What is Mariah Carey's demographic for buying her records?

[greatshakes]

Who on this planet likes M. Carey's singing? I'm not trying to slam her talent, but I can't believe adults listen to it. Don't prepubescents listen to Hannah Montana, or something like that? I can't figure it out.
Enlighten me on this one, please.\
greatshakes

[psycat90]

I really don't like her singing at all. There are like 2 songs of hers I can tolerate.

And I don't like her for somewhat personal reasons. We used to run in the same circles on the NYC club scene and I found her to be an obnoxious, drug-fueled bitch, but that's really here nor there.

My husband loves her singing. To each his own I guess.

[psycat90]

Damn. Missed my edit window. And now I feel like that may have been harsh.

I can totally appreciate MC's vocal range. I think it is amazing.

But her songs just don't express that as often as they should. Those few songs of hers I can tolerate? They are songs where you really hear her range.

The rest are all just mediocre pop to me. And mediocre pop just isn't a genre I have a desire to listen to much of.

[SaharaTea]

I would say most of Mariah's audience is females in their teens and 20s, maybe some thirtysomethings who were fans since her career began. She appeals to teens who are too old for Hannah Montana.

Hell, I was a fan of hers back in the day too. But her sound has changed a lot. She used to be able to belt it out, but now all she does is this breathy pseudo hip-hop stuff. Not my thing, but the kids seem to like it.

[Rachael Rage]

Hell, I was a fan of hers back in the day too. But her sound has changed a lot. She used to be able to belt it out, but now all she does is this breathy pseudo hip-hop stuff. Not my thing, but the kids seem to like it. I was never a fan myself, but I could appreciate her ability to belt out a couple'a octaves in a song. I haven't been paying much attention to her of late but when the SO and I saw her on SNL or something recently, we were like "where did her voice go?" There is absolutely nothing interesting about her any more.

But my guess: kids who think she looks hot, and kids who like the rap artists she liberally makes use of as guest stars on her albums.

[DudleyGarrett]

I have a friend who's worked in radio advertising for years. I just asked him.

His answer: "25-39 year old suburban white women."

[Zebra]

The deaf?

[Telemark]

I know lots of 20 and 30 somethings, many in their 40's as well, who love her music. It's got broader appeal then you might think.

[What Exit?]

I liked her first self-titled album way back when. I really haven't liked anything since.

She had a very soulful sound that she abandoned quickly for a modern R&B. Obviously she made the right decision, but I really liked much of her first album.

I don't know anyone that likes her current music, but I figure I am much too old for that crowd.

Jim

[Cat Fight]

30-something women (and their boyfriends/husbands).

[Antinor01]

I adored her until around 1995, when she released Fantasy. That was the major cutoff point for when her gorgeous ballads and soaring voice turned into the same breathy "I'm singing backup on my own song" crap that everyone else does. It's really a shame because she is one of the few artists in the last 20 odd years who I really respected for their vocal ability. (As opposed to someone like Madonna who I respect for her business sense, but whose voice is mediocre at best)

[Darryl Lict]

I was going to ask this same question as Ms. Carey recently broke some record (Elvis' #1 singles as a solo recording artist?). I don't know a single person who likes her or has one of her albums. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if one of my sisters has one of her albums, but I don't habitually engage in conversations with them about music.

[msmith537]

My mom buys a lot of that adult contemporary pop diva stuff - Mariah, Celine, Madonna, Whitney, etc, etc.

There's this whole group of artists that no one ever seems to know anyone who listens to their music yet they sell millions of copies. Unless it's all being purchased by club, bar mitzvah and weding DJs and bar owners for their jukeboxes, someone you know is buying those CDs.

It's like at my friends bachelor party. "Guys...the stripers are going to be here in 20 minutes. Go get your iPods and brek out all your gay dance club house music shit that you pretend not to have on there so they have something to dance to".

[SaharaTea]

I was going to ask this same question as Ms. Carey recently broke some record (Elvis' #1 singles as a solo recording artist?). I don't know a single person who likes her or has one of her albums. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if one of my sisters has one of her albums, but I don't habitually engage in conversations with them about music.
It's ironic she broke that record and yet most people couldn't name even one of her #1 singles. They do tend to blend together.

I looked up some her old videos on YouTube out of nostalgia. She really did have an incredible voice.
Vision of Love (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEvRI_CcpcI)
Without You (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOR_jq9M53c)

[Antinor01]

It's ironic she broke that record and yet most people couldn't name even one of her #1 singles. They do tend to blend together.

I looked up some her old videos on YouTube out of nostalgia. She really did have an incredible voice.
Vision of Love (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEvRI_CcpcI)
Without You (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOR_jq9M53c)

Emotions shows her incredible range. One Sweet Day (with Boyz 2 Men) was simply awesome as well.

[OpalCat]

I'm a 36 year old white surburban woman and I don't like her stuff at all. Mainly because I don't like the lyrical style of using all those melisma runs scales whatever bullshit. I don't think that it's an appealing melody if you have 47 notes over 3 words of lyrics.

[Hippy Hollow]

"Guys...the stripers are going to be here in 20 minutes. Go get your iPods and brek out all your gay dance club house music shit that you pretend not to have on there so they have something to dance to".
Funniest thing I've read all day! :)

[Sigmagirl]

I'm a 36 year old white surburban woman and I don't like her stuff at all. Mainly because I don't like the lyrical style of using all those melisma runs scales whatever bullshit. I don't think that it's an appealing melody if you have 47 notes over 3 words of lyrics.
+1. Pick a note. Sing it.

[OpalCat]

If you were to apply the musical concept behind melisma as a movement concept in dance, it would be like watching someone trying to do Swan Lake while having a seizure.

[ftg]

I have read many articles about how bad a singer MC is. Interviews with sound engineers, backstage folk who try to keep the tape in sync for her "performances" etc. In short, she is the poster child for "edit her songs together one note at a time".

So I am constantly amazed that there are still people that think she can actually sing. I guess they are the ones that buy the albums. I tell you, it's a Milli Vanelli world sometimes.

[DudleyGarrett]

I'm a 36 year old white surburban woman and I don't like her stuff at all. Mainly because I don't like the lyrical style of using all those melisma runs scales whatever bullshit. I don't think that it's an appealing melody if you have 47 notes over 3 words of lyrics.

Whether you like it or not, your demographic is the target market.

[Antinor01]

I have read many articles about how bad a singer MC is. Interviews with sound engineers, backstage folk who try to keep the tape in sync for her "performances" etc. In short, she is the poster child for "edit her songs together one note at a time".

So I am constantly amazed that there are still people that think she can actually sing. I guess they are the ones that buy the albums. I tell you, it's a Milli Vanelli world sometimes.

Are you claiming that she doesn't actually sing but is lipsynching someone elses performance?

[OpalCat]

Whether you like it or not, your demographic is the target market.
Not denying that, just making sure that I've set myself as not being part of that group.

[dropzone]

And now I feel like that may have been harsh.No, now you are being too NICE. We aren't here for the nice, not if you have dirt, so DISH! :D

[ftg]

Are you claiming that she doesn't actually sing but is lipsynching someone elses performance?

Umm, just a tape of "her" voice. (Heavily fixed of course.)

[Antinor01]

Umm, just a tape of "her" voice. (Heavily fixed of course.)

Could you link to any of those articles please?

[Monstre]

I'm a 36 year old white surburban woman and I don't like her stuff at all. Mainly because I don't like the lyrical style of using all those melisma runs scales whatever bullshit. I don't think that it's an appealing melody if you have 47 notes over 3 words of lyrics.
A-Frickin-MEN!

And I don't think squealing should really count as part of her presumed "range".

[Antinor01]

A-Frickin-MEN!

And I don't think squealing should really count as part of her presumed "range".

You may disagree, but the whistle register notes are accepted as part of someones range.

[OpalCat]

While I think that there are some legitimately good singers who use melisma as a choice, I think that the majority see it as a clever way to cover up the fact that they can't hold a sustained note that long without going off key.

[shy guy]

Who on this planet likes M. Carey's singing? I'm not trying to slam her talent, but I can't believe adults listen to it.
Are you serious? Mariah's 90's stuff is as much a staple of Easy Listening radio stations as anything on this planet.

I've liked her stuff since I was in middle school, and I have a lot of friends who do, too. It's fun pop music. I've listened to "Touch My Body" quite a bit, and I liked "Emancipation of Mimi" a lot.

It's not cool to like her, but tons of people do. She has huge appeal.