The unexpected death of iconic singer Whitney Houston is a sad loss of a beautiful voice and person. Known as the “Queen of Pop,” seven of Whitney Houston's greatest songs expressed the passion, concerns and feelings of a generation during the 1980s.
Born in New Jersey on August 9, 1963, the world lost Whitney Houston on February 11, 2012. The renowned singer was the voice of a generation, a respected actress, a gorgeous model and a talented producer as well as a generous humanitarian. The Guinness Book of World Records cites Whitney House as the most awarded female act of all time with 2 Emmy Awards, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards and a total of 415 career awards as of 2010. Houston also sold over 170 million singles, albums and videos worldwide as one of the best-selling music artists in the world.
Whitney Houston was inspired by several prominent singers in her family including mother Cissy Houston, godmother Aretha Franklin and cousins Dionne Warwick and the late Dee Dee Warwick. The iconic performer started singing the the gospel choir of a New Jersey church at age 11. Houston was exposed to and inspired by artists such as Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan and Gladys Knight. Her later success inspired artists such as Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera and Mary J. Blige.
As a teen, Whitney Houston appeared on the cover of popular magazines such as Seventeen and Glamour. In 1985, her debut album was released entitled simply Whitney Houston. Over the years, Houston released seven studio albums and three movie soundtrack albums. All of her albums achieved diamond, platinum, multi-platinum or gold certification.
Whitney Houston launched her acting career in the 1990s. In 1992, Houston made her debut in The Bodyguard. Houston also appeared in Waiting to Exhale and The Preacher's Wife. Into the 2000s, Whitney Houston produced several movies including The Princess Diaries and The Cheetah Girls. While her professional life was stellar, Whitney Houston had some difficulties in her personal life.
Known as a good example throughout the 1980s, Houston met her former husband Bobby Brown in the late 1980s. The two married in 1992 with later reports of Houston facing drug abuse and domestic abuse and Brown landing in jail several times. The reality show Being Bobby Brown aired in 2005 and showed Houston in unflattering moments. The show was not renewed and Houston and Brown divorced in 2007. On February 11, 2012, 48-year-old Houston was found dead at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Her Twitter account only showed five tweets which included the singer requesting followers.
Whitney Houston was the only female singer to have seven consecutive No. 1 Billboard hot 100 hits. She accomplished this feat in the 1980s with her albums Whitney Houston (1985) and Whitney (1987). In honor of Whitney Houston being the beloved voice of a generation, these seven songs will be considered her seven greatest. Other great songs by Houston include, ““I Will Always Love You,”, “You Give Good Love,” “It's Not Right But It's Okay,” “Why Does it Hurt So Bad,” “I'm Every Woman,” “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “When You Believe,” with Mariah Carey and many others. Houston's first number 1 single in the United States was “Saving All My Love For You,” from Whitney Houston and one of her seven greatest.
Another of the seven greatest consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits for Whitney Houston was “How Will I Know.” The second number 1 song for Houston, the song was composed by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam. It was originally intended for Janet Jackson, who passed on it. Houston then performed and recorded the song with altered lyrics. “How Will I Know” speaks of a girl trying to figure out if the boy she likes will return those feelings.
Houston's next consecutive number 1 hit in the 1980s was “The Greatest Love of All.” The song was originally recorded by George Benson for The Greatest, a Muhammad Ali biopic in 1977. The song was written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed. The lyrics were written by Creed during her struggle with breast cancer. In 1986, Creed was 36 when she succumbed to the disease. At that time, “The Greatest Love of All” was an international hit.
The next number 1 song by Houston was “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me).” It was the first single from Whitney, Houston's second album. It was produced by Narada Michael Walden. The song was written by the writers of “How Will I Know,” George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam of the band Boy Meets Girl. The song is more than a catchy dance tune as it speaks of wanting to find someone for the dance of life and love.
The next compelling number 1 hit from Houston in the 1980s was “Didn't We Almost Have It All.” The song was nominated for Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards in 1988. It was written by Will Jennings and Michael Masser. The season 3 finale of Grey's Anatomy was named after this famous song by Houston. Many fans speculated the song might be about Houston's relationship with NFL star Randall Cunningham. Houston also dated Eddie Murphy before her marriage to Bobby Brown.
The next consecutive number 1 hit for Houston was “So Emotional.” The danceable yet compelling song is about being in love and the associated emotions. It was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. These songwriters also wrote Madonna's “Like a Virgin,” The Bangles' “Eternal Flame” and Cindy Lauper's “True Colors.”
The final single of Houston's consecutive number 1 hits in the 1980s was “Where Do Broken Hearts Go.” Houston was initially not inclined to record the ballad because she did not feel it had a special message. Her previous songs all had a message to convey. Clive Davis, CEO of Arista Records, believed the song would be a success and Houston agreed to record it. The song was written by Frank Wildhorn and Chuck Jackson and produced by Narada Michael Walden.
The cause of Whitney Houston's death is currently unknown. Houston had one daughter with Bobby Brown, Bobbi Kristina Houston Brown, who is Bobby Brown's fourth child. Legendary Houston and her unforgettable voice will live forever in the hearts of her fans. All of Houston's dedicated fans sympathize with her family and friends, hoping the beloved singer will rest in peace.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
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#1 RIP Whitney- greatest singer
RIP Whitney- greatest singer of all time.
Side note, when was she ever known as the Queen of Pop? That's associated with Madonna.
Whitney's nickname is The Voice, which is much more accurate and highlights her gift.
#2 Whitney is not the Queen of Pop
Whitney had a beautiful voice and she was a great performer but I have to say she wasn't the queen of pop. Madonna is that...if it weren't for her breaking onto radio and video as she did making an impact then who knows how everything else would had fell into place.