#1 To Infinity is Mariah Carey's third compilation album after 2001's second compilation, Greatest Hits. The album fetured all 18 number ones, with some amendments, certain area zones, like Europe or Japan, contained the numbers ones they had, with number ones from the States. The album also contains one new song that is entitled, "Infinity", the only song to be released from the album, it was released on April 27th, 2016.
The album by Mariah is suppose to be a follow up on her #1's album in which, back then, felt like she didn't want to focus on a compilation on her most commericaled songs, in now which she feels like it would be a nice update. The album is also a support for her residency in Las Vegas at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, also entitled #1 To Infinity, at the start of May in 2015. The show was an entire setlist dedicated to her number ones, with Infinity being the only single that wasn't number one and wast the encore song of the show. Carey would promote the album and residency on shows, like Jimmy Kimmel Live! (last appaerance since 2008), Live! With Kelly & Michael, the 2015 Billboard Music Awards (last time since 1998), the Wal-Mart Shareholders event, and the Ellen Show.
Background[]
After her last album in 2014, Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse, Carey parted her ways with Def Jam Recordds, long time publicist, Cindi Berger (PMK) and long time manager, Jermaine Dupri. In mid 2014, Carey signed in a new contract with L.A. Reid for Epic Records (who haven't been with each other since 2005). She would later higher new publicist, Chris Chambers (CG) and new managers, Stella Bulochinkov and Brian Sher. However, this didn't mean mutal relationships with Jermaine and Cindi were over as Jermaine would continue to be her producer.
With this said, many news outlets felt like the label switch was due to the previous unsuccessful promotions Def Jam and Island were giving her with Memoirs, her second Christmas album and Me. I Am Mariah. Epic Records is a sub division with Sony and therfore would be Carey's second time being with Sony in over one and a half decade ago in 2000. #! To Infinity would also be the seventh album of hers to be released by Sony, the last being Rainbow.
When Carey left Def Jam and applyed for other record labels, due to the low-sales, unsuccsessful promotions and no Top 10 singles (making it to be Carey's second studio album, excluding Christmas albums, not to have a single in the Top 10) of Me. I Am Mariah, several labels were very hesitant with carey due to this. Some crtics felt like re-establishing herself in this business was best to be with L.A. Reid who also managed The Emancipation of Mimi and that epic would be her best chance to have another chance at the charts.
Content & Packaging[]
The album cover of the compilation was revealed during April 13th as a part of her social media campaign a day before in which her website would make her fans to spread the word on other social platforms using the hashtag, #RevealMariah. The more shares would make the picture of her previous #1's album cover go down to reveal the new #1 To Infinity cover. Later that day, the complete image was revealed during the evening at that time. The picture would be of her posing similarly in her #1's artwork with a black open dress behind an indgo backdrop with the words Mariah Carey ontop and #1 To Infinity at the bottom with the butterfly and Infinity logo mashed up together. Critcs were spectacle of the cover being highly photoshopped and worse than the Me. I Am Mariah cover, while fans were rather focusing on the content and the new single, Infinity.
While on the Ellen show, Carey said she'll be releasing the album as a "re-release" of her #1's (1998) album with an update of her number ones after the orignal album released. Songs like, "Heartbreaker" featuring Jay-Z (1999), "Thank God I Found You" featuring Joe & 98 Degrees (2000), "We Belong Together "(2005), "Don't Forgert About Us"(2005/2006) and "Touch My Body"(2008) as a part with the track listing on the album. All Noth American content and packaging features her Billboard number one hits (all 18) and the newly recorded, "Infinity". Amendments were made to a few songs, "Someday" was the MTV Unplugged verison and "Fantasy" was the newly Bad Boy Fantasy remix and feature, Ol' Diry Bastard.
On international track lisitngs, "Someday", "I Don't Wanna Cry", and "Thank God I Found You" were replaced with international number one, "Without You" (Badfinger cover), "Endless Love" featuring Luther Vandross (Diana Ross & Lionel Richie cover) and "Against All Odds" featuring Westlife (Phil Collins cover). "Thank God I Found You" was the only song in Japan track listing replaced with "All I Want For Christmas Is You".
Single[]
"Infinity" was the only song released from the album and is the only song that is new on the track lisiting. The song is a mid-tempo R&B song written by Mariah Carey, Eric Hudson, Priscilla Renea, Taylor Parks, and Ilsey Juber. The song is about how she is free and being emancipated and a brokeness to infinity. Many fans and critcs speculate it was about former husband, Nick Cannon. This response was confusing when Cannon himself posted support to listen to the new song and buying it. Carey herself also said it was never about her personal life and if it was, she would still never give the name away. Critically, the song was reviewed positive however, some felt like it was overproduced but still gave its liking and the lyrical liking to refering Fritos.
Promotion[]
During late 2014/early 2015, fans speculated that Mariah would be doing a residency in Vegas sometime during the year. With this being said, on January 15th, 2015, while on the Ellen show, Carey confimed that she'll be doing her residency in The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in May to July 2015. Initinally entitled, Mariah Carey #1's, Carey explained she'll be doing some songs that hit number one and songs she hasn't performed in awhile. The announcment came after one day after Celine Dion, herself, revealed she'll be taking care of her husband, Rene Angellil who has been battlig with cancer for awhile.
Performances of "Infinity" would be mainly a medley with her 1990 debut single, "Vision of Love" followed by "Infinity" refering to the title #1 To Infinity. Carey would do this in her performances in the 2015 Billboard Music Awards, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Live! With Kelly and Michael in which she perfomed on Main Street in Disneyland at the show.
Chart Performance[]
The album #1 To Infinity debuted at number 29 on the Billboard 200 charts on June 6th, 2015. This became her twentieth album overall to make the charts. #1 To Infinity would reach its peak at number 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and R&B Albums chart, respectively. In the UK, the album charted at number 8 on May 24th, 2015 and staying there for 5 weeks. On the UK R&B Albums, the compilation reahed number 1. In Australia, the album peaked at number 18 and reached number 2 on the Urban Album Charts.
Track Listing[]
North American Version[]
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