Whitney Houston discography

In just a week Whitney Houston will finally release a new album. Seven years us Whitney fans have been waiting for this! The event is the perfect occasion to look back on her impressive catalogue:

Whitney Houston (1985). From the opening notes of “You Give Good Love,” it was clear that young Whitney—just 21 at the time—possessed a powerful and expressive voice, and critically, the talent to control it. While so many of today’s young singers “oversing” their work, particularly their ballads, Whitney could keep her melisma in check, deploying it effectively for the big chorus but showing tender restraint at other times. Take “Saving All My Love for You,” in which Houston assumes the role of a married man’s mistress. During the verses, Houston quietly conveys without judgment such a woman's feelings, but lets the passion loose for the chorus (“tonight is the night for feeling alright” she intones with purpose to the would-be adulterer). While Whitey is known for her ballads, she’s pretty good at upbeat material too, as proven by sunny spirit-lifting “How Will I Know,” my favorite song here, as well as keyboard-heavy “Thinking About You” and “Someone for Me.” Other ballads such as megahit “The Greatest Love of All” ad “All at Once” seem less interesting now, if only because such stylings have become so ubiquitous by Houston and her contemporaries. While all the album is good, its duets are the weakest link, particularly the two with Jermaine Jackson. Best: How Will I Know, Saving All My Love for You, You Give Good Love, All at Once, Thinking About You, The Greatest Love of All (5/5).

Whitney (1987). Similar to her debut, and similarly good, Whitney continued to showcase the singer’s strengths as a pop artist, both with slow love songs and upbeat dance pop tunes, the latter of which were even stronger on this second album. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” in particular is probably my favorite Whitey Houston song. I love everything about this sassy, vibrant and very late-‘80s tune. Darker-toned “So Emotional,” with its slight rock leanings, is another clear highlight. Power ballads “Didn’t We Almost Have It All” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” are effective, although predictable. Yet they, as well as the other two songs I’ve mentioned so far, were all number one hits. “For the Love of You” provides a nice contrast as an understated love ballad. This was my first Whitney Houston album, so while I recognize it's probably not as strong as her debut, nostalgia forces me to love it no less. Best: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, So Emotional, Didn’t We Almost Have It All, Love Is a Contact Sport, Just the Lonely Talking Again, Where Do Broken Hearts Go (5/5).

I’m Your Baby Tonight (1990). The sound of pop music changed during the late '80s/early '90s, with the heavy synthesizers and drum machines of the ‘80s being replaced more frequently with acoustic instruments (or least synthesizers and drum machines that sounded more authentic) I’m Your Baby Tonight sat at the crossroads of this change, and while it does give Whitney a new sound with a few songs, it does so tentatively as if to suggest uncertainty over whether doing so was really a good idea. Pushing forward are charging upbeat songs like #1 hit "I'm Your Baby Tonight" and "My Name Is Not Susan," while backward-looking "Lover for Life" and "I Belong to You" sound like Whitney leftovers. As if that wasn't enough confusion, "Anymore" sounds suspiciously like Karyn White's "Secret Rendezvous," which is a shame, since back them Karyn White should have been chasing Whitney Houston and not vice-versa. Despite these odd moves, the album's two hit ballads, "All the Man that I Need" and "Miracle," are timeless, tasteful Whitney at her best. Best: I'm Your Baby Tonight, All the Man That I Need, My Name Is Not Susan, Miracle (3.5/5).

The Bodyguard Soundtrack (1992). Enter the soundtrack years, a period of time during which Whitney Houston released no studio albums, yet had some of her career's biggest hits. The Bodyguard was the centerpiece of this time, a soundtrack collection half made up of songs by Houston, who also starred in the film. While the movie fared poorly with critics, it was a commercial hit, but the soundtrack was absolutely massive, becoming one of the five best-selling albums of the '90s and the best-selling soundtrack of all time. At its core is "I Will Always Love You," a pitch-perfect remake of Dolly Darton's classic love song that is Whitney's most famous single. Beyond that, ballad "I Have Nothing" and dancy remake of Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman" were also major hits, both representing then-current production standards for adult pop ballads and dance pop, the two genres the singer was already well known for. The non-Houston stuff isn't really that interesting, save for Lisa Stansfield's "Someday (I'm Coming Back)," but nobody bought this album for anything other than the Whitney Houston tracks. Best: I Will Always Love You, I'm Every Woman, I Have Nothing, Queen of the Night, Run to You (4.5/5).

Waiting to Exhale Soundtrack (1995). Whitney Houston contributed only three tracks to this, and as such, I think it deserves a mention, but not a full assessment. "Exhale" was another major #1 hit for the singer, and "Count on Me," her duet with CeCe Winans, hit the top 10. I used to own this album, but unfortunately no longer have it. Incredibly for a soundtrack, it was nominated for the Album of the Year Grammy--the fourth time for a Whitney Houston project. Best: Exhale (Shoop Shoop) (not rated).

The Preacher's Wife Soundtrack (1996). Does this count as a Whitney Houston album? Well if The Bodyguard does, then it certainly should given that while on that 1992 soundtrack the singer contributed half the songs, but here she sings on almost all of them. The album is a mix of pop and gospel, reflecting the theme of the film while also serving to give the singer a couple of hits. While not notable, "I Believe in You and Me" and Annie Lennox-penned "Step by Step" are decent songs. Best: Step by Step, I Believe in You and Me (not rated).

My Love Is Your Love (1998). While the 1990 attempt to "update" Whitney Houston didn't quite work, the 1998 effort worked like a charm, redefining the singer as not only a torchy balladeer but also a fierce interpreter of modern R&B-flavored pop. Working with Rodney Jerkens, then known for his massive Brandy and Monica hit "The Boy Is Mine," Houston turned out the cool opener "It's Not Right, But It's Okay" about a woman who realizes her man is cheating on her but refuses to be ruined by it. Other Jerkens-produced tracks, "If I Told You That" and "Get It Back" are almost as good. Love spurned is a recurring theme, such as on the album's biggest hit, "Heartbreak Hotel," or the album's best ballad "I Learned from the Best." Other big-name collaborators show up with positive effect--Wyclef Jean on "My Love Is Your Love" and Missy Elliott on "In My Business." The album's weakest moments are its traditional Whitney ballads, which just aren't as interesting as the upbeat R&B. While I liked the album's lead single, the Mariah Carey duet "When You Believe," it proved a lesson in the limits of calculation--that a Babyface-produced ballad between the industry's two hottest properties tied into a major animated film isn't a guaranteed hit. Best: It's Not Right, But It's Okay, Heartbreak Hotel, If I Told You That, In My Business, I Learned from the Best, When You Believe, My Love Is Your Love (4.5/5).

Just Whitney (2002). I don't own this album, although I've listened to it online quite a few times. It is by far the weakest of Whitney Houston's albums, coming at a very difficult time for the singer. There are a couple of good songs--"Try It on My Own" is rather lovely--but mostly there's little here that's memorable. And at its worst--the paranoia-fuled "Whatchulookinat"--the results are disappointing. Best: Try It on My Own (2/5).