WHITNEY HOUSTON DISCOGRAPHY – part 1

During the 80s and 90s, Whitney Houston was an unstoppable force in pop music. With sales estimated to exceed 200 million records, she is one of the biggest-selling female singers ever.

Whitney Houston was born to a family with impressive singing credentials - her mother was gospel singer Cissy Houston, her cousin was five-time Grammy winner Dionne Warwick, and her godmother was the 'Queen of Soul' herself, Aretha Franklin. Her first break came when she sang backing vocals on Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman” when she was only 16. She continued to record, sing and tour with her mother, but although she was offered recording contracts she turned them all down until, in 1983, she signed with Arista.

Her debut album Whitney Houston appeared in 1985 but it was not an instant hit. However, due to the singles “Saving All My Love for You” (which won a Grammy), “How Will I Know” and “Greatest Love of All”, it eventually reached the top of the Billboard charts and lodged there for several weeks. Critical praise, awards, television shows and massive sales ensured a grand entrance into the music world for new superstar Whitney Houston.

Her follow-up album was 1987’s nine-times platinum Whitney. It debuted at the top of the charts in many countries and the success of the singles “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)”, “Didn’t We Almost Have it All”, “So Emotional” and “Where do Broken Hearts Go” gave her a record of achieving seven consecutive singles at No.1.

In response to an enduring criticism that she was somewhat bland, she experimented with a more urban feel on her next release. I’m Your Baby Tonight (1990) found her exploring her versatility as an artist, with a fair degree of success. The album was certified four-times platinum.

Her next endeavour was her acting debut in The Bodyguard. It was a huge box-office hit and the accompanying soundtrack album went on to achieve 17x platinum certification in the US alone. The lead single from the album was a cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” which cemented itself to the top of the charts in many countries. Her next two releases were soundtrack albums, Waiting to Exhale (to which she contributed three songs) and The Preacher's Wife, both of which were supporting films in which she had acting roles.

In 1998 she released My Love is Your Love which continued her exploration of urban sounds such as hip-hop and reggae. Two years later she released Whitney: the Greatest Hits, but unfortunately this marked a slide in her fortunes. When Just Whitney was released in 2002 it received poor reviews and the singles failed to chart well. She followed it with a Christmas-themed record, One Wish: the Holiday Album, which performed even less well. Since then, column inches have been dedicated to her battles with drugs, and with her husband Bobby Brown (whom she had married in 1992 after a 3 year courtship and divorced in 2007).

Whitney Houston has died at the age of 48. Best known for hits "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" and "So Emotional," Houston is the only artist to consecutively chart seven No. 1 hits. During her illustrious career she earned 415 awards, making her the most-awarded female music artist of all time. Houston paved the way for female vocalists and will endure as one of music’s most beloved voices.

Whitney Houston: The Ultimate Best From Me (2011)

Track Listing:01 How Will I Know
02 Greatest Love Of All
03 One Moment In Time
04 I Have Nothing
05 I Will Always Love You
06 Run To You
07 Step By Step
08 All At Once
09 I'm Every Woman
10 Love Will Save The Day
11 Greatest Love Of All [Club Mix]
12 All The Man That I Need
13 Didn't We Almost Have It All
14 Where Do Broken Hearts Go
15 Count On Me [Duet With CeCe Winans]
16 I Will Always Love You [Hex Hector Mix]
17 I'm Your Baby Tonight [Dronez Mix]
18 Could I Have This Kiss Forever [Duet With Enrique Iglesias]

Whitney Houston: The Essential Whitney Houston (2011)

The 2011 Essential Whitney Houston is a strong double-album that showcases Whitney’s glory era from the 80’s and 90’s well. The collection does hit that note well by including her biggest hits from her showstopping ballads including the dominant and tried and true I Will Always Love You, Saving All My Love For You, to dance gems like So Emotional and I’m Your Baby Tonight, to strong collaborations including Heartbreak Hotel with Faith Evans and Kelly Price and Count On Me with Cece Winans from Waiting To Exhale. The collection still handles well, but it does overlook a few of Whitney’s big songs.

Disc 1
01. You Give Good Love 04:11
02. Saving All My Love For You 03:58
03. Greatest Love Of All 04:55
04. All At Once 04:29
05. If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful 04:21
(Duet With Jermaine Jackson
06. Didn’t We Almost Have It All 04:38
07. Where Do Broken Hearts Go 04:39
08. All The Man That I Need 03:57
09. Run To You 04:27
10. I Have Nothing 04:54
11. I Will Always Love You 04:29
12. Exhale (Shoop Shoop) 03:26
13. Why Does It Hurt So Bad 04:41
14. I Believe In You And Me 03:55
15. Heartbreak Hotel (Feat. Faith Evans & Kelly Price) 04:07
16. My Love Is Your Love 04:20
17. Same Script, Different Cast (Duet With Deborah Cox) 04:58
18. Could I Have This Kiss Forever 03:56
(Duet With Enrique Iglesias) (Metro Mix
Disc 2
01. Fine 03:35
02. If I Told You That (Duet With George Michael) 04:33
03. It’s Not Right But It’s Okay (Thunderpuss Mix) 04:16
04. My Love Is Your Love (Jonathan Peters Mix) 04:18
05. Heartbreak Hotel (Feat. Faith Evans & Kelly Price) 04:21
(Hex Hector Mix
06. I Learned From The Best (HQ2 Mix) 04:23
07. Step By Step (Junior Vasquez Mix) 04:05
08. I’m Every Woman (Clivilles & Cole Mix) 04:31
09. Queen Of The Night (CJ Mackintosh Mix) 03:46
10. I Will Always Love You (Hex Hector Mix) 04:51
11. Love Will Save The Day (Jellybean & David Morales Mix) 05:06
12. I’m Your Baby Tonight (Dronez Mix) 05:05
13. So Emotional (David Morales Mix) 03:57
14. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) 04:25
(Junior Vasquez Mix
15. How Will I Know (Junior Vasquez Mix) 04:10
16. Greatest Love Of All (Junior Vasquez Mix) 05:09
17. One Moment In Time 04:47
18. The Star Spangled Banner 02:15
(Peformed Live 1/27/1991 At Super Bowl XXV)

Whitney Houston: I Look To You 2009

Track Listing:
1. Million Dollar Bill
2. Nothin' But Love
3. Call You Tonight
4. I Look To You
5. Like I Never Left
6. A Song For You
7. I Didn't Know My Own Strength
8. Worth It
9. For The Lovers
10. I Got You
11. Salute

Whitney Houston: Million Dollar Bill [Single Mixes 2009]

Track Listing:
1. Million Dollar Bill (Radio Edit)
2. Million Dollar Bill (Freemasons Radio Edit)
3. Million Dollar Bill (Freemasons Mix Show Edit)
4. Million Dollar Bill (Freemasons Club Mix)

Whitney Houston: A Song For You LIVE! (2008)

2008 release, the first official live album from Whitney featuring the fabulous R&B/Soul diva captured in concert in Norfolk, VA on March 31, 1991. Whitney is in great form as she belts her way through some of her biggest hits including 'How Will I Know', 'The Greatest Love Of All' and 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)'. Also contains Houston performing a stunning medley that features 'Didn't We Almost Have It All', 'A House Is Not A Home' and 'Where Do Broken Hearts Go'. A great release for any Whitney and Pop/R&B fan. 10 tracks.

Track Listing:
1. I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)
2. How Will I Know
3. Medley: Didn't We Almost Have It All/A House Is Not a Home/Where Do Bro
4. All the Man That I Need
5. My Name Is Not Susan
6. Anymore
7. A Song for You
8. Revelation
9. Who Do You Love
10. Greatest Love of All

Whitney Houston: The Ultimate Collection (2007)

2007 UK single-disc collection from the R&B and Pop vocalist, one of the biggest, and best-selling, female artists of all time. She's broken countless records throughout her career, has had consistent success in music and in film, since her debut single "Saving All My Love For You" in 1985. Her music combined big adult ballads with stylish pop and slick contemporary urban soul and her voice is a benchmark that has not since been equalled. This 18 track compilation features her absolute best hits including 'I Will Always Love You', 'Greatest Love Of All', 'Exhale (Shoop Shoop)', 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody', 'Saving All My Love For You' and many more. The previous Greatest Hits collection was a two CD set that featured remixes and more, but this single-disc collection offers the cream of the crop! Sony/BMG.

Track Listing:
1. “I Will Always Love You” 4:27
2. “Saving All My Love for You” 3:47
3. “Greatest Love of All” 4:47
4. “One Moment in Time” 4:44
5. “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” 4:50
6. “How Will I Know” 4:34
7. “So Emotional” 4:33
8. “When You Believe” (Duet with Mariah Carey) 4:23
9. “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” 4:36
10. “I’m Your Body Tonight” 4:12
11. “Didn’t We Almost Have It All” 4:35
12. “Run to You” 4:25
13. “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” 3:22
14. “If I Told You That” (Duet with George Michael) 4:06
15. “I Have Nothing” 4:49
16. “I’m Every Woman” 4:41
17. “It’s Not Right but It’s Okay” 4:41
18. “My Love Is Your Love” 3:55

Whitney Houston: One Wish The Holiday Album (2003)

Whitney Houston's only holiday album, One Wish finds her power house vocals front and centre over sparse traditional arrangements of standards such as The First Noel; Deck The Halls/Silent Night; Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas: Joy To The World , and The Little Drummer Boy , which also feature's Whitney's daughter Bobbie Christina on vocals!

Track Listing:
1. The First Nöel
2. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
3. Little Drummer Boy Whitney Houston Featuring Bobbi Kristina Brown
4. One Wish (For Christmas)
5. Cantique De Nöel (O Holy Night)
6. I'll Be Home For Christmas
7. Deck The Halls/Silent Night
8. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
9. O Come O Come Emanuel
10. Who Would Imagine A King - (From "The Preacher's Wife")
11. Joy To The World

Whitney Houston: Just Whitney (2002)

Whitney Houston recaptures some former glory on her first studio album, thanks to her undiminished vocal prowess and a cadre of impressive producers that includes Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, Babyface, Teddy Bishop, and Troy Taylor. Houston's pipes shine in the big break-up ballad "On My Own," which is cut from the same mold as 1993's massive "I Will Always Love You." But while her vocal chords are intact, some of the material here leaves much to be desired, including a flat version of Debby Boone’s "You Light Up My Light" and the Missy Elliot-penned and -produced "Things You Say." On the plus side, the feisty "Tell Her No" finds Houston on defence, but she's much more interesting with her back against the wall as she huffs: "I can't wait for the day I can rub things in your face." The embattled diva doesn't attempt to gloss over her foibles, as evidenced by "Unashamed" ("Listen here and listen good/ I'm unashamed of the life that I lead, unashamed of the strength of my need"), "Love That Man," and "Whatchulookinat," a body slam at the tabloids that have documented Houston and hubby Bobby Brown's very public falls from grace. Houston may not have recovered her hegemony of the charts, but this album proves she's once again pointed in the right direction.

Track Listing:
1. One Of Those Days
2. Tell Me No
3. Things You Say
4. My Love
5. Love That Man
6. Try It On My Own
7. Dear John Letter
8. Unashamed
9. You Light Up My Life
10. Whatchulookinat

Whitney Houston: Love, Whitney [IMPORT] (2001)

Whitney Houston remains as one of the greatest singers of our time. Her songs still express a side of happiness and soul searching that still continues in our lives.

Love, Whitney is a collection of 16 of Whitney's love songs. It adds the feel of extra songs that were overlooked on The Greatest Hits. Songs like For The Love Of You, and Until You Come Back are some of the tracks off this collection that have strong potential as Houston standards. Also megahits I Will Always Love You, and You Give Good Love are featured on this album.

With all the teen idols and hip hop taking place in the mainstream, Whitney Houston still remains as the greatest diva of our times. This collection might seem to be overlooked in place of albums featuring Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys, but Love, Whitney is one collection that is absolutely worth checking out.

Track Listing:
1. Until You Come Back
2. I Have Nothing
3. Why Does It Hurt So Bad
4. You Give Good Love
5. All The Man That I Need
6. Where Do Broken Hearts Go
7. Just The Lonely Talking Again
8. Exhale (Shoop Shoop)
9. Miracle
10. For The Love Of You
11. Saving All My Love For You
12. Run To You
13. I Believe In You And Me
14. Didn't We Almost Have It All
15. All At Once
16. I Will Always Love You

To be continued in next posting