MARIAH CAREY: *Billboard*’s Top Female Solo Artist of All Time

It takes a special talent to push past the likes of Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross and Madonna to become Billboard‘s top female solo artist of all time.

The special talent is named Mariah Carey. The solo artist with the most number-one singles is the only female performer with three songs that debuted at number-one on the Hot 100 and someone whose tunes have spent the most weeks — 79 — atop the pop chart.

Calling the honour “mindblowing,” Mimi tells Billboard, “Look, I’ve devoted my life to this career and writing songs… Obviously I have my own babies now. But these are my little song babies… I never, ever dreamt of this when I first started. I just wanted to hear my songs on the radio.”

She touched on two of her personal favourites:

• “All I Want for Christmas Is You”: “The constant presence at Christmastime — to feel that as someone who loves Christmas so much, I can’t even explain.”
• “Hero”: “Which I performed at the Tribute to Heroes during the 9/11 tragedy. It was a song that I had written and debuted on a Thanksgiving special, and it went to number one and has become kind of synonymous with me. I don’t think many people realize I wrote that song, either — because most people aren’t necessarily writing their songs. But I wouldn’t feel complete as an artist if I didn’t.”