"Heartbreaker" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
for her seventh studio album ''
Rainbow
A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows c ...
'' (1999). It was released on August 23, 1999, by
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
as the
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
from ''Rainbow''. The song was written by Carey and
Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, and produced by Carey and
DJ Clue
Ernesto Shaw (born January 8, 1975), better known as DJ Clue, is an American disc jockey (DJ), record producer, radio personality and record executive.
Early life
DJ Clue was born in Queens, New York City to Panamanian and Jamaican immigran ...
. Additional writers are credited, since the song's hook is built around a sample from "
Attack of the Name Game" by
Stacy Lattisaw
Stacy Lattisaw Jackson (née Lattisaw; born November 25, 1966) is an American R&B singer from Washington, D.C., United States.
Career
The 1979 song "Ring My Bell" was originally written for then twelve-year-old Lattisaw, as a teenybopper song ...
. "Heartbreaker" pushed Carey even further into the
R&B and
hip hop market, becoming her second commercial single to feature a rapper. Lyrically, the song talks about a relationship from the female perspective, and how the protagonist incessantly returns to her lover, even though he continuously cheats on her and breaks her heart.
"Heartbreaker" received mixed reviews from
music critic
''The Oxford Companion to Music'' defines music criticism as "the intellectual activity of formulating judgments on the value and degree of excellence of individual works of music, or whole groups or genres". In this sense, it is a branch of mus ...
s, many of which felt it was not original or innovative in terms of a creative step forward. Additionally, it was compared heavily to Carey's 1995
hit single
A hit song, also known as a hit record, hit single or simply a hit, is a recorded song or instrumental that becomes broadly popular or well-known. Although ''hit song'' means any widely played or big-selling song, the specific term ''hit record' ...
"
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...
", which also built its hook from a sampled beat. "Heartbreaker" topped the
Canadian Singles Chart
The Canadian Singles Chart was a chart compiled by the American-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan, which began publication in November 1996. It was published every Wednesday and also published on Thursday by '' Jam!''/Canoe. I ...
and the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming Carey's 14th US chart-topper. The single topped the
New Zealand Singles Chart
The Official New Zealand Music Chart ( mi, Te Papa Tātai Waiata Matua o Aotearoa) is the weekly New Zealand top 40 singles and albums charts, issued weekly by Recorded Music NZ (formerly Recording Industry Association of New Zealand). The Music ...
and was a top-five single in Croatia, France, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
Carey performed "Heartbreaker" live on several television and award show appearances around the world, as well as on her concert tours. The accompanying
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
for "Heartbreaker", directed by
Brett Ratner
Brett Ratner (born March 28, 1969) is an American film director and producer. He directed the ''Rush Hour'' film series, ''The Family Man'', '' Red Dragon'', '' X-Men: The Last Stand'', and ''Tower Heist''. He is also a producer of several films ...
, is one of the
most expensive ever made, costing over $2.5 million. The video features Carey and her friends visiting a film theater and catching her boyfriend (played by
Jerry O'Connell
Jerry O'Connell (born February 17, 1974) is an American actor and television host. He is known for his roles as Quinn Mallory in the television series ''Sliders'', Andrew Clements in ''My Secret Identity'', Vern Tessio in the film '' Stand by M ...
) on a date with another woman. Carey played herself and a brunette villainess named Bianca Storm, during a physical altercation scene between the two women. Due to contractual agreements at the time of its filming, Jay-Z was unable to make an appearance in the original music video, though he would appear in a recut version soon after. The video was inspired by several other films, including ''
Grease'', ''
Scarface'' and ''
Enter the Dragon
''Enter the Dragon'' ( zh, t=龍爭虎鬥) is a 1973 martial arts film directed by Robert Clouse and written by Michael Allin. The film stars Bruce Lee, John Saxon and Jim Kelly. It was Lee's final completed film appearance before his death o ...
''.
Background
With her sixth studio effort, ''
Butterfly
Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...
'' (1997), Carey started infusing
hip hop elements in her songs, working with different, and younger, producers and songwriters. After the album's success and the release of her first
compilation album
A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...
''
#1's'' (1998), Carey began to work on her seventh album, ''
Rainbow
A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows c ...
'' (1999).
Her main focus on the album was to continue on the same path she began with on ''Butterfly'', producing a subtle combination between inspirational ballads and hip hop beats. "Heartbreaker" marked the first time in Carey's career that a rapper was included on a
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
, following
Ol' Dirty Bastard
Russell Tyrone Jones (November 15, 1968 – November 13, 2004), better known by his stage name Ol' Dirty Bastard (often abbreviated as ODB), was an American rapper. He was one of the founding members of the Wu-Tang Clan, a rap group primarily fr ...
, who was featured on the
Bad Boy remix of "
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...
" in 1995. While recording the album in
Capri, Italy
Capri ( , ; ; ) is an island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. The main town of Capri that is located on the island shares the name. It has been ...
, Carey claimed to have spent most of the time developing what she felt to be a strong lead single.
Originally, "Heartbreaker" was intended to be part of Carey's debut film
soundtrack
A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
, ''
Glitter
Glitter is an assortment of small, reflective particles that come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Glitter particles reflect light at different angles, causing the surface to sparkle or shimmer. Glitter is similar to confetti, sparkle ...
'', however, after the film's delay, it was included on her album ''Rainbow''.
Prior to the song's radio release, Carey spoke of it in an interview: "It's pretty much
nthe classic style of my
up-tempo
A variety of musical terms are likely to be encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special mus ...
classics like 'Fantasy' or '
Dreamlover,'
..But it's kind of fun and has a new edge to it, I think, and definitely having Jay-Z takes it to a whole 'nother level. And
JClue makes it really fun and stuff."
Recording and lyrics
While developing ''Rainbow'', Carey had different ideas for the lead single.
After writing the song's core lyrics and producing the main idea and melody,
DJ Clue
Ernesto Shaw (born January 8, 1975), better known as DJ Clue, is an American disc jockey (DJ), record producer, radio personality and record executive.
Early life
DJ Clue was born in Queens, New York City to Panamanian and Jamaican immigran ...
, one of the earlier producers in the project, suggested to Carey the use and incorporation of the hook from "
Attack of the Name Game" by
Stacy Lattisaw
Stacy Lattisaw Jackson (née Lattisaw; born November 25, 1966) is an American R&B singer from Washington, D.C., United States.
Career
The 1979 song "Ring My Bell" was originally written for then twelve-year-old Lattisaw, as a teenybopper song ...
.
After agreeing to it, they incorporated Carey's lyrics and melody to the hook, and began recording the song. However, after completing "Heartbreaker", Carey felt it needed a strong male verse, hoping for a rising hip hop artist. She chose to work with
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
and began re-arranging the song as he wrote out his verse.
Jay-Z wrote his entire verse and helped produce some of the song's core instrumentals. In an interview with
Fred Bronson
Fredric M. "Fred" Bronson (born January 10, 1949) is an American journalist, author and writer. He is the author of books related to #1 songs on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and other books related to various music charts as well. He is also k ...
, Carey spoke of her experience working with Jay-Z:
"It's fun when you can find someone that you can relate to and that you respect. Jay-Z is someone I admire as a writer and as an artist. We could be sitting in the studio, and he can freestyle a rhyme that would be incredible just off the top of his head. He doesn't need a pen and paper. I equate that to a singer who can pick up the mike and riff and ad-lib over a song and take you to a totally new place."
Aside from her work with Clue and Jay-Z, Carey's longtime friend and background singer
Trey Lorenz
Trey Lorenz (born Lloyd Lorenz Smith; January 19, 1969) is an American R&B singer-songwriter and record producer. He was born in Florence, South Carolina and is a graduate of Wilson High School. Lorenz is best known for his duet with recording a ...
also took part in the song's production. He provided the back-up vocals in the song, and took part in several small areas of the development of ''Rainbow''.
When interviewed by Bronson, Carey spoke highly of Lorenz, "He's an amazing writer and singer, he's so influenced by the old school stuff, yet he's so current. He's known me since before my first album, and he's a great, loyal friend."
Aside from the use of the sample and Jay-Z's verses, "Heartbreaker" contains strong female-empowering lyrics, which Carey wrote as a sort of anthem, especially because she felt that she personally has been in a similar predicament in the past.
Composition
"Heartbreaker" is a moderately slow,
mid-tempo
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
pop,
hip hop/
R&B track.
According to the music sheet published at Musicnotes.com, the song is written in the
key
Key or The Key may refer to:
Common meanings
* Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm
* Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock
* Key (map ...
of
D♭ major
D-flat major (or the key of D-flat) is a major scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B and C. Its key signature has five flats. It is enharmonically equivalent to C-sharp major.
The D-flat major scale is:
:
Its ...
,
while the beat is set in
common time
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
which moves at a moderate pace of 100
beats per minute
Beat, beats or beating may refer to:
Common uses
* Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area
** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols
** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men
* Battery ( ...
.
It has a sequence of D–Bm–D as its
chord progression
In a musical composition, a chord progression or harmonic progression (informally chord changes, used as a plural) is a succession of chords. Chord progressions are the foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from the common practice ...
.
Carey's vocals in the song span from the note of D
3 to the high note of C
7.
The song has a "percolating beat" over which Carey sings with
nasal, silken and declarative vocals.
The verses feature Carey's signature
melisma
Melisma ( grc-gre, μέλισμα, , ; from grc, , melos, song, melody, label=none, plural: ''melismata'') is the singing of a single syllable of text while moving between several different notes in succession. Music sung in this style is referr ...
tic style, combined with rapid yet seamless transitions; for example, Carey starts the second verse already in mid-belt "It's a shame to be" while then going off into a whispering coo for "so euphoric and weak."
Aside from background vocal stylings from Lorenz and other women, Carey added her own lowered vocals into the song, giving the impression of a "doubled voice." "Heartbreaker" samples the 1982 song "
Attack of the Name Game" by
Stacy Lattisaw
Stacy Lattisaw Jackson (née Lattisaw; born November 25, 1966) is an American R&B singer from Washington, D.C., United States.
Career
The 1979 song "Ring My Bell" was originally written for then twelve-year-old Lattisaw, as a teenybopper song ...
. The song's hook and loop were taken and incorporated into the melody of "Heartbreaker", as well as being used as its main instrumental components. The lyrics are constructed in the verse-pre-chorus-chorus form. Carey starts with the
hook
A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...
"Gimme your love, gimme your love," repeated eight times.
Carey repeats the chorus four times, ending the song with a final "Gimme your love, gimme your love."
Chuck Taylor from ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' described its instrumentation as a "persistent guitar lick" and wrote "There's an identifiable chorus here, and some semblance of verses, but more than anything, this song comes across as a blur of jumbled in the background, including Carey's own repetitive harmonies, which in this case sound more like a competition than a compliment."
Remixes
The song's main remix, titled Desert Storm Remix, features female rappers
Da Brat
Shawntae Harris-Dupart (born April 14, 1974), better known by her stage name Da Brat, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, she began her career in 1992, the year she signed with So So Def Records. Her debut album ''Funkda ...
and
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
. It is the first of Carey's remixes that was produced by
Desert Storm Records
Desert Storm Records is an American record label founded by Skane Dolla, Ken Duro Ifill, and DJ Clue, DJ Clue? in 1997. The label was formerly distributed through Elektra Records, Elektra and Atlantic Records, Atlantic and is currently distributed ...
producer and rapper
DJ Clue
Ernesto Shaw (born January 8, 1975), better known as DJ Clue, is an American disc jockey (DJ), record producer, radio personality and record executive.
Early life
DJ Clue was born in Queens, New York City to Panamanian and Jamaican immigran ...
, who makes an introduction on the remix. The remix contains lyrical interpolations and an instrumental sample from "Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)" by
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
. In an interview with
MTV News
MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
, Carey spoke of the song's remix before its official release in August 1999: "And then the remix. I'm so excited about the remix. It's also gonna go on the album, and it features Missy Elliott and Da Brat, and it's kinda like a girl-power answer record, and it's to the loop of Snoop
ogg
Ogg is a free, open container format maintained by the Xiph.Org Foundation. The authors of the Ogg format state that it is unrestricted by software patents and is designed to provide for efficient streaming and manipulation of high-quality d ...
s 'Ain't No Fun.' They're not ready for that one!".
A separate music video was filmed for the remix, shot in black and white and featuring a cameo appearance by Dogg. The Desert Storm Remix received mixed reviews from music critics.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
chose the song as one of the top three cuts on ''Rainbow'', alongside the original.
[ ]Danyel Smith
Danyel Smith Wilson (born Danyel Smith; 1965) is an American magazine editor, journalist, and novelist . Smith is the former and first African-American editor of ''Billboard'' and ''Vibe'' magazine'','' respectively. She is author of two novels a ...
from ''Entertainment Weekly'' called it " noverblown ..miscalculation" and wrote "Missy Elliott's and Da Brat's bad sexual politics sink the tired 'Heartbreaker emix'[ ]Larry Flick
Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the music ...
from ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'', called the remix "muscular" and "street-savvy" and wrote "Missy Elliott and Da Brat lace rhymes into the track, which is enhanced by the sample from Snoop Dogg's 'Ain't No Fun (If The Homies Can't Have None)'."
Additional remixes of "Heartbreaker" include a remix that interpolates "If You Should Ever Be Lonely
"If You Should Ever Be Lonely" is a song by American singer Val Young, it was released in 1985 as the first single from her album ''Seduction'' issued by label Motown. The single peaked at number twenty-one on the U.S. Billboard R&B Songs chart. ...
" by singer Val Young
Valaria Marie Young (born June 13, 1958) is an American recording artist from Detroit, Michigan, who achieved success during the 1980s. She is now based in Los Angeles.
Career
She was discovered by George Clinton, who hired her as a backgroun ...
, as well as a live mashup of "Heartbreaker" and "Love Hangover
"Love Hangover" is a song by the Motown singer Diana Ross, recorded in 1975 and released as a single on March 16, 1976. It rose to number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and Hot-Selling Soul Singles. It also hit number one on the Record World ...
" by Diana Ross
Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups o ...
, performed for VH1 Divas 2000: A Tribute to Diana Ross tribute for Ross. The latter remix was released for digital download and streaming in October 2020, when Carey released the "Heartbreaker" EP as part of her #MC30 EP series.
Critical reception
"Heartbreaker" received mixed reviews from contemporary music critics, some of whom compared it heavily to Carey's previous lead singles. Dara Cook from MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
called the song an "airy ditty" and wrote "n the song
N, or n, is the fourteenth Letter (alphabet), letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is English alphabet# ...
Mariah exudes as much sentiment as hollowed-out driftwood." Cook continued onto the song's production, writing "By texturing it into the song, producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis have finally found productive use (other than song closing spectacle) for Mariah's high octave shriek."[ ]AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
named "Heartbreaker" as one of his top three choices from the album. Danyel Smith from ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' called the song a "delectable confection" and wrote "she smartly uses Jay-Z's droll rap about a bratty girlfriend as tart counterpoint to her creamy tones," however calling it a recycled version of Carey's previous songs " Dreamlover" (1993) and "Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...
" (1995). Elysa Gardner from the ''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' called the song "breezy" and noted how Carey "brings a similarly light, sensuous touch" to "Heartbreaker". Additionally, Gardner complimented Jay-Z's rap verses, calling them "sly." Editor from ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' Arion Berger, called it "nasal, silken and declarative" while "riding the percolating beat." Additionally, Berger also compared it to Carey's "Fantasy", for its similar usage of a sampled hook.[ Tom Sinclair from ''Entertainment Weekly'' reviewed the song individually, giving it an F. He called it a "rehash" of "Fantasy" and wrote "What self-respecting artist would have the gall to recycle the Tom Tom Club's 'Genius of Love' (the source of 'Fantasy') for a second time in four years? It's a given that pop will eat itself, but this sort of self-cannibalization should be illegal." However, the sample used in "Heartbreaker (feat. Jay Z)" was not the same sample as the one used in "Fantasy". Chuck Taylor from '']Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' gave the song a mixed review, writing "Yes it's a hit, and her voice is in fine form, but 'Heartbreaker' is a disappointment in terms of what we know she's capable of writing."[
]
Chart performance
In the United States, "Heartbreaker" was released commercially on September 21, 1999. "Heartbreaker" entered the chart at number sixty. The song became Carey's fourteenth chart-topper in the US, spending two weeks atop the ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
. It extended Carey's lead as the female artist with the most number one singles in the country. The only acts still ahead of Carey were Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
with seventeen (a record she surpassed in 2008 with "Touch My Body
"Touch My Body" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey, released as the lead single from her eleventh studio album, '' E=MC²'' (2008), on February 12, 2008, by Island Records. Carey co-produced the song with Tricky Stewart, ...
" becoming her eighteenth number one single) and the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
with twenty. The song was certified Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
by the Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). Additionally, "Heartbreaker" finished at number thirty-five on the ''Billboard'' Year-End of 1999. In Canada, the song peaked at number one on the Canadian Singles Chart
The Canadian Singles Chart was a chart compiled by the American-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan, which began publication in November 1996. It was published every Wednesday and also published on Thursday by '' Jam!''/Canoe. I ...
, becoming Carey's tenth chart-topper in the country. In Australia, it entered the Australian Singles Chart
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
at number eleven, on the issue dated October 10, 1999. The next week, the song ascended to its peak of number ten, where it stayed for one week, before fluctuating inside the chart for a total of seventeen weeks. "Heartbreaker" was certified platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Platinu ...
by the Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing th ...
(ARIA), denoting shipments of over 70,000 units within the country. In New Zealand, "Heartbreaker" was met with strong success, debuting at number four on October 10, 1999, and topping the singles chart the following week. It spent a total of eleven weeks fluctuating in the singles chart, and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
Recorded Music NZ (formerly the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ)) is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell recorded music in New Zealand. Membership of Recorded Mus ...
(RIANZ), denoting shipments of over 15,000 units.
In Europe, the song charted throughout several markets. In Austria, it debuted at number thirty-seven on the singles chart, eventually peaking at number seventeen. In total, "Heartbreaker" spent twelve weeks on the Austrian chart. In the two Belgium territories, Wallonia and Flanders, the song peaked at numbers nine and twenty-seven, and spent nineteen and sixteen weeks on the chart, respectively. In France, the song entered the singles chart at number seventy-seven on October 9, 1999. Eventually, it peaked at number four, becoming Carey's highest-charting single there since " Without You" (1993), which peaked at number two.[ The song charted for twenty-five weeks, and was certified gold by the ]Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique
The National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing (french: Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique; SNEP) is the inter-professional organisation that protects the interests of the French record industry. Originally known under the acronym ...
(SNEP), denoting shipments of over 400,000 units. In Germany, "Heartbreaker" peaked at number nine, spending twenty weeks inside the singles chart. On October 2, 1999, it entered the Dutch Single Top 100
The Dutch Single Top 100 or Single Top 100 is a Dutch chart, based on official physical single sales, legal downloads and since July 2013 streaming and composed by Dutch Charts. It is one of the three official charts, the other two being the Du ...
at number sixteen, eventually peaking at number seven, and spending a total of eighteen weeks in the chart. In Norway, the song's success was limited, only peaking at number fourteen and spending only four weeks charting in the countries chart. "Heartbreaker" entered the Swedish Singles Chart
Sverigetopplistan (, lit. "the Sweden top list") is the Swedish national record chart, formerly known as Topplistan (1975–1997) and Hitlistan (1998–2007) and known by its current name since October 2007, based on sales data from the Swedish R ...
at number thirty, on the issue dated October 7, 1999. It charted for a total of fourteen weeks, and attained a peak of number eighteen. In Switzerland, it spent twenty-three consecutive weeks in the singles chart, attaining a peak position of number seven, where it stayed for two weeks. On the UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, "Heartbreaker" debuted at its peak position of number five, during the week of November 6, 1999. It spent a total of thirteen weeks charting inside the chart, exiting on January 9, 2000.
Music video
The music video was filmed at the Los Angeles Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) contains the central business district of Los Angeles. In addition, it contains a diverse residential area of some 85,000 people, and covers . A 2013 study found that the district is home to over 500,000 jobs. It is ...
, California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
on July 30 – August 1, 1999. Directed by Brett Ratner
Brett Ratner (born March 28, 1969) is an American film director and producer. He directed the ''Rush Hour'' film series, ''The Family Man'', '' Red Dragon'', '' X-Men: The Last Stand'', and ''Tower Heist''. He is also a producer of several films ...
, the music video began airing on MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
on August 16, 1999, following its premiere on the network's ''Making the Video
''Making the Video'' is an MTV show, consisting of half-hour episodes, which chronicles the process of filming various music videos. Usually the director outlines the concept of the video (or treatment) and the show often includes light-hearted ...
'' series.[ According to Carey, the goal for the video was to mirror the lyrical content of the song, as well as showing it from a female perspective. Additionally, the video was filmed in a comedic fashion, intended to remain something "fun and exciting."] The video became one of the most expensive ever made, costing over $2.5 million. Due to its strong female empowering message and nature, the video remains "a fan favorite", according to MTV News
MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
.[ Carey claimed that two films were used as inspirations, '' Grease'' and '']Enter the Dragon
''Enter the Dragon'' ( zh, t=龍爭虎鬥) is a 1973 martial arts film directed by Robert Clouse and written by Michael Allin. The film stars Bruce Lee, John Saxon and Jim Kelly. It was Lee's final completed film appearance before his death o ...
''. Prior to filming the video, it became clear that Jay-Z would be unable to appear in the video, due to a contractual agreement not allowing him from appearing in a video for two weeks after he shot for "Girl's Best Friend", his track off the soundtrack to the movie ''Blue Streak
Blue Streak or Bluestreak may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Blue Streak'' (album), a 1995 album by American blues guitarist Luther Allison
* Blue Streak (comics), a secret identity used by three separate Marvel Comics supervillains
* Bluestreak (c ...
''. Jay-Z and Carey managed to film a scene for the video, which was briefly documented on ''Making the Video'', although the documentary edited Jay-Z out of the footage to focus on Carey in order to not violate the contractual agreement. Carey then thought of creating the animated section in the video, which was quickly drawn and animated by Ratner's team.[
The video begins with Carey driving up to a large movie theater, the Los Angeles Theatre in downtown Los Angeles, with several of her female friends. As they pull up to the front doors, they tell Carey that her boyfriend is inside with another woman, leading her to try to convince them to abort the plan of confrontation. After convincing her, they enter the theater and begin a series of small dance routines alongside some of the theater employees. As the music begins, scenes of them dancing and Carey entering the movie projection room inter-cut. Carey sits behind her boyfriend (played by ]Jerry O'Connell
Jerry O'Connell (born February 17, 1974) is an American actor and television host. He is known for his roles as Quinn Mallory in the television series ''Sliders'', Andrew Clements in ''My Secret Identity'', Vern Tessio in the film '' Stand by M ...
) and the woman he is cheating with, Bianca Storm, who appears to be Carey sporting a short brown wig and red seductive clothing, and spies on them in a comedic way with her female lackeys. Soon after, Storm leaves her seat and walks towards the bathroom, prompting Carey to follow her during a short interlude in the video. After running into each other by the washroom, Carey pokes Storm, starting a large brawl between the two women. Afterwards, Carey appears to have defeated Storm, and heads back towards the movie room. During this scene, Jay-Z's rap verse is played, while an animated clip of Jay-Z and Carey is projected onto the screen, with an announcement that Jay-Z would appear in the video two weeks from the premiere date. This is followed by a scene where Carey and her friends, wearing oversized bob wigs, dance around in a bedroom. Later, a version of the video was released where Jay-Z raps his verse in a Jacuzzi while Carey and a security guard appear behind, followed by segments of the animated film. During the verse, Carey's friends begin throwing popcorn and other candies at O'Connell, prompting a small food fight in between them. As they halt their attack on him, Carey walks towards O'Connell's seat and acts as though she is Storm. After she sits next to him and he notices who it is, Carey spills a large soda on his lap and bids him farewell, leaving the theater with her friends smiling.
The animated section in the middle of the video adds a different twist to the relationship. Jay Z's voice (presumably her ex-boyfriend's internal dialogue, as it refers to the relationship in first person) explains that when they were a couple she was a very exploitative and controlling girlfriend, frequently demanding money and sex, using him to support her female cohorts and seeing him as some kind of trophy boyfriend. She also frequently got into fights with other women if she believed he was being adulterous (oddly in concert with the video's live-action segments) and answering his phone to ensure he was not somehow cheating. When she decided to get a tattoo of his name, he broke up with her, and she continued trying to follow him and talking about him, while also seemingly still in love with him. Which, again, is basically what is shown in the live-action segments.
Live performances
In order to promote "Heartbreaker", Carey performed the song live on several television and award show appearances, as well as recorded her own Fox Broadcasting Company
The Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly known simply as Fox and stylized in all caps as FOX, is an American commercial broadcast television network owned by Fox Corporation and headquartered in New York City, with master control operations an ...
special. Titled ''The Mariah Carey Homecoming Special'', it was a mini-concert filmed at Carey's old high school in Huntington, New York. The special aired on Fox on December 21, 1999, and featured Jay-Z live on stage for his verses. Carey performed "Heartbreaker" and its accompanying remix at the MTV European Music Awards
The MTV Europe Music Awards (originally named MTV European Music Awards, commonly abbreviated as MTV EMA) are awards presented by Paramount International Networks to honour artists and music in pop culture. It was originally conceived as an a ...
, held on November 11, 1999, in Dublin, Ireland. For the performance, Da Brat
Shawntae Harris-Dupart (born April 14, 1974), better known by her stage name Da Brat, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, she began her career in 1992, the year she signed with So So Def Records. Her debut album ''Funkda ...
and Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
both joined Carey on-stage. Additionally, the song was performed on ''The Oprah Winfrey Show
''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', often referred to as ''The Oprah Show'' or simply ''Oprah'', is an American daytime broadcast syndication, syndicated talk show that aired nationally for 25 seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in Chicag ...
'', which again featured the female duo live on stage, British music chart program ''Top of the Pops
''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...
'', French program ''Vivement Dimanche'', and ''The Today Show
''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was ...
''.
For ''Rainbow'', Carey embarked on her fourth and third worldwide tour, titled the Rainbow World Tour
The Rainbow World Tour was the fourth concert tour in 2000 by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, and supports her seventh studio album ''Rainbow'' (1999). The tour started in Europe on February 14, in Antwerp, Belgium, also an itinerary t ...
(2000). Throughout it, Carey performed the song live during every show. The synopsis behind each performance was a wrestling match in between Carey and Bianca, where Carey would sing the remix and original versions of the song throughout each small interlude of the fight. Carey was brought out with boxing gloves to the stage, performing the remix version of the song. After she began wrestling and boxing with Bianca, she defeated her, prompting her to begin the original version of the song. "Heartbreaker" featured a very different set up for Carey's Charmbracelet World Tour: An Intimate Evening with Mariah Carey (2002–03). During the tour, Carey wore a sparkling, Swarovski
Swarovski (, ) is an Austrian producer of glass based in Wattens, Austria, and has existed as a family-owned business since its founding in 1895 by Daniel Swarovski.
The company is split into three major industry areas: the Swarovski Crystal ...
bikini number, and performed both the remix and original versions back-to-back. Several male and female dancers were on stage during the performances, as well as different musicians and back-up vocalists. During Carey's following tour, The Adventures of Mimi Tour
The Adventures of Mimi was a 2006 concert tour of arenas by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was one of a few tours in her then-sixteen-year career and was named after a fan's "Carey-centric" diary of the same name. The bus tour start ...
, "Heartbreaker" was once again performed at each of the shows. For the song's recital, Carey's donned a black bikini and matching silk cape, as well as Christian Louboutin
Christian Louboutin (; born 7 January 1963) is a French fashion designer whose high-end stiletto footwear incorporates shiny, red-lacquered soles that have become his signature. Initially a freelance designer for fashion houses, he started hi ...
platform pumps. Several male dancers were present on stage, wearing black overalls and jackets while performing heavy dance routines. For the show at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
in New York City, Carey was joined by both Da Brat
Shawntae Harris-Dupart (born April 14, 1974), better known by her stage name Da Brat, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, she began her career in 1992, the year she signed with So So Def Records. Her debut album ''Funkda ...
and Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
for the remix and original versions, respectively. During the Angels Advocate Tour
The Angels Advocate Tour was the seventh concert tour by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. The tour supported her twelfth studio album, ''Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel'' (2009). The tour played 26 shows, primarily visiting the United State ...
, the song was paired with Love Hangover
"Love Hangover" is a song by the Motown singer Diana Ross, recorded in 1975 and released as a single on March 16, 1976. It rose to number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and Hot-Selling Soul Singles. It also hit number one on the Record World ...
by Diana Ross
Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups o ...
, and performed in a mash-up, the same as she did in VH1 Divas in 2000. For the Caution World Tour
Caution World Tour was the eleventh concert tour by American singer Mariah Carey. The tour consisted mostly of theaters and small to midsize arenas and with 35 dates in total included shows in North America, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Middl ...
, Carey performed both the remix and original versions of the song, albeit briefly interrupted by Bianca attempting to pick a fight until being knocked out by Carey; with the backup dancers dragging her offstage.
Track listings
US vinyl single
# "Heartbreaker" (album version) – 4:48
# "Heartbreaker" (remix) – 4:37
# "Heartbreaker/If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior
Junior or Juniors may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* ''Junior'' (Junior Mance album), 1959
* ''Junior'' (Röyksopp album), 2009
* ''Junior'' (Kaki King album), 2010
* ''Junior'' (LaFontaines album), 2019
Films
* ''Junior'' (1994 ...
's Club Mix) – 10:18
# "Heartbreaker/If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior's Club Dub) - 10:12
# "Heartbreaker/If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior's Hard Mix) – 10:19
US maxi-single
# "Heartbreaker" (radio edit) – 4:18
# "Heartbreaker" (remix) – 4:37
# "Heartbreaker/If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior's Club Mix) – 10:18
# "Heartbreaker/If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior's Club Dub) – 10:11
# "Heartbreaker/If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior's Hard Mix) – 10:20
US CD single
# "Heartbreaker" (album version) – 4:48
# "Heartbreaker" (remix) – 4:37
European 12-inch vinyl single
Side A
# "Heartbreaker" (radio edit) – 4:18
# "Heartbreaker" (remix) – 4:36
Side B
# "Heartbreaker/If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior's Club Mix) – 10:18
# "Heartbreaker/If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior's Club Dub) – 10:11
Australian and UK CD maxi-single
# "Heartbreaker" (radio edit) – 4:18
# "Heartbreaker" (remix) – 4:36
# "Heartbreaker" (no rap version) – 3:20
# "Heartbreaker/If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior Heartbreaker Club Mix) – 10:14
Enhanced CD single
# "Heartbreaker" (radio edit) – 4:18
# "Heartbreaker / If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior's Club Mix) – 10:18
# " Sweetheart" (Lil' John Remix) – 3:55
# "Heartbreaker" (video)
"Heartbreaker" (Remixes)
# "Heartbreaker" (album version)- 4:48
# "Heartbreaker" (Remix) – 4:37
# "Heartbreaker / If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior's Heartbreaker Club Mix) – 10:18
# "Heartbreaker / If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior's Heartbreaker Club Dub) – 10:10
# "Heartbreaker / If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior's Heartbreaker Hard Mix) – 10:19
Heartbreaker EP
# "Heartbreaker" (Remix) – 4:37
# "Heartbreaker" (No Rap Version) – 3:20
# "Love Hangover / Heartbreaker" (Live) – 5:15
# "Heartbreaker / If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior's Heartbreaker Club Mix) – 10:19
# "Heartbreaker / If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior's Heartbreaker Club Dub) – 10:11
# "Heartbreaker / If You Should Ever Be Lonely" (Junior's Heartbreaker Hard Mix) – 10:19
Credits and personnel
Credits are adapted from the ''Rainbow'' liner notes.
* Mariah Carey – co-production, songwriting
A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music gen ...
, vocals
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
* Shawn Carter
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
– songwriting, vocals
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
* DJ Clue
Ernesto Shaw (born January 8, 1975), better known as DJ Clue, is an American disc jockey (DJ), record producer, radio personality and record executive.
Early life
DJ Clue was born in Queens, New York City to Panamanian and Jamaican immigran ...
– co-production
* Shirley Elliston – songwriting
* Lincoln Chase
Lincoln R. Chase (June 29, 1926 – October 6, 1980) was an American songwriter and occasional recording artist. As a writer, his most notable songs were "Such a Night", "Jim Dandy (song), Jim Dandy", and several of Shirley Ellis' hits in the ...
– songwriting
* Michael Walden – songwriting
* Jeffrey Cohen – songwriting
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
Release history
References
Works cited
*
*
{{Authority control
1999 singles
Mariah Carey songs
Jay-Z songs
Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Canadian Singles Chart number-one singles
Dance-pop songs
Music videos directed by Brett Ratner
Music videos directed by Diane Martel
Songs written by Mariah Carey
Songs written by Jay-Z
Songs written by Narada Michael Walden
Songs written by Lincoln Chase
Songs written by Jeffrey E. Cohen
Columbia Records singles
Sony Music singles
1999 songs
Songs about heartache