Mariah Carey goes No. 1 for the 18th time with 'Touch My Body'

By M&C News Apr 2, 2008, 14:55 GMT

International superstar Mariah Carey reaches a once-in-a-lifetime career achievement as her current single “Touch My Body” goes to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week and becomes her 18th career #1 hit – surpassing one of the most enduring chart records in Billboard Hot 100 history, Elvis Presley’s 17 #1’s. 

Mariah is now positioned as the only active recording artist in the 50 years of the Hot 100 (which began in 1958) with the potential to surpass the Beatles’ all-time high of 20 #1 hits.

“Touch My Body” takes over #1 with an all-time record-setting 286,000 debut week at #1 on the Billboard hot digital songs chart, and a Hot 100 Airplay radio audience now over 115 million.  The video, directed by feature filmmaker Brett Ratner, and featuring a cameo by Jack McBrayer (30 Rock’s Kenneth Parcell), stays at #1 on the Yahoo Music Video Chart, Yahoo Launchcast and AOL.  And Mariah’s widget has been viewed over 4.26 million times!

 “Touch My Body” is the first smash from Mariah’s highly anticipated hot new album E=MC˛, arriving in stores April 15th.  Pre-orders are now underway for E=MC˛, with iTunes customers receiving “Touch My Body” instantly with their pre-order.

“Touch My Body” was one of two songs Mariah performed last month on NBC’s Saturday Night Live (show to be re-run on May 3rd). Last week, Mariah gave a special perform­ance of “Touch My Body” and “We Belong Together” after the third season premiere of the MTV reality series, “The Hills.”  The episode set a year-to-date record as the highest rated telecast on cable tv, with 5 million viewers tuning in.

On April 9th, Mariah will join an all-star cast for the second annual “IDOL Gives Back” two-hour tv special, a music celebration raising awareness and benefiting various U.S. and international charities.  The first special raised $76 million last year, and won a prestigious Governor’s Emmy Award. 

On Monday, April 14th, Mariah will appear as special guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, preceding the E=MC˛ album release day on the 15th.  The next night, April 16th, Mariah will perform on “American Idol” after serving as musical mentor to that week’s finalists.

“Touch My Body” was produced by Mariah Carey, C. “Tricky” Stewart, and fellow Island Def Jam artist The-Dream.  Other guest producers joining Mariah on E=MC˛ include Jermaine Dupri, DJ Toomp, Stargate, Will I Am, Bryan Michael Cox, Nate "Danjahandz" Hills and James Poyser.  The album is executive produced by Mariah Carey and Antonio “LA” Reid, Chairman, Island Def Jam Music Group. 

 The 11th studio album of her career, E=MC˛ follows-up The Emancipation Of Mimi, Mariah’s worldwide 10 million selling #1 album, which generated three Grammy awards (including Best Contemporary R&B Album), two #1 singles, and countless more honors during its 18-month stay on the charts.  Released April 12, 2005, Mimi was an industry phenomenon for the mega-platinum award-winning superstar. Soundscan’s biggest-selling album of the year, it brought total sales of Mariah’s albums, singles and videos to over 160 million worldwide, making her the top-selling female recording artist in history.

Mimi featured “We Belong Together” (Grammy winner for Best Female R&B Vocal and Best R&B Song) and “Don’t Forget About Us,” Mariah’s 16th and 17th #1 singles respectively – which tied Elvis Presley’s 17 #1’s. 

“Touch My Body” now surpasses Elvis as Mariah’s 18th #1 hit, and positions her as the only active recording artist with the potential to surpass the Beatles’ all-time high of 20 #1 hits.  “Touch My Body” also marks Mariah’s 78th cumulative career week at #1, as she closes the gap on Elvis Presley’s all-time high record of 80 weeks at #1.