The Ballads (Mariah Carey album)

The Ballads (released in the UK in 2010 as LoveSongs) is a compilation album by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey.[1][2] The album features some of Carey's top selling ballads over the course of her career. It was released internationally in late 2008, and in North America in January 2009.

The Ballads
Compilation album by
Mariah Carey
ReleasedOctober 17, 2008 (2008-10-17)
Length
  • 70:41 (UK)
  • 75:32 (U.S.)
  • 76:10 (Japan)
Label
Producer
Mariah Carey chronology
E=MC²
(2008)		 The Ballads
(2008)		 Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel
(2009)

Background

The album contains some of Carey's hits and singles, primarily from her time at Columbia Records. It does not feature any new material or include songs recorded with her then-current label, Island Records.

The 1993 single "Hero" was re-recorded and re-released to promote The Ballads compilation. The video shows Mariah Carey walking into the recording room accompanied by her dog, lingering in the studio and singing to the song. It is intercut with a scene of New York City during the night.[3]

Promotion

Carey performed "Hero" at the Inauguration of Barack Obama on January 20, 2009 in Washington, D.C.,[4] and was featured on a CBS TV special.[5]

A limited edition of The Ballads was being sold exclusively at all Target Stores. The CD comes in a gift pack that includes a small bottle of Carey's fragrance Luscious Pink.

Track listing
No.TitleAlbumLength
1."Hero"Music Box4:19
2."One Sweet Day" (feat. Boyz II Men)Daydream4:41
3."Vision of Love"Mariah Carey3:31
4."Without You"Music Box3:34
5."Can't Let Go"Emotions4:27
6."Love Takes Time"Mariah Carey3:49
7."I'll Be There" (feat. Trey Lorenz)MTV Unplugged4:43
8."Thank God I Found You" (Make It Last Remix feat. Joe and Nas)Rainbow5:09
9."Endless Love" (feat. Luther Vandross)Songs4:18
10."I Still Believe"#1's3:54
11."My All"Butterfly3:50
12."The Roof (Back in Time)"Butterfly5:14
13."When You Believe" (with Whitney Houston)#1's4:31
14."Anytime You Need a Friend"Music Box4:26
15."Always Be My Baby"Daydream4:18
16."Dreamlover"Music Box3:53
17."How Much" (feat. Usher)Rainbow3:31
18."Reflections (Care Enough)"Glitter3:23
Total length:72:11
International track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Hero"4:19
2."Vision of Love"3:31
3."Without You"3:34
4."Always Be My Baby"4:18
5."My All"3:50
6."How Much" (feat. Usher)3:31
7."Dreamlover"3:53
8."Thank God I Found You" (Make It Last Remix feat. Joe and Nas)5:09
9."The Roof (Back in Time)"5:14
10."One Sweet Day" (feat. Boyz II Men)4:41
11."Anytime You Need a Friend"4:26
12."I'll Be There" (feat. Trey Lorenz)4:43
13."I Still Believe"3:54
14."Reflections (Care Enough)"3:23
15."Open Arms"3:30
16."Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" (feat. Westlife)3:25
17."Endless Love" (feat. Luther Vandross)4:18
18."All I Want for Christmas Is You"4:01
Total length:70:20
Japan track listing[6]
No.TitleLength
1."Hero"4:19
2."One Sweet Day" (feat. Boyz II Men)4:41
3."Endless Love" (feat. Luther Vandross)4:18
4."Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)"4:32
5."Open Arms"3:30
6."Reflections (Care Enough)"3:23
7."Butterfly"4:35
8."Love Takes Time"3:49
9."My All"3:50
10."Without You"3:34
11."Always Be My Baby"4:18
12."Vision of Love"3:31
13."Can't Let Go"4:27
14."Anytime You Need a Friend"4:26
15."Thank God I Found You" (Make It Last Remix feat. Joe and Nas)5:09
16."I'll Be There" (feat. Trey Lorenz)4:43
17."I Still Believe"3:54
18."Never Too Far"3:55
19."All I Want for Christmas Is You"4:01
Total length:75:35
iTunes US bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
19."The Roof" (Mobb Deep Extended Version)"5:30
20."Always Be My Baby" (Mr. Dupri Mix feat. Da Brat and Xscape)"4:39
Total length:82:20
iTunes International bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
19."Anytime You Need a Friend" (Ministry of Sound Mix)"9:44
20."Always Be My Baby" (Always Club)"10:25
Total length:90:29

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[7]

Blogcritics said: "This release is a different type of Mariah Carey album. Without her faster and hip hop songs, it is smoother as it puts the focus squarely on her vocals which has always been her greatest attribute and saving grace."[8] Allmusic said: "And that's what The Ballads is: nothing but big love songs sung in a big voice."[7] Billboard stated that the album "will keep singing on the chart as we get closer to Valentine's Day, as it seems like a natural gift purchase."[9]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number 17 on UK Albums Chart. Following a successful appearance on X Factor, the album peaked at number 13 in its 4th week and remained on chart for ten consecutive weeks. In Ireland, the album peaked at number 8 and remained on chart for twelve weeks, and has been certified gold. In New Zealand, the album peaked at number 19, remaining on chart for three weeks. The album also debuted at number 79 in Australia. In Japan, the album has reached number 19. The album debuted at number 45 on the Dutch Albums Chart and fell nine spots behind in the second week. In the third week the album climbed from number 54 to 5.[10]

The album debuted at number 10 on the U.S. Billboard 200 with first week sales of 29,000 units.[11] It was the chart's highest debut in that week and the fourth compilation that Carey has charted, following #1's (number 4 in 1998), Greatest Hits (number 52 in 2001) and The Remixes (number 26 in 2003).[11] It also debut at number 7 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[12] As of November 2018, the album has sold 395,000 copies in the US.[13]

Charts

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Ireland (IRMA)[30] Gold 7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI)[31] Gold 100,000^
United States — 395,000[13]

^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history
  • Italy – October 17, 2008[32]
  • South Korea and Argentina – October 21, 2008[33]
  • Hong Kong – October 22, 2008
  • Germany – October 24, 2008;[34] April 10, 2009[35]
  • Australia – November 3, 2008[36]
  • France – November 17, 2008[37]
  • Japan – November 26, 2008[38]
  • Canada – November 2008
  • Brazil – December 2, 2008[39]
  • Taiwan – December 30, 2008[40]
  • Portugal – January 19, 2009[41]
  • US – January 20, 2009[42]
  • Spain – February 3, 2009[43]

LoveSongs

LoveSongs is the third compilation album by Mariah Carey. It is a re-release of The Ballads (without the song "All I Want for Christmas Is You"), and was released exclusively in the UK in time for Valentine's Day on February 8, 2010.[44][45][46]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Hero"4:19
2."Vision of Love"3:31
3."Without You"3:34
4."Always Be My Baby"4:18
5."My All"3:50
6."How Much" (featuring Usher)3:31
7."Dreamlover"3:53
8."Thank God I Found You" (Make It Last Remix featuring Joe and Nas)5:09
9."The Roof (Back in Time)"5:14
10."One Sweet Day" (featuring Boyz II Men)4:41
11."Anytime You Need a Friend"4:26
12."I'll Be There" (featuring Trey Lorenz)4:43
13."I Still Believe"3:54
14."Reflections (Care Enough)"3:23
15."Open Arms"3:30
16."Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" (featuring Westlife)3:25
17."Endless Love" (featuring Luther Vandross)4:18
gollark: *PotatOS systems initiate emergency closed timelike curve trans-temporal broadcasting*
gollark: I'm fairly sure that would destroy the Earth, although not the Sun.
gollark: They would have... 6355158815113313211503330468170308MJ of energy, assuming haevdrones mass 10 tonnnes total.
gollark: They would ALL be destroyed along with you.
gollark: Hold on

References
  1. Sony BMG to release Mariah Ballads Compilation Archived November 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  2. 'The Ballads' makes a great debut on the UK charts! Enter to Win a Customized Mariah 'Ballads' iPod and More! Archived November 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  3. Mariah 'Re Records' Hero for Ballads
  4. Access Exclusive: Mariah Carey To Sing ‘Hero’ For Obama
  5. Mariah Carey: Once Again, The Most
  6. "Top > Discography > The Ballads" (in Japanese). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  7. Allmusic review
  8. Music Review: Mariah Carey - The Ballads
  9. Caulfield, Keith et al. Romance And Indie Rock Hit The Billboard 200. Billboard. January 28, 2009. Retrieved January 29, 2009.
  10. Mariah Carey - The Ballads
  11. Hasty, Katie (January 28, 2009). "Taylor Swift Album Starts Eighth Week At No. 1". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved January 28, 2009.
  12. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
  13. Trust, Gary (November 18, 2018). "Ask Billboard: Mariah Carey's Career Sales, Ariana Grande Fun Facts & More". Billboard. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
  14. "The ARIA Report: Top 100 Albums - Week Commencing 10th November 2008" (PDF). ARIA. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  15. "Danishcharts.dk – Mariah Carey – The Ballads". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  16. "Dutchcharts.nl – Mariah Carey – The Ballads" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  17. "Eurocharts". Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  18. "Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  19. "irish-charts.com – Discography Mariah Carey". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  20. "Italiancharts.com – Mariah Carey – The Ballads". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  21. "マライア・キャリーのアルバム売り上げランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on October 26, 2014. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  22. "Charts.nz – Mariah Carey – The Ballads". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  23. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  24. "Swedishcharts.com – Mariah Carey – The Ballads". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  25. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  26. "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  27. "Mariah Carey Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  28. "Mariah Carey Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  29. "The Official UK Albums Chart 2008" (PDF). OCC. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  30. "Irish album certifications – Mariah Carey – The Ballads". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  31. "British album certifications – Mariah Carey – The Ballads". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 6, 2017. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type The Ballads in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  32. Mariah Carey - The Ballads - cd di Mariah Carey - - disco di Mariah Carey - IBS
  33. [인터넷 교보문고] The Ballads
  34. Amazon.de
  35. The Ballads: Mariah Carey: Amazon.de: Musik
  36. Ballads (Carey, Mariah): Music: BIGWentertainment.com.au Archived October 24, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  37. Amazon.fr
  38. Ballads(グレイテストヒッツ)【CD】-Mariah Carey (マライアキャリー)｜R&B/ダンス｜ダンス＆ソウル｜音楽｜HMV ONLINE オンラインショッピング・情報サイト
  39. The Ballads - Saraiva.com.br
  40. 博客來音樂館>瑪麗亞凱莉 / 藏愛-冠軍情歌精選 Archived January 1, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  41. Google Tradutor
  42. Amazon.com: The Ballads: Mariah Carey: Music
  43. Mariah Carey reúne 17 de sus mejores canciones de amor en 'The ballads', a la venta el 3 de febrero. europapress.es
  44. Official Site and Honey B. Fly Fan Club for Mariah Carey news.news Archived March 31, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  45. Is Mariah Carey going back to record label Sony? - mirror.co.uk
  46. Mariah Carey: Love Songs (2010): CD: hmv.com
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