Whitney Houston

As R&B divas go, they simply don’t come any bigger than American singer Whitney Houston. In the latter half of the 1980s she had an astonishing run of seven #1 Billboard singles while her first two studio albums, Whitney Houston (1985) and Whitney (1987) contributed heavily to her immense worldwide success: over 200 million albums sold.

Coming from a gospel background, Whitney Houston developed a powerful and versatile vocal style, something music critics frequently praised. Her singing was smooth yet passionate, demonstrating an amazing range and eye-popping power. No diva who followed was untouched by her influence and no singer of pop ballads can ignore her peerless style.

Her early death at forty-eight years old was a loss that sent shock waves through the music industry while her legacy of albums means she will long be remembered. Amongst Whitney Houston’s many, many awards and achievements is her placing at #34 in Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Singers of All Time (2008). Few would argue.