Whitney Houston chart records and achievements
Encyclopedia
This is a list of chart records and achievements by American singer Whitney Houston
. During her career, Houston has set numerous charts and sales records, and furthermore received many outstanding awards. U.S. Sales records are certified by the RIAA and can be considered accurate. U.S. chart positions are official through Billboard Magazine. However, world sales are a close estimate, as no process exists that certifies global sales.
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
. During her career, Houston has set numerous charts and sales records, and furthermore received many outstanding awards. U.S. Sales records are certified by the RIAA and can be considered accurate. U.S. chart positions are official through Billboard Magazine. However, world sales are a close estimate, as no process exists that certifies global sales.
Sales and certification records
- Whitney HoustonWhitney Houston (album)Whitney Houston is the debut album of American R&B and pop singer Whitney Houston, released March 14, 1985 on Arista Records. The album initially had a slow commercial response but began getting more popular since the summer of 1985...
was the best-selling album in Canada by a female artist in 1980s, beating the previous best-seller, Cyndi LauperCyndi LauperCynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
's She's So UnusualShe's So UnusualShe's So Unusual is the debut studio album by American pop singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper. Released in 1983 by Portrait Records, the album catapulted Lauper to stardom with such hits as "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", "Time After Time", "She Bop", "All Through the Night", and "Money Changes...
, sold more than 900,000 copies in the country. Houston's debut became the first album by a female artist to earn the-10-times platinum mark―diamond level―for sales of 1,000,000 units by the Canadian Recording Industry AssociationCanadian Recording Industry AssociationMusic Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada...
(CRIA) on March 31, 1987. - Houston's first release, Whitney Houston, is the best-selling album by a female artist―or a new artist―in the 1980s, certified 9× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of AmericaRecording Industry Association of AmericaThe Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) on October 6, 1988. That has made Houston the first female artist to reach the level since the RIAA launched the platinum and the multi-platinum awards program, in 1976 and 1984, respectively. - Whitney Houston holds the record for the highest one-week single sales by a female artist, with 632,000 copies sold of "I Will Always Love You" in the week ended December 27, 1992ㅡthe Billboard magazine issue date of January 9, 1993.
- "I Will Always Love You" was certified 4× platinum for shipments of over 4 million copies by the RIAA on January 12, 1993, making Houston the only and first female artist with a single to reach that level in the RIAA history. According to Nielsen SoundScanNielsen SoundScanNielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
, as of 2009, the single sold 4,591,000 copies in the United States, and became the best-selling single by a female artist, and overall the second, only behind Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
's "Candle in the Wind 1997Candle in the Wind 1997"Candle in the Wind 1997" is a rewritten and rerecorded version of Elton John's own 1973 hit "Candle in the Wind" that was released as a tribute single to the late Diana, Princess of Wales....
/Something About the Way You Look TonightSomething About the Way You Look Tonight"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" is a song by Elton John, released in 1997 as the first single from The Big Picture. The song and its video were dedicated to the memory of Gianni Versace, murdered that year....
." - In the United Kingdom, "I Will Always Love You" was the best-selling single of all-time by a female solo artist with 1.361 million copies sold in 1992/93, but the sales record was later broken by CherCherCher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
's "BelieveBelieve (Cher song)"Believe" is a song by American recording artist Cher. It was released on November 24, 1998 as the lead single from her twenty-third studio album of the same name. It was written by Brian Higgins, Stuart McLennen, Paul Barry, Steven Torch, Matthew Gray, and Timothy Powell and produced by Mark...
," sold 1.673 million units in 1998/99. In Japan, the single was also the best-selling single of all-time by a foreign female artist at the time, selling 810,000 copies in 1992-93. Worldwide, It sold over 12 million copies and became the best-selling single of all-time by a female artist. - The Bodyguard Original Soundtrack 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 during Christmas week of 1992, becoming the first album sold over 1 million in one week. Later, Garth BrooksGarth BrooksTroyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
' Double Live shattered the SoundScan-era record, selling 1,085,000 copies in the first week of its release, November 1998. To date, only four women, including Houston, have notched million-plus weeks. Britney SpearsBritney SpearsBritney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
sold 1.31 million copies of Oops!... I Did It AgainOops!... I Did It AgainOops!...I Did It Again is the second studio album by American pop singer Britney Spears. The album was released on May 16, 2000 by Jive Records. The album became a commercial success after debuting at top position on the U.S. Billboard 200 selling over 1,319,193 units during its first week...
in 2000; Norah JonesNorah JonesNorah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...
' Feels Like Home moved 1,022,000 in 2004; and Taylor SwiftTaylor SwiftTaylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...
sold 1,047,000 units of her album Speak NowSpeak NowSpeak Now is the third studio album by American singer–songwriter Taylor Swift, released on October 25, 2010 by Big Machine Records. Production for the album took place during 2008 to 2010 at several recording studios, and was handled by Swift and country music producer Nathan Chapman...
in 2010. - The Bodyguard Soundtrack received the largest initial certification of any album for 6× platinum by the RIAA on January 18, 1993. The record was broken by 'N SYNC'N SyncN Sync was an American boy band formed in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich, *NSYNC consisted of JC Chasez, Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick...
's No Strings AttachedNo Strings AttachedNo Strings Attached is the second studio album by American boy band 'N Sync, released by Jive Records on March 21, 2000. The album title is a play on the idea of independence from corporate control, with reference to the band's new-found freedom from their former management, Trans Continental...
, certified 7× platinum initially in April 2000. - Whitney Houston hit the 10 million mark by the RIAA on January 25, 1994, and made it the first album and the first debut album by a female artist to attain the certification. As a result, she also became the first female artist to have two 10× platinum albums with the album and The Bodyguard Soundtrack, earned the same certification peak in November 1993.
- In 1994, Houston received an award from the World Music AwardsWorld Music AwardsThe World Music Awards is an international awards show founded in 1989 that annually honors recording artists based on worldwide sales figures provided by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry . John Martinotti is an executive producer and co-founder of the show...
, for being the "Best-selling Female Artist of the Era." - On March 16, 1999, when the RIAA launched the Diamond Awards, honoring sales of 10 million copies or more of an album or single, Houston received two diamond awards with her self-titled debut and The Bodyguard Soundtrack, becoming the first female artist to achieve that feat. Besides Houston, as of today, MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Mariah CareyMariah CareyMariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
, Céline DionCeline DionCéline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
, Britney Spears, Shania TwainShania TwainShania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million...
, and the Dixie ChicksDixie ChicksThe Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
are the only female artists with multiple diamond albums. - In November 1999, Houston and The Bodyguard Soundtrack, were named the "Top-selling R&B Female Artist of the Century" and "Top-selling Soundtrack Album of the Century" by the RIAA, respectively.
- The Bodyguard Soundtrack is the best-selling soundtrack album of all-time in the United States with 17× platinum certifiaction by the RIAA and sales of 13,125,000 copies, combined 11,815,000 units from SoundScan with additional 1,310,000 sold at the BMG Music Clubs. The album also holds the title for the world's biggest selling soundtrack album of all-time with over 44 million units sold.
- The Bodyguard Soundtrack is the first pop album to sell over one million copies by a foreign artist in South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. To date, its sales exceeded 1.2 million in that country. The album sold over 1.1 million in Brazil, becoming the best-selling album by a foreign female artist. In Japan, it was certified 2× million by the Recording Industry Association of JapanRecording Industry Association of JapanThe Recording Industry Association of Japan is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved the music industry...
(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. - The Preacher's Wife Original Soundtrack Album is the best-selling Gospel album of all time, with sales of over three million copies in the United States and six million copies worldwide.
- Houston's rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner," performed by her at Super Bowl XXVSuper Bowl XXVSuper Bowl XXV was an American football game played on January 27, 1991 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1990 regular season. The National Football Conference Champion New York Giants defeated the American Football Conference ...
in 1991, is the only version to be certified platinum, and it raised millions for the victims of 9/11.
Billboard Hot 100
- Whitney Houston is one of the biggest-selling solo female artists of all time, if not the past two decades.
- Houston's debut album, Whitney HoustonWhitney Houston (album)Whitney Houston is the debut album of American R&B and pop singer Whitney Houston, released March 14, 1985 on Arista Records. The album initially had a slow commercial response but began getting more popular since the summer of 1985...
, is the first album by a female artist and new artist to yield three No. 1 singles―"Saving All My Love for YouSaving All My Love for You"Saving All My Love for You" is a song written by Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin with arrangement by Gene Page. It was originally a minor hit for Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. in 1978 on their album Marilyn & Billy...
" (October 1985), "How Will I KnowHow Will I Know"How Will I Know" is a song recorded by American recording artist Whitney Houston for her debut album, entitled Whitney Houston, which was released in February 1985. It was released by Arista Records in November that year, as the album's third single. Composed by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam,...
" (February 1986) and "Greatest Love of AllGreatest Love of All"The Greatest Love of All" is a song written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed and originally recorded by George Benson for the 1977 Muhammad Ali biopic The Greatest. The song was later popularized by Whitney Houston. Creed wrote the lyrics in the midst of her struggle with breast cancer...
" (May 1986). - When the fourth single "Where Do Broken Hearts GoWhere Do Broken Hearts Go"Where Do Broken Hearts Go" is the fourth single from Whitney Houston's second album, Whitney. The ballad was released in February 1988. The song was written by Frank Wildhorn and Chuck Jackson. Wildhorn approached Jackson about the opportunity to write for Whitney Houston...
" from her second album, WhitneyWhitney (album)Whitney is the second studio album by American pop/R&B singer Whitney Houston, released in the United States on June 2, 1987 by Arista Records as the follow-up to her best selling debut album, Whitney Houston. The album met the expectations of many people and was sensationally popular after its...
, reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 SinglesBillboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart on April 23, 1988, Houston became the first female artist to achieve four No. 1 singles from one album, and also the first and only artist in pop history to have seven consecutive No. 1 hits, with three from her first release and four from her second album; "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)"I Wanna Dance with Somebody " is the first single from Whitney Houston's second studio album Whitney. It was produced by Narada Michael Walden, and written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam of the band Boy Meets Girl, who had previously written the number-one Whitney Houston hit "How Will I...
" (June 1987), "Didn't We Almost Have It AllDidn't We Almost Have It All"Didn't We Almost Have It All" is the second single from Whitney Houston's second album Whitney, and was nominated for Song of the Year at the 1988 Grammy Awards. The song was written by Michael Masser and Will Jennings and was released in August 1987...
" (September 1987), "So EmotionalSo Emotional"So Emotional" is a song recorded by American pop/ R&B singer Whitney Houston. The song was the third single from her second album Whitney, and was released on November 12, 1987....
" (January 1988), and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go." - With seven consecutive number one songs, Houston holds the title for the most number one hits by a female artist in the 1980s, shared only by Madonna.
- Houston's recording of "The Star Spangled Banner" reached the number twenty on the Hot 100 Singles chart in March 1991, making her the only act to turn the national anthem into a pop hit. The single was re-released in September 2001 and peaked at number six on the chart, becoming the first and the only version of the national anthem to achieve that feat in music history.
- "I Will Always Love You" topped the Hot 100 for fourteen consecutive weeks from November 28, 1992 to February 27, 1993, making it the longest-running number one single ever by a female solo artist and from a soundtrack album. As of today; Houston, Mariah CareyMariah CareyMariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
, BrandyBrandy NorwoodBrandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu....
, MonicaMonica (singer)Monica Denise Brown , and professionally known as Monica, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, Monica began performing as a child and became part of a traveling gospel choir, by the time she was ten...
, Beyoncé, Toni BraxtonToni BraxtonToni Michelle Braxton is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Braxton has won six Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and five Billboard Music Awards and has sold over 60 million records worldwide...
, Destiny's ChildDestiny's ChildDestiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
, Debby BooneDebby BooneDeborah Anne Boone is an American singer and stage actress. She is best known for her 1977 hit, "You Light Up My Life," which spent a then record ten weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and led to her winning the Grammy Award for Best New Artist the following year...
, Olivia Newton-JohnOlivia Newton-JohnOlivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
and AshantiAshanti (singer)Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer, actress, and model. She rose to fame in the early 2000s. Ashanti is most famous for her eponymous debut album, which featured the hit song "Foolish", and sold over 503,000 copies in its first week of release...
are the only female artists to have at least one double-digit run at number one on the chart. Among the list, Houston and Carey for "We Belong Together" are the only female artists to have a song spend fourteen weeks at number one on the Hot 100. - The fourteen-week domination of "I Will Always Love You" kept Houston in the pole position of the chart for all of January and February, marking the first time in history where Billboard didn't receive a new number one song until March.
- Since 1991, when the Hot 100 using Broadcast Data System and SoundScan data, Houston has become the first artist to place three songs inside the top 11 in the same week with "I Will Always Love You," "I'm Every Woman," and "I Have NothingI Have Nothing"I Have Nothing" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston and released as the third single from The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album on February 20, 1993 by Arista Records. The song was written by David Foster and Linda Thompson, and produced by Foster...
" for three weeks in March 1993. - "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)Exhale (Shoop Shoop)"Exhale " is a song by American recording artist Whitney Houston, featured on the soundtrack for the film Waiting to Exhale. It was released as the lead single from the soundtrack on November 7, 1995, by Arista Records. The song was written and produced by Babyface...
" was the third single ever to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 (and the second single by a female artist, the first being Mariah Carey). After spending one week at the top, 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. - Whitney has the most number-one covers. She's covered the songs "Saving All My Love for YouSaving All My Love for You"Saving All My Love for You" is a song written by Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin with arrangement by Gene Page. It was originally a minor hit for Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. in 1978 on their album Marilyn & Billy...
", "Greatest Love of AllGreatest Love of All"The Greatest Love of All" is a song written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed and originally recorded by George Benson for the 1977 Muhammad Ali biopic The Greatest. The song was later popularized by Whitney Houston. Creed wrote the lyrics in the midst of her struggle with breast cancer...
", "All The Man That I NeedAll the Man That I Need"All the Man That I Need" is a song written by American songwriters Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore. The song was first recorded under the name "All the man I need" by singer Linda Clifford, in 1982, for her album I'll Keep on Loving You. Pitchford and Gore had in mind Clifford and her husband...
", and "I Will Always Love YouI Will Always Love You"I Will Always Love You" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton in 1973, who first released the song as a single in 1974.-Dolly Parton version:...
".
Hot 100 Single Sales
- "I Will Always Love YouI Will Always Love You"I Will Always Love You" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton in 1973, who first released the song as a single in 1974.-Dolly Parton version:...
" topped the Hot 100 Single Sales chart for fourteen weeks, a record by a female artist, which she also shares with Mariah CareyMariah CareyMariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
.
Hot Adult Contemporary
- In 1980s, Houston had seven number one hits on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart, setting a record for the most number one singles by a female artist in the decade―"Saving All My Love for You" for three weeks (October 1985), "How Will I Know" for one week (February 1986), "Greatest Love of All" for five weeks (May 1986), "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" for three weeks (July 1987), "Didn't We Almost Have It All" for three weeks (September 1987), "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" for three weeks (April 1988), and "One Moment in TimeOne Moment in Time"One Moment in Time" is an Emmy Award winning song written by Albert Hammond and John Bettis, and recorded by American singer Whitney Houston for the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 1988 Summer Paralympics held in Seoul, South Korea.-History:...
" for two weeks (October 1988).
Billboard 200 Albums
- Houston's self-titled debut, Whitney Houston, spent 14 weeks at the top on the Billboard 200 chart (formerlay Top Pop Albums) in 1986, setting a record for the longest runs at number one by a female newcomer of all-time and the second overall behind Men at WorkMen at WorkMen at Work are an Australian rock band who achieved international success in the 1980s. They are the only Australian artists to have a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United States . They achieved the same distinction of a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United Kingdom...
's Business as Usual, which had 15 weeks on the summit. In addition, the album was the longest running number one album by a female artist during 1980s and one week shy of the all-time record for Carole KingCarole KingCarole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
's Tapestry. - Whitney, her second set, became the first album by a female artist to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, the issue date of June 27, 1987. Previous to the Billboard 200's employment of SoundScan data in May 1991, Houston is one of just five artists to start in the top slot with Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
(Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt CowboyCaptain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt CowboyCaptain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy is the ninth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1975. It debuted at number 1 on the U.S. Pop Albums chart, the first album ever to do so, and stayed there for seven weeks. It was certified Gold on 5/21/1975 and was...
and Rock of the WestiesRock of the WestiesRock of the Westies is the tenth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1975 .Like Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, Rock of the Westies also debuted on the United States Billboard charts at # 1, the only two albums at that time to have done so...
), Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
(Songs in the Key of LifeSongs in the Key of LifeSongs in the Key of Life is the 13th album by American recording artist Stevie Wonder, released September 28, 1976, on Motown Records. It was the culmination of his "classic period" albums. An ambitious double LP with a 4-song bonus EP, Songs in the Key of Life became among the best-selling and...
), Bruce SpringsteenBruce SpringsteenBruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
(Live/1975–85) and Michael JacksonMichael JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
(BadBad (album)Bad is the seventh studio album by American songwriter and recording artist Michael Jackson. The album was released on August 31, 1987 by Epic/CBS Records, nearly five years after Jackson's previous studio album, Thriller, which went on to become the world's best-selling album...
). - Whitneys 11-straight-week reign on the chart from June 27 to September 5, 1987, made Houston to hold two decade records by a woman: the most consecutive chart-topping streaks and the most cumulative weeks at number one in 1980s.
- Whitney Houston and Whitney are the only albums by a female artist to occupy number one position of the chart for 10 weeks or more in 1980s, which made Houston the only artist to have two double-digit run at the top of the chart in the decade of the 80s.(can check list of the United States' No. 1 albums)
- The Bodyguard Soundtrack topped the chart for non-consecutive twenty weeks, the longest tenure by any album on the Billboard 200 chart in the Nielsen SoundScan era.
- In the Billboard 200's 54-year history, Houston is the only artist to have three number one albums to top the chart for 11 weeks or more. Besides Houston's three albums, as of today, the only five number one albums by women have ruled the chart for 11 weeks or more: Carole King's Tapestry (1971, 15 weeks), Judy GarlandJudy GarlandJudy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
's Judy at Carnegie HallJudy at Carnegie HallJudy at Carnegie Hall is a two-record live recording of a concert by Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall in New York.This concert appearance, on the night of April 23, 1961, has been called "the greatest night in show business history". Garland's live performances were big successes at the time and her...
(1961, 13 weeks), Alanis MorissetteAlanis MorissetteAlanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...
's Jagged Little PillJagged Little PillJagged Little Pill is the third studio album by Canadian recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette. It was Morissette's first internationally released album, and her first studio album after the three year hiatus following her break with MCA Records. The album marked a shift from her style...
(1995, 12 weeks), Mariah Carey's Mariah CareyMariah Carey (album)Mariah Carey is the self-titled debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on June 12, 1990 by Columbia Records. The album contains a range of contemporary genres, and the songs are a mix of slow ballads and dance tracks. Originally, Carey wrote four songs with...
(1991, 11 weeks) and Taylor SwiftTaylor SwiftTaylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...
's FearlessFearless (Taylor Swift album)Fearless has been well-received by music professionals, with many praising Swift for her introspective lyrics, as well as her mature sound. According to the music review aggregator Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an...
(2008, 11 weeks). Note: Although Houston is credited with The Bodybuard soundtrack, several tracks on the album are not recordings by her. Therefore, it is generally accepted that Carole King's Tapestry is the longest-charting number-one female solo album as all songs on the album were recorded by her. - Houston's four No. 1 albums have spent a total of 46 weeks at the summit of the chart, a record for the most cumulative weeks at number one by a female artist.
- Whitney Houston (14 weeks): March 8 - April 19, 1986 (first run, 7 weeks), May 17 - June 28, 1986 (second run, 7 weeks)
- Whitney (11 weeks): June 27 - September 5, 1987
- The Bodyguard Soundtrack (20 weeks): December 12, 1992 - March 6, 1993 (first run, 13 weeks), April 3, 1993 (second run, 1 week), April 17 - May 1, 1993 (third run, 3 weeks), May 15–29, 1993 (fourth run, 3 weeks)
- I Look to YouI Look to YouI Look to You is the seventh studio album by American R&B-pop singer Whitney Houston. It was first released on August 28, 2009 through Sony Music in Europe, then August 31, 2009 with Arista Records in the United States before being released by RCA Records in the United Kingdom on October 19, 2009...
(1 week): September 19, 2009
Top Gospel Albums
- Whitney has the longest stay at number one on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums Chart, when The Preacher's WifeThe Preacher's WifeThe Preacher's Wife is a 1996 romantic-family-dramedy-christmas film directed by Penny Marshall, and starring Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston, and Loretta Devine. It is a remake of the 1947 film The Bishop's Wife....
remained at number one for twenty-six weeks.
Billboard Year-End charts
- Houston's debut, Whitney Houston, was the "No. 1 Album of the Year" (Top Pop Album) on the 1986 Billboard magazine year-end charts, making Houston the first female artist to earn that distinction. The album was also the "No. 1 Black Album of the Year" (later Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album), becoming the first album by a female solo artist and the first debut album, topped both pop and black album year-end charts simultaneously in a single year.
- Houston was named "Top Pop Artist of the Year" in 1986, which made her the first black female artist and overall the second female artist behind Madonna in the previous year to achieve that feat.
- With The Bodyguard Soundtrack and "I Will Always Love You" single in 1993, Houston became the first and only artist to grab the top spots of "Billboard 200 Albums," "Top R&B Albums," "Hot 100 Singles," and "Hot R&B Singles" year-end charts at the same time in music history.
- Houston has won "No. 1 R&B Album of the Year" three times for Whitney Houston in 1986, I'm Your Baby TonightI'm Your Baby TonightI'm Your Baby Tonight is the third studio album by American pop/R&B singer Whitney Houston; released by Arista Records on November 6, 1990. Following the run of this album, Houston continued to achieve widespread commercial success throughout the 1990s, venturing heavily into films—while...
in 1991 and The Bodyguard Soundtrack in 1993, setting a record for the most year-end number one albums by any artist in R&B category. In addition, Houston is the only female artist to top the Billboard 200 year-end chart two times; her debut and The Bodyguard Soundtrack.
Comprehensive charts
- Houston holds the record for the most triple-crown hits by a female artist, topped all of three Billboard charts; Hot 100, R&B, and Adult Contemporary chart, with four singles―"Saving All My Love for You," "How Will I Know," "All the Man That I NeedAll the Man That I Need"All the Man That I Need" is a song written by American songwriters Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore. The song was first recorded under the name "All the man I need" by singer Linda Clifford, in 1982, for her album I'll Keep on Loving You. Pitchford and Gore had in mind Clifford and her husband...
," and "I Will Always Love You." (the all-time record belongs to Lionel RichieLionel RichieLionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...
who achieved that feat with five chart-toppers including a number one hit, "Three Times a LadyThree Times a Lady* The song was also covered in the country genre by country singer Billy "Crash" Craddock on his 1986 album Crash Craddock and in 2007 by Cobra Starship as an iTunes bonus track for their album ¡Viva La Cobra!...
," during his career as a member of the CommodoresCommodoresThe Commodores are an American funk/soul band of the 1970s and 1980s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute in 1968, and signed with Motown in November 1972, having first caught the public eye opening for The Jackson 5 while on tour...
, but the record for a solo artist has been shared by Houston.) - "I Will Always Love You" ruled Billboard charts in three categories for the fifth week in a row from December 19, 1992 to January 16, 1993: the Hot 100, R&B, and Adult Contemporary chart, setting a record for the most weeks at number one on the charts simultaneously.
- With The Bodyguard Soundtrack and "I Will Always Love You," Houston dominated a record thirteen Billboard charts at the same time in January 1993: Billboard 200, Top R&B Albums, Hot 100 Singles, Hot R&B SinglesHot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
, Hot Adult Contemporary, Top Singles Sales, Top 40 Radio Monitor, Top 40 Airplay/MainstreamMainstream Top 40 (Pop Songs)The Mainstream Top 40 is an airplay chart from Billboard magazine, and is also known as Pop Songs on billboard.com. It was often mistaken for and confused with the now discontinued Pop 100 Airplay chart...
, Top 40 Airplay/Rhythm-crossoverRhythmic Airplay ChartThe Rhythmic Airplay Chart is an airplay chart that is featured weekly in Billboard Magazine. The chart tracks and measures the airplay of songs played on Rhythmic stations, whose playlist includes mostly hit-driven R&B/Hip-Hop, Rhythmic pop, and some Dance tracks...
, R&B Singles SalesHot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles SalesThe Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart is the sales component chart of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. It is not the R&B subset of The Hot 100 Singles Sales, but rather a separate panel of sales of commercial singles in the urban market...
, R&B Radio MonitorHot R&B/Hip-Hop AirplayThe Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart is the airplay component chart of the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. It is not the R&B subset of The Hot 100 Airplay, but rather a separate panel of R&B stations in urban markets used for the R&B/Hip-Hop chart...
, Eurochart Hot 100 Singles, and Eurochart Albums.
Other records
- Whitney Houston has won 22 American Music AwardsAmerican Music Awards-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
including two special awardsㅡAward of Merit in 1994 and International Artist Award in 2009, more than any other female solo artist in AMA history. - Houston received total thirteen AMA nominations with materials from her debut album, six in 1986; also the all-time record as a newcomer and seven in 1987, which made her to hold the record for the most nominations from one album in AMA history.
- Houston garnered more American Music Awards than any other female artist at its 14th ceremony of 1987, pulling in five wins, the all-time record by a female artist at the time,ㅡFavorite Pop/Rock Female Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Album for Whitney Houston, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Album for Whitney Houston and Favorite Soul/R&B Video for "Greatest Love of All."
- At the 21st American Music AwardsAmerican Music Awards of 1994The 21st Annual American Music Awards were held on February 7, 1994.-Pop/Rock Category:-Soul/R&B Category:-Country Category:-Adult Contemporary Category:-Rap/Hip-Hop Category:-Heavy Metal Category:...
of 1994, Houston's eight wins; Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Album, Favorite Pop/Rock Single, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Single, Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist and Award of Merit as a special award, set a record for the most AMAs ever won by a female artist in a single year, tying Michael Jackson's all-time mark at the 1984 11th American Music Awards. - Houston's AMA records in each category:
- The most won for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist ㅡ 4 (1987, 1988, 1989 and 1994, tied with Olivia Newton-JohnOlivia Newton-JohnOlivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
) - The most won by a female artist for Favorite Pop/Rock Album ㅡ 2 (Whitney Houston in 1987 and The Bodyguard Soundtrack in 1994)
- The most won by a female artist for Favorite Pop/Rock Single ㅡ 2 ("I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) in 1987 and "I Will Always Love You" in 1994)
- The most won by a female artist for Favorite Soul/R&B Album ㅡ 2 (Whitney Houston in 1987 and The Bodyguard Soundtrack in 1994, tied with Mary J. BligeMary J. BligeMary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
) - The most won by a female artist for Favorite Sou/R&B Single ㅡ 2 ("You Give Good LoveYou Give Good Love"You Give Good Love" is a song by American recording artist Whitney Houston, released as the lead single from her self-titled debut album, entitled Whitney Houston in the United States in February 1985 by Arista Records, and the second single from the album in the United Kingdom. The song was...
" in 1986 and "I Will Always Love You" in 1994, tied with Diana RossDiana RossDiana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
and Janet JacksonJanet JacksonJanet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
).
- The most won for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist ㅡ 4 (1987, 1988, 1989 and 1994, tied with Olivia Newton-John
- At its 4th ceremony on December 8, 1993, Houston won a record eleven Billboard Music Awards for The Bodyguard Soundtrack and "I Will Always Love You"; #1 Album of the Year, The Album Most Weeks at #1, #1 Hot 100 Singles Artist, #1 Hot 100 Single of the Year, The Single Most Weeks at #1, #1 R&B Album of the Year, #1 R&B Singles Artist, #1 R&B Single of the Year, #1 Soundtrack Album, #1 World Artist and #1 World Single. (see the clip of her acceptance of the awards at the ceremony―part 1, part 2)
- Houston received five awards at the 6th World Music AwardsWorld Music AwardsThe World Music Awards is an international awards show founded in 1989 that annually honors recording artists based on worldwide sales figures provided by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry . John Martinotti is an executive producer and co-founder of the show...
in 1994, setting a record for the most WMAs won in a single year―World's Best Selling Overall Recording Artist, World's Best Selling Pop Artist of the Year, World's Best Selling R&B Artist of the Year, World's Best Selling American Recording Artist of the Year, and World's Best Selling Female Recording Artist of the Era. (the record was shared by Michael Jackson in 1996, 50 Cent50 CentCurtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
in 2003, and Lady GaGaLady GaGaStefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
in 2010) - Whitney is the most covered artist on the TV Show American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
with over 1,150 of 70,000 auditions being songs of hers during the show's third season. The song "I Have NothingI Have Nothing"I Have Nothing" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston and released as the third single from The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album on February 20, 1993 by Arista Records. The song was written by David Foster and Linda Thompson, and produced by Foster...
" has been performed in the finals or semi-finals six times―by Trenyce and Leah LaBelle, respectively in 2003, Jennifer Hudson in 2004, Vonzell Solomon in 2005, Katharine McPhee in 2006, and LaKisha Jones in 2007, more than any other song in history of the show. - Whitney is the only artist with at least one Grammy, Emmy, MTV Video Music Award, MTV Movie Award, People's Choice Award, and Billboard Music AwardBillboard Music AwardThe Billboard Music Award is an honor given by Billboard magazine, the preeminent publication covering the music business. The Billboard Music Awards show had been held annually in December until it went dormant in 2007, but it returned in May 2011...
to their name. - As of 2007, Houston is the most performing female artist at Wembley ArenaWembley ArenaWembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with 29 appearances during her career.
International charts records
- Whitney Houston is the longest-running number one album ever by a female artist on the Canadian Albums ChartRPM (magazine)RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
(from RPMRPM (magazine)RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
magazine) in 1980s, spending 18 consecutive weeks at the top from March 8 to July 5 in 1986. (see the list of Canadian number-one albums) - As Whitney topped the Canadian Albums Chart for 11 consecutive weeks from June 27 to September 5, 1987, which made Houston to hold the record for the most cumulative weeks at number one of the chart in 1980s, staying a total 29 weeks atop with her two releases. (see the list of Canadian number-one albums in 1987)
- Houston became the first black female artist to top the Australian Albums Chart (from Kent Music ReportKent Music ReportThe Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
) with her 1985 debut, Whitney Houston. In 1986, the album stayed at the summit of the chart for 11 non-consecutive weeks, a record for the longest-stay by a woman during 1980s. (see the list of number-one albums of 1980s in Australia) - Whitney is the first album to debut at number one on the albums charts in the United States and the United Kingdom both.
- "I Will Always Love You" topped the UK Singles ChartUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
for ten consecutive weeks from December 5, 1992 to February 6, 1993, breaking a previous record for the longest-running number one single by a solo female artist in history of the chart; 9-week reign by Doris DayDoris DayDoris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
with "Secret Love" in 1954.(the record was shared by RihannaRihannaRobyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
with "UmbrellaUmbrella (song)"Umbrella" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna, featuring a rap verse by Jay-Z. The song was written by The-Dream, Christopher Stewart, Kuk Harrell and Jay-Z, and was produced by Stewart and The-Dream for Rihanna's third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad...
" in 2007) - Houston has the longest concurrent topping of the U.S., the U.K., and Australian singles charts when "I Will Always Love You" spent eight-straight-weeks simultaneously topping the charts. In addition, "I Will Always Love You" is the only song to have a double-digit run at the pole position of all the singles chart in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
- In Australia, December 20, 1992 - February 21, 1993 (10 weeks)
- In Canada, December 19, 1992 - February 20, 1993 (10 weeks)
- In New Zealand, December 18, 1992 - March 18, 1993 (14 weeks)
- In the United Kingdom, December 5, 1992 - February 6, 1993 (10 weeks)
- In the United States, November 28, 1992 - February 27, 1993 (14 weeks)
- In the British music history, Houston is the only artist to be placed in the top 10 of the UK Year-End Singles Chart for two consecutive years with one single, "I Will Always Love You," ranked number one in 1992, and number ten in 1993.
- "I Will Always Love You" was named the Top Australian Single of the 1990s by a female artist.