Mariah Carey Net Worth 2024: How Much is the ‘Queen of Christmas’ Worth?

Mariah Carey net worth is estimated to be around $350 million, as of 2024. Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress born on March 27, 1969. She’s known for her incredible vocal range spanning five octaves her unique melismatic singing style and her ability to hit high notes using the whistle register. Carey has influenced many singers with her vocal techniques and is credited with blending hip-hop and pop music popularizing remixes and breaking down racial barriers in entertainment.

She earned the nickname “Songbird Supreme” from Guinness World Records and was ranked the fifth greatest singer by Rolling Stone in 2023. Mariah Carey is also known as the “Queen of Christmas” thanks to her enduring holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You” which is the best-selling Christmas song by a female artist.

Carey’s career took off in 1990 with her first album “Mariah Carey” under Columbia Records. She made history as the first artist to have her first five singles reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart starting with “Vision of Love” and including hits like “Emotions.” Her albums “Music Box” and “Daydream” were hugely successful worldwide spawning hits such as “Hero,” “Fantasy,” and “Always Be My Baby.”

After divorcing Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, Carey changed her image and incorporated more hip-hop and R&B into her music with albums like “Butterfly” and “Rainbow.” By the end of the 1990s Billboard recognized her as the most successful artist of the decade in the United States. In 2001 she left Columbia Records and signed with Virgin Records.

Despite a setback with the film “Glitter” in 2001, Mariah Carey rebounded with her album “The Emancipation of Mimi” in 2005 which became one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century. Its hit single “We Belong Together” topped the charts and solidified her comeback. Carey has also ventured into acting appearing in films like “Precious,” “The Butler,” and “The Lego Batman Movie” as well as serving as a judge on “American Idol” and starring in her reality show “Mariah’s World.”

She’s one of the best-selling artists of all time with over 220 million records sold worldwide. Carey has received numerous awards and recognitions including 6 Grammy Awards and multiple Guinness World Records for her chart-topping success.

What is Mariah Carey Net Worth in 2024?

Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress with a net worth of $350 million as of 2024, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Mariah Carey’s main source of net worth comes from her music career, especially the sales of her albums and singles.

She has sold over 200 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists of all time. She also earns a lot from touring and live performances. Another big source of income is from royalties, especially from her hit holiday song “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which earns millions every year.

Carey also has made money from acting, business ventures, endorsements, and her Las Vegas residency shows.

Mariah Carey’s Early Life and Education

Mariah Carey was born on March 27, 1969, in Huntington New York. Her name comes from the song “They Call the Wind Maria” from the 1951 Broadway musical Paint Your Wagon. Mariah is the youngest of three children born to Patricia a former opera singer and vocal coach with Irish roots and Alfred Roy Carey an aeronautical engineer with African-American and Afro-Venezuelan heritage.

The surname “Carey” was adopted by Mariah’s Venezuelan grandfather Francisco Núñez after moving to New York. Patricia’s family disowned her for marrying a Black man and the Careys faced racial hostility including having their dog poisoned and their car set on fire by neighbors.

After her parents divorced, Mariah Carey had little contact with her father. Her mother juggled multiple jobs to make ends meet. Mariah often left alone at home started singing at age three imitating her mother’s operatic performances in Italian. Her sister Alison went to live with their father while Mariah and her brother Morgan stayed with their mother.

Mariah excelled in music and literature during elementary school. She began writing poetry and lyrics in high school at Harborfields High School in Greenlawn New York from which she graduated in 1987. Her mother though a trained opera singer never pushed Mariah towards opera allowing her to explore her musical path. Mariah appreciated opera but chose a different musical direction.

High school was challenging due to her frequent absences as she worked as a demo singer earning her the nickname “Mirage.” Engaging with the Long Island music scene she collaborated with musicians like Gavin Christopher and Ben Margulies co-writing songs for her demo tape.

To pursue her music career, Mariah Carey moved to New York City juggling part-time jobs and completing 500 hours of beauty school to cover her expenses. She lived in a crowded one-bedroom apartment with four other female students. Eventually, she landed a backup singing job for freestyle artist Brenda K. Starr marking her entry into the music industry.

Mariah Carey’s Career

Career beginnings and self-titled debut album

In December 1988, Mariah Carey went with Starr to a party held by a music executive. At the event, she gave her demo tape to Tommy Mottola who was the head of Columbia Records. After Mottola listened to the tape on his way home he was so impressed that he turned his car around to find Carey. She had already left but he searched for her for two weeks. Eventually, Mottola signed Carey to Columbia amidst a bidding war with another record label.

Columbia heavily promoted Carey positioning her as their leading female artist alongside Whitney Houston and Madonna. They invested over $1 million in promoting her debut album “Mariah Carey” which was released on June 5, 1990. The album quickly became a massive success staying at the top of the Billboard 200 chart for eleven weeks. Carey won Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards for her hit single “Vision of Love.” The album’s other singles including “Love Takes Time” and “Someday” also reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

Emotions and MTV Unplugged

The following year, Mariah Carey worked on her second album “Emotions” which she co-wrote and co-produced. Despite its success selling eight million copies globally it didn’t match the acclaim of her debut. Carey faced criticism about her ability to perform live which led her to prove herself on MTV Unplugged. Her rendition of “I’ll Be There” became another number-one hit.

Music Box and Merry Christmas

After “Emotions” Carey released “Music Box” in 1993 her best-selling album to date with over 28 million copies sold worldwide. She continued to dominate with hits like “Dreamlover” and “Hero.” Carey’s career soared with subsequent albums like “Daydream” which included chart-toppers like “Fantasy” and “One Sweet Day” a collaboration with Boyz II Men that set records on the Billboard Hot 100.

Mariah Carey’s musical style evolved with albums like “Butterfly” which incorporated more hip-hop and R&B influences. Despite facing challenges with her record label and personal life Carey remained a formidable force in the music industry. Her career reached new heights even as she navigated personal and professional setbacks.

New image with Butterfly and Rainbow

By the late 1990s and early 2000s, Carey continued to release music and explore new creative avenues solidifying her status as one of the most influential artists of her generation. Her journey through highs and lows both personally and professionally underscored her resilience and lasting impact on popular music.

Mariah Carey’s tenth album “The Emancipation of Mimi” released in 2005 featured collaborations with The Neptunes, Kanye West, and her longtime partner Jermaine Dupri. Carey described it as a fun upbeat record inspired by the excitement of getting ready for a night out. The album was a big success topping charts in the US marking her first number-one since 1997’s “Butterfly” and receiving positive reviews. Critics praised it for its cool urban vibe and considered it a comeback for Carey, especially with its standout single “We Belong Together.”

“We Belong Together” became a defining song in Carey’s career revitalizing it after a challenging period. It broke records on the Billboard Hot 100 staying at number one for fourteen weeks and becoming one of the longest-running chart-toppers in US history. The song was hailed by critics as a return to form and restored confidence in Carey’s ability as a ballad singer.

Following its success, Carey’s album was re-released as “The Ultra Platinum Edition” featuring another number-one hit “Don’t Forget About Us.” The Emancipation of Mimi earned Carey ten Grammy nominations winning three including Best Contemporary R&B Album and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for “We Belong Together.”

Commercially the album was a juggernaut selling nearly five million copies in the US alone in 2005 and over 12 million worldwide. Carey supported the album with her first headlining tour in three years receiving acclaim for her vocal prowess.

E=MC², Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, and Precious

In the years following, Carey continued her success with albums like “E=MC²” which debuted at number one, and “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel.” Despite some mixed reviews, these albums showcased Carey’s versatility and continued popularity. Her career has also seen ventures into acting philanthropy and further musical achievements solidifying her status as an iconic figure in music and entertainment.

In 2018, Carey signed a big deal with Live Nation Entertainment worldwide. Her first commitment under this deal was a Las Vegas show called “The Butterfly Returns” which started in July 2018 and was praised by critics. The initial 12 shows made $3.6 million and more dates were added for 2019 and 2020. After Vegas Carey toured Asia with her Mariah Carey: Live in Concert tour and later returned to Europe for her All I Want for Christmas Is You concerts.

Caution and Merry Christmas reissue

In September 2018, Carey announced she would release her fifteenth studio album later that year. She introduced it with a new song called “GTFO” at the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Festival. The album Caution came out on November 16, 2018, and received great reviews from critics. It debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 though it was her least-selling album so far and marked her final release with Epic Records. By December 2018 Caution was featured on many year-end lists by music critics.

In February 2019, Mariah Carey started her Caution World Tour to support the album. Later in 2019, she engaged in various business ventures and appeared on TV. She released “In the Mix” the theme song for the ABC sitcom Mixed-ish and celebrated the 25th anniversary of her holiday album Merry Christmas with a re-release that included live performances and new tracks.

The Rarities and The Meaning of Mariah Carey

In 2020, Carey was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and marked the 30th anniversary of her debut album with a campaign called “#MC30.” She also released her memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey which became a bestseller. Later in 2020, she released a compilation album titled The Rarities featuring rare and unreleased songs from throughout her career.

In December 2020, Mariah Carey premiered a Christmas special on Apple TV+ and released a new version of her song “Oh Santa!” featuring Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson. She continued to collaborate and perform including appearing on Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis’ album in 2021 and releasing new Christmas music in 2021 and 2022.

In 2023, Carey saw a revival of her 2009 song “It’s a Wrap” on TikTok leading her to release an EP for the song. She also released a deluxe version of her album Music Box and embarked on a successful concert tour titled Merry Christmas One and All!

The Celebration of Mimi

As of 2024, Mariah Carey has continued her musical journey collaborating with Ariana Grande on a remix and starting a new Las Vegas residency titled The Celebration of Mimi. She also released an expanded edition of her album Rainbow and hinted at new music in the works while promoting the re-release.

Mariah Carey’s Personal Life

In 2006, Maria Carey said she felt like she had changed a lot spiritually. Her priorities and her relationship with God became more important to her. She mentioned how praying in private moments made a big difference in her life.

She also talked about learning that she couldn’t control everything and that whatever God wanted to happen would happen. Carey felt like she had been given many chances to make things right and she credited God’s grace for keeping her going.

When Carey was recording her album “Mariah Carey” she started dating Tommy Mottola. They got married in 1993 in a lavish ceremony in New York City. They moved into a mansion in Bedford New York which Carey jokingly called “Sing Sing” because she felt trapped there.

After her album “Daydream” became a hit Carey focused more on her difficult personal life. Her relationship with Mottola began to suffer because they disagreed about her music and he was controlling. They separated in 1997 and divorced by 2000. Their home was sold in 1998 and burned down in 1999.

After her split from Mottola, Mariah Carey dated Derek Jeter from 1997 to 1998 and then singer Luis Miguel from 1998 to 2001. She met Nick Cannon while filming a music video in 2008 and they married in the Bahamas the same year. They suffered a miscarriage and then had twins in 2011. Cannon confirmed their separation in 2014 and their divorce was finalized in 2016.

Carey dated Australian billionaire James Packer in 2015 and announced their engagement in January 2016 but they called it off later that year. She started dating Bryan Tanaka in October 2016 but they broke up in December 2023 after seven years together.

In April 2018, Mariah Carey shared that she had been dealing with bipolar II disorder since 2001. She started therapy and taking medication to manage it initially keeping her diagnosis private.

Mariah Carey’s Philanthropy 

Mariah Carey is well-known for her charitable work with various organizations. In the early 1990s, she got involved with the Fresh Air Fund and helped create Camp Mariah in Fishkill New York. This camp aims to introduce city kids to the arts and career opportunities. Carey received a Congressional Horizon Award for her efforts in youth charity work related to Camp Mariah. Over the years she has stayed connected to the camp and it’s been reported that attendees have higher graduation rates.

Additionally, Carey has donated proceeds from her songs “Hero” and “One Sweet Day” to charity. She’s worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and received their Wish Idol award in 2006. Carey has also supported the Police Athletic League and contributed to New York Presbyterian Hospital Cornell Medical Center. A portion of the sales from her MTV Unplugged album was given to various charities. In 2008 she was named a Hunger Ambassador for the World Hunger Relief Movement.

In entertainment, Mariah Carey has used her platform for good causes. She contributed the song “100%” to the 2010 Winter Olympics with proceeds benefiting Team USA. She was honored with PETA’s Angel for Animals Award in 2017 for promoting pet adoption through her film “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

Carey has performed at numerous benefit concerts including VH1’s Divas Live Live 8 in London and fundraisers for Hurricane Katrina and 9/11 victims. She also participated in charity singles like “Just Stand Up” and joined COVID-19 relief efforts through telethons.

Despite her philanthropy, Mariah Carey has faced criticism such as performing for Muammar Gaddafi’s family in 2008 and a concert in Angola in 2013 which sparked controversy among human rights activists.

In efforts to rectify past mistakes royalties from her song “Save the Day” released in 2020 are donated to human rights awareness charities. Carey remains committed to giving back dedicating both her time and resources to various causes worldwide.

Mariah Carey Real Estate

Mariah Carey has spent many years living in different homes. She rents a house in Beverly Hills and has an apartment in Tribeca, New York City.

In the 1990s, Mariah lived with her ex-husband, Tommy Mottola, in a huge mansion in Westchester County, New York. This mansion was very big, about 33,000 square feet, and sat on 51 acres of land. After they broke up, they sold the house in 1998. Sadly, it burned down a year later.

Mariah also owns a vacation home in the Bahamas.

In November 2021, she bought a new property in Atlanta, Georgia, for $5.65 million. This home is on 4.2 acres and has a 16,000-square-foot Colonial-style mansion. In September 2022, she tried to sell it for $6.5 million but ended up selling it for $4.3 million in May 2023, which was a loss of $1.35 million.