#1's

#1’s is the first compilation album by Mariah Carey, released on November 17, 1998. The album contained 13 of Carey’s US #1s with extra bonus tracks, while the Japanese version saw the addition of “All I Want for Christmas is You”. Other international versions saw the inclusion of “Without You” (from Music Box) and the exclusive bonus track “Do You Know Where You’re Going To (Theme from Mahogany)”. However, the US #1 hit “I Don’t Wanna Cry” was excluded from all international pressings of the album.

Around 1998, Carey considered embarking on a worldwide tour for the Butterfly album. However, executives at Sony wanted her to prepare a greatest hits album for the commercially favorable holiday season. Carey, not having time to record a studio album, agreed. However, they disagreed as to what content and singles should constitute the album. Sony wanted to release an album that featuring Carey’s US number one singles, void of any new material. She, on the other hand, felt that a greatest hits album should reflect on her most personal and favorite songs, not necessarily her most commercial. Additionally, Carey felt that not including any new material would be unfair to fans, and eventually new songs were included to accompany her 13 number-ones.

With Carey stating the compilation is not a greatest hits collection, Sony titled the album #1’s to reflect the fact that the songs are a group of Billboard Hot 100 number one hits as opposed to her “greatest” or “favorite” songs. Carey has consistently stated her disappointment of the omission of songs like “Underneath the Stars” and “Breakdown”, neither of which were ever properly pushed as singles by Sony. The album received mild criticism for only including US #1 singles, but some critics commended the quality of songs like “Fantasy” and “My All”. Nevertheless, the album reached the top 10 throughout most major music markets and was certified 5x platinum by the RIAA.

#1’s holds the record of being the best-selling album in Japan by a foreign act, with reported sales of over 5 million units in the country.