Music Box is Mariah Carey’s third studio album, released a year after Carey’s MTV Unplugged concert. The album showcases Mariah’s versatility as a performer with street beats and ballads. For the project, Mariah Carey teamed up once again with Walter Afanasieff and Robert Clivilles and David Cole, with whom she had worked on Emotions. Babyface incorporated into the team, providing a R&B-oriented sound.

“Dreamlover” became one of Mariah’s most successful singles at that point. For the very first time, Mariah’s urban influences came along. Mariah’s inspirational ballads were essential in Music Box: “Hero” and “Anytime You Need a Friend.” The early stages of Carey’s R&B sound emerged in “Never Forget You.” Carey and Afanasieff produced ballads with elements of gospel: “Just To Hold You Once Again.”

After the terrific response obtained with “I’ll Be There,” Mariah decided to include another cover. Mariah’s version of “Without You” topped the charts worldwide, becoming Carey’s first UK #1 single. The overall sound of Music Box is pop with a strong R&B vibe. The album also exposed a “sweeter” side in Carey’s sound and writing, which is evident in the song “Music Box.” On the other side, Carey also presented urban dance tracks that were somehow overshadowed by the ballads.

Commercially, Music Box turned Mariah Carey into the most successful female performer worldwide during that period. Music Box is officially Mariah Carey’s most successful album to date, selling about 30 million copies worldwide. In Australia, Music Box sold amazingly well, breaking sales records. In the United Kingdom, Music Box debuted at #1 where it stayed for a week, returning to the #1 spot in February 1994 to stay five non-consecutive weeks. Music Box was 1993’s tenth best-selling album in the UK and 1994’s third best-selling album.

The album topped the charts in New Zealand, Switzerland, and Germany, topping the top 5 in other European countries. It became one of the best-selling albums in Europe in 1993 and 1994. Music Box was also Mariah Carey’s big entry in Japan, setting the stage for Carey’s following record-breaking albums. In the United States, the album entered the Billboard 200 Albums chart at #2 with somehow disappointing sales; Music Box bounced back reaching the #1 spot where it stayed for eight non-consecutive weeks. The album remained in the top twenty for forty weeks and on the chart for 128 weeks, re-entering the chart three times.

Mariah also conquered Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, where she managed to reach the #1 spot. The Recording Industry Association of America has certified the album 10X platinum, diamond award, for shipping over 10 million copies. Music Box was also the second best-selling album in the United States in 1994, only surpassed by Ace of Base’s The Sign. Although early reviews were not so generous on rating the album, Mariah achieved two Grammy Awards nominations, “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance” for “Dreamlover” at the 1994 Grammy Awards and for “Hero” at the 1995 Grammy Awards.