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A song's quality doesn't come from chart position (114,392) by Jamie from UK

Yeah she defo needed to sing full voice on that record.
(Thursday 13 August 2026; 22:24)


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Glitter 25 (114,391) by Mimi L. from Empower Your Highlighter

Is Mariah hitting at Glitter 25 in her stories? She shared a screen with pink glitter background and a link to stay tuned for "updates".
(Thursday 13 August 2026; 19:24)

Eva Langley (114,390) by TJ from Norway

I'm not sure if this topic has been up for a discussion earlier, but 17 weeks at number one on the Billboard top 100? I have never heard the name before today. How about you?
(Thursday 13 August 2026; 17:25)

A song's quality doesn't come from chart position (114,389) by Lainsky from Philippines

Through the Rain and Bye Bye are Number 1 hits at that time. We used to hear them everywhere. Radio stations are still playing them today. GTFO and IWTKWLI flopped here, compared to the other two songs. So, yes, the song's quality cannot be supported by its peak on any charts. Sales and radio plays back then that affected the song's chart position are almost no longer a factor compared to streaming nowadays, which the charts consider a major factor in how popular the song is. Mariah's nineteen number 1 songs are of quality that deserves the top spot.
(Thursday 13 August 2026; 15:49)


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The Mariah we miss (114,388) by Lainsky from Philippines

I stumbled upon this reel. This is Mariah on stage performing like an athlete, whom we surely all miss. She did the same run while performing Make It Happen a few times.
(Thursday 13 August 2026; 15:40)

A song's quality doesn't come from chart position (114,387) by Lighty from China

Mariah is the one who used to hate songs/albums because they flopped on charts (e.g. Glitter and the singles you mentioned), not us.
(Thursday 13 August 2026; 15:36)


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A song's quality doesn't come from chart position (114,386) by Bobby A from United States

Great post, Randy. I felt MC's labels didn't know how to promote certain singles on Charmbraclet and Caution correctly because the labels wanted that instant Mariah Carey 90s hit. Top 40 radio just doesn't play a new Mariah single like they use to. This top 40 radio exclusion really bothers me because it looks like radio airplay will never go back to Mariah Carey's 90s heyday. I feel the only way this will change is for MC to step out of her box and collaborate on some new non-album singles with pop artists/bands she covered during her career like Steve Perry, Def Leppard, and Foreigner. This approach might help reintroduce MC back on top 40 radio.

(Thursday 13 August 2026; 11:00)


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A song's quality doesn't come from chart position (114,385) by Bill from the UK

Through the Rain gets good from the bridge onwards, but until then it’s just a whisper-fest with weak production. That song could have, and should have, been epic. It needed a fuller vocal for the verses, and the production could have really gone all out with an orchestra, strings, choir etc. To me it just sounds like a demo and half baked.
(Thursday 13 August 2026; 10:43)


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A song's quality doesn't come from chart position (114,384) by Randy from USA

The way you all and MC beat up Through The Rain, Bye Bye, GTFO, IWKWLI is crazy. Those are good songs. There's no magic formula for a #1 or everyone would have one. TTR had a huge marketing campaign. Mariah performed that song on every talk show, award show and mall atrium on Earth. The video was amazing. The vocal is amazing. It's a song that means a lot to me. If the general public didn't care, their loss. I hate hearing her down talk it down now. Why because it peaked at #81? Nothing on Charmbracelet was a great lead single imo. The way she and ya'll beat up Bye Bye irritated me also. She also performed that song at every talk show, late night show and backyard cookout in America. I thought it was a touching song and she killed that climax; it's one of her best. It's also a song many can relate to. Who knows if Migrate would've been a hit. The production quality of Migrate had always sounded muddled to me. Bye Bye peaking at 19 killed the album. And I'm sorry E=MC2 was chock full of singles. It's probably her most commercial album. None of the others did well. So ya'll make out Bye Bye to be Satan's theme. Caution wasn't gonna sell no matter what was released. Mariah is older and nothing on that album is undeniable. A No No is close. Maybe with Cardi on it it woulda done well. IWKWLI was after that type of ballad's popularity but her climax is wonderful. I like the production of the first verse too. My point is MC for the most part puts out quality product. Doesn't matter where it lands chart wise. And is anyone doing the Macarena (#1 for 15 weeks) or singing Old Town Road these days (#1 for 19 weeks)?
(Wednesday 12 August 2026; 21:55)

Eclipse (114,383) by Bill from the UK

In honour of the eclipse tonight, I will be playing the Eclipse Dub of Dreamlover. That remix goes hard, I love it too much. Any UK/Spanish fans joining me?
(Wednesday 12 August 2026; 14:10)

Caution reflections (114,382) by Will from England

Caution remains one of my firm favorites. It's dark, moody, modern-yet-Mariah, a slight grit to it and an attitude not heard on her previous albums. It's not a bright sounding album, and sticking with that theme all throughout was a smart choice, it made it cohesive and an easy listen. Her vocals on the album are stellar and worth praising, especially when compared to HFIA. 8th Grade and GML are standouts from the album, and still sound great and fresh even through they're nearly 10 years old. GTFO and WY were good choices to reestablish Mariah, considering the last few years of Stella's era. For me, the first video was sultry, and the opposite of her last video which was I Don't and even You're Mine which were her being overtly sexy. Yes, she is lingerie, what's new, but the way it was shot and styled was a better take on this formula. And With You was another damage control video where Mariah is shown more mature. Overall, still her best album in the last few years.
(Tuesday 11 August 2026; 23:10)


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H.A.T.E.U. remix (114,381) by Bobby A from United States

I listened to the remix today and it amazed me that the remix probably has MC's best vocals from the Memoirs era. Also, it is probably one of her top 5 remixes built around a popular R&B sample.

(Tuesday 11 August 2026; 00:01)

Caution reflections (114,380) by nancy from Switzerland

I don't like the video of GTFO either. Especially with that underwear and that alcohol drinking looks a bit cheap to me. I like the apartment because it gives me a 70's vibe. The [A no no] video in the subway is pretty colorful and completely something else she has done before. Also the kids are in the video. The [With you] video is very glamorous and classy with that furniture, seaview etc. I also like how she uses the hairbrush as a microphone. Very funny.

(Monday 10 August 2026; 20:58)

Caution reflections (114,379) by Lighty from China

I love the song, not so much for the video. Mariah looks like a middle-aged widow in that one (sorry Mariah). But the moody atmosphere suits the song well, and still better than that meaningless extravagant video of Type Dangerous.
(Monday 10 August 2026; 15:59)


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Caution reflections (114,378) by Bill from the UK

There were elements of the video I liked though. There would be a shot of like a curtain billowing, or the sink filling up. I loved those, especially with the backdrop of that strange eerie lighting where it’s probably really early in the morning and dawn is about to break. Not a fan though of Mariah’s look in the video at all though so I barely ever watch it.
(Monday 10 August 2026; 10:53)


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Caution reflections (114,377) by Randy from USA

I love GTFO. It's an anthem and I've used it to underscore some posts I've made documenting some exits in my life. I hate the video. I don't know why the public didn't take to it or it didn't get a Instagram or TikTok trend started. That said I love Caution and A No No. Caution falls off a cliff after the first four tracks. Even with that cliff, it's better than MIAMTEC. Mariah has 16 albums, she'd be hard pressed to mention them in every interview. She doesn't talk about Emotions, Rainbow, E=MC2 or Memoirs often.
(Sunday 9 August 2026; 18:02)


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Caution reflections (114,376) by MusicfanJ from Germany

GTFO is the worst first single ever from a Mariah album for my opinion. "Caution" the song would have been much better. "With you" was indeed also not a good choice. With the third single the people almost had already forgotten the new album.

I also like the album cover. The album had a fresh, modern vibe (it still has) and was way better than MIAMTEC which had good songs but felt so "unnatural" at some parts. Mariah's team is not so clever anymore with the instinct for possibly radio hits or good single choices.
(Sunday 9 August 2026; 12:23)


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Caution reflections (114,375) by Bobby A from United States

I started the Caution topic because MC does not talk much about Caution. I think it is because Epic ruined the album's rollout despite MC delivering her best album since E=MC2. Could a return to Island Def Jam be what MC needs to return to her former glory and label support of the 2000s?

(Sunday 9 August 2026; 12:22)


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Caution reflections (114,374) by Zachariah from Croatia

I actually think Caution was a much better album than its commercial performance suggested, and the single campaign is one of the biggest reasons it didn't reach a larger audience.

The interesting thing is that the problem wasn't simply "they chose the wrong songs". It was the sequencing, timing, number of pre-release tracks, radio strategy, and lack of a sustained era. What actually happened? The campaign essentially went:
"GTFO" - September 13, 2018, promotional single
"With You" - October 4, official lead single
"The Distance" feat. Ty Dolla $ign - October 18, promotional/pre-order track
"A No No" - October 31, another pre-release track, later made the second official single
Caution - November 16

So four of the album's ten songs were already available before the album came out. Mariah herself later said she disliked how the label handled those "instant gratification" releases. That's a huge problem for an album that was only 10 tracks and about 38 minutes long. By release day, roughly 40% of the album wasn't new anymore.

And critically, Caution was actually very well regarded. Contemporary reviews praised its cohesive R&B/hip-hop sound, with songs such as "The Distance" and "Portrait" singled out as highlights.

My alternate single campaign. If I were running the Caution era, I'd do something quite different.

1. "GTFO" - September 2018
Keep it exactly where it was, but treat it as a buzz single. "GTFO" was actually a smart way to announce the era. It immediately communicated: Mariah is back, she's having fun, she's not trying to make another generic adult-contemporary album. It also had a great title/concept for social media. But I wouldn't count it as one of the album's major singles. The first mistake was following it with "With You."

2. "A No No" - October 2018
This should have been the lead commercial single. I think this is the biggest missed opportunity. "A No No" has several things that "With You" doesn't:
instantly recognizable sample
attitude
personality
a memorable hook
hip-hop/R&B crossover potential
a fun visual concept
potential for a major rapper/remix
something distinctive enough to cut through 2018 radio
It also plays directly into Mariah's persona. The Lil' Kim connection was particularly valuable because the song samples the remix of "Crush on You". And this is where I think they missed an enormous opportunity: Lil' Kim. Imagine: "A No No" - Mariah Carey feat. Lil' Kim. With Lil' Kim actually appearing on the remix/video. That could have generated significantly more cultural conversation than the Stefflon Don and Shawni remixes that ultimately came out. "A No No" was eventually serviced to radio in March 2019, but by then the album had been out for almost four months.

3. "The Distance" - November/December 2018
This would be my second single. And I would absolutely push the Ty Dolla $ign collaboration. "The Distance" has something really important for Mariah in 2018. It sounds contemporary without sounding like she's desperately chasing contemporary music. That's the sweet spot. It has:
Ty Dolla $ign
modern production
a great chorus
an emotional theme
enough melody for Mariah
enough hip-hop/R&B credibility for younger listeners

4. "Caution" -January 2019
This is my wildcard. The actual title track. I think the title track should have become the centerpiece of the era. Not necessarily the biggest radio hit, but the song that defines the album visually. I'd give it a big-budget cinematic video and build the album's entire visual identity around: Caution: Black, gold, luxury, danger, nighttime, Mariah in gowns, paparazzi, relationships, power. Instead, the actual campaign never really developed a strong visual world for the album. And that's particularly unfortunate because Caution is an album with a very clear aesthetic.

5. "8th Grade" - February/March 2019
This would be the urban/R&B single. "8th Grade" has a completely different purpose from "A No No". "A No No" is fun, attitude, nostalgia. "8th Grade" is vulnerability, relatability, Mariah's songwriting. It would give the campaign another dimension. And I think the story behind the song could have been marketed extremely well: insecurity, rejection, adolescence, feeling like you're not enough. That's an extremely relatable concept.

And then "Portrait". Final single: "Portrait" This is the prestige single. I'd release it toward the end of the campaign, perhaps around May/June 2019. Not because I think it would necessarily become a huge Hot 100 hit, but because it would remind people: Mariah Carey is one of the greatest vocalists/songwriters alive. It would be the Grammy/award-season type of single. And the video could have been gorgeous.

So my campaign would look like this:
Date Single Purpose
Sept. 2018 GTFO Buzz/announcement
Oct. 2018 A No No Main commercial lead
Nov. 16 Caution album Album release
Dec. 2018 The Distance R&B/pop crossover
Jan. 2019 Caution Title-track/visual centerpiece
Mar. 2019 8th Grade R&B/streaming audience
May 2019 Portrait Prestige/vocal showcase

And none of the album's other songs would be released before the album. That's the really important part.
(Sunday 9 August 2026; 09:54)


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Caution reflections (114,373) by Lainsky from Philippines

Aside from wrong choices of commercially released singles, making GTFO an introduction to a cohesively and nicely crafted album is a wrong move. It should've remained as filler. "Giving Me Life" sounds different. I agree that it is innovative, which could have been a wonderful carrier single. It will make non-fans curious. A second single could have been "A No No", followed by the remix and the familiar yet still impactful song "Caution". "Stay Long Love You" will remind the listeners of "A No No" for a third release, or another schmaltzy song, or "Runway". But then again, her age and marketing are big factors, which makes the industry unfairly sucks.
(Sunday 9 August 2026; 05:10)


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Caution reflections (114,372) by nancy from Switzerland

GTFO and [With you] were a bit boring using it for a single in my opinion. She uses that strengthless and weak sounding whispery tone almost through the whole song. With her natural voice the songs would have been better maybe. Caution would have been a great song. It needs a stronger beat or more bass or whaterver. No No No [sic] was a good single. [Giving me life] would have been innovative with that guitar outro. (But MC and her management don't like to take risks at all. My fave is [8th grade]. The album is still good. She had self confidence and was in a better place at that time. Also the album cover was fresh and new. Runway which is in the Japanese edition would have been a great single. I like the beat and the voice there and the message. Somehow her staff can't take good decisions.

(Saturday 8 August 2026; 22:52)

Caution reflections (114,371) by T from USA

Caution, the exact same album plus #B as the lead single in 2013 would've would've been huge in my opinion. Have the dance and hip-hop remix ready at the beginning. Throw in Faded and Dedicated and you'd have 13 solid tracks that would've been pure quality. As it happened it felt like Mariah herself gave up on the album the minute it was released, maybe she didn't like the singles strategy. Maybe she wasn't happy it didn't debut in the top two album positions. Maybe she just wishes she can forget it ever existed.
(Saturday 8 August 2026; 18:38)


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Caution reflections (114,370) by Jamie from UK

100%. I Don't with a more tasteful video. I love Unforgettable.

(Saturday 8 August 2026; 11:39)


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Caution reflections (114,369) by Bill from the UK

Caution's great but I would have substituted GTFO for either I Don't or Unforgettable. She killed every hope of any radio airplay but releasing that song first. Honestly what the hell was she thinking.
(Saturday 8 August 2026; 10:40)


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Caution reflections (114,368) by Lighty from China

The marketing plan was a mess. I remember the "Goodbye to a World" sample on GTFO was only cleared one week or so before release. Everything was in a rush. In between there were the Asia concert tours, and after the release of Caution quickly came the Christmas season. They probably should've just waited and release it in early 2019.
(Saturday 8 August 2026; 05:48)


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