Best R&B Song
|
|-
| Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
|
|-
| "It's Like That"
| Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
|
|-
| "Mine Again"
| Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2007
| rowspan="2"| "Don't Forget About Us"
| Best R&B Song
|
|-
| Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
|
|-
| 2009
| "I Understand" <small>(with Kim Burrell, Rance Allen & Bebe Winans)</small>
| Best Gospel Performance
|
|-
| Hungarian Music Awards
| 2009
| E=MC²
| Best Foreign Dance-Pop Album
|
|align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="7"| IFPI Platinum Europe Awards
| rowspan="2"| 1996
| Daydream
| rowspan="7"| Platinum Europe Award
|
| align="center" rowspan="7"|
|-
| Merry Christmas
|
|-
| 1997
| Butterfly
|
|-
| 1998
| #1's
|
|-
| 1999
| Rainbow
|
|-
| 2003
| #1's <small>(2x)</small>
|
|-
| 2005
| The Emancipation of Mimi
|
|-
|rowspan="1"| iHeartRadio Music Awards
| 2025
| Herself
| iHeartRadio Icon Award
|
|
|-
|rowspan="7"|Japan Golden Disc Awards
| 1995
|rowspan="2"|Herself
|rowspan="2"|International Artist of the Year
|
| align="center" rowspan="7"|
|-
| rowspan="2"|1996
|
|-
|Daydream
|rowspan="4"|International Pop Album of the Year
|
|-
|1998
|Butterfly
|
|-
|1999
|#1's
|
|-
|2000
|Rainbow
|
|-
|2003
|Charmbracelet
|Pop & Rock Album of the Year
|
|-
| Juno Awards
| 1997
| Daydream
| Best Selling Album (Foreign or Domestic)
|
| align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="5"|MTV Europe Music Awards
| 1994
| rowspan="5"| Herself
| Best Female
|
| rowspan="13" align="center" |
|-
| 1999
| Best R&B
|
|-
| 2001
| rowspan="2"| Best Female
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2005
|
|-
| Best R&B
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | MTV TRL Awards
| 2003
| Herself
| Best Free Ride
|
|-
| 2006
| Herself
| TRL's 1s Lady
|
|-
| rowspan="9" | MTV Video Music Awards
| 1996
| "One Sweet Day" <br><small>(with Boyz II Men)</small>
| Best R&B Video
|
|-
| 1998
| "Honey" (Remix)
| Best Female Video
|
|-
| 2003
| "I Know What You Want" <br><small>(with Busta Rhymes)</small>
| Best Hip-Hop Video
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2005
| rowspan="2"| "We Belong Together"
| Best Female Video
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Best R&B Video
|
|-
| 2006
| "Shake It Off"
|
|-
|2008
|"Touch My Body"
|Best Female Video
|
|
|-
| 2022
| "Big Energy" (Remix) <small>(with Latto)</small>
| Song of the Summer
|
|
|-
| rowspan=1| 2025
| "Type Dangerous"
| Best R&B Video
|
| rowspan=1|
|-
| MTV Immies
| 2005
| rowspan="2"| Herself
| Best International Female Pop Act
|
| align="center"|
|-
| Music Week Awards
| 2021
| Catalogue Marketing Campaign
|
| align="center"|
|-
| Myx Music Awards
| 2006
| "We Belong Together"
| International Music Video
|
| align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="17"| NAACP Image Awards
| rowspan="2"| 1996
| Herself
| Outstanding Female Artist
|
| align="center" rowspan="15"|
|-
| "One Sweet Day" <small>(as part of Fantasy, with Boyz II Men)</small>
| Outstanding Performance in a Variety Serials/Specials
|
|-
| 1998
| Herself
| Outstanding Female Artist
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1999
| Number 1's
| Outstanding Album
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| "When You Believe" <small>(with Whitney Houston)</small>
| Outstanding Duo or Group
|
|-
| Outstanding Music Video
|
|-
| Outstanding Song
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| 2006
| Herself
| Outstanding Female Artist
|
|-
| The Emancipation of Mimi
| Outstanding Album
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| "We Belong Together"
| Outstanding Song
|
|-
| Outstanding Music Video
|
|-
| 2009
| Herself
| Outstanding Female Artist
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2010
| Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel
| Outstanding Album
|
|-
| Herself in Precious
| Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
|
|-
| 2014
| "#Beautiful" <small>(with Miguel)</small>
| Outstanding Duo or Group
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2026
|rowspan="2"| "Jesus I Do" <small>(with The Clark Sisters)</small>
| Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional)
|
|rowspan="2" align="center"|
|-
| Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|NARM Awards
| rowspan="2"|1996
| Daydream
| Best Selling R&B Recording
|
| align="center" rowspan="2"|
|-
| "Fantasy"
| Best Selling Dance Recording
|
|-
| rowspan=1"|NRJ Music Awards
| 2000
| Herself
| International Female Artist of the Year
|
| align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="5"| Otto Bravo Magazine Awards
| 1994
| rowspan="5"| Herself
| rowspan="5"| Best Female Artist