New York, NY (Top40 Charts / Legacy Recordings) "Butterfly is my favorite album," says Mariah. "It's the most personal work I've ever done and will always be a defining moment in my career and in my life. I'm so happy to celebrate this anniversary with such a special release! Stay tuned for more surprises!"
Originally released on
September 16, 1997 by Columbia Records, Butterfly, Mariah Carey's sixth studio album, was one of the 1990's most-avidly-anticipated albums and quickly established itself as both a commercial (RIAA certified 5x Platinum) and artistic success. The songs and sounds of Butterfly helped shape and define the pop/R&B music and cultural zeitgeist of its era and beyond.
At the time of Butterfly's release,
Mariah Carey was already the biggest-selling female artist of the decade, having sold more than 80 million records since her debut in 1990. "Honey," the album's first single, became an instant hit on multi-format radio while a groundbreaking video for the track -- codirected by
Mariah Carey and
Daniel Pearl and shot by Paul Hunter -- rocketed into across-the-board heavy rotation on MTV, VH1, BET, and the Box. When "
Honey" debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of its release, it became--according to that week's Billboard Bulletin (September 4, 1997)--"....her third single to open in the top spot and her 12th No. 1 overall, giving her the most chart-toppers of any solo female artist in the rock era. In the history of the Hot 100, only six singles have debuted at No. 1 and Carey owns half of them."
Butterfly premiered 11 new compositions written by Mariah with some of pop music's most illustrious collaborators: "
Honey" (produced by Sean "Puffy" Combs for Bad Boy Entertainment, Inc., The Ummah, Stevie J., and Mariah Carey); "
Butterfly" (produced and arranged by
Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff); "
My All" (produced and arranged by
Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff); "The Roof" (produced by Poke and Tone for Track Masters Entertainment, and Mariah Carey); "Fourth of July" (produced and arranged by
Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff); "
Breakdown" (produced by Mariah Carey, Stevie J., and Sean "Puffy" Combs for Bad Boy Entertainment, Inc.); "Babydoll" (produced by
Mariah Carey and Cory Rooney); "
Close My Eyes" (produced and arranged by
Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff); "
Whenever You Call" (produced and arranged by
Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff); "Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise)" (co-produced by
Mariah Carey and
David Morales for Def Mix Productions); and "
Outside" (produced and arranged by
Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff; co-produced by Cory Rooney).
The 12th track on Butterfly is Mariah's heart-stopping cover of Prince's "The Beautiful Ones" (from "
Purple Rain") recorded as a duet with Dru Hill. Guest artists on Butterfly include Mase & The Lox (on "
Honey") and Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone from Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony (on "
Breakdown").
Side B
Babydoll
Close My Eyes
Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise)
The Beautiful Ones
Outside
Mariah Carey is the best-selling female artist of all time with more than 200 million albums sold to date and 18 Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles (17 self-penned), more than any solo artist in history. Mariah is a singer/song-writer/producer recognized with multiple Grammy Awards, 21 American
Music Awards, Billboard's "Artist of the Decade" Award, the World
Music Award for "World's Best Selling Female Artist of the Millennium," and BMI's "Icon Award" for her outstanding achievements in songwriting, to name a few - with her distinct five-octave vocal range, prolific songwriting, and producing talent, Mariah is truly the template of the modern pop performance.
Mariah's ongoing impact has transcended the music industry to leave an indelible imprint upon the world at large. She made her entrée into the world of independent film with her landmark performance in "WiseGirls" starring alongside Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino and Melora Walters. In 2009, Mariah was recognized with the Breakthrough Performance Award at the Palm
Spring International Film Festival for her critically acclaimed role in Lee Daniels' "Precious." Mariah went on to appear in Daniels' stellar ensemble piece "The Butler" (2013).
A Congressional Award recipient, Mariah has generously donated her time and energy to a range of philanthropic causes near to her heart including Save the Music, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, World Hunger Relief, and the
Elton John AIDS Foundation, among many others. A tremendous supporter of children's charities, both domestic and international, Mariah founded Camp Mariah in partnership with the
Fresh Air Fund, a retreat for inner city children to explore career development. Go to: www.mariahcarey.com
