Whitney Houston (album)
Whitney Houston | ||||
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Studio album by Whitney Houston | ||||
Released | February 14, 1985 | |||
Recorded | 1983–1984 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 46:54 | |||
Label | Arista | |||
Producer |
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Whitney Houston chronology | ||||
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Singles from Whitney Houston | ||||
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Whitney Houston is the eponymous debut album of American R&B and pop singer Whitney Houston. It was released on February 14, 1985, by Arista Records. The album initially had a slow commercial response, but began getting more popular in the summer of 1985. It eventually topped the Billboard 200 for 14 weeks in 1986, generating three number-one singles — "Saving All My Love for You", "How Will I Know" and "Greatest Love of All" (a cover of "The Greatest Love of All", originally recorded in 1977 by George Benson) — on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, which made it both the first debut album and the first album by a solo female artist to produce three number-one singles.[3][4] The album topped the albums charts in many countries, including Canada,[5] Australia,[6] Norway[7] and Sweden,[8] peaking at number 2 in the United Kingdom,[9] Germany,[10] and Switzerland.[11] The album was certified diamond for shipments of 10 million units or more on March 16, 1999, and later 13× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on July 29, 1999,[12][13] making it one of the top 100 best-selling albums in the United States.[14] It has sold over 25 million copies worldwide.[15][16]
In 1986, at the 28th Grammy Awards, Whitney Houston received four nominations; including Album of the Year[17] and won one, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female for "Saving All My Love for You".[18] For the 29th Grammy Awards of 1987, the album earned one nomination for Record of the Year for "Greatest Love of All".[19] In 2003, the album was ranked number 254 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[20]
In honor of its 25th anniversary, the album was reissued as Whitney Houston – The Deluxe Anniversary Edition on January 26, 2010, an expanded edition with five bonus tracks including the a cappella version of "How Will I Know" and the original 12-inch remixes, a booklet tracking the history of the original album, along with a DVD of live performances and interviews by Whitney Houston and Clive Davis.[21]
Background
![](../I/m/JermaineJackson2007(cropped).jpg)
After seeing Houston perform in a New York City nightclub, Clive Davis believed the singer had the potential to crossover and be the next big superstar. He signed her in 1983 and the two began work on her debut album. Initially Davis had a hard time finding songs for her. Even after elaborate showcases in New York and Los Angeles, many producers turned down the chance to work with her.[22] During the time, rock bands and dance oriented acts were popular; many songwriters felt Houston's gospel voice didn't fit in the pop landscape. It took a year and a half for Jerry Griffith, then Arista's A&R chief and had recommended Whitney to Davis, and Davis to amass suitable songs for the album.[22] Finally the songwriter-producer Kashif offered to produce "You Give Good Love". Jermaine Jackson, who had emerged from the shadow of his younger brother Michael, produced three songs. Narada Michael Walden came in to revise and then produce "How Will I Know". And Michael Masser covered the pop side of the tracks, producing four of his own compositions, including "Saving All My Love for You" and "Greatest Love of All", which had originally been recorded in 1977 by George Benson as "The Greatest Love of All" and was the main theme of the boxer Muhammad Ali biopic "The Greatest" in the same year. After two years of recording, the album was ready for release. Budgeted at $200,000, it finally cost almost $400,000.[22]
Critical reception
Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | A-[24] |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
PopMatters | 7/10[26] |
Q | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Village Voice | C[29] |
Whitney Houston was well received by music critics upon its release. Stephen Holden of The New York Times, praised the album and especially her singing style, stating, "along with an appealing romantic innocence, she projects the commanding dignity and elegance of someone far more mature."[30] Liam Lacey of The Globe and Mail commented that although some "arrangements frequently border on formulaic but such ballads as Saving All My Love for You, Greatest Love Of All, and Hold Me are some of the loveliest pop singing on vinyl since the glory days of Dionne Warwick." Lacey added, "Houston has a silky, rich, vibrant voice that moves between steely edges, or curls sensuously around the notes."[31] Los Angeles Times complimented Houston on her excellent vocal ability, writing, "neither the frequently listless arrangements nor the sometimes mediocre material of this debut LP hides the fact that Houston is a singer with enormous power and potential" on their reviews for 1985's releases.[25]
Don Shewey of Rolling Stone described her as "one of the most exciting new voices in years" and stated that: "Because she has a technically polished voice like Patti Austin's, [...] her interpretive approach is what sets her apart" and "Whitney Houston is obviously headed for stardom, and if nothing else, her album is an exciting preview of coming attractions." But he expressed a little disappoinment about undistinguished pop-soul tunes, commenting "many of the songs here are so featureless they could be sung by anyone. They make what could have been a stunning debut merely promising."[1] In his consumer guide for The Village Voice, Robert Christgau complimented Houston's "sweet, statuesque voice", but called the songs "schlock" and believed "only one of the four producers puts any zip in—Narada Michael Walden, who goes one for one."[29]
Contemporary reviews have paid attention to the significance and the value of it in music history. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic defined Whitney Houston as "the foundation of diva-pop" and stated that certainly, the ballads such as "Greatest Love of All" and "Saving All My Love for You", provided "the blueprint for decades of divas". However, he gave higher marks to the lighter tracks like "How Will I Know" and "Thinking About You", commenting these tracks "are what really impresses some 20-plus years on" and "turns the album into a fully rounded record, the rare debut that manages to telegraph every aspect of an artist's career in a mere ten songs."[23] Brad Wete, on a feature article to celebrate for Vibe magazine's 15th anniversary in September 2008, wrote "never before has an African-American woman earned such crossover appeal so early in her career. [...] [Houston] had an explosive solo debut" and commented "Whitney's prodigious pop set [...] was a fresh serving of precocious talent compared to 1985's mildly flavored R&B buffet."[32] Allison Stewart from The Washington Post stated that the album "provided a blueprint for the pop/dance/R&B-melding careers of Mariah Carey and others, and introduced the world to "The Voice", an octave-spanning, gravity-defying melismatic marvel."[2] In The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (2004), music journalist J. D. Considine gave the album three out of five stars and stated, "Although utterly calculating, Whitney Houston does have its moments, particularly when Houston leans toward R&B, as on 'You Give Good Love.'"[28]
Accolades
The album received good response from major publications. Three major critics of the Los Angeles Times listed the album on their year end critics list. The album ranked #79 on Robert Hilburn's list,[33] #2 on Paul Grein's list and #5 on Dennis Hunt's list.[34] In November 2003, the album was ranked #254 on Rolling Stone's publication of the 500 greatest albums of all time, and ranked #46 on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Definitive 200 List in 2007.[35] In addition, ranked #71 on Q magazine's "100 Women Who Rock The World" in 2002 and took the #15 spot on Yahoo! Music's 30 Most Significant Albums In Black Music History list in 2010, with Brandy's comments on the album; "The first Whitney Houston CD was genius. That CD introduced the world to her angelic yet powerful voice. Without Whitney many of this generation of singers wouldn't be singing."[36][37] In 2013, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame[38] giving Houston her 1st Grammy Hall of Fame Award and her 7th Grammy Award.
Commercial performance
Released on February 14, 1985, Whitney Houston debuted on the Billboard Top Albums Chart the week of March 30, 1985, at number 166.[39] Sales were low initially. However, with the success of the first single "You Give Good Love", the album began climbing the charts and finally reached the number one on Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart (formerly "Top Black Albums") in June and the top 10 on the Billboard 200 (formerly "Top Pop Albums") in August 1985.[40][41] Thanks to successive hit singles and winning at the Grammys, eventually Whitney Houston topped the Billboard 200 album chart in March 1986.[42] With the album taking 55 weeks to hit number one, it became the slowest climb to the top of the charts since Fleetwood Mac took fifty-eight weeks to reach the top in 1976, with the band's second eponymous album.[43][44]
Whitney Houston spent 14 non-consecutive weeks at the top of Billboard 200 chart from March until late June 1986, which was short of one week for Carole King's record of 15 weeks for the longest running #1 album by a female artist.[3] It was the second-longest running No.1 album among the debut albums in Billboard history, behind Men at Work's Business as Usual, which had 15 weeks on top in 1982-83.[3] The album exhibited massive staying power, remaining on the Billboard 200 for 162 weeks.[45] It also spent a record 46 weeks in the top 10, beating Carole King's record with Tapestry.[46] But the record was later broken by some artists in 1990s—Paula Abdul's Forever Your Girl, Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill and Celine Dion's Falling into You. Houston's debut was the best-selling album of 1986 in the United States and the #1 album of the year on 1986 Billboard year-end charts, making her the first female artist to earn that distinction.[47][48] She became also the #1 pop artist of the year.[49] The RIAA certified it Diamond on March 16, 1999 and later 15× platinum on July 29, 1999, for shipments of 15,000,000 copies of the album in United States.[12][13]
The album was successful worldwide. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number two on the albums chart, spending 119 weeks on the chart.[9][50] It was certified 6× platinum for shipments of 1,800,000 units of the album by the British Phonographic Industry(BPI), becoming the fifth best-selling album of 1986.[51][52] In Canada, the album reached the top spot on the albums chart and remained there for 17 weeks to become the longest stay at the summit by a female artist. On March 31, 1987, it was certified 10× platinum for sales of over one million copies, making it the best-selling album of 1986, and later Diamond by the Canadian Recording Industry Association(CRIA).[53][54] Whitney Houston was also the 1986's top selling album in Australia, staying at number one of the Kent Music Report albums chart for 11 weeks, the longest stay by a female artist at the time.[55] It became the first time an African American artist had a number 1 album in Australia. In Japan, the album was ranked number two on list of the 1986's best-selling album by a foreign artist, with a total of 450,000 units combined sales of LP, CD and Compact Cassette, only behind Madonna's True Blue.[56] Besides, the album reached the number one on the albums chart in Norway for ten weeks and Sweden for six weeks, the number two in Germany, Switzerland, and the number three in Austria and New Zealand.[7][8][10][11][57][58] Worldwide, Whitney Houston has sold over 32 million copies, becoming one of the best selling albums in the 1980s.[59][60] According to the Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales data in 1991, as of 2009, the album sold over 1,038,000 copies in the United States.[61]
The week ending of February 12, 2012, following Houston's death on February 11, the album re-charted on the Billboard 200 at No. 72 with 8,000 copies sold.[62]
Grammy Awards
At the 28th Grammy Awards in 1986, Whitney Houston received four nominations—Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female for "Saving All My Love for You", Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "You Give Good Love" and Best Rhythm & Blues Song for "You Give Good Love"—and won Houston's first Grammy, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female.[17][18] In addition, the album earned one nomination for Record of the Year in 1987 for "Greatest Love of All", a cover of "The Greatest Love of All", originally recorded by George Benson in 1977, ten years before and was the main theme of the boxer Muhammad Ali biopic "The Greatest" in the same year.[19]
Best New Artist controversy
In February 1986, the controversy was caused at the 28th Grammy Awards by the absence of Whitney Houston's name for the Best New Artist.[63][64] Although Whitney Houston was her debut album released in 1985 and many people bet that she would be crowned Best New Artist, she was not nominated in that category, because of her disqualification as a new artist. Upon hearing that Houston would be denied the opportunity to compete in the Best New Artist category for 1985, Clive Davis, then the president of Arista Records, sent a letter of complaint to Michael Greene, the president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), and had been told that "Whitney was banished from the circle of newcomers because she had appeared as a duet guest vocalist on one song on Jermaine Jackson's album, and one on the comeback album by Teddy Pendergrass, both in the preceding year (1984)." He claimed that "Whitney was simply an unknown vocalist making a 'cameo' appearance on just one of eight or nine songs contained in a major artist's album. She was not even a member of a continuing artistic duo. [...] Whitney was merely a featured vocalist, not the artist, and certainly not the focal point of the song." But Green replied to him, writing "The rule that disqualified Whitney is perfectly clear. It reads: An artist is not eligible in the best new artist category if the artist had label credit or album credit, even if not as a featured artist, in a previous awards' year."[65]
Davis, on his commentary in Billboard magazine the issue of January 18, 1986, pointed out the misapplication of the literal meaning or the board of trustees' rules, stating that "[perfectly clear] is often a matter of opinion. [Through my review], it became obvious that this NARAS rule had been interpreted very liberally in the past."[65] According to his review of each past winner and nominee, some artists such as Cyndi Lauper, Luther Vandross, the Power Station, Carly Simon and Crosby, Stills & Nash, had already received credits on other albums or been previously very well known as a member of other acts prior to their Grammy nominations.[65] He added that "it is a conspicuous injustice that Whitney will not be getting her shot. When someone comes along and makes an impact such as Whitney has, it'll come as a big surprise to quite a few people that, according to the rules of NARAS, sometimes new isn't New."[65]
Despite Davis' coherent and well-founded refutation, the NARAS stuck by its decision to disallow Whitney Houston from competing for best new artist in the balloting. Green, in a statement, said that "The determination of eligibility or ineligibility in the best new artist category is not made capriciously or taken lightly. [...] If differences of opinion arise as to the extent of identity a solo artist may have had while with a previously released group, we take a vote and abide by the majority."[66] Green noted firmly that "Houston's two duet recordings were entered in the 1984 Grammy Awards process for consideration for nomination. That alone was sufficient to make her ineligible this year for best new artist according to academy criteria. Aside from that, her performance on these recordings made a substantial contribution to their success and merit [with the Pendergrass duet achieving impressive chart positions on both the black and adult contemporary charts]."[66] Finally, the NARAS nominated a-ha, Freddie Jackson, Katrina and the Waves, Julian Lennon and Sade for Best New Artist. The award went to Sade.[63]
But after 1986, whenever the controversy involving Grammy Award for Best New Artist arose, Houston's ineligibility for that category was often mentioned. Those were the cases with the past winners such as 1988's Jody Watley and 1999's Lauryn Hill, established their "public identities" through their work with Shalamar and the Fugees respectively. When Shelby Lynne received the trophy in 2001, more than a decade after charting several singles on the country charts, so did it. Richard Marx, ruled ineligible for nomination as Best New Artist in 1988, stuck it to the NARAS about their inconsistency, on the feature article about him of Orange Coast magazine, stating as follows: "[...] But so did Whitney Houston for the same reason. And frankly, I don't have a lot of respect for N.A.R.A.S., the Grammy people's ruling system, because it's so inconsistent. They deemed me and Whitney Houston ineligible, and yet they nominated Jody Watley, who made records with Shalamar."[67]
In 2000, Geoff Mayfield of Billboard magazine, on his column, criticized the NARAS for their vague application of criteria, commenting that "the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences need again to rewrite its definition of [new artists]."[68] (The official guidelines read, "for a new artist who releases, during the eligibility year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist.") He added that "the category has already had its twists and turns. In 1986 Whitney Houston was not considered because, prior to the release of 1985's Whitney Houston album, she had appeared on a Teddy Pendergrass single in 1984. But in '88 Jody Watley, who had been a lead vocalist in Shalamar which first charted in 1977, won the best new artist Grammy."[68]
Singles
The label, wanting Houston to have a solid urban fanbase first, released "You Give Good Love" as the first single.[22] The soulful ballad would top the R&B chart and surprise the label by crossing over and reaching number three on the pop chart while the singer was playing at nightclubs in the United States.[69][70] The jazzy-pop "Saving All My Love for You" was released next and really put her on the map. The single was an even bigger success hitting number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[71] It would reach number one in the United Kingdom and was successful around the world.[72] With her first number one, Houston began appearing on high-profile talk shows and became the opening act for Jeffrey Osborne and Luther Vandross. Thinking About You was released as the single only to R&B-oriented radio stations. It peaked at number 10 on the Hot Black Singles chart and at number 24 on the Hot Dance/Disco Club Play chart.[73][74]
In 1985, "How Will I Know" was released as the third single officially. With its colorful and energetic video, the song brought the singer to the teens and MTV, which black artists have traditionally found tough to crack.[22] It became another number one single for Houston, topping the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart and Hot Black Singles chart respectively.[75][76] The final single, "Greatest Love of All", is a cover of "The Greatest Love of All", originally recorded in 1977 by George Benson and would become the biggest hit off the album with a three-week stay atop the Hot 100. As a result, it became the first debut album – and the first album by a female artist – ever to generate three number one singles.[4] With "Greatest Love of All" and Houston's debut album both at #1 on the singles and albums chart, respectively, she became the first female artist to have the number one pop single and album simultaneously since Kim Carnes in 1981 with "Bette Davis Eyes" and Mistaken Identity.[4] "All at Once" was released only to Adult Contemporary and Urban AC stations as a radio airplay-only single later in 1986. It received heavy airplay and can still be heard on AC stations. However the single received an official release in Japan and many European countries.
Promotions and appearances
Date | Title | Details |
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February 12–16, 1985 | ― | |
April 5, 1985 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson |
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April 19, 1985 | Show Van de Maand (Dutch TV Show) |
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August 28, 1985 | Late Night with David Letterman |
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September 15, 1985 | Silver Spoons ("Head Over Heels": Season 4, Episode 1)[80][81] |
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December 4, 1985 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (Guest Host: Joan Rivers) |
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January 27, 1986 | The 13th American Music Awards |
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February 25, 1986 | The 28th Grammy Awards |
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April 5, 1986 | Champs-Élysées (French TV talk show) |
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September 5, 1986 | The 3rd MTV Video Music Awards |
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Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "You Give Good Love" | La La | Kashif | 4:36 |
2. | "Thinking About You" |
| Kashif | 5:24 |
3. | "Someone for Me" |
| Jermaine Jackson | 4:58 |
4. | "Saving All My Love for You" | Masser | 3:58 | |
5. | "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do" (duet with Jermaine Jackson) |
| Jackson | 3:47 |
6. | "How Will I Know" | Walden | 4:23 | |
7. | "All at Once" |
| Masser | 4:01 |
8. | "Take Good Care of My Heart" (duet with Jermaine Jackson) |
| Jackson | 4:14 |
9. | "Greatest Love of All" |
| Masser | 4:53 |
10. | "Hold Me" (duet with Teddy Pendergrass) |
| Masser | 6:02 |
Total length: | 47:23 |
Deluxe 25th Anniversary Edition (Bonus tracks) | |||
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No. | Title | Remixer(s) | Length |
11. | "Thinking About You" (12" dance remix) | Bruce Forest | 7:16 |
12. | "Someone for Me" (12" dance remix) | Alan "The Judge" Coulthard | 7:24 |
13. | "How Will I Know" (a cappella) | — | 3:59 |
14. | "How Will I Know" (12" dance remix) | John "Jellybean" Benitez | 6:32 |
15. | "Greatest Love of All" (Recorded live at Radio City Music Hall, New York, on March 9, 1990, during a gala concert celebrating the 15th anniversary of Arista Records) | 7:06 |
Deluxe 25th Anniversary Edition (Bonus DVD) | |||
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No. | Title | Note | Length |
1. | "Conversations with Whitney Houston and Clive Davis" | — | 9:30 |
2. | "Home" | Houston's premiere TV performance from The Merv Griffin Show on June 23, 1983 | 4:45 |
3. | "I Am Changing" | Live from the Arista Records 10th Anniversary celebration on December 1, 1984 | 4:52 |
4. | "You Give Good Love" | Live from the 1st Annual Soul Train Music Awards on March 23, 1987 | 4:17 |
5. | "You Give Good Love" | Promo music video | 4:07 |
6. | "Saving All My Love for You" | Promo music video | 3:56 |
7. | "How Will I Know" | Promo music video | 4:31 |
8. | "Greatest Love of All" | Promo music video | 4:52 |
Japanese edition | ||||
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No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
1. | "How Will I Know" | Walden | 4:23 | |
2. | "All at Once" |
| Masser | 4:01 |
3. | "Take Good Care of My Heart" (duet with Jermaine Jackson) |
| Jackson | 4:14 |
4. | "Greatest Love of All" |
| Masser | 4:53 |
5. | "Hold Me" (duet with Teddy Pendergrass) |
| Masser | 6:02 |
6. | "You Give Good Love" | La La | Kashif | 4:36 |
7. | "Thinking About You" |
| Kashif | 5:24 |
8. | "Someone for Me" |
| Jermaine Jackson | 4:58 |
9. | "Saving All My Love for You" | Masser | 3:58 | |
10. | "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do" (duet with Jermaine Jackson) |
| Jackson | 3:47 |
Total length: | 47:23 |
Personnel
- Whitney Houston - lead vocal
- Jermaine Jackson - duet vocals
- Teddy Pendergrass - duet vocals
- John Barnes - clarinet - keyboards
- Robbie Buchanan - keyboards
- Randy Kerber - keyboards
- Yvonne Lewis - keyboards
- Richard Marx - keyboards
- Nathan East - bass
- Freddie Washington - bass
- Randy Jackson - bass
- Preston Glass - synthesizer
- Greg Phillinganes - synthesizer
- Ed Greene- drums
- John "J.R." Robinson - drums
- J.T. Lewis - drums
- Steve Rucker - drums
- Cissy Houston - background vocals
- Julia Tillman Waters - background vocals
- Maxine Willard Waters - background vocals
- Oren Waters - background vocals
- Yogi Lee - background vocals
- Mary Canty - background vocals
- Deborah Thomas - background vocals
- Paul Jackson, Jr. - guitar
- Dann Huff - guitar
- Tim May - guitar
- Ira Siegel - guitar
- David Williams - guitar
- Louie Shelton
- Jermaine Jackson - producer, background vocals
- Michael Masser - producer
- Clive Davis - executive producer
- Michael Barbiero - mixing, engineer
- Michael Mancini - engineer
- Michael O'Reilly - mixing, engineer
- Russell Schmitt - engineer
- Bill Schnee - mixing
- Gene Page Jr. - arrangements
- Kashif - arrangements, producer
- Narada Michael Walden - arrangements, producer
- Donn Davenport - art direction
- Garry Gross - photographer
- Tiagi Lambert - fashion stylist
- Giovanne De Maura - gown
- Norma Kamali - bathing suit
- Quietfire - makeup
- Brenda Gorsky - coordinator
- Jeffrey Woodly - hair stylist
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/Sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[106] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria)[107] | Platinum | 50,000* |
Belgium (BEA)[106] | Gold | 25,000* |
Canada (Music Canada)[53] | Diamond | 1,000,000^ |
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[106] | Gold | 25,000^ |
France (SNEP)[108] | Gold | 100,000* |
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[109] | Gold | 29,109[109] |
Germany (BVMI)[110] | Gold | 250,000^ |
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[111] | Gold | 10,000* |
Japan (RIAJ)[112] | Million | 1,000,000^ |
Netherlands (NVPI)[113] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[114] | 2× Platinum | 30,000^ |
Norway (IFPI Norway)[115] | Platinum | 50,000* |
Sweden (GLF)[116] | 2× Platinum | 200,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[117] | Platinum | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[51] | 6× Platinum | 1,800,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[118] | 15× Platinum | 15,000,000^ |
*sales figures based on certification alone |
See also
- List of best-selling albums
- List of best-selling albums in the United States
- List of Top 40 albums for 1980–1989 in Australia
References
- 1 2 Shewey, Don. Review: Whitney Houston. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on February 13, 2012.
- 1 2 Allison Stewart (August 31, 2009). "Recordings: With 'I Look to You,' Whitney Houston Eyes a Comeback". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
- 1 2 3 Paul Grein (July 5, 1986). Chart Beat: 'Youngster' Janet Jackson hits No.1. Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- 1 2 3 Paul Grein (May 17, 1986). Chart Beat: Houston has 3rd No.1 from debut. Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- 1 2 "Whitney Houston on Canadian Albums Chart". RPM. March 8, 1986. Retrieved June 1, 2010.
- 1 2 3 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, New South Wales: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
- 1 2 3 "Whitney Houston on Norwegian Albums Chart". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved June 1, 2010.
- 1 2 3 "Whitney Houston on Swedish Albums Chart". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved June 1, 2010.
- 1 2 3 "Whitney Houston on UK Albums Chart". The Official Charts Company. March 1, 1986. Archived from the original on August 25, 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2010.
- 1 2 3 "Whitney Houston on German Albums Chart". Media Control Charts. March 31, 1986. Retrieved June 1, 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 "Whitney Houston on Swiss Albums Chart". hitparade.ch. Retrieved June 1, 2010.
- 1 2 Larry Flick (March 27, 1999). Elton, Boyz, Joel Among Diamond Honorees. Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
- 1 2 "Whitney Houston, RIAA Certification". Recording Industry Association of America. July 29, 1999. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
- ↑ "Top 100 Albums". RIAA. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
- ↑ "Whitney Houston". VH1. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
- ↑ "Whitney Houston: Biography". Sony Music Entertainment. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
- 1 2 3 Tina, Whitney Top Picks for Annual Grammy Awards (p57). Jet. January 27, 1986. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
- 1 2 "We Are The World" Big Winner At 28th Grammys (p14). Jet. March 17, 1986. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
- 1 2 "The 29th Grammy Awards Nominees & Winners". rockonthenet.com. February 24, 1987. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
- ↑ "Rolling Stone The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ↑ "Whitney Houston (The Deluxe Anniversary Edition) (CD/DVD) [Original recording remastered]". Amazon.com. January 26, 2010. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Richard Corliss, Elizabeth L. Bland and Elaine Dutka (July 13, 1987). "Show Business: The Prom Queen of Soul (p6)". TIME. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
- 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Review: Whitney Houston. AllMusic. Retrieved on August 7, 2009.
- ↑ "Music Review: Whitney Houston: The Deluxe Anniversary Edition, by Whitney Houston". Entertainment Weekly. January 20, 2010.
- 1 2 Columnist. Review: Whitney Houston. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on August 7, 2009. Note: Original star ratings represented by (*) are not reprinted at the url page.
- ↑ http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/121839-whitney-houston-whitney-houston-the-deluxe-anniversary-edition/
- ↑ Columnist. "Review: Whitney Houston". Q: 160. December 1999.
- 1 2 Nathan Brackett, Christian David Hoard, ed. (November 2, 2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. p. 396. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- 1 2 Christgau, Robert (April 30, 1985). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
- ↑ Stephen Holden (May 12, 1985). "CRITICS' CHOICES; Pop Music (Whitney Houston, The New York Times Review)". The New York Times. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ↑ Liam Lacey (March 7, 1985). "Review: Whitney Houston". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ↑ Wete, Brad. "The Beginning: Whitney Houston". Vibe: 106. September 2008.
- ↑ Hilburn, Robert. "Hilburn's Best LPs of 85". Los Angeles Times: 60. January 19, 1986.
- ↑ "Critics Top-10 Album Poll: Activism and Americanism". LA Times, Dec 29, 1985. Pg 61.
- ↑ "Definitive 200". The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. 2007. Archived from the original on April 6, 2008. Retrieved April 8, 2008.
- ↑ "Q magazine's 100 Women Who Rock The World", Q, January 2002, retrieved January 15, 2010
- ↑ Billy Johnson, Jr (June 25, 2010). "Brandy On Whitney Houston's Self-Titled Debut: Black Music Month Album Spotlight #15". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
- ↑ "Grammy Hall". New York: Grammy Awards. 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
- ↑ The Billboard Top Pop Albums chart listing for the week of March 30, 1985. Billboard. March 30, 1985. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ↑ The Billboard Top Black Albums chart listing for the week of June 22, 1985. Billboard. June 22, 1985. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
- ↑ The Billboard Top Pop Albums chart listing for the week of August 31, 1985. Billboard. August 31, 1985. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ↑ The Billboard Top Pop Albums chart listing for the week of March 8, 1986. Billboard. March 8, 1986. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ↑ Paul Grein (March 8, 1986). Chart Beat: Houston climbs to the top in 50 weeks. Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ↑ DeKnock, Jan. "It Was A Short Run For Mr. Mister's 'Double'" Chicago Tribune. Mar 7, 1986, Page 48.
- ↑ "Whitney Houston total staying number of weeks on Billboard 200 chart". Billboard. June 28, 1986. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
- ↑ Kolson, Ann. "At The Top Whitney Houston, Groomed For Stardom, Swiftly Ascended To Startling Heights". Philadelphia Inquirer. August 27, 1986. Pg G1.
- ↑ Billboard 1986 The Year in Music & Video Year-End Charts – Top Pop Album. Billboard. December 27, 1986. Retrieved June 28, 2010.
- ↑ Billboard 1986 The Year in Music & Video Year-End Charts – Top Pop Album Artist. Billboard. December 27, 1986. Retrieved June 28, 2010.
- ↑ Billboard 1986 The Year in Music & Video Year-End Charts – Top Pop Artist of the Year & Top Black Artist of the Year. Billboard. December 27, 1986. Retrieved June 28, 2010.
- ↑ "Whitney Houston chart run on UK Albums chart". The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
- 1 2 "British album certifications – Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Whitney Houston in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
- ↑ "The best-selling albums of 1986 in UK". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
- 1 2 "Canadian album certifications – Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston". Music Canada.
- ↑ "The RPM Top Pop Albums of 1986". RPM. December 27, 1986. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
- ↑ Whitney Houston on Australian Albums Chart. Kent Music Report. August 30, 1986. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 "日本で売れた洋楽アルバムトップ10 (Top-ten international albums on the Japanese Oricon Year-End Charts 1986". Retrieved May 28, 2008.
- 1 2 "Whitney Houston on Austrian Albums Chart". austriancharts.at. Retrieved June 1, 2010.
- 1 2 "New Zealand Albums Chart". RIANZ. Retrieved June 1, 2010.
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ Gary Trust (August 30, 2009). "Ask Billboard: Madonna vs. Whitney, Who's Sold More?". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
- 1 2 http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/505707/whitney-houston-re-enters-top-10-on-billboard-200
- 1 2 "Best new artist category causes Grammys' only stir". The Gazette. Canwest. February 26, 1986. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
- ↑ "Controversy Again Casts Cloud Over Grammy Awards Program". Ocala Star-Benner. February 25, 1986. Retrieved June 19, 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 Clive Davis (January 18, 1986). Commentary: Denying Grammy Justice, What Does 'New Artist' Really Mean?. Billboard. Retrieved June 19, 2010.
- 1 2 NARAS to Clive: We Stand Pat, Whitney's Not a New Artist. Billboard. January 25, 1986. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
- ↑ Keith Tuber (August 1988). Music: Richard Marx Hits the Mark. Orange Coast Magazine. Retrieved June 19, 2010.
- 1 2 Geoff Mayfiled (March 4, 2000). Billboard magazine's Between The Bullets. Billboard. Retrieved June 19, 2010.
- ↑ The Billboard Hot Black Singles chart listing for the week of May 25, 1985. Billboard. May 25, 1985. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart listing for the week of July 27, 1985. Billboard. July 27, 1985. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart listing for the week of October 26, 1985. Billboard. October 26, 1985. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ↑ Hits of the World: "Saving All My Love for You" top the UK Singles chart. Billboard. December 21, 1985. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
- ↑ The Billboard Hot Black Singles chart listing for the week of December 14, 1985. Billboard. December 14, 1985. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
- ↑ The Billboard Hot Dance/Disco Club Play chart listing for the week of December 7, 1985. Billboard. December 7, 1985. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
- ↑ The Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart listing for the week of February 15, 1986. Billboard. February 15, 1986. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ↑ The Billboard Hot Black Singles chart listing for the week of March 8, 1986. Billboard. March 8, 1986. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ↑ Adam White (March 9, 1985). "Talent in Action: Whitney Houston, Sweetwaters in New York". Billboard. 97 (10). ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
- ↑ "Nice Story, Solo Whitney, 1985". New York Daily News. May 30, 2005. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
- ↑ "Whitney Houston Makes Musical Debut in N.Y.". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. 68 (12). June 3, 1985. ISSN 0021-5996. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
- ↑ ""Silver Spoons": Head Over Heels (1985)". imdb.com. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
- 1 2 "Silver Spoons Episode Guide". tv.com. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
- ↑ Whitney Houston Appears on TV's 'Silver Spoons'. Jet. September 23, 1985. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
- ↑ Whitney, Aretha, Stevie Snare Honors at Recent American Music Awards (p56). Jet. February 17, 1986. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
- ↑ Houston Is Top Nominee In Music Awards Showing (p62). Jet. January 20, 1986. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
- ↑ 'We are the World' Big Winner at 28th Grammys (p14). Jet. March 17, 1986. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
- ↑ "Serge Gainsbourg". discogs.com. Retrieved October 30, 2009.
- ↑ "Serge Gainsbourg – French Singer/Songwriter; The 1980s – Growing Old Disgracefully". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved October 30, 2009.
- ↑ "Whitney Houston on French Albums Chart". chartsinfrance.net. Retrieved June 1, 2010.
- ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972. Finland: Otava. p. 160. ISBN 951-1-21053-X.
- ↑ "Whitney Houston on Italian Albums Chart". Music e Dischi. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
- ↑ "Billboard 200 (Whitney Houston)". Billboard. March 8, 1986. Retrieved June 1, 2010.
- 1 2 3 "Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Whitney Houston)". Billboard. September 7, 1985. Retrieved September 10, 2009.
- ↑ "Whitney Houston on Austrian Albums Chart". austriancharts.at. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
- ↑ "Ranking Semanal Pop" (in Spanish). Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers. February 12, 2012. Archived from the original on November 10, 2011. Retrieved December 9, 2012. Note: Reader must define search parameters as "Ranking Semanal Pop" and "12/02/2012".
- ↑ "Music Albums, Top 200 Albums & Music Album Charts | Billboard.com". billboard.com. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
- ↑ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2015-05-07.
- 1 2 3 "Year End Charts – Year-end Albums – The Billboard 200". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on December 11, 2007. Retrieved August 6, 2009.
- ↑ "Austriancharts.st – Jahreshitparade 1986". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 30, 2010.
- ↑ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.8824&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062
- ↑ 1986年アルバム年間ヒットチャート "Japanese Year-End Albums Chart 1986" Check
|url=
value (help) (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved August 29, 2011. - ↑ "Hitparade.ch – Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1986". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
- ↑ 1980s Albums Chart Archive "Top Albums of 1986" Check
|url=
value (help). everyhit.com. The Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 29, 2011. - ↑ "Hit Parade Italia – Gli album più venduti del 1987" (in Italian). hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2012/the-billboard-200
- ↑ List of Top 40 albums for 1980–1989 in Australia
- 1 2 3 Nick Robertshaw (August 9, 1986). "Houston Attains Global Stardom". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston" (in German). IFPI Austria. Enter Whitney Houston in the field Interpret. Enter Whitney Houston in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen
- ↑ "French album certifications – Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston" (in French). InfoDisc. Select WHITNEY HOUSTON and click OK
- 1 2 "Whitney Houston" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
- ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Whitney Houston; 'Whitney Houston')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
- ↑ "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1988". IFPI Hong Kong.
- ↑ "Japanese album certifications – Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 1986年月 on the drop-down menu
- ↑ "Dutch album certifications – Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers.
- ↑ "Latest Gold / Platinum Albums". Radioscope. 17 July 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24.
- ↑ "Norwegian album certifications – Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway.
- ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden.
- ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Whitney Houston; 'Whitney Houston')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
- ↑ "American album certifications – Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
Further reading
- Colin Larkin (2002). Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Edition 4. Virgin Books. ISBN 1-85227-923-0.
External links
- Whitney Houston at Discogs
- Whitney Houston at MusicBrainz
- Accolades: Whitney Houston at Acclaimed Music
- The 25 Best-Selling Albums of All-Time: Whitney Houston at Entertainment Weekly