Houston's first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100 was "
Hold Me", which peaked at number 46 in 1984. Her debut album, Whitney Houston (1985), contained four top ten singles, including "
You Give Good Love" and "
Saving All My Love for You", with the former peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1985 and the latter becoming her first number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 later that October. The two singles later were certified platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America for one million equivalent sales units each, while its two follow-up singles, "
How Will I Know", and "
Greatest Love of All", each received multi-platinum plaques for sales equivalent units of 2 million copies. When the latter two followed "Saving All My Love for You" to number one, Houston became the first female artist to have three singles from the same album reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1987, Houston released her sophomore album, Whitney. Its leading single, "
I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)", topped the charts in 17 countries, including the United States. The single sold more than 7 million copies in the United States, 2.4 million copies in the United Kingdom and over 14 million copies sold worldwide.[6] It was immediately followed by three more hit singles, "
Didn't We Almost Have It All", "
So Emotional" and "
Where Do Broken Hearts Go", all of whom also topped the Billboard Hot 100. Houston set an all-time record after the latter song reached number one when she became the only recording artist in history to produce seven consecutive number one singles in a row.[7]
Houston released the
Seoul Summer Olympics theme song, "
One Moment in Time", which hit the top-five in the United States and hit number one in
Europe. Houston's third release, I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990), produced three top-ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including the chart-topping singles, "
I'm Your Baby Tonight" and "
All the Man That I Need", which made her the first female solo artist to produce multiple number-one singles off three or more albums. Houston's
rendition of the "
Star Spangled Banner" (1991) at
Super Bowl XXV was immediately released as a single and marked the first time the American national anthem hit the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. Over a decade later, the same song was re-released following the
September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 and re-peaked at number six, making it the only version of the national anthem to reach the top ten.
In 1992, Houston released her first
soundtrack to her first feature film, The Bodyguard. The album produced three top-ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including "
I Will Always Love You", which topped the charts in over 25 countries, including the United States, where it topped the charts for a then-record fourteen weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and, remains the longest running consecutive number one single by a solo artist, eventually selling 10 million copies in the United States,[8] and 1.6 million copies in the United Kingdom. Its follow-up singles, "
I'm Every Woman" and "
I Have Nothing", followed it to the top-five. On the week of March 11, 1993, Houston became the first artist of the
Nielsen SoundScan era to have three singles simultaneously chart in the top eleven with the aforementioned Bodyguard singles. In 1995, Houston recorded three songs for the
soundtrack to her second feature film, Waiting to Exhale. The soundtrack launched her last number-one single of her lifetime, "
Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" as well as the top ten duet, "
Count on Me". A year later, Houston released the
soundtrack to The Preacher's Wife (1996), which launched two more hit singles, the top five ballad, "
I Believe in You and Me" and the international hit, "
Step by Step".
In 1998, Houston released her fourth studio effort, My Love Is Your Love, which launched five top forty singles, including three top ten singles, including ""
Heartbreak Hotel", "
It's Not Right but It's Okay" and "
the title track. After charting four singles from her first compilation, Whitney: The Greatest Hits, including the number one European hit "
Could I Have This Kiss Forever", Houston's fifth studio album, Just Whitney, launched three Billboard Hot 100 charting singles, including "
One of Those Days", which peaked at number one on the Adult R&B Songs chart, and "
Try It on My Own", which reached the top ten of the adult contemporary chart. In 2003, Houston released "One Wish (For Christmas)", the sole new single from her holiday album, One Wish: The Holiday Album, which reached the top 20 of the adult contemporary chart. After a six-year break from the recording studio, Houston released her seventh and final studio album, I Look to You (2009), which produced the charting singles, the platinum-selling "
I Look to You", "
Million Dollar Bill" and "
I Didn't Know My Own Strength". Following
Houston's death in 2012, sales of Houston's albums and singles soared. On the week of March 3, 2012, four of Houston's previous singles: "I Will Always Love You", "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)", "Greatest Love of All" and "How Will I Know", reached the upper echelons of the Billboard Hot 100 with the latter three reaching the top-40, with "I Will Always Love You" re-peaking at number three, making her the first posthumous artist to land more than four singles simultaneously on the Hot 100.[9]
^"Hold Me" was originally released as a single from Teddy Pendergrass' album, Love Language, in the United States and some European countries such as Germany and the UK in 1984.[20][21] In the following year, the song was included on Houston's debut album and charted in the Netherlands and the UK in early 1986
^While "All at Once" was never released as the official single in the US except as a B-side of "Saving All My Love for You", the song was strategically selected as the lead single from her debut album in
Benelux countries and Germany in early 1985, aiming for the adult-oriented market.[23] In Italy, the song was popular after Houston's performance for the song during 1987
Sanremo Music Festival, and then was released as the commercial vinyl single including "Hold Me" in that year.[24] In Japan, it was released as 3-inch snap pack single by
BMG Victor on July 26, 1996 and peaked at number 42 at the
Japanese Singles Chart in that year.[25][26]
^"Thinking About You" was released as a 12-inch vinyl single featured its extended dance version in the US in October 1985, and also issued as a standard 45, but because it was only promoted to R&B radio, not pop radio, it never appeared on the Hot 100.[29][30][31]
^"I Know Him So Well" was only released as a single in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain in late 1988.[40]
^"The Star Spangled Banner" was originally released as a commercial single on February 8, 1991 in the US. The single peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart at the time, and was certified Gold by the RIAA on April 11, 1991. After the 9/11 attacks, the version was re-issued and reached a new peak of number six on the Hot 100 chart. Also, it was certified Platinum by the RIAA on October 3, 2001.
^"We Didn't Know" was commercially released as a cassette single only in April 1992 and also the promotional CD maxi-single.[42][43]
^"Heartbreak Hotel" was released as the second or third single from My Love Is Your Love in Australia, France, North America in 1999, but as the third single from Whitney: The Greatest Hits in Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the UK between December 2000 and January 2001.
^Both "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" and "Same Script, Different Cast" reached their peak positions on the Hot 100 with airplay points only. On descending the charts, the latter was commercially released as a 12-inch vinyl maxi-single while the former was not in the US.[51]
^"Fine" was released as a promotional single for R&B radio only in the US. In Europe, the song was commercially issued as a CD maxi-single in November 2000.[52][53]
^"The Star Spangled Banner" was originally released as a commercial single on February 8, 1991 in the US. The single peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart at the time, and was certified Gold by the RIAA on April 11, 1991. After the 9/11 attacks, the version was re-issued and reached a new peak of number six on the Hot 100 chart. Also, it was certified Platinum by the RIAA on October 3, 2001.
^"Love That Man" was released as a commercial 12-inch vinyl maxi-single (double pack) only in the US on May 20, 2003.[54]
^In Germany, "I Look to You" was released as a double A-side single with "Million Dollar Bill".[55]
^"Stop the Madness" is the anti-drug anthem, produced Michael Stokes and written by Stokes, Tom Reid, Sharon Barnes and Lathan Armour, released as a 12-inch single featured its dance version by
MCA Records in early 1986.[68]
^"King Holiday" was released as a charity single in honor of
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which was first celebrated as a national holiday in the United States on January 20, 1986. Houston contributed to the song as a part of all-star group, the King Dream Chorus and Holiday Crew.[69]
^"Something in Common" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 32 on the Radio Songs chart.
^"Something in Common" did not enter the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, but peaked at number 30 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.
^In the UK, "Someone for Me (Remix)" was the first single from the Whitney Houston album, issued as a double A-side single with "Greatest Love of All" before the release of the album.[72]
^"Takin' a Chance", used as the theme song of
Sanyo TV commercial, was released as a 3-inch CD single including "Love Is a Contact Sport" in Japan only on October 21, 1989. The single peaked at number 88 on the Japanese Singles chart.[26] The following year the song was also included on the Japanese edition of the I'm Your Baby Tonight album.[73]
^"I Didn't Know My Own Strength" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 19 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.
^"Do You Hear What I Hear" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 37 on the Digital Songs chart.
^"Do You Hear What I Hear" did not enter the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, but peaked at number 4 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs chart.
^"Do You Hear What I Hear" did not enter the Billboard Gospel chart, but peaked at number 1 on the Gospel Digital chart.
^"Jesus Loves Me" did not enter the Billboard Gospel chart, but peaked at number 4 on the Gospel Digital chart.
^"Look into Your Heart" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 68 on the Radio Songs chart.
^"Look into Your Heart" did not enter the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, but peaked at number 50 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.
^"Joy" did not enter the Billboard Gospel chart, but peaked at number 22 on the Gospel Digital chart.
^"Hold On, Help is On the Way" did not enter the Billboard Gospel chart, but peaked at number 16 on the Gospel Digital chart.
^"I Go to the Rock" did not enter the Billboard Gospel chart, but peaked at number 14 on the Gospel Digital chart.
^"I Love the Lord" did not enter the Billboard Gospel chart, but peaked at number 3 on the Gospel Digital chart.
^"You Were Loved" did not enter the Billboard Gospel chart, but peaked at number 17 on the Gospel Digital chart.
^"Who Would Imagine a King" did not enter the Billboard Gospel chart, but peaked at number 4 on the Gospel Digital chart.
^"Joy to the World" did not enter the Billboard Gospel chart, but peaked at number 2 on the Gospel Digital chart.
^"The First Noel" did not enter the Billboard Gospel chart, but peaked at number 12 on the Gospel Digital chart.
^"The First Noel" did not enter the Billboard Holiday 100, but peaked at number 49 on the Holiday Streaming chart.
^"Little Drummer Boy" did not enter the Billboard Gospel chart, but peaked at number 12 on the Gospel Streaming chart.
^"Cantique de Noël (O Holy Night)" did not enter the Billboard Gospel chart, but peaked at number 5 on the Gospel Streaming chart.
^"Worth It" did not enter the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, but peaked at number 60 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.
^"Worth It" did not enter the South Korean chart, but peaked at number 56 on the South Korean International chart.
^"Call You Tonight" did not enter the South Korean chart, but peaked at number 161 on the South Korean International chart.
^"Never Give Up" did not enter the South Korean chart, but peaked at number 89 on the South Korean International chart.
"It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be":
"Aretha Franklin chart history: Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. July 29, 1989. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
Top 100 (
Kent Music Report) peaks to June 12, 1988:
Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). Sydney: Australian Chart Book. p. 143.
ISBN0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by
ARIA between mid-1983 and June 12, 1988.
Top 100 (ARIA) peaks from January 1990 to December 2010: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 132.
"Saving All My Love For You", "How Will I Know", "Greatest Love of All", "Didn't We Almost Have It All" and "I'm Every Woman" (ARIA) 2012 re-entries:
"The ARIA Report – Issue #1147"(PDF).
Australian Web Archive (original document published by ARIA). Archived from
the original(PDF) on 2012-03-15. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
^
abcdefPeak chart positions for most of Houston's singles in the Netherlands are based on the Dutch Top 40 charts, but which for some singles, not reached top 40 of the chart, on the
Mega Top 50 Singles Chart from Hung Medien.
"Whitney Houston chart history: Mega Top 50 Singles". dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 21, 2011. ("Where Do Broken Hearts Go", "It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be", "I Belong to You", "I Believe in You and Me", "Whatchulookinat", "One of Those Days", "Million Dollar Bill", and "I Look to You")
^(1984)
Single notes for "Hold Me" by Teddy Pendergrass (duet with Whitney Houston) [Germany, 7" vinyl single back cover].
Asylum Records. (969 720-7).
^(1984)
Single notes for "Hold Me" by Teddy Pendergrass (duet with Whitney Houston) [UK, 12" vinyl single back cover]. Asylum Records. (E 9720 T)
^
abcdef(in Swedish)IFPI Sweden certifications for albums and singles:
From 1987 to 1998:
"Guld & Platina År 1987–1998"(PDF). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry – Sweden. Archived from
the original(PDF) on July 25, 2011. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
Since 2000:
My Love Is Your Love, Whitney: The Greatest Hits and "Could I Have This Kiss Forever":
"Guld & Platina År 2000"(PDF). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry – Sweden. Archived from
the original(PDF) on August 11, 2010. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
The Ultimate Collection:
"Guld & Platina År 2007"(PDF). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry – Sweden. December 17, 2007. Archived from
the original(PDF) on August 11, 2010. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
I Look to You:
"Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2009"(PDF). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry – Sweden. September 3, 2009. Archived from
the original(PDF) on July 25, 2011. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
^
abcFrom 1999–present, the peak chart positions for Houston's singles in Canada, are based on the SoundScan singles chart in the Billboard Hits of the World section.