Butterfly (Mariah Carey album)

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Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: Template:Start date | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Daydream1995#1's1998studioButterflyMariah Carey Butterfly 1997 album cover.pngImage shows Carey standing in front of a brown/gold background in a beige sleeveless and mid-baring top, with darker matching pants. Her hair is long and golden-auburn, and is flowing in the air. Carey's left hand is touching the flowing tips of her hair and has a jeweled belt along her navel.Standard artworkMariah CareyTemplate:Start dateNovember 1996 – July 1997* The Hit Factory (New York City)

Butterfly is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on September 10, 1997, by Columbia Records. The album contains both hip-hop and urban adult contemporary sounds, as well as some softer and more contemporary melodies. Throughout the project, Carey worked with Walter Afanasieff, with whom she had written and produced most of the material from her previous albums. She also worked with many famed hip-hop producers and rappers, such as Sean "Puffy" Combs, Q-Tip, Missy Elliott and the Trackmasters. With the latter acts producing most of the album, Butterfly deviated from the adult contemporary sound of Carey's previous albums.

With Butterfly, Carey continued the transition that began with previous album, Daydream (1995), which pushed her further into the R&B and hip hop market and away from the pop background of her previous work. Carey was able to reflect her creative maturity and evolution in the album's writing and recording. Carey writes in the booklet of her twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (2009), that she considers Butterfly her magnum opus and a turning point in both her life and career.

Five singles were released from the album; two worldwide commercial singles and three limited-release singles. "Honey", the album's lead single, topped the charts in Canada and the United States, and reached the top five in New Zealand, Spain and the United Kingdom. The album's fifth and final single, "My All", became a top-ten hit throughout Europe and topped the charts in the United States. To promote the album, Carey embarked on the Butterfly World Tour, which visited Australia, Japan and Taiwan, with one show in the United States. Butterfly was nominated for three Grammy Awards at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards.

Butterfly received acclaim from music critics, many of whom embraced Carey's musical transition. Reviewers complimented the album for its mature sound and production, as well as Carey's musical direction. Though released during Carey's heavily publicized conflict with Sony Music, the album became an international commercial success, topping the albums charts in many countries, including Australia, Canada, Greece, Japan, the Netherlands, as well as the United States. It was certified five-times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the United States and received the Million Award in Japan. Globally, Butterfly has sold over ten million copies.

Background and release

Template:Quote box Carey began working on Butterfly in November 1996. During the album's development in mid-1997 Carey separated from her husband, music executive Tommy Mottola, who had guided her career since 1990. Carey's increasing control over her own career had led to speculation in the press over the future of the couple, and they later divorced.<ref name="shapiro2">Template:Harvnb</ref> Throughout the development of the album, in a departure from her previous style, Carey worked with various rappers and hip hop producers, including Sean "Puffy" Combs, Q-Tip, Missy Elliott and Jean Claude Oliver and Samuel Barnes from Trackmasters.<ref name="shapiro2" /> Critics saw Carey's new production team as a form of revenge on Mottola and Sony Music.<ref name="shapiro2" /> Carey denied taking a radically new direction, and insisted that the musical style of her new album was of her own choosing. Nevertheless, Carey resented the control that Sony, whose president was Mottola, exercised over her music, preventing her from making music about which she was passionate.<ref name="shapiro3" /> In contrast, Sony was concerned Carey, their best-selling act, could jeopardize her future success through her actions.<ref name="shapiro3">Template:Harvnb</ref>

The pressure of the separation and constant press attention began to take its toll on Carey. Growing creative differences with producer Walter Afanasieff ended their working relationship, after collaborating on most of Carey's previous output.<ref name="shapiro3" /> The breaking point came after a heated argument during a long recording session, over the album's musical direction.<ref name="shapiro2" /> Carey also faced media criticism over her choice of producers and several newspapers linked Carey romantically to several rappers, suggesting these relationships influenced her decisions.<ref name="shapiro2" /> However, Carey denied the allegations, stating she had only slept with her husband.<ref name="shapiro4">Template:Harvnb</ref>

Butterfly was first issued on September 10, 1997, in Taiwan,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Germany, France, and Japan.<ref name="Sony Release">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Releases followed on September 11 in the United Kingdom; September 12 in Australia, New Zealand, and the rest of Asia and Europe; and September 16 in the Americas.<ref name ="Sony Release"/> It was issued as an LP, cassette, compact disc, and/or MiniDisc depending on the country.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In the United States, Columbia also issued a cassette/CD package set, the first such configuration by a record label.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Writing and composition

Walter Afanasieff co-wrote and co-produced six tracks on Butterfly, becoming his last major contributions on a Mariah Carey album.

Butterfly was described as an R&B, pop and hip hop music album<ref name="complex">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="Washington" /> with hip hop soul elements.<ref name="slant" /> With a variety of writers and producers and its new musical direction for Carey, the album was always likely to be a commercial success.<ref name="shapiro3" /> Carey and Combs wrote the lead single, "Honey". Combs believed this to be a good song but was uncertain how successful it would be as a release owing to its heavy hip hop influence.<ref name="shapiro3" /> The remix for "Honey" featured rapping lead vocals from Da Brat, The LOX and Mase, and some verses were rapped by Combs himself. The track was very different from Carey's previous recordings, and was described by author Chris Nickson as "street Hip-Hop music, with a booming bass."<ref name="nickson">Template:Harvnb</ref> The song's melody was driven by Q-Tip's drum programming and Stevie J's keyboard notes. Combs's production gave the song a "light and airy" effect, further distancing it from Carey's contemporary sound.<ref name="nickson" /> "Honey" featured musical samples from Treacherous Three's "The Body Rock", and "Hey DJ" by The World's Famous Supreme Team.<ref name="nickson" /> The track used both hip hop and R&B with traces of pop music and was described as a "[song with a] catchy chorus, combining hip hop and pop into something that simply wasn't going to be denied by anyone, and offering a powerful start to a record."<ref name="nickson" />

The album's second single, "Butterfly", was one of the ballads Carey wrote with Afanasieff.<ref name="nickson" /> Carey described the song as the "favorite ballad she had ever written", one that was more personal than her previous work as the emotions conveyed through the song allude at just how meaningful the lyrics are to her.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="nickson2">Template:Harvnb</ref> Carey solely wrote the lyrics while Afanasieff, who composed the music with Dan Shea, handled the song's instrumentals, and added a few personal R&B touches. Another ballad Carey wrote with Afanasieff was "My All", written as a contrast to the album's general hip hop flavor.<ref name="nickson2" /> Carey described the song as having "a lush sound and intense styling".<ref name="nickson2" /> It featured guitar arpeggios, which were synthetically created using sampling and keyboard notes.<ref name="nickson" /> "The Roof", ButterflyTemplate:'s European single, incorporated fragments from Mobb Deep's "Shook Ones (Part II)", and was produced by Carey, Poke & Tone and Cory Rooney.<ref name="nickson2" /> Template:Quote box "Fourth of July", one of the album's slower ballads, was also written solely by Carey and Afanasieff but was not released as a single.<ref name="nickson2" /> The song was perceived to have jazz influences and was compared to some of Carey's older work such as "Vanishing" and "The Wind".<ref name="nickson2" /> The next two tracks on the record, "Breakdown" and "Babydoll", were described as "the album's backbone, its real declaration of independence" by Nickson.<ref name="nickson2" /> "Breakdown" was written by Carey and Puffy and included rap verses from Wish and Krayzie Bone from Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.<ref name="nickson3">Template:Harvnb</ref> Author Chris Nickson wrote that "'Breakdown' showed Mariah treading forcefully into territory that was new for her and making it her own."<ref name="nickson3" /> For "Babydoll", Carey teamed up with Elliott. The track was recorded in Atlanta, where Elliott resided, and included background vocals from Carey's long-time friend, Trey Lorenz. "Babydoll" is an R&B ballad with trip hop and drum and bass influences, and was described as "a vocally driven piece", with strong jazz harmony provided by Cory Rooney.<ref name="nickson3" /> Other songs that incorporated R&B influence into ballads were "Whenever You Call" and "Close My Eyes", which were personally important to Carey due to their lyrical content. While both were similar ballads to Carey's previous work,<ref name="nickson3" /> Nickson said:

While up to the standard of anything Mariah had ever done before, [they] suffered in comparison. But even here you could hear the new Mariah in the spareness of the arrangements and the way it was her voice, rather than any instrument, that controlled the song. She'd grown to the point where having less behind her really proved to be more, for the song and for her. It was notable, too, that like the other ballads on the record, these two leaned very much towards R&B.<ref name="nickson3" />

Carey wrote the song "Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise)" with famed house music producer David Morales.<ref name="nickson4">Template:Harvnb</ref> When imagining the concept for "Butterfly", Carey intended the song to be a house music record, but after writing it, made it into a ballad. Carey expressed a desire to feature her concept both on the house record, in addition to the ballad that would become "Butterfly".<ref name="nickson4" /> Morales took Carey's lyrics, concept and melody and added a house beat to it.<ref name="nickson4" /> For the album, Carey recorded a version of Prince's "The Beautiful Ones", featuring Dru Hill, with Dru Hill lead singer Sisqó sharing much of the lead with her. The song was one of the last recorded tracks and was the only non-original song on Butterfly.<ref name="nickson4" /> The final song on the album was "Outside", a ballad that was written by Carey, Afanasieff and Rooney, about Carey's experience being biracial.<ref name="nickson4" /> Richard Harrington from The Washington Post described the album's subtle inclusion of both pop and R&B genres:

There are two Mariah Careys on Butterfly. One is the pop-oriented, ballad-leaning traditionalist who works very effectively with her longtime professional partner, composer-producer Walter Afanasieff. The other is a self-styled hip-hop fanatic who worked with Ol' Dirty Bastard on her last album and teams up here with several of that genre's movers and shakers, most notably Sean "Puffy" Combs, the godfather of hip-hop soul and the hottest producer in pop music today.<ref name="Washington">Template:Cite news</ref>

Promotion

Template:See also To promote Butterfly, Carey made many live appearances.<ref name="nickson" /> On September 12, 1997, Carey was interviewed about her split from Mottola and sang a live rendition of "Butterfly" and "Hero" on The Oprah Winfrey Show.<ref name="nickson" /> Carey also featured as a musical guest on November 15, 1997, on Saturday Night Live, performing "Butterfly" again, as well as the Spanish-inspired "My All".<ref name="nickson" /> She made two appearances on The Rosie O'Donnell Show; she performed "My All" and on her return visit, sang "Close My Eyes" live for the first time.<ref name="nickson5">Template:Harvnb</ref> Carey also gave performances at awards shows, singing "My All" at the 1998 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards and "Honey" at the 1998 World Music Awards.<ref name="nickson5" /> In Europe, Carey made several promotional television appearances. In the United Kingdom, Carey performed "My All" and "Honey" on the Des O'Connor Show and Top of the Pops. In Germany, she sang "Butterfly" on Wetten, dass..? and performed on Japanese television.<ref name="nickson5" />

Originally, Carey had not planned to tour, after receiving mixed reviews in the US for her Music Box Tour. However, after the album's release, many fans requested Carey to tour, especially in Asia and Australia.<ref name="nickson5" /> Therefore, Carey embarked on the Butterfly World Tour; her third head-lining tour and most extensive to date. The tour included eleven shows, four in Japan's largest stadium, Tokyo Dome, one in Taiwan, five in Australia and one in the United States.<ref name="nickson6">Template:Harvnb</ref> As part of her performance at the 50,000-capacity Aloha Stadium in Hawaii, Carey filmed a concert video, Around the World. The video was a compilation DVD which included parts of Carey's shows in Japan, Australia and Hawaii.<ref name="nickson6" /> The tour was a critical and commercial success. Both fans and critics praised the quality of the show and Carey's vocals.<ref name="shapiro6">Template:Harvnb</ref>

Singles

Five singles were released from Butterfly; some featured as airplay-only singles, while others were released only in certain territories. "Honey" was released as the album's first single to mainstream and rhythmic radio on July 29, 1997.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The song became Carey's twelfth number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the chart in Canada, while reaching the top five in New Zealand, Spain and the United Kingdom. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipments of one million units in the United States, and received a gold certification in Australia.<ref name="aria" /><ref name=riaa>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "Honey" was well-received, with critics complimenting its catchy sound and clever fusion of pop and R&B sounds.<ref name="allmusic" /> The title track served as the album's second single, but it was released as an "airplay-only" single due to Carey's conflict with Sony.<ref name="allmusic" /> Though not being released commercially by her label, "Butterfly" reached number sixteen on the Hot 100 Airplay, as well as the top twenty in New Zealand.<ref name="nickson" />

"Breakdown" was the third single released from Butterfly. The song received a limited release throughout certain countries, such as the United States, where it peaked at number four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.<ref name="bbcharts" /> Aside from the US, "Breakdown" achieved a steady peak of number four on the New Zealand singles chart, in addition to entering the top forty in Australia. While not one of Carey's best-known hits, "Breakdown" remains one of her most praised songs, receiving acclaim for assisting Carey's transition into the R&B market.<ref name="slant" /> In his review for the album, Rich Juzwiak from Slant magazine wrote the following:

The song of Carey's career, where the lyrical strokes are as broad and obvious as they are naked. Mariah the chanter flawlessly adapts to their singsong style, largely boxing her multi-octave range into a sly, hypnotic melody so that when she really wails at the end, you really feel it. Carey lunges toward musical maturity by embracing, not shunning hip-hop. This is the height of her elegance and maybe hip-hop-soul's, too.<ref name="slant" />

While "Breakdown" served as the album's third single in the United States, New Zealand and Australia, "The Roof" was released in Europe.<ref name="nickson" /> It performed weakly on the charts, peaking at number 96 in the United Kingdom, and faring only slightly better in the Netherlands, where it peaked at number 63. While not commercially released in the US, the song's music video received heavy rotation on MTV and VH1, due to the record's popularity.<ref name="nickson" />

"My All" was chosen as the album's fifth and final single, and its second commercially released single. The song was the most commercially successful song on Butterfly, becoming Carey's thirteenth chart topper in the US, and reaching the top ten throughout Europe. In France, "My All" peaked at number six, and was certified silver by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the United States, the song finished at number seventeen, on the Billboard Year-End chart, remaining Carey's highest-charting single of 1998.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

25th anniversary

In September 2022, for the album's twenty-fifth anniversary, Carey announced a deluxe reissue "with eight new bonus tracks from the Butterfly sessions".<ref name="billboard25Butterfly">Template:Cite magazine</ref> This was announced alongside merchandise, new vinyl releases, 4K remasters for music videos, and a documentary for the making of the "Honey" music video.<ref name="billboard25Butterfly" />

Critical reception

Template:Album ratings Butterfly garnered general acclaim from music critics. In The New Rolling Stone Album Guide, Arion Berger praised the album's producers and Carey's "more controlled" vocals.<ref name="rs">Template:Cite book</ref> Berger noticed a connection between much of Carey's lyrics and her separation from Mottola.<ref name="rs" /> Jon Pareles, editor of The New York Times called Butterfly "a new turn" in Carey's career. He wrote, "Carey has sold tens of millions of albums by being the girl next door with the startling vocal range... but for most of "Butterfly" Carey turned her voice into an airy whisper, as if she would rather charm listeners" compared to over-powering them.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Aside from commenting on its deviance from Carey's previous work, he noted songs in which Carey alludes to her failed marriage to Mottola, such as "Butterfly" and "Close My Eyes" which were both released on the album following the divorce with lyrics about letting love go and life struggles. Additionally he wrote, "Since Carey writes her own lyrics, fans might expect a glimpse of marital discord or pride in her new-found autonomy."<ref name=nyt>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> David Browne from Entertainment Weekly gave Butterfly a B− in his review.<ref name="ew">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Browne wrote: "In 'Breakdown', [Carey] demonstrates she can match the staccato, lite-reggae phrasing of her guests, two members of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony."<ref name="ew" /> He described an increased intimacy in the music but noted the arrangement made it difficult to hear the lyrics Carey was singing. "Butterfly is undeniably pleasant, with little of the all-conquering bombast usually associated with Carey. But it's also the last thing anyone would have expected from her: blandly self-effacing."<ref name="ew" />

In a retrospective review of the album, Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic appreciated the new direction of Carey's music, commenting on the increased urban feel of the work.<ref name="allmusic" /> He described the record as "a collection of hit singles surrounded by classy filler" and "while [the songs] are all well-crafted, many of them blend together upon initial listening".<ref name="allmusic" /> However, he noted an increased control in her voice which led him to describe some of the ballads such as 'Butterfly' and 'Breakdown' as among her best work. He said Butterfly was one of Carey's best records and she was "continuing to improve and refine her music, which makes her a rarity among her '90s peers."<ref name="allmusic">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Erlewine gave the album a score of four out of five stars;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but in 2021 the AllMusic website upgraded the rating by a half star.<ref name="allmusic" /> Rich Juzwiak from Slant Magazine awarded the album a score of four and a half out of five stars, calling it "elegant" and praising Carey's mature vocals.<ref name="slant">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Juzwiak particularly praised "Breakdown", which he called one of the album's best tracks. Of Carey's vocals, he wrote, "The relatively high and thin register that she sings in when not belting (and that's often) could be the most important of ButterflyTemplate:'s changes, as it marks the first time that Mariah the vocalist seems consistently real. She's utterly soulful."<ref name="slant" />

Accolades

Publication Accolade Rank Template:Abbr
Complex The Best R&B Albums of '90s check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
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Pitchfork The 150 Best Albums of the 1990s check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} citation CitationClass=web }}</ref>{{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}

Commercial performance

Butterfly debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 selling 235,500 copies in the first week after its release on the week of October 4, 1997, the highest of her career at the time.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> It maintained that position for one week and remained in the top twenty for 21 weeks; it stayed in the chart for 55 weeks, including one re-entry.<ref name="bbcharts" /> The album achieved its highest weekly sales in its fifteenth week of release, when it was at number eight on the chart with 283,000 copies sold. It also peaked at number three on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.<ref name="bbcharts">Template:Cite magazine</ref> In the United States, Butterfly was certified five-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Nielsen SoundScan estimates the album's sales at 3,807,000 copies in the US.<ref name="askbillboard">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="ussales">Template:Cite magazine</ref> In Canada, the album debuted at number one and was certified double-platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA), denoting shipments of 200,000 copies of the album.<ref name="bbcharts" /><ref name="canada">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Butterfly debuted at number one in Australia, and received a double-platinum certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), 140,000 units.<ref name="aria">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In Europe, Butterfly peaked within the top five in several European countries. It received a platinum certification by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), denoting shipments of well one million copies throughout Europe.<ref name="europe">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the United Kingdom, Butterfly debuted at number two based on 29,000 sales over three days. Alan Jones of Music Week described this as unexpectedly low given that Daydream had previously debuted at number one based on three-day sales.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The album was later certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), denoting shipments of 300,000 copies.<ref name="BPI" /> In France, the album peaked at number six, where it was certified double-gold by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP).<ref name=SNEP />

As with many of Carey's previous records, Butterfly became a large success in Asia. In Japan, the record debuted at number one on the album charts.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album was certified the Million Award by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ), denoting shipments of one million copies.<ref name="RIAJ Million Seller Database 1997">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In Hong Kong, Butterfly finished as one of the twenty best-selling foreign albums of 1997, receiving a platinum certification by IFPI.<ref name="hkk">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Globally, Butterfly has sold over 10 million copies.<ref name="globalsales" />

Legacy and cultural impact

Artwork of Carey with a butterfly, which became a metaphorical symbol of her impact and legacy upon pop and R&B music.<ref name="slant" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In the years since its release, Butterfly has been hailed as being an R&B classic.<ref name="Juzwiak">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In a retrospective review for The Washington Post, Bethonie Butler focused on the album's impact, stating that it "changed the face of pop music" by paving "the way for other pop stars...to sing alongside their rap contemporaries".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Writing for Jezebel, Rich Juzwiak focused on the influence of Carey's vocal stylings in the track "Breakdown", remarking that "in this day and age, when there's so much genre blending that it's sometimes impossible to label an artist as merely "singer" or "rapper", it'd be foolish to understate the prescience of" the song.<ref name="Juzwiak" /> A profile of the album in Essence by Jessica Littles further stated that the album "catalyzed the pop music trend of collaborating with hip-hop artists", concluding that it "not only showcased her [Carey's] already-established prowess as a vocalist, who could belt out ballads or flirt over the hottest summer jams, but also as one of the most versatile songwriters in contemporary music".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The lead single from the album, "Honey", was notable for pushing Carey further towards hip hop and R&B than before.<ref name="nickson8">Template:Harvnb</ref> The music video gained further attention, as Carey, for the first time in her career, was provocatively dressed, giving viewers a "taste of the freer Mariah".<ref name="nickson8" /> The Puerto Rico-filmed video's concept was created by Carey with Paul Hunter filling in as the director.<ref name="nickson8" /> Featuring a James Bond theme, Carey was a "very sexy agent M", in the words of Nickson, who escapes a large mansion in which she has been held captive.<ref name="nickson8" /> Carey said of the video: "I don't really think the video is overtly sexual, but for me—I mean people used to think I was the nineties version of Mary Poppins!"<ref name="nickson" /> At the time of the video's release, Carey and Mottola were in the midst of their divorce. Tabloids and critics were linking the video's theme to Carey's marriage, writing how Mottola would lock her in their mansion, although she denied this.<ref name="nickson8" /> In an interview, Carey said that "Tommy loves the video, he says it's my best video yet."<ref name="nickson8" /> Carey's writing partner of six years, Afanasieff, felt the video was undeniably about Mottola.<ref name="nickson8" />

The music video for "The Roof" was ranked 18th on Slant's "100 Greatest Music Videos".<ref name="100video">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Sal Ciquemani, from Slant, gave the video a positive review, complimenting Carey's pairing the sultry song with a "sophisticated tale of a sexy rooftop encounter."<ref name="100video" /> The video shows Carey reminiscing on a past love and a night they shared together on a rainy roof-top. The video revolves around the settings of a dark limousine, a decrepit NYC apartment, and a rainy roof-top, where according to Slant, "Carey is featured at her most vulnerable, with runny mascara and drenched in the cold rainy night."<ref name="100video" /> In the conclusion of his review of the video, Ciquemani wrote: "When Carey rises through the limo's sunroof and relishes the warm November rain, she's not drunk on the bubbly but on the memory of past delights."<ref name="100video" /> The video for "My All" was also one of the more notable videos from Butterfly.<ref name="nickson8" /> The video featured Carey in various places, including a submerged vessel, a lighthouse and a large conch shell floating the shore.<ref name="nickson8" /> In each of the scenes, Carey is shown lamenting her love and yearning to be re-united with him once more.<ref name="nickson8" /> In the video's climax, Carey meets her love in the lighthouse, where they caress and drift into the "nights abyss".<ref name="nickson8" /> According to author Chris Nickson, the scenes of Carey on the overturned vessel showed her vulnerability without her loved one, truly emphasizing the yearning featured in the song.<ref name="nickson8" />

Butterfly, recognised by critics as one of Carey's best albums at that point in her career, received several awards and was nominated for others. At the Billboard Music Awards, Carey received an honorary award, recognizing her achievement of earning "The Most Number-one Singles Ever by a Female Solo Artist in History".<ref name="shapiro7" /> "Honey" was nominated at the 1998 Grammy Awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song, while "Butterfly" was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.<ref name="shapiro7">Template:Harvnb</ref> Butterfly won a Japan Gold Disc Award in the "International Pop Album of the Year" category. For Butterfly, Carey won the American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist in 1998. Additionally, the album won the BMI Pop Award for Songwriter of the Year and the Songwriter awards for "Honey", "Butterfly" and "My All".<ref name="shapiro7" /> At the Soul Train Music Awards in 1998, Carey won the awards for the Aretha Franklin Entertainer of the Year and Soul Train Lady of Soul, which were presented to her by Chris Tucker and Patti LaBelle.<ref name="shapiro7" />

Butterfly was nominated at the 1998 NAACP Image Awards, in the Outstanding Female Artist category.<ref name="nickson5" /> At the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, Carey was named the Songwriter of the Year and received the Song of the Year award. At the 1998 World Music Awards, Carey won two of night's top awards; the World's Best-selling R&B Artist and the World's Best-selling Recording Artist of the '90s.<ref name="shapiro7" /> Carey was unhappy not to win any of the Grammy Awards once again, but this was offset by the success of her tour, which was taking place during the awards. According to author Marc Shapiro, "No amount of awards could replace the popular acceptance of Butterfly and the feeling she was now free to live her own life – creatively and personally."<ref name="shapiro6" /> In a recent list compiled by a selection of rock critics, Butterfly was chosen as one of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The album was released with two different covers<ref name=covers>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and in 2007 one of them was listed on MaximTemplate:'s Sexiest Album Covers.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Track listing

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Notes

Personnel

Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2 Adapted from the Butterfly liner notes.<ref name="liner">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>

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Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (1997–1998) Peak
position
Canadian R&B Albums (SoundScan)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 1
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)<ref>Template:Cite magazine See LW column.</ref> 13
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

13
European Albums (Billboard)<ref name="eu">Template:Cite magazine</ref> 2
Greek Albums (IFPI)<ref>Template:Cite magazine See LW column.</ref> 1
Irish Albums (IRMA)<ref name="eu" /> 6
Italian Albums (FIMI)<ref name="eu" /> 2
Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

1
Malaysian Albums (RIM)<ref name="eu" /> 4
Portuguese Albums (AFP)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 8
Singapore Albums (SPVA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

1
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 5
Taiwanese Albums (IFPI)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

2
UK Dance Albums (OCC)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 2
Zimbabwean Albums (ZIMA)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 1
Template:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chart
Chart (2017–2025) Peak
position
Greek Albums (IFPI)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

99
UK Vinyl Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

26

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Year-end charts

Chart (1997) Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

27
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

69
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

39
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

24
Canadian Albums (SoundScan)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

39
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

70
European Top 100 Albums (Music & Media)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 42
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

74
Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

24
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

48
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

63
US Billboard 200<ref name="bilb1">Template:Cite magazine</ref> 54
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)<ref name="bilb1" /> 58
Chart (1998) Position
Canadian Albums (SoundScan)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

188
Canadian R&B Albums (SoundScan)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

27
US Billboard 200<ref name="bilb2">Template:Cite magazine</ref> 21
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)<ref name="bilb2" /> 30

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Certifications and sales

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Notes

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References

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Works cited

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