ARTIST: Mariah Carey 
TITLE: Greatest Hits
YEAR RELEASED: Compilation
CHART ACTION: #52 US, #7 UK
SINGLES: Well, most all of these tracks.
OTHER SONGS YOU MAY KNOW: Most everyone.
LINEUP: Mariah Carey and countless sidemen, producers, etc.
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT: Diva’s collection of early hits. Essential for a Carey or 90’s pop / R&B fan. The rest of us can take or leave.
SOME WORDS, PHRASES AND CLAUSES ABOUT THIS RECORD: This is a record where criticism is kind of fruitless. This is absolutely essential for fans (her albums are fine, but really, the deep cuts kind of fall away), and those that like 90’s pop. The songwriting and production machine, with Carey’s voice, made her a powerhouse.
The early sound is VERRRRY late 80’s, almost embarrassingly so. But the singing and melodies carry it. Yes, “Fantasy” is basically a total rip of “Genius of Love” but I think the Tom Tom Club got paid big time.
This isn’t in my wheelhouse so I exiled a lot. I can find here predictable, and her ballads overwrought and overly sentimental. But, fans dig that. Fine.
NOTES & MINUTIAE: This ends at 2001. There’s not a good collection of her later hits.
IS THERE A DELUXE VERSION: No.
GRADE: B+: I can’t say it’s wonderful, nor can I say it’s crap. It’s really good for what it is and what you want from her.
But Is It Any Good? 