Emotions

Mariah's second studio album, Emotions, was released on September 17, 1991. After selling 129,000 copies, the album made its debut on the Billboard 200 chart at number four and spent twenty-seven weeks in the Top 20. Emotions was certified 4x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on September 27, 1994.

Emotions was released while Mariah Carey spent its sixty-fourth week on the Billboard 200 album chart, a little over a year after it had been released. “I recorded the second album while the first one was still climbing the charts,” she said in 1991. “I was writing for the new album before the first was even really successful. I put the second one out so soon after the first, most people would have waited a couple of years.”

This time around, and thanks to the massive success of her first album, Mariah got more control and got production credits on all of the songs. “I wanted Emotions to be more sparsely produced than the first one, and for the most part it is. I also wanted to use the influences of all the music I loved, like Motown stuff and Stevie Wonder. There's a rawness about those periods in R&B that's somewhat lacking today,” she explained. “It's very important to me to make sure my personality comes across. Because I've had success with the first album, I've been given the opportunity to be much more intricately involved with all the production, and not just walk in at the last moment and hear someone else's idea of what my song should sound like. I want to be there when they're putting everything from the piano to the drums down. I want to make sure that's how I feel the song should go too.”

Four of the album tracks — including the lead single — were co-produced with David Cole and Robert Clivillés of C&C Music Factory. Their collaboration was suggested by CBS president Tommy Mottola. “I didn't really see the parallels between what they were doing and what I was doing because their stuff was really hard,” Mariah said. “But I did like what they were doing, so we got together. I heard David on piano — he's a really gifted piano player — and that really drew me towards him as a collaborator. So we just sat down together to see which direction we wanted to go in, and just let it flow. I really did enjoy working with them.”

“Emotions” was released as the album's first single on August 13, 1991, and became Mariah's highest-debuting single after entering the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number thirty-five. It reached the top spot on October 12, making Mariah the first — and to date only — act to have their first five singles reach the top of the chart, breaking the record of four established twenty-one years earlier by the Jackson Five.

After falling out with writing partner Ben Margulies, Mariah established a new working relationship with Walter Afanasieff, who had previously produced “Love Takes Time” on her debut album. Together, they produced six of the album's ten tracks, including “Can't Let Go,” “So Blessed” and “And You Don't Remember.”

“Can't Let Go” was released as the second single on October 23, 1991. “This was one of my favorite songs on the album,” Mariah said about the song in 2012. “I think it may have leaned a bit too R&B for the record label at the time.” “Can't Let Go” was Mariah's first single not to top the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number two behind Color Me Badd's “All 4 Love” on the chart dated January 25. The song spent eleven consecutive weeks in the Top 10 and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on November 17, 2022.

In February 1992, “Make It Happen,” a collaboration with Cole & Clivillés, was released as the album's third single. “I'll always remember recording it,” Mariah said. “It was four in the morning at the studio and I was messing around at it and David [Cole] was actually asleep at the board. We used to work non-stop. Then when I came up with the part that goes ‘If you believe in your soul’, David woke up and put his hand in the air and just said ‘Yes!’ ” “Make It Happen” made its debut at number seventy-four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated February 22. Five weeks later, the song became Mariah's seventh consecutive Top 10 single, before eventually peaking at number five during the week of April 11.

Emotions also sees Mariah collaborating with Carole King on the song “If It's Over.” “She called and wanted me to do a cover of ‘Natural Woman,’ ” Mariah said. “I didn't want to, because Aretha's one of my idols and that's an untouchable performance. [Carole] is such a true professional. There's something magical when she sits down at the piano and she plays and sings. She really knows song structure so well. She inspired me to really want to improve my playing, and just continue to do what I'm doing.” About their session, Carole King said the following: “It was a true collaboration. I'd come up with an idea, she'd come back with something else… In the end we came up with what we both think is a wonderful song. I love her voice. She's very expressive. She gives a lot of meaning to what she sings.”

Mariah Carey - Emotions - Publicity Photos — Publicity Photos

Mariah Carey - Emotions - Publicity Material — Publicity Material

Mariah Carey - Emotions - Booklet — Booklet

Tracklist

Track #	Song	Run time
1	Emotions Written by: Mariah Carey, David Cole, Robert Clivillés. Produced by: David Cole, Robert Clivillés and Mariah Carey.	4:08
2	And You Don't Remember Written by: Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff. Produced by: Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey.	4:27
3	Can't Let Go Written by: Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff. Produced by: Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey.	4:28
4	Make It Happen Written by: Mariah Carey, David Cole, Robert Clivillés. Produced by: David Cole, Robert Clivillés and Mariah Carey.	5:08
5	If It's Over Written by: Mariah Carey, Carole King. Produced by: Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey.	4:38
6	You're So Cold Written by: Mariah Carey, David Cole. Produced by: David Cole, Robert Clivillés and Mariah Carey.	5:05
7	So Blessed Written by: Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff. Produced by: Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey.	4:14
8	To Be Around You Written by: Mariah Carey, David Cole. Produced by: David Cole, Robert Clivillés and Mariah Carey.	4:37
9	Till The End Of Time Written by: Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff. Produced by: Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey.	5:35
10	The Wind Written by: Mariah Carey, Russell Freeman. Produced by: Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey.	4:42

Releases

Original Release

Emotions was originally released on CD, Cassette and Vinyl, and later re-issued in MiniDisc.

Mariah Carey - Emotions - CD (United States) — CD
USA Edition

Mariah Carey - Emotions - CD (Europe) — CD
Europe Edition

Mariah Carey - Emotions - CD (Japan) — CD
Japan Edition

Mariah Carey - Emotions - Cassette — Cassette

Special Editions

Emotions was released in Japan on Blu-Spec CD2 on June 24, 2015.

Mariah Carey - Emotions - Blu-Spec CD2 (Japan) — Blu-Spec CD 2
Japan Exclusive

Vinyl Editions

In 2020, two new vinyl pressings became available: a standard black vinyl and a limited edition transparent tan with black smoke vinyl — sold exclusively by Vinyl Me, Please. In 2021, to mark the album's 30th anniversary, a baby pink vinyl edition was released on National Album Day, celebrating women in music. A new “Magic Hour” pink edition of the album became available on June 17, 2023, exclusively sold by UK retailer HMV to commemorate a full century since the first HMV store opened its doors in London.

Singles

Mariah Carey - Can't Let Go — Can't Let Go

Mariah Carey - Make It Happen — Make It Happen