Whitney Houston, her debut album, was released on February 14, 1985 by Arista Records. The album initially had a slow commercial response but began getting more popular since the summer of 1985. Eventually it topped the Billboard 200 chart for fourteen weeks in 1986 and generated three number-one singles -"Saving All My Love For You", "How Will I Know" and "Greatest Love Of All" on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it the first debut album and the first album by a female artist to achieve that. The album was one of those very rare cases that enjoyed global success by a new black female artist, topping the albums chart in many countries such as Canada, Australia, Norway and Sweden, peaking at number two in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Switzerland. The album was certified Diamond for shipments of 10 million units or more on March 16, 1999, and later thirteen times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on July 29, 1999. It has sold over 23 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling albums of all time.

At the 28th Grammy Awards in 1986, "Whitney Houston" received four nominations including Album of the Year and won one of which, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female for "Saving All My Love For You". For the 29th Grammy Awards of 1987, the album earned one nomination for Record of the Year for "Greatest Love Of All". In 2003, the album was ranked number 254 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In honor of its 25th anniversary, the album was re-released on January 26, 2010, in an expanded edition with five bonus tracks and a DVD.

Released on February 14, 1985, "Whitney Houston" debuted on the Billboard 200 the week of March 30, 1985, at number 166. 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. Thanks to successive hit singles and winning at the Grammys, eventually "Whitney Houston" topped the Billboard 200 album chart in March 1986. With the album taking fifty weeks to hit the 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. "Whitney Houston" spent fourteen non-consecutive weeks at the top of Billboard 200 chart from March until late June 1986, which was one week short of tying Carole King's record of fifteen weeks for the longest stay at #1 by a female artist on the album chart (Houston would gain the title when "The Bodyguard" spent 20 weeks at #1). 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 fifteen weeks on top in 1982-83. The album exhibited massive staying power, remaining on the Billboard 200 for 162 weeks. It also spent a record 46 weeks in the top 10, beating Carole King's record with Tapestry. 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. Whitney'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. She became also the #1 pop artist of the year. The RIAA certified it Diamond on March 16, 1999 and later thirteen times platinum on July 29, 1999, for shipments of 13,000,000 copies of the album in United States. The album was successful worldwide. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number two on the albums chart, spending 119 weeks on the chart. It was certified six times 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. In Canada, the album reached the top spot on the albums chart and remained there for seventeen weeks to become the longest stay at the summit by a female artist. On March 31, 1987, it was certified ten times 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). "Whitney Houston" was also the 1986's top selling album in Australia, staying at number one of the Kent Music Report albums chart for eleven weeks, the longest stay by a female artist at the time. 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. 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. Worldwide, "Whitney Houston" has sold over 23 million copies, becoming one of the best- selling albums in the 1980s. 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.

The label, wanting Whitney to have a solid urban fanbase first, released "You Give Good Love" as the first single. 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. 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. It would reach number one in the United Kingdom and was successful around the world. With her first number one, Whitney 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.

In the late 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. It became another number one single for Whitney, topping the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart and Hot Black Singles chart respectively. The final single, "Greatest Love Of All", 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. 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 1982 with "Bette Davis Eyes" and "Mistaken Identity". "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.

Whitney, her the second studio album, was released in the United States on June 2, 1987 by Arista Records as the follow-up to the best selling debut album, Whitney Houston. The album met the expectations of many people and was sensationally popular after its release. With this album, Whitney set historic records on the charts. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart the issue of June 27, 1987, becoming the first album by a female artist, and only the fifth album by a solo artist. The album remained at the top for eleven consecutive weeks, creating a record; the most cumulative weeks (twenty-five weeks) at number one on the albums chart by a female artist during 1980s. Its first four singles -"I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)", "Didn't We Almost Have It All", "So Emotional" and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" all peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making her the first female artist to achieve that. In addition, along with three straight number one singles from the debut album, those of which that established an unprecedented seven consecutive number one hits by a performer, surpassing the Beatles and the Bee Gees. As well as in United States, the album and the first single, "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)", were enormous hits worldwide, topping the charts in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and mainland Europe. She became an international star with this album, which made her the era's top female star. "Whitney" was certified nine times platinum by the RIAA on November 29, 1995.

At the 30th Grammy Awards of 1988, the album received three nominations including Album of the Year, winning her second Grammy, "Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female" for "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)".

With the highly anticipated release of her second album "Whitney", Houston became the first female artist to debut at number one in the history of Billboard 200 chart (formerly the "Top Pop Albums" chart). It made her the fourth artist to achieve that feat overall, behind Elton John with Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy and Rock of the Westies, Stevie Wonder with Songs in the Key of Life and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band with Live/1975–85. On June 27, 1987 the album topped the chart and remained there for eleven consecutive weeks, the longest run among the releases that reached peak position of the year. It also debuted at number fourteen on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart (formerly the "Top Black Albums" chart) and peaked at the number two, staying on the chart for a total of seventy-five weeks. The album was Whitney's fastest-selling album in the United States at that time, with four million copies shipped within the first three months of its release. It was certified 9×Platinum for shipping 9 million copies in the United States alone by the Recording Industry Association of America on November 29, 1995. "Whitney" was a smash hit worldwide. In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart on June 13, 1987 and remained there for six weeks. There·through, "Whitney" became the first album to debut at number one in the U.S. and in the U.K. both. It was the 1987's third best-selling album in the U.K., behind Michael Jackson's Bad and U2's The Joshua Tree, and was ranked number six on list of "The Best-Selling Albums of the 1980s in UK". In Canada, the album topped the albums chart for eleven weeks, being the third best-selling album in 1987, behind U2's The Joshua Tree and Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet. In addition, it peaked at number one in Germany for eleven weeks, Italy for five weeks, Norway for eleven weeks, Netherlands for six weeks, Switzerland for eleven weeks, Austria for two weeks, Sweden for four weeks, Australia for three weeks, New Zealand for two weeks, Spain, Finland, Taiwan, and so on. As a result of massive popularity across Europe, the album topped the European Hot 100 Albums chart for eight weeks in 1987. In Japan, with sales of 384,000 copies combined of LP, CD and Compact Cassette, the album became the third best-selling album of 1987, behind Top Gun Soundtrack Album and Michael Jackson's Bad. In 1988, "Whitney" was certified six times platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and seven times platinum for shipments of 700,000 copies of the album by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA), respectively. It was also certified Platinum in Germany, Netherlands and Finland, respectively, two times platinum in Switzerland, Austria and Sweden, respectively. In November 2006, "Whitney" was ranked number fourty-seven for sales of 2.2 million, making it her biggest-selling album in the U.K., on list of "100 Best-Selling Albums Of All Time" in the UK announced by The Official UK Charts Company.

Whitney produced a then-record-equalling four number one singles from one album, making it the first album by a female artist, and overall only the second album by a solo artist, behind Michael Jackson's Bad, yielded five number ones. The album is one of only seven albums in music history to generate at least four number one Hot 100 hits from the same album. With the three number ones from her debut album, also gave Whitney seven consecutive number one songs; a record for the most consecutive number ones by any musical act. The most consecutive #1's title was previously held by both The Beatles and the Bee Gees with six each. The first single released from the album, "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)", made its debut at number thirty-eight, her highest debut at the time, on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the issue dated May 16, 1987, and reached the top position in six weeks later, becoming her fourth number one hit. It also topped the Hot Adult Contemporary chart for three weeks. The single was a massive success globally, becoming one of her signature song. In the United Kingdom, it entered the UK Singles Chart at number ten on May 23, 1987 and reached the number one in two weeks later, staying there for two weeks. According to the Official Charts Company, it sold 760,000 copies and became her best-selling single in the country at the point. The single also peaked at number one of the singles charts in Australia for five weeks, Belgium for three weeks, Canada for a week, Germany for five weeks, Italy for one week, the Netherlands for four weeks, New Zealand for four weeks, Norway for seven weeks, Sweden for six weeks, and Switzerland for six weeks. Thanks to its strong sales and airplay across Europe, it went to top position of European Hot 100 Singles chart and remained at the summit for eight weeks. In addition, it was certified Gold in U.K., Canada, and Sweden. At the time, it was her biggest hit single, selling 4.2 million copies worldwide. The power ballad, "Didn't We Almost Have It All", was released as the album's second single in August 1987. It peaked at number one on the Hot 100 chart on September 26, 1987 and stayed on the top for two weeks. It also topped the Hot Adult Contemporary chart for three weeks, becoming her fifth chart-topper. The album's third and fourth singles, "So Emotional" and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go", both reached the number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart in 1988, becoming her sixth and seventh number one hits, respectively. The former became her second number one hit on Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play chart and was certified Gold for shipments of 500,000 copies by the RIAA on December 6, 1995. The latter peaked at number one Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart for three weeks. The fifth and final single to be released off the album, "Love Will Save The Day" peaked at number nine on the Hot 100 Singles chart. All five singles were top 5 Hot Black Singles hits, though none of them reached number one. "I Know Him So Well" was released as a single in Australia, Germany, Netherlands, and Spain.

Whitney Houston once again graced the music masses with her vibrant presence and astounding vocal abilities. This formidable combination led to the creation of an album that would redefine music industry standards for a recording artist and ultimately her legacy.

Whitney returned to the studio determined to capitalize on her newfound stardom as a solo recording artist on one of the most prominent music labels in the country. Her show stopping talents were on full display and she more than lived up to the extraordinary expectations placed on her after her groundbreaking debut effort.

This album would see Houston’s career ascend to heights unknown by not only a female recording artist, but a Black recording artist. Her popularity among the new MTV generation was at an all-time high and the demand to have more Black recording artists featured on the channel became a priority. With her model physique and soul stirring vocal capabilities, Whitney was able to open doors for other Black artists during this time period in the same vein as Michael Jackson.

Under the tutelage of the legendary Clive Davis, her music would evolve into a more pop friendly direction. Following a similar format from her debut album, Davis enlisted the help of legendary producers Narada Michael Walden, Kashif, Michael Masser and Jellybean to solidify Whitney as the single biggest act in the recording industry. Houston’s incomparable vocals were showcased on a stellar mixture of up tempo songs and ballads. As a result, Whitney remained a dominant force on the Pop and R&B music charts.

Between the months of September 1986 and February 1987 "Whitney" was recorded at Tarpan Studios in San Rafael, California and various studios in New York, New York. Two years after releasing her debut, Whitney would become one of the greatest recording artists on the planet.

Narada Michael Walden, the producer of seven tracks for the album share his vision for creating a definitive record. Walden recalls how he first became involved with Whitney on her previous album and how he was chosen to do more production work for her follow up.

"It’s very simple really," says Walden. "How Will I Know" was the fourth single and the fastest rising single off of Whitney’s first album. It was done very quickly by us and it was appreciated by Clive Davis. Jerry Griffith and Clive were happy that I could work with her so quickly. When the time came to do the second album, Clive began to show me songs that he was liking. We took those songs and moved quickly because they wanted a fast, but quality turn around on the product. Where they were at during that time it would have taken them years and years to make an album. So we worked quickly on the songs they were choosing. I remember Whitney really wanted to record a cover version of "For The Love Of You". It was the first song we cut for that album here at Tarpan Studios. She came in and we started doing her background vocals on the Isely Brothers track ‘For The Love Of You’ and it sounded so heavenly hearing her sing all of her own background parts. This is how we started making the second album."

Walden discusses how arduous the process was during the making of the album and how easy it was working with Whitney.

"It was a lot of work putting together this album," says Walden. "One day, she would come into the studio at 4pm and sing from 7 to 8 pm. I would be there much earlier working on other things. After she would be done singing, I would get as much as I could from a production standpoint and stay until 1 or 2 am. I would put all of the best bits together and leave. I would tell my engineer to stay from 1 or 2 am until 6 am to bring it all together so it would be a seamless transition once I received the tapes from the recording in my hotel room when I’d wake up the next morning. I’d wake up at 8 or 9 am in the hotel to study all of that tape to return to the studio at 12 in the afternoon to tweak everything before she returned to work with us again at 4pm. So when she’d hear it all the next day she’d say, "Wow that sounds incredible! It sounds done." It was indeed done and we just had to add a little riff or harmony here and there to finish up the record. All of the raw energy she had from the day before would be in the recording, but it took us a lot of time to put together in one day because we had to stay up all hours of the night to edit it. But that was the best way to get the results out of Whitney so she wouldn’t lose momentum. If you do things quickly with her, she would stay excited and couldn’t wait to try the next parts. That was the trick for her. Everyone has a different type of psyche. Speed for Whitney was important. It stayed fun for her and it didn’t become a drag. She could hit all of the notes, but then the trick became putting all of the pieces of the puzzle together. Making records are like putting together puzzles because when one line ends it goes into another. It’s important that everything ties in together. To work with her was a great tool. She was wonderful in taking direction as well. We were an excellent team together and I’m very happy with the results of our collaborations. We just had that certain type of magic."

Walden spoke on his mindset as a producer when it came to producing songs for the album.

"You pray to God for the right inspirations," says Walden. "And with the songs Clive and them were picking you want to do your best to make them turn out great. My goal in producing a pop song is making it for everyone. I want to make it work for the people in the ghettos, Whites, Blacks, and just people all over the world."

Walden remembers how the lead single "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" came to fruition.

"On ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ I brought in the handclaps and things that really make the song swing for everyone," says Walden. "I brought out the 808 bass drums, which were brand new at that time to bring in some more flavor for the record. I had to think about how to make the sound unique and how it was going to work with a hit chorus. I also had to think about how it was going to hit on the dance floors in New York, Detroit and Europe. Good things usually happens when you get a good spirit of happiness and a dose of funk in the music. If you have the funk, then the rhythm can travel around and around and it will effect you. When I received "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" it was a pop demo so I had to try to make it more ghetto. Ghetto meaning more Black, more rough and more ready for the club. I brought in Randy Jackson to play the mote bass on the record and the guitar part is being really funked out by Corrado Rustici. Preston Glass was involved with helping me program some of the drum machines at that time. Whitney sang the song beautifully. I recall when we got to the ending where she was singing, ‘Say you want to dance, don't you want to dance, say you want to dance,’ I thought it was great for a B chorus idea and it turned into a chant. The chant took the song up another notch and it became a number one smash hit across the entire world."

"I Wanna Dance With Somebody" went on to peak at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, #2 on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and #1 on the UK Singles Chart. It helped to generate steam for the sales of Whitney after its release. This single soared to the top of the charts in 11 different countries during the calendar year of 1987 and it became one of Houston’s signature songs across the globe.

The second single to be released from the album would be the heartfelt ballad, "Didn’t We Almost Have It All". It was written and produced by Michael Masser. "Didn’t We Almost Have It All" peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, #2 on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and #14 on the UK Singles Chart.

The next song to be released from the album would be the infectious up tempo record, "So Emotional". Walden briefly recalls why it was chosen to be on the album; "The song ‘So Emotional’ is one song I remember Clive Davis picking because he thought it was going to be a number one record."

"So Emotional" was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly and it became the third consecutive number one record from this album for Houston placing her in esteemed company. This song became her sixth number one record tying a previous mark set by the Beatles and the Bee Gees. It peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, #2 on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and #5 on the UK Singles Chart.

The next single to be released from the album would be the iconic "Where Do Broken Hearts Go". Walden spoke on the historical significance of the record and the inspiration behind it.

"’Where Do Broken Hearts Go’ was the seventh number one song in a row for Whitney," says Walden. "This song beat the Beatles record of having six number one songs in a row. This triumph made not only Clive Davis proud, but everyone who was associated in making the record. This song once again visited the topic of going deep into your heart where it’s hurt and how do you transfer that pain so people can feel it like when you hear Jimmy Ruffin’s old Motown hit, ‘What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted.’ See, this is how I get my inspiration. I think of records from other eras that really touched me because of how they felt. I tried to duplicate it in a song such as ‘Where Do Broken Hearts Go.’ It has be that kind of heart wrenching request to God asking, ‘Where can this pain go?” It’s one of the reasons why it feels so beautiful because it’s the honest request and an honest answer."

"Where Do Broken Hearts Go" peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, #2 on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and #14 on the UK Singles Chart.

The final two singles to be released from the album would be the dance record "Love Will Save The Day" written by Toni C. and produced by John "Jellybean" Benitez and "I Know Him So Well" written by Tim Rice, Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus and produced by Narada Michael Walden.

"Love Will Save The Day" peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, #5 on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and #10 on the UK Singles Chart.

Walden recollects the experience of working with Houston and her mother during the recording of "I Know Him So Well" and a story of working with her previously.

"I Know Him So Well" came from a play called Chess," says Walden. "This song was also chosen by Clive Davis. He was touched by the song when he heard it during the play and he wanted Whitney to record the song. I was so grateful to have Cissy Houston and Whitney come here to record the song with me. It was a knock out to hear the mother singing to the daughter and the daughter singing to the mother about God."

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

Walden provides insight on how the remaining songs of the album came together.

"’Just The Lonely Talking Again’ was a song chosen by Clive Davis and he was crazy about that song," says Walden. "He said he had to have that intimate feel on the record. I broke out the brushes out on my snare drums and gave that type of vibe throughout the entire song. Everything on the record was very delicate and her vocals were seamless. I was really trying to make the song smoky."

"’Love Is a Contact Sport’ was a song written by the great Preston Glass. He helped bring that song to us and Clive loved it. We were off to the races after we received the green light from Clive. We sought out to make the song smoking hot for Whitney. Whitney’s vocals on that record and on all of the records were just so powerful. She had a sound and a bolt of electricity in her voice and soul that was so easy to feel in her every move. It’s one of the many reasons why she has become the star she is not to mention she’s absolutely gorgeous to look at."

"’For The Love Of You’ is a song Whitney wanted to record badly. It was the first song we cut for the album. All of the background vocal parts were so intricate that we had to get those done first. Kenny G played a saxophone solo on this record as well."

The remaining songs on the album were "Where You Are" written by LeMel and Dyan Humes and James Calabrese and produced by Kashif and "You’re Still My Man" written by Gerry Goffen and Michael Masser and produced by Michael Masser.

Walden remembers a brief conversation about how Whitney felt before the release of the album.

"I recall asking Whitney when we were in New York was she nervous about the second album coming out," says Walden. "She told me, ‘No, I’m not nervous because if they loved me the first time, they will love me now.’ I was so taken aback by her confidence and I told her she was a whole new breed of artist."

Whitney peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart in the early summer of 1987 and it found its way to the top of the charts in ten different countries. Houston became the first female recording artist to have an album debut at #1 on the Billboard Music Charts. It stayed atop the charts for eleven consecutive weeks and on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart for an unprecedented seventy five weeks between 1987 and 1988. The album has achieved multi-platinum status in 12 countries and its lasting effect on popular culture is undeniable. To this day, it’s regarded as the one of the greatest albums from the 1980s and remains one the highest selling albums of her career. This album earned a plethora of Grammy, Billboard, American Music Award and Soul Train Music Award nominations and wins for Houston. "Whitney" set the standard for other Pop infused R&B records for not only the remainder of the 1980s, but to present day. Every aspiring female vocalist in any genre has been influenced by the vocal prowess of Houston. This album has been recognized for every award under the sun and rightfully so. It contains all of the essential ingredients for a classic album and it shall be remembered as being one of the greatest albums ever recorded.

Walden mentions how important Whitney was in shaping the sound of the next generation.

"She was truly a phenomenon," says Walden. "Every now and then someone like a Whitney Houston will come along and change everything. There was a new standard to aspire to when Whitney arrived on the scene. There was also a new standard on how to sing a ballad, how to produce a ballad, how to have number one records with a ballad and how to have number one records with dance songs. Every now and then there is a new step for humanity. I think Whitney forged new ground with her performances and just overall. We had a new way to look at this whole music game. She took from the elegance of Diana Ross, the power of Aretha Franklin mixed with some Lena Horne, Josephine Baker and her cousin Dionne Warwick. When you put all of those factors together, you get Whitney Houston. We all had to surrender to her talent. She had a gift that God put together in his own unique and special way."

I'm Your Baby Tonight, Whitney`s third studio album, was released by Arista Records on November 6, 1990. Following the run of this album, Whitney continued to achieve widespread commercial success throughout the 1990s, venturing heavily into films - while continuing to record via their adjoining soundtrack albums. Subsequently, "I'm Your Baby Tonight" would not be followed up with another studio album until 1998's My Love Is Your Love.

In the United States, "I'm Your Baby Tonight" debuted at number twenty-two on the Billboard 200 chart, the issue dated November 24, 1990. In its second week, it leaped to number five and the following week reached its peak position at number three. The album spent twenty-two weeks in the top ten and was on the chart for a total of fifty-one weeks. It also debuted at number ten on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart, the issue date of December 1, 1990, and reached the number one in three weeks later. It stayed on the top of the chart for eight non-consecutive weeks and was present on the chart for a total of fifty-three weeks. Due to its great performance on the chart, it became #1 R&B Album on the 1991's Billboard year-end charts. The album was certified four times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on April 5, 1995, and according to Nielson SoundScan began tracking sales data in May 1991, as of 2009, it sold 1,728,000 copies in the United States. The album was a hit internationally though its sales didn't reach the level as high as the previous two albums, boosting Houston to global super-stardom. In the U.K., it entered the UK Albums Chart at number six on November 17, 1990 and peaked at number four in nine weeks later. The British Phonographic Industry certified it platinum for shipments of 300,000 units on November 1, 1990. In Germany, the album peaked at number three on the Media Control Albums Chart, receiving platinum certification for shipments of 500,000 copies by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie in 1991. It also reached the top five in other countries such as Austria, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. To date the album has sold approximately 10 million copies worldwide.

"I'm Your Baby Tonight" yielded four and six top twenty singles including two number ones, on the Hot 100 Singles and Hot R&B Singles chart, respectively from the late of 1990 to the middle of 1992. Thanks to these great success on the Billboard singles charts, Whitney became #3 Pop singles artist and #1 R&B singles artist on the 1991's Billboard year-end charts. The title track, "I'm Your Baby Tonight", was released as the first single from the album in October 1990. While L.A. Reid/Babyface mix version was released in the United States, Yvonne Turner mix version, called as 'international version', in other countries. The single debuted at number forty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart for the week ending October 20, 1990. In six weeks later, the issue dated December 1, 1990, it reached the number one and stayed there for a week, becoming Whitney's eighth number-one single on the chart. It also peaked at number one in the same week on the Hot R&B Singles chart and remained on the top for two weeks, making it her fourth R&B chart topper. In addition, the song peaked at number seven on the Hot Adult Contemporary chart, spending a total of twenty-eight weeks on the chart. The single was certified Gold for shipments of 500,000 copies by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on November 27, 1990. Worldwide it was a big hit during her European promotion in November-December 1990. In Italy, it reached the number one on the Musica e dischi Singles Chart in November 1990 and remained a top for five weeks, becoming her second number-one song on the chart, after 1987's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)". In the United Kingdom, the single entered the UK Singles Chart at number sixteen on October 20, 1990, and peaked at number five in two weeks later, becoming her eighth top ten hit. It also reached the top five in many countries such as Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. It went to the top ten in Australia and Ireland. Whitney was nominated for "Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female" with this track at the 33rd Grammy Awards of 1991. Whitney's another remake hit and an outsize ballad, "All The Man That I Need" was the album's second single, released in December 1990. The single achieved great success on the Billboard charts. It debuted at number fifty-three on the Hot 100 Singles on December 22, 1990 and topped the chart in nine weeks later, the issue dated February 23, 1991. On March 2, 1991, when it reached the number one on the Hot R&B Singles chart, the single enjoyed its second and third week at the top of the Hot 100 and Hot Adult Contemporary chart, respectively. As a result, it became her first single topped the Hot 100, Hot R&B, and Hot Adult Contemporary chart simultaneously - later "I Will Always Love You" also achieved that for five weeks in 1992/93, and overall the third triple-crown hit, after 1985's "Saving All My Love For You" and 1986's "How Will I Know", reached the top spot on those of three charts in different weeks. The RIAA certified it Gold on March 21, 1991. Unlike the United States, it was a modest hit globally. It peaked at number one on the Canadian RPM Top 100 Singles chart for one week and number ten on Belgian VRT Top 30 chart. However, it only reached the top twenty in Ireland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. With this song, she got nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female" at the 34th Grammy Awards in 1992, which was her fifth nomination for that category. After the release of "The Star Spangled Banner" single, "Miracle" was released as the third single from the album in April 1991. It peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles on June 8, 1991, becoming her thirteenth top ten hit on the chart. It also reached the number two and number four, on the Hot R&B Singles and Adult Contemporary chart, respectively. The album's fourth single "My Name Is Not Susan" was released in July 1991. In September, the song peaked at number twenty on the Hot 100 and number eight on the Hot R&B, becoming her fifteenth R&B top ten hit. A fifth single, "I Belong To You", became a top ten R&B single, and garnered Whitney a Grammy-nomination for "Best Female R&B Vocal Performance" at the 35th Grammy Awards. "We Didn't Know" duet with Stevie Wonder was the sixth and final single from the album, released for only R&B market in April 1992. It went to its peak position, the number twenty on the Hot R&B Singles chart, the issue date of July 4, 1992. Included on the track listing of the albums Japanese edition is a cover of Stevie Winwood's "Higher Love" and "Takin' a Chance", the latter became a chart topping single in Japan.

The Bodyguard Soundtrack from the movie with the same name was released on November 17, 1992, on Arista Records and features songs by Whitney Houston, as well as songs from various other artists. The album was co-executive produced by Whitney Houston and Clive Davis. With this album, Whitney became the first act (solo or group, male or female) to sell more than a million copies of an album within a single week period. The soundtrack later went on to win a Grammy Award for Album of the Year and was certified 17×Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on November 1, 1999. To date, it has sold over 38.5 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling soundtrack album of all time.

"The Bodyguard Original Soundtrack Album" debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart and the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, behind Ice Cube's The Predator, selling 144,500 copies in its first week, the issue dated December 5, 1992. In its second week, the album topped both of the charts, with sales of 292,000 units. While the album stayed the summit on the charts, it broke the record for the most one-week sales twice. In its fifth week, it sold 831,000 copies, smashing the old sales record of 770,000 set by Guns N' Roses' Use Your Illusion II in the fall of 1991. The following week once again, the album set a record for the most albums sold in a single week since the Nielsen SoundScan introduced a computerized sales monitoring system in May, 1991, with sales of 1,061,000 copies, becoming the first album sold over 1 million in a week. However, the record was later broken by Garth Brooks for Double Live, sold 1,085,000 copies in November 1998. Thanks to strong sales continuously, the soundtrack stayed at number one for twenty non-consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200 chart and for eight consecutive weeks on the Top R&B Albums chart, remaining on the charts for a total 141 weeks and 122 weeks, respectively. The album holds the record for the most weeks at number one and for the most non-consecutive chart-topping weeks on the Billboard 200 chart in the Nielsen SoundScan era. Due to its incredible staying power on the charts, it was ranked #1 in several categories of 1993 Billboard year-end charts including Top Billboard 200 Album and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album. In addition, the album was only the first album in Nielsen/SoundScan history to rank among the year's top three albums twice (#3 for 1992, #1 for 1993), and the best-selling soundtrack by the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) in 1993-1994. When the soundtrack to The Bodyguard credited as a Whitney Houston album in the Billboard's archives, she became the only artist with three albums to remain on top of the Billboard 200 chart for over ten weeks - Whitney Houston (14 weeks), Whitney (11 weeks) and The Bodyguard Original Soundtrack Album (20 weeks) - and had a record for the most cumulative weeks at number one by a female artist - she still holds this record for 46 cumulative weeks. The album received the largest initial certification of any album for six times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on January 18, 1993. The record was broken by 'N SYNC's No Strings Attached, certified seven times platinum initially in April 2000. On March 16, 1999, when the RIAA launched the Diamond Awards, honoring sales of 10 million copies or more of an album or single, the album received the award with other sixty-two albums initially. It was certified seventeen times platinum by the RIAA on November 1, 1999, becoming the best-selling soundtrack album of all time in United States. According to the Nielsen SoundScan, as of 2010, it sold 11,815,000 copies, becoming the fifth best-selling album of SoundScan era in the United States. In 1992-1993, with the huge commercial success of the film The Bodyguard, the soundtrack was also a phenomenal hit worldwide. The album reached the number one in almost all countries. It topped the albums chart in Australia for five weeks, Austria for nine weeks, Canada for twelve weeks, France for eight weeks, Germany for eleven weeks, Hungary for two weeks, Italy for two weeks, Japan for two weeks, Netherlands for six weeks, New Zealand for eight weeks, Norway for six weeks, Sweden for four weeks, Switzerland for nine weeks. In the United Kingdom, the album didn't chart on the main albums chart because compilation albums were excluded from the main albums chart from January 1989. Instead, the album reached the top on the official compilation albums chart and stayed there for eleven weeks, spending sixty non-consecutive weeks in the top 10 and for a total of 107 weeks on the chart. Through its massive success across Europe, it topped the European Top 100 Albums chart for fifteen non-consecutive weeks. In the U.K., the album was certified seven times platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on January 1, 1994, and has sold 2,138,030 copies, landing at number fifty-three on the list of UK's 100 best-selling albums of all time, announced by The Official UK Charts Company in November, 2006. In Japan, it was certified two million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) in 1994, for the first time to achieve that feat by a foreign artist in Japanese music history, and became the best-selling foreign album with 2.8 million copies sold. The record was later broken by Mariah Carey's #1's, certified 3 million in 1998. In Germany, the album has sold more than 1.7 million, earning three times platinum awards by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI). In addition, it was awarded Diamond for the sales of over 1.4 million and 1 million in France and Canada, respectively. Whitney had the best sales record with the album in several countries. It has sold 1.1 million in Brazil, becoming the best-selling international album by a female artist, and set a record for the best-selling foreign album with the sales of 1.2 million over in South Korea. In Australia, it became the best selling album of 1993. In Mexico, the soundtrack sold more than 500,000 copies, making it the best-selling, English-language record ever in 1994. To date, the album has sold over 38.5 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling soundtrack of all time.

The album is most notable for Whitney's version of "I Will Always Love You". The song received huge airplay, appealing to the pop, R&B, adult contemporary, and soul radio markets. The single spent 14 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. "I Will Always Love You" was successful worldwide, peaking at number one for 10 weeks in U.K., for 8 weeks in Switzerland, for 5 weeks in Austria, for 8 weeks in France, for 6 weeks in Netherlands, for 3 weeks in Sweden, for 9 weeks in Norway, for 10 weeks in Australia, for 11 weeks in New Zealand. With the next two Top 5 singles "I'm Every Woman" (a Chaka Khan cover) and "I Have Nothing", following on the heels of "I Will Always Love You", Whitney became the first female act to have three songs in the Top 20 simultaneously. Two songs, "Run To You" and "I Have Nothing", were each nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, but lost out to "A Whole New World" from the animated film Aladdin. The same two songs were nominated for Grammy Awards in the category "Best Song written specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television". Other songs garnering significant radio airplay included "Jesus Loves Me" on gospel stations, and "Queen Of The Night" on pop and dance stations.

The Waiting To Exhale Soundtrack from the movie with the same name was released in 1995. The soundtrack became a huge hit featuring appearances by some of the biggest names in the industry, including Whitney Houston, Brandy, Toni Braxton, Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Mary J. Blige, SWV and TLC. All the main performers on the soundtrack are African American women. The album remained at number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart for five weeks, going seven times platinum, on Sep 4, 1996. It spawned the #1 hits; "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" and "Let It Flow", the #2 hits "Sittin' Up In My Room" and "Not Gon' Cry" and the #8 hit "Count On Me". All songs were written and produced by Babyface, except for "My Funny Valentine". The album received a total of eleven Grammy nominations including Album of the Year, Song of the Year for "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" and three Best Female R&B Vocal Performance nominees, then won Best R&B Song for "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" written by Babyface at the 39th Grammy Awards in 1997.

The "Waiting To Exhale Original Soundtrack Album" entered on the Billboard 200 chart at number three and on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart at number two respectively, the issue date of December 2, 1995, with 177,248 copies sold in its initial week. In its 3rd week, the album reached the number one on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart, selling 200,000 copies, and stayed there for ten non-consecutive weeks. It also topped the Billboard 200 chart in its 8th week, the issue date of January 20, 1996, with 231,000 units sold, and spent five consecutive weeks at number one. The album stayed for a total of forty-nine weeks and seventy weeks, on the Billboard 200 chart and the Top R&B Albums chart respectively. With this success on the charts and strong sales, it became 1996's "No. 1 Soundtrack Album" on the Billboard year-end charts and the "Best-selling Soundtrack Recording" by the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) in 1995-1996. The soundtrack album was certified seven times platinum for shipping 7 million copies in the United States alone by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on September 4, 1996. According to the Nielsen SoundScan, as of 2009, it sold over 5,100,000 copies in the United States. Worldwide, sales exceed 10 million copies.

"Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" performed by Whitney Houston, was released as the lead single from the soundtrack in November 1995. Billboard called the song "a surprisingly understated shuffle-ballad with soul and far more interesting vocal colors than all the shrieking can provide." The single debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart and the Hot R&B Singles chart, the issue date of November 25, 1995, selling 125,000 units in its first week. It became the third single to achieve that in Billboard history, following Michael Jackson's "You Are Not Alone" and Mariah Carey's "Fantasy". In addition, it became Whitney's eleventh and seventh number one single, on the Hot 100 Singles chart and the Hot R&B Singles chart, respectively. After the single stayed at the top for just one week on the Hot 100 Singles chart, it spent eleven consecutive weeks at number two from December 2, 1995 to February 10, 1996, setting the record for the longest stay in the runner-up position. However, on the Hot R&B Singles chart, "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" remained at the summit for eight consecutive weeks since its debut week. It sold over 1,500,000 copies in 1995-1996 and was certified Platinum by the RIAA on January 3, 1996. The fourth single from the soundtrack, "Count On Me" performed by Whitney Houston and Ce Ce Winans, was released in March 1996. Billboard, in their review for the single, referred it as "a buddy song for the diva generation", and complimented both singers on their excellent vocal, commenting "Houston dominates the track, though Winans makes a strong-enough impression that those who have yet to hear her fine recordings will yearn to hear more." The single debuted at number thirty-two and number eleven, on the Hot 100 and Hot R&B Singles chart, the issue of March 23, 1996, respevtively. And it peaked at number eight on the Hot 100 and number seven on the Hot R&B Singles chart in May 1996, in addition to reaching number four on Adult Contemporary chart. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on May 1, 1996, with 800,000 copies sold in the United States. "Why Does It Hurt So Bad" by Whitney Houston became the seventh and final single to be released off the album in July, 1996. Christopher John Farley of the TIME magazine commented "Houston more than holds her own, particularly on [this], with its masterly balance of pop zip and soulful melancholy." At the time the single was issued, Billboard said "this should have been the follow-up to 'Exhale (Shoop Shoop)'" and added "she [Houston] was positively luminous on this heartbreak ballad." On August 3, 1996, the single debuted at number sixty and number thirty-four, on the Hot 100 and Hot R&B singles chart, respectively. In a few weeks later, it peaked at number twenty-six on the Hot 100.

The Preacher's Wife Soundtrack from the movie with the same name, features songs performed by Whitney Houston, who also stars in the film. It is the best-selling gospel album of all time, and has sold an estimated 5.5 million copies worldwide. The lead single, "I Believe In You and Me", became a top five hit in the U.S. and was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 40th Grammy Awards, as well as for Best R&B Album. "Step by Step" was another hit single, peaking at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. "My Heart Is Calling" became the soundtrack's final release.

Released on November 26, 1996, "The Preacher's Wife Original Soundtrack Album" debuted at number twelve on the Billboard 200 albums chart on the issue dated december 14, 1996, selling 90,500 units in the first week. On its second week, the album jumped to number four on the chart with the Greatest Gainer mark, and the following week reached the number three, which was the album's peak position. The album also debuted at number eight on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart, and in three weeks later, peaked at the number one and remained there for two weeks, becoming her fourth number one album on the chart. It stayed for a total of thirty-eight weeks, forty-nine weeks on the Billboard 200 chart and the Top R&B Albums chart respectively. In addition, "The Preacher's Wife Soundtrack" was more successful on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart than on any other chart. The album debuted straight at number one on the chart and spent twenty-six consecutive weeks at the top from December 14, 1996 to June 7, 1997. Eventually the album became number one gospel album on the 1997 Billboard Top Gospel Albums year-end chart and also "Best-selling Gospel Recording" by the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) in 1996-1997. It was certified three times platinum for shipping 3 million copies in the United States alone by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on June 30, 1998. According to the Nielsen SoundScan, as of 2009, the album sold 2,471,000 copies in the United States.

My Love Is Your Love, Whitney`s fourth studio album, was released worldwide on November 17, 1998. The album, her first studio album in eight years since I'm Your Baby Tonight, was composed of mid-tempo R&B, hip hop, ballads, urban-dance, reggae, and torch songs, produced by different musicians such as Rodney Jerkins, Soulshock & Karlin, Wyclef Jean, David Foster, and Babyface. Although the album only peaked at number thirteen, her lowest position at the point, on the Billboard 200 and its sales weren't bigger than the previous albums in the United States, it was a hit globally, with successful world tour in support of the album. In particular, it was a hit in Europe, topping the charts in Austria, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. It also reached the top five in other European countries like Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The album generated five hit singles including three top five Hot 100 hits "Heartbreak Hotel", "It's Not Right But It's Okay" and the title track, "My Love Is Your Love," became Whitney's third best-selling single ever. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI, Europe) certified it four times platinum for shipping 4 million copies of the album in 1999 and 2002, respectively. Worldwide it has sold over 10 million copies. With its commercial success, "My Love Is Your Love" received rave reviews from many critics, regarded as one of her best works. At the 42nd Grammy Awards of 2000, the album got seven nominations including "Best R&B Album" and two "Best R&B Songs", and won one of which, Whitney's sixth Grammy Award, "Best Female R&B Vocal Performance".

Whitney - The Greatest Hits is a compilation and was released in 2000. The set consists of disc one with ballads and disc two with uptempo numbers and remixes. Whitney's performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV, and 1988 Olympics tribute "One Moment In Time" are also included in the set. The release is also on DVD format which includes music videos of past hits, as well as live performances and interviews. The RIAA certified it three times platinum on Nov 12, 2002, for shipments of 1.5 million in the U.S. Worldwide the album has sold an estimated 9 million copies to date. In the U.S., copies sold at Circuit City stores included a third disc containing new club remixes.

Love, Whitney is another compilation and was released in the UK in 2001. It was the follow-up to Whitney's multi-platinum greatest hits collection Whitney - The Greatest Hits (2000). "Love, Whitney" is a collection of ballads that have become her trademark over the years and includes a collection of nine top twenty hits.

Just Whitney, Whitney`s fifth studio album was released on December 10, 2002 in North America by Arista Records. The album was the first studio album in four years, since her 1998 set My Love Is Your Love, and after signing her new $100 million Arista contract. It received mixed reviews from critics, and debuted at number nine of the Billboard 200, and number three of Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, with sales of 205,147 copies in the first week, not only beating her previous high first-week sales of 177,284 units with the Waiting To Exhale Soundtrack Album but also logged her highest debut sales out of her SoundScan-era solo albums. It spawned four official singles - three of which were Hot Dance Club Play toppers. Since its release, "Just Whitney" has gone onto sell/ship more than 2 million units worldwide and has also earned platinum certification in the U.S. and Switzerland and gold in France, Brazil and other countries. The album's sales in U.S. stands at 737,000 units.

One Wish - The Holiday Album is Whitney`s first Christmas album and was released in 2003. The album featured the single "One Wish (for Christmas)", which reached the top twenty on Billboard's U.S. Adult Contemporary chart. The album spent six weeks on The Billboard 200 and has sold 477,464 copies to date. The New York Times noted the "lavish swoops, the sultry whispers, the gospelly asides and the meteoric crescendos" from Houston. The album also features a duet with Whitney`s daughter Bobbi Kristina on "The Little Drummer Boy". The album also re-uses "Joy to The World" and "Who Would Imagine A King" from 1996's The Preacher's Wife Original Soundtrack Album.

The Ultimate Collection is a Whitney Houston greatest hits compilation, released on October 29, 2007. For the first time, a single CD of Whitney's hit singles is released. It debuted at number five in the UK, with sales of 37,228. It climbed to number three in its second week on the chart. In Brazil, the album was released as Whitney Houston – The Best So Far. Unlike the US edition of her previous singles compilation, Whitney - The Greatest Hits, the upbeat and dance-oriented songs - with the exception of "I'm Your Baby Tonight"- are not remixed and contain the original version of those songs (although a couple are shortened by up to 30 seconds).

I Look To You, Whitney`s seventh studio album, was released on August 31, 2009. The album is Houston's first studio album since One Wish - The Holiday Album (2003). It received favorable reviews from music critics, based on an aggregate score of 66/100 from Metacritic and debuted on the U.S. Billboard 200 at number one with sales of 305,000, beating her previous career best first-week sale of 205,000 units with Just Whitney (2002), and it was her first album to reach number one album in the United States since 1992's The Bodyguard. Additionally it became her fourth chart-topping album thus extending her lead as the female artist with the most cumulative weeks at the number one position. It has spawned two official singles: The title song, which became a top 20 U.S. R&B chart single, and the international single "Million Dollar Bill", which hit the top ten in several countries worldwide and also becoming a US Top 20 R&B hit. Since its release, "I Look To You" has gone on to sell 2.5 million units worldwide, earning platinum certification in seven countries and gold certification in eight. A promotional single, "Nothing But Love", was only released to UK radio stations to promote the accompanying Nothing But Love World Tour.

"I Look To You" debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 with sales of 305,000 copies and is to date Houston's best opening week sales as well as the second best opening sales by a female artist for 2009. The album is Houston's fourth number one album overall, and the first since The Bodyguard (1992). The album also debuted at number one on the U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Week three sales spiked to 156,000 following Houston's appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. On December 1, 2009, the album was certified platinum by the RIAA for shipping one million copies. In several countries, the album attained gold status within a month of its release. In Canada, the album shot to the top of the charts, selling 10,000 copies in its first week according to Nielsen SoundScan data, Houston's best opening totals since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991. Her last album, "Just Whitney", debuted at number 85 with just 3,000 in sales. After three weeks the album had sold around 26,000 copies in Canada. According to Arista Records, the album also debuted at number one in the Netherlands, Poland, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. In the UK, the album debuted at three with first week sales of 51,632. The album also debuted at three in France with first week sales of 9,000. In Korea the album reached number one on the monthly chart and sold 2,429 copies. According to Houston's official website, the album and singles combined have sold a total of 500,000 copies in the UK and Ireland. The album also finished the 29th biggest selling album of 2009 in the United States.

CLICK HERE:

I Look To You