Cinny said:

She actually has the "elegant dress and orchestra" music on this CD, but no one is listening to it! Even when she does exactly what you are asking, you don't support it.

Isn't that what Michael Bolton, & Celine Dion does? But yet they're considered by some here to be sappy and bland. Early Mariah was power ballads, no difference. If some people miss Mariah doing that, then there's Leona Lewis, Susan Boyle, & Josh Groban.

Cinny said:
Do you want songs about raising children? What are you looking for?

They want her to be U2

They still haven't found what they're looking for. TRY LISTENING TO THE ALBUM!!

Cinny said:

They still haven't found what they're looking for. TRY LISTENING TO THE ALBUM!!

But there's some rappers attacking the album! Gotta escape!

Cinny said:

thesoulbrother said:

Third, I need for Mariah to sing some music in her age range. All these poop-butt songs that she's singing is so beneath her. I don't need for Mariah to think she needs to compete with whatever the flavor-of-the-month is to stoop to that level of musicianship.

Okay HERE'S THE THING!! She actually has the "elegant dress and orchestra" music on this CD, but no one is listening to it! Even when she does exactly what you are asking, you don't support it.

As for her other songs.. "poop-butt songs" that are "beneath her" - she's actually still writing everything herself as she ALWAYS HAS. So...

If you found her work more mature before, that stuff is there, otherwise, she is writing fun songs like she always did.

Do you want songs about raising children? What are you looking for?

I'm kinda surprised that she doesn't appear to have any input from Nick Cannon. I wonder why they haven't already done some sort of collaboration in the six years that they've been married.

Jermaine Dupri Pens Open Letter to Angry Lambs
June 11, 2014

Following the disappointing album sales for Mariah Carey's Me. I Am Mariah…the Elusive Chanteuse, the singer's manager, Jermaine Dupri, has bore the brunt of growing criticism from Mi Mi's die hard fans. Now, the producer has penned an open letter to address the constant complaints.

"LETTER TO THE LAMBS: WHAT MY TIMELINE LOOKS LIKE EVERY MORNING WHEN I WAKE UP," JD began in a Twitter post. He posted a screenshot of fans voicing their concerns about Mariah promoting her new flavored beverage instead of focusing on her latest album.

"Okay enough is enough!! I can’t continue to let you think, what you see or don’t see is a result of me not knowing what I’m doing, this is bigger than me and in the music business things don’t go as fast as you would always like them to, if you know my history, you know I want to go down as one of the greatest produce[r]s of all times," he wrote.

JD continued, "I want to be mentioned with the greats like Berry Gordy and Clive Davis...so for me, allowing you to believe I don’t care about the promotion of the Mariah record and I don’t see you screaming at me, that this song and that song needs to be a single, goes against everything that I’m about, believe me! everything that you question Will be answered ASAP!!!!"

Carey's album entered the Billboard 200 chart at #3, with first-week sales of 58,000 copies. That's the lowest first-week sales for a non-holiday album by Mariah since SoundScan was instituted in 1991.

Link

[Edited 6/11/14 5:53am]

I've had a lot going on lately so I'm just now getting around to trying to listen to the album. Listened to the first 5 songs on the way into work this morning. "Cry" is the best non-holiday song I've heard from her since 2005! Excellent vocal! The one with Stevie on the harmonica is nice, too. I'm looking forward to hearing the rest.

Most of the people I've told Mimi has out a new CD had absolultely no idea. So, the problem is definately promotion. Contrary to popular belief, yeah, there are a lot of people who still actually read the Sunday newspaper sales circulars. If it weren't for boards likes this, I would have never known she had a new album out. I believe Jermaine when he says more is at play than just his management. If she really cares about her music career, it's just really time for her to move on to another label.

Mimi definitely did her part. Really good album!

Kind of a slick way for JD to promote some random drink Twitter rants can be very entertaining sometimes

I find it odd that folks are focusing in on how the album ONLY debutted in the #3 spot on the Pop side but are ignoring the fact that it debuted in the #1 spot on the Billboard R&B Album Chart. Like that chart is not as important.

Jermaine Dupri is the best producer in the world hatazzzz

kitbradley said:

I find it odd that folks are focusing in on how the album ONLY debutted in the #3 spot on the Pop side but are ignoring the fact that it debuted in the #1 spot on the Billboard R&B Album Chart. Like that chart is not as important.

Yeah the way that part was written was questionable. It reminds me of how I react when I hear about a movie debut that "only" made $20 million at the box office or something. ONLY $20 million?!?!?!

Irrespective of its debut chart position, the album is an undisputed commerical failure. Overpriced and underpromoted, it's simply not selling.

kitbradley said:

I find it odd that folks are focusing in on how the album ONLY debutted in the #3 spot on the Pop side but are ignoring the fact that it debuted in the #1 spot on the Billboard R&B Album Chart. Like that chart is not as important.

Media wise, it's not and never has been. The Hot 100 and The Top 200 album chart is the main chart in Billboard. All the rest (R&B, country, dance, adult contemporary, jazz, etc.) are sub-charts for niche audiences. That's why some acts in the sub-genres make an effort to "crossover" to the Top 100 pop chart where the bigger sales are, which is also where the most attention is. Acts generally don't try to crossover to the sub-charts. Berry Gordy's goal in the 1960's was to be "Sound Of Young America", and to get into white supper club establishments like The Copacabana, not stuck in the juke joints or Chitlin' Circuit like most R&B/soul acts of the time. He sent some of his acts to charm school and speech classes.

.

Acts just known on the sub-charts are not given the same attention in the mainstream media or the record labels for that matter. In the US, for a lot of R&B catalog acts, you might only find a Best Of/Greatest Hits, but the individual albums are out of print and many have never been on CD. But in other countries, especially Japan, the albums are there. You have to buy an import for an act from your own country. If you want to know about jazz performers, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Tonight, The View, & People magazine is not the place to go. You have to get a magazine dedicated to it like Downbeat and a few might be on PBS. People make a big deal about how many chart hits The Beatles, Elvis, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Mariah Carey, etc has. But George Strait has around 60 #1 hits on the country chart, which is more than anyone on any other chart, including the pop chart. The country chart is not that important mainstream wise, so that is not written about.

Just for fun,I checked out a Mariah Carey message board to see the fans' reactions to what's going on with her new album most fans are pissed!

Baffled and bewildered (44,632) by Marissa from USA

The more time goes on, the less I understand Mariah and her decisions and I think that's why she's lost a huge chunk of her fanbase. Why the hell would you put out an album that was 5 years in the making and barely promote it before and after the album dropped? Why put so much effort into a project and watch it flop without trying to save it? I don't only support MC when she's commercially successful, but the reason I want her to be is because this is a wonderful album deserving of success. No one wants to see a quality album flopping worldwide because barely anyone knows it exists/cares. She drops the best album since TEOM and this is when she decides to "put a wall up and walk away" from promotion. The "I have 18 #1 hits and I write all my songs" thing is not going to work for promotion or hype anymore. Once people find out her last hit was in '08 they write her off as irrelevant. Welcome to the world. The general public has a "what have you done for me lately" mentality no matter how extraordinary your accomplishments were in the past. Now some drinks? This is like watching a train wreck. Like someone said, if they aren't buying your album they damn sure aren't buying your drink. I too am feeling like maybe MC is doing some things to chase the $ sign like this new drink line and even American Idol when she said for years that she couldn't see herself being a judge on that show. I love MC, but it's increasingly difficult to support a person you are straight up confused by.
(Tuesday 10 June 2014; 22:17)

Me... I am John. A highly embarrassed Mariah fan (44,648) by John from USA

Jaker20 and webmaster, I completely agree with both of you guys. I think that record sales with zero promotion can really show you where an artist stands. The first week the true fans come out, and the second week, the stability of the sales (or lack thereof) shows the general public's level of interest. That said, even with zero promo and no hit singles, these sales are catastrophic for an artist of Mariah's caliber. I don't care how long she's been in the game and the fact that sales for an artist decline past their prime. Barbra Streisand was long past her prime in 2009 when her album beat out Memoirs and debuted at number 1 with no singles or promo from her. That shows she has a solid fanbase and respect from the general public. Honestly, at this point, I would say Mariah should just let this record flop and go back to the drawing board. I don't see a single saving it, radio isn't going to play it because the album is too plagued with messiness. She needs to deal with whatever personal matters she has, get in better shape (since she always insists on dressing sexy), and have all her ducks in a row before dropping an album. She should know all of this by now, but clearly, she doesn't. It's sad, really. I'm truly embarrassed to be a fan right now. I am a true lamb and will always buy her music, but these sales are ruining her reputation and brand, and ending her career earlier than it had to.
(Wednesday 11 June 2014; 14:39)

btw,what's this new "drink" that Mariah is promoting? Apparently,she's taking the time to promote that,while ignoring her new album (according to these fans on that message board)

SeventeenDayze said:

Kind of a slick way for JD to promote some random drink Twitter rants can be very entertaining sometimes

Why the hell did Mariah hire Jermaine as her manager? He didn't exactly do anything great for Janet Jackson,when he was guiding her career.

SoulAlive said:

btw,what's this new "drink" that Mariah is promoting? Apparently,she's taking the time to promote that,while ignoring her new album (according to these fans on that message board)

And to the fans, the new album seems like an afterthought for her. A case in point: Early this week at a press conference, Mariah unveiled her new unsurprisingly named beverage Butterfly. Perhaps time better spent promoting an album that's plummeting very fast in North America and abroad.

[Edited 6/11/14 13:17pm]

Thing is her last 2 albums were almost the SAME album and sales were dwindling then, then she releases a holiday that sort of gained something back, but lets be real XMAS albums are no brainers, they sell for a month then bye bye.

How about this ONE for the lambs. They dont just dig Mariah like that, how does that grab you. Maybe the self obsessed swimming in the water videos and "ME ME ME" in every song and title, maybe the rest of the public just dont give a shit. People have to accept that Music and its sales are such a SMALL % of what people buy. THis is why i posted a few weeks ago that there are NO music stars anymore, your a media hype star now, music just happens to be what you are doing this minute. AND i apply that thinking to all of them like Timberlake, Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Mariah, Kanye etc...there are all not selling music, they are selling hype of events. So in JD's defense i think we all knew this record was going nowhere, it was pushed back almost a year, had about 4 dead singles, guest appearances in rb and rap DID not help at all for them, then statements of HIT singles when songs werent even charting? just added to this self obsession. The record was never alive to begin with, people were living in a dream world much the way they do everytime PRINCE puts something out, let it go, shes 43 its her first album in 5 years and that is a follow up to 2 albums that barely went Gold? if even. And with the Industry at a dip of 84% since MIMI sold back in 2005, thinking she is going to CATCH that LUCK again, sorry not happening. Let her make a good album and live with that, stop being chart watchers and letting that judge your opinions.

SoulAlive said:

SeventeenDayze said:

Kind of a slick way for JD to promote some random drink Twitter rants can be very entertaining sometimes

Why the hell did Mariah hire Jermaine as her manager? He didn't exactly do anything great for Janet Jackson,when he was guiding her career.

Your guess is as good as mine Maybe it's because they go back several years OR maybe she couldn't get any other producers. I'm surprised she didn't get Pharrell.

Identity said:

SoulAlive said:

btw,what's this new "drink" that Mariah is promoting? Apparently,she's taking the time to promote that,while ignoring her new album (according to these fans on that message board)

And to the fans, the new album seems like an afterthought for her. A case in point: Early this week at a press conference, Mariah unveiled her new unsurprisingly named beverage Butterfly. Perhaps time better spent promoting an album that's plummeting very fast in North America and abroad.

[Edited 6/11/14 13:17pm]

Yeah I think there are several stars that are trying to diversify their finances and try to re-invent themselves as moguls (see: Dr. Dre). She should focus on her album more. I would be humiliated to have a failing album while trying to sell drinks....

JD continued, "I want to be mentioned with the greats like Berry Gordy and Clive Davis...

I don't think they tried to run a company, manage the artist, exec produce the artist, produce the artist, A&R, social media, adlib and laugh on the intros..

Mariah is clueless!! Did anyone watch that shit NBC special? She thinks people are interested in watching her stand still in one position in some ill-fitting gown while she lips. It's not entertaining! The dubbing/lipping was SO poorly done too. The mic shouldn't be 2 feet from your face when you're doing a whispery coo, but I digress.

The CD is great though, per usual. I live for her vocals and lyrics!! As long as I have my copy I don't care if it flops. She don't need the money!

Don't even get me started on that eyebrow on the Billboard cover. It's poorly plucked and filled!!! Madonna would never.

this is so terrible,but reading the comments from the lambs is VERY entertaining they're in meltdown mode right now....

Me. I am confused and disappointed (44,659) by Tony Dicarlo from USA

I already knew that this album was going to be a flop, so I'm not too surprised on that front. I mean so many delays and the changing of lead singles did this album in. The only shot it had was with #Beautiful, the album should had followed within a couple weeks. Missed opportunity there. Mariah herself is not really helping matters either. The public cannot connect with her like they used to and honestly she is over 40 and needs to act it. She needs to work with more established producers and writers and create an album with a Norah Jones sound. She is too immersed in all this hiphop music and it doesnt translate to the public. Mariah needs to leave the hiphop for young artists and focus on a more mature, refined sound, like Norah Jones or Susan Boyle, there is a huge market out there for quality music, look at Lionel Richie, every one of his concerts are sold out and his album was a hit. Songs like Thirsty are not what Mariah needs right now. That song belongs to an artist like Ariana Grande and others of her caliber, but not at Mariah's. Mariah needs direction and she is not getting it from the right people right now. She has too much control and that is never good for an artist who needs to remain relavent. It's all about the management team, so in closing, change the label, the management, and get rid of the hip hop factor. Mariah acts like she is in her early 20's and that simply doesnt connect well anymore, I mean look at the sales of this album, major fail.
(Wednesday 11 June 2014; 20:21)

onfused (44,667) by Jewel from USA

Big fan. Own every album. Love her music but I'm exasperated and utterly confused with Mariah at this point. Amazing talent who came from the real world (Long Island) and made it big. She represented the American dream. She was one of us. Today, I don't get her. For someone as self-consciously demure as Mariah, the lack of quality control is impressive. I don't understand a 43 year old trying to be "eternally 12". Wearing ball gowns on a subway or a playground. (Who does this?) The "diva" stuff has gone too far. The arrogant "dahlings" and bizarre behavior - ugh. Promoting an album by arriving over 4 hours late to the World Music Awards and screwing up the whole show? Making reporters wait for 8+ hours and having someone hold her drink up to her mouth so she can sip her diva drink from a straw? (We've all heard the stories.) The airbrushed album cover with the perfect body yet a very husky figure in real life? Claiming she's "insecure" yet constant display of fake cleavage [...]. How did such a beautiful and talented singer become so detached from reality. Someone really needs to seriously help her out with some image control. I used to want to be like her, loved driving around with my top down blasting her tunes. I love MIAM, some really great tracks on here. But I'm utterly baffled by her persona and just can't relate to her anymore. When her songs play now, I roll up the windows so that no one makes fun of me for being a "lamb".
(Thursday 12 June 2014; 0:06)

I didn't even know she had an album out.. not that Im a fan, but I feel like Im a pretty informed music head... This hasn't been promoted very well at all.

Mariah has already sold a billion records. Lord, stans and fans care way too much about sales. She has a lo of hits and album sales... not everyone has hit album after hit album for decades.

Lambs are fucking evil

lezama said:

I didn't even know she had an album out.. not that Im a fan, but I feel like Im a pretty informed music head... This hasn't been promoted very well at all.

This has been one of the biggest under-promoted albums by a major artist in recent years.They really screwed things up big time.Constant delays,early "buzz" singles that went nowhere,and fans are saying they didn't even see the album advertised anywhere in those Sunday newspaper ads.What a mess.

SoulAlive said:

lezama said:

I didn't even know she had an album out.. not that Im a fan, but I feel like Im a pretty informed music head... This hasn't been promoted very well at all.

This has been one of the biggest under-promoted albums by a major artist in recent years.They really screwed things up big time.Constant delays,early "buzz" singles that went nowhere,and fans are saying they didn't even see the album advertised anywhere in those Sunday newspaper ads.What a mess.

I really wonder what goes on behind the scenes that leads to some of this bad decisions that seem to be coming out of her camp. I think you're right, an artist on her level should have better management coming her way, that's for sure. Another thing that's puzzling is that NBC has decided not to air the World Music Awards. MC got a lifetime achievement award at that show but millions of people on this side of the pond will never see it! That would have been great publicity (afterall that's what awards are for) but it fell flat. If I were here, I would be furious about the apparent stupidity that is making a mockery out of her career.

Overall I like the album but of course being the fussy listener I am, I don't like every single song. Still, I hear at least 5 should-be hits that aren't getting any attention! I have 2 friends who are casual Mariah fans and they had NO idea about the album until I told them this week.

.

.

Anyway, I can't believe there has been NO update on NBC's decision about the World Music Awards. I guess they won't show it. Mariah obviously planned it so that the public would see it days before her album came out but that didn't work out at all.

Mimi has almost 25 years in the business, sold hundreds of millions of records and has more bread than all of the people combined on this board. Something tells me she's not losing sleep because this album didn't go Platinum in 3 days. Name me some veteran R&B singers, who are still alive, who can manage a #3 debut on the Pop chart and a #1 debut on the R&B chart???

I finished listening to the CD and I was surprised because originally, I wasn't expecting much. There are some damn fine songs on it. She should be proud. Sales don't equal quality. And, for the most part, this is a quality album.


I'm just happy that Mimi is still alive and with us. With all the pressures of the industry and all that she has had to live up to, she never got involved in drugs and let it ruin her career or put her in an early grave. God bless you, Mimi.