Whitney Houston (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Whitney Houston
Type = Album
Artist = Whitney Houston


Released = February 14, 1985
Recorded = 1984
Genre = R&B, soul, pop
Length = 47:23
Label = Arista
Producer = Jermaine Jackson, Kashif, Michael Masser, Narada Michael Walden
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:l2j97ipjg78r~T1 link]
*Robert Christgau (C) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=whitney+houston link]
*"Q" Rating|4|5 [http://www.tower.com/whitney-houston-cd/wapi/106719930 link]
*"Rolling Stone" (favorable) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/whitneyhouston/albums/album/301396/review/5943797/whitney_houston link]
Last album = —
This album = "Whitney Houston"
(1985)
Next album = "Whitney"
(1987)
Misc = Singles
Name = Whitney Houston
Type = studio
single 1 = Someone for Me
single 2 = You Give Good Love
single 3 = Saving All My Love for You
single 4 = Thinking About You
single 5 = How Will I Know
single 6 = Greatest Love of All
single 7 = All at Once

"Whitney Houston" is the self-titled debut album by American pop/R&B singer Whitney Houston, released on February 14, 1985. The album had a slow start, but exploded during 1986 with the help of three number one singles on the "Billboard" Hot 100. It is Houston's best-selling studio album, with sales of over 26 million worldwide to date, and one of the best selling albums of all time in the U.S. and worldwide.

Production History

After seeing Houston perform in a New York City nightclub, Clive Davis believed the singer had the potential to crossover and be the next big superstar. He signed her in 1983 and the two began work on her debut album. Initially Davis had a hard time finding songs for her. During the time, rock bands and dance oriented acts were popular; many songwriters felt Houston's gospel voice didn't fit in the pop landscape. After months of searching for material, they finally began finding material from Kashif, Narada Michael Warden and Michael Masser. After 2 years of recording, the album was ready for release.

Reception

Released on February 14 1985, "Whitney Houston" debuted on the "Billboard" 200 the week of March 20 1985 at #120. Sales were low initially. The label wanted Houston to have a solid urban fanbase first. Hence the release of "You Give Good Love". The soulful ballad would top the R&B charts and surprise the label by crossing over and reaching #3 on the pop charts while the singer was playing at nightclubs in the US. With the success of the R&B ballad, the album began climbing the charts. The jazzy-pop "Saving All My Love For You" was released next. The single was an even bigger success after hitting #1 on the US Hot 100. It would hit #1 in the UK and was successful around the world. With her first #1, Houston began appearing on high profile talk shows and she became the opening act for Jeffrey Osbourne and Luther Vandross. "Thinking About You" was released only to R&B Radio. It peaked at #10 on the R&B Singles Chart and at #24 on the Dance Chart. The album began climbing and finally reached the top 20. In 1986, "How Will I Know" was released. With its colorful and energetic video, the song would introduce the singer to the MTV generation. It became another #1 for Houston. As a result, in March 1986, "Whitney Houston" finally reached #1 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart where it remained for fourteen non-consecutive weeks and became the best-selling album of the year. The album exhibited massive staying power, remaining on the "Billboard" 200 for 162 weeks. The final single, "Greatest Love of All" would become the biggest hit off the album reaching #1 for 3 weeks. "All At Once" was released only to Adult Contemporary and Urban AC stations as a radio airplay-only single in 1986. It received heavy airplay and can still be heard on AC stations. Houston's debut became the best-selling album of 1986 in the US (and the fifth best-selling album of that year in the UK too). It eventually sold over 13 million copies in America, [ [http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=tblDiamond Recording Industry Association of America: Diamond Awards] ] the best-selling female debut album in the country, until ...Baby One More Time of Britney Spears.The album was also critically successful, often being named Houston's best work.

The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the 1986 Grammy Awards, losing to Paul Simon's "Graceland". Still Houston won her first grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal for "Saving All My Love For You". The album was named Rolling Stone's Best Album of 1986. RS500|254 It is currently ranked #294 in "Rolling Stone's" 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and #40 on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fames Definitive 200 List.

Internationally, the album became a huge hit. Each of the single, with the exception of "You Give Good Love" became hits around the world.Fact|date=September 2008

Track listing

#"You Give Good Love" (La La) – 4:37
#"Thinking About You" (Kashif, LaLa) – 5:26
#"Someone For Me" (Raymond Jones, Freddie Washington) – 5:01
#"Saving All My Love for You" (Gerry Goffin, Michael Masser) – 3:58
#"Nobody Loves Me Like You Do" (James Patrick Dunne, Pamela Phillips-Oland) – 3:49
#* Performed by Whitney Houston & Jermaine Jackson
#"How Will I Know" (George Merrill, Shannon Rubicam) – 4:36
#"All At Once" (Masser, Jeffrey Osborne) – 4:29
#"Take Good Care Of My Heart" (Steve Dorff, Pete McCann) – 4:16
#* Performed by Whitney Houston & Jermaine Jackson
#"Greatest Love of All" (Linda Creed, Masser) – 4:51
#"Hold Me" (Creed, Masser) – 6:00
#* Performed by Whitney Houston & Teddy Pendergrass

Personnel

*Whitney Houston - vocals
*John Barnes - clarinet
*Robbie Buchanan - keyboard
*Mary Canty
*Nathan East - bass
*Preston Glass
*Ed Greene - drums
*Cissy Houston - vocals
*Dann Huff - guitar
*Jermaine Jackson - vocals
*Paul Jackson Jr.
*Randy "The Emperor" Jackson
*Bashiri Johnson - percussion
*Randy Kerber - keyboard
*Joe Lala
*Yogi Lee
*J.T. Lewis
*Yvonne Lewis - vocals
*Richard Marx - vocals
*Tim May - guitar

*Gene Page Jr. - Arranger Rhythm / Strings

*Teddy Pendergrass - vocals
*Greg Phillinganes
*John "J.R." Robinson - drums
*Steve Rucker
*Corrado Rustici
*Tom Scott - saxophone
*Louie Shelton
*Ira Siegel - guitar
*Deborah Thomas
*Premik Russell Tubbs
*Freddie Washington
*Julia Tillman Waters - vocals
*Maxine Willard Waters - vocals
*Oren Waters - vocals
*Ernie Watts - saxophone
*David Williams - guitar

Production

*Producers: Jermaine Jackson, Kashif, Michael Masser, Narada Michael Walden
*Executive producer: Clive Davis
*Engineers: Michael Barbiero, Michael Mancini, Michael O'Reilly, Russell Schmitt
*Mixing: Michael Barbiero, Michael O'Reilly, Bill Schnee
*Arranger: Gene Page Jr., Kashif, Narada Michael Walden
*Art direction: Donn Davenport
*Stylist: Tiagi Lambert
*Hair stylist: Jeffrey Woodly

Charts

Album - "Billboard" (U.S.)

Awards

Grammy AwardsRolling Stone Readers/Critics Picks

succession box
before = ""Welcome to the Real World" by Mr. Mister
title = "Billboard" 200 number-one album
years = March 8 - April 25 1986
May 17 - July 4 1986
after = "5150" by Van Halensuccession box
before = "1986 Way to Go" by Various artists
title = Australian Kent Music Report number-one album
years = June 2 - August 3 1986
August 18 - August 31 1986
after = "True Blue" by Madonna

Footnotes