The best-selling female performer of the 1990s, Mariah Carey rose to superstardom on the strength of her stunning five-octave voice. An elastic talent who moved easily from glossy ballads to hip-hop-inspired dance-pop, she earned frequent comparison to rivals Whitney Houston and Celine Dion, but did them both one better by composing all of her own material. Born in Long Island, NY, on March 27, 1970, Carey moved to New York City at the age of 17 -- just one day after graduating high school -- to pursue a music career; there she befriended keyboardist Ben Margulies, with whom she began writing songs. Her big break came as a backing vocalist on a studio session with dance-pop singer Brenda K. Starr, who handed Carey's demo tape to Columbia Records head Tommy Mottola at a party. According to legend, Mottola listened to the tape in his limo while driving home that same evening, and was so immediately struck by Carey's talent that he doubled back to the party to track her down.
After signing to Columbia, Carey entered the studio to begin work on her 1990 self-titled debut LP. The heavily promoted album was a chart-topping smash, launching no less than four number one singles: "Vision of Love," "Love Takes Time," "Someday," and "I Don't Wanna Cry." Her overnight success earned Grammy Awards as Best New Artist and Best Female Vocalist, and expectations were high for Carey's follow-up, 1991's Emotions. The album did not disappoint, as the title track reached number one -- a record fifth consecutive chart-topper -- while both "Can't Let Go" and "Make It Happen" landed in the Top Five. Carey's next release was 1992's MTV Unplugged EP, which generated a number one cover of the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There." Featured on the track was backup singer Trey Lorenz, whose appearance immediately helped him land a recording contract of his own.
In June 1993, Carey wed Mottola -- some two decades her senior -- in a headline-grabbing ceremony; months later, she released her third full-length effort, Music Box, which became her best-selling record to date. Two more singles, "Dreamlover" and "Hero," reached the top spot on the charts. Carey's first tour followed and was widely panned by critics; undaunted, she resurfaced in 1994 with a holiday release titled Merry Christmas, scoring a seasonal smash with "All I Want for Christmas Is You." Released in 1995, Daydream reflected a new artistic maturity; the first single, "Fantasy," debuted at number one, making Carey the first female artist and just the second performer ever to accomplish the feat. The follow-up, "One Sweet Day" -- a collaboration withBoyz II Men -- repeated the trick, and remained lodged at the top of the charts for a record 16 weeks.
After separating from Mottola, Carey returned in 1997 with Butterfly, another staggering success and her most hip-hop-flavored recording to date. #1's -- a collection featuring her 13 previous chart-topping singles as well as "The Prince of Egypt (When You Believe)," a duet with Whitney Houston effectively pairing the two most successful female recording artists in pop history -- followed late the next year. With "Heartbreaker," the first single from her 1999 album Rainbow, Carey became the first artist to top the charts in each year of the 1990s; the record also pushed her ahead of the Beatles as the artist with the most cumulative weeks spent atop the Hot 100 singles chart.
However, the early 2000s weren't as kind to Carey. After signing an $80 million deal in 2001 with Virgin -- the biggest record contract ever -- she experienced a very public personal and professional meltdown that included rambling; suicidal messages on her website; an appearance on TRL where, clad only in a T-shirt, she handed out Popsicles to the audience; and last but not least, the poorly received movie Glitter and its attendant soundtrack (which was also her Virgin Records debut). Both the film and the album did poorly critically as well as commercially, with Glitter making just under $4 million in its total U.S. gross and the soundtrack struggling to make gold sales. Following these setbacks, Virgin and Carey parted ways early in 2002, with the label paying her $28 million. That spring, she found a new home with Island/Def Jam, where she set up her own label, MonarC Music. In December, she released her ninth album, Charmbracelet, which failed to become a success.
The Emancipation of Mimi, her most successful work in years, appeared in 2005. It climbed to multi-platinum status and earned Carey three Grammy awards -- Best Contemporary R&B Album and, for the single "We Belong Together," Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song -- thus restoring her status as a megastar. Two weeks before the release of her subsequent album, April 2008's E=MC2, Carey scored her 18th number one hit with "Touch My Body," a feat that pushed her into second place (past Elvis, no less) among all artists with the most chart-topping singles. Although that hit song, along with the late April news that she married Nick Cannon, kept her in the spotlight that year, the remainder of the album's spinoffs weren't nearly as successful; only "Bye Bye" managed to scrape the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. She went back to work fairly quickly, however, and Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel -- featuring collaborations with the-Dream, as well as a cover of Foreigner's "I Want to Know What Love Is" -- became her 12th studio album upon its September 2009 release. Despite some positive reviews, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel turned into Carey's least successful studio album, generating no big hits. The following year, Carey released Merry Christmas II You for the 2010 holiday season. Not long before its release, Carey announced that she and Cannon were expecting their first child.
Decision: With 18 #1 singles, is there any doubt whether Mariah Carey is a Pop Music HOFer or not?
En Vogue
The female vocal quartet En Vogue was conceived and put together by the production team of Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy, both former members of Club Nouveau. Foster and McElroy wanted a vocal group who could exude sultriness and intelligence in addition to vocal proficiency, and as producers, they wanted material that would fuse R&B and girl group traditions with hip-hop and new jack swing rhythms. The two held auditions and settled on a membership of former Miss Black California Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones, Dawn Robinson, and Terry Ellis. The new group performed two songs on Foster and McElroy's FM2 album, and the producers crafted an image of them as stylish, sophisticated, and sexy. Originally called For You, the women switched to the more elegant Vogue, and then En Vogue after learning of another group with a very similar name.
En Vogue's debut album, Born to Sing, appeared in 1990 and launched the pop crossover smash "Hold On," which peaked at number two and helped the album go platinum. The group attracted comparisons to the Supremes, even though group members shared lead vocals and intentionally designated no particular singer the "star." In between albums, Herron appeared in the film Juice. When En Vogue returned in 1992 with Funky Divas, critical and commercial response was overwhelming. The album's wide array of styles, from pop and R&B to rap, rock, and reggae, were lauded in print; the first three singles -- "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)," "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" (both covers of songs written by Curtis Mayfield), and "Free Your Mind" (which borrowed a chorus line from George Clinton) -- reached the Top Ten, and the album went multi-platinum. En Vogue were in the Top Ten again in 1993, backing Salt-N-Pepa on their hit "Whatta Man."
As En Vogue was recording its third album, Dawn Robinson left the group. Before they released the record, "Don't Let Go (Love)," a song the group contributed to the Set It Off soundtrack, became a number two single in early 1997. Six months later, the band released their third album, EV3. The group's first compilation, The Best of En Vogue, was released in the summer of 1999. 2000 saw the release of Masterpiece Theater (originally titled Something New, Something Old, Something Borrowed, Something Cool) but immediately after an interview on BET the group was informed that they were dropped by their label due to slower than expected sales.In 2001 Amanda Cole was added as a fourth member but soon after Maxine Jones announced her desire to spend more time with her young daughter and departed. Returned to a trio, the group started touring again and in late summer Rhino released their second compilation, The Very Best of En Vogue. Things were quiet until the group returned at the end of 2002 with a contribution to the Deliver Us from Eva soundtrack and their first Christmas album, The Gift of Christmas, on a small, independent label Discretion Entertainment. Promotion for the album was so limited that only those who regularly visit En Vogue fansites were aware of it and to make matters worse, Amanda Cole left the group in the middle of 2003 for a solo career. A false rumor that Chanté Moore had joined the group proved untrue and talks with Dawn Robinson and Maxine Jones failed to bring either back to the group permanently. In September of 2003 the group appeared out of nowhere for a small European tour with Maxine Jones filling in temporarily for Cindy Herron (who had just had her fourth child) and a new member, Rhona Bennett, made her debut. Bennett had recorded an album as simply Rhona for Sony in 2001 (which included the hit "Satisfied"), and also had a recurring role on The Jamie Foxx Show. Jones and Herron traded places again and the new trio released Soul Flower in early 2004 on 33rd Street Records.
Decision: A very successful R&B/Pop group, with 6 top 10 singles, but not quite enough for the Pop Music HOF.
Wilson Phillips
Wilson Phillips first appeared in 1990 flaunting a harmony-rich sound that helped send three singles from their first album -- "Hold On," "Release Me," and "You're in Love" -- to the top of the Billboard charts. Carnie Wilson, Wendy Wilson, and Chynna Phillips comprised the vocal trio, whose sudden success was matched by an equally impressive pedigree. The two Wilson sisters had grown up in California with their father, Beach Boy bandleader Brian Wilson, and often made appearances on his albums throughout their childhood. Chynna's parents, meanwhile, were John and Michelle Phillips (of seminal folk-rock band the Mamas & the Papas). Despite growing up alongside such icons, the girls first pursued separate careers in acting and modeling, only turning to music when Chynna (having been influenced by Band Aid and Farm Aid) suggested they make a charity record with other children of famous musicians. The project fell through, but it also brought the three girls together again, forming Wilson Phillips in the process.
From the outset, Wilson Phillips used their connections to partner with important figures in the music business, including producer Richard Perry(who guided the singers through their early years together) and songwriter Glen Ballard (who co-wrote most of their hits). Given their talent and networking skills, the girls signed a contract with SBK Records in 1989 and released their self-titled debut album one year later. Wilson Phillips' mix of adult contemporary ballads and midtempo pop/rock drew some criticism for its supposedly syrupy content, but the album became a Grammy-nominated smash regardless. Three tracks were number one singles; two others, "Impulsive" and "The Dream Is Still Alive," peaked at numbers four and 12, respectively.
Unfortunately, Wilson Phillips' time in the spotlight was short-lived. Their sophomore album, 1992's Shadows & Light, went platinum but quickly faded from the charts, failing to produce any Top Ten hits. Perhaps sensing an inevitable decline, Chynna Phillips announced plans for a solo career, and Wilson Phillips broke up the following year. The members pursued various interests throughout the following decade; Phillips issued her solo debut, Naked and Sacred, in 1995; the Wilson sisters partnered with their father on several projects; and Carnie hosted her own talk show.
In 2003, the musicians reunited to record California, a summery covers album that found Wilson Phillips putting their own stamp on songs by the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac. The record was released in May 2004 to a modest American reception, yet it fared surprisingly well in New Zealand, where the trio's cover of "Go Your Own Way" topped the adult contemporary charts. Wilson Phillips reunited again in 2008 for a pair of live performances in California. A holiday-themed album, Christmas in Harmony, featuring production from longtime friend Glen Ballard, followed in 2010. To celebrate their 20th anniversary as a recording act, Wilson Phillips finally fully acknowledged its legacy by putting out Dedicated, an album devoted entirely to songs made famous by the Beach Boys and the Mamas & the Papas in 2012.
Decision: Their first three singles hit #1 in 1990-91, but they were forgotten by 1993. Not enough staying power to reach the Pop Music HOF...
Next: 1991 Nominees: Boyz II Men, Celine Dion, Nirvana
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