We Belong Together (3:21)

This is a song recorded by Mariah Carey for her tenth studio album The Emancipation of Mimi (2005) and released as the album’s second single in 2005. Written and produced by Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, and Johntá Austin, the song was inspired by 1980s R&B and soul. Its arrangement is built on simple piano chords and an understated backbeat, and its lyrics chronicle a woman’s desperation for her former lover to return after their separation. Billboard magazine named it the most popular song of the 2000s and most successful song by a female artist in Billboard history.

Following a career-decline between 2001 and 2005, Carey achieved major worldwide success with “We Belong Together” as the song topped the charts in Australia and the United States (for 14 non-consecutive weeks). In the U.S., the song also repeatedly broke many BDS Airplay records and was warmly received by critics. It won Carey a number of industry awards, including two Grammy Awards in 2006.Billboard magazine listed “We Belong Together” ninth on The Billboard: All-Time Hot 100 Top Songs and the most successful song of the 2000s decade.

As for it’s music style is a pop ballad that exhibits strong influences from hip hop and R&B. The song is propelled by a programmed Roland TR-808-styled kick and hi-hat, which is prominently utilized in hip hop music.Carey adopts a reserved, rap-flavored singing style, which garnered approval from the critics who admonish her ornate, melismatic singing style.