Michael Jackson "Off The Wall"

Off the Wall is the fifth solo studio album by American singer Michael Jackson, released on August 10, 1979 in the United States by Epic Records and internationally by CBS Records. It was Jackson's first album released through Epic Records, the label he recorded under until his death in 2009, and the first produced by Quincy Jones, whom he met while working on the 1978 film The Wiz. Several critics observed that Off the Wall was crafted from funk, disco, soft rock, Broadway and pop ballads. Its lyrical themes include escapism, liberation, loneliness, hedonism and romance.

Off the Wall peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and was an enormous commercial success, with Billboard additionally ranking it as the third best-selling album of 1980. Five singles were released from the album, three with music videos. Jackson wrote three songs himself, including the number-one single "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". The second single from the album, "Rock with You" also peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100. With Off the Wall, Jackson became the first solo artist to have four singles from the same album peak inside the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. The record was a departure from Jackson's previous work for Motown Records, and was hailed as a major breakthrough for Jackson, while receiving critical recognition, along with praises, from major music publications.

Off the Wall was nominated for two Grammy Awards, with Jackson winning Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" which was his first Grammy Award. As of 2018, Off the Wall is certified eight times platinum in the United States and has reportedly sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. Often considered one of the best disco albums of all time, the album was placed at number 68 on Rolling Stone list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" in 2003. The National Association of Recording Merchandisers listed it at number 80 on its list of the "Definitive 200 Albums of All Time". In 2008, Off the Wall was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Between 1972 and 1975, Michael Jackson released a total of four solo studio albums with Motown; Got to Be There, Ben, Music & Me, and Forever, Michael. These were released as part of The Jackson 5 franchise, and produced successful singles such as "Got to Be There", "Ben" and a remake of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin". The Jackson 5's sales, however, began declining in 1973, and the band members chafed under Motown's strict refusal to allow them creative control or input. Although the group scored several top 40 hits, including the top five disco single "Dancing Machine" and the top 20 hit "I Am Love", The Jackson 5 (minus Jermaine Jackson) left Motown in 1975. The Jackson 5 signed a new contract with CBS Records in June 1975, first joining the Philadelphia International Records division and then Epic Records. As a result of legal proceedings, the group was renamed The Jacksons. After the name change, the band continued to tour internationally, releasing five more studio albums between 1976 and 1984; their self-titled eleventh album, Goin' Places, Destiny, Triumph, and Victory, as well as a live concert album in 1981. During that period, Michael was not only the lead singer, but also the chief songwriter for the group, writing or co-writing such hits as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", "This Place Hotel" and "Can You Feel It".

In 1978, Jackson starred as Scarecrow in the film musical The Wiz. The musical scores were arranged by Quincy Jones, who formed a partnership with Jackson during the film's production and agreed to produce the singer's solo album Off the Wall. Jackson was dedicated to the role, and watched videotapes of gazelles, cheetahs and panthers in order to learn graceful movements for his part. Jones recalled working with Jackson as one of his favorite experiences from The Wiz, and spoke of Jackson's dedication to his role, comparing his acting style to Sammy Davis, Jr. Critics panned The Wiz upon its October 1978 release, but Jackson's performance as the Scarecrow was one of the only positively reviewed elements of the film, with critics noting that Jackson possessed "genuine acting talent" and "provided the only genuinely memorable moments." Of the results of the film, Jackson stated: "I don't think it could have been any better, I really don't". In 1980, Jackson stated that his time working on The Wiz was "my greatest experience so far...I'll never forget that".

When Jackson began the Off the Wall project he was not sure what he wanted as the final result; however, he did not want another record that sounded like The Jacksons, but rather he wanted more creative freedom, something he had not been allowed on prior albums. Jackson's father Joseph also approved of the project and allowed him to record it on the condition that it didn't interfere with group business. Despite his brothers' desire to work with him, Jackson wanted to make the album independently of his family. Nevertheless, his brother Randy still contributed percussion to "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".

Jones produced "Off the Wall", with co-production credit given to Jackson on the songs he wrote for the album. Songwriters included Jackson, Heatwave's Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney. All sessions took place at Los Angeles County-based recording studios. Rhythm tracks and vocals were recorded at Allen Zentz Recording, the horn section's contributions took place at Westlake Audio, and string instrumentation was recorded at Cherokee Studios in West Hollywood. Following the initial sessions, audio mixing was handled by Grammy-winning engineer Bruce Swedien at Westlake Audio, after which the original tapes went to the A&M Recording Studio, also located in L.A., for mastering. Swedien would later mix the recording sessions for Jackson's next album and his most well-known work, 1982's Thriller. Jones recalled that, at first, he found Jackson to be very introverted, shy and non-assertive.

"She's Out of My Life" had been written for Jones by Tom Bahler three years earlier. Jackson heard and enjoyed it, and Jones allowed him to use it on the record. Jones called in Heatwave's keyboardist Rod Temperton to write three songs. The intention was for Jackson and Jones to select one of his songs, but Jackson, liking them all, included all of them in the final cut. Jackson stayed up all night to learn the lyrics to these songs instead of singing from a sheet. He finished the vocals to these three Temperton songs in two recording sessions. Temperton took a different approach to his song writing after spending some time researching the background to Jackson's music style. Temperton mixed his traditional harmony segments with the idea of adding shorter note melodies to suit Jackson's aggressive style. Jackson wrote "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" after humming a melody in his kitchen. After listening to hundreds of songs, Jackson and Jones decided upon a batch to record. In hindsight, Jones believed they took a lot of risks in the production of Off the Wall and the final choice of album tracks. Attention was also paid to the album cover, which shows Jackson smiling, wearing a tuxedo and trademark socks. His manager stated, "The tuxedo was the overall plan for the Off the Wall project and package. The tuxedo was our idea, the socks were Michael'".

On October 16, 2001, a special edition reissue of Off the Wall was released by Sony Records. It was re-released again on February 26, 2016. The material found strong praise from critics more than 20 years after the original release. AllMusic gave the record a five star review, praising the record's disco-tinged funk and mainstream pop blend, along with Jackson's songwriting and Jones' crafty production. The publication believed, "[Off the Wall] is an enormously fresh record, one that remains vibrant and giddily exciting years after its release".

In recent years Blender gave the record a full five star review stating that it was, "A blockbuster party LP that looked beyond funk to the future of dance music, and beyond soul ballads to the future of heart-tuggers—in fact, beyond R&B to color-blind pop. Hence, the forgivable Wings cover".

In 2003, the album was ranked number 68 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, maintaining the rating in a 2012 revised list. The National Association of Recording Merchandisers listed it at number 80 of the Definitive 200 Albums of All Time. In 2004, Nelson George wrote of Jackson and his music, "the argument for his greatness in the recording studio begins with his arrangements of "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". The layers of percussion and the stacks of backing vocals, both artfully choreographed to create drama and ecstasy on the dance floor, still rock parties in the 21st century". In 2008, Off the Wall was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

On January 7, 2016, Sony Music and The Estate of Michael Jackson announced that Off the Wall would be reissued and packaged with a new documentary directed by Spike Lee entitled Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall. The reissue and documentary were both released on February 26, 2016. Recent reviews by AllMusic and Blender have continued to praise Off the Wall for its appeal in the 21st century.

In August 2018, on the occasion of what would have been Jackson's 60th birthday, Entertainment Weekly reevaluated the album, giving it a score of A−, saying that the album was Jackson's first musical statement as an adult, that it was "a featherweight rapture of disco-flecked R&B" containing dance-floor favorites and some lesser songs.

Track list:

1. «Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough» Michael Jackson 6:05
2. «Rock with You» Rod Temperton 3:40
3. «Workin' Day and Night» Michael Jackson 5:14
4. «Get on the Floor» Michael Jackson, Louis Johnson 4:39
5. «Off the Wall» Rod Temperton 4:05
6. «Girlfriend» Paul McCartney 3:05
7. «She's Out of My Life» Tom Bahler 3:37
8. «I Can't Help It» Stevie Wonder, Susaye Greene 4:29
9. «It's the Falling in Love» Carole Bayer Sager, David Foster 3:48
10. «Burn This Disco Out» Rod Temperton 3:41

2001 Special Edition

1. «Quincy Jones Interview #1» 0:37
2. «Introduction to Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough Demo» 0:13
3. «Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (Original Demo from 1978)» Michael Jackson 4:48
4. «Quincy Jones Interview #2» 0:30
5. «Introduction to Workin' Day and Night Demo» 0:10
6. «Workin' Day and Night (Original Demo from 1978)» Michael Jackson 4:19
7. «Quincy Jones Interview #3» 0:48
8. «Rod Temperton Interview» 4:57
9. «Quincy Jones Interview #4» 1:32

Mariah Carey "Honey (Single & Video)"

"Honey" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on August 26, 1997 by Columbia Records as the lead single from her sixth studio album Butterfly (1997). The song was written and produced by Carey, Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, Kamaal "Q-Tip" Fareed, and Steven "Stevie J" Jordan. The song samples "Hey DJ" by the World's Famous Supreme Team, and "The Body Rock" by the Treacherous Three. "Honey" was a re-defining song in Carey's career, pushing her further into the hip hop music world.

"Honey" was acclaimed by music critics, who called Carey's musical transition "genuine". "Honey" was successful in the United States, becoming Carey's third single to debut atop the US Billboard Hot 100, a feat that has yet to be duplicated. The single stayed at number one for three consecutive weeks. "Honey" hit the top-five in Canada, New Zealand, Spain, and the United Kingdom, the top-ten in Australia and Sweden, and the top 20 in the majority of charts worldwide. "Honey" was nominated in two categories at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards, for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song. Carey included the song in the set-list of various live shows and future tours, where she would sing both the original and remix versions.

"Honey" is well known for its accompanying music video, which presented a more sexual and less conservative image of Carey than had been previously seen. The video features Carey being held hostage in a mansion, which she escapes in a James Bond-themed plot. Subsequent scenes see Carey escaping her assailants on a watercraft, dancing aboard a ship with sailors, and frolicking on a beautiful island with her lover. The video garnered much coverage, as many comparisons were made between the video and the rumors of Carey's failing marriage. While Carey denied the comparisons were anything more than coincidence, many close friends including Walter Afanasieff, Carey's writing partner, felt they were more than obvious.

After the success of her urban crossover album Daydream, Carey began exerting more control over the creative aspects of her career. In doing so, she began pursuing a more hip-hop oriented sound, something very different from anything she had recorded previously. However, she was still writing ballads with Afanasieff, but began looking for more hip-hop/R&B producers to helm part of her new project. Carey began working on the song, recorded in February 1997, with Q-Tip. They brought the lyrics, samples and melody over to Puff Daddy who, as a producer, had just earned his second number one single on the Hot 100 with "Mo Money Mo Problems." Due to rumors of Puffy's overbearing nature, Carey recorded her vocals separately, until she gave him a few demos to choose from. Puffy explained why Carey recorded her vocals separately, and his feelings regarding having worked with her:

"A lot of people feel I'm overbearing, so I wasn't allowed in the studio when she did her vocals. I'm trying to work on that, I'm such a perfectionist, sometimes I don't give people the chance to breathe. So I've been banned from a lot of studios. Mariah [recorded "Honey"] until she thought it was perfect, like a hundred times. She gave me like a hundred tracks to choose from."

Puffy expressed his respect for Mariah and her craft, mentioning that she re-did her vocals many times until she felt they were perfect. After they had the vocals, Carey and Puffy began working on the song's hook and incorporating the music samples and blending them into the bridge and chorus. After the song was completed, Combs was very confident with the song, calling it "slammin'," but because of its heavy hip-hop influence, he felt only cautiously optimistic about the song's commercial success. On a more personal note, "Honey" served as Carey's first single after her separation from estranged husband, Tommy Mottola, who also lead her current record label, Columbia.

"Honey" is an up-tempo song, that blends hip hop and contemporary R&B genres. The song is set in the signature common time, and is written in the key of E♭ major. It features a basic chord progression of A♭-F♭-1. Carey's vocal range in the song spans from the note of C3 to the high note of B♭5; with the piano and guitar pieces ranging from G♭3 to G♭5. The song's remix featured rap leads from The Lox and Mase, with some vocals rapped by Combs himself. The track was very different from anything Carey had ever recorded, and was described as "street Hip-Hop music, with a booming bass." 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. "Honey" featured musical samples from Treacherous Three's "The Body Rock," and "Hey DJ" by The World's Famous Supreme Team. The track united hip-hop and R&B with traces of pop music and was described as a "[song with a] catchy chorus, combining hip-hop and R&B into something that simply wasn't going to be denied by anyone, and offering a powerful start to a record." According to author Chris Nickson, "Honey" revealed a more confident and independent side to Carey that had never been presented in her previous work. The song truly embodied a more mature and confident woman, with sultrier lyrics and a thumping hip-hop beat to accompany it.

Aside from the attention surrounding the song, the music video garnered much speculation. For the first time in her career, Carey was featured provocatively dressed, giving viewers a "taste of the freer Mariah." The video's concept was created by Carey with Paul Hunter filling in as the director. Serving a James Bond theme, Carey was cast as "the very sexy agent M", a woman who escapes a large mansion in which she has been held captive. Carey said of the video that "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!"

The video premiered on MTV and BET in September 1997 and was shot in Puerto Rico on July 26, 1997. The video begins with Carey, playing as "Agent M," being held hostage in a large mansion. The captors are played by Eddie Griffin, Frank Sivero, and Johnny Brennan of The Jerky Boys, who continue to taunt Carey over her capture and eventual death. "Agent M" speaks in Spanish to the captors, saying she can not understand them. After a series of dialogue, Carey escapes her Griffin's character and dives into a swimming pool from the mansion's roof. After an ensemble change, Carey dons a swimsuit and escapes the island via a watercraft. The video's antagonists continue their pursuit of Carey throughout a large body of water, until she arrives aboard a large ship. It is unclear if both scenes are happening separately or side by side. Throughout most of the video, Carey is seen posing on a large sailboat, while wearing a white bikini. After boarding the ship, Carey begins dancing and is soon joined by a group of male sailors. After a sequence of dance light dance routines, Carey is seen on an island with her lover, male model David Fumero, and her real life dog, Jack. They frolic together on the island, while Carey happily enjoys her romance.

During the time of the video's release, Carey and Mottola were in the midst of their divorce and this led to many speculation on the video's message. Tabloids and critics were linking the video's theme to Carey's marriage, writing how Mottola would lock Carey in their mansion. While Carey denied the allegations, many found it to be very obvious. Carey's writing partner of six years, Afanasieff, felt the video was undeniably about Mottola. While speculation about the video grew, Carey continued to deny any intention of portraying her marriage in the video. In an interview, Carey said that "Tommy loves the video, he says it's my best video yet."

The song's Bad Boy remix featured a different music video as well. It features the same concept, however not emphasizing on the kidnapping and escape. The video begins with Carey diving into the pool, and driving a watercraft. As she reaches a point far into the body of water, she is offered a rope lift from a helicopter. After she accepts and ascends the line, Carey boards the aircraft alongside its pilots, Puffy and the members of Bad Boy Entertainment. Other scenes sequence Carey dancing with Puffy in a golden indoor tunnel. As the video concludes, more staff from the helicopter join Carey in the golden entryway, as they dance and enjoy themselves.

"Honey" was performed on various live television appearances as well as most of Carey's tours. Carey first performed a mash-up of the song and the Bad Boy remix live on the British music chart program Top of the Pops in 1997. The performance incorporated themes from both videos, in which Carey was dressed in the same white bikini from the music video. Additionally, the stage was set up to resemble the deck of a ship. Dancers similar to the video joined Carey on stage as she performed the song. Carey performed "Honey" at the 1998 World Music Awards. The performance garnered her a standing ovation, and featured many male dancers, all donning sailor costumes. After the second verse, a large projection of the Bad Boy remix video played while pre-recorded rap verses from Puffy played. A live performance of the song was taped via satellite and aired live in Japan, featuring similar costumes and themes as the others. Carey performed the song throughout her Butterfly World Tour (1998), which served as the accompanying tour for Butterfly. During her live routine of the song, various male dancers donned in similar sailor outfits joined Carey on stage. Serving as an intro to the song, Carey re-enacts the hostage from the video, and formulates her escape. The song's performance in Honolulu, Hawaii was used as the official act of the song on Carey's 1998 concert DVD, Around the World, which featured live tapings from Japan, Taiwan, Australia and the US.

For her Rainbow World Tour (2000), the beginning of the original video served as the acts intro. As the music began playing, Carey emerged wearing a mini sailor suit and a matching headpiece. During the set, many male dancers joined Carey on stage, and re-enacted a similar performance than that of her previous tour. "Honey" was performed during Carey's following tour, the Charmbracelet World Tour (2003–2004). The performances of the song throughout the tour were altered from those in 1997–98. The act began with the video intro like before, however the dancers featured no longer bore any resemblance to the video. Male and female dancers joined, performing traditional and exotic dance routines. Carey donned a blue one piece mini skirt, and joins with some light dance moves. Carey continued performing the song throughout her 2006 tour, The Adventures of Mimi. The performance did not include any video intro, but did introduce a four-piece of male dancers dressed in sailor outfits. Carey wore a pair of black leggings, accompanied by a sparkling mini-bra. During the performance in Madison Square Garden, Carey was joined with Sean "Diddy" Combs (previously known as Puffy) on stage after the second verse. During her Angels Advocate Tour (2010) performance of the song, Carey donned a sparkling mini-Herve Leger gown, with a faux-fur snug jacket. During the song, male and female dancers joined her on stage, and performed up-tempo dance routines. She performed the song regularly during The Elusive Chanteuse Show (2014), singing the So So Def Mix. She also included the song in her 2015 Las Vegas residency, Mariah Carey Number 1's, where she would enter the stage in a black leotard, riding a yellow jet ski, in homage to the video. Carey started performing "Honey" for the first time since July 2017 on her second concert residency, The Butterfly Returns (2018).

Track listings

US CD Single

1. "Honey (LP Version)" – 4:59
2. "Honey (Bad Boy Remix)" – 5:32

UK CD Single

1. "Honey (LP Version)" – 4:59
2. "Honey (Bad Boy Remix)" – 5:32
3. "Honey (Smooth Version With Intro)" – 4:47
4. "Honey (So So Def Mix)" – 5:11

Mariah Carey "Music Box (Mexico, Columbia Records, CDDI 474270)"

Music Box is the third studio album by American singer Mariah Carey. It was released by Columbia Records on August 31, 1993, in North America. The album comprises ballads primarily co-written by Carey and Walter Afanasieff, with whom she had previously worked on Emotions (1991), and a few urban dance tracks. During the course of the album's development, Carey wanted to broaden her audience, choosing a more pop/R&B oriented sound. During this time frame, she experimented with different musical instruments, leading the album's sound away from her more contemporary previous two efforts. Two unused tracks from the album sessions were released as B-sides: "Do You Think of Me" and "Everything Fades Away".

In order to successfully take the album in a new direction, Carey and Afanasieff sought out new and innovative producers, as well as some from Carey's previous releases. Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds first began working with Carey on Music Box, where he helped produce some of the album's softer and more melodious tracks, as well as being part of the songwriting process. Additional writers and producers were Robert Clivillés and David Cole (a pair also known as C+C Music Factory) and Daryl Simmons. While the album featured a range of music producers, the bulk of the songwriting was done by Carey and her writing partner, Walter Afanasieff. In future projects, they would continue writing material for Carey's albums, until her 1999 release Rainbow, where he is absent from the writing credits.

Four singles were released from the album. The first three, "Dreamlover", "Hero" and "Without You", became worldwide chart-topping singles, the latter becoming Carey's highest charting international single of her career. "Without You" became Carey's first number-one single in most European markets and reached the top three in the United States. To promote Music Box, Carey embarked on the short but successful Music Box Tour which traveled to select cities in North America. Carey was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Dreamlover" at the 1994 Grammy Awards and received the same nomination for "Hero" at the 1995 Grammy Awards.

After its release, Music Box received generally mixed reviews from music critics. The album faced criticism regarding Carey's more mellow and lazy tone in comparison to her previous work. Commercially, the album reached number one in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Scotland, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it Diamond, for shipments of ten million copies across the United States. Music Box remains Carey's highest seller with 28 million copies sold worldwide and is one of the best-selling albums of all time.

In 1988, Carey was discovered by Tommy Mottola, CEO of Columbia Records, and was promptly signed to the label. Carey's self-titled debut studio album, released the following year, focused on re-recording and mastering several songs she had already written in high school alongside classmate, Ben Margulies. Aside from the seven songs taken from Carey's demo tape, four other tracks were written and produced by the former and an array of famed record producers. The album was complimented by critics, who called it a mature debut, full of various genre influences ranging from pop, R&B and soul. The album became a commercial success, selling fifteen million units globally. While making a strong impact on pop music, Carey became interested in altering her sound, and deviating from pop music for her second studio effort, Emotions (1991). Following the success of her debut, Columbia allowed her to take more control over her musical departure, enabling her to change her genre infusions, melodies and production.

With Carey in the captain's chair, having more control than she had on any other album, she took the album in a new direction, alongside Afanasieff. For Carey's third studio effort, she enrolled the help of a range of songwriters, as well as record producers. Aside from Afanasieff, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, a man who would collaborate with Carey often in the near future, also took part in the project. Babyface, who helped produce much of the album, also co-wrote a track with Carey titled "Never Forget You", a song that was released as a B-side to "Without You" exclusively in the United States. The album, which consisted mostly of slower ballads (with the exception of "Dreamlover", "Now That I Know", and "I've Been Thinking about You"), contained collaborations with some carry-on producers and writers from Emotions. Of these were Clivillés & Cole (of C+C Music Factory), who co-wrote the track "Now That I Know", a danceable pop ballad, which used similar formulas and synthesizers from tracks on Emotions. Another writer–producer that worked on the album was David Hall, who with Carey wrote the U.S. single "Dreamlover".

During the album's recording, Carey worked with several different musicians and producers, aside from Walter Afanasieff, the only hold over from her debut. On the album's first track "Dreamlover", Carey worked with Dave Hall throughout the song's entire production. In order to help with some of the song's arrangements, Mottola enrolled the help of Walter Afanasieff, who took on the completed track and transformed it into a more commercial hit.

Emotions contains influences from mostly 1950s, 1960s and 1970s balladry and gospel, as well as her continued work of R&B and soul. The album, while praised by some as more mature and raw, failed to reach the critical or commercial heights of her debut effort, while selling far less and failed to introduce Carey into a different market. Following these events, Columbia decided to try to market Carey in a similar fashion to her debut, only having her produce a more commercial and radio-friendly album. Their plans were to tone down Carey's vocals, and soften the album's production, leaving a more contemporary pop/R&B record. Agreeing to the change, Carey and Afanasieff began writing and recording material for her third studio effort, Music Box.

One of the noticeable differences from Music Box and Carey's previous albums is its sound. The album was described by Afanasieff as a softer and more pop-oriented album, "filling the songs with air", and allowing far more space in the overall sound. Another noticeable change is in the album's production. When Mariah Carey was released, critics took notice of its "overly produced" and "studio perfect" quality, where in comparison, Emotions maintains a "raw, live sound." Music Box however, falls in between the two, a decision made by Carey during the album's production. She would layer each track with live backing vocals, so not to sound too overly produced, but still kept the inclusion of musical synthesizers.

According to Marc Shapiro, Music Box reflects signs of Carey's vocal maturity, as well as representing an album she was truly proud of. The album's first single "Dreamlover" was described as a "slight piece of pop fluff," representing a more commercial side to Carey than the "more ambitious," "Vision of Love". Critics believed the song's chart performance was due to its summer release, as people were still looking for a "not-too-heavy" and more diverse sound. The song's composition was described as "mid tempo and mildly dance-able," with Carey's voice being called "perpetually happy," like a "little-girl voice."

"Hero", the album's second single, was one of Carey's most inspirational ballads at the time. The song is described as "a lush ballad", with Carey making use of her impressive, "lower alto register." As one of the more emotional tracks on the album, "Hero" builds emotion, verse through verse, where the lyrics and melody finally "broke through." "Anytime You Need a Friend" is another pop ballad in which Carey would, "let her voice roam free", a feature critics felt lacked on the album. The song featured "rough and low vocals", as well as some glimpses of Carey's upper registers. As with most of the songs on Music Box, the lyrics boast a positive message, and it is the only song on the album to feature traces of gospel-inspired vocals throughout the chorus.

The album's title track, "Music Box", is another ballad Carey wrote with Afanasieff. The song is described as one of Carey's more difficult compositions, due to its "softness". The song requires a great deal of legato to keep "the tunes softness and sweetness, without resorting to volume." Carey's vocals on the track are defined as "soft and controlled," managing to maintain the delicate balance in a manner that seems effortless, floating easily over the keyboard and the shimmer of the guitar. Lyrically, due to the song's message of "commitment and promise," and the "tinkling music-box line played on the synthesizer," the track gives the sensation of a wedding vow recital. "Never Forget You" is a slow song, further connecting it to the song's message of "lamenting the loss of love, in a very tender way." The song contains keyboard notes that hover over the verses and allow Carey to indulge in her backing vocals. It was described by Nickson as a "stand out track," one that could have easily become a hit single, "with an appeal that would have easily transcended generational barriers."

To promote the album, Carey embarked on her first headlining concert tour, the Music Box Tour. Due to stage fright, Carey had not toured to promote her previous albums and did not originally plan a tour to support Music Box. However, after the continued success of the album and persuasion from Tommy Mottola, Carey agreed. Because Carey did not feel physically or emotionally ready for an extensive tour, six concerts were scheduled, each with many days in between, in order to give her voice time to rest. An extra performance at Proctor's Theatre was planned; there, Carey filmed the one-hour special Here Is Mariah Carey for release during the Christmas season.

When tickets went on sale, the concerts did not sell out instantly but sold at a healthy pace. On the opening night, she sang at the Miami Arena. Approximately two-thirds of the venue's capacity was filled, which worried Carey's management. However, Carey did not seem to mind and began the show with high spirits. The first show in Miami received scathing reviews; subsequent shows sold out of tickets and attracted rave reviews.

Aside from touring for the first time in her career, Carey visited various American and European television programs, performing different singles from the album. In late 1993, Carey appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show, performing both "Dreamlover" and "Hero." Other 1993 performances included "Hero" on The Jay Leno Show and "Dreamlover" on her fourth visit to Top of the Pops. Carey continued promoting the album in 1994, performing "Without You" on a fifth visit to Top of the Pops, as well as visiting France, Germany, Japan, Spain and Sweden. In the midst of the Music Box Tour, Carey had already begun working with Walter Afanasieff on her holiday album Merry Christmas, which was to be released during the Christmas season of 1994. Additionally, Carey and Affanasieff reportedly began experimenting with ideas and music for Carey's 1995 album Daydream.

"Dreamlover" was released as the album's first single on July 27, 1993. The single debuted at number thirteen on the Billboard Hot 100, and due to its massive airplay, the song reached the top of the Hot 100, staying there for eight weeks. Dreamlover topped the charts in Canada, and reached the top-ten in many other countries. The song was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting shipments of one million copies, as well as receiving a Gold certification in Australia and New Zealand. The music video for "Dreamlover" featured "summer scenery," with scenes of Carey swimming in a pool by a waterfall, lying in a bed of sunflowers, as well as singing in front of hip-hop dancers. The video tried to capture, a "home video" feel, adding to the song's subtle and airy nature, something that only helped the song dominate the charts "Hero" served as the album's second single, and was released on October 19, 1993. Music critics praised the song, calling it her most directly inspirational song since "Make It Happen". The song topped the charts in the United States and the top-five in many other major music markets. The music video for "Hero," featured footage from Carey's concert at Proctor's Theatre, as was done for Carey's following music video for "Without You."

"Without You", the album's third single, became the biggest international hit of Carey's career. "Without You" reached number three in the United States, but experienced its real success throughout Europe. The song became Carey's first number one chart topper in France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, propelling the sales of Music Box throughout the world. Carey brought the song renewed popularity, through her highly successful adaptation. It became one of the "fifty most-played songs of the year" and even outsold Harry Nilsson's version, receiving many awards and recognition. "Anytime You Need a Friend", the album's final single, experienced success on the charts, reaching the top-ten in many countries, as well as peaking at number twelve in the United States. It became the second single in Music Box to perform better throughout Europe than in the U.S.

Music Box entered the US Billboard 200 at number two, with 174,000 copies sold. In its fifteenth week after release, the album topped the chart and enjoyed its highest sales week in December, selling 295,000 copies in its first week atop, 395,000 the following week and peaking with 505,000 copies sold in year's final week. It stayed at the top for eight non-consecutive weeks. It remained in the top ten for thirty-one weeks and on the Billboard 200 for 128 weeks (more than two years, longer than any other of her albums), re-entering the chart three times. The album also reached number one on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Music Box was the second-best selling album in the United States in 1994, only behind Ace of Base's The Sign. In the United States, Music Box became Carey's best-selling album at the time, being certified Diamond by the RIAA, denoting shipments of ten million copies.

The album became a success in Canada, peaking at number two on the charts and being certified seven-times Platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA). Music Box became Carey's best-seller in Europe, topping the charts in Australia, Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. In Germany, it became her highest-charting album, spending eighty weeks on the German Albums Chart, eleven of which were spent at number one. Germany's sales of the album were also very impressive, with a certification of double-Platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), for shipments of one million copies. In the United Kingdom, Music Box remains Carey's highest seller, topping the UK Albums Chart and being certified seven-times Platinum. It became a million-selling album in France, receiving a Diamond certification and topping the French Album Charts. Sales in France have been estimated at 1,418,100. Music Box was certified six-times Platinum in the Netherlands.

In Australia, the album spent 18 non-consecutive weeks at number one, and was certified 12-times Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), denoting shipments of 840,000 copies. The album finished at number one on the (ARIA) 1994 End of Year Chart. In Asia, Music Box became one of the best-selling albums of 1994, selling 2.2 million copies in Japan alone. Sony Music's marketing director Andy Yavasis claimed sales of 600,000 in South Korea, 150,000 copies in Taiwan, 110,000 in Singapore and 100,000 copies in Hong Kong by July 1994. Music Box has sold 28 million copies worldwide, and is one of the best-selling albums of all time.

Track list:

1. Dreamlover
2. Hero
3. Anytime You Need a Friend
4. Music Box
5. Now That I know
6. Never Forget You
7. Without You (Peter Ham, Tom Evans)
8. Just To Hold You Once Again
9. I've Been Thinking About You
10. All I've Ever Wanted
11. Everything Fades Away (bonus)

Music Box – Latin American edition bonus track

1. "Heroe"

Sample credits

"Dreamlover" contains a sample of "Blind Alley" by The Emotions (1972).

"I've Been Thinking About You" contains a sample of "Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss (1973) and "Just a Touch of Love" by Slave (1979).

Led Zeppelin "Led Zeppelin Remasters"

Led Zeppelin Remasters is a three-LP (or two-cassette or two-CD) compilation album of digitally remastered material by English rock band Led Zeppelin. Containing songs from eight of the band's nine studio albums, it was initially released in the UK and Japan by Atlantic Records on 15 October 1990. The album is essentially a scaled-down version of the four-CD Led Zeppelin Boxed Set.

This compilation set came about as a result of the initially rushed conversion of Led Zeppelin's album to the compact disc format in the late 1980s. Led Zeppelin were among the first rock bands to be re-issued on CD, but such was the haste to capitalise on the new format that the new CDs were derived not from re-equalised master tapes, but from sound-generation tapes that had been equalised for the original vinyl platters. For this 1990 reissue, Led Zeppelin guitarist and producer Jimmy Page himself supervised the mastering process, which was based on Led Zeppelin's archive of master tapes.

Track list:

Disk 1

1. "Communication Breakdown" (Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham) – 2:28, (1969)
2. "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" (Page, Robert Plant) – 6:41, (1969)
3. "Good Times, Bad Times" (Page, Jones, Bonham) – 2:43, (1969)
4. "Dazed and Confused" (Page) – 6:26, (1969)
5. "Whole Lotta Love" (Page, Plant, Jones, Bonham) – 5:34, (1969)
6. "Heartbreaker" (Page, Plant, Jones, Bonham) – 4:14, (1969)
7. "Ramble On" (Page, Plant) – 4:24, (1969)
8. "Immigrant Song" (Page, Plant) – 2:23, (1970)
9. "Celebration Day" (Page, Plant, Jones) – 3:28, (1970)
10. "Since I've Been Loving You" (Page, Plant, Jones) – 7:24, (1970)
11. "Black Dog" (Page, Plant, Jones) – 4:54, (1971)
12. "Rock and Roll" (Page, Plant, Jones, Bonham) – 3:40, (1971)
13. "The Battle of Evermore" (Page, Plant) – 5:51, (1971)
14. "Misty Mountain Hop" (Page, Plant, Jones) – 4:39, (1971)
15. "Stairway to Heaven" (Page, Plant) – 8:01, (1971)

Disk 2 

1. "The Song Remains the Same" (Page, Plant) – 5:29, (1973)
2. "The Rain Song" (Page, Plant) – 7:39, (1973)
3. "D'yer Mak'er" (Page, Plant, Jones, Bonham) – 4:23, (1973)
4. "No Quarter" (Page, Plant, Jones) – 7:00, (1973)
5. "Houses of the Holy" (Page, Plant) – 4:03, (1975)
6. "Kashmir" (Page, Plant, Bonham) – 8:32, (1975)
7. "Trampled Under Foot" (Page, Plant, Jones) – 5:35, (1975)
8. "Nobody's Fault but Mine" (Page, Plant) – 6:28, (1976)
9. "Achilles Last Stand" (Page, Plant) – 10:23, (1976)
10. "All My Love" (Plant, Jones) – 5:53, (1979)
11. "In the Evening" (Page, Plant, Jones) – 6:51, (1979)