Get a live view of Mariah's performance at The Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2006 in New York's Times Square by logging on to Earthcam.com! The show will start promptly at 11:35pm ET. Don't miss it!

Also, a local TV station in New York City, NY1, is broadcasting what's going on at Times Square starting at 11pm EST, and their website has real-time audio stream of whatever they are airing on TV. Listen live by logging on to NY1.com and clicking on "NY1 Live Audio Stream!"

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Click here to download a special segment on last night's EXTRA in which Mariah's very successful 2005 was recapped. In this segment, Extra featured a pretaped interview they had with Mariah from the "Grammy SoundChecks" event back in November 2005.

Transcript:
Extra: Nobody is sadder to say goodbye to 2005 than Mariah Carey. The pop icon took her career to a whole new level this past year and 2006 isn't looking too bad either.

... And just like that, 2005 was the year of Mariah. Her chart-topping album "The Emancipation of Mimi" has so far sold more than 4 million copies and picked up 8 Grammy nominations.

Mariah: You know what, I'm just so thankful for what this album has done and really because I feel like it is kind of the first time that my voice, almost meaning my inner voice, has been able to be fully heard.

Extra: And Extra was there as Mariah gave back, making holiday dreams come true for a group of lucky music students, treating them to a private rehearsal and a special Q&A session.

Footage of Mariah from the rehearsal is shown and answering a question in the Q&A session, saying "whispering is actually worse for your voice."

All part of the recording academy's Grammy Soundchecks program for kids.

Mariah: Being here with the kids today was a great experience.

Extra: Mariah's young fans were also clued in on her recipe for success on 05. First up, power house manager Benny Medina, the same guy who helped launch the careers of Jennifer Lopez and Will Smith.

Benny Medina: I have learned, after so many years in this business, always bet on talent.

Extra: Then, there's Mariah's 2005 collection of red hot music videos.

Mariah: It's been my most fun video making, with the exception of "Heartbreaker." That was fun.

Extra: You see, Mariah got a little help from Jerry O'Connell in the video for her 1999 hit "Heartbreaker."

This year, she attracted the likes of Chris Tucker, Eric Roberts and Prison Break's overnight sensation Wentworth Miller.

Mariah: I feel grateful that they're in my video, you know what I mean? To me, I was honored that Eric Roberts was in my video. He's an incredible actor.

Extra: Then of course, there's the music. Songs Mariah describes as her most personal to date.

Mariah: This particular record ("Don't Forget About Us"), there's something different because I think that there's something raw and emotional that people connected to.

Extra: So the question is, what does 2006 have in store for Mariah? Maybe a movie! Rumor has it one is already in the works but Mariah's keeping it tight-lipped.

Mariah: One of the things I learned from past experiences is to button your lip till it's all ready and everything's right.

Extra: Spoken like a true diva.

This year's Grammy Award nominees for record of the year collectively have logged 28 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Of the five contenders, Mariah Carey had the biggest success - her smash ballad "We Belong Together" spent 14 weeks ruling the chart, more than any other single in 2005.

To take home an award, she will have to beat out four acts with top 20 hits. Kanye West, Green Day and Gwen Stefani have all won at least one Grammy in the past, and Gorillaz will try for its first award.

Here is a closer look at the nominees.

"We Belong Together," Mariah Carey: The first single from Carey's "The Emancipation of Mimi" became her 16th song to hit No. 1 on the Hot 100. It was her first No. 1 since 2000, when "Thank God I Found You" featuring Joe and 98 reached the summit.

Carey told Billboard she had an early sense this song would stand out: "I had the chills. I had a great feeling about it when we finished writing the song, and I was flying back from Atlanta at some crazy hour of the morning ... But we were listening on the plane ride on the way home, and even from the demo, I really felt something special."

"Gold Digger," Kanye West: As the second single from West's "Late Registration," "Gold Digger" quelled any fears of West hitting a sophomore slump. The song was the closest challenger to "We Belong Together" for pure chart dominance, as it spent 10 weeks atop the Hot 100. The single gave West his second No. 1 on that chart, and, like his 2004 hit with Twista, "Slow Jamz," it features a cameo from Jamie Foxx.

"Boulevard of Broken Dreams," Green Day: This is the second single from Green Day's "American Idiot" to earn a record of the year nomination. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 in March, giving the act its first top 10 hit on the chart. Additionally, it spent 16 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart.

"Hollaback Girl," Gwen Stefani: A song that was inescapable all summer, "Hollaback Girl" arrived on the Hot 100 at No. 82 in April and hit No. 1 six weeks later. The cut then spent four weeks at the top.

"Feel Good Inc.," Gorillaz: The first Gorillaz cut to make the Hot 100 is the act's second to be nominated for a Grammy. The song peaked at No. 14 on the singles tally, and was No. 1 for eight weeks on the Modern Rock chart.

Below are scans of Mariah gracing the pages of this week's (January 9, 2006) issues of People, In Touch, Us, and Star magazines.

Workmen assemble a stage for singer Mariah Carey, December 30, 2005 near the MTV studios in New York's Times Square as preparations are underway for the annual New Year's Eve celebration.



In related news...
Battle of the Celebrity NYE Parties (TMZ)
While millions of people watch New Year's Eve celebrations on TV, an intriguing competition will be going on behind the scenes, as many celebrities battle it out to have the hottest New Year's Eve party of the year.

Mariah Carey vs. Maroon 5's Adam Levine - New York City has the world famous Times Square ball drop, and now the Big Apple hosts a showdown between two music stars with competing par-tays. Carey will throw a bash at Cipriani in midtown Manhattan, with ticket prices starting at $200. The party will be hosted by the ubiquitous Ryan Seacrest; he and Carey will presumably head to the event after they appear on ABC's New Year's Eve telecast. (Cipriani says that Carey and Seacrest will show up at the blowout around 3 AM) Meanwhile, Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine, who will be on MTV's New Year's Eve show, will host his own party at the luxurious Skylight Studios in the Village, complete with outdoor swimming pool, with a minimum $150 admission price.

TMZ's winner pick: No contest. Carey's party will be the biggest celebrity magnet in the Big Apple.

--EXTRA Declares '05 the Year of Mariah! Tune in to Extra tonight at 7:00pm on NBC to catch their special segment on Mimi!

--From Entertainment Weekly's 10 best music videos of 2005:

#3. Mariah Carey, ''It's Like That/We Belong Together''
In a year when Mariah finally got her groove back, she also showed a sharp eye for casting by filming back-to-back videos starring the guy who'd soon be one of fall TV's breakout stars: Prison Break's Wentworth Miller. Half smoldering masquerade ball, half alternate ending to her own failed marriage to Tommy Mottola, Mimi's one-two punch is 100% fierce.

--From The Chicago Tribune's "Runners-up" list of Best of 2005:

#3: Mariah's the comeback story of '05
Mariah Carey's career seemed beyond salvage after "Glitter" and "Charmbracelet" bombed and she reportedly had a breakdown. That all changed with the April release of "The Emancipation of Mimi."

With some help from hot producers like Kanye West and Jermaine Dupri, it's almost like we're back in Mariah's "Vision of Love" glory days. Her hit single "We Belong Together" ruled the charts in the summer, holding the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks.

"Emancipation" was the best selling album of the year, with 4.8 million units sold, according to Soundscan. It scored eight Grammy nods, and her latest single from the album, "Don't Forget About Us," marked her 17th No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

--Contact Music reports:

Carey Wants To Snowboard In 2006
Mariah Carey is determined to learn to snowboard, and has decided to make it her new year's resolution.

The superstar singer admits she's always been too lazy and has wasted winter holidays in ski resorts because she can't get out of bed on time.

Carey confesses, "This year, I'm going to try snowboarding. For the past six years, I've been trying to learn, but it just isn't happening. I like to sleep until 3pm when I'm on my holidays, and the ski lift closes at 4pm. So I usually get dressed up in a festive ensemble - either a Chanel, Dior or Lagerfeld outfit - and then I go shopping."

--AllHipHop.com mentions Mariah twice:

1995: A Hip-Hop Retrospective
One phenomenon in 1995 that spurred rap sales was that rappers and R&B artists combined forces with rap verses on nearly all successful R&B singles. Two big collaborations were Method Man and Mary J. Blige's "You're All I Need to Get By," and Ol' Dirty Bastard and Mariah Carey's "Fantasy" remix. Today, Meth and Mary are seasoned vets with families and newfound perspectives on life. O.D.B. is now deceased, and post-nervous breakdown Mariah was the comeback queen of 2005.

Good Fast Gifts For Christmas
#10. "The Emancipation of Mimi - Ultra Platinum Edition," Mariah Carey ($19.95): The pop singer hit her high notes on this disc, which marked her comeback and earned eight Grammy nominations. This deluxe CD-DVD edition includes four tracks not heard on the original release and four videos. At record stores.

Here are Mariah's Billboard chart positions for the magazine's issue date January 7, 2006.

The Emancipation of Mimi ▲5
Billboard 200: #6 (Last Week #7)
Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: #6 (Last Week #5)
Sales this week: 290,048 (+52%)
Total Sales: 4,866,189

Don't Forget About Us
Billboard Hot 100: #1 (Last Week #1)
Billboard Hot 100 Airplay: #1 (Last Week #1)
Billboard Pop 100: #3 (Last Week #2)
Billboard Pop 100 Airplay: #4 (Last Week #4)
Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #2 (Last Week #1)
Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay: #2 (Last Week #1)
Billboard Adult R&B: #25 (Last Week #31)
Billboard Mainstream Top 40: #4 (Last Week #4)
Billboard Rhythmic Top 40: #3 (Last Week #2)
Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play: #4 (Last Week #6)
Billboard Dance Radio Airplay: #1 (Last Week #2)
Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales: #21 (Last Week #26)
Billboard Hot Digital Songs: #2 (Last Week #1)
Billboard Hot Digital Tracks (Radio Edit): #2 (Last Week #2)
Sales this week: 49,673 (+27%)
Total sales: 95,101

Shake It Off
Billboard Hot 100: #42 (Last Week #41)
Billboard Hot 100 Airplay: #29 (Last Week #30)
Billboard Pop 100: #33 (Last Week #33)
Billboard Pop 100 Airplay: #28 (Last Week #23)
Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #23 (Last Week #29)
Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay: #22 (Last Week #25)
Billboard Adult R&B: #14 (Last Week #15)
Billboard Hot Digital Songs: #87 (Last Week #101)
Billboard Hot Ringtones: #29 (Last Week #27)
Sales this week: 8,251 (+46%)
Total sales: 340,274

We Belong Together ▲3
Billboard Hot 100: #44 (Last Week #50)
Billboard Hot 100 Airplay: #38 (Last Week #42)
Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #41 (Last Week #39)
Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay: #41 (Last Week #39)
Billboard Adult R&B: #11 (Last Week #14)
Billboard Hot Singles Sales: #22 (Last Week #33)
Billboard Hot Digital Songs: #70 (Last Week #93)
Billboard Hot Ringtones: #14 (Last Week #20)
Sales this week: 9,675 (+64%)
Total sales: 669,065

So Lonely
Billboard Pop 100: #89 (Last Week #89)
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles: #14 (Last Week #16)
Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-hop Singles: #4 (Last Week #7)

Merry Christmas▲5
Billboard Top Holiday Albums: #13 (Last Week #13)
Billboard Top Digital Albums: #14 (Last Week #10)
Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Catalog Albums: #1 (Last Week #1)
Billboard Top Pop Catalog Albums: #16 (Last Week #11)
Billboard Comprehensive Albums: #143 (Last Week #96)

All I Want For Christmas Is You
Billboard Hot Digital Songs: #12 (Last Week #2)
Billboard Hot Digital Tracks: #9 (Last Week #1)
Billboard Hot 100 Singles Recurrent: #1 (Last Week #1)
Billboard Hot 100 Airplay Recurrent: #2 (Last Week #2)
Billboard Adult Contemporary Recurrent: #10 (Last Week #10)
Billboard Top 40 Adult Recurrents: #7 (Re-Entry)
Billboard Hot Ringtones: #11 (Last Week #7)
Sales this week: 34,240 (-8%)
Total Sales: 280,355

Mariah Carey, Greatest Hits▲
Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Catalog Albums: #10 (Last Week #9)

--Mariah is currently ranked at #1 on MSN's Top Searches!

--Yahoo! Music countdowns the biggest premieres of 2005. "Shake It Off" came at #2:

As Mariah or Mimi this is one super diva with the vocal abilities to back it up. “Shake It Off” is the number 2 top video premiere in Y! Music’s year end countdown.

--The 'Chopped and Screwed' version of Twista's album "The Day After" was remixed by Paul Wall and re-released last month. Click here to listen to a 30-clip preview (from Amazon) of the remixed version of "So Lonely."

--Alex uploaded three videos that he personally filmed of Mariah's visit in France two weeks ago. Click on the links below to download the files:

Mariah Leaving The George V Hotel (December 16, 2005)

Mariah Leaving Star Academy Studios (December 16, 2005)

Mariah Leaving The George V Hotel (December 17, 2005)

--Read more press coverage on "The Emancipation of Mimi" becoming the year's best selling CD:

Mariah outguns Fitty in '05 sales (NY Daily News)

Carey's CD takes over lead in sales (Los Angeles Times)

Mariah Carey Outguns 50 Cent On Year-End LP Sales Chart (MTV News)

Fred Bronson of Billboard magazine adds:

"Mariah Carey pushed ahead of 50 Cent in this final week of 2005 to have the best-selling album of the calendar year."

International fans - help us compile the last "Mimi: Around The World" update of the year!

How did "The Emancipation of Mimi" and its singles perform in your country? Please e-mail us any information you can gather and would like to share with our site's visitors regarding Mariah's success in your country this year.

Thank you!

Mariah Carey's "Don't Forget About Us" sits atop the Billboard Hot 100 for a second week in a row. The single keeps former No. 1 Chris Brown's "Run It" at No. 2, while its parent album, "The Emancipation of Mimi," sits at No. 6 on The Billboard 200. As reported yesterday, the Island Def Jam disc saw a 52% sales increase in the week leading up to Christmas.

Stay tuned for more Billboard updates.

Capping one of pop music's biggest comebacks, Mariah Carey has overtaken rap star 50 Cent in a year-end battle to claim the hottest-selling album of 2005.

Carey's Grammy-nominated "The Emancipation of Mimi" climbed to the No. 1 spot for the year on U.S. sales of 290,000 copies during the week ending December 25, raising her 37-week total to 4.87 million units, retail tracker Nielsen SoundScan reported on Wednesday.

Assuming "Mimi" stays the course through the post-Christmas sales rush, Carey would become the first female solo artist to boast the year's top album since Alanis Morissette in 1996 with "Jagged Little Pill."

50 Cent slipped to No. 2 for 2005 as his sophomore set "The Massacre" posted sales of 30,000 copies last week, taking his 43-week tally to 4.83 million units, Nielsen SoundScan said.

The rapper stands little chance of regaining the lead from Carey so long as the final week of the year -- traditionally the busiest in music sales -- brings another six-figure tally for "Mimi," as expected.

On the latest sales chart, "Mimi" stood at No. 6 for the week, while "Massacre" languished at No. 125. Both albums had opened at No. 1.

Carey's triumph came as new releases from R&B star Mary J. Blige and Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx led a surge in music retail activity that snapped a pre-Christmas slump.

Blige sold 727,000 copies of "The Breakthrough" to claim the third chart-topper and the best sales week of her career, while Foxx marked his return to music by landing at No. 2 with "Unpredictable," which sold 598,000 copies its first week.

The success of "Mimi" marks a dramatic turnaround for Carey, 35, whose career hit the skids four years ago.

Music giant EMI Group Plc paid Carey nearly $30 million to buy out her $80 million contract in January 2002 after the commercial flop of "Glitter," the soundtrack to her film debut and her first release from EMI's Virgin Records.

Overall album sales for the week ended Christmas Day were up 2 percent from the same period a year ago, following three straight weeks of double-digit declines, according to SoundScan.

After three days of voting, our judging panel has made a decision! Without further ado, here are your top three finalists for The 2nd Annual "Mariah Daily Idol" Christmas Contest (in alphabetical order):

02 - Adrian - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (USA)
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03 - Chris - "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" (USA)
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12 - Neenah - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (Holland)
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Honorable mentions go out to both Hana (contestant #4) and Maria (contestant #11) who were tied for the fourth place!

Our judges have voted and now it's your turn to vote! Who do you think is the best singer? Who performed the best rendition of a Mariah Christmas song? Who should be the Mariah Daily Idol? Cast your vote in our poll (right sidebar, below important dates) as soon as possible! The winner will be announced on January 1st, 2006 at 8:00 PM EST.

We would like to congratulate all of our participating judges on a job well done and a great spirit at making the votes. We could not have done this without you! As a reward, one of you will be winning a great prize. The winner will be announced along with the "Idol" winner!

Below are some of our favorite comments that were made by the judges:

02 - Adrian - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (USA)

Cecil S.J.: This rendition was amazing from start to finish on every aspect (production, quality, sound, etc.). Adrian, I've always thought a person has a better chance of winning the lottery and getting struck by lighting on the same day than succesfully doing a Mariah Carey cover but you proved me wrong. Good Job!!!

Alfredo F.: The way he presents his song and the way he controlled his vocals are great. The arrangement of the song is very appealing. He pulls you into his song which is a great thing.

LEOlamb: A-freakin-mazing! Very great attention to detail! How can I get a full copy? lol.

Sumreyez: Compared to Mariah's song, I love the way you used the background vocals to make it sound like you really have an actual choir with you. I love the way you kept the real track in your head and sung the notes the best way you possibly can and you pulled this off great!

Mazen: He has an incredible voice , I loved his voice from the first word he started to sing, I wished his recording never stops. He's like a male version of Mariah Carey and totally deserves to be the winner! Excellent!

Cori R.: Adrian had very well put together background vocals, he got very creative and that is what made his entry stand out...not to mention he has an awesome voice! He hit all kinds of notes, high and low. Very impresive.

03 - Chris - "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" (USA)

Javier: Chris, If you are not yet a professional singer, you have got to find your way in. You have THE voice of an angel and! Great use of voice. Awesome dynamics and vocal range. Boy you can SING!

Armand S.: Definitely, I feel he is the best singer in this year's competition... I think the equipment and backgrounds really helped in his favor making the song his own little masterpiece; where as a few others really had the backgrounds take over thier actual voices. Chris has a very soothing, strong voice and it's definitely a version of the song I can listen to over and over again. I hope to see you on American Idol after Mariah Daily's Christmas Idol Contest! =) Awesome job Chris! I hope you win this year and Good Luck!

Jeramiah: OMG, I love his voice! So fresh & soothing, he should definitely pursue a career in the music industry!

Armen B.: I really liked Chris's version, best male singer from this list. Great voice, nice tone and pitch, great background vocals and good arrangement, plus it was accapela which was a plus. The track was good quality, sounded like done in a studio which is a plus, just did not like the ending too much, but overall it was great.

Taz K.: He is definitely a Mariah Daily Christmas Idol! I have two words for Chris, “Hot Tamale.” I also have a question for Chris, are you a professional singer?

Dalzzy: Just a wonderful, soulful voice you have there. I can easily see you recroding some great R'n'B ballads while showcasing your amazing voice.

12 - Neenah - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (Holland)

Keita G.H.: Neenah has a beautiful voice. Apparently, she also possess the whistle tone like Mariah. I have heard many people attempt this and nobody has accomplished it like she has!! her front ground vocals are impeccable, her harmony is divine and her background is excellent!! I love her inflection throughout and she sang the song with emotion. Well done.

Chris: My #1 choice is no other than Neenah. The fourth offering of the song “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman” from the list of contestants went straight to the top spot the moment I heard the number. The harmony and blending of her voice is superb and how she perfectly recorded it gives me a thought that maybe she’s a recording artist in Holland. Maybe she is. Overall, it’s like hearing a 13 year old Mariah Carey sing. Isn’t that great!

Taylor: I have always stated that this song is by far Mariah's most powerful recording. This shows off her ability to harmonise like no other singer, especially when having to harmonise with herself. Neenah has pulled off what I thought no other singer other than Mariah could do! Well done on a great vocal performance! I will continue to listen to this version for a long time!

Edgardo V.: Girl, if I had to resume your performance in one word i have to say Overwhelming. Definitively, you catch the soul and the meaning of every note and word that you sing. Like a delicate butterfly, your voice floats in the air flooding with peace every soul that heard you.

Sara R.: Good voice, very clear, with a beautiful timbre and colouring. In tune and well placed. Still, the song is not very technically demanding, making a good rendition easier. I’d like to hear Neenah go further and explore other songs – I’m sure she has a lot to give and look forward to hearing some more!

Tristram Lee T.: I won't be surprised if Neenah becomes one of Mariah Carey's background vocals after this.

Good Luck Adrian, Chris and Neenah!

Note to Voters: Please listen to all contestants before casting your vote! Thanks!

In the most recent Mariah Daily poll, you were asked to answer: "What is your favorite Mariah and Jermaine Dupri collaboration?"

Here are the results:

1. We Belong Together - 28.04% (2,566 votes)

2. Always Be My Baby - 16.96% (1,552 votes)

3. Don't Forget About Us - 15.48% (1,417 votes)

4. Makin' It Last All Night - 7.51% (687 votes)

5. My All / Stay Awhile - 6.30% (577 votes)

6. Get Your Number - 4.36% (399 votes)

7. Sweetheart - 4.29% (393 votes)

8. Long Ago - 3.15% (288 votes)

9. Always Be My Baby (So So Def Remix) - 2.45% (224 votes)

10. Shake It Off - 2.41% (221 votes)

11. The One - 2.36% (216 votes)

12. Honey (So So Def Remix) - 2.13% (195 votes)

13. It's Like That - 2.01% (184 votes)

14. All I Want For Christmas Is You (So So Def Remix) - 1.81% (166 votes)

15. How Much - 0.73% (67 votes)
Total Votes: 9,152

Pop songbird Mariah Carey, enjoying one of the music industry's biggest comebacks, is giving rap star 50 Cent a run for his money in a year-end, down-to-the-wire race for best-selling U.S. album of 2005.

As of December 18, 50 Cent stood at No. 1 in the United States with 4.8 million copies of sophomore album "The Massacre" sold since March, according to the latest figures from retail sales tracker Nielsen SoundScan.

Carey was closing in rapidly on the rapper with her latest Grammy-nominated collection, "The Emancipation of Mimi," which has tallied sales of 4.6 million since its release in April, Nielsen SoundScan reported.

At current sales rates, Carey would overtake 50 Cent by year's end. On the latest sales chart, "Mimi" ranked at No. 7 with weekly sales of 191,000 copies, compared with just 21,000 for "Massacre."

Both albums topped the charts in their opening weeks but neither has set a sales benchmark for the artists.

The 2003 major-label debut from 50 Cent, "Get Rich or Die Tryin'," has sold 7.4 million copies to date. Carey's all-time hottest seller was 1995's "Daydream," which notched 7.5 million U.S. copies.

Still, the success of "Mimi" marks a dramatic turnaround for Carey, 35, whose career hit the skids four years ago.

Music giant EMI Group Plc paid Carey nearly $30 million to buy out her $80 million contract in January 2002 after the commercial flop of "Glitter," the soundtrack to her film debut and her first release from EMI's Virgin Records.

"Charmbracelet," the maiden release under her new record deal with Universal Music's Island Def Jam label, proved a lackluster follow-up.

This year has seen a startling reversal of Carey's fortunes. In addition to robust album sales, "Mimi" garnered Carey eight Grammy Award nominations earlier this month, including nods for album of the year and record of the year for the CD's first single, "We Belong Together."

That ballad ruled the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for 14 weeks, longer than any other song this year.

Last week, "Don't Forget About Us," the first single from a recent "Mimi" reissue, climbed to the top rung of the singles chart to move Carey a step closer to the Beatles' all-time record of 20 No. 1 hits.

She is now tied with Elvis Presley at No. 2 on the all-time Hot 100 list with 17 chart-topping singles.

Click on the link below to download Mariah's interview with NRJ during her recent visit to Paris, France. In this interview, she talked about working with Jermaine Dupri on "The Emancipation of Mimi" and the nominations for the upcoming NRJ Music Awards. Thanks to SkipperBarbie for the video file!

[ Download Mariah's Interview With NRJ Here! ]

As previously reported, Mariah is up for two NRJ awards namely, International Artist of the Year and International Album of the Year for "The Emancipation of Mimi." Please take a moment to vote for Mariah by clicking here.

The NRJ Music Awards will take place on January 21, 2006 at Midem, Cannes, France.

--Mary J. Blige praises Mariah in an interview with Barnes & Noble.

B&N: Earlier this month, you gave a shout out to Mariah Carey when you received your Vibe Legend award at the Vibe Awards. Are you a big fan? MJB: I love Mariah Carey. Mariah Carey's music saved little ghetto children's lives. Songs like "Visions of Love" gave us hope and we would sing those songs and try to hit every note like Mariah -- which we can't. I don't think she knows what a big part she plays in Mary J. Blige's life. And then to meet her... she's such a beautiful person that you can't do anything but defend her when [the media] starts acting stupid on her. She doesn't deserve that.

--Askmen.com names Mariah as its Singer of the Year.

--The Mirror's 3am declares Mariah as the winner of its 2005 3amEMMIES award for Fab Female.

"Mariah Carey WHAT a comeback year 2005 has been for diamond diva Mariah Carey! A string of hits - including We Belong Together and Don't Forget About Us - has seen her equal Elvis Presley's record of 17 US number ones, and she's been a favourite on the party circuit, too. A girl who enjoys champers and partying as much as she does is a girl after our own heart. Mariah said receiving her gong was "truly fabulous". Like the girl herself."

--Mariah occupies three spots in the Top 20 on Yahoo! Launch this week: "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" debuts at #18, "All I Want For Christmas Is You" at #11 (+4), and "Don't Forget About Us" #12 (-4).

--On MSN's 2005 Year In Review, image #12 shows Mariah donning her orange dress she wore for her "It's Like That" performance at Save The Music in April. Click here to view the picture and to read what MSN has to say about her ensemble.

Australia
This week on the official ARIA charts, "Don't Forget About Us" drops two spots to #18 in its 3rd week on the Top 50 Singles and remains at #4 on the Top 40 Urban Singles. "Shake It Off" reenters the Top 50 at #49 and stays at #15 on Urban. "The Emancipation of Mimi" in its 38th week keeps its spot of #43 on the Top 50 Albums and also stays at #6 on the Top 40 Urban Albums.

Belgium
Mariah is featured in the December 22nd issue of Ciné Tele Revue. Below are the scans of the cover and the accompanying cover story.


Mariah's songs at their 2005 'bests' in Belgium:
--"It's Like That" - #4 in R&B (sales); #3 on Radio Contact FR (airplay)
--"We Belong Together" - #5 in R&B (sales); #1 on Radio Contact FR, #2 on Radio Donna (airplay)
--"Get Your Number" - #6 in R&B (sales); #1 on Antwerp area radio; #3 on provincial radios; #4 on Radio Contact FR (airplay)

Brazil
On the Hot100Br@sil singles chart, "Shake It Off" jumps five places to 23 while "We Belong Together" drops thirteen to #65. On the albums chart, "The Emancipation of Mimi" drops one to #23 in its 35th week. "We Belong Together" places at #14 on Top 100 Songs of 2005!

France
On the official IFOP charts, "We Belong Together" gains one place to #92 on the singles chart while the album, "The Emancipation of Mimi" rises two to #54.

Greece
"Get Your Number" drops three to #31 in its 5th week on the official Greek IFPI singles chart. "The Emancipation of Mimi" falls out of the Top 50 Albums chart.

Hong Kong
Hong Kong's entertainment and tourist guide, "HK Entertainment" reports "On Monday December 19th the SCMP announched that Mariah Carey is set to perform in Hong Kong next year. No date has been confirmed but we will let you know when we have more information."

Israel
"We Belong Together" and "It's Like That" rank at #3 and #22, respectively on Jerusalem Radio's Top 40 Songs of the Year! The station also names Mariah as their #2 Female Artist of the Year (Kelly Clarkson takes #1).

Malaysia
Vote for Mariah on Channel V's The Most Popular Artist of 2005 poll. She is currently at #2. Voting ends January 4, 2006. Mariah also makes the music channel's year-end lists for Sexy Female Artist of 2005 at #2, and Best Moment in Music Video 2005 at #1!

Philippines
Mariah's "We Belong Together" ranked at #4 on MYX Hit Chart's 2005 Year-end Countdown. The song was the highest ranking foreign song on the Top 20 list and also the highest ranking song from any female artist. MYX is the #1 music channel in the Philippines. The MYX Hit Chart counts down the top local and foreign songs in the land.

Russia
"We Belong Together" drops to #13 (#8 peak) on Europe Plus Top 40; "Get Your Number" places at #4 on MTV Europe Top 20; and "I Know What You Want" is #2 on the Ringstone Chat Muz - TV (#1 peak for 12 weeks) in its 112th week on the chart!

Spain
--Cadena 100: "Get Your Number" falls 23 spots to #85 in its 3rd week on the chart. Please continue to request for the song by sending an e-mail to 100x100@cadena100.es and text to 5211 with the message "100 YourName YourProvince MARIAH CAREY".

--Launch Spain: The "O Holy Night" video which became available for the first time on Launch Spain earlier this week has debuted at #97 on the Top 100 list. This is Mariah's first video in 3 years to chart in the top 100 on Spain's Launch. Spanish fans are encouraged to visit the Launch Spain to view the video and help it rise.

--Los 40 Principales: Spain's largest radio station is offering the "All I Want for Christmas is You" realtone to any Spanish cell phone users for this week only (ending Friday). Send 40REAL, space, 30642 to 7740 and visit its www.los40.com for prices.

--Select MTV: A Spanish fan called to request the "Get Your Number" video on TRL Spain on Thursday and also congratulated Mariah on her 17th #1 single. Watch the streaming video of the fan's call and the "Get Your Number" video. Make sure to email MTV Select to request the video and call +915352079.

Turkey
It was a Mariah Weekend on DreamTV. They aired a Mariah video every 15 minutes and a special programme at 11am and 7pm!

UK
"Don't Forget About Us," in its 2nd week on the singles chart drops eight places to #19. "Greatest Hits" rises one to #25 and "The Emancipation of Mimi" up seven to #54 on the albums chart.

USA
Mariah's songs made Z100's Top 100 of 2005 list as follows: "We Belong Together" at #3, "Shake It Off" #23, "Don't Forget About Us" #50, and "It's Like That" at #69.

World Charts
On the official global track chart, "Don't Forget About Us" takes a 7-point jump to #9 in its 5th week! On the global albums chart, "The Emancipation of Mimi" rises three to #11 in its 37th week.

Below are scans from the January 2, 2006 issues of Life&Style, OK!, In Touch and Celebrity Living magazines.

Hark The Herald Angels Sing (Good Morning America, 1991)


Joy To The World (St. John The Divine, 1994)


Joy To The World (TN Show, Argentina, 1994)


Christmas Interviews (MTV, VH1, 1994)


Christmas Interview (1994)


All I Want For Christmas Is You (Daydream Tour, Japan 1996)


All I Want For Christmas Is You (Butterfly Tour, Japan 1998)


O Holy Night (Video Version, 2000)


Joy To The World (BET Christmas Special, 2001)


All I Want For Christmas Is You
(Disney Christmas Day Parade, 2004)


Joy To The World (Disney Christmas Day Parade, 2004)

Many thanks to SkipperBarbie for her great help with the videos.

Merry Christmas!

Welcome to the 2nd annual "Mariah Daily Idol" Christmas contest!

The first voting stage of the contest begins today. Out of over 600 applicants, 150 judges have been selected and e-mailed with the voting guidelines.

Due to an overwhelming amount of submissions (close to 100!), we've decided to have 15 finalists this year!

Below you can download mp3 audio files of all our wonderful finalists. Our judging panel will be voting three of these contestants into the final round where you will be picking the winner!

Contest Finalists
01 - Adis - "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" (Germany)
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02 - Adrian - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"
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03 - Chris - "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" (USA)
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04 - Hana - "Joy To The World" (UK)
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05 - Juan - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"
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06 - Julius - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (FL, USA)
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07 - Justen - "Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)"
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08 - Katerina - "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" (Czech Republic)
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09 - Lionel - "Jesus Oh What A Wonderful Child" (France)
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10 - Marcelo - "Silent_Night" (Argentina)
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11 - Maria - "Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)" (Argentina)
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12 - Neenah - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (Holland)
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13 - Nino - "All I Want For Christmas Is You"
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14 - Thaiane - "O Holy Night" (Brasil)
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15 - YT Huang - "Jesus Born On This Day" (Taiwan)
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Contest Timeline
Dec. 24 - Dec. 27: Judges Deciding Three Finalists
Dec. 28: Top Three Finalists Announced!
Dec. 28 - Dec. 31: Site Visitors Voting on Winner!
January 1st, 2006: Mariah Daily's Idol Winner Announced!

THANK YOU to everyone who entered the contest and applied to be a judge! If you didn't get picked this year, hopefully you can try again next year!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Thrilling Kwanza and Happy Holidays to all of you!

While there’s no telling how last-minute shoppers will impact the final tally (CDs are so easy to wrap), next week’s Top 10 may look something like this:

1. Mary J Blige, 600k plus (debut)
2. Jamie Foxx, 525k (debut)
3. Carrie Underwood, 400k-425k
4. Eminem, 375k-400k
5. Notorious B.I.G., 300k-325k (debut)
6. Kenny Chesney, 275k-300k
7. Now 20, 275k-300k
8. Kelly Clarkson, 260k-290k
9. Mariah Carey, 250k-275k
10. Nickelback, 250k-275k

Then again, it may not. Can you stand the suspense?

Head over to Mariah's Official Site for a brand new voice message Mariah left for her fans.

Transcript
Woooo! Happy 17th! Yay! You guys! Thanks!

This is the best ever, ever, ever, ever, ever gift. I am so happy! (Wooo!) I am just so excited I had to call you and say, no for real I can't even express it and we're just being totally celebratory ... Jasmine's here (Jasmine: I'm here in front of a roaring fire in the festive Christmas tree.), Rachel is over here (Rachel: Hi, lambs!), and Jack is here, he's a little excited, but I don't want him to ruin the message. I've been trying to leave a message three times and everytime we tried to blow the little festive horn, the new year's thing, he freaked out and like started attacking us (laugh) but anyway, I just wanted to say that you are the best in the world, you know that and you've made this year if not the best year of my life one of the most incredible years ever and I just, all I can say is I love you, appreciate you and enjoy you and I wish I could get Jack to bark without him attacking us but he loves you too and seriously this is such an amazing day for me. Thank you guys for making it possible and it's just an incredible blessing and I just thank God for you and I thank God for this day and for everything and everybody, Happy Holidays! I'm gonna call you back and leave you some more festive messages but it was a really fun happy 17th party tonight so, you guys were with us in spirit and, I love you (we took pictures too and we're gonna show you). Yes, you're gonna see the pictures soon so anyway, happy 17th and I love you much! Buh-bye!