43. Mariah Carey

After wallowing in diva overkill on her last two albums, the Nineties' biggest female star sought to remove herself from her luxuriant quagmire with a surefire remedy: hot beats. On Mimi, quick-stepping pop songs like the Neptunes-produced "Say Somethin' " sport rubbery grooves that take Carey's belt-'em-out choruses to the club and then home for some good lovin'. Elsewhere, Jermaine Dupri helps out with slinky hooks on "Get Your Number" and Kanye West creates a low-rumbling bed for Carey's agitated swoops and moans on "Stay the Night," which is the rare Carey heartbreaker that's more moving than maudlin.

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