Daydream

### Producer

Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff, Dave Hall, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, David Morales

## Section Header

### Single #1

**Fantasy**
September 11, 1995

### Single #2

**One Sweet Day**
December 4, 1995

### Single #3

**Always Be My Baby**
April 8, 1996

### Single #4

**Open Arms**
September 16, 1996

### Single #5

**Forever**
September 16, 1996

### Single #6

**One Night**
December 9, 1996

### Single #7

**Underneath the Stars**
February 10, 1997

Daydream is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on October 2, 1995 by Columbia Records. The follow-up to her internationally successful studio album Music Box (1993), and the holiday album Merry Christmas (1994), Daydream differed from her previous releases by leaning increasingly toward hip hop and urban music. Throughout the project, Carey collaborated with Walter Afanasieff, with whom she wrote and produced most of her previous albums. With Daydream, Carey took more control over the musical direction as well as the album's composition. Carey considered the album to be the beginning of her musical and vocal transition, a change that would become more evident in her sixth studio album Butterfly (1997). During the album's production, Carey endured many creative differences with her label and then-husband Tommy Mottola. On Daydream, Carey collaborated with Jermaine Dupri, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, and R&B group Boyz II Men. With Afanasieff's assistance and the addition of a few contemporary producers, she was able to make a subtle transition into the contemporary R&B market, after previously only pursuing pop, adult contemporary and traditional R&B music.

Daydream received critical acclaim, with reviewers praising the album's production, its sonic quality, and Carey's musical progression. It became Carey's best reviewed album up to that point and garnered three wins in the 1997 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album and Best R&B Album. It was later included on the List of 200 Definitive Albums in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Daydream became a global success, topping the charts in every country. It was certified Double Diamond by the RIAA. As of 2019, Daydream has sold 50 million copies worldwide and it's the second best selling album of all time, only behind Michael Jackson's Thriller.

## Background and release

Aside from being Carey's second best-selling record worldwide, Daydream served as her most personal and directly influenced album at the time. During the album's recording, Carey grew as an artist, as well as a writer. For the first time in her career, Carey was able to make music that she truly related to, R&B and hip hop. While Columbia allowed Carey more leniency with the music she recorded, they became hesitant when she featured Ol' Dirty Bastard in the remix for "Fantasy". They feared the sudden change was completely left field for her music, and worried it would jeopardize the album's success. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Carey openly spoke of her issues with Columbia: "Everybody was like 'What, are you crazy?' They're nervous about breaking the formula. It works to have me sing a ballad on stage in a long dress with my hair up."

While Carey's new musical direction caused tension between her and Columbia, it began to severely strain her relationship with her confident and Sony Music's CEO, Tommy Mottola. Mariah "fought" for most of her r&b/hip-hop oriented music to be put in Daydream, what Mottola didn't agree with. Daydream's overwhelming success forced Mottola to give in his artistic control under Mariah.

## Legacy and Mariah Mania

With Daydream topping every single country possible, Carey became the biggest female pop star of the 1990s, surpassing her pioneers Madonna, Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston. Carey's image of cool urban pop princess was crucial to her commercial success. Daydream World Tour tickets couldn't take all the demand - Carey broke ticket selling records in many places - like in Tokyo, where tickets for the three-day Daydream World Tour concerts in the Tokyo Dome were sold out in 10 minutes. In Rome, the one-date concert sold out in 30 minutes, while the two-date concerts of London in the Wembley Stadium have sold out in 20 minutes.

Daydream's commercial success was increased by Mariah's performance of "Hero" in July 1996 - the official anthem of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, which more than 4 billion people around the world had watched the performance. Carey's appearance boosted the albums' sales and made her the biggest pop star of that time.

Daydream have sold 50 million copies worldwide, being the second best selling album of all time, only behind Michael Jackson's Thriller.

Despite of Butterfly (1997) and Through the Rain (2002) not selling the same amount as Daydream and Music Box, Mariah Mania of 1993-1996 is responsible for creating a huge demand for Carey's concerts in the 2000s, from generation to generation.

## Awards

##### 1995

* BAMBI Awards - International Pop Artist

##### 1996

* American Music Awards - Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
* American Music Awards - Favorite Pop/Rock Female Album - Daydream
* American Music Awards - Favorite Pop/Rock Female Song - Fantasy
* American Music Awards - Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist
* American Music Awards - Favorite Soul/R&B Female Album - Daydream
* American Music Awards - Favorite Soul/R&B Female Song - Fantasy
* BRIT Awards - International Female Artist
* Blockbuster Entertainment Awards - Favorite Pop Female Artist
* Blockbuster Entertainment Awards - Favorite Album - Daydream
* Blockbuster Entertainment Awards - Favorite Female Artist
* Japan Gold Disc Award - Western Album of the Year (Daydream)
* Japan Gold Disc Award - Western Song of the Year (One Sweet Day)
* Kids Choice Awards - Favorite Song of the Year (Fantasy)
* Kids Choice Awards - Favorite Album of the Year (Daydream)
* Kids Choice Awards - Favorite Female Singer
* ECHO Awards - International Pop/Rock Female Artist
* APRA Music Awards - International Work of the Year (Fantasy)
* APRA Music Awards - International Album (Daydream)
* People's Choice Awards - Favorite Pop Artist
* Amadeus Music Awards - International Song of the Year (Fantasy)
* Amadeus Music Awards - International Album of the Year (Daydream)
* Rockbjornen - Best Foreign Album (Daydream)
* Rockbjornen - Best Foreign Artist
* Soul Train Music Awards - Song of the Year, Female (Fantasy)
* Soul Train Music Awards - Best R&B/Soul Female Artist
* Soul Train Music Awards - Album of the Year, Female (Daydream)
* World Music Awards - Best Pop Female Artist
* MTV Video Music Awards - Best Pop Video (Fantasy)
* BRAVO Otto - Best Female Singer
* Amigo Awards - Best International Female Artist
* TMF Awards - International Female Singer
* GAFFA Prisen Danmark - Foreign Album of the Year (Daydream)
* Billboard Music Awards - Top Female Artist
* Billboard Music Awards - Top Billboard 200 Album (Daydream)
* Billboard Music Awards - Top Pop Artist
* Billboard Music Awards - Top Pop Album (Daydream)
* Billboard Music Awards - Top R&B Artist
* Billboard Music Awards - Top R&B Album (Daydream)
* Billboard Music Awards - Top Pop Albums Artist
* Billboard Music Awards - Top Billboard 200 Albums Artist
* Billboard Music Awards - Top Hot 100 Singles Artist
* Billboard Music Awards - Top Pop Singles Artist
* MTV Europe Music Awards - Best Female
* MTV Europe Music Awards - Best Pop
* MTV Europe Music Awards - Best R&B
* Smash Hits Poll Winners Party - Best Female Solo Singer
* Smash Hits Poll Winners Party - Best Album (Daydream)
* Smash Hits Poll Winners Party - Best Video (Fantasy)
* BAMBI Awards - International Pop Artist
* MOBO Awards - International R&B Artist
* MOBO Awards - Best Album (Daydream)

##### 1997

* Grammy Awards - Album of the Year (Daydream)
* Grammy Awards - Song of the Year (Fantasy)
* Grammy Awards - Best R&B Female Performance (Fantasy)
* Grammy Awards - Best Pop Solo Performance (Fantasy)
* Grammy Awards - Best Pop Vocal Album (Daydream)
* Grammy Awards - Best R&B Song (Fantasy)
* Grammy Awards - Record of the Year (Fantasy)
* American Music Awards - Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
* American Music Awards - Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist
* Blockbuster Entertainment Awards - Favorite Pop Female Artist
* Blockbuster Entertainment Awards - Favorite Female Artist
* Japan Gold Disc Award - Western Artist of the Year
* Kids Choice Awards - Favorite Female Singer
* ECHO Awards - International Pop/Rock Female Artist
* People's Choice Awards - Favorite Pop Artist
* Soul Train Music Awards - Best R&B/Soul Female Artist
* World Music Awards - Best Pop Female Artist
* World Music Awards - Best R&B Female Artist
* MTV Video Music Awards - Best Pop Video (One Night)
* Bravo Otto - Best Female Singer
* Amigo Awards - Best International Female Artist

## Tracklisting

1. Daydream Interlude
2. Fantasy
3. Melt Away
4. Always Be My Baby
5. One Night
6. Open Arms
7. Underneath the Stars
8. Slipping Away
9. Forever
10. Long Ago
11. One Sweet Day
12. Looking In