The lavish 5 LP vinyl box set boasts dozens of bonus tracks
Mariah Carey is continuing the 20th anniversary celebration of her iconic, multi-platinum tenth album, The Emancipation of Mimi, home to era-defining pop/R&B singles “It’s Like That,” “We Belong Together,” “Shake It Off,” “Say Somethin’,” “Fly Like A Bird,” and “Get Your Number,” with a 20th anniversary suite of definitive, expanded deluxe releases of her modern classic.
Arriving May 30th via Def Jam Records/UMe, the marquee release of The Emancipation of Mimi (20th Anniversary Edition) collection is a gorgeous, limited edition 5 LP vinyl box set, personally compiled by Mariah to bring together the musical world she created, and continues to create, around this masterwork. As elaborate as it is all-encompassing, this ultimate fan-must have combines the original album and beloved tracks from the Ultra Platinum Edition, such as the hit single “Don’t Forget About Us,” “Makin’ It Last All Night (What It Do),” “Secret Love,” and “Sprung,” with dozens of bonus tracks, spanning from Emancipation era dance remixes, artist collabs, instrumentals, acapellas, and edits, culled from various CD singles and maxi singles, to brand new remixes by the likes of Kaytranada and Esentrik. Housed in a beautiful slipcase, the expansive 5 LP vinyl collection features exclusive packaging with a 28-page booklet with stunning photos of Carey as well as a personal letter from the legendary singer to her fans about the significance of this unprecedented album in her extraordinary career. A deluxe 2 LP vinyl set will also be available.
“I’m really happy to celebrate ‘Mimi’s Emancipation’ with this special anniversary re-release,” says Carey. “While working on this edition, I got to relive all the memories from this pivotal moment in my personal and professional life. This album has some of my biggest hits to date, as well as some personal favorites that are very special to me. Forgotten gems, unreleased bonus tracks and different remixes with incredible collaborators – all of these and more are now available in one place for the first time ever!”
Ahead of the release, fans can watch the visualizer for longtime fan Kaytranada’s simmering and sultry spin on “Don’t Forget About Us,” available to stream everywhere.
An extended Digital Deluxe Edition of The Emancipation of Mimi (20th Anniversary Edition) will also be available on May 30th with an exclusive selection of songs from the box set plus additional tracks exclusive to digital. The full tracklisting will be revealed at a later date.
The 45-track comprehensive 5 LP box will include a slew of previously unreleased musical treats guaranteed to excite both longtime fans and those just discovering Mariah’s genius, highlighted by the long-awaited, fan-requested official release of “When I Feel It,” a standout song originally intended for The Emancipation of Mimi but ultimately unreleased due to sample clearance issues; Mariah’s 2021’s inspired late night jam session, “We Belong Together (Mimi’s Late Night Valentine’s Mix); and Mariah’s unforgettable performance of “Don’t Forget About Us” / “We Belong Together” from the 2024 American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special, the first of many 20th anniversary festivities around The Emancipation of Mimi. Other unreleased treasures include “We Belong Together (Instrumental),” “Shake It Off (Acapella),” and “Circles (Acapella).”
From the original album to the Ultra Platinum Edition, released just seven months later due to the global smash success of Emancipation, to the many singles loaded with vivacious and effervescent dance, house and club remixes, sumptuous instrumentals, jaw-dropping acapellas, and thrilling collaborations with an incredible array of guests artists, including Jay Z, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Cam’ron, Juelz Santana, N.O.R.E., Fabolous, Style P, and others, Mariah presented, evolved and refreshed the music of The Emancipation of Mimi in unique and innovative ways. This lavish box set fully encapsulates the breadth of this exciting era while also offering fans new creations alongside unheard rarities.
Released on April 12, 2005, through Island/Def Jam Records, The Emancipation of Mimi found Mariah collaborating with the era’s most sought-after talent, including Jermaine Dupri, Snoop Dogg, Kanye West, Twista, Nelly, Pharrell Williams and The Neptunes, and James “Big Jim” Wright. It is widely regarded by fans as her critically acclaimed “comeback” project.
An overwhelming triumph on both a personal and professional level, the album marked Carey’s reclamation of her throne as the reigning queen of pop and R&B. From the bass-rattling beats and sparkling vocals in opener “It’s Like That” to the slinky mid-tempo “Shake It Off” and the all-time romantic ballad “We Belong Together” (which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for a whopping 14 weeks – the longest of any song during the 2000s – and was later declared by the magazine “song of the decade”), The Emancipation of Mimi was not so much about recounting her industry struggles as it was a pop icon doing what she does best. In that way, The Emancipation of Mimi was a masterclass in “show, don’t tell,” as Mariah and a trusted group of peers rolled out 14 tracks with breezy beats, soaring powerhouse vocals, and of-the-moment production that sounds as fresh in 2025 as it did in 2005.
Soaring to No. 1 with more than 404,000 copies sold in its first week of release, The Emancipation of Mimi was Carey’s first album since 1997’s Butterfly to debut at the top of the Billboard 200 chart, ultimately becoming the best-selling album of 2005 in the U.S with nearly five million units sold. Globally, it was the world’s second best-selling album of the year and it reached the top five in Canada, Denmark, France, and Japan. The Ultra Platinum Edition, released in November 2005 with several new tracks, including the towering “Don’t Forget About Us,” would keep the album in the top five for many more months and give Carey her 17th No. 1 hit, trying her with Elvis Presley for the most No. 1 singles by a solo artist (a record she’d eventually surpass). Collectively, the two albums would earn her ten Grammy Award nominations: eight in 2006 for the original release (the most received by Mariah in a single year), including the big three: Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Song of the Year (“We Belong Together); and two in 2007 for the Ultra Platinum Edition. In 2006, Mariah took home trophies for Best Contemporary R&B album and Best R&B Song and Best Female Vocal Performance for “We Belong Together.”
As of 2025, The Emancipation of Mimi has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide, making it both the best-selling album of Mariah’s career and one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century.
With the resounding success of her 24-show Las Vegas residency, The Celebration of Mimi, which wrapped in February and will continue as a worldwide tour this year with stops in England, Brazil, Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines, with more cities to come, and now this stunning new box set, The Emancipation of Mimi continues to remain as relevant and vital two decades after the legendary, and current Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee, Mariah Carey, freed herself from the constrictions and expectations of the industry and listened to her heart to create a timeless masterpiece filled with heart, soul and her incredible, peerless vocals.
Side A:
1. It’s Like That
2. We Belong Together
3. Shake It Off
4. Mine Again
5. Say Somethin’
Side B:
1. Stay The Night
2. Get Your Number
3. One And Only
4. Circles
5. Your Girl
Side C:
1. I Wish You Knew
2. To The Floor
3. Joy Ride
4. Fly Like A Bird
5. Don’t Forget About Us
Side D:
1. Makin’ It Last All Night (What It Do)
2. We Belong Together (Remix)
3. Secret Love
4. Sprung
5. We Belong Together (Mimi’s Late Night Valentine’s Mix)
Side E:
1. It’s Like That (No Rap)
2. It’s Like That (David Morales Classic Mix)
3. It’s Like That Remix (Scott Storch, Fat Joe)
4. It’s Like That Instrumental
Side F:
1. We Belong Together Peter Rauhofer Radio Mix
2. We Belong Together Atlantic Soul Radio Mix
3. We Belong Together (Mimi’s Late Night Valentine Mix) [Extended]
4. We Belong Together Instrumental [Previously Unreleased]
Side G:
1. Shake It Off (Remix) Jay Z & Jeezy
2. Shake It Off (Instrumental)
3. Shake It Off (Acapella) [Previously Unreleased]
Side H:
1. So Lonely (One & Only Pt. II)
2. Say Somethin’ feat. Dem Franchize Boyz – So So Def Remix Radio Edit
3. Say Somethin’ – David Morales Radio Edit
4. Say Somethin’ – Instrumental
5. Circles (Acapella) [Previously Unreleased]
Side I:
1. Your Girl (Diplomat Remix) feat. Cam’ron & Juelz Santa
2. Your Girl (Remix) feat. N.O.R.E.
3. Don’t Forget About Us – Desert Storm Remix feat. Fabolous & Styles P
4. Don’t Forget About Us Remix – ft. Juelz Santana and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
5. Don’t Forget About Us – Ralphi Rosario & Craig J. Martini at XO vocal edit
Side J:
1. When I Feel It [Previously Unreleased]
2. It’s Like That (Esentrik Remix) [Previously Unreleased]
3. Don’t Forget About Us/We Belong Together (Live from the American Music Awards) [Previously Unreleased]
4. Don’t Forget About Us (KAYTRANADA Remix) [Previously Unreleased]
