Whitney Houston vs. Mariah Carey: Who's the better singer?

Maria (Whitney)

Whitney Houston is recognized as one of the world's best female singers. She had an aptitude for malleability in her tone and the ability to alter the 'colors' in her voice. Her mid to lower ranges could sound dark or light, and she could oscillate between heavy and soft timbres. This was also true with her high notes, including how she used contrasting tones in high notes during 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' at different points of the song. Although Mariah's vocal range is extraordinary, her voice typically sustains one tone through lower ranges and a single thinner tone in higher ranges, resulting in a less intriguing tone variety overall.

Breath control is fundamental to singing technique, and few pop-singer superstars then or since have mastered breath control like Whitney. She used it to her technical advantage tone-wise and for attacking and sustaining pitches. While both women are known for their abilities, hitting complex runs and inflections, Whitney executed them more precisely in live settings throughout the lifespan of her career. While both vocal queens make their runs sound effortless, Whitney's exactitude is flawless.

Both vocalists have sung songs composed by others, but the art of being a singer is all about interpreting the story, making it believable. Whitney shines in this artistry. The feelings she expresses in songs such as 'The Greatest Love of All' and her famous rendition of Dolly Parton's 'I Will Always Love You' have brought praise from listeners and inspired covers from artists. Few others have not brought the same emotion and power that Whitney did to either piece. From the outset of her career, she was always a star destined to win the love of America and the world. 

Maha (Mariah)

Rumors of a rivalry between Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey aside, Mariah has become and arguably always was the better singer. Mariah's range is expansive, reaching between five and seven octaves. In fact, her control over her whistle register enables her to scale five octaves in just one minute. Moreover, her talent has inspired many of today's top artists, including Rihanna, Beyonce, and Adele. Similarly, she contributed a lot to music early on. Her song ‘Fantasy’ popularized rap as a featuring act and introduced R&B and hip-hop into pop culture, whereas Whitney was accused of not being 'black enough,' as she produced streamlined pop music of the 80s and 90s. 

Mariah's supremacy is further proven by her achievements. She has a total of 24 top 10 hits in the UK and 28 on the US chart. According to the Billboard Hot 100, she's the fifth top artist of all time. In addition, she has had 19 number-one singles and two top-100 songs. Just her holiday hit 'All I Want for Christmas is You' alone has broken three Guinness World Records. It also earned her recognition as the first and only artist to top Billboard Hot 100 charts in four different decades. 

The numbers of her album sales are just as incredible. In 2003, she became the first female artist to win the Chopard Diamond World Music Award for selling 150+ million copies. Even beyond the US, Mariah is a hit. From 1990 to 1999, she sold over 200 million internationally. And in 2018, she received a certificate of achievement for 1.6 billion sales in Asia Pacific. With a unique talent and numerous achievements backing her, there's barely much doubt that Mariah is the best.