the mariah carey demo tape AUCTION
Mariah Carey Demo Tape [1988] Add to favourites
A incredible opportunity to own a truly unique piece of music history from the beginning stages of the career of one of music's most influential artists ever. As far as we know, this is the only time one of these has ever come up for auction, and is one of the only very few that remain anywhere in the world.
- 7 tracks
- 5 that formed her debut record
- Plus 2 others...
Long before the chart records, Mariah was a young working class singer-songwriter working relentlessly towards her goal of stardom. Along the way, she made a demo comprised of songs that would form the nucleus of her self-titled 1990 debut album. An album that went on to produce four #1 singles and announced the arrival of a self-made talent who would come to define the 90s and one of the biggest selling stars of all time.
In the years since, the demo has been the subject of much myth and speculation, becoming a grail item for fans and collectors around the world.
Handed personally to Arthur Baker at the same 1988 party where she was discovered, this demo tape includes unreleased and early versions of what would become hits.
- One of the only demo tapes in existence
- Handed to Arthur the same party in 1988 where she was discovered - a transformative moment in Mariah's career and music history
- Contains 7 tracks - 5 of which formed the blueprint for Mariah's debut album, plus 2 others
- One of the most actively sought-after demos in the world
This auction requires every bidder to confirm acceptance of the terms and conditions of sale related to the tape and recorded material on it. Please see disclaimer below.
By bidding on or purchasing any item from this collection that includes recorded audio material (such as master tapes, demo recordings, or unreleased sessions), you agree to the following terms:
- These recordings are sold strictly for private, non-commercial use by the winning bidder only.
- Ownership of the physical item does not grant any rights to the underlying recordings, compositions, performances, or intellectual property. All rights remain with the original rights holders.
- You may not reproduce, copy, distribute, publish, share, broadcast, perform, licence, monetise, or otherwise exploit the recordings in any form.
- The recordings must not be shared with third parties in any format, whether for free or for financial gain.
- Any unauthorised use may result in legal action, including claims for copyright infringement, injunctive relief, and recovery of damages and legal costs.
By proceeding with a bid or purchase, you confirm that you understand and accept these terms in full.
Before you bid:
Please note that, on top of the final bidding price, you (the buyer) will be charged the following:
- Buyer premium of 15% on top of the final hammer price. E.g. for a winning bid of $100, you will pay $115 plus shipping, insurance, and taxes. The buyer premium helps us invest in curation, appraisals, verification, content and platform development.
- Shipping, packing, insurance & handling costs - see 'shipping' section below for more details
- Import duties and taxes - these vary by location and are payable by the buyer upon delivery, if applicable
Shipping method: All orders are shipped tracked.
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Expected delivery: Item ships 2 weeks after auction closes. Delivery time varies by location.
We run a popcorn bidding process. This means that if you put a bid in within the last minute of the auction, the clock will extend for another 5 minutes. This allows everyone time to get their bids in fairly.
"SHE WRITES LIKE MADONNA, SHE SOUNDS LIKE WHITNEY. I THOUGHT I'D FOUND GOLD."
Hear how Arthur was handed the tape on one of that fateful night in 1988, how close he came to signing her, and what he first thought when he heard the tape.
"Arthur invited me into the studio. We played the tape. I said "man, she can sing". She had that range. And I said I think she's got it."
the demo tape
Long before the chart records, the luxurious diva persona and her recent ubiquity as the ‘Queen Of Christmas’, Mariah was a young working class singer-songwriter working relentlessly towards her goal of stardom. Along the way, she made a demo comprised of songs that would form the nucleus of her self-titled 1990 debut album. An album that went on to produce four #1 singles and announced the arrival of a self-made talent who would come to define the 90s.
In the years since, the demo has been the subject of much myth and speculation. These formative recordings were produced and arranged alongside Ben Margulies and Chris Toland, who helped shepherd Mariah as they took her earliest compositions from notebook sketches to fully formed tracks. “The songs were more primitive in its demo form but all the elements that led to the final record are on the demos for the most part. The hooks, the background vocals, the kicks, the chords – it's all there”, Toland remembers.
Listening to the formative versions of the tracks that eventually made her debut album, the push and pull that clearly happened between Mariah and the executives at Columbia over creative direction is very apparent. ‘Someday’ in its early incarnation pulses with a funk that brings to mind the Minneapolis sound. There’s an elegance to the chord progressions in ‘Alone In Love’ that quiet storm radio would’ve warmly embraced. Showing that Mariah’s R&B inclinations were always a point of contention. Elsewhere, an unreleased track on the demo feels like something Vanessa Williams could have recorded while hinting at elements later heard in ‘Sent From Up Above’. The synth-pop stylings of ‘All In Your Mind’ carries a new wave and almost Cyndi Lauper-esque energy. A far cry from the pseudo-reggae pop fare it evolved into. Revealing a more musically diverse Mariah than the world was privy to. Corroborating this, Toland said, “I thought it was an interesting decision to take somebody capable of honouring so many different styles into just one thing. I guess it worked because en masse, the people embraced her to the moon”.
contains 5 demo tracks from mariah's debut album, plus 2 other tracks
GIVEN TO ARTHUR at the same christmas party in 1988 that launched her career
Comes with certificate of authenticity
as seen in
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