PRS for Music Special International Award - Mariah Carey

It might have been first released back in 1994 but, last year, Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You set a new one-day streaming record, when it was played over 10 million times. In the UK, it was the most-streamed song released in 1994, with a colossal 39 million streams in 2018.

It’s that sort of enduring appeal that marks out Mariah as one of the most impactful songwriters in pop history. And it’s not just that seasonal classic either: her career has stretched across three decades and so many hits that she’s one of the very few artists able to release a Best Of album entirely composed of American No.1s.

Carey’s career has never lacked attention, of course. But while much of it has focused on her remarkable vocal range, her songwriting skills have long deserved their own spotlight. She is, after all, the writer of countless megahits, from classic ballads such as Hero and We Belong Together to ‘90s R&B bangers such as Honey and Fantasy.

That’s why last year’s Caution album attracted everyone from Ty Dolla Sign to Skrillex as creative collaborators; why her Christmas arena tour has become a must-see event; and why she’s a key influence on a new generation of divas, from Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera to Beyoncé and Ariana Grande.

And it’s the songs that have made Carey one of the most successful artists of all time; selling more than 200 million records and headlining the planet’s most prestigious venues.

It all adds up to an unprecedented career that has made its mark on the UK as much as her native US. After all, Mariah Carey songs are for life, not just for Christmas.