Whitney: From Pop Princess to Eternal Icon
Ranked as the second-greatest female singer of all time (just after Aretha Franklin, according to Rolling Stone), Whitney Houston had an astonishing career that spanned 25 years.
Signed in 1983 at just 19 years old, her self-titled debut arrived in 1985 and topped the charts in six countries. Big tunes included Saving All My Love for You, How Will I Know, and Greatest Love of All.
Two years later, her follow-up album, simply titled Whitney, featured her signature song as the lead single. I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) was a global smash, hitting #1 in 18 countries and selling six million copies in the U.S. alone.
To this day, I Wanna Dance with Somebody remains a go-to track for DJs and cover bands—if the band has a singer with a big enough range, that is!
Another single from the album, Where Do Broken Hearts Go, made Whitney the first artist in history to have seven consecutive U.S. #1 hits—a record that still stands.
Her third album, I’m Your Baby Tonight (1990), also performed well, though none of its tracks have had the lasting legacy of those from her first two albums.
Ironically, her most enduring tune from this era didn’t appear on the international version of the album at all. Higher Love was only included on the Japanese edition. In 2019, a Norwegian DJ remixed the track and gave Whitney yet another #1—although, in fairness, the competition wasn’t quite as fierce as it had been in the early ’90s.
Following her third album, Whitney starred in the 1992 film The Bodyguard and delivered the unforgettable I Will Always Love You (a Dolly Parton cover). The single sold 20 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling single of all time by a solo artist.
Spending 14 weeks at #1, it earned Whitney another record and a sweep of major awards. The Bodyguard soundtrack also featured two more smash hits: I’m Every Woman (a Chaka Khan cover) and I Have Nothing. At one point, Whitney had three tracks in the U.S. top 11 simultaneously—yet another record-breaking feat.
To follow this immense success, she returned in 1998 with My Love Is Your Love, collaborating with Missy Elliott, Babyface, and Lauryn Hill. The title track and When You Believe, a duet with Mariah Carey for the animated film The Prince of Egypt, were the highlights.
After this release, Whitney focused on compilations and Christmas albums. Her final studio album, I Look to You, came out in 2009 but made little impact.
Whitney Houston tragically passed away on February 11, 2012, at the age of 48, in a hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, just before she was set to attend a pre-Grammy party. The official cause of death was accidental drowning, with heart disease and cocaine use contributing factors. Her untimely death was a devastating loss to the music world, but her legacy lives on through her iconic songs, record-breaking achievements, and the unforgettable power of her voice.
Whitney Houston Tunes | Related Pages
I Say A Little Prayer | Chord + TAB
You can learn how to play I Say A Little Prayer by Aretha Franklin using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| F#m | Bm7 | Bm7 |2/4 E7 |4/4 Amaj7 |
The moment I wake up. Before I put on my makeup (makeup)…
Start learning with the full lesson series: I Say A Little Prayer – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
I Wanna Dance With Somebody | Chords + TAB
Learn to play I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and backing tracks.
| Db | Db | Ebm7 | Ebm7 |
Clock strikes upon the hour and the sun begins to fade…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Whitney Houston) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Whitney Houston on the web
