 Daydream received universal acclaim at the time of its release . Reviews applauded the little changes of style from previous Carey releases , some of whom adding that it is her best record , while others dismissed it as <unk> and lacking of originality . AllMusic 's senior editor , Stephen Thomas Erlewine , awarded the album four and a half out of five stars . Erlewine called Daydream her " best record yet " and wrote , " Mariah Carey certainly knows how to construct an album . <unk> herself directly between urban R & B with tracks like " Fantasy , " and the adult contemporary radio format with songs like " One Sweet Day , " a duet with Boyz II Men , Carey appeals to both audiences equally because of the sheer amount of craft and hard work she puts into her albums . Daydream is her best record to date , featuring a consistently strong selection of songs and a remarkably impassioned performance by Carey . Daydream demonstrates that Carey continues to perfect her craft , and that she has earned her status as an R & B / pop diva . " In his review for the album , Ken Tucker from Entertainment Weekly called Daydream " her best record since her 1990 debut " , writing , " in fact , it 's easily the best collection Carey has put out since her self @-@ titled 1990 debut , the album Daydream most resembles in its emphasis on R & B grooves . " Tucker specifically complimented " One Sweet Day " , " Always Be My Baby " , " Forever " , and " Daydream Interlude " ( Fantasy Sweet Dub Mix ) , writing " One Sweet Day , her collaboration with Boyz II Men , radiates a <unk> <unk> that Carey , for all the brazen <unk> of her public persona , rarely permits herself to reveal in song . I like the relaxed swing of " Always Be My Baby " , and the brisk <unk> tempo of Forever . However , it 's on what many Carey fans will probably find the most <unk> cut , " Daydream Interlude ( Fantasy Sweet Dub Mix ) " , that the singer really defines herself . At her best , as she is on this <unk> , <unk> track , Carey is a disco diva for the ' 90s , a worthy successor to <unk> women like <unk> Summer and Vicki Sue Robinson , R & B singers with an affinity for the endless groove . " 
