Jump to content

Butterfly (Mariah Carey album)

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Butterfly
Image shows Carey standing in front of a brown/gold background in a beige sleeveless and mid-baring top, with darker matching pants. Her hair is long and golden-auburn, and is flowing in the air. Carey's left hand is touching the flowing tips of her hair and has a jeweled belt along her navel.
Standard artwork
Studio album by
Mariah Carey
ReleasedSeptember 10, 1997 (1997-09-10)[1]
RecordedNovember 1996 –July 1997
StudioThe Hit Factory (New York City)
Genre
Length57:20
LabelColumbia
Producer
Mariah Carey chronology
Daydream
(1995) 		Butterfly
(1997) 		#1's
(1998)
Singles from Butterfly
  1. "Honey"
    Released: July 29, 1997
  2. "Butterfly"
    Released: September 29, 1997
  3. "Breakdown"
    Released: January 6, 1998
  4. "The Roof (Back in Time)"
    Released: March 16, 1998
  5. "My All"
    Released: April 21, 1998

Butterfly is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on September 10, 1997, by Columbia Records. The album contains both hip-hop and urban adult contemporary sounds, as well as some softer and more contemporary melodies. Throughout the project, Carey worked with Walter Afanasieff, with whom she had written and produced most of the material from her previous albums. She also worked with many famed hip-hop producers and rappers, such as Sean "Puffy" Combs, Q-Tip, Missy Elliott and the Trackmasters. With the latter acts producing most of the album, Butterfly deviated from the adult contemporary sound of Carey's previous albums.

With Butterfly, Carey continued the transition that began with previous album, Daydream (1995), which pushed her further into the R&B and hip hop market and away from the pop background of her previous work. Carey was able to reflect her creative maturity and evolution in the album's writing and recording. Carey writes in the booklet of her twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (2009), that she considers Butterfly her magnum opus and a turning point in both her life and career.

Five singles were released from the album; two worldwide commercial singles and three limited-release singles. "Honey", the album's lead single, topped the charts in Canada and the United States, and reached the top five in New Zealand, Spain and the United Kingdom. The album's fifth and final single, "My All", became a top-ten hit throughout Europe and topped the charts in the United States. To promote the album, Carey embarked on the Butterfly World Tour, which visited Australia, Japan and Taiwan, with one show in the United States. Butterfly was nominated for three Grammy Awards at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards.

Butterfly received acclaim from music critics, many of whom embraced Carey's musical transition. Reviewers complimented the album for its mature sound and production, as well as Carey's musical direction. Though released during Carey's heavily publicized conflict with Sony Music, the album became an international commercial success, topping the albums charts in many countries, including Australia, Canada, Greece, Japan, the Netherlands, as well as the United States. It was certified five-times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the United States and received the Million Award in Japan. Globally, Butterfly has sold over ten million copies.

Background and release

[edit]

In the past, people were scared to let me explore different types of music that I loved and enjoyed. They [the studio heads] saw me as having this instrument, and they wanted to get the most use out of it. There were a lot of people around me who were afraid of change. I was a valuable commodity, and they didn't want to lose that. I was encouraged to act drab, because drab sells records.

—Carey, on her conflict with Sony Music[2]

Carey began working on Butterfly in November 1996. During the album's development in mid-1997 Carey separated from her husband, music executive Tommy Mottola, who had guided her career since 1990. Carey's increasing control over her own career had led to speculation in the press over the future of the couple, and they later divorced.[2] Throughout the development of the album, in a departure from her previous style, Carey worked with various rappers and hip hop producers, including Sean "Puffy" Combs, Q-Tip, Missy Elliott and Jean Claude Oliver and Samuel Barnes from Trackmasters.[2] Critics saw Carey's new production team as a form of revenge on Mottola and Sony Music.[2] Carey denied taking a radically new direction, and insisted that the musical style of her new album was of her own choosing. Nevertheless, Carey resented the control that Sony, whose president was Mottola, exercised over her music, preventing her from making music about which she was passionate.[3] In contrast, Sony was concerned Carey, their best-selling act, could jeopardize her future success through her actions.[3]

The pressure of the separation and constant press attention began to take its toll on Carey. Growing creative differences with producer Walter Afanasieff ended their working relationship, after collaborating on most of Carey's previous output.[3] The breaking point came after a heated argument during a long recording session, over the album's musical direction.[2] Carey also faced media criticism over her choice of producers and several newspapers linked Carey romantically to several rappers, suggesting these relationships influenced her decisions.[2] However, Carey denied the allegations, stating she had only slept with her husband.[4]

Butterfly was first released on September 10, 1997, in Japan and Taiwan.[1][5] It was unconventionally released on Thursday, September 11, in the United Kingdom,[6] and September 12 in the rest of Europe.[7] Columbia released it on September 16 in the United States.[8] It was issued as an LP, cassette, compact disc, and/or MiniDisc depending on the country.[6] In the United States, Columbia also issued a cassette/CD package set, the first such configuration by a record label.[9]

Writing and composition

[edit]

Butterfly was described as an R&B, pop and hip hop music album[10][11] with hip hop soul elements.[12] With a variety of writers and producers and its new musical direction for Carey, the album was always likely to be a commercial success.[3] Carey and Combs wrote the lead single, "Honey." Combs believed this to be a good song but was uncertain how successful it would be as a release owing to its heavy hip hop influence.[3] The remix for "Honey" featured rapping lead vocals from Da Brat, The LOX and Mase, and some verses were rapped by Combs himself. The track was very different from Carey's previous recordings, and was described by author Chris Nickson as "street Hip-Hop music, with a booming bass."[13] The song's melody was driven by Q-Tip's drum programming and Stevie J's keyboard notes. Combs's production gave the song a "light and airy" effect, further distancing it from Carey's contemporary sound.[13] "Honey" featured musical samples from Treacherous Three's "The Body Rock", and "Hey DJ" by The World's Famous Supreme Team.[13] The track used both hip hop and R&B with traces of pop music and was described as a "[song with a] catchy chorus, combining hip hop and pop into something that simply wasn't going to be denied by anyone, and offering a powerful start to a record."[13]

The album's second single, "Butterfly", was one of the ballads Carey wrote with Afanasieff.[13] Carey described the song as the "favorite ballad she had ever written", one that was more personal than her previous work as the emotions conveyed through the song allude at just how meaningful the lyrics are to her.[14][15] Carey solely wrote the lyrics while Afanasieff, who composed the music with Dan Shea, handled the song's instrumentals, and added a few personal R&B touches. Another ballad Carey wrote with Afanasieff was "My All", written as a contrast to the album's general hip hop flavor.[15] Carey described the song as having "a lush sound and intense styling".[15] It featured guitar arpeggios, which were synthetically created using sampling and keyboard notes.[13] "The Roof", Butterfly's European single, incorporated fragments from Mobb Deep's "Shook Ones (Part II)", and was produced by Carey, Poke & Tone and Cory Rooney.[15]

I had the hook already, as well as a melody and lyric for the chorus. Then she and I collaborated on a new melody for the verses, and we did the first verse, and the second half of the second verse together.

—Carey, on working with Elliott on "Babydoll"[2]

"Fourth of July", one of the album's slower ballads, was also written solely by Carey and Afanasieff but was not released as a single.[15] The song was perceived to have jazz influences and was compared to some of Carey's older work such as "Vanishing" and "The Wind".[15] The next two tracks on the record, "Breakdown" and "Babydoll", were described as "the album's backbone, its real declaration of independence" by Nickson.[15] "Breakdown" was written by Carey and Puffy and included rap verses from Wish and Krayzie Bone from Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.[16] Author Chris Nickson wrote that "'Breakdown' showed Mariah treading forcefully into territory that was new for her and making it her own."[16] For "Babydoll", Carey teamed up with Elliott. The track was recorded in Atlanta, where Elliott resided, and included background vocals from Carey's long-time friend, Trey Lorenz. "Babydoll" is an R&B ballad with trip hop and drum and bass influences, and was described as "a vocally driven piece", with strong jazz harmony provided by Cory Rooney.[16] Other songs that incorporated R&B influence into ballads were "Whenever You Call" and "Close My Eyes", which were personally important to Carey due to their lyrical content. While both were similar ballads to Carey's previous work,[16] Nickson said:

While up to the standard of anything Mariah had ever done before, [they] suffered in comparison. But even here you could hear the new Mariah in the spareness of the arrangements and the way it was her voice, rather than any instrument, that controlled the song. She'd grown to the point where having less behind her really proved to be more, for the song and for her. It was notable, too, that like the other ballads on the record, these two leaned very much towards R&B.[16]

Carey wrote the song "Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise)" with famed house music producer David Morales.[17] When imagining the concept for "Butterfly", Carey intended the song to be a house music record, but after writing it, made it into a ballad. Carey expressed a desire to feature her concept both on the house record, in addition to the ballad that would become "Butterfly".[17] Morales took Carey's lyrics, concept and melody and added a house beat to it.[17] For the album, Carey recorded a version of Prince's "The Beautiful Ones", featuring Dru Hill, with Dru Hill lead singer Sisqó sharing much of the lead with her. The song was one of the last recorded tracks and was the only non-original song on Butterfly.[17] The final song on the album was "Outside", a ballad that was written by Carey, Afanasieff and Rooney, about Carey's experience being biracial.[17] Richard Harrington from The Washington Post described the album's subtle inclusion of both pop and R&B genres:

There are two Mariah Careys on Butterfly. One is the pop-oriented, ballad-leaning traditionalist who works very effectively with her longtime professional partner, composer-producer Walter Afanasieff. The other is a self-styled hip-hop fanatic who worked with Ol' Dirty Bastard on her last album and teams up here with several of that genre's movers and shakers, most notably Sean "Puffy" Combs, the godfather of hip-hop soul and the hottest producer in pop music today.[11]

Promotion

[edit]
See also: Butterfly World Tour

To promote Butterfly, Carey made many live appearances.[13] On September 12, 1997, Carey was interviewed about her split from Mottola and sang a live rendition of "Butterfly" and "Hero" on The Oprah Winfrey Show.[13] Carey also featured as a musical guest on November 15, 1997, on Saturday Night Live, performing "Butterfly" again, as well as the Spanish-inspired "My All".[13] She made two appearances on The Rosie O'Donnell Show; she performed "My All" and on her return visit, sang "Close My Eyes" live for the first time.[18] Carey also gave performances at awards shows, singing "My All" at the 1998 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards and "Honey" at the 1998 World Music Awards.[18] In Europe, Carey made several promotional television appearances. In the United Kingdom, Carey performed "My All" and "Honey" on the Des O'Connor Show and Top of the Pops. In Germany, she sang "Butterfly" on Wetten, dass..? and performed on Japanese television.[18]

Originally, Carey had not planned to tour, after receiving mixed reviews in the US for her Music Box Tour. However, after the album's release, many fans requested Carey to tour, especially in Asia and Australia.[18] Therefore, Carey embarked on the Butterfly World Tour; her third head-lining tour and most extensive to date. The tour included eleven shows, four in Japan's largest stadium, Tokyo Dome, one in Taiwan, five in Australia and one in the United States.[19] As part of her performance at the 50,000-capacity Aloha Stadium in Hawaii, Carey filmed a concert video, Around the World. The video was a compilation DVD which included parts of Carey's shows in Japan, Australia and Hawaii.[19] The tour was a critical and commercial success. Both fans and critics praised the quality of the show and Carey's vocals.[20]

Singles

[edit]

Five singles were released from Butterfly; some featured as airplay-only singles, while others were released only in certain territories. "Honey" was released as the album's first single to mainstream and rhythmic radio on July 29, 1997.[21] The song became Carey's twelfth number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the chart in Canada, while reaching the top five in New Zealand, Spain and the United Kingdom. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipments of one million units in the United States, and received a gold certification in Australia.[22][23] "Honey" was well-received, with critics complimenting its catchy sound and clever fusion of pop and R&B sounds.[24] The title track served as the album's second single, but it was released as an "airplay-only" single due to Carey's conflict with Sony.[24] Though not being released commercially by her label, "Butterfly" reached number sixteen on the Hot 100 Airplay, as well as the top twenty in New Zealand.[13]

"Breakdown" was the third single released from Butterfly. The song received a limited release throughout certain countries, such as the United States, where it peaked at number four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[25] Aside from the US, "Breakdown" achieved a steady peak of number four on the New Zealand singles chart, in addition to entering the top forty in Australia. While not one of Carey's best-known hits, "Breakdown" remains one of her most praised songs, receiving acclaim for assisting Carey's transition into the R&B market.[12] In his review for the album, Rich Juzwiak from Slant magazine wrote the following:

The song of Carey's career, where the lyrical strokes are as broad and obvious as they are naked. Mariah the chanter flawlessly adapts to their singsong style, largely boxing her multi-octave range into a sly, hypnotic melody so that when she really wails at the end, you really feel it. Carey lunges toward musical maturity by embracing, not shunning hip-hop. This is the height of her elegance and maybe hip-hop-soul's, too.[12]

While "Breakdown" served as the album's third single in the United States, New Zealand and Australia, "The Roof" was released in Europe.[13] It performed weakly on the charts, peaking at number 96 in the United Kingdom, and faring only slightly better in the Netherlands, where it peaked at number 63. While not commercially released in the US, the song's music video received heavy rotation on MTV and VH1, due to the record's popularity.[13]

"My All" was chosen as the album's fifth and final single, and its second commercially released single. The song was the most commercially successful song on Butterfly, becoming Carey's thirteenth chart topper in the US, and reaching the top ten throughout Europe. In France, "My All" peaked at number six, and was certified silver by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP).[26] In the United States, the song finished at number seventeen, on the Billboard Year-End chart, remaining Carey's highest-charting single of 1998.[27]

25th anniversary

[edit]

In September 2022, for the album's twenty-fifth anniversary, Carey announced a deluxe reissue "with eight new bonus tracks from the Butterfly sessions".[28] This was announced alongside merchandise, new vinyl releases, 4K remasters for music videos, and a documentary for the making of the "Honey" music video.[28]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[24]
Chicago Tribune[29]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[30]
Los Angeles Times[31]
NME4/10[32]
Rolling Stone[33]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[34]
Slant Magazine[12]
USA Today[35]
The Village Voice(dud)[36]

Butterfly garnered general acclaim from music critics. In The New Rolling Stone Album Guide, Arion Berger praised the album's producers and Carey's "more controlled" vocals.[34] Berger noticed a connection between much of Carey's lyrics and her separation from Mottola.[34] Jon Pareles, editor of The New York Times called Butterfly "a new turn" in Carey's career. He wrote, "Carey has sold tens of millions of albums by being the girl next door with the startling vocal range... but for most of "Butterfly" Carey turned her voice into an airy whisper, as if she would rather charm listeners" compared to over-powering them.[37] Aside from commenting on its deviance from Carey's previous work, he noted songs in which Carey alludes to her failed marriage to Mottola, such as "Butterfly" and "Close My Eyes" which were both released on the album following the divorce with lyrics about letting love go and life struggles. Additionally he wrote, "Since Carey writes her own lyrics, fans might expect a glimpse of marital discord or pride in her new-found autonomy."[38] David Browne from Entertainment Weekly gave Butterfly a B− in his review.[30] Browne wrote: "In 'Breakdown', [Carey] demonstrates she can match the staccato, lite-reggae phrasing of her guests, two members of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony."[30] He described an increased intimacy in the music but noted the arrangement made it difficult to hear the lyrics Carey was singing. "Butterfly is undeniably pleasant, with little of the all-conquering bombast usually associated with Carey. But it's also the last thing anyone would have expected from her: blandly self-effacing."[30]

In a retrospective review of the album, Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic appreciated the new direction of Carey's music, commenting on the increased urban feel of the work.[24] He described the record as "a collection of hit singles surrounded by classy filler" and "while [the songs] are all well-crafted, many of them blend together upon initial listening".[24] However, he noted an increased control in her voice which led him to describe some of the ballads such as 'Butterfly' and 'Breakdown' as among her best work. He said Butterfly was one of Carey's best records and she was "continuing to improve and refine her music, which makes her a rarity among her '90s peers."[24] Erlewine gave the album a score of four out of five stars;[39] but in 2021 the AllMusic website upgraded the rating by a half star.[24] Rich Juzwiak from Slant Magazine awarded the album a score of four and a half out of five stars, calling it "elegant" and praising Carey's mature vocals.[12] Juzwiak particularly praised "Breakdown", which he called one of the album's best tracks. Of Carey's vocals, he wrote, "The relatively high and thin register that she sings in when not belting (and that's often) could be the most important of Butterfly's changes, as it marks the first time that Mariah the vocalist seems consistently real. She's utterly soulful."[12]

Accolades

[edit]
Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
Complex The Best R&B Albums of '90s
5
[10]
Pitchfork The 150 Best Albums of the 1990s
60
[40]

Commercial performance

[edit]

Butterfly debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 selling 235,500 copies in the first week after its release on the week of October 4, 1997, the highest of her career at the time.[41] It maintained that position for one week and remained in the top twenty for 21 weeks; it stayed in the chart for 55 weeks, including one re-entry.[25] The album achieved its highest weekly sales in its fifteenth week of release, when it was at number eight on the chart with 283,000 copies sold. It also peaked at number three on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[25] In the United States, Butterfly was certified five-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Nielsen SoundScan estimates the album's sales at 3,807,000 copies in the US.[42][43] In Canada, the album debuted at number one and was certified double-platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA), denoting shipments of 200,000 copies of the album.[25][44] Butterfly debuted at number one in Australia, and received a double-platinum certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), 140,000 units.[22]

In Europe, Butterfly peaked within the top five in several European countries. It received a platinum certification by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), denoting shipments of well one million copies throughout Europe.[45] In the United Kingdom, Butterfly debuted at number two based on 29,000 sales over three days. Alan Jones of Music Week described this as unexpectedly low given that Daydream had previously debuted at number one based on three-day sales.[46][47] The album was later certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), denoting shipments of 300,000 copies.[48] In France, the album peaked at number six, where it was certified double-gold by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP).[49]

As with many of Carey's previous records, Butterfly became a large success in Asia. In Japan, the record debuted at number one on the album charts.[50] The album was certified the Million Award by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ), denoting shipments of one million copies.[51] In Hong Kong, Butterfly finished as one of the twenty best-selling foreign albums of 1997, receiving a platinum certification by IFPI.[52] Globally, Butterfly has sold over 10 million copies.[53]

Legacy and cultural impact

[edit]
Artwork of Carey with a butterfly, which became a metaphorical symbol of her impact and legacy upon pop and R&B music.[12][54]

In the years since its release, Butterfly has been hailed as being an R&B classic.[55] In a retrospective review for The Washington Post, Bethonie Butler focused on the album's impact, stating that it "changed the face of pop music" by paving "the way for other pop stars...to sing alongside their rap contemporaries".[56] Writing for Jezebel, Rich Juzwiak focused on the influence of Carey's vocal stylings in the track "Breakdown", remarking that "in this day and age, when there’s so much genre blending that it’s sometimes impossible to label an artist as merely “singer” or “rapper,” it'd be foolish to understate the prescience of" the song.[55] A profile of the album in Essence by Jessica Littles further stated that the album "catalyzed the pop music trend of collaborating with hip-hop artists", concluding that it "not only showcased her [Carey's] already-established prowess as a vocalist, who could belt out ballads or flirt over the hottest summer jams, but also as one of the most versatile songwriters in contemporary music".[57]

The lead single from the album, "Honey", was notable for pushing Carey further towards hip hop and R&B than before.[58] The music video gained further attention, as Carey, for the first time in her career, was provocatively dressed, giving viewers a "taste of the freer Mariah."[58] The Puerto Rico-filmed video's concept was created by Carey with Paul Hunter filling in as the director.[58] Featuring a James Bond theme, Carey was a "very sexy agent M", in the words of Nickson, who escapes a large mansion in which she has been held captive.[58] Carey said of the video: "I don't really think the video is overtly sexual, but for me—I mean people used to think I was the nineties version of Mary Poppins!"[13] At the time of the video's release, Carey and Mottola were in the midst of their divorce. Tabloids and critics were linking the video's theme to Carey's marriage, writing how Mottola would lock her in their mansion, although she denied this.[58] In an interview, Carey said that "Tommy loves the video, he says it's my best video yet."[58] Carey's writing partner of six years, Afanasieff, felt the video was undeniably about Mottola.[58]

The music video for "The Roof" was ranked 18th on Slant's "100 Greatest Music Videos".[59] Sal Ciquemani, from Slant, gave the video a positive review, complimenting Carey's pairing the sultry song with a "sophisticated tale of a sexy rooftop encounter."[59] The video shows Carey reminiscing on a past love and a night they shared together on a rainy roof-top. The video revolves around the settings of a dark limousine, a decrepit NYC apartment, and a rainy roof-top, where according to Slant, "Carey is featured at her most vulnerable, with runny mascara and drenched in the cold rainy night."[59] In the conclusion of his review of the video, Ciquemani wrote: "When Carey rises through the limo's sunroof and relishes the warm November rain, she's not drunk on the bubbly but on the memory of past delights."[59] The video for "My All" was also one of the more notable videos from Butterfly.[58] The video featured Carey in various places, including a submerged vessel, a lighthouse and a large conch shell floating the shore.[58] In each of the scenes, Carey is shown lamenting her love and yearning to be re-united with him once more.[58] In the video's climax, Carey meets her love in the lighthouse, where they caress and drift into the "nights abyss."[58] According to author Chris Nickson, the scenes of Carey on the overturned vessel showed her vulnerability without her loved one, truly emphasizing the yearning featured in the song.[58]

Butterfly, recognised by critics as one of Carey's best albums at that point in her career, received several awards and was nominated for others. At the Billboard Music Awards, Carey received an honorary award, recognizing her achievement of earning "The Most Number-one Singles Ever by a Female Solo Artist in History".[60] "Honey" was nominated at the 1998 Grammy Awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song, while "Butterfly" was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.[60] Butterfly won a Japan Gold Disc Award in the "International Pop Album of the Year" category. For Butterfly, Carey won the American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist in 1998. Additionally, the album won the BMI Pop Award for Songwriter of the Year and the Songwriter awards for "Honey", "Butterfly" and "My All".[60] At the Soul Train Music Awards in 1998, Carey won the awards for the Aretha Franklin Entertainer of the Year and Soul Train Lady of Soul, which were presented to her by Chris Tucker and Patti LaBelle.[60]

Butterfly was nominated at the 1998 NAACP Image Awards, in the Outstanding Female Artist category.[18] At the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, Carey was named the Songwriter of the Year and received the Song of the Year award. At the 1998 World Music Awards, Carey won two of night's top awards; the World's Best-selling R&B Artist and the World's Best-selling Recording Artist of the '90s.[60] Carey was unhappy not to win any of the Grammy Awards once again, but this was offset by the success of her tour, which was taking place during the awards. According to author Marc Shapiro, "No amount of awards could replace the popular acceptance of Butterfly and the feeling she was now free to live her own life – creatively and personally."[20] In a recent list compiled by a selection of rock critics, Butterfly was chosen as one of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[61]

The album was released with two different covers[62] and in 2007 one of them was listed on Maxim's Sexiest Album Covers.[63]

Track listing

[edit]
Butterfly – Standard edition
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
1."Honey"Mariah Carey
5:02
2."Butterfly"Carey
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
4:36
3."My All"Carey
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
3:53
4."The Roof"Carey
5:15
5."Fourth of July"Carey
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
4:23
6."Breakdown" (featuring Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone)
  • Carey
  • Stevie J
  • Carey
  • Stevie J
  • Combs
4:45
7."Babydoll"
  • Carey
  • Rooney
  • Stevie J
  • Carey
  • Rooney
5:07
8."Close My Eyes"Carey
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
4:22
9."Whenever You Call"Carey
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
4:22
10."Fly Away" (Butterfly Reprise)
3:49
11."The Beautiful Ones" (Prince cover) (featuring Dru Hill)PrincePrince
  • Carey
  • Rooney
7:00
12."Outside"Carey
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
  • Rooney[a]
4:46
Butterfly – European/Japanese edition (bonus tracks)[64]
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
13."Honey" (So So Def Radio Mix) (featuring Da Brat and JD)Carey
3:59
14."Honey" (Def Club Mix)Carey
  • Carey
  • Robinson
6:17
Butterfly – Latin American edition (bonus track)
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
15."Mi Todo"
  • Carey
  • Manny Benito
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
3:53
Butterfly: 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition[65]
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
13."Whenever You Call" (with Brian McKnight)Carey
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
4:22
14."The Roof (When I Feel the Need)" (featuring Brandy)Carey
  • Olivier
  • Barnes
  • Rooney
  • Johnson
  • Muchita
  • Carey
  • Daniel Moore II
  • Tremaine "Six7" Williams
4:54
15."Butterfly" (Live from The Late Show With David Letterman)Carey
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
 4:14
16."My All" (Live from VH1 Divas 1998)Carey
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
 5:28
17."Fourth of July" (Acapella)Carey
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
4:16
18."Outside" (Acapella)Carey
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
4:16
19."Butterfly (Amorphous Anniversary Club Mix)" (with Amorphous)Carey
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
  • Carey
  • Afanasieff
  • Amorphous
6:06
20."Honey" (Another Taste of Honey David Morales Mix)Carey
  • Carey
  • Combs
  • Fareed
  • Jordan
  • Hague
  • Robinson
  • Larkins
  • Price
  • McLaren
  • Morales
Morales7:55

Notes

Personnel

[edit]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications and sales

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[116] 2× Platinum 140,000^
Belgium (BEA)[117] Gold 25,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[118] Gold 100,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[119] 2× Platinum 200,000^
France (SNEP)[49] 2× Gold 200,000*
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[120] Platinum 20,000*
Japan (RIAJ)[121] Million 1,000,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[122] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[123] Platinum 15,000^
Poland (ZPAV)[124] Gold 50,000*
Singapore — 80,000[125]
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[126] Platinum 100,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[127] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[48] Platinum 300,000‡
United States (RIAA)[128] 5× Platinum 5,000,000[43]
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[129] Platinum 1,000,000*
Worldwide — 10,000,000[53]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "バタフライ" [Butterfly] (in Japanese). Sony Music Japan. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Shapiro 2001, pp. 99–100
  3. ^ a b c d e Shapiro 2001, p. 101
  4. ^ Shapiro 2001, p. 104
  5. ^ "Mariah Carey / Butterfly" (in Traditional Chinese). Sony Music Taiwan. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Campaigns of the Week". Music Week. September 6, 1997. p. 50.
  7. ^ "Butterfly". Music & Media. September 13, 1997. p. 24.
  8. ^ "Discography". Sony Music. Archived from the original on July 8, 2009.
  9. ^ Reilly, Patrick M. (August 29, 1997). "Sony Plans to Sell CD/Tape Set of Mariah Carey's New Album". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  10. ^ a b Charity, Justin (November 15, 2017). "5. Mariah Carey, Butterfly – The Best R&B Albums of the '90s". Complex. Archived from the original on November 23, 2018. Retrieved October 28, 2018. a work of R&B, pop, and hip-hop
  11. ^ a b Harrington, Richard (September 14, 1997). "Divorce and the Divas; New Albums From New Singles Carey and Williams". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 6, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2011.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g Juzwiak, Rich (December 18, 2003). "Mariah Carey: Butterfly". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on February 3, 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Nickson 1998, p. 166
  14. ^ Frost, Deborah (October 10, 1993). "A Powerful Voice Wrapped in a Glossy Corporate Package". The New York Times.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g Nickson 1998, p. 167
  16. ^ a b c d e Nickson 1998, p. 168
  17. ^ a b c d e Nickson 1998, p. 169
  18. ^ a b c d e Nickson 1998, p. 170
  19. ^ a b Nickson 1998, p. 171
  20. ^ a b Shapiro 2001, p. 110
  21. ^ Sandiford-Waller, Theda (August 9, 1997). "Hot 100 Singles Spotlight". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 32. p. 71. Mariah Carey's latest, 'Honey' (Columbia), was digital downloaded at 8 p.m. EDT July 29 to radio.
  22. ^ a b "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on May 28, 2008. Retrieved August 25, 2010.
  23. ^ "Gold & Platinum > Search Results". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on June 26, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Butterfly – Mariah Carey". AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  25. ^ a b c d "Butterfly – Mariah Carey". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  26. ^ "Certifications Singles Argent – année 1998" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
  27. ^ "Billboard Top 100–1998". Billboard. Longbored Surfer – Charts. Archived from the original on January 26, 2010. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  28. ^ a b "Mariah Carey Rolls Out Surprises for 25th Anniversary of 'Butterfly'". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 15, 2022. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  29. ^ Kot, Greg (September 19, 1997). "Mariah Carey: Butterfly (Columbia)". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  30. ^ a b c d Browne, David (September 19, 1997). "Butterfly". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
  31. ^ Johnson, Connie (September 14, 1997). "Carey Gets Personal in Her Latest Release". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 12, 2015. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  32. ^ Oldham, James (October 4, 1997). "Mariah Carey – Butterfly". NME. Archived from the original on March 10, 2000. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  33. ^ Hoskyns, Barney (October 30, 1997). "Butterfly". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 27, 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  34. ^ a b c Berger, Arion (2004). "Mariah Carey". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 138–39. ISBN 978-0-7432-0169-8. Archived from the original on October 14, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  35. ^ Jones, Steve (September 16, 1997). "Carey soars and dips on 'Butterfly'". USA Today.
  36. ^ Christgau, Robert (1997). "Robert Christgau: CG: Mariah Carey". RobertChristgau.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2013. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
  37. ^ Pareles, Jon (September 21, 1997). "A New Gentleness from a Pop Diva". The New York Times.
  38. ^ Pareles, Jon (September 21, 1997). "Recordings View; A New Gentleness From a Pop Diva". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
  39. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Butterfly – Mariah Carey". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 17, 2012. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  40. ^ "The 150 Best Songs of the 1990s". Pitchfork. September 27, 2022. Archived from the original on October 2, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  41. ^ Mayfield, Geoff (October 4, 1997). "Between the Bullets". Billboard. p. 114. ProQuest 1506035056.
  42. ^ Trust, Gary (August 21, 2009). "Ask Billboard: Madonna vs. Whitney ...vs. Mariah". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 23, 2013. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  43. ^ a b Trust, Gary (April 4, 2013). "Ask Billboard: Belinda's Back, JT Too, Mariah Carey's Album Sales & More". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  44. ^ "Canada's certification-database". Canadian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on May 1, 2010. Retrieved August 25, 2010.
  45. ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on May 9, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  46. ^ Jones, Alan (September 20, 1997). "Chart Focus". Music Week. p. 21.
  47. ^ Jones, Alan (October 7, 1995). "Mariah Wins in Albums Standoff". Music Week. p. 21.
  48. ^ a b "British album certifications – Mariah Carey – Butterfly". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  49. ^ a b "French album certifications – Mariah Carey – Butterfly" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  50. ^ "Hogaku album rankings and fourth week of September, 1997". Recording Industry Association of Japan. September 10, 1997. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  51. ^ "RIAJ: 1997 million-seller lists by year" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived from the original on November 14, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  52. ^ "International Platinum Disc". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (Hong Kong). Archived from the original on October 15, 2007. Retrieved August 25, 2010.
  53. ^ a b Macias, Ernest (December 6, 2017). "The Catch-Up: Your guide to Mariah Carey's glittering career". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  54. ^ "Critic's Notebook; In the Pop Kingdom, Flying Is the Reigning Metaphor". The New York Times. November 12, 1997. Archived from the original on July 21, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  55. ^ a b Juzwiak, Rich (September 15, 2017). "Mariah Carey's Butterfly Is the Truth: The Album at 20". The Muse. Archived from the original on July 4, 2019. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
  56. ^ Butler, Bethonie (September 19, 2017). "Twenty years ago, 'Butterfly' changed Mariah Carey's career. It also helped change pop music". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on September 19, 2017. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  57. ^ "20 Years Later: The Secret History Of Mariah Carey's 'Butterfly' Album". Essence. Archived from the original on July 4, 2019. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
  58. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Nickson 1998, pp. 161–162
  59. ^ a b c d Cinquemani, Sal (June 30, 2003). "100 Greatest Music Videos". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on December 21, 2010. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
  60. ^ a b c d e Shapiro 2001, pp. 161–163
  61. ^ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (March 23, 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 978-0-7893-2074-2.
  62. ^ "Mariah's "Butterfly" Sprouts Two Covers, Possible Tour". MTV News. Viacom. August 21, 1997. Archived from the original on August 9, 2015. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  63. ^ "Sexiest Album Covers". Maxim. Archived from the original on December 18, 2013. Retrieved July 12, 2012.
  64. ^ "Top > Discography > Butterfly" (in Japanese). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Archived from the original on August 4, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  65. ^ "Butterfly: 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition" (in Japanese). Apple Music. Archived from the original on September 15, 2022. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  66. ^ Butterfly (Liner Notes). Mariah Carey. Columbia Records. 1997.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  67. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Mariah Carey – Butterfly". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  68. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Mariah Carey – Butterfly" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  69. ^ "Ultratop.be – Mariah Carey – Butterfly" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  70. ^ "Ultratop.be – Mariah Carey – Butterfly" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  71. ^ "Mariah Carey Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  72. ^ "Top 10 R&B Albums". The Gazette. September 25, 1998. p. C6. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  73. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 42. October 18, 1997. p. 15. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2021. See LW column.
  74. ^ "Mariah Carey / Butterfly". Top20.dk. Archived from the original on March 17, 2014. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  75. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Mariah Carey – Butterfly" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  76. ^ a b c d "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  77. ^ "Mariah Carey: Butterfly" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  78. ^ "Lescharts.com – Mariah Carey – Butterfly". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  79. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Mariah Carey – Butterfly" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  80. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 43. October 25, 1997. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2021. See LW column.
  81. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 1997. 42. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  82. ^ "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 13, 2015.
  83. ^ "Charts.nz – Mariah Carey – Butterfly". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  84. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Mariah Carey – Butterfly". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  85. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 40. October 4, 1997. p. 15. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 23, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2020 – via American Radio History.
  86. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  87. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  88. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Mariah Carey – Butterfly". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  89. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Mariah Carey – Butterfly". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  90. ^ "IFPI Taiwan – International Top 10 (1997/37)". Archived from the original on May 30, 1998. Retrieved August 31, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  91. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  92. ^ "Dance Albums". Music Week. September 20, 1997. p. 29.
  93. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  94. ^ "Mariah Carey Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  95. ^ "Mariah Carey Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  96. ^ Kimberley, Christopher (2000). Zimbabwe Albums Chart Book: 1973–1998. Harare.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  97. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  98. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  99. ^ "Official Vinyl Albums Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  100. ^ "Mariah Carey Chart History (Vinyl Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  101. ^ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums 1997". ARIA. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  102. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1997" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Archived from the original on April 10, 2008. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  103. ^ "Rapports annueles 1997" (in French). Ultratop. Archived from the original on May 24, 2009. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  104. ^ "Top 100 Albums of 1997". RPM. Archived from the original on March 22, 2008. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  105. ^ "Albums : Top 100 of 1997". Jam!. Archived from the original on March 20, 2001.
  106. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1997" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on March 12, 2014. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  107. ^ "Eurochart Top 100 Albums 1997" (PDF). Billboard. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  108. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts 1997" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  109. ^ "1997年 アルバム年間TOP100" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on September 11, 2009. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  110. ^ "Swiss Year-end Charts 1997". Hung Medien. Archived from the original on July 11, 2002. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  111. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 1997". OCC. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  112. ^ a b "1997 Year-end Charts" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  113. ^ "Albums : Year-end Top 200". Jam!. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000.
  114. ^ "R'n'B : Yearend Top 100". Jam!. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000.
  115. ^ a b "1998 Year-end Charts" (PDF). Billboard. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 28, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  116. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1998 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  117. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 1997". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  118. ^ "Brazilian album certifications – Mariah Carey – Butterfly" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  119. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Mariah Carey – Butterfly". Music Canada. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  120. ^ "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1997". IFPI Hong Kong.
  121. ^ "RIAJ: 1997 million-seller lists by year" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived from the original on April 21, 2004. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  122. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Mariah Carey – Butterfly" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved September 1, 2017. Enter Butterfly in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1997 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  123. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Mariah Carey – Butterfly". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  124. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 1997 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  125. ^ Lim, Rebecca (January 27, 1998). "This Butterfly Knows Where She Is Flying To". Life!. The Straits Times. p. 2 – via National Library Board.
  126. ^ Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  127. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Butterfly')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  128. ^ "American album certifications – Mariah Carey – Butterfly". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  129. ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1997". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 1, 2017.

Works cited

[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Butterfly_(Mariah_Carey_album)&oldid=1263571209"