Music Box is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on August 31, 1993, by Columbia Records. Seeking a more radio-friendly approach, Carey chose a sound oriented towards pop and R&B on Music Box.
Carey worked with both new and returning producers and songwriters, including Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Robert Clivillés, Walter Afanasieff, David Cole, and Daryl Simmons. Music Box consists mainly of ballads written by Carey and Afanasieff, who had previously collaborated on Emotions (1991), as well as several urban dance tracks. Despite the involvement of multiple producers, most of the songwriting was handled by Carey and Afanasieff, who collaborated on subsequent projects until Butterfly (1997). She also experimented with different musical instruments, resulting in a shift away from the style of her previous two albums, Mariah Carey (1990) and Emotions.
Music Box was promoted with the North American Music Box Tour, her debut concert tour. The album spawned five singles; the first two, "Dreamlover" and "Hero", reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, remaining at the top for eight and four weeks, respectively. The third single, "Without You", a cover recording of Badfinger's song of the same name, reached the top three in the US and became the most album's successful song internationally, topping charts worldwide. "Dreamlover" and "Hero" were each nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 36th (1994) and 37th (1995) Annual Grammy Awards, respectively.
On release, Music Box saw generally mixed reception from music critics; they praised Carey's vocal performance and the album's tracks but criticized the more mellow and laid-back tone in comparison to her previous work. Retrospective reviews of the album have been more positive. The album topped the charts of fifteen countries, including Australia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. In the lattermost country, it peaked atop the Billboard 200 for eight weeks and was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America. Music Box remains Carey's bestseller and one of the best-selling albums of all time, with over 28 million copies sold worldwide.
Background and recording
In 1988, American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey was discovered by Tommy Mottola, chief executive officer of Columbia Records, and was promptly signed to the label. Her debut studio album, Mariah Carey (1990), primarily involved re-recording and reworking songs she had written during high school with her classmate Ben Margulies. The record incorporated elements of pop and R&B, and received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised her vocal abilities. Mariah Carey was commercially successful, selling approximately fifteen million copies worldwide. Emotions (1991), her second album, incorporated influences from gospel, R&B, and soul. Although some critics viewed the album as more mature, it did not match the critical or commercial success of her debut, with much lower sales.
Biographer Chris Nickson wrote that with the success of her live extended play, MTV Unplugged (1992), Carey gained increased control over her music, allowing her greater freedom to pursue her own artistic preferences. After her marriage to Mottola in June 1993, there was public speculation that her third studio effort would be a more pop-oriented album with polished production and lighter themes. However, as work on the album began, Carey described it as a more "subtle progession", incorporating elements of soul, jazz, and gospel, alongside some uptempo tracks and a more restrained use of her upper vocal range. Music Box saw Carey working with producers from Emotions, including Walter Afanasieff, Robert Clivillés, and David Cole, and new producers Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and David Hall. The success of Emotions and MTV Unplugged inspired Carey to conceive her third album with a blend of styles, combining R&B elements with the "orchestration and polish[ed]" production of her self-titled 1990 debut.
One of the earliest songs developed during the recording sessions was "Dreamlover", an upbeat pop track that Carey wrote alongside Hall. After hearing the track, Mottola suggested that it should be made more commercially oriented. He then approached Afanasieff, who reworked the keyboards and drums, which Nickson said gave the song "more swing and more drive". While working on Music Box, Afanasieff was simultaneously involved in scoring the film Hero (1992). As part of this, he and Carey began writing a theme song intended for Gloria Estefan. After completing the song, both felt it exceeded their expectations. When Mottola heard the track, he encouraged Carey to keep it for herself rather than contribute it to the film. Following this, Carey and Afanasieff revised the lyrics, shaping them into the more personal ballad "Hero".
Afanasieff helped co-write four other tracks—"Anytime You Need a Friend", "All I've Ever Wanted", "Just to Hold You Once Again", and "Music Box"—on the album with Carey. Clivillés and Cole contributed to writing, performing, and producing two of the album's dance-oriented songs, "Now That I Know" and "I've Been Thinking About You". Nickson opined that the approach introduced a degree of stylistic variety in both the musical direction and sound of Music Box. Nickson observed that the record featured gospel and soul elements to a lesser extent than Carey's previous albums, attributing the shift to her need to evolve and make gradual changes in her sound.
Carey sought to balance her preference for layered studio production with a more open, live-oriented sound on the album. While she continued to employ multitracked backing vocals and contemporary studio technology, including synthesizers and drum machines, the arrangements were more restrained. The overall production placed greater emphasis on clarity and space within the mixes. The Morning Call wrote that her singing on Music Box was "noticeably subdued", suggesting that criticism of her "stunt-singing" on Emotions may have pushed her toward a more restrained approach.
According to Marc Shapiro, Music Box showed signs of Carey's lyrical and vocal maturity, and represented an album she was truly proud of. Unlike her previous albums, Music Box featured limited use of Carey's upper register. She said that she approached the album by singing "from the heart" in her natural voice, adding that her speaking voice is low and that her lower register felt more comfortable. Music Box was designed to appeal to a wider audience through radio-friendly songs. Lyrically, many tracks portray Carey as a hopeless romantic, as in "Just to Hold You Once Again", while others like "Hero" speak about self-sufficiency.
Songs
Music Box opens with "Dreamlover", a mid-tempo pop song with some R&B influences. Lyrically, it describes a longing for an idealized romantic partner—a mythic "Dreamlover"—who will rescue the singer, take her away, and provide genuine love and safety, instead of past pretenders who disillusioned her with false promises. Carey employs her upper-octave vocals on the track; Critics have viewed "Dreamlover" as Carey's first attempt into R&B, a style she would further develop later with albums like Daydream (1995) and Butterfly (1997).
thumb|upright|left|alt=Whitney Houston performing into a microphone while on stage.|Critics observed similarities between songs on Music Box and other tracks, such as "Hero" resembling [[Whitney Houston's "Greatest Love of All" (1986).]]
The second track, "Hero", is a sentimental ballad in which Carey employs her lower alto register. One of the album's more emotional songs, the song gradually builds with each verse, growing in intensity until it finally breaks through, both in the lyrics—realizing one's inner power—and in its production, as it lifts from a minor key into a more major one. Its overarching theme is recognizing that every individual can be their own hero. Some critics noticed similarities between "Hero" and Whitney Houston's "Greatest Love of All" (1986). "Anytime You Need a Friend", the third track, is a pop ballad in which Carey allows her voice to "roam free". The song includes lower, rougher vocal tones. Like most tracks on Music Box, its lyrics convey a positive message, and it is the only song on the album that incorporates elements of gospel-style vocals in the chorus.
The fourth track, "Music Box", was described by Carey as the most difficult song on the album to perform, mainly due to its use of legato, a singing technique that involves maintaining a smooth, connected tone at a soft volume. Carey and Babyface contribute background vocals, with the former's parts layered in the chorus through overdubbing. The lyrics lament a romantic relationship. Nickson thought of it as a standout track, one that could have easily become a hit single, "with an appeal that would have easily transcended generational barriers". "Without You", a melodramatic ballad, is a cover of the Badfinger song based on the version by Harry Nilsson.
Release and promotion
Music Box was released on August 31, 1993, in both the United States and the United Kingdom, followed by releases in Hong Kong on September 8 and Japan on September 11. To promote the album, Carey launched her first headlining concert tour, the Music Box Tour. Overcoming her stage fright—which had prevented her from touring for prior albums—she agreed to the tour at Mottola's urging amid the album's success, scheduling just six shows with rest periods to protect her voice. Before the tour, she performed at Proctor's Theatre in July 1993, captured in the one-hour television special Here Is Mariah Carey. There, she performed four songs from Music Box: "Dreamlover", "Hero", "Without You", and "Anytime You Need a Friend". On December 10, 1993, Carey performed "Hero" at Madison Square Garden, announcing that all proceeds from the performance would be donated to the families of the victims of the Long Island Rail Road shooting.
The Music Box Tour began on November 3, 1993, in Miami, Florida, and ended on December 10 in New York City. Tickets for the concerts sold steadily upon release, without immediate sell-outs. The opening night at Miami Arena drew about two-thirds capacity, causing concern for Carey's management, though she began the show with enthusiasm. While opening night at Miami Arena drew mixed reviews and partial attendance, subsequent sold-out dates earned praise. In addition to the Music Box Tour, Carey promoted the album through appearances on American and European television, where she performed various singles from the album. 1993 performances included "Dreamlover" on The Arsenio Hall Show and "Hero" on The Jay Leno Show. She also made multiple appearances on Top of the Pops between 1993 and 1994, performing "Dreamlover" live and promoting "Hero", "Without You", and "Anytime You Need a Friend" through both live performances and music video broadcasts.
Singles
The album was promoted with five singles. The lead single, "Dreamlover", was released on July 27, 1993. On the US Billboard Hot 100, the song entered the chart at number forty. "Dreamlover" reached number one in its sixth week and stayed atop the chart for eight consecutive weeks. It marked Carey's seventh number-one on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting shipments of one million copies. Elsewhere, it topped the charts in Canada, and became a top-ten hit in Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal and the United Kingdom. Critics had a positive response to the song, with Larry Flick of Billboard describing the production as "elegant" and her vocals as "openhearted". By the time "Dreamlover" began its descent from the Billboard Hot 100, the second single, "Hero", was already ascending towards the top.
"Hero" was released as a single on October 19, 1993, in the US. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number seventy-one and reached number one in its tenth week, giving Carey her eighth US chart-topping single. It spent four weeks at the top spot of the chart. The proceeds from the song were donated to the families of the victims of the Long Island Rail Road shooting. It eventually outsold "Dreamlover", earning a three-times platinum certification from the RIAA. Outside the United States, it reached the top five on charts in Canada, France, Ireland, New Zealand, and Norway, as well as the top ten in Australia and the United Kingdom. Flick called it an "inspirational winner with a sure, dignified message", while J. D. Considine called the lyrics "uplifting" and chorus "soaring".
"Without You" was released as the third single on January 21, 1994, entering the Hot 100 at number fifty-three before peaking at number three. It fared better internationally, topping the charts of countries such as Austria, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Carey's rendition of "Without You" brought renewed popularity to the song through, ranking among the year's fifty most-played tracks and ultimately outselling Harry Nilsson's version. "Never Forget You" was released in the US as the B-side to "Without You", and promoted there as the album's fourth single. "Anytime You Need a Friend", the album's final single, was released on May 24, 1994. It reached the top ten in Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. It peaked at number twelve on the US Billboard Hot 100, following its four-week climb from number forty-five.
Anniversary
A three-disc deluxe edition of Music Box to mark its 30th anniversary, featuring unreleased tracks, remixes, live recordings, and remastered audio, was released digitally on September 8, 2023. Disc one contains the original album and the bonus track "Everything Fades Away". The second disc includes an extended version of "All I Live For" and the original version of "Do You Think of Me", both of which were previously released in 2020 on The Rarities. It also features Carey's duet with Luther Vandross, "Endless Love", followed by two previously unreleased tracks, "Workin' Hard" and "My Prayer", the latter a cover of a song written by Georges Boulanger. The second disc contains the 2009 re-recorded version of "Hero" from The Ballads, an a cappella version of "Music Box", an extended version of "Anytime You Need a Friend", and two live performances from Top of the Pops. Disc three presents her full 1993 concert at Proctor's Theatre in New York, previously featured in Here Is Mariah Carey.
Critical reception
Notes
- Credits adapted from the album's liner notes
- "Without You" is a Badfinger cover (1970)
- "Endless Love" is a Diana Ross and Lionel Richie cover (1981)
- "My Prayer" is a The Platters cover (1956)
- The Latin American edition includes the bonus track bonus track Héroe.
Musicians
- Mariah Carey – lead vocals, background vocals
- Walter Afanasieff – keyboards, additional keyboards, synthesizers
- Dave Hall – synthesizers, keyboards, rhythm programming
- David Cole – keyboards
- Babyface – keyboards, percussion, background vocals
- Ren Klyce – Akai and Roland programming
- Gary Cirimelli – MacIntosh and synthesizer programming
- Ricky Crespo – programming
- Shawn Lucas – programming
- James T. Alfano – programming
- Michael Landau – guitars
- Kayo – bass
- Robert Clivillés – drums, percussion
- Mark C. Rooney – background vocals
- Cindy Mizelle – background vocals
- Melonie Daniels – background vocals
- Kelly Price – background vocals
- Shanrae Price – background vocals
Production
- Mariah Carey – arranger
- Dave Hall – arranger
- Walter Afanasieff – arranger
- Robert Clivilles – arranger
- David Cole – arranger
- Babyface – arranger
- Bob Rosa – engineer, mix engineer
- David Gleeson – engineer
- Dana Jon Chappelle – engineer, vocal engineering
- Acar Key – engineer
- Frank Filipetti – engineer
- Jim Zumpano – engineer
- Jim Caruana – 2nd engineer
- Jen Monnar – 2nd engineer
- Kent Matcke – 2nd engineer
- Mark Krieg – 2nd engineer
- Kirk Yano – additional tracking engineer
- Mick Guzauski – mixing
- Bob Ludwig – mastering, Gateway Master Studios
Charts
Weekly charts
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Weekly chart performance for Music Box
|-
!scope="col"|Chart (1993–1996)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"|Argentine Albums (CAPIF)
|7
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Belgian Albums (IFPI Belgium)
|1
|-
!scope="row"|Brazilian Albums (ABPD)
|9
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Canadian Albums (The Record)
|5
|-
!scope="row"|Danish Albums (Hitlisten)
|1
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Dutch Albums (Stichting Nederlandse Top 40)
|1
|-
!scope="row"|European Top 100 Albums (Music & Media)
|1
|-
!scope="row"|Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)
|1
|-
!scope="row"|French Albums (SNEP)
|1
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Hong Kong Albums (IFPI)
|5
|-
|-
! scope="row"| Icelandic Albums (Tónlist)
| 1
|-
!scope="row"|Irish Albums (IRMA)
|1
|-
!scope="row"|Italian Albums (Musica e dischi)
|3
|-
!scope="row"|Japanese Albums (Oricon)
|2
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Portuguese Albums (AFP)
|1
|-
|-
!scope="row"|South African Albums (IFPI)
|2
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|UK Albums (MRIB)
|1
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|US Top 100 Pop Albums (Cash Box)
|1
|-
!scope="row"|US Top 75 R&B Albums (Cash Box)
|1
|-
! scope="row"| Zimbabwean Albums (ZIMA)
| 1
|}
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Weekly chart performance for Music Box
|-
!scope="col"|Chart (2020–2024)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
|-
! scope="row"|Greek Albums (IFPI)
|37
|-
!scope="row"|Japan Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)
|53
|-
! scope="row"|Scottish Albums (OCC)
|53
|-
|-
|-
! scope="row"| US Top Album Sales (Billboard)
| 41
|}
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Weekly chart performance for Music Box: 30th Anniversary Edition
|-
!scope="col"|Chart (2024)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
! scope="row"|Australian Vinyl Albums (ARIA)
|14
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)
|42
|}
Year-end charts
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|-
!scope="col"|Chart (1993)
!scope="col"|Position
|-
!scope="row"|Australian Albums (ARIA)
|33
|-
!scope="row"|Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
|21
|-
!scope="row"|Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)
|18
|-
!scope="row"|Japanese Albums (Oricon)
|23
|-
!scope="row"|New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)
|30
|-
!scope="row"|Norwegian Christmas Period Albums (VG-lista)
|7
|-
!scope="row"|UK Albums (OCC)
| 10
|-
!scope="row"|UK Albums (MRIB)
|17
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard 200
|40
|-
!scope="row"|US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)
|1
|-
!scope="row"|Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)
|1
|-
!scope="row"|Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
|10
|-
!scope="row"|Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)
|1
|-
!scope="row"|European Top 100 Albums (Music & Media)
|1
|-
!scope="row"|French Albums (SNEP)
|3
|-
!scope="row"|German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)
|1
|-
! scope="row"| Icelandic Albums (Tónlist)
|1
|-
!scope="row"|Japanese Albums (Oricon)
|12
|-
!scope="row"|New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)
|2
|-
!scope="row"|Norwegian Winter Period Albums (VG-lista)
|2
|-
!scope="row"|Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)
|10
|-
!scope="row"|Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)
|1
|-
!scope="row"|UK Albums (OCC)
|3
|-
!scope="row"|UK Albums (MRIB)
|2
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard 200
|2
|-
!scope="row"|US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)
|88
|-
!scope="row"|Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)
|60
|-
!scope="row"|Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)
|53
|-
!scope="row"|European Top 100 Albums (Music & Media)
|66
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard 200
|124
|}
Decade-end charts
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|-
!scope="col"|Chart (1990–1999)
!scope="col"|Position
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard 200
|26
|}
All-time charts
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|-
!scope="col"|Chart
!scope="col"|Position
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard 200
|87
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard 200 (Women)
|27
|}