Whitney Houston discography

Updated on Dec 26, 2023

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Studio albums 7 Compilation albums 6 Singles 57		Live albums 1 EPs 7 Soundtrack albums 2

The discography of American singer Whitney Houston (1963–2012) consists of seven studio albums, six compilations, two soundtrack albums, five box sets, six extended plays, and fifty-seven singles. In 1985, Houston released her self-titled debut album. It spent fourteen weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 and was certified thirteen times platinum (Diamond) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with global sales of 25 million copies. The album produced four US top 5 singles, including three Billboard Hot 100 number-ones. In 1987, Houston released her second album Whitney. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and was supported by four US number-one singles: "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)", "Didn't We Almost Have It All", "So Emotional", and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go", which established an unprecedented seven consecutive number one hits by a performer. Whitney was certified 9× Platinum by the RIAA and topped the charts in numerous countries, having sold in excess of 20 million copies worldwide. Houston's third studio album, I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990), peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 chart and yielded two number-one singles; "I'm Your Baby Tonight" and "All the Man That I Need", selling 10 million units worldwide. In February 1991, Houston released "The Star Spangled Banner" performance from Super Bowl XXV as a single, becoming the highest-charting rendition of the national anthem on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The Bodyguard soundtrack from her film debut, was released in November 1992. The album contains tracks by other recording artists but is considered a Houston album by Billboard. It topped the Billboard 200 for twenty non-consecutive weeks, one of the longest tenures by an album in the Nielsen SoundScan era. The album was certified 17× Platinum the United States and sold over 45 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling soundtrack album and one of the top 5 best-selling albums of all time. The lead single from the soundtrack, "I Will Always Love You", topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a then-record-breaking fourteen weeks and was certified 6× Platinum by the RIAA, peaked at number one on the charts in nearly every country and sold 12 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling singles of all time. Houston contributed three songs, including her eleventh number-one single "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" on the 7x platinum soundtrack album, Waiting to Exhale (November 1995). The following year she released The Preacher's Wife in November 1996. The soundtrack was certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA and became the biggest selling gospel album of all time. In 1998, she released her first studio album in eight years, My Love Is Your Love. The album failed to match the commercial status of her previous albums, peaking at number thirteen, her lowest chart position on the Billboard 200 among her studio albums. Despite initial weak sales, the album went on to achieve multi-platinum status with 11 million units sold worldwide, being certified 4× Platinum in the United States. From late 1998 to early 2000, the album generated five singles; "When You Believe" (duet with Mariah Carey), "Heartbreak Hotel", "It's Not Right but It's Okay", "My Love Is Your Love", and "I Learned from the Best".

Houston entered the 2000s with her first greatest hits compilation, Whitney: The Greatest Hits, released in May 2000. The double-disc was certified 3× Platinum by the RIAA in 2002 and earned 5× Platinum award posthumously, recognizing 2.6 million in sales throughout the United States. The album hit the top position on the UK Albums Chart and sold over 1.66 million copies in the UK alone. Also, it reached the top ten in many worldwide markets, selling 10 million copies globally. Just Whitney, released in December 2002, became her first album after renewing her contract with Arista for a record $100 million in 2001. The album failed to earn multi-platinum status, receiving only Platinum award in the US, and became her lowest-selling studio album to date. She released a holiday album, One Wish: The Holiday Album in November 2003. In September 2009, Houston returned to the top position of the Billboard 200 with I Look to You, becoming her fourth number-one album on the chart; which was her first non-soundtrack number-one in 22 years, since 1987's Whitney. It also topped the album charts of several European countries and was certified Platinum by the RIAA. Her albums Whitney Houston, Whitney, The Bodyguard and Whitney: The Greatest Hits are among the top 100 certified albums according to the RIAA.

According to the RIAA, Houston is the top-selling R&B female artist of the 20th century, and the fourth best-selling female artist in the United States, with shipments of 57 million albums. In addition, until the launch of the RIAA's digital certification program in 2004, she had sold 16.5 million physical singles more than any other female solo artist in history. According to the Official UK Charts Company in October 2012, Houston is at number four in the top 10 biggest selling female singles artists of all-time list with a sales total of 8.5 million singles. Whitney Houston is one of pop music's best-selling music artists of all-time, with an estimated 170–200 million records sold worldwide.

Notes

A ^ "Hold Me" was originally released as a single from Teddy Pendergrass' album, Love Language, in the United States and some European countries such as Germany and the UK in 1984, but failed to enter the singles charts outside the US at the time. In the following year, the song was included on Houston's debut album and charted in the Netherlands and the UK in early 1986.

B ^ While "All at Once" was never released as the official single in the US except as a B-side of "Saving All My Love for You", the song was strategically selected as the lead single from her debut album in Benelux countries and Germany in early 1985, aiming for the adult-oriented market. In Italy, the song was popular after Houston's performance for the song during 1987 Sanremo Music Festival, and then was released as the commercial vinyl single including "Hold Me" in that year. In Japan, it was released as 3-inch snap pack single by BMG Victor on July 26, 1996 and peaked at number 42 at the Japanese Singles Chart in that year.

C ^ In the UK, "Someone for Me (Remix)" was the first single from the Whitney Houston album, issued as a double A-side single with "Greatest Love of All" before the release of the album, but did not enter the singles chart.

D ^ "Thinking About You" was released as a 12-inch vinyl single featured its extended dance version in the US in October 1985, and also issued as a standard 45, but because it was only promoted to R&B radio, not pop radio, it never appeared on the Hot 100.

E ^ "I Know Him So Well" was only released as a single in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain in late 1988.

F ^ "Takin' a Chance", used as the theme song of Sanyo TV commercial, was released as a 3-inch CD single including "Love Is a Contact Sport" in Japan only on October 21, 1989. The single peaked at number 88 on the Japanese Singles chart. The following year the song was also included on the Japanese edition of the I'm Your Baby Tonight album.

G ^ "The Star Spangled Banner" was originally released as a commercial single on February 8, 1991 in the US. The single peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart at the time, and was certified Gold by the RIAA on April 11, 1991. After the 911 attacks, the version was re-issued and reached a new peak of number six on the Hot 100 chart. Also, it was certified Platinum by the RIAA on October 3, 2001.

H ^ "We Didn't Know" was commercially released as a cassette single only in April 1992 and also the promotional CD maxi-single.

I ^ "Heartbreak Hotel" was released as the second or third single from My Love Is Your Love in Australia, France, North America in 1999, but as the third single from Whitney: The Greatest Hits in Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the UK between December 2000 and January 2001.

J ^ Both "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" and "Same Script, Different Cast" reached their peak positions on the Hot 100 with airplay points only. On descending the charts, the latter was commercially released as a 12-inch vinyl maxi-single while the former was not in the US.

K ^ "Fine" was released as a promotional single for R&B radio only in the US. In Europe, the song was commercially issued as a CD maxi-single in November 2000 but failed to chart in almost European countries except Sweden.

L ^ "Love That Man" was released as a commercial 12-inch vinyl maxi-single (double pack) only in the US on May 20, 2003.

M ^ In Germany, "I Look to You" was released as a double A-side single with "Million Dollar Bill".

N ^ "Stop the Madness" is the anti-drug anthem, produced Michael Stokes and written by Stokes, Tom Reid, Sharon Barnes and Lathan Armour, released as a 12-inch single featured its dance version by MCA Records in early 1986.

O ^ "King Holiday" was released as a charity single in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which was first celebrated as a national holiday in the United States on January 20, 1986. Houston contributed to the song as a part of all-star group, the King Dream Chorus and Holiday Crew.

References

Whitney Houston discography Wikipedia

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