The 10 Best Whitney Houston Songs of All-Time
Whitney Houston was a singer and actress who was born in New Jersey on August 9, 1963. She was from a talented family, as her mother is singer Cissy Houston and her cousins are Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick, both also singers. Houston began her career in 1977, although she did not sign to a record label until she was 19. Prior to launching her professional singing career, Whitney Houston was a teen model and was one of the first black women to appear on the cover of Seventeen. She later combined her singing with an acting career, appearing in films such as ‘The Bodyguard,’ ‘The Preacher’s Wife,’ and ‘Waiting to Exhale.’ Sadly, Whitney Houston led a troubled personal life. She tragically died on February 11, 2012, from drowning due to coronary artery disease and cocaine intoxication. However, she achieved great success in her professional life, releasing seven studio albums, seven EPs, six compilation albums, five box sets, two soundtrack albums, one live album, one reissue, and 53 singles. Here are the 10 best Whitney Houston songs of all time.
10. One Moment in Time (1988)
Houston was at the height of her fame when the 1988 Summer Olympics were held in Seoul, South Korea. When she released ‘One Moment in Time,’ it became the anthem of that year’s United States Olympics team. Surprisingly, the track did not reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at only number five. However, it did top the Adult Contemporary chart and the charts in Germany and the UK.
9. All the Man That I Need (1990)
‘All the Man That I Need’ was the first of two singles released by Houston from her album ‘I’m Your Baby Tonight.’ Not only did it reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, but it was also a top ten hit in Canada and the Netherlands, and it was certified Platinum in the United States. It was a continuation of Houston’s success from the 1980s into the 1990s. The song was written by Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore, and it was originally recorded in 1982 by Linda Clifford.
8. Where Do Broken Hearts Go (1988)
‘Where Do Broken Hearts Go’ was the seventh of Whitney Houston’s singles to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It was written by Frank Wildhorn and Chuck Jackson. When Houston first heard the song, she hated it and did not want to sing it. On the other hand, Smokey Robinson was keen to record the song. The writers declined Robinson’s offer to sing the song and held out for Houston to change her mind. Clive Davis, the CEO of Arista Records, believed that Houston could make it to number one on the charts and persuaded her to sing the song.
7. Didn’t We Almost Have It All (1987)
‘Didn’t We Almost Have It All’ was the second of five singles released from the album ‘Whitney.’ This chart-topping hit was written by Will Jennings and Michael Masser, and the latter also produced the single. It was nominated for the Song of the Year Award at the 30th Grammy Awards, and it was widely praised by music critics.
6. So Emotional (1987)
Entertainment Weekly lists ‘So Emotional’ as one of the best Whitney Houston songs. In addition to reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100, ‘So Emotional’ was also a top ten hit in the UK, Canada, and Ireland. It was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, and it was one of the singles released from the album ‘Whitney.’ The song is about a woman who is enjoying the experience of being in love.
5. Saving All My Love for You (1985)
The first of Whitney Houston’s singles to top the Billboard Hot 100 was ‘Saving All My Love for You,’ which was from her 1985 self-titled album. It was certified Platinum in the United States and was a chart-topping hit in the United States, Ireland, and the UK.
4. How Will I Know (1985)
The fifth of six singles released from Whitney Houston’s 1985 self-titled album was ‘How Will I Know,’ which was a number one hit in the United States and Canada and was also a top ten hit in Australia, Ireland, Sweden, and the UK. It was certified as Platinum in the UK and double-Platinum in the United States. It was co-written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, who also co-wrote ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody.’ The song is about a woman who is unsure if the man she likes will ever like her in return.
3. Greatest Love of All (1986)
‘Greatest Love of All’ was the third of Whitney Houston’s singles to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and it was certified Platinum in the United States. This single also topped the Canadian and Australian charts. It was written by Linda Creed and Michael Masser, and it was originally recorded in 1977 by George Benson. The track featured on Houston’s self-titled album that was released in 1986.
2. I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) (1987)
‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’ was a single released from Houston’s second studio album, ‘Whitney,’ and it was the artist’s second-most commercially successful song of her career. It was certified 3x Platinum in the United States, where it topped the charts, and it was also a number one hit in Australia, the UK, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands. The song was written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam.
1. I Will Always Love You (1992)
Not only was ‘I Will Always Love You’ Whitney Houston’s most commercially successful single, but it is also probably one of her best-known. It was certified 8x Platinum in the United States, and it topped the Billboard Hot 100, along with the charts in Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. The song was originally written and recorded by country singer and songwriter Dolly Parton in 1973. Houston recorded the song for ‘The Bodyguard’, a film in which she starred in 1992. Her version of the song sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling single by a female artist of all time.
