Always Be My Baby - Chart Performance

Chart Performance

"Always Be My Baby" was released by Columbia Records on March 9, 1996 in Europe, and debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 on the issue dated April 6, 1996, behind Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me", which had replaced Carey's previous single, "One Sweet Day", at number one. "Always Be My Baby" stayed at number two for four weeks, and topped the Hot 100 on May 4, 1996, where it spent two weeks before returning to the number two position for an additional five weeks. At the end of its US chart run, the song spent a total of nine weeks at number two, the fourth longest stay in the chart's history. The song became Carey's 11th chart topper in the United States, tying her with pop singers Whitney Houston and Madonna as the female solo artist with the most number one singles, a record she passed soon after. After spending two weeks atop the Hot 100, the three singles from Daydream had given Carey a combined 26 weeks (six months) atop the chart, something never duplicated by another artist until Usher and The Black Eyed Peas in the mid to late 2000's. In Canada, the song became Carey's eighth chart topper, after it ascended to the number one position on the Canadian RPM Singles Chart during the week of May 20, 1996.

While it charted well outside the US, the song didn't manage to chart as high as her previous two singles "Fantasy" and "One Sweet Day". In Australia, the song entered the Australian Singles Chart at number 28 during the week of March 13, 1996. The song spent 16 weeks fluctuating in the chart before spending its last week at number 47 on June 30. "Always Be My Baby" was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), denoting shipments of over 35,000 units. The song debuted and peaked at number five in New Zealand, spending three consecutive weeks at the position. After 16 weeks, the song fell of the singles chart and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ). In the United Kingdom, the song entered the UK Singles Chart at number three, where it peaked. In its second week, the song fell to number four, staying on the chart for a total of ten weeks. As of 2008, sales in the UK are estimated at over 220,000. In Ireland, the song peaked at number ten on the Irish Singles Chart, spending nine weeks in the chart. In the Netherlands, "Always Be My Baby" entered the singles chart at number 43 during the week on April 20, 1996. The song peaked at number 27, spending one week at the position and five weeks in the chart overall. "Always Be My Baby" entered the singles chart in Sweden at number 58 during the week of May 3, 1996. After peaking at number 38 and spending a total of five weeks in the chart, the song fell off the Swedish Singles Chart.