Mariah Carey - Bye Bye

One "Touch" was enough to convince the masses that at 38, Mariah Carey is as much a chart tigress as anyone half her age. Sure enough, "E=MC2" launch single "Touch My Body" became her 18th No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 single. That playful romp is followed by a reminder that Mimi is as capable of putting a weighty message in front without sacrificing melodic juice. The video for Bye Bye has premiered on www.comcast.net and features Nick Cannon.

"Bye Bye" offers comfort for anyone suffering loss: "This is for my peoples who just lost somebody, your best friend, your baby, your man or your lady/Lift your head to the sky, cos we will never say bye."

A tinkly piano-driven groove escorts the lyrical embrace, with oozy synths, a flush of R&B via male shout-outs of "Eh!" and a vocal that builds to a fitting tour-de-force crescendo, though pushed down in the mix to maintain decorum. "Bye" seems poised to have Carey greet the top of the pops for a 19th time.