Outside the United States, 'Hero' enjoyed strong charting, reaching the top five in Canada, France, Ireland, New Zealand and Norway and the top ten in Australia and the United Kingdom. Additionally, it was ranked number 53 on the Decade-End Chart. The song experienced strong success in several international markets, and also became Carey's eighth chart topper on the Billboard Hot 100. Aside from its lyrics, 'Hero' derived its hook and sound from several musical instruments such as the guitar, piano, and organ. The song received mixed reviews from contemporary music critics for its lyrical content, while Carey's vocal performance was praised.

Lyrically, the song is regarded as one of Carey's most inspirational and personal ballads, with its protagonist declaring that even though people may feel discouraged or down at times, in reality, they are 'heroes' if they look inside themselves and see their own inner strength in time, it will help them 'find the way'. However, after being convinced to keep it, she changed some of the lyrics to more precisely fit her personality. While writing the song, Carey did not connect to its style or sound, therefore forfeiting it over to the soundtrack of the film of the same name. Originally intended for Gloria Estefan, the song was written and produced by Mariah and Walter Afanasieff. It was released on October 19, 1993, via Columbia Records as the second single from Carey's third studio album, Music Box (1993). 'Hero' is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey.

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