Skip to main content
 
  • Recording Academy
  • GRAMMYs
  • Membership
  • Advocacy
  • MusiCares
  • GRAMMY Museum
  • Latin GRAMMYs
GRAMMYs
  • Advocacy
  • Awards
  • Membership
  • GRAMMYs
  • News
  • Governance
  • Jobs
  • Press Room
  • Events
  • Login
  • MusiCares
  • GRAMMY Museum
  • Latin GRAMMYs
  • More
    • Governance
    • Jobs
    • Press Room
    • Events
    • MusiCares
    • GRAMMY Museum
    • Latin GRAMMYs

The GRAMMYs

  • Awards
  • News
  • Recording Academy
  • More
    • Awards
    • News
    • Recording Academy

Latin GRAMMYs

MusiCares

Advocacy

  • About
  • News
  • Issues & Policy
  • Act
  • Recording Academy
  • More
    • About
    • News
    • Issues & Policy
    • Act
    • Recording Academy

Membership

  • PRODUCERS & ENGINEERS WING
  • SONGWRITERS & COMPOSERS WING
  • GRAMMY U
  • More
    • PRODUCERS & ENGINEERS WING
    • SONGWRITERS & COMPOSERS WING
    • GRAMMY U
Log In Join
  • SUBSCRIBE

See All Results
Modal Open
Subscribe Now

Subscribe to Newsletters

Be the first to find out about GRAMMY nominees, winners, important news, and events. Privacy Policy
GRAMMY Museum
Membership

Join us on Social

  • Recording Academy
    • The Recording Academy: Facebook
    • The Recording Academy: Twitter
    • The Recording Academy: Instagram
    • The Recording Academy: YouTube
  • GRAMMYs
    • GRAMMYs: Facebook
    • GRAMMYs: Twitter
    • GRAMMYs: Instagram
    • GRAMMYs: YouTube
  • Latin GRAMMYs
    • Latin GRAMMYs: Facebook
    • Latin GRAMMYs: Twitter
    • Latin GRAMMYs: Instagram
    • Latin GRAMMYs: YouTube
  • GRAMMY Museum
    • GRAMMY Museum: Facebook
    • GRAMMY Museum: Twitter
    • GRAMMY Museum: Instagram
    • GRAMMY Museum: YouTube
  • MusiCares
    • MusiCares: Facebook
    • MusiCares: Twitter
    • MusiCares: Instagram
  • Advocacy
    • Advocacy: Facebook
    • Advocacy: Twitter
  • Membership
    • Membership: Facebook
    • Membership: Twitter
    • Membership: Instagram
    • Membership: Youtube

GRAMMYs

GRAMMYs

  • Awards
Mariah Carey smiles while holding three GRAMMY awards

Mariah Carey

Photo: Kevin Winter

News
Relive Mariah Carey's Chart-Topping Career black-sounds-beautiful-how-mariah-carey-became-a-bestselling-artist

Black Sounds Beautiful: How Mariah Carey Went From Feeling Out Of Place To One Of The Bestselling Woman Artists Of All Time

Facebook Twitter Email
The newest episode of Black Sounds Beautiful highlights five-time GRAMMY winner Mariah Carey and her four-decade stint at the top of the charts
Taj Mayfield
GRAMMYs
Oct 5, 2021 - 2:12 pm

Mariah Carey has been at the top of the music world for a while—four decades, to be specific.

At just 20 years old, the singer/songwriter topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart five times with singles from her self-titled debut album. The eponymous album earned Carey five GRAMMY nominations at the 33rd Annual GRAMMY Awards in 1991, including two wins for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for her single "Vision Of Love."

Watch the newest episode of Black Sounds Beautiful below to learn how the five-octave singer continued to reach new heights throughout her career.

Relive Mariah Carey's Chart-Topping Career

Coming from Irish, African American and Afro Venezuelan descent, Carey faced peculiar criticisms regarding her racial identity throughout her career. She sang about how the commentary affected her on her 1997 track "Outside."

"It's hard to explain," the 34-time GRAMMY nominee sang. "Inherently, it's just always been strange/ Neither here nor there/ Always somewhat out of place everywhere."

"Outside" was the outro song on Carey's Butterfly album, which would earn the megastar three GRAMMY nominations for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best Rhythm & Blues Song.

Watch the video above to see how Carey made a home for herself at the top of the charts and how she's using her success to give back to the community.

Check down below for more breakdowns on some of the top Black artists in music.

Black Sounds Beautiful
Black Sounds Beautiful
Prev
Next
Sheila E. smiling while playing the drums and singing
Shelia E.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

How Sheila E. Fit Two Legendary Careers Into One

Mariah Carey smiles while holding three GRAMMY awards
Mariah Carey
Photo: Kevin Winter

Relive Mariah Carey's Chart-Topping Career

Artwork for Black Sounds Beautiful episode on Beyoncé

How Beyoncé Empowers The Black Community

Black Sounds Beautiful: Cardi B
ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images

Why Cardi B Is A Beacon Of Black Excellence

Black Sounds Beautiful: Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar

Inside Kendrick Lamar's Explosive GRAMMYs Legacy

Black Sounds Beautiful: Prince

Black Sounds Beautiful: Prince’s GRAMMYs Legacy

aretha franklin
Aretha Franklin 

How Aretha Franklin Rose To Soul Royalty

Mickey Guyton On Her 10-Year Journey To Debut Album 'Remember Her Name' & Paving The Way For Black Women In Country

Grammys Newsletter

Subscribe Now

GRAMMYs Newsletter

Be the first to find out about winners, nominees, and more from Music's Biggest Night.
Sheila E. smiling while playing the drums and singing

Shelia E.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

News
How Sheila E. Fit Two Legendary Careers Into One black-sounds-beautiful-how-sheila-e-commands-two-careers-at-once

Black Sounds Beautiful: From Working With Prince To GRAMMY Nominations Of Her Own, How Sheila E. Commands Two Legendary Careers At Once

Facebook Twitter Email
The latest episode of Black Sounds Beautiful explores the legendary career of the GRAMMY-nominated percussionist and singer Sheila E. and how she made a name for herself in both modes of expression
Taj Mayfield
GRAMMYs
Oct 11, 2021 - 12:58 pm

Like Kobe Bryant switching from number eight to 24 or Lauryn Hill transitioning from a Fugee to a solo artist, Sheila E. is a legend twice over.

Between 1976 and 1984, the percussionist/singer worked alongside names like Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, and Prince. After providing vocals on "Let's Go Crazy" and "Erotic City" from Prince's 1984 album Purple Rain, Sheila embarked on her solo career, releasing her debut album The Glamorous Life that year.

Watch the below episode of Black Sounds Beautiful to see how Shelia E.'s solo career has been going ever since.

How Sheila E. Fits Two Legendary Careers Into One

Spoiler alert: Things have gone pretty well for Sheila E. the solo artist. Spearheaded by her debut album's title track, she earned four GRAMMY nominations at the 27th GRAMMY Awards in 1985 for Best New Artist, Best R&B Song, Best R&B Instrumental Performance, and Best Pop Vocal Performance.

Check down below for more gems in the Black Sounds Beautiful series.

Black Sounds Beautiful
Black Sounds Beautiful
Prev
Next
Sheila E. smiling while playing the drums and singing
Shelia E.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

How Sheila E. Fit Two Legendary Careers Into One

Mariah Carey smiles while holding three GRAMMY awards
Mariah Carey
Photo: Kevin Winter

Relive Mariah Carey's Chart-Topping Career

Artwork for Black Sounds Beautiful episode on Beyoncé

How Beyoncé Empowers The Black Community

Black Sounds Beautiful: Cardi B
ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images

Why Cardi B Is A Beacon Of Black Excellence

Black Sounds Beautiful: Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar

Inside Kendrick Lamar's Explosive GRAMMYs Legacy

Black Sounds Beautiful: Prince

Black Sounds Beautiful: Prince’s GRAMMYs Legacy

aretha franklin
Aretha Franklin 

How Aretha Franklin Rose To Soul Royalty

Remembering The Rolling Stones' Charlie Watts: 5 Essential Performances By The Drum Legend

Grammys Newsletter

Subscribe Now

GRAMMYs Newsletter

Be the first to find out about winners, nominees, and more from Music's Biggest Night.
Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey in 2016

Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images

 
News
Poll: What's Your Favorite Holiday Song? poll-whats-your-favorite-holiday-song-christmas-mariah-carey-the-beatles-taylor-swift

Poll: From The Beatles' "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)" To Taylor Swift's "Christmas Must Be Something More," What's Your Favorite Holiday Song?

Facebook Twitter Email
Now that the pumpkin-pie hangover has lifted and we're all back to work, it's time for the burning question of the holiday season: What's your favorite Christmas song?
Morgan Enos
GRAMMYs
Nov 30, 2021 - 1:31 pm

Christmas music may be an acquired taste, but there's one underrated thing about the yuletide canon — it's fluid, mutable and elastic.

Sure, you've got the usual chestnuts like "Little Drummer Boy" and "Jingle Bells," and those aren't going anywhere. 

But why can't Joni Mitchell's downcast "River," which is evocatively set against a wintry backdrop, join the party? Or Leonard Cohen's "Dress Rehearsal Rag," with its reference to Santa Claus wielding a razor? What about Big Star's "Jesus Christ," a quaalude-fueled Christmas hallucination from their disheveled 1978 masterpiece Third?

This holiday season, let's celebrate the stone-cold classics, like Mariah Carey's record-breaking "All I Want For Christmas is You," as well as some less-heralded entries by B.B. King, the Pretenders, Low, and more.

Check below for this year's Christmas music poll and let us know of your favorite holiday song. The poll closes on Dec. 14, so don’t delay!

Polls

What's Your Favorite Holiday Song?

"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," John Lennon & Yoko Ono
7%
"Little Saint Nick," The Beach Boys
2%
"Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)," The Ramones
1%
"River," Joni Mitchell
3%
"Please Come Home For Christmas," B.B. King
1%
"Little Drummer Boy," Low
1%
"Christmas Must Be Something More," Taylor Swift
9%
"Dress Rehearsal Rag," Leonard Cohen
0%
"All I Want For Christmas is You," Mariah Carey
25%
"Merry Christmas Darling," Carpenters
2%
"Santa Baby," Eartha Kitt
2%
"2,000 Miles," The Pretenders
1%
"Jesus Christ," Big Star
1%
"Feliz Navidad," José Feliciano
4%
"Christmas Time (Is Here Again)," The Beatles
1%
"Must Be Santa," Bob Dylan
1%
Other
38%

Shirley Caesar, The Muppets, B.B. King: 7 Christmas Albums That Won A GRAMMY

Black Sounds Beautiful: Prince
News
Black Sounds Beautiful: Prince’s GRAMMYs Legacy 2021-black-sounds-beautiful-prince-genius-uncontainable

Black Sounds Beautiful: Five Years After His Death, Prince’s Genius Remains Uncontainable

Facebook Twitter Email
In the latest episode of Black Sounds Beautiful, explore Prince Rogers Nelson’s GRAMMYs legacy and consider how—five years after his passing—we’ve only scratched the surface of his bottomless talent
Morgan Enos
GRAMMYs
Jun 18, 2021 - 3:05 pm

Some artists celebrate Black genius pointedly through their lyrics and public statements. Others like Prince, simply live it by being exceptional.

Not that the Purple One, who passed away in 2016, didn’t acknowledge race. In the midst of acrimony with a major record label, he scrawled “SLAVE” on his face. He called his name change to the infamous “Love Symbol” “the first step I have taken towards the ultimate goal of emancipation.”

In the end, though, he knew his inimitable writing, production work and guitar playing would be his true statement to the world. attacking others for their immutable characteristics wasn’t the answer. 

“Nothing more ugly in the whole wide world than INTOLERANCE (between) Black, white, red, yellow, boy or girl,” he wrote in his personal archives. (He punctuated it with an extra “INTOLERANCE” at the end.)

The Genius Of Prince | Black Sounds Beautiful

In the latest episode of Black Sounds Beautiful, take a brief tour through Prince’s astonishing history as a GRAMMY winner and nominee. Without cheating, try to guess how many wins and nominations he earned before pressing play.

Then, when you’re done, chase it with one of those recent boxed sets of 1999 or Sign o’ the Times. Or, if you’re pressed for time, peep his outrageous, spotlight-stealing guitar solo on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” (Seriously, you’ll be glad you did.)

Black Sounds Beautiful: How Beyoncé Has Empowered The Black Community Across Her Music And Art

Artwork for Black Sounds Beautiful episode on Beyoncé
News
How Beyoncé Empowers The Black Community beyonce-black-power-empowerment-black-sounds-beautiful

Black Sounds Beautiful: How Beyoncé Has Empowered The Black Community Across Her Music And Art

Facebook Twitter Email
In the debut episode of GRAMMY.com's Black Sounds Beautiful series, learn about the many ways in which Beyoncé's words, music and initiatives have celebrated and elevated the Black community
GRAMMYs
Jun 12, 2021 - 12:40 pm

Beyoncé doesn't only loom large in American culture just because of her hits. Although her musical accomplishments are staggering—at 28 GRAMMY wins, she holds the record for most GRAMMYs won by a woman—Beyoncé's ongoing commitment to uplifting and celebrating the Black community has become a key part of her legacy.

This goes beyond her empowering songs—it's in her public statements and art, too.

In the debut episode of GRAMMY.com's Black Sounds Beautiful series, a special series honoring Black music and culture in all its forms, learn about the many ways in which Beyoncé's words, music and initiatives have celebrated and elevated the Black community and how she remains a steadfast fighter for the accomplishments of Black people everywhere.

How Beyoncé Empowers The Black Community

"It's important to me to show images to my children that reflect their beauty, so they can grow up in a world where they look in the mirror—first through their own families as well as the news, the Super Bowl, the Olympics, the White House, and the GRAMMYs—and see themselves and have no doubt that they're beautiful, intelligent and capable," Beyoncé said in an acceptance speech at the 59th GRAMMY Awards in 2017.

She doubled-down on the sentiment at the 2021 GRAMMY Awards show when she won the GRAMMY for Best R&B Performance for "BLACK PARADE," which she originally released on Juneteenth last year.

"As an artist, I believe it's my job, and all of our jobs, to reflect the times," she said in her GRAMMY acceptance speech this past March. "... So, I wanted to uplift, encourage and celebrate all of the beautiful Black queens and kings that continue to inspire me and inspire the whole world."

She's continued to do exactly that throughout her entire career.

In 2018, Beyoncé headlined Coachella, becoming the first-ever Black woman artist to headline the festival. She used the history-making moment as a platform to celebrate Black culture, inviting performers from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to the Coachella stage and mixing in vocal snippets of Black icons like Malcolm X and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Her 2020 GRAMMY-nominated music film, Black Is King, is a "love letter" to Black men. The film is the visual counterpart to The Lion King: The Gift, a 2019 soundtrack album curated by Beyoncé that spotlights African and Afrobeats artists like Wizkid, Burna Boy, Mr Eazi and many others.

Check out the strengthening clip above and watch out for more episodes of Black Sounds Beautiful as GRAMMY.com's Black Music Month celebrations proceed throughout June.

Inside The Visual World Of Beyoncé And 'Black Is King,' Her "Love Letter" To Black Men

Grammys Newsletter

Subscribe Now

GRAMMYs Newsletter

Be the first to find out about winners, nominees, and more from Music's Biggest Night.
Top
Logo
  • Recording Academy
    • About
    • DEI
    • Governance
    • Press Room
    • Jobs
  • GRAMMYs
    • Awards
    • News
    • Videos
    • Events
    • Store
  • Latin GRAMMYs
    • Awards
    • News
    • Photos
    • Videos
    • Cultural Foundation
    • Members
    • Press
  • GRAMMY Museum
    • COLLECTION:live
    • Museum Tickets
    • Exhibits
    • Education
    • Support
    • Programs
    • Donate
  • MusiCares
    • About
    • Get Help
    • Support
    • News
    • Events
  • Advocacy
    • About
    • News
    • Issues & Policy
    • Act
  • Membership
    • Chapters
    • Producers & Engineers Wing
    • Songwriters & Composers Wing
    • GRAMMY U
    • Events
    • Join
Logo

© 2022 - Recording Academy. All rights reserved.

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Copyright Notice
  • Contact Us

Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy and its Affiliates. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy and its Affiliates lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy and its Affiliates.