The Essential Mariah Carey was released in the United States on May 8, 2012. This compilation is essentially a slightly updated version of Mariah's Greatest Hits album, originally released in 2001. Two additional versions of The Essential Mariah Carey were previously released in 2011 in Europe and Australia / Canada, featuring different artwork and tracklist.
CD 1
| Track # | Song | Run time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vision Of Love
Written by Mariah Carey, Ben Margulies.
Produced by Rhett Lawrence. Additional production: Narada Michael Walden. |
3:30 |
| 2 | Love Takes Time
Written by Mariah Carey, Ben Margulies.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff. |
3:49 |
| 3 | Vanishing
Written by Mariah Carey, Ben Margulies.
Produced by Mariah Carey. |
4:11 |
| 4 | I Don't Wanna Cry
Written by Mariah Carey, Narada Michael Walden.
Produced by Narada Michael Walden. |
4:48 |
| 5 | Emotions (12" Club Mix)
Written by Mariah Carey, David Cole, Robert Clivillés.
Produced by David Cole and Robert Clivillés. |
5:48 |
| 6 | Can't Let Go
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:27 |
| 7 | Make It Happen
Written by Mariah Carey, David Cole, Robert Clivillés.
Produced by David Cole, Robert Clivillés and Mariah Carey. |
5:07 |
| 8 | I'll Be There (feat. Trey Lorenz)
Written by Hal Davis, Berry Gordy, Willie Hutch, Bob West.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:42 |
| 9 | Dreamlover
Written by Mariah Carey, Dave Hall.
Produced by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff. Co-produced by Dave “Jam” Hall. |
3:53 |
| 10 | Hero
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:19 |
| 11 | Without You
Written by William Peter Ham, Tom Evans.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
3:36 |
| 12 | Anytime You Need A Friend (C&C Club Mix)
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by David Cole, Robert Clivillés and Mariah Carey. |
10:50 |
| 13 | Endless Love (Duet With Luther Vandross)
Written by Lionel Richie.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff. |
4:21 |
| 14 | Fantasy
Written by Mariah Carey, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth, Dave Hall, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth, Adrian Belew, Steven S. Stanley.
Produced by Mariah Carey and Dave Hall. |
4:03 |
CD 2
| Track # | Song | Run time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | One Sweet Day (Duet With Boyz II Men)
Written by Mariah Carey, Michael McCary, Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:42 |
| 2 | Always Be My Baby
Written by Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal.
Produced by Mariah Carey and Jermaine Dupri. Co-produced by Manuel Seal. |
4:20 |
| 3 | Underneath The Stars
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
3:33 |
| 4 | Honey
Written by M. Carey, S. Combs, K. Fareed, S. Jordan, S. Hague, B. Robinson, R. Larkins, L. Price, M. McLaren.
Produced by Sean “Puffy” Combs, The Ummah, Stevie J. and Mariah Carey. |
5:01 |
| 5 | Butterfly
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:35 |
| 6 | My All
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
3:52 |
| 7 | Close My Eyes
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff. |
4:21 |
| 8 | The Roof (Mobb Deep Extended Version)
Written by Mariah Carey, Jean Claude Oliver, Samuel Barnes, Cory Rooney, Albert Johnson, Kejuan Muchita.
Written by Mariah Carey, Poke & Tone. |
5:31 |
| 9 | When You Believe (Duet With Whitney Houston)
Written by Stephen Schwartz, Babyface.
Produced by Babyface. |
4:38 |
| 10 | I Still Believe
Written by Antonina Armato, Beppe Cantarelli.
Produced by Steven “Stevie J.” Jordan, Mike Mason and Mariah Carey. |
3:56 |
| 11 | Heartbreaker (feat. Jay-Z)
Written by Mariah Carey, Jay-Z, Shirley Elliston, Lincoln Chase, Michael Walden, Jeffrey Cohen.
Produced by Mariah Carey, DJ Clue and Ken “Duro” Ifill. |
4:46 |
| 12 | Bliss
Written by Mariah Carey, James Harris III, Terry Lewis, James Wright.
Produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Mariah Carey. Co-produced by Jim Wright. |
5:44 |
| 13 | Thank God I Found You (feat. Joe and 98 Degrees)
Written by Mariah Carey, James Harris III, Terry Lewis.
Produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Mariah Carey. |
4:17 |
| 14 | Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)
Written by Mariah Carey, Diane Warren.
Produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Mariah Carey. |
4:32 |
CD 1
| Track # | Song | Run time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vision Of Love
Written by Mariah Carey, Ben Margulies.
Produced by Rhett Lawrence. Additional production: Narada Michael Walden. |
3:30 |
| 2 | Love Takes Time
Written by Mariah Carey, Ben Margulies.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff. |
3:49 |
| 3 | Someday
Written by Mariah Carey, Ben Margulies.
Produced by Ric Wake. |
4:08 |
| 4 | I Don't Wanna Cry
Written by Mariah Carey, Narada Michael Walden.
Produced by Narada Michael Walden. |
4:48 |
| 5 | Emotions
Written by Mariah Carey, David Cole, Robert Clivillés.
Produced by David Cole, Robert Clivillés and Mariah Carey. |
4:08 |
| 6 | Can't Let Go
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:27 |
| 7 | Make It Happen
Written by Mariah Carey, David Cole, Robert Clivillés.
Produced by David Cole, Robert Clivillés and Mariah Carey. |
5:07 |
| 8 | I'll Be There (feat. Trey Lorenz)
Written by Hal Davis, Berry Gordy, Willie Hutch, Bob West.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:42 |
| 9 | Dreamlover
Written by Mariah Carey, Dave Hall.
Produced by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff. Co-produced by Dave “Jam” Hall. |
3:53 |
| 10 | Hero
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:19 |
| 11 | Without You
Written by William Peter Ham, Tom Evans.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
3:36 |
| 12 | Anytime You Need A Friend
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:26 |
| 13 | Endless Love (Duet With Luther Vandross)
Written by Lionel Richie.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff. |
4:21 |
| 14 | Fantasy
Written by Mariah Carey, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth, Dave Hall, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth, Adrian Belew, Steven S. Stanley.
Produced by Mariah Carey and Dave Hall. |
4:03 |
CD 2
| Track # | Song | Run time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | One Sweet Day (Duet With Boyz II Men)
Written by Mariah Carey, Michael McCary, Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:42 |
| 2 | Always Be My Baby
Written by Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal.
Produced by Mariah Carey and Jermaine Dupri. Co-produced by Manuel Seal. |
4:20 |
| 3 | Forever
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:01 |
| 4 | Underneath The Stars
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
3:33 |
| 5 | Honey
Written by M. Carey, S. Combs, K. Fareed, S. Jordan, S. Hague, B. Robinson, R. Larkins, L. Price, M. McLaren.
Produced by Sean “Puffy” Combs, The Ummah, Stevie J. and Mariah Carey. |
5:01 |
| 6 | Butterfly
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
4:35 |
| 7 | My All
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. |
3:52 |
| 8 | Sweetheart (feat. JD)
Written by Rainy Davis, Peter Kessler.
Produced by Jermaine Dupri and Mariah Carey. |
4:23 |
| 9 | When You Believe (Duet With Whitney Houston)
Written by Stephen Schwartz, Babyface.
Produced by Babyface. |
4:38 |
| 10 | I Still Believe
Written by Antonina Armato, Beppe Cantarelli.
Produced by Steven “Stevie J.” Jordan, Mike Mason and Mariah Carey. |
3:56 |
| 11 | Heartbreaker (feat. Jay-Z)
Written by Mariah Carey, Jay-Z, Shirley Elliston, Lincoln Chase, Michael Walden, Jeffrey Cohen.
Produced by Mariah Carey, DJ Clue and Ken “Duro” Ifill. |
4:46 |
| 12 | Thank God I Found You (feat. Joe and 98 Degrees)
Written by Mariah Carey, James Harris III, Terry Lewis.
Produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Mariah Carey. |
4:17 |
| 13 | Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)
Written by Mariah Carey, Diane Warren.
Produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Mariah Carey. |
4:32 |
| 14 | Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) (feat. Westlife)
Written by Phil Collins.
Produced by Mariah Carey, Steve Mac and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. |
3:21 |
| 15 | All I Want For Christmas Is You (So So Def Remix) (feat. Jermaine Dupri & Lil Bow Wow)
Written by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff, Arthur Baker, John Robie, Afrika Bambaataa, Robert Allen, Ellis Williams, Ralf Huetter, Emil Schultz.
Produced by Jermaine Dupri. |
3:44 |
