Number One Flashback takes a look back on U.S. chart-toppers from the past. Today, we're going back exactly ten years ago this week when "We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey topped the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. This quiet storm ballad, which remained at this position for fourteen non-consecutive weeks, brought the singer back after a series of career setbacks.
After her last few albums on Columbia Records sold poorly, Carey decided to leave the label to join Virgin Records with a contract worth one hundred million dollars in 2001. However, shortly after the announcement, she was hospitalized due to physical and emotional exhaustion. This delayed the release of her film debut, "Glitter" and the soundtrack album which both became critical and commercial flops. This lead to Virgin dropping Carey from the label and buying out her record contract.
Carey rebounded by signing with Island Records but her first release on the label, "Charmbracelet" in 2002 also failed to generate much interest. In 2005, the singer's tenth album, "The Emancipation of Mimi" came out and brought with it a major career resurgence. The album moved her even further in to hip-hop and with slick production from Jermaine Dupri, The Neptunes and Kanye West along with appearances by Nelly and Snoop Dogg, the record became one of Mariah Carey's biggest sellers at twelve million copies sold worldwide with seven hit singles released. This is one of my all-time favorite albums so let's go back and listen to the number-one song that gave shout-outs to Babyface and the late, great Bobby Womack:
"We Belong Together" - Mariah Carey (2005) mp3
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