Mariah Carey holds the record for the most Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles among female artists.
Carey has earned 19 chart-toppers on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, beginning with “Vision of Love” in 1990 and most recently reaching the summit with “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Her run includes songs from multiple eras, including “Fantasy,” “Always Be My Baby,” “We Belong Together,” and “Touch My Body.”
Her achievement is often confused with records for total weeks at No. 1, longest-running individual songs, or number-one albums. Those are separate categories. Carey’s 19 refers specifically to the number of distinct singles credited to her that reached the top of the Hot 100.
Her success also includes several unusual chart milestones. Her first five singles all reached No. 1, and “One Sweet Day,” recorded with Boyz II Men, spent 16 weeks atop the chart. Although Carey is frequently described as a pop singer, her music draws heavily on R&B, soul, gospel, hip-hop, and adult-contemporary traditions.