The Sam Sanders Show Is Mariah Carey the Greatest American Songwriter?
May 5, 2026
Danyel Smith, a music journalist and author who helped shape The New York Times’ list of top songwriters, discusses Mariah Carey’s songwriting and sampling craft. Short takes cover debates over her inclusion, her insistence on credit, how she makes complex vocal lines singable, and the industry’s disrespect toward Black women in music.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Mariah's Chart Dominance Versus Recognition
- Mariah Carey has 19 No. 1 hits and co-wrote 18, putting her among the most successful American songwriters ever.
- Danyel Smith emphasizes Mariah's songwriting is undervalued despite chart dominance and long-term creative labor.
How The Times Picked The 30 Songwriters
- The New York Times assembled over 500 names and debated relentlessly to make the 30 greatest living American songwriters list.
- Danyel Smith describes heated multi-vote sessions likened to 'just short of physical violence.'
Longstanding Frustration Over Songwriting Credit
- Mariah has publicly been frustrated for decades about not getting songwriting credit she deserves.
- Smith notes Mariah's long struggle for recognition across 25 years despite writing hits and growing into her 'genius.'
