The Emancipation of Mimi

Album Summary

The Emancipation of Mimi is the tenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on March 30, 2005, by Island Records. Its widespread success—following the critical and commercial disappointments of her film Glitter (2001) and its soundtrack, as well as her ninth studio album, Charmbracelet (2002)—led many to deem it Carey's "comeback" album. Carey composed The Emancipation of Mimi throughout 2004 with a wide range of songwriters and producers including Jermaine Dupri, Snoop Dogg, Kanye West, Twista, Nelly, Pharrell Williams, and James "Big Jim" Wright; some appear as featured artists on select tracks. Carey adopted her personal nickname "Mimi" in the title, revealing a more intimate side of the singer in line with the album's overarching theme of emancipation from personal and commercial setbacks. Its songs concern themes of liberation, love, and personal growth. The Emancipation of Mimi is primarily an R&B, pop, and dance-pop effort, with influences of hip-hop, gospel, and soul. Carey promoted the album with the Adventures of Mimi Tour in 2006. The album spawned six singles, led by "It's Like That", which was moderately successful worldwide. "We Belong Together" spent fourteen weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, blocking the album's third single, "Shake It Off", from the top spot. This marked the first time a female artist monopolized the chart's top two positions. The deluxe edition's single "Don't Forget About Us" also topped the Billboard Hot 100. The Emancipation of Mimi topped the US Billboard 200 for two weeks and was the country's best-selling album of 2005. It was the year's second best-selling album worldwide, and has since sold over 10 million copies. The Emancipation of Mimi received generally positive reviews, with critics viewing it as a return to form for Carey, and praising its production and her vocal performance. The album and its songs were nominated for ten awards across the 48th (2006) and 49th Annual Grammy Awards (2007), winning three, including Best Contemporary R&B Album. It is credited with reviving Carey's career and reshaping the idea of a comeback in popular music. In retrospect, critics have regarded it as one of her strongest works and have praised its embrace of her R&B sensibilities and diva persona; Rolling Stone included it on its "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list.

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