How Many Mariah Carey Albums Are Sold Each Day? Latest Stats Revealed
In the old days, accounting for record sales, even after a long period, was a headache. With the lack of tracing in some countries and poor quality tracking throughout record stores around the world, it was a nightmare. Things improved in the digital age with the advent of the iTunes Store and digital downloads, allowing for periodic tracking every time Apple and Amazon divulged those details, by the unit. However, with the advent of streaming, recording associations around the world such as the RIAA, IFPI, ARIA, etc., have agreed to account for 1,500 streams as one album sale based on calculations made of revenue generated on average. With streaming accounting for 84% of the music industry revenue in 2023, it only makes sense that this metric is now included.
Today, understanding how many albums an artist like Mariah Carey sells daily has become more precise, thanks to these technological advancements and new metrics. While some platforms don’t provide daily insights on music consumption, Spotify and YouTube do, and they account for almost 40% of the streaming totals worldwide. This article delves into Mariah Carey’s daily album sales, exploring the impact of both traditional and modern sales metrics. By analyzing data from multiple sources, we offer a comprehensive look at how many albums Mariah Carey sells each day, reflecting the changing landscape of the music industry in the digital age.
Methodology
With daily streaming figures provided by YouTube and Spotify, and these accounting for almost 40% of the global streaming market, it’s feasible to extrapolate this data to estimate figures for other streaming platforms. Although this extrapolation introduces a margin of error of approximately 15,000 streams in a given day (equivalent to 10 albums), the overall impact remains minimal. Digital downloads and physical sales, which constitute 16% of the worldwide music revenue, are not as linear in their distribution, but the small margin of error from extrapolation has an insignificant effect on the overall figures.
Contrary to the belief that extrapolation is inflated because physical sales are dwindling, evidence suggests otherwise. A quick glance at Amazon reveals that albums like “Rainbow” have subtitles indicating “300+ bought last month,” while “#1’s” boasts over 100 purchases in the same period, and “Greatest Hits” shows over 50 purchases. These numbers highlight that physical sales, though not as dominant as streaming, still contribute significantly to total sales. This robust methodology combines streaming, digital, and physical sales to provide an almost accurate picture of Mariah Carey’s daily album sales, ensuring comprehensive and reliable insights. But let’s take a look:
10. Emotions
Number 10 on this list is Mariah Carey’s sophomore album, “Emotions”. Certified 4x Platinum in 1994 and with an estimated 14.8 million equivalent albums sold worldwide, “Emotions” continues to captivate listeners. The album averages 50,000 streams on Spotify alone each day, supplemented by an additional 50,000 streams on YouTube. The enduring popularity of hits like “Emotions” and “Can’t Let Go” fuels these impressive numbers.
Applying the extrapolation formula based on the streaming market share (84%), with Spotify and YouTube accounting for 40% of this share, and using the standard conversion of 1,500 streams to one album sale, “Emotions” still earns Mariah an impressive equivalent album sale of 153 copies daily.
9. Mariah Carey
Number 9 is the debut album that would soon launch a legendary superstar: “Mariah Carey”. On the verge of reaching Diamond status in the US alone, the album was last certified 9x Platinum in December 1999. Since then, vinyls have been reissued and streaming has emerged. To date, the album has garnered a total of 162 million streams on Spotify alone, equivalent to 100,000 album sales. When we factor in streams across other platforms and digital and physical sales since 1999, it’s clear that “it’s tiiiime” for another certification.
Using the same extrapolation formula, “Mariah Carey” (the album) sells an impressive 169 records daily worldwide. This continued success is greatly due to timeless classics like “Vision of Love” and “Love Takes Time”.
8. Merry Christmas
It’s far from Christmas, but we all know that by the time summer ends, Mariah Carey’s Christmas repertoire will start soaring in numbers and equivalent album sales. Having been certified 9x Platinum by the RIAA just last year, there is no doubt that Mariah will be crowned with her third (or fourth) Diamond album this holiday season. Achieving this milestone will place her among the elite company of female artists Whitney Houston and Shania Twain, who have also reached the triple Diamond status. If Mariah goes for a fourth Diamond album, well, she will make history as the only female artist to achieve such an accolade.
However, this album isn’t just for the yuletide carolers; it has a year-round appeal. In July 2024 alone, the album has been streamed on Spotify 100,000 times a day. Using industry-standard calculations and considering all other forms of music consumption, this translates to an impressive 257 equivalent album sales per day. Who said streaming killed the radio star?
7. Rainbow
We just celebrated the 25th anniversary of “Rainbow”, and with it came the eagerly anticipated expanded edition, full of the nostalgia we all craved to hear. The vinyl release, currently on pre-order for shipment later this year, has already proven popular; Amazon US alone reports over 300 units sold just last month. This figure doesn’t even account for other formats, digital downloads, and streaming numbers, indicating a strong and enduring fanbase.
With the expanded edition now available, “Rainbow” averages 163,000 streams on Spotify daily, with hits like “Heartbreaker” and “Against All Odds” leading the charge. YouTube streams add a little less of this value. Applying the industry-standard formulas and statistical extrapolation, “Rainbow” averages 435 equivalent albums sold daily—a significant increase from its pre-25th anniversary streaming era.
6. Butterfly
Mariah Carey’s personal favorite, “Butterfly”, marked the beginning of a new era and even originated the term “Butterfly effect” to describe a singer’s transformation from girl next door to sexy womanhood. With its plethora of brilliantly written lyrics and layered compositions, the album remains a fan favorite around the world. Certified 5x Platinum in 1999, “Butterfly” has reportedly sold over 16 million copies worldwide, solidifying its place in music history.
Averaging 188,000 streams per day on Spotify alone, this figure is slightly higher on YouTube, thanks to the numerous videos produced for the album and the enduring popularity of tracks like “My All” and “Honey.” Combining these streaming numbers with other consumption metrics, “Butterfly” achieves an impressive equivalent daily album sale of 504 copies. This golden album continues to captivate listeners and demonstrate Mariah Carey’s enduring impact on the music industry.
5. E=MC2
“E=MC²” earned Platinum status back in 2008 after an impressive first week, selling almost 500,000 units in the US alone before gradually declining. However, the power of streaming is evergreen, allowing albums to continue “selling” through a lifetime of music consumption and listening. “E=MC²” exemplifies this phenomenon. With six-digit daily streaming numbers for “Touch My Body” and “Bye Bye” trailing closely behind, the album garners 300,000 streams daily on Spotify alone, with YouTube numbers falling just slightly behind.
These robust streaming figures underscore the album’s enduring popularity, particularly with hits like “Touch My Body” driving its success. As a result, “E=MC²” achieves an impressive equivalent of 804 album sales every single day. This continued success highlights the album’s lasting appeal and the evolving nature of music consumption in the digital age.
4. Music Box
“Music Box” was once Mariah Carey’s best-selling album worldwide, recently surpassed by “Daydream” with the advent of streaming. In the US, the album earned Diamond status in 1997, three years after its release. With an estimated 30 million global sales, tracks like “Hero” and “Without You” continue to be fan favorites, each garnering 100,000 daily Spotify streams. The album, now expanded for its anniversary edition with novelties such as “My Prayer” and “Workin’ Hard,” earns 330,000 streams a day on Spotify.
When calculating across all metrics, “Music Box” achieves an astonishing equivalent of 906 albums sold worldwide daily. This enduring popularity showcases Mariah Carey’s timeless appeal and the powerful impact of her music, as *Music Box* continues to captivate audiences around the globe.
3. Memoirs of An Imperfect Angel
Well, well, well… Who would have thought that this album, which initially flew under the radar upon its release, would now be Mariah Carey’s third biggest daily seller? The resurgence of interest in this album is nothing short of remarkable. TikTok played a pivotal role in bringing back “Obsessed,” making it Mariah’s current most-streamed song with an average of 380,000 daily streams on Spotify alone. TikTok also spotlighted a non-single track, “It’s a Wrap,” which skyrocketed from less than 1 million streams to a current standing of 65 million streams on the platform.
“I Want to Know What Love Is” remains the longest-running number one song in Brazil, and with Mariah preparing to perform in São Paulo and Rock in Rio two days later, the single has been certified Diamond in the country. Mariah’s response, “I guess I’ll have to sing it then,” has only fueled the excitement. It comes as no surprise that Spotify and YouTube alone are nearing 1 million streams a day for the album. When considering all formats through extrapolation, the album impressively sells 1,196 copies daily. This unexpected success story highlights the album’s lasting appeal and how today’s digital world can change the numbers.
2. The Emancipation of Mimi
This one comes as no surprise. The ultimate “comeback” album, “The Emancipation of Mimi”, soared to the top upon its release and, until recently, “We Belong Together” was Mariah’s most streamed daily song. Certified 7x Platinum in 2022, the album has become a fan favorite, even inspiring the upcoming Las Vegas Celebration of Mimi in honor of this masterpiece. With popular streamed tracks such as “We Belong Together” and “Shake It Off,” the album is nearing 1 billion streams, maintaining a pace of 500,000 streams a day.
Across all formats, the album averages an impressive 1,333 copies sold daily, with no signs of slowing down. This continued success underscores the enduring impact and popularity of “The Emancipation of Mimi”, solidifying its place as a cornerstone in Mariah Carey’s illustrious career.
1. Daydream
The top position doesn’t come as a shock to anyone: “Daydream” has surpassed “Music Box” as Mariah Carey’s best-selling album and remains her highest certified Diamond album (11x in 2022) in the US. The reason for its steadily increasing sales is tied to three of its hits—”Fantasy,” “One Sweet Day,” and “Always Be My Baby”—reaching six-digit daily streaming numbers. All three songs have exceeded 150 million streams on Spotify, with similar success on YouTube, each surpassing 100 million views.
“Daydream” consistently appears on lists of top-selling albums, and it shows no signs of fading from these rankings. Nearly 30 years after its release, the album continues to sell at an impressive rate of 1,571 copies daily. This enduring popularity cements “Daydream” as a timeless classic and a significant milestone in Mariah Carey’s illustrious career.
In conclusion, the evolution from physical to digital and streaming sales has revolutionized the way we measure an album’s success and longevity. In the past, album sales peaked at their release and occasionally spiked during pivotal moments such as anniversaries or notable performances. However, once these moments passed, the sales often plateaued and eventually stopped. The digital and streaming age, however, has changed this dynamic dramatically. Albums now have the power to “sell” continuously throughout an artist’s lifetime, driven by constant streams and digital downloads, ensuring that music remains perpetually accessible and influential.
This shift underscores which albums possess true longevity and can be deemed classics forever. Mariah Carey’s discography, as highlighted by her impressive daily streaming numbers and continuous sales, illustrates this phenomenon perfectly. Albums like *Daydream*, *Music Box*, and *The Emancipation of Mimi* continue to captivate new and old audiences alike, maintaining significant daily sales decades after their initial release. This enduring appeal not only solidifies Mariah Carey’s legacy but also demonstrates the lasting power of great music in the digital era, where true treasures continue to shine and define the cultural landscape.
