Music Box was released on August 31, 1993, and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 after selling 174,000 copies. The album spent its first thirty-three weeks — over seven months — in the chart's Top 10, reaching the number-one spot on December 25. After topping the chart for eight non-consecutive weeks, Music Box became the second best-selling album of 1994 in the United States. It also became Mariah's first album to be certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America, on November 5, 1997.
Internationally, the album's success was massive, topping the album charts worldwide and with estimated sales of over thirty million copies. Music Box is Mariah's biggest-selling album in Australia, where it topped the 1994 End of Year Chart after spending eighteen weeks at number one. It was certified 11x Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association on August 4, 2011. In the United Kingdom, the album spent six non-consecutive weeks atop the Official Albums Chart and was certified 5x Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry on October 1, 1994.
Mariah wrote most of the album with Walter Afanasieff and David Cole & Robert Clivillés. “Walter is my favorite person to work with because we really know each other very well musically,” Mariah explained. “He lives in San Francisco and I live in New York, so he would do a rough version of the track and send it to me and I would do all the vocals like that. I felt really free to do what I wanted on this album because I didn't have anyone over my shoulder the whole time. It was just like: ‘This is my album, I'm doing it this way.’ I felt like it was the next step for me to really be alone in the studio for most of the album. It really helped me get myself out there. It helped me to get my personality across, and get the emotions I was feeling at the time of each song out a bit more. We have this connection where I'll sing what I'm hearing and he'll start playing, and usually it's what I'm hearing in my head. Walter really tries to let me lead. He knows it's important to me to let the melodies I have develop.”
For “Dreamlover,” the album's lead single, Mariah collaborated with Dave “Jam” Hall, who had previously worked with New York rappers Brand Nubian and R&B singer Mary J. Blige. “Some people just think of it as a happy song,” Mariah said about the song. “They don't know the name of the instrumental funk loop that underpins it, or who I worked with on it. A person that just knows me for the ballads, or on the face value of a ‘Dreamlover’-type song, wouldn't necessarily realize I was into hip hop whilst growing up.” “Dreamlover” contains a loop from the song “Blind Alley,” by The Emotions, which was previously sampled by rapper Big Daddy Kane on his 1988 hit “Ain't No Half Steppin'.” The single was released on July 27, 1993, and became Mariah's seventh number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100. It spent eight weeks atop the chart and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on September 22, 1993.
The album's second single was “Hero,” a record Mariah hadn't written for herself. A year before the album's release, she was approached to write a song for Gloria Estefan to record for the Hero motion picture soundtrack. The label executives, upon hearing the song, thought it would be better for Mariah to release it herself. “Hero,” released on October 19, became one of Mariah's signature songs and her eighth number-one single in the United States, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart for four consecutive weeks. “I'm very thankful for this song,” Mariah told Billboard in 2019. “I'm really proud of it because of the fact that it has endured for a really long time and a lot of people have told me that it helped save their lives and persevere through difficult times. I performed it at the 9/11 A Tribute to Heroes show in 2001, I performed it at the inauguration of President Obama… As a songwriter, it's a huge deal for me that I have this song.”
Music Box includes a cover of the song “Without You,” originally recorded by Badfinger in 1970 and made popular by Harry Nilsson in 1971. “I used to love the song when I was a little girl and I remember that it always made me cry and I always thought it was such a beautiful song,” Mariah said. “I heard it again when I was in a restaurant and I was like ‘I love this song, this is such a great song, I haven't heard it in so long’ and I just decided that I wanted to cover it.” In the United States, it was released on January 25, 1994, as a double-sided single with “Never Forget You,” written by Mariah and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds. The single peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and spent thirteen weeks in the Top 10. “Without You” enjoyed a massive success across Europe, becoming Mariah's first number-one single in the United Kingdom and topping the singles charts in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Scotland, Sweden and Switzerland.
“Anytime You Need A Friend” was released as the fourth single on May 31, 1994, peaking at number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining in the Top 40 for eighteen weeks. “It definitely has a gospel influence. I love the vocal arrangements in gospel music and I love background vocals, so it was a really fun song to do in the studio,” Mariah said about the song. “Actually, it sounds like a huge choir singing on it on the record, but it's mostly these three girls that have been working with me: the Price sisters, two of them, and another girl, Melonie Daniels. It was a great experience to work with them and to do these gospel arrangements because they're really from the church and they're really really authentic, so it's definitely one of my favorite songs on the album.”
| Track # | Song | Run time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dreamlover
Written by Mariah Carey, Dave Hall.
Produced by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff. Co-produced by Dave “Jam” Hall. |
3:53 |
| 2 | Hero
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:18 |
| 3 | Anytime You Need A Friend
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:25 |
| 4 | Music Box
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:56 |
| 5 | Now That I Know
Written by Mariah Carey, Robert Clivillés, David Cole.
Produced by Robert Clivillés, David Cole and Mariah Carey. |
4:18 |
| 6 | Never Forget You
Written by Mariah Carey, Babyface.
Produced by Babyface, Mariah Carey and Daryl Simmons. |
3:46 |
| 7 | Without You
Written by William Peter Ham, Tom Evans.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
3:34 |
| 8 | Just To Hold You Once Again
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
3:59 |
| 9 | I've Been Thinking About You
Written by Mariah Carey, Robert Clivillés, David Cole.
Produced by Robert Clivillés, David Cole and Mariah Carey. |
4:46 |
| 10 | All I've Ever Wanted
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
3:52 |
| Bonus | Everything Fades Away
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
5:25 |
| Bonus | Héroe (Spanish Version of Hero)
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff. Spanish adaptation by Jorge Luis Piloto.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:16 |
In 2023, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Music Box, the digital version of the album was updated on September 8 with fifteen additional bonus tracks including two previously-unreleased songs: “Workin' Hard” and a cover of the 1939 song “My Prayer.” Previously-unreleased bonus tracks also include the 2009 version of “Hero,” the live versions of “Dreamlover” and “Without You” from Mariah's appearances on Top Of The Pops, an extended version of “All I Live For,” from Mariah's 2020 release The Rarities, an acapella version of the album's title track, new remixes of “I've Been Thinking About You” and “Workin' Hard,” an extended version of “Anytime You Need A Friend,” as well as remastered HQ audio from Mariah's 1993 concert at Schenectady's Proctor's Theatre. This expanded version of Music Box was also released on 3XCD and 4XLP.
| Track # | Song | Run time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | All I Live For (Extended Version)
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff. |
4:28 |
| 2 | Endless Love (Duet with Luther Vandross)
Written by Lionel Richie.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff. |
4:21 |
| 3 | Do You Think Of Me
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff, Mark C. Rooney, Mark Morales.
Produced by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff, Mark C. Rooney and Mark Morales. |
4:48 |
| 4 | Workin' Hard
Written by Mariah Carey, Robert Clivillés, David Cole.
Produced by Robert Clivillés, David Cole and Mariah Carey. |
3:29 |
| 5 | My Prayer
Written by Georges Boulanger, Carlos Gomez Barrera, Jimmy Kennedy.
Produced by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff. |
2:50 |
| 6 | Hero (2009 Version)
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Mariah Carey. |
4:18 |
| 7 | Anytime You Need A Friend (Extended Mix)
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
5:20 |
| 8 | Music Box (Acapella)
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:42 |
| 9 | Dreamlover (Live from Top Of The Pops)
Written by Mariah Carey, Dave Hall.
|
3:04 |
| 10 | Without You (Live from Top Of The Pops)
Written by William Peter Ham, Tom Evans.
|
2:52 |
| 11 | Dreamlover (Def Club Mix)
Written by Mariah Carey, Dave Hall.
Produced by David Morales. |
10:13 |
| 12 | Anytime You Need A Friend (C&C Club Version)
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by David Cole, Robert Clivillés and Mariah Carey. |
10:50 |
| 13 | Anytime You Need A Friend (Soul Convention Remix)
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Mariah Carey, Mark C. Rooney, Mark Morales. |
4:49 |
| 14 | I've Been Thinking About You (Terry Hunter Remix)
Written by Mariah Carey, Robert Clivillés, David Cole.
Produced by Terry Hunter. |
6:30 |
| 15 | Workin' Hard (Terry Hunter Remix)
Written by Mariah Carey, Robert Clivillés, David Cole.
Produced by Terry Hunter. |
6:35 |
| Track # | Song | Run time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emotions
Written by Mariah Carey, David Cole, Robert Clivillés. |
4:18 |
| 2 | Hero
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff. |
4:17 |
| 3 | Someday
Written by Mariah Carey, Ben Margulies. |
3:58 |
| 4 | Without You
Written by William Peter Ham, Tom Evans. |
4:21 |
| 5 | Make It Happen
Written by Mariah Carey, David Cole, Robert Clivillés. |
4:31 |
| 6 | Dreamlover
Written by Mariah Carey, Dave Hall. |
4:03 |
| 7 | Love Takes Time
Written by Mariah Carey, Ben Margulies. |
3:55 |
| 8 | Anytime You Need A Friend
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff. |
3:51 |
| 9 | Vision Of Love
Written by Mariah Carey, Ben Margulies. |
4:00 |
| 10 | I'll Be There (featuring Trey Lorenz)
Written by Hal Davis, Berry Gordy, Willie Hutch, Bob West. |
4:26 |
In the United States, Music Box was released on CD, vinyl, MiniDisc and cassette.
Music Box was available on CD, Vinyl, MiniDisc and Cassette in Europe, including the song “Everything Fades Away” as a bonus track. In 1995, Sony Music Spain released a special edition with a bonus CD including the Spanish version of “Hero.”
In Australia, a special edition of Music Box became available in 1994 to commemorate sales of over 500,000 copies of the album. This limited commemorative edition includes a bonus poster and a gold disc.
Music Box was re-released in Latin America in 1993 to include “Héroe,” the Spanish version of “Hero.”
In 2011, Sony Music Hong Kong released a numbered, limited edition of the album (only 1.000 copies were manufactured) in K2 HD Mastering.
In 2020, Music Box was re-released on vinyl in two variants: a black vinyl pressing and a limited edition Dreamlover cream vinyl pressing, sold exclusively by Vinyl Me, Please. On February 23, 2024, Sony Music re-issued the album in Japan, available for the first time in a limited edition black vinyl.
In 2023, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Music Box, three new limited editions of the albums were issued: a 3X CD and a 4X LP — both including fifteen bonus tracks and the concert at Proctor's Theatre — as well as a cassette. Sony Music Japan also issued a fourth version of the album, including three CDs and a DVD with the Proctor's Theatre concert, a special interview and the music videos for “Hero,” “Dreamlover,” “Without You” and “Anytime You Need A Friend,” as well as Mariah's live performance of “Without You” during the 1996 Daydream tour.
I need a lover to give me
The kind of love
That will last always
I need somebody uplifting
To take me away
I want a lover who knows me
Who understands how I feel inside
Someone to comfort and hold me
Through the long lonely nights
Till the dawn
Why don't you take me away
Dreamlover come rescue me
Take me up take me down
Take me anywhere you want to baby now
I need you so desperately
Won't you please come around
'Cause I wanna share forever with you baby
I don't want another pretender
To disillusion me one more time
Whispering words of forever
Playing with my mind
I need someone to hold on to
The kind of love that won't fly away
I just want someone to belong to
Everyday
Of my live
Always
So come and take me away
Dreamlover come rescue me
Take me up take me down
Take me anywhere you want to baby now
I need you so desperately
Won't you please come around
'Cause I wanna share forever with you baby
Lyrics: Mariah Carey. Music: Mariah Carey, Dave Hall.
Produced by Mariah Carey, Dave Hall and Walter Afanasieff.
There's a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid
Of what you are
There's an answer
If you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away
And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you
It's a long road
When you face the world alone
No one reaches out a hand
For you to hold
You can find love
If you search within yourself
And the emptiness you felt
Will disappear
And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you
Lord knows
Dreams are hard to follow
But don't let anyone
Tear them away
Hold on
There will be tomorrow
In time
You'll find the way
And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you
Lyrics: Mariah Carey. Music: Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey.
If you're lonely
And need a friend
And troubles seem like
They never end
Just remember to keep the faith
And love will be there to light the way
Anytime you need a friend
I will be here
You'll never be alone again
So don't you fear
Even if you're miles away
I'm by your side
So don't you ever be lonely
Love will make it alright
When the shadows are closing in
And your spirit diminishing
Just remember you're not alone
And love will be there
To guide you home
Anytime you need a friend
I will be here
You'll never be alone again
So don't you fear
Even if you're miles away
I'm by your side
So don't you ever be lonely
Love will make it alright
If you just believe in me
I will love you endlessly
Take my hand
Take me into your heart
I'll be there forever baby
I won't let go
I'll never let go
Anytime you need a friend
I will be here
You'll never be alone again
So don't you fear
Even if you're miles away
I'm by your side
So don't you ever be lonely
It's alright
It's alright
Lyrics: Mariah Carey. Music: Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey.
When I am lost
You shine a light for me and set me free
When I am low
You wash away my tears
And take me through
The loneliness
And emptiness
Through the darkest night
Somehow I survive
Through it all
When you tell me I'm the only one you need
Sweet and tenderly
And your love
Breaks away the clouds surrounding me
All I have I want to give to thee
If I should fall
Your love is strong enough to lift me up
If I'm afraid
You chase away my fears
And take me to
A brighter place
Beyond the rain
And I feel alright
Because you're by my side
Through it all
When you tell me I'm the only one you need
Sweet and tenderly
And your love
Breaks away the clouds surrounding me
All I have I want to give to thee
You take me through
The loneliness and emptiness
And I feel alright
'Cause you're by my side
Through it all
You tell me I'm the only one you need
Sweet and tenderly
And your love
Just breaks away the clouds surrounding me
And baby all I have I want to give to thee
Want to give you all of my love
Now and forever my love
All I have I want to give to thee
Lyrics: Mariah Carey. Music: Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey.
I never knew
If I could believe in you
I thought I was just a diversion
And you were killing some time
My friends they told me
To leave you
They said you would never
Be mine
But you gave me your love
And you said I'm the one
You want for the rest of
Your life
Now that I know
That you want me for me
I can be what you want
I can be what you need
Now that I know
That your love is for real
I can finally see
This is not make believe anymore
I was afraid
It was all a masquerade
That I was only a plaything
And you would leave me behind
But now I feel so secure
By your side
I can conquer the world
I gave you my love
And I know you're the one
I want for the rest
Of my life
Now that I know
That you want me for me
I can be what you want
I can be what you need
Now that I know
That your love is for real
I can finally see
This is not make believe anymore
Now that I know
That you want me for me
I can be what you want
I can be what you need
Now that I know
That your love is for real
I can finally see
This is not make believe anymore
(I really feel it)
So much love
(I really feel it)
So much joy
(I feel it)
Sweet sweet ecstasy
'Cause you opened my eyes
And I realize
Your love is for real
Now that I know
That you want me for me
I can be what you want
I can be what you need
Now that I know
That your love is for real
I can finally see
This is not make believe anymore
Lyrics: Mariah Carey. Music: Mariah Carey, Robert Clivillés, David Cole.
Produced by Robert Clivillés, David Cole and Mariah Carey.
I won't see your smile
And I won't hear you
Laugh anymore
Every night
I won't see you
Walk through that door
'Cause time wasn't on
Your side
It isn't right
I can't say I love you
It's too late to
Tell you
But I really need
You to know
No, I'll never forget you
I'll never let you out of my heart
You will always be here with me
I'll hold on to the memories baby
Baby can you hear me
Wherever you
May be tonight
Are you near me
I need you to be by
My side
'Cause I never said
Goodbye
It isn't right
I should have said
I love you
Why didn't I just
Tell you
God knows I need
You to know
No, I'll never forget you
I'll never let you out of my heart
You will always be here with me
I'll hold on to the memories baby
Somewhere I know you'll be
With me
Someday in another time
But right now you're gone
You just vanished away
But I'll never leave
You behind
No, I'll never forget you
I'll never let you out of my heart
You will always be here with me
I'll hold on to the memories baby
Lyrics: Mariah Carey, Babyface. Music: Mariah Carey, Babyface.
Produced by Babyface, Mariah Carey and Daryl Simmons.
No I can't forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that's just the way
The story goes
You always smile but in your eyes
Your sorrow shows
Yes it shows
No I can't forget tomorrow
When I think of all my sorrow
When I had you there
But then I let you go
And now it's only fair
That I should let you know
What you should know
I can't live
If living is without you
I can't live
I can't give anymore
I can't live
If living is without you
I can't live
I can't give anymore
Well I can't forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that's just the way
The story goes
You always smile but in your eyes
Your sorrow shows
Yes it shows
I can't live
If living is without you
I can't live
I can't give anymore
I can't live
If living is without you
I can't give
I can't give anymore
Lyrics and music: William Peter Ham, Tom Evans.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey.
Do you know
How it feels
Lying here without you baby
You could never understand, what's happening to me
So alone
Nothing's real
I just dream about you baby
And forever wonder why you had
To break free
Even though you're not my lover
Even though you're not my friend
I would give my all
To have you here
Just to hold you once again
It's so hard
To believe
I don't have you right beside me
As I long to touch you
But you're out of my reach
And my heart doesn't feel
It's so very cold inside me
Just a shadow of someone that I used to be
Even though you're not my lover
Even though you're not my friend
I would give my all
To have you here
Just to hold you once again
You were the only one (only one)
That I allowed inside my heart
Now I'm just holding on
To something so far gone
Where did I go wrong
Even though you're not my lover
And even though you're not my friend
I would give my all
To have you here
Just to hold you once again
Just to hold you once again
Lyrics: Mariah Carey. Music: Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey.
We've known each other
For a long long time
But I never really noticed
All the magic in your eyes
I've been around you
A thousand times before
And you've always been a friend to me
But now I'm wanting more
I must have been so blind
I never realized
You're the one that's right for me
All the while I couldn't see
And now I feel so strange
I'll never be the same
Going 'round and 'round in circles
And I don't know what to do
'Cause baby
I've been thinking about you
In the most peculiar way
I've been thinking about you
It's unbelievable to me
But suddenly I think
I'm falling in love with you
There's no explaining how I feel inside
I'm going thru a transformation
That's so hard for me to hide
I had a revelation that
Finally opened up my eyes
The one I spent a lifetime searching for
Was right here all the time
I was oblivious so very out of touch
All the while I couldn't see
You're the one that's right for me
And now my world has changed
I'll never be the same
Going 'round and 'round in circles
And it's all because of you
Sweet baby
I've been thinking about you
In the most peculiar way
I've been thinking about you
It's unbelievable to me
But suddenly I think
I'm falling in love with you
I've been thinking about you
In the most peculiar way
I've been thinking about you
It's unbelievable to me
But suddenly I think
I'm falling in love with you
Don't you know
That you're blowing my mind
What you do to me
I can't describe
Baby I can't hold back anymore
I just can't conceal it
You're the one I really adore
I've been thinking about you
In the most peculiar way
I've been thinking about you
In the most peculiar way
I've been thinking about you
In the most peculiar way
I've been thinking about you
It's unbelievable to me
But suddenly I think
I'm falling in love with you
I've been thinking about you
In the most peculiar way
I've been thinking about you
It's unbelievable to me
But suddenly I think
I'm falling in love with you
I've been thinking about you
In the most peculiar way
I've been thinking about you
It's unbelievable to me
But suddenly I think
I'm falling in love with you
Lyrics: Mariah Carey, David Cole. Music: Mariah Carey, Robert Clivillés, David Cole.
Produced by Robert Clivillés, David Cole and Mariah Carey.
If you only knew
What I feel for you
If you only lived for me
The way I live for you
I'd be in heaven
My dreams would come true
'Cause all I've ever wanted
Is you
And you alone
And I love you so
More than you could ever know
All I've ever wanted
Is you
If you were my own
To caress and hold
I would shower you with love
And drown within your soul
Because I live and breathe for you
And I really need you to know
That all I've ever wanted
Is you
And you alone
And I love you so
More than you could ever know
All I've ever wanted
Is you
Everything I do is for you
You are every part of me
And I don't want to face
Another day
Alone
Without your love
'Cause all I've ever wanted
Is you
And you alone
And I love you so
More than you could ever know
All I've ever wanted
Is you
Lyrics: Mariah Carey. Music: Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey.
Baby don't tell me you miss me, you love me
Don't whisper gently that you can't forget me
Tonight, tonight
'Cause I've heard it all before
Just turn away, don't play that game
Baby I don't want to anymore
Let it all fade away
Don't you know that love is gone
It's too late
Everything fades away
Nothing ever stays the same
Baby, no, no, no
Don't tell me you're sorry
You hurt me
How many times can I give in?
How many battles can you win?
Oh, don't beg for mercy
Tonight, tonight
'Cause I can't take any more
Just turn around, don't break me down
Baby I don't love you like before
Let it all fade away
Don't you know that love is gone
It's too late
Everything fades away
Nothing ever stays the same
Baby
So hard for me to let you go
Don't leave me standing in the cold
Oh, darling give me one more chance
I know that we can make it last
Just let me love you one more time
Girl I don't wanna lose my mind
So hard for me to let you go
So hard for me to let you go
Let it all fade away
Love is gone
It's too late
Everything fades away
Nothing ever stays the same
Baby, nothing ever stays the same
Repeat
Lyrics: Mariah Carey. Music: Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey.
