Mariah Carey is the album debut by Mariah Carey; it was released in the United States on June 12, 1990 by Columbia Records. It became one of the best-selling debut albums in the country and one of the most successful debut albums in music history, selling around seventeen million copies around the world and shipping nine million copies in the U.S.

The album spent eleven weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200 and yielded four #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Mariah Carey is majorly influenced by R&B and gospel, including singles "Vision of Love", "Love Takes Time" and "I Don't Wanna Cry.” The album also features up-tempo numbers, such as "Someday,” and “All In Your Mind.” Through this album, Mariah Carey also expresses her social concert with the song "There's Got to Be a Way,” in which she talks about racism and poverty.

Mariah Carey and Ben Margulies wrote and produced the legendary demo-tape that led Carey to sing with Sony Music; however, this record was heavily influenced by R&B. Sony executives changed the musical arrengements in such a way that it would cross over and appeal to both the R&B and mainstream music markets. Sony music executives were aware of Carey’s potential and decided to carefully create the perfect debut album.

Carey and Ben Margulies were eager to produce the album, but Sony executives refused and enlisted some of the top producers of the time, including Rhett Lawrence, Ric Wake, and Narada Michael Walden.With ten tracks finished, the album was mixed and sent to be pressed. However, it would be delayed because of the incursion of a new gem. During a small promotional trip, Mariah wrote a new song called “Love Takes Time.” She showed the song to Sony Music executives, who were impressed by the song; they persuaded Carey to include it on the first album. Eventually, the song was given to Walter Afanasieff to produce and was included as the final cut from Mariah Carey.

Mariah Carey received the nominations for the Grammy Award "Album of the Year." The lead single, "Vision of Love," was nominated in the categories of "Song of the Year,” "Record of the Year," and "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance," winning for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" and "Best New Artist." Mariah Carey peaked within the top ten in Australia, being certified five times platinum. In the United Kingdom, the album spent thirty-six weeks in the top seventy-five.