Mariah Carey just presumed all her favourite songs were number ones at the time.

The singer holds the record for the most number one tracks by a solo artist, having topped the US chart 18 times. Although she loves having that to her name, it took the star a little while to understand what it really meant.

"I never even knew what a number one was, I thought all my favourite songs were number one records growing up. That's why when they said, 'Oh Vision of Love [her first song to top the charts] is gonna be the single,' I didn't even really understand single vs album... I knew, like, the song that gets played on the radio and gets the video made, that would be the single but I wasn't one of those people that watched the Grammys, the American Music Awards. I mean I did on those big occasions as a kid growing up when we see Michael Jackson... (sic)," Mariah told US talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.

The Beatles are still the all-time record holders thanks to their 20 number ones. Mariah insists she isn't trying to beat them though, stating the iconic British group are in a league all of their own.

The star is busy at the moment, having kicked off a residency in Las Vegas which sees her sing every track of hers which has taken the top spot in chronological order. Unfortunately she recently had to cancel a performance because of bronchitis, but that did give her time to catch up on TV.

"I watch different shows. I watch Scandal, I was loving How to Get Away with Murder - I can't wait for that to come back on. I definitely don't watch Wives with Knives, for a lot of reasons," Mariah, who is separated from her husband Nick Cannon, deadpanned.