Butterfly cover art

  Studio Album · No. 6

Butterfly

1997 Columbia Records 13 tracks 57 min

Produced by Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff, Sean Combs, Jermaine Dupri, Q-Tip, Stevie J, Cory Rooney, Darryl Simmons

Columbia Records R&BPopHip Hop
92%
Authorship
Artist

Mariah Carey wrote 12 of 13 documented tracks

Authorship Breakdown 12 / 13 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 13 tracks with documented writers, by whether Mariah Carey carries a lyricist or composer credit.

92%
12 trackswritten by Mariah Carey 1 trackoutside writers
Mariah Carey's roles on this album

Share of the 13 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist92%
Composer92%
Producer77%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

13
Tracks
11
Lyricists
7
Producers
2
No.1 Singles
10 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
1997
Released
Data Insight

Butterfly is the album where Mariah Carey fully embraced hip-hop and contemporary R&B, and she co-wrote every original song on it. She worked with Sean 'Puffy' Combs, Q-Tip, Stevie J, and the Trackmasters on the urban tracks and with Walter Afanasieff on the ballads. The lone song she did not write is the cover of Prince's 'The Beautiful Ones,' performed with Dru Hill.

Butterfly is Mariah Carey's sixth studio album, released in September 1997. It marked a significant artistic shift, moving away from the polished pop-R&B of her early albums toward a more hip-hop-influenced sound, featuring collaborations with Sean Combs, Jermaine Dupri, and Q-Tip. Carey co-wrote virtually every track on the album. It produced the hits 'Honey' and 'Butterfly.'

Track Listing & Credits 13 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Honey #1
Mariah CareySean CombsStevie JQ-TipBarry EastmondBobby Eli Mariah CareySean CombsStevie JQ-TipBarry EastmondBobby Eli Sean CombsStevie JQ-Tip Mariah Carey (Lead Vocals)
2
Butterfly
Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah Carey (Lead Vocals)
3
My All #1
Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah Carey (Lead Vocals)
4
The Roof (Back in Time)
Mariah CareyJermaine DupriManuel Seal Mariah CareyJermaine DupriManuel Seal Jermaine DupriManuel Seal Mariah Carey (Lead Vocals)
5
Fourth of July
Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah Carey (Lead Vocals)
6
Breakdown
Mariah CareyBone Thugs-n-Harmony Mariah CareyBone Thugs-n-Harmony Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (Lead Vocals)Krayzie Bone (Rap)Wish Bone (Rap)
7
Babydoll
Mariah CareyJermaine DupriManuel Seal Mariah CareyJermaine DupriManuel Seal Jermaine DupriManuel Seal Mariah Carey (Lead Vocals)
8
Close My Eyes
Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah Carey (Lead Vocals)
9
Whenever You Call
Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah Carey (Lead Vocals)
10
Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise)
Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah Carey (Lead Vocals)
11
The Beautiful Ones
Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (Lead Vocals)Dru Hill (Vocals)
12
Outside
Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah Carey (Lead Vocals)
13
In My Head
Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah CareyWalter Afanasieff Mariah Carey (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 14 contributors

MC
Mariah Carey
Writer · Producer · Vocals
On this album12 written
WA
Walter Afanasieff
Writer · Producer
On this album8 written
JD
Jermaine Dupri
Writer · Producer
On this album2 written
MS
Manuel Seal
Writer · Producer
On this album2 written
Q
Q-Tip
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
SC
Sean Combs
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
SJ
Stevie J
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
BE
Barry Eastmond
Writer
On this album1 written
BE
Bobby Eli
Writer
On this album1 written
BT
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
Writer
On this album1 written
PR
Prince Rogers Nelson
Writer
On this album1 written
DH
Dru Hill
Vocals
On this albumGuest

More from Mariah Carey

1990 100%
Mariah Carey
Columbia Records
11 tracksProd. Ric Wake
1991 90%
Emotions
Columbia Records
10 tracksProd. Walter Afanasieff
1993 90%
Music Box
Columbia Records
10 tracksProd. Walter Afanasieff
1994 27%
Merry Christmas
Columbia Records
11 tracksProd. Walter Afanasieff
1995 92%
Daydream
Columbia Records
12 tracksProd. Walter Afanasieff
1999 100%
Rainbow
Columbia Records
12 tracksProd. Mariah Carey
2001 75%
Glitter
Virgin Records
12 tracksProd. Mariah Carey
2002 93%
Charmbracelet
Island Records
15 tracksProd. Mariah Carey
2005 100%
The Emancipation of Mimi
Island Def Jam Records
14 tracksProd. Jermaine Dupri
2008 100%
E=MC²
Island Records
14 tracksProd. Mariah Carey
2009 94%
Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel
Island Records
17 tracksProd. Mariah Carey
2010 46%
Merry Christmas II You
Island Records
13 tracksProd. Mariah Carey
2014 93%
Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse
Def Jam Recordings
14 tracksProd. Mariah Carey
2018 100%
Caution
Epic Records
10 tracksProd. Mariah Carey

Frequently Asked Questions Butterfly

When did Mariah Carey release Butterfly?
Mariah Carey released Butterfly on September 10, 1997 through Columbia Records. The album marked her full creative and personal shift toward hip-hop and R&B.
Did Mariah Carey write Butterfly herself?
Yes, Mariah Carey co-wrote every original song on Butterfly. She collaborated with Sean Combs, Q-Tip, Stevie J, and Walter Afanasieff, and the only track she did not write is a cover of Prince's 'The Beautiful Ones.'
Who wrote Honey by Mariah Carey?
'Honey' was co-written by Mariah Carey with Sean Combs, Stevie J, Q-Tip, and others. The lead single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Is The Beautiful Ones by Mariah Carey a cover?
Yes, 'The Beautiful Ones' is a cover of the Prince song, written by Prince Rogers Nelson. Mariah Carey recorded it with the group Dru Hill, and it is the only song on Butterfly she did not co-write.
Who produced Butterfly by Mariah Carey?
Butterfly was produced by Sean 'Puffy' Combs, Q-Tip, Stevie J, the Trackmasters, and Walter Afanasieff, working with Mariah Carey. The mix of producers gave the album its blend of hip-hop soul and pop balladry.
How many copies did Butterfly by Mariah Carey sell?
Butterfly has sold over 10 million copies worldwide. It is certified 5× Platinum by the RIAA in the United States.

Sources

Wikipedia: Butterfly (Mariah Carey album) MusicBrainz: Butterfly (release group) Cover Art Archive: Butterfly Discogs: Butterfly Cover Art Archive: Butterfly by Mariah Carey