Billboard 2005 Year In Music: It's Mariah's Year!
The Year In Charts
By Fred Bronson

You don't need to read an analysis of the 2005 charts to know that Mariah Carey made an impressive comeback, but a closer look at the annual recaps suggests this may be her most successful chart year to date. The evidence: for the first time in her 16-year career, Carey has the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 Songs year-end chart.

"We Belong Together" (Island) sealed up bragging rights by remaining in pole position for 14 weeks, longer than any other 2005 entry. It was the first single to have a 14-week reign in eight years, since Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight."

"We Belong Together" is the seventh song by Carey to appear in a year-end top 10. Her highest ranking on an annual Hot 100 recap until now was the No. 2 spot held by "One Sweet Day" in 1996. True, timing was a factor, as that collaboration with Boyz II Men had its chart life split into two different chart years, or it would have been the top song of the year.

Carey's current triumph marks the first year-end No. 1 by a female artist in five years, since Faith Hill had the top tune of 2000 with "Breathe." In the ensuing years, the No. 1 year-end Hot 100 songs have been recorded by Lifehouse, Nickelback, 50 Cent and Usher.

Last year, the year-end recaps were dominated by men. Now the pendulum has swung the other way; the 2004 Hot 100 Songs recap featured male artists on nine out of the top 10 songs. This year that number shrinks to five, including one song where Busta Rhymes is a featured guest.

With Gwen Stefani lodged at No. 2 with "Hollaback Girl" (Interscope), this is the first year that women have sewn up the top two spots since Cher ruled with "Believe" in 1999 and TLC was second with "No Scrubs."

Demonstrating how fortunes can change from year to year, only one artist repeats in 2005 from the 2004 Hot 100 summary. Ciara, No. 5 this year with "1, 2 Step" (Sho'nuff/MusicLine/LaFace), was No. 9 last year with "Goodies."

The majority of artists in the year-end recap of Hot 100 Songs are there for the first time. Aside from Carey and Ciara, only Stefani and 50 Cent have previously registered in the top 10 of a Hot 100 annual recap.


2005 Critics' & Artist' Choice
The Year's Top Releases According To The Billboard Staff & A Host Of Artists

The Billboard Information Group staff and the freelance writers who contribute to the magazine and the Web site reflect a wide range of musical tastes. The proof is in is our annual Critics' Choice roundup, where all parties are invited to submit a list of their top 10 favorite albums, singles or musical events of the past year.

While Billboard's various charts reflect the retail sales of albums and the sales and airplay of singles, these lists are based only the personal favorites of the staffers.

In tallying the top-10 lists, only albums were counted for our overall critics' choice list (singles and live shows appear in some lists, but weren't used to tabulate the final results). An inverse point system -- where 10 points were given to a title listed at No. 1, and one point given to a No. 10 entry -- was used to determine the rankings.

Below are the people whose lists include Mariah's album "The Emancipation of Mimi."


Overall top 10 albums of 2005 as chosen by Billboard's panel of critics: #9 (26 points)

Keith Caulfield (Billboard chart manager, Billboard.com contributor, BillboardChartAlert.com Editor) - #9

Clover Hope (Billboard.com associate editor) - #5 (Incredible comeback album.)

Gail Mitchell (Billboard R&B editor) - #2

Michael Paoletta (Billboard brand marketing editor) - #2


Year-End No. 1
Below are most of Mariah's positions in Billboard's Year-End Music charts (December 2004 - November 2005)

The full breadth of charts appear in the pages of Billboard's special double issue dated Dec. 24, 2005, and on Billboard.biz.

Artist - Mariah Carey
Top Billboard 200 Artists: #5
Top Billboard 200 Artists - Female: #1
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artists: #2
Top Comprehensive Albums Artists: #4
Hot 100 Artists – Female: #2
Hot 100 Producers: #14
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Artists: #2
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artists - Female: #1
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Artists: #2
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Producers: #17
Top Adult R&B Artists: #3
Pop Top Artists: #3
Pop Top Artists - Female: #2
Pop 100 Artists: #5
Pop 100 Producers: #22
Rhythmic Top 40 Artists: #2
Hot Dance Club-Play Artists: #3
Hot Dance Airplay Artists: #3
Hot Digital Songs Artists: #7
Hot Digital Tracks Artists: #7
Hot 100 Songwriters: #23

Album - The Emancipation of Mimi
The Billboard 200: #4
Top Comprehensive Albums: #4
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: #2

Song - We Belong Together
The Billboard 100: #1
Hot 100 Airplay: #1
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: #2
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Titles: #2
Top Adult R&B Titles: #5
Pop 100 Songs: #3
Pop 100 Airplay: #3
Rhythmic Top 40 Titles: #1
Hot Adult Contemporary Songs: #16
Hot Dance Club Play Singles: #3 (P. Rauhofer/Atlantic Soul Mixes)
Hot Dance Airplay: #9
Hot Digital Songs: #13
Hot Digital Tracks: #14
Hot Ringtones: #10

Song - Shake It Off
The Billboard 100: #15
Hot 100 Airplay: #10
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: #25
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Titles: #24
Pop 100 Songs: #29
Pop 100 Airplay: #21
Rhythmic Top 40 Titles: #14
Hot Digital Songs: #54
Hot Ringtones: #35

Song - It's Like That
The Billboard 100: #69
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: #78
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Sales: #24
Pop 100 Songs: #65
Hot Singles Sales: #55
Hot Dance Singles Sales Titles: #11 (D. Morales Remixes)
Hot Digital Songs: #66

Song - U Make ME Wanna (with Jadakiss)
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: #68


Source: Billboard Magazine | Ritcher/mariahdaily