Love, Whitney

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Love, Whitney
Whitney Houston - Love, Whitney.png
Compilation album by
Whitney Houston
ReleasedNovember 20, 2001
Label
Producer Antonio "L.A." Reid (Executive)
Whitney Houston chronology
Whitney: The Greatest Hits
(2000)		Love, Whitney
(2001)		 Just Whitney
(2002)

Love, Whitney is a compilation of ballads by Whitney Houston, released in 2001. It was the follow-up to Houston's multi-platinum greatest hits collection Whitney: The Greatest Hits (2000). Unlike a traditional greatest-hits album, this release focuses specifically on Houston's love songs, drawing material from her studio albums recorded between 1985 and 1998. The collection features sixteen tracks, including several of her best-known romantic ballads alongside a few lesser-known selections such as "Why Does It Hurt So Bad", "Miracle", and "For the Love of You". [1]

Contents

The album was issued by Arista Records during a period of renewed commercial focus on Houston’s back catalogue, following her signing of a long-term contract with the label. [2] It was marketed primarily to casual listeners and international audiences, particularly in the United Kingdom, where it served as a complementary release to her earlier compilation. The collection highlights Houston’s signature vocal style and her dominance of the adult contemporary and pop charts throughout the late 1980s and 1990s. [1] The album includes ten U.S. top 10 hits.

Critical response to Love, Whitney was mixed. Reviewers generally praised the album's selection of Whitney Houston’s most powerful love songs and its smooth, cohesive presentation, but several noted that it offered little new material for longtime fans. Critics such as Jose F. Promis of AllMusic described it as a pleasant listening experience aimed mainly at casual listeners, while others, like the reviewer from Cane France, viewed it as a commercially motivated release following her greatest hits collection. Overall, the compilation was seen as a showcase of Houston's vocal talent rather than a significant addition to her discography.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Canoë FranceStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]

In his review for AllMusic, Jose F. Promis described Love, Whitney as a pleasant but ultimately redundant compilation. He noted that the album is not a greatest-hits collection, but rather a selection of Whitney Houston's sweeping love songs drawn from her previous releases. While praising the inclusion of overlooked tracks such as "Why Does It Hurt So Bad", "Miracle", and "For the Love of You", Promis remarked that the compilation offers little new material for longtime fans. He concluded that Love, Whitney serves primarily as an enjoyable listen for casual listeners rather than a must-have addition for collectors. [1]

In his review for Cane France, the critic offered a sharply ironic take on Love, Whitney, questioning the necessity of another compilation so soon after The Greatest Hits (2000). He criticized the release as a commercial move rather than an artistic one, suggesting it might have been intended to fulfill part of Whitney Houston's new $100 million contract with Arista Records. While acknowledging Houston’s undeniable vocal talent and her impressive string of hits such as "I Will Always Love You," "You Give Good Love," and "I Have Nothing," the reviewer argued that Love, Whitney added little value to her discography. He concluded humorously that the album's title was fitting, since "you really have to love her" to purchase such a redundant compilation. [2]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Until You Come Back"
Babyface4:55
2."I Have Nothing"
Foster4:50
3."Why Does It Hurt So Bad"BabyfaceBabyface4:39
4."You Give Good Love" La La Kashif 4:38
5."All the Man That I Need" (Edit)
 Narada Michael Walden 3:57
6."Where Do Broken Hearts Go"
Walden4:38
7."Just the Lonely Talking Again"Sam DeesWalden5:33
8."Exhale (Shoop Shoop)"BabyfaceBabyface3:24
9."Miracle"
  • L.A. Reid
  • Babyface
  • L.A. Reid
  • Babyface
5:46
10."For the Love of You"
Walden5:35
11."Saving All My Love for You"
Masser3:56
12."Run to You"
  • Allan Rich
  • Jud Friedman
Foster4:27
13."I Believe in You and Me" (Single Version)
  • David Wolfert
  • Sandy Linzer
  • Mervyn Warren
  • Houston
3:55
14."Didn't We Almost Have It All" (Single Version)
Masser4:38
15."All at Once"
Masser4:29
16."I Will Always Love You" (Edit) Dolly Parton Foster4:23
Total length:73:28

Charts

Certifications and sales

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [17] Gold50,000*
Japan (RIAJ) [18] Gold100,000^
South Korea—22,356 [19]
United Kingdom—46,264 [20]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Love, Whitney - Whitney Houston | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 "Love Whitney - Canoe review". fr.canoe.ca. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Whitney Houston - Album Guide". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on March 24, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Ranking Semanal Pop" (in Spanish). Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers. February 12, 2012. Archived from the original on September 2, 2011. Retrieved December 9, 2012. Note: Reader must define search parameters as "Ranking Semanal Pop" and "19/02/2012".
  5. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Whitney Houston – Love, Whitney" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Whitney Houston – Love, Whitney" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  7. ↑ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 20, no. 10. March 2, 2002. p. 16. Retrieved September 20, 2025– via World Radio History.
  8. ↑ "Ελληνικό Chart". web.archive.org. Archived from the original on February 23, 2002. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Whitney Houston – Love, Whitney". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  10. ↑ "ラヴ、ホイットニー～ラヴ・ソング・コレクション～ / ホイットニー・ヒューストン" (in Japanese). Oricon . Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Whitney Houston – Love, Whitney". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  12. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Whitney Houston – Love, Whitney". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Whitney Houston | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  14. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Whitney Houston – Love, Whitney". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  15. ↑ "2001.11월 - POP 음반 판매량" (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on June 23, 2004. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Top 100 - lista miesięczna - Luty 2012". ZPAV. Polish Society of the Phonographing Industry. Archived from the original on December 14, 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Brazilian album certifications – Whitney Houston – Love, Whitney" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil.
  18. ↑ "Japanese album certifications – ホイットニー・ヒューストン – Love, Whitney ラヴ・ソング・コレクション～" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan.Select 2001年12月 on the drop-down menu
  19. ↑ "2001.11월 - POP 음반 판매량" (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on June 23, 2004. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  20. ↑ Jones, Alan (November 5, 2007). "Eagles top UK album chart". Music Week . United Business Media. Archived from the original on October 6, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
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