Whitney:The Greatest Hits is the first compilation album by American singer Whitney Houston. It was released on May 15,2000,by Arista Records. Anticipation over a greatest hits album from Houston arose as far as 1995,when Billboard first announced the album's release. However,it was continuously postponed as Houston focused on film projects,before deciding to record several new tracks for the belated collection in 1998. The effort was quickly expanded into her fourth studio album My Love Is Your Love ,released in November 1998 to widespread success,which effectively postponed Whitney:The Greatest Hits again.
A two-disc collection,Whitney:The Greatest Hits comprises Houston's ballads on its first disc,titled Cool Down,while replacing most of the original versions of her up-tempo hits with corresponding dance remixes on the second disc,titled Throw Down. Therefore,numerous publications rejected the compilation's classification as a greatest hits album,despite its title and marketing. Whitney:The Greatest Hits also includes four previously unreleased tracks—"Same Script,Different Cast",a duet with Deborah Cox;"Could I Have This Kiss Forever",a duet with Enrique Iglesias;"If I Told You That",a duet with George Michael;and "Fine"—all of which were released as singles to varying levels of success.
Whitney:The Greatest Hits was met with mixed responses from music critics,who praised Houston for her expansive catalog and career longevity,but criticized the album's inclusion of remixes rather than original versions for a majority of Houston's hits;the new tracks elicited polarity among reviewers. A commercial success,Whitney:The Greatest Hits debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200,with first-week sales of 158,000 units,and reached the top 10 in 20 additional countries. By February 2012,it had sold over 10 million copies worldwide. That June,Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the compilation quintuple platinum for double-disc shipments of 2.5 million units in the US.
Although Houston did not promote Whitney:The Greatest Hits as extensively as her previous albums,she embarked on a four-date concert residency from June to November 2000. Furthermore,the compilation was accompanied by the simultaneously released video collection of the same title. In January 2011,Legacy Recordings reissued the album as a part of their Essential album series,retitling it The Essential Whitney Houston. Following Houston's death on February 11,2012,Whitney:The Greatest Hits registered a significant resurgence of sales,attaining a new peak of number two on the Billboard 200,and new top-10 peaks—either in its original format,or as The Essential Whitney Houston—in numerous countries worldwide.
In November 1995,Houston's song "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)"—the lead single from the soundtrack for the 1995 film Waiting to Exhale ,starring Houston in a leading role—became the third song in history to debut atop the US Billboard Hot 100. [1] It became Houston's 11th and final number-one single on the chart; [2] with 11 singles,Houston is sixth among artists with most Billboard Hot 100 number-ones of all time,as of 2023. [3] Furthermore,"Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" contributed to Houston becoming the best-selling physical singles female artist in the history of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). [4] That August, Billboard had disclosed Houston's first greatest hits album would be released on October 10,which ultimately did not come to fruition. [5] The publication referred to the "long-promised" album again in July 1996,announcing it for that fall. [6] After the release was postponed again,speculation on its timing continued into 1997,with Houston commenting:"Oh,Clive is on my case about this greatest hits album. He's like,Whitney,we have to do a greatest hits album,I mean you're far long overdue." [7]
Intent on releasing the highly anticipated collection,Houston began recording new material,originally intended for a greatest hits album which would include several new tracks,in August 1998. However,she and Clive Davis soon decided to reconstruct the project into Houston's fourth studio album,titled My Love Is Your Love ,her first such effort in eight years. [8] [9] Houston finished recording My Love Is Your Love within six weeks;it was released on November 17. [8] Although it debuted only at number 13 on the US Billboard 200 due to strong competition from a multitude of established artists who released their new albums the same week,My Love Is Your Love went on to be certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA and produced three consecutive Billboard Hot 100 top-five hits—"Heartbreak Hotel","It's Not Right but It's Okay" and the title track. [10] Despite her immense commercial success during the extensive promotional cycle for My Love Is Your Love,Houston's "erratic" behavior overshadowed her professional endeavors,as she became notorious for numerous live performance cancellations and alleged drug use. [8] [11] [12] [13]
In addition to Houston's prior hits,including all of her 11 US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles —either in their original or remixed forms—Whitney:The Greatest Hits included two newly-recorded songs and two re-recordings. Shep Crawford-written and produced "Same Script,Different Cast" is a duet with Deborah Cox,which sees Houston portraying a former lover of Cox's current partner,and warning Cox of his deceitful and disregarding demeanor. [14] [15] [16] The harp string and piano-driven ballad is built upon a sample of Ludwig van Beethoven's "Für Elise",and is infused with "dramatic" key changes. [15] [17] A multitude of critics have compared the song to Brandy and Monica's 1998 duet "The Boy Is Mine". [18] [19] Raphael Saadiq and Q-Tip wrote and produced "Fine",a "sultry,soulful" track arranged with "languid retro-funk" guitars. [20] [21]
"Could I Have This Kiss Forever",a duet with Enrique Iglesias,is a classical guitar-driven mid-tempo Latin pop ballad. [22] [23] The song was originally recorded for Iglesias' English-language debut Enrique (1999), [24] and was subsequently re-recorded—and remixed by Brian Rawling and Mark Taylor —for inclusion on Whitney:The Greatest Hits. [22] In March 2000,Houston re-recorded "If I Told You That",originally included on My Love Is Your Love,as a duet with George Michael. [25] Rodney Jerkins,who produced the original version,reprised his role for the re-recording. In an interview for MTV News at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards (2000),Jerkins revealed that Michael Jackson was the initial choice for the duet but could not schedule recording with Houston. [25] Lyrically,the track discusses its protagonist's contemplations of confessing romantic feelings to a friend. [26]
"Same Script,Different Cast" and "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" appear at the end the album's first disc,titled Cool Down,which comprises R&B,pop and,to a lesser extent,gospel ballads. [27] [28] "Fine" and "If I Told You That" follow at the start of the second disc,titled Throw Down,which comprises up-tempo dance tracks,encompassing hi-NRG and house-influenced remixes of Houston's prior hits. [29] [27] [18] Whitney:The Greatest Hits also includes several tracks which,although released,had never been included on any of Houston's albums. "If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful",Houston's duet with Jermaine Jackson which had previously solely appeared on Jackson's 1986 album Precious Moments ,appears on Cool Down. Houston's 1988 Summer Olympics tribute and top-five hit "One Moment in Time" was included on the North American edition of Throw Down and the international edition of Cool Down. North American edition of Throw Down also includes Houston's 1991 performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV. [30]
Despite its title and being marketed as such,Whitney:The Greatest Hits is not a greatest hits album. [lower-alpha 3] David LaChapelle photographed the album's cover artwork and booklet imagery. [33] The cover depicts Houston standing on a ladder and smiling as she holds a drill in order to hang her certified records on the wall. [34] On the contrary,critic David Quantick interpreted the artwork as Houston using the drill to destroy the records. [35] Following Houston's death in February 2012,LaChapelle revealed that Houston arrived to the photo shoot six hours late and under the influence of cocaine,which caused him difficulties with photographing her during the 15-hour session. [33]
For its 2011 reissue,Whitney:The Greatest Hits was retitled The Essential Whitney Houston,as it was integrated into Legacy Recordings' The Essential album series. Chapelle's cover artwork was replaced by a monochrome portrait of Houston,photographed by Randee St. Nicholas in 1992 to promote The Bodyguard ;however,the liner notes and accompanying imagery remained unchanged. [36] [37]
After numerous delays,Davis announced the release of Whitney:The Greatest Hits via MTV News in February 2000. [38] In the US,the album was released on May 16,2000,by Arista Records. Its release was preceded by the limited-edition four-record vinyl box set Whitney:The Unreleased Mixes on April 25;the set included eight previously unreleased extended dance remixes of Houston's prior singles,some of which appeared on the North American edition second disc of Whitney:The Greatest Hits. [11] Exclusively at Circuit City,Whitney:The Greatest Hits was released with a bonus disc including two extended club mixes. [39] Internationally,the compilation was released on May 15 in most countries. [40] While its North American edition featured almost exclusively remixes on its second disc, [34] international editions replaced most of them with corresponding original versions. [41]
A video album of the same title was released simultaneously with Whitney:The Greatest Hits worldwide,comprising 23 of Houston's music videos,as well as select live performances,interviews with Houston and Davis,and behind-the-scenes footage. The DVD was noted for its interactive features,which saw Houston introducing its segments and providing commentary;it was one of the first video albums ever to incorporate interactive components. [42] [43] In contrast to Houston's previous releases,Whitney:The Greatest Hits was not promoted with televised performances and appearances. However,Houston did perform a 20-minute medley at Arista's 25th anniversary celebration in Los Angeles on April 10,2000;the concert aired on NBC on May 15. [11] She subsequently embarked on a three-date concert residency at Caesars Atlantic City from June 30 to July 3, [44] and performed an additional show at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas on November 10,with then-husband Bobby Brown as the opening act. [45]
The selection and order of singles from Whitney:The Greatest Hits substantially differed depending on region. In France,"I Learned from the Best"—the fifth and final single from My Love Is Your Love—was released ahead of Whitney:The Greatest Hits,on April 18,2000, [46] peaking at number 44. [47] In the US,"Same Script,Different Cast" and "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" were both released as lead singles from Whitney:The Greatest Hits—the former was serviced to urban contemporary radio on May 2, [48] while the latter was serviced to adult contemporary,rhythmic contemporary and contemporary hit radios two weeks later. [49] "Same Script,Different Cast" peaked at number 70 on the US Billboard Hot 100,becoming Houston's lowest-peaking lead single at the time, [2] but became her fourth Adult R&B Songs number-one single. [50] While "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" peaked only at number 52 on the US Billboard Hot 100, [2] it peaked atop the European Hot 100 Singles and charts in Croatia,the Netherlands,Poland,and Switzerland,after being released as the second European single from Whitney:The Greatest Hits on July 25. [51] [52] [53] [54] [55] Furthermore,the song attained top 10 positions in 13 additional countries,including Canada,New Zealand,and the UK. [55] [56] [57] The song's accompanying music video was directed by Francis Lawrence. [58]
In Europe,"If I Told You That" was released as the lead single from Whitney:The Greatest Hits on May 29,2000; [59] in the US,it was released as an airplay-only fourth and final single on January 30,2001. [60] It reached the summit in Croatia,Iceland,and Poland, [61] [62] [63] and the top 10 in the Czech Republic,Italy,and the UK. [64] [65] [57] The music video for "If I Told You That" was directed by Kevin Bray. [58] "Fine" was released as the third US single from Whitney:The Greatest Hits on September 19,2000, [66] peaking at number 51 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. [67] In Sweden,it was released as the third and final single on December 11, [68] peaking at number 50. [69] The music video for "Fine" was Houston's second consecutive to be directed by Bray. [70] In select European countries,"Heartbreak Hotel"—originally the second single from My Love Is Your Love—was released as the third and final single from Whitney:The Greatest Hits on December 18,2000, [71] peaking at number 25 in the UK. [57]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [32] |
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | B+ [27] |
The Baltimore Sun | [21] |
Entertainment Weekly | C+ [72] |
The Guardian | [28] |
New York Daily News | [lower-alpha 4] |
Newsweek | [73] |
NME | [74] |
Q | [35] |
USA Today | [75] |
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [76] |
Upon its release,Whitney:The Greatest Hits was met with mixed to positive reviews from music critics. Steve Huey from AllMusic expressed dissatisfaction with the inclusion of remixes instead of the original versions on Throw Down,writing that Whitney:The Greatest Hits "amply reinforces once again what a fine singles artist Houston has been for the entirety of her career. Still and all,though,it's a frustrating package marred by record company greed". [32] Sonia Murray from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution praised the album,elaborating:"What makes Whitney Houston's first collection of hits great is her. On the first CD there's her masterfully manipulated big pop confections ('I Will Always Love You'),the occasional,really soulful R&B tunes ('Saving All My Love for You') and new radio-ready duets with Whitney-in-training Deborah Cox and Latin smolderer Enrique Iglesias. The second CD of dance remixes is an appropriate nod to an artist who has held sway over so many genres." [27] Billboard editor Michael Paoletta called Whitney:The Greatest Hits "[q]uite the stellar collection", [77] while Jane Stevenson from Canoe.com labeled it "a greatest hits package that makes good listening sense". [78] Writing for Ebony ,Lynn Norment stated that the album "reminds listeners of the enormous talent this artist demonstrated on 'You Give Good Love',how she has grown,and the fact she has a long career road ahead",and highlighted its previously unreleased duets. [79] Christine Galera of Orlando Sentinel commended Houston's vocal performances on Whitney:The Greatest Hits and praised "Same Script,Different Cast",but criticized the album's length and the inclusion of "mellow" singles from Waiting to Exhale. [14]
In a positive review for The Guardian ,Caroline Sullivan favored Throw Down over its counterpart Cool Down, [28] as did Entertainment Weekly 's Ken Tucker,who nonetheless criticized the inclusion of remixes on Whitney:The Greatest Hits due to its title and,by extension,the album's track listing as a whole. [72] Jim Farber of the New York Daily News described Whitney:The Greatest Hits as a "bipolar affair set between two CDs,one of which recycles Houston's boring old ballads",while Throw Down "isn't just an ecstatic piece of party music –it utterly redefines Houston as an artist." [18] Writing less favorably for The Baltimore Sun ,J. D. Considine dismissed the title of Whitney:The Greatest Hits as "false advertising",and criticized the new tracks—excluding "Fine",which he singled out as a highlight. [21] NME lambasted the timing of the album's release,in reference to Houston's personal and professional struggles at the time,elaborating:"Issuing a double CD of Whitney Houston's finest moments was intended to shore up her rapidly eroding soul diva supremacy against the rising tide of clued-up,modern successors to her throne –Missy Elliott,Lauryn Hill,Kelis. Instead,appearing among rumours of drug abuse,wobbly appearances at awards ceremonies and the recent application of round-the-clock minders to Whitney –it seems more eulogy than testimonial." [74] Ernest Hardy of LA Weekly dismissed Whitney:The Greatest Hits as "damn near unlistenable"—he summarized Cool Down as "Whitney's voice –so strong,so assured,so boring –anchoring saccharine production and even sappier songwriting",and Throw Down as "filled with astonishingly bad dance remixes of old hits". [80] Reviewing the video edition of Whitney:The Greatest Hits,Heather Phares praised the selection of music videos and live performances. [81] In his review of The Essential Whitney Houston,Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that the reissue "plays much like The Greatest Hits;even if it has a handful of songs not on the 2000 collection,it covers the same territory equally well and equally entertainingly." [76]
In the US,Whitney:The Greatest Hits sold 158,000 units within its first week,debuting at number five on the Billboard 200, [82] and at number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums,both dated June 3,2000. [83] It registered Houston's highest solo effort debut since her second studio album Whitney (1987). [84] Whitney:The Greatest Hits descended to number nine on the Billboard 200,and number six on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums,in its second week. [85] [86] On June 20,the album was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),denoting double-disc shipments of one million units in the US. [87] Meanwhile,its accompanying video album had debuted atop the Music Video Sales chart, [88] and went on to become one of the best-selling video albums of the year. [89] Regardless,the album's domestic commercial performance was deemed underwhelming by Arista executives. Several factors were credited with contributing to the "uncharacteristically meager sales",including release timing,single selection,and replacement of Davis with L.A. Reid as the chief executive officer (CEO) and president of Arista. [90] In Canada,Whitney:The Greatest Hits debuted at number four on the Canadian Albums Chart dated June 3,2000, [91] and was subsequently certified platinum by Music Canada for shipments of 100,000 units in the country. [92]
In the UK,Whitney:The Greatest Hits debuted atop the UK Albums Chart and UK R&B Albums Chart, [57] and peaked atop the Scottish Albums Chart in its second week. [93] After spending 17 weeks within the top 10 on the UK Albums Chart,the album placed ninth on the chart's year-end issue for 2000. [57] Whitney:The Greatest Hits also reached the summit in Ireland, [94] where its sales earned it the 2001 Meteor Music Award for Best International Female Album. [95] Across Europe,the compilation peaked within the top 10 in 13 additional countries,and at number two on the European Top 100 Albums. [96] [97] [98] [99] By the end of 2000,the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) had certified the album triple platinum for selling three million units in Europe. [100] In Japan,Whitney:The Greatest Hits peaked at number four on the Oricon Albums Chart, [101] and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of 600,000 units; [102] it was also among the winners of the 2001 Japan Gold Disc Award for International Pop Album of the Year. [103] The compilation was also a commercial success across Oceania,debuting at numbers eight and nine in Australia and New Zealand,respectively. [104] By February 2012,Whitney:The Greatest Hits had sold over ten million copies worldwide. [105]
Following Houston's death on February 11,2012,Whitney:The Greatest Hits registered a global resurgence of sales. In the US,it re-entered the Billboard 200 at number six after selling 64,000 copies in a single day,registering a 10,419% increase in comparison to the prior week. [106] [107] After a full tracking week,Whitney:The Greatest Hits ascended to its new peak at number two with 175,000 units. [108] The album remained at the position the following week,with steady sales of 174,000 copies;that week,Houston became the first female artist ever to have three albums simultaneously within Billboard 200's top 10. [109] On June 21,Whitney:The Greatest Hits was certified quintuple platinum by the RIAA,signifying double-disc shipments of 2.5 million units in the country. [87] Internationally,the compilation attained new peaks within the top 10 in Argentina,Australia,and France, [110] [104] [111] while its reissue The Essential Whitney Houston reached the summit in Poland and South Korea, [112] [113] and the top 10 in Australia,Canada,Ireland,South Africa,and the UK. [114] [115] [116] [117] [118]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "You Give Good Love" | LaLa | Kashif | 4:11 |
2. | "Saving All My Love for You" | Masser | 3:57 | |
3. | "Greatest Love of All" |
| Masser | 4:54 |
4. | "All at Once" |
| Masser | 4:29 |
5. | "If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful" (with Jermaine Jackson) | Elliot Willensky |
| 4:20 |
6. | "Didn't We Almost Have It All" |
| Masser | 4:38 |
7. | "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" | Narada Michael Walden | 4:38 | |
8. | "All the Man That I Need" | Walden | 3:57 | |
9. | "Run to You" |
| David Foster | 4:27 |
10. | "I Have Nothing" |
| Foster | 4:53 |
11. | "I Will Always Love You" | Dolly Parton | Foster | 4:28 |
12. | "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" | Babyface | Babyface | 3:25 |
13. | "Why Does It Hurt So Bad" | Babyface | Babyface | 4:40 |
14. | "I Believe in You and Me" |
|
| 3:54 |
15. | "Heartbreak Hotel" (featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price) | Soulshock and Karlin | 4:06 | |
16. | "My Love Is Your Love" |
| 4:19 | |
17. | "Same Script, Different Cast" (with Deborah Cox) |
| Shep Crawford | 4:58 |
18. | "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" (Metro Mix) (with Enrique Iglesias) | Diane Warren |
| 3:55 |
Total length: | 78:09 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Fine" |
|
| 3:35 |
2. | "If I Told You That" (with George Michael) |
| 4:33 | |
3. | "It's Not Right but It's Okay" (Thunderpuss Mix) |
|
| 4:15 |
4. | "My Love Is Your Love" (Jonathan Peters Mix) |
|
| 4:18 |
5. | "Heartbreak Hotel" (Hex Hector Mix) (featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price) |
|
| 4:20 |
6. | "I Learned from the Best" (HQ² Mix) | Diane Warren |
| 4:23 |
7. | "Step by Step" (Junior Vasquez Mix) | Annie Lennox | 4:04 | |
8. | "I'm Every Woman" (Clivilles & Cole Mix) |
| 4:30 | |
9. | "Queen of the Night" (CJ Mackintosh Mix) |
|
| 3:45 |
10. | "I Will Always Love You" (Hex Hector Mix) | Parton |
| 4:48 |
11. | "Love Will Save the Day" (Jellybean & David Morales Mix) | Toni C. | 5:06 | |
12. | "I'm Your Baby Tonight" (Dronez Mix) |
|
| 5:05 |
13. | "So Emotional" (David Morales Mix) |
| 3:57 | |
14. | "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" (Junior Vasquez Mix) |
| 4:24 | |
15. | "How Will I Know" (Junior Vasquez Mix) |
|
| 4:09 |
16. | "Greatest Love of All" (Junior Vasquez Mix) |
|
| 5:09 |
17. | "One Moment in Time" | Walden | 5:02 | |
18. | "The Star Spangled Banner" (live at Super Bowl XXV) | Francis Scott Key | 2:15 | |
Total length: | 77:38 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Saving All My Love for You" |
| Masser | 3:57 |
2. | "Greatest Love of All" |
| Masser | 4:52 |
3. | "One Moment in Time" |
| Walden | 4:46 |
4. | "I Have Nothing" |
| Foster | 4:51 |
5. | "I Will Always Love You" | Parton | Foster | 4:27 |
6. | "Run to You" |
| Foster | 4:27 |
7. | "You Give Good Love" | LaLa | Kashif | 4:11 |
8. | "All at Once" |
| Masser | 4:30 |
9. | "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" |
| Walden | 4:38 |
10. | "If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful" (with Jermaine Jackson) | Willensky |
| 4:20 |
11. | "Didn't We Almost Have It All" |
| Masser | 4:38 |
12. | "All the Man That I Need" |
| Walden | 3:56 |
13. | "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" | Babyface | Babyface | 3:25 |
14. | "Count on Me" (with CeCe Winans) |
| Babyface | 4:27 |
15. | "I Believe in You and Me" |
|
| 3:55 |
16. | "I Learned from the Best" | Warren | Foster | 4:23 |
17. | "Same Script, Different Cast" (with Deborah Cox) |
| Crawford | 5:00 |
18. | "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" (Metro Mix) (with Enrique Iglesias) | Warren | 3:55 | |
Total length: | 78:40 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "If I Told You That" (with George Michael) |
|
| 4:33 |
2. | "Fine" |
|
| 3:35 |
3. | "My Love Is Your Love" |
|
| 4:18 |
4. | "It's Not Right but It's Okay" |
| R. Jerkins | 4:49 |
5. | "Heartbreak Hotel" (featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price) |
| Soulshock and Karlin | 4:35 |
6. | "Step by Step" | Lennox | Lipson | 4:12 |
7. | "Queen of the Night" (CJ Mackintosh Mix) |
| 3:46 | |
8. | "I'm Every Woman" |
| Walden | 4:45 |
9. | "Love Will Save the Day" | Toni C. | Jellybean | 5:21 |
10. | "I'm Your Baby Tonight" |
|
| 4:58 |
11. | "So Emotional" |
| Walden | 4:32 |
12. | "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" |
| Walden | 4:49 |
13. | "How Will I Know" |
| Walden | 4:33 |
14. | "I Will Always Love You" (Hex Hector Mix) | Parton |
| 4:52 |
15. | "Greatest Love of All" (Club 69 Mix) |
|
| 4:43 |
16. | "It's Not Right but It's Okay" (Thunderpuss Mix) |
|
| 4:16 |
17. | "I'm Your Baby Tonight" (Dronez Mix) |
| 5:03 | |
Total length: | 77:40 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Greatest Love of All" (Club 69 Mix) | 11:54 |
2. | "So Emotional" (David Morales Emotional Club Mix) | 11:21 |
No. | Title | Director(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "You Give Good Love" | Michael Lindsay-Hogg | |
2. | "Saving All My Love for You" | Stuart Orme | |
3. | "How Will I Know" | Brian Grant | |
4. | "Greatest Love of All" | Peter Israelson | |
5. | "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" | Grant | |
6. | "Didn't We Almost Have It All" | ||
7. | "So Emotional" | Wayne Isham | |
8. | "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" | Israelson | |
9. | "I'm Your Baby Tonight" | Julien Temple | |
10. | "All the Man That I Need" | Israelson | |
11. | "The Star Spangled Banner" | Bob Best | |
12. | "I Will Always Love You" | Nick Brandt | |
13. | "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" | Forest Whitaker | |
14. | "I Believe in You and Me" | F. Gary Gray | |
15. | "I'm Every Woman" | Randee St. Nicholas | |
16. | "I Have Nothing" | S.A. Baron | |
17. | "Run to You" | Mitchell Sinoway | |
18. | "Queen of the Night" | Mick Jackson | |
19. | "Step by Step" | Paul Hunter | |
20. | "Heartbreak Hotel" | Kevin Bray | |
21. | "My Love Is Your Love" | Bray | |
22. | "It's Not Right But It's Okay" | Bray | |
23. | "I Learned from the Best" | Bray | |
24. | "Home" (live on The Merv Griffin Show ) | ||
25. | "Lover for Life" (A Concert for a New South Africa) | ||
26. | "One Moment in Time" (live at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards) | ||
27. | " My Love Is Your Love " (the making of the album) | ||
28. | "My Love Is Your Love" (live from Mannheim) | ||
29. | "Why Does It Hurt So Bad" (live at the 1996 MTV Movie Awards) | ||
30. | "It's Not Right but It's Okay" (from MTV All Access) | ||
31. | "Impossible" (from Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella ) | Robert Iscove |
Notes
Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Whitney: The Greatest Hits. [34] [119]
Weekly charts
| Monthly charts
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
Centurial charts
All-time charts
|
|
|
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
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Germany | May 15, 2000 | Double CD | BMG | |
United Kingdom |
| Arista | ||
United States | May 16, 2000 |
| ||
Japan | May 20, 2000 | Double CD | ||
United Kingdom |
| |||
France | May 21, 2000 | Double CD | ||
June 14, 2000 |
| |||
Japan | July 7, 2000 | DVD |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | January 10, 2011 | Double CD | ||
United Kingdom | ||||
Poland | January 14, 2011 | |||
Taiwan | ||||
Canada | January 18, 2011 | |||
France | February 14, 2011 | |||
Germany | January 6, 2012 |
Cracked Rear View is the debut studio album by Hootie & the Blowfish, released on July 5, 1994, by Atlantic Records. Released to positive critical reviews, it eventually became one of the highest-selling albums in the United States, and also one of the best-selling albums worldwide, with over 20 million units.
Secrets is the second studio album by American singer Toni Braxton, released on June 18, 1996, by LaFace Records and Arista Records. The album was nominated for Best Pop Album at the 1997 Grammy Awards. Secrets has been certified eight-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Worldwide, the album has sold over 15 million copies. In support of the album, Braxton embarked on the Secrets Tour, playing dates in North America and Europe from August 1996 to October 1997.
Whitney Houston is the debut studio album by American singer Whitney Houston, released on February 14, 1985, by Arista Records. Whitney Houston initially had a slow commercial response, but began getting more popular in mid-1985. It eventually topped the Billboard 200 for 14 weeks in 1986, generating three number-one singles—"Saving All My Love for You", "How Will I Know" and "Greatest Love of All"—on the Billboard Hot 100, which made it both the first debut album and the first album by a solo female artist to produce three number-one singles in the United States.
Whitney is the second studio album by American singer Whitney Houston, released on June 2, 1987, by Arista Records as the follow-up to her debut album. Whitney is one of the best-selling albums of all time, with sales of over 20 million copies worldwide. The album features five top 10 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100, which also became international hits. The album's first four singles—"I Wanna Dance with Somebody ", "Didn't We Almost Have It All", "So Emotional" and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go"—all peaked at number one on the US Hot 100, making her the first female act to achieve four number-one hits from one album.
I'm Your Baby Tonight is the third studio album by American singer Whitney Houston. It was released on November 6, 1990, by Arista Records. The album is one of the best-selling female albums of all time and has been certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album is a soundtrack album from the film of the same name, released on November 17, 1992, by Arista Records. The album's first side features songs recorded by American singer Whitney Houston, who starred in the film, while side two features the work of various artists. Houston and Clive Davis were co-executive producers of the record.
Greatest Hits is the first compilation album by the American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released February 27, 1995, on Columbia Records. It is a collection of some of Springsteen's hit singles and popular album tracks through the years along with four new songs at the end, mostly recorded with the E Street Band in 1995. The latter constituted Springsteen's first release with his backing band since the late 1980s. Some of the songs are shorter versions of the original album releases.
Greatest Hits is the second greatest hits album by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey, released on December 4, 2001, by Columbia Records. Released after her departure from Columbia, the album contains most of Carey's singles from 1990 to 2000 during her tenure at the label, including her then fifteen US number-one singles, and the UK number-one hits "Without You" and "Against All Odds".
"One Moment in Time" is a sentimental ballad by American singer Whitney Houston and written by Albert Hammond and John Bettis, produced by Narada Michael Walden for the 1988 Summer Olympics held in South Korea. It was released by Arista Records on August 27, 1988, as the first single from the compilation album, 1988 Summer Olympics Album: One Moment in Time, the soundtrack for the games. The song was Houston's third number one in the UK Singles Chart, and reached number five on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was later included on the second disc of her first greatest hits Whitney: The Greatest Hits and also on The Ultimate Collection and on the second disc of I Will Always Love You: The Best of Whitney Houston.
"I'm Your Baby Tonight" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston from her third studio album, I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990). Written and produced by L.A. Reid and Babyface, in Australia and most European countries it was released as the album's lead single by Arista Records on September 28, 1990; in the United States, the release date was October 2. Following the release of her second studio album Whitney (1987), Houston became the first woman ever to debut atop the Billboard 200; despite this, critics deemed it safe and formulaic. Additionally, she was booed at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards and accused of being "not black enough"; Houston decided she needed to change her sound if she wanted to recapture black audiences.
The albums discography of American singer, actress and producer Whitney Houston consists of seven studio albums, eight compilations, three soundtracks, five box sets and six extended plays. Houston is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with over 220 million records sold worldwide. In 1986, Houston's self-titled debut album spent fourteen weeks at number one on the Billboard 200, earned three number one singles in a row on the Billboard Hot 100 including "How Will I Know" and "Greatest Love of All" and was 1986's top album of the year, giving Houston the distinction of the first female artist to earn that honor. The album became the first studio album by a female artist to be certified over ten-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in January 1994, and went on to be certified fourteen-times platinum, tying with Britney Spears' ...Baby One More Time, as the highest-certified debut album by a female artist in history. It sold 25 million copies worldwide and earn a Guinness World Record as the best-selling R&B studio album by a female artist in the United States. Houston's second album, Whitney, was released in 1987 and became the first album by a female artist to debut at the top of the Billboard 200. It also became the first female album to spend its first ten weeks at number one, eventually staying there for eleven consecutive weeks. The album spawned four number one singles in a row including "I Wanna Dance with Somebody ", which helped Houston become the only artist to produce a record seven consecutive number-one hits. The album was certified Diamond by the RIAA for sales of ten million equivalent album sales and topped the charts in other countries, eventually selling in excess of 20 million copies worldwide. Houston earned a third consecutive top ten album on the Billboard 200 with the release of I'm Your Baby Tonight in 1990. The album helped Houston become the first female artist to earn multiple number one singles off three or more albums.
"Run to You" is a song performed by American singer and actress Whitney Houston, released on June 21, 1993, by Arista Records as the fourth single from The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album (1992). It was written by Jud Friedman and Allan Rich, and produced by David Foster. Originally intended to be a break-up song, it was approved by the production and stars. However, a month later, the director of The Bodyguard called, saying he liked the song so much, but he'd rather have it to be a love song so the entire song was rewritten, except for the title.
"You Give Good Love" is the debut solo single by American singer Whitney Houston for her 1985 eponymous debut studio album. It was written by La Forrest 'La La' Cope and produced by Kashif. When La La sent Kashif a copy of the song, originally offered to Roberta Flack, he thought it would be a better fit for Houston and told Arista Records he would be interested in recording with her.
"It's Not Right but It's Okay" is the third single from American singer Whitney Houston's fourth studio album, My Love Is Your Love. It was written by LaShawn Daniels, Rodney Jerkins, Fred Jerkins III, Isaac Phillips, Toni Estes and produced by Rodney Jerkins, who went by the nickname Darkchild. The song examines a woman confronting her lover about his infidelity. Houston won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for this song. In 2003, Q Magazine ranked "It's Not Right but It's Okay" at number 638 in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever". In 2019, Billboard listed it as one of the Greatest Songs of 1999. In 2022, the Thunderpuss club mix was listed in the list of the 200 greatest dance songs of all time on Rolling Stone. The single reached number one in Spain and the top five in Canada, Iceland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The Preacher's Wife: Original Soundtrack Album is the soundtrack to the 1996 film of the same name and features songs performed and produced by American singer Whitney Houston, who also stars in the film. The soundtrack was released on November 26, 1996, by Arista Records and BMG Entertainment. With sales of 6 million copies worldwide, it is the best-selling gospel album of all time.
"My Love Is Your Love" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston. It was written and produced by Wyclef Jean and Jerry Duplessis for Houston's fourth studio album of the same name (1998). Released on May 31, 1999, as the album's fourth single, it received positive reviews and was successful worldwide, hitting the top 10 in 23 international markets. The song peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, number two in the United Kingdom, and number one in New Zealand and Poland. It was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
"Could I Have This Kiss Forever" is a mid-tempo duet performed by American singer Whitney Houston and Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias. It was written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster, Mark Taylor and Brian Rawling. The song first appeared on Iglesias's debut English-language album Enrique (1999) as a slow Latin-styled ballad. It was also included on Houston's first compilation album, Whitney: The Greatest Hits (2000). It achieved chart success in many countries, including Switzerland and the Netherlands, where it reached number one.
The videography of American recording artist Whitney Houston, nicknamed “The Voice”, consists of fifty-five music videos, four music video compilations, a concert tour video and three music video singles. In 1983, Houston signed a recording contract with Arista Records and two years later released her eponymous debut album. Houston's first music video was for the single "You Give Good Love", which was selected to establish her in the black marketplace first. Houston then released the video of her worldwide hit "Saving All My Love for You". The following video, for the song "How Will I Know", helped introduce the singer to a wider audience when it became one of the first videos by a black female singer to earn heavy rotation on MTV, and it won MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video at its 3rd ceremony of 1986. "Greatest Love of All", the final single released from Houston's debut album, helped cement the M.O. for the classic Whitney video. In June 1986, Houston released her first video compilation The No. 1 Video Hits, containing her four music videos off the Whitney Houston album. It reached number-one on the Billboard Top Music Videocassettes chart and stayed there for 22 weeks, which remains the all-time record for a video collection by a female artist, it was also certified Platinum for shipments of 100,000 units by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on July 15, 1986. In 1987, Houston released the music video for "I Wanna Dance with Somebody ", the first single from her second album Whitney (1987), which depicts Houston in one of her iconic looks, the clip―towering curly wig, colorful dangly earrings and a series of going-to-the-club outfits. In 1988, the music video for the song "One Moment in Time", the title track off the 1988 Summer Olympics Album: One Moment in Time, was released.
I Will Always Love You: The Best of Whitney Houston is a posthumous greatest hits album by American recording artist Whitney Houston. The album was released on November 13, 2012 via RCA Records.
American singer Whitney Houston, known as "The Voice", released 57 singles as a leading artist and 4 as a featured artist. Houston is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with over 220 million records sold worldwide. In the United States, Houston amassed 11 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles, all of whom have been certified either gold, platinum, multi-platinum or diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America and was one of a selected group of artists to have a top ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in four different decades. She is currently ranked in seventh place of the artists with the most number one singles in the history of the Billboard Hot 100. Prior to the introduction of digital singles, Houston sold 16.5 million physical singles in the country, the most ever by a female recording artist. In October 2012, the Official Charts Company claimed Houston was the fourth biggest-selling female singles artist of all time with a sales total of 8.5 million singles in that country.