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Play This Song

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"Play This Song"
Single by Mariah Carey featuring Anderson .Paak
from the album Here for It All
ReleasedSeptember 26, 2025 (2025-09-26)
Studio
GenreR&B
Length3:44
LabelGamma
Songwriters
  • Mariah Carey
  • Brandon Paak Anderson
  • Daniel Moore II
  • Jarius Mozee
  • Jason Pounds
  • Kenya Rae Johnson
Producers
  • Mariah Carey
  • N.W.I.
  • Daniel Moore II
Mariah Carey singles chronology
"Sugar Sweet"
(2025) 		"Play This Song"
(2025) 		"In Your Feelings"
(2025)
Anderson .Paak singles chronology
"Too Bad"
(2025) 		"Play This Song"
(2025)
Music video
"Play This Song" on YouTube

"Play This Song" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey featuring fellow American singer-songwriter Anderson .Paak. It was released on September 26, 2025, as the third single from Carey's sixteenth studio album Here for It All (2025), through her own imprint, Mariah, and the media company Gamma. Written in collaboration between Carey and Paak, the song also has Daniel Moore II, Jarius Mozee, Jason Pounds and Kenya Rae Johnson sharing writing credits. Production was handled by Carey, Moore II, Paak, Mozee and Pounds (billed as NWI). Sonically, the song is derived from 70's music and Motown sound, while also being an R&B song.

"Play This Song" has lyrics of a push-and-pull between two estranged lovers with a sour yet subtle message of giving up on someone, while also trying to reigniting the relationship. Most music critics compared the sound to that of musical superduo Silk Sonic, Paak's collaborative work with Bruno Mars, with their chemistry being the object of praise. Commercially, the track became the third top twenty entry from Here for It All on the US Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart, reaching number 11. A music video for the song premiered on September 26, 2025, while both performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon three days later.

Background and release

[edit]

Paak first revealed that he was working on new music with Carey during an interview with Track Star in May 2025, where he wore a Mariah Carey T-shirt from her merch collection, and revealed that he was working on new music with the singer for her upcoming album.[2] Upon Carey revealing the tracklist of Here for It All via social media on August 27, 2025, it was confirmed that Paak would be featured on a track on the album titled "Play This Song".[3] Commenting on the collaboration in September 2025, Carey spoke to Gayle King on CBS Mornings, where she described Paak as "brilliant" and "a really a great artist".[4] As confirmed by Forbes contributor Chris Malone Méndez, the song is "a working relationship birthed out of both her and her son’s love for Silk Sonic."[5]

On September 23, three days prior to the release date of Here for It All, Carey announced via her social media that "Play This Song" would officially be released on September 26, the same day as the album, alongside its music video.[6] On September 25, Carey was interviewed by Vogue, where she described the song as being a "kind of a ha-ha to whatever person", and "an "I'm giving up on this situation" type thing".[7] On September 27, Billboard reported that the track is Carey's latest single from the album,[8] following "Type Dangerous" and "Sugar Sweet".[9]

Composition

[edit]

"Play This Song" was written in collaboration between Mariah Carey and Anderson Paak, who also duet. Daniel Moore II, Jarius Mozee, Jason Pounds and Kenya Rae Johnson also share writing credits. Production was handled by Carey, Moore II and NWi (consisted of Paak, Mozee and Pounds).[10] It is an R&B song, with influences of funk and soul, and has been described as one of the "groovier moments" on Here for It All.[11] It features "swirling" production, live drums, and "relaxed" arrangements.[12] Additionally, Alexa Camp of Slant Magazine described "Play This Song" as a "throwback to '70s soul",[13] while some critics noted "inflections of Motown".[a] In another light, Reid Sperisen of The Daily Bruin saw the blend of "twinkling chimes and warm keys" to be reminiscent of 2023's Victoria Monét’s Jaguar II album.[16]

Lyrically, "Play This Song" is "a push-and-pull between Carey and .Paak as they circle around a relationship that’s ended but on the verge of reigniting."[15] Rich Juzwiak of Pitchfork founded "a certain sourness, or bubbling rage even" in its lyrics, where Carey urges an estranged lover to "Listen by yourself, please listen by your damn self."[17]

Critical reception

[edit]

Critics were favorable towards the blend of the two voices. Renowned for Sound writer Ryan Bulbeck described it as "a lavish and richly arranged tune, featuring [Paak]'s soulful vocals melding wonderfully with Carey's.[18] Correspondingly, the description of the duet by Sperisen of The Daily Bruin stressed as the "finest collaboration" on the album, highlighting that the "chemistry between the Silk Sonic member's vocals and Carey's luscious lilts leaves the lyrics to play second fiddle, but this is no concern when the song's rich, luxurious '70s vibe is so heavenly."[16] Mark Chappelle from Albumism wrote "Paak's vintage grooves propel Carey well", seeing influences on Carey's own songs, such as "Mine Again", "Circles", and "I Wish You Knew", all from The Emancipation Of Mimi (2005).[19] The latter song was also cited as an influence by Pip Elwood of Entertainment Focus.[15] Both Andy Kellman of Allmusic and Puah Ziwei of NME picked it as a highlight from the album,[20][21] with Kellman perceiving "strong evocations of early-'70s soul", while "Paak tamps down his histrionics",[20] and Ziewi mostly praising it sonically.[21] The Arts Desk's Joe Muggs stated that "duetting with .Paak over the ultra-jazz chords of 'Play This Song' [...] is absolutely world class."[22] Peter Piatkowski of PopMatters characterized it as "a summery love ballad reminiscent of the starry-eyed love duets of the 1970s Motown era," mostly Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye or Stevie Wonder and Syreeta Wright.[12]

Many critics noted that the song is stylistic closest to his collaborative work with Bruno Mars on Silk Sonic.[b] Melissa Ruggieri from USA Today suggested it was "a sly homage to The Stylistics' "You Are Everything" that spotlights .Paak's Silk Sonic feel."[25] Andy Steiner of Paste commented on the inspiration, calling it "derivative" and that it "mimick[s] Stax Records style but not its rhythmic adventurousness."[14] He also noted "Carey's melodies and .Paak's rhythms could use a bit more gas."[14] Similarly, Tim Chan wrote for Rolling Stone that "it's neither as memorable or playful as advertised."[24] Placing it at number 6 while ranking the 11 tracks on Here for It All, Heran Mamo of Billboard declared: "Its Philly soul sound makes "Play This Song" sound like a leftover Silk Sonic song, but with MC taking Bruno Mars' mic — and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Carey is right: The two indeed have great musical chemistry [...], as her syrupy, swoon-worthy tone and the warm, raspy texture of .Paak's voice come together in perfect harmony.[23]

Music video

[edit]

The song's music video premiered on September 26, 2025, and was directed by Paak.[26] Hannah Dailey of Billboard described the video as a "black-and-white visual [showing] Carey and the Silk Sonic musician looking glamorous in chic blazers while singing to one another inside a luxurious mansion", where the two "[appear] absolutely enamored with one another".[27] Furthermore, Eliza Thompson of Us Weekly defined it as a "flirty" music video,[28] while Jovita Trujillo from ¡Hola! magazine declared "their chemistry is undeniable."[29]

Live performances

[edit]

On September 29, 2025, Carey appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where she performed "Play This Song" for the first time, alongside Paak and hip hop band The Roots. Commenting on the performance, Emily Zemler of Rolling Stone stated: "The singer, clad in a gold gown, took center stage to showcase the song with the help of Paak, who played the grand piano alongside her".[30] Gil Kaufman of Billboard praised the performance, highlighting the moment "when she pushed her vocals into her power range."[31] The song was also part of the setlist of her fifteenth concert tour The Celebration of Mimi commencing in 2025.[32]

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for "Play This Song"
Chart (2025) Peak
position
Germany Urban (Deutsche Black Charts)[33] 2
Japan Hot Overseas (Billboard Japan)[34] 5
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[35] 36
US Hot R&B Songs (Billboard)[36] 11
US R&B/Hip Hop Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[37] 12

Release history

[edit]
"Play This Song" release history
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various September 26, 2025
Gamma [38]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Attributed to Paste,[14] Entertainment Focus[15] and PopMatters.[12]
  2. ^ Attributed to Paste,[14] Billboard,[23] Albumism[19] Allmusic[20] Rolling Stone[24] and USA Today.[25]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Here for It All (booklet). Mariah Carey. Gamma. 2025.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ E. Goldberg, Madison (May 3, 2025). "Anderson .Paak Confirms He's Working on Music with Mariah Carey After They Were Seen Holding Hands". People. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  3. ^ Mamo, Heran (August 27, 2025). "Mariah Carey Unveils 'Here for It All' Track List, With Features From Anderson .Paak & The Clark Sisters". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  4. ^ King, Gayle; Novak, Analisa (September 24, 2025). "Mariah Carey talks new album, family loss and resilience: "I don't know how I processed it"". CBS News. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  5. ^ Méndez, Chris Malone (September 26, 2025). "Mariah Carey Is 'Here For It All' On New Album". Forbes. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  6. ^ "Instagram post by @mariahcarey: "Play This Song feat. @anderson._paak from my new album Here For It All!! Album and video out FRIDAY!!"". September 23, 2025. Retrieved September 24, 2025 – via Instagram.
  7. ^ Allaire, Christian (September 25, 2025). "Mariah Carey's New Era Is 'All About Me'". Vogue. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  8. ^ Cao, Katie (September 27, 2025). "Mariah Carey's 'Here For It All' As She Conquers the World With Her New Album | Billboard News". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  9. ^ "Mariah Carey releases highly anticipated new album Here for It All". Amnplify. September 26, 2025. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  10. ^ "Here for It All". Tidal. September 26, 2025. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
  11. ^ Ziwei, Puah (September 29, 2025). "Mariah Carey – 'Here For It All' review: carefree and occasionally brilliant". NME. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  12. ^ a b c Piatkowski, Peter (October 2, 2025). "Mariah Carey's 'Here for It All' Is a Winning Return". PopMatters. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  13. ^ Camp, Alexa (September 26, 2025). "Mariah Carey 'Here for It All' Review: Trilling on the Past". Slant Magazine. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  14. ^ a b c d Steiner, Andy (October 3, 2025). "Mariah Carey Is Here For It All On First Album In 7 Years". Paste. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  15. ^ a b c Ellwood Hughes, Pip (September 26, 2025). "Review: Mariah Carey combines timeless and fresh sounds on 'Here For It All'". Entertainment Focus. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  16. ^ a b Sperisen, Reid (September 27, 2025). "Album review: Mariah Carey's 'Here For It All' may not be all we want, but we're still obsessed". Daily Bruin. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  17. ^ Juzwiak, Rich (September 29, 2025). "Here for It All". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
  18. ^ Bulbeck, Ryan. "Album Review: Mariah Carey – Here For It All". Renowned for Sound. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  19. ^ a b Chappelle, Mark (September 29, 2025). "Mariah Carey Infuses Her Unshakeable Cool Throughout 'Here For It All'". Albumism. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  20. ^ a b c Kellman, Andy. "Here for It All - Mariah Carey - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  21. ^ a b Ziwei, Puah (September 29, 2025). "Mariah Carey - 'Here For It All' review: carefree and occasionally brilliant". NME. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
  22. ^ Muggs, Joe (September 26, 2025). "Mariah Carey is still 'Here for It All' after an eight-year break". The Arts Desk. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  23. ^ a b Mamo, Heran (September 26, 2025). "Mariah Carey's 'Here For It All': All 11 Tracks Ranked". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  24. ^ a b Chan, Tim (September 24, 2025). "Mariah Carey Is Here for It All (Just Not Any Theatrics) on New Album". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 24, 2025. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  25. ^ a b Ruggieri, Melissa (September 23, 2025). "Mariah Carey is back with her first album in seven years: These are the best songs". USA Today. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  26. ^ "Mariah Carey - Play This Song ft. Anderson .Paak (Official Music Video)" (Video). YouTube. Retrieved October 2, 2025. Note: In the video's description Anderson .Paak is credited as director.
  27. ^ Dailey, Hannah (September 26, 2025). "Mariah Carey Gets Cozy With Anderson .Paak in Flirty 'Play This Song' Music Video Amid Dating Rumors". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  28. ^ Thompson, Eliza (September 26, 2025). "Mariah Carey Teams Up With Anderson .Paak for Flirty New Music Video 'Play This Song'". Us Magazine. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  29. ^ Trujillo, Jovita (September 26, 2025). "New Music Friday: Mariah Carey, Rauw Alejandro, Cardi B, and more". ¡Hola!. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
  30. ^ Zemler, Emily (September 30, 2025). "Watch Mariah Carey, Anderson .Paak Perform 'Play This Song' on 'Fallon'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  31. ^ Kaufman, Gil (September 30, 2025). "Mariah Carey Jams Out to Song From Unreleased Grunge Album, Wears Lady Gaga Mask on 'Tonight Show'". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
  32. ^ "The Celebration of Mimi: Mariah Carey's four stunning acts". Independent Observer. October 12, 2025. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  33. ^ "DEUTSCHE URBAN CHARTS - Deutsche Trendcharts". Deutsche Trend Charts. Archived from the original on November 6, 2025. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  34. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of October 8, 2025". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  35. ^ "Official Hot 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. October 3, 2025. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  36. ^ "Mariah Carey Chart History (Hot R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  37. ^ "Mariah Carey Chart History (R&B Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  38. ^ Carey, Mariah (September 26, 2025). "Play This Song (feat. Anderson .Paak)". Apple Music. Retrieved October 2, 2025.