| WHITNEY HOUSTON ||| CHRONOLOGY |
| 1985 |
| FEBRUARY • Whitney released her debut LP, Whitney Houston. Her first single, "You Give Good Love" went Top 10, and was followed by three #1 hits: "Saving All My Love For You," "How Will I Know," and "The Greatest Love of All." The LP went on to sell over 12 million copies. MAY • "You Give Good Love" hit number one on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart in US JUNE • Whitney Houston was certified gold. • The duet "Shock Me" with Jermaine Jackson was released on the album Perfect JULY • "You Give Good Love" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart AUGUST • Whitney hit the Top 40 with "Saving All My Love For You." • Whitney Houston was certified platinum. SEPTEMBER • Whitney hit the Top 10 with with "Saving All My Love For You." OCTOBER • OCT 26, "Saving All My Love For You" became the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart. OCT 28, Whitney headlined a sold out concert at Carnrgie Hall in New York City. NOVEMBER • Whitney Houston was certified 2x platinum. DECEMBER • Whitney was named the number one "Top New Artist" and number one "Top Black New Artist" by Billboard |
| 1986 |
| JANUARY • Whitney won 2 American Music Awards for Favorite Soul/R&B Single ("You Give Good Love") and Favorite Soul/R&B Video ("Saving All My Love For You"), and was nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Video Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Album (Whitney Houston). FEBRUARY • Whitney won her first Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance - Female ("Saving All My Love For You") and was also nominated for Album of the Year (Whitney Houston) and Best R&B Vocal Performance - Female ("You Give Good Love"). • Whitney hit the Top 10 and #1 with "How Will I Know." • Whitney Houston was certified 3x platinum. MARCH • Whitney Houston was certified 4x platinum. • March 8, Whitney Houston became the number one album in Billboard's Top Pop Album chart • The duet "If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful" by Whitney and Jermaine Jackson was released on album "Precious Moments" by Jermaine. APRIL • Whitney hit the Top 10 with "Greatest Love Of All." MAY • May 17, "Greatest Love Of All" hit number one on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart making her first female recording artist to have three consecutive number one singles in Billboard history. • The RIAA certified Whitney Houston album 5x platinum for 5,000,000 copies sold in US. JUNE • Whitney Houston was certified 6x platinum. • Whitney also won 6 Billboard Music Awards (Top Black Album and Top Pop Album for Whitney Houston, Top Black Album Artist, Top Pop Album Artist, Top Pop Album Artist - Female, and Top Pop Artist (combined LPs & singles)) and Rolling Stone's Top Album of the Year for Whitney Houston. SEPTEMBER • Whitney Houston was certified 7x platinum. • Whitney won her first Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program (The 28th Annual Grammy Awards). • The video for "How Will I Know" won a MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video and was nominated for Best New Artist. |
| 1987 |
JANUARY |
| 1988 |
JANUARY |
| 1989 |
| ° In
between making music, Whitney formed the Whitney Houston Foundation
For Children. The non-profit organization works to assist a variety
of children's issues including homelessness, cancer, AIDS, and youth
self-empowerment. Whitney also won a People's Choice Award for Favorite
Female Musical Performer. JANUARY • Whitney won 2 American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist. FEBRUARY • The single "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" was certified platinum. • Whitney was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance "One Moment In Time". JULY • Whitney hit the Top 40 with Aretha Frankin with "It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be" from Aretha's LP Through The Storm. |
| 1990 |
JANUARY • Whitney won 2 more American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Vocalist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Vocalist. FEBRUARY • Whitney was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group ("It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be" with Aretha Franklin). OCTOBER • Whitney hit the Top 40 with "I'm Your Baby Tonight." NOVEMBER • Whitney released I'm Your Baby Tonight and hit #1 with two more songs: "All The Man That I Need" and "I'm Your Baby Tonight." Although the LP sold over 4 million copies in the U.S., the LP was considered a disappointment. • I'm Your Baby Tonight was certified gold. • Whitney hit the Top 10 with "I'm Your Baby Tonight." DECEMBER • Whitney hit #1 for a week with "I'm Your Baby Tonight." |
1991 |
JANUARY • Whitney hit the Top 40 with "All The Man That I Need." • I'm Your Baby Tonight was certified 2x platinum. • At the height of the Gulf War, Houston sings 'The Star Spangled Banner' at the American Superbowl in Miami. The performance is released as a single and reaches US #20, with proceeds going to charity. She will sing it again several months later at a televised "Welcome Home Heroes" concert for US military personnel returning from the Gulf War. FEBRUARY • 'All The Man That I Need', a cover of a Sister Sledge hit, is released as a single and goes to US #1. • Whitney was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ("I'm Your Baby Tonight"). MARCH • Whitney hit the Top 40 with her live rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner." • The single "All The Man That I Need" was certified gold. MAY • I'm Your Baby Tonight was certified 3x platinum. |
| 1992 |
JANUARY |
| 1993 |
| JANUARY • Whitney hit the Top 40 and Top 10 with "I'm Every Woman." • The Bodyguard soundtrack was certified 6x platinum and the single "I Will Always Love You" was certified 4x platinum. MARCH • The Bodyguard soundtrack was certified 7x platinum. • Whitney gave birth to her 1st child, Bobbi Kristina. APRIL • 'I Have Nothing' is released as a single and charts at US #4 and UK #3. MAY • The Bodyguard soundtrack was certified 8x platinum. JUNE • Whitney was certified 7x platinum. The single "I Have Nothing" was certified gold. • Whitney also won a MTV Movie Award for Best Song ("I Will Always Love You") and a People's Choice Award for Favorite Female Musical Performer. AUGUST • The Bodyguard soundtrack was certified 9x platinum. DECEMBER • Music from The Bodyguard soundtrack dominated the charts throughout the year and the LP became the best-selling LP of the year with 5.5 million copies sold in the U.S. within 1993. • Whitney topped the Billboard Year-End Charts as the Top Hot 100 Singles Artist, Top Hot 100 Singles Artist - Female, Top R&B Singles Artist, and Top R&B Singles Artist - Female, and with the Top Hot 100 Single, Top Hot 100 Single Sales, Top R&B Single, and Top Hot R&B Singles Sales ("I Will Always Love You"), and The Bodyguard soundtrack was the Top Billboard 200 Album, Top Soundtrack Album, and Top R&B Album. |
| 1994 |
| JANUARY • Whitney Houston was certified 10x platinum. FEBRUARY • Whitney won 8 American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Single and Favorite Soul/R&B Single ("I Will Always Love You"), Favorite Pop/Rock Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Album, and Favorite Adult Contemporary Album (The Bodyguard), Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist, and the Award of Merit - and was also nominated for Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist. • The Bodyguard soundtrack was certified 11x platinum. MARCH • Whitney won 3 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female ("I Will Always Love You") and Album of the Year (The Bodyguard soundtrack) and was also nominated for Best R&B Vocal Performance - Female ("I'm Every Woman"). • Whitney was honored with the Sammy Davis, Jr. Award at the Soul Train Music Awards. MAY • Houston is named Best-Selling Pop Artist Of The Year and wins four other awards at the World Music Awards in Monte Carlo. JULY • Houston sings at the World Cup Final between Brazil and Italy in Pasadena . She spends most of the rest of the year on a mammoth US tour and ends 1994 with A Concert For A New South Africa in Johannesburg. NOVEMBER • The Bodyguard soundtrack was certified 13x platinum and Whitney Houston was certified 11x platinum |
| 1995 |
| APRIL •The Bodyguard soundtrack was certified 14x platinum, I'm Your Baby Tonight was certified 4x platinum, and Whitney Houston was certified 12x platinum. JULY • The Bodyguard soundtrack was certified 15x platinum. SEPTEMBER • It is announced that Houston and Brown, her husband of three years, have separated. They will reconcile two months later. NOVEMBER • Whitney's movie/music combination continued with her role in Waiting To Exhale and several songs by Whitney on the soundtrack, including the #1 "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)", and duet with Ce Ce Winans, "Count On Me." The soundtrack also contained tracks from other leading female R&B artists and went on to sell over 7 million copies in the U.S. • Whitney topped the Billboard Hot 100 Single chart for a week, the Singles Sales chart for 3 weeks, the R&B Singles chart for 8 weeks, the Singles Sales chart for 7 weeks, and the Hot Dance Music Maxi-Singles Sales chart for a week with "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)." • Whitney was inducted into the Soul Train Music Awards Hall of Fame. |
| 1996 |
| JANUARY • The single "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" was certified platinum and the Waiting To Exhale soundtrack was certified 4x platinum. MARCH • The Waiting To Exhale soundtrack was certified 5x platinum. • She wins Best Soul Single for 'Exhale (Shoop Shoop)' at the Soul Train Music Awards. MAY • The single "Count On Me" was certified gold and the Waiting To Exhale soundtrack was certified 6x platinum. SEPTEMBER • The Waiting To Exhale soundtrack was certified 7x platinum. NOVEMBER • Whitney's third movie, The Preacher's Wife, didn't fare quite as spectacularly at the box office, but the soundtrack for the film presented her with an opportunity to get back in touch with her gospel roots. Tracks such as "I Believe In You And Me" and "Step By Step" were popular hits. The soundtrack sold over 3 million copies in the U.S. DECEMBER • The Preacher's Wife topped the Billboard Gospel Albums chart. • The Bodyguard soundtrack was certified 16x platinum. |
| 1997 |
| JANUARY • Whitney won an American Music Award for Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist. • The Preacher's Wife soundtrack was certified 2x platinum. FEBRUARY • Whitney was nominated for 3 Grammy Awards: Best R&B Performance, Female for "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)," Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television (songwriter) for "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" (with Babyface) and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Count On Me" (with Ce Ce Winans). • The single "I Believe In You And Me" was certified platinum. OCTOBER • Whitney appeared on HBO with Classic Whitney, a live performance from Washington, D.C. NOVEMBER • Whitney could be seen in an ABC presentation of Cinderella co-starring Brandy. Brandy and Whitney demonstrated that when they combine with Disney and a classic story, they're a hit. The Sunday night airing of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, Cinderella was viewed by over 60 million people in the U.S. Cinderella, starring Brandy in the title role and Whitney as her fairy godmother, was presented by ABC's newly revamped Wonderful World of Disney. The presentation helped ABC get their best ratings in that time slot in over 13 years. DECEMBER • The Preacher's Wife soundtrack topped the Billboard Year-End Charts as the Top Gospel Album. |
| 1998 |
| FEBRUARY • Whitney was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards for Best R&B Vocal Performance - Female ("I Believe In You And Me") and Best R&B Album (The Preacher's Wife). Whitney, however, did not appear at the Grammy Awards at the end of February. She told Entertainment Tonight that she was unhappy with the fact that the soundtrack to The Preacher's Wife was not nominated in the gospel category (she was nominated in R&B categories). She told ET: "Basically, it was my gospel album and it was excluded from the gospel category altogether... I'm sick of work being done and people not recognizing it." • Whitney won a Gospel Music Association Dove Award for Best Traditional Gospel Recorded Song for "I Go To The Rock," a People's Choice Award for Favorite Female Musical Performer, and the "Quincy Jones Award" for Outstanding Career Achievement at the Soul Train Music Awards. JUNE • The Preacher's Wife soundtrack was certified 3x platinum. AUGUST • Whitney and Mariah Carey teamed up together in New York to record "When You Believe" for the film The Prince Of Egypt. NOVEMBER • "When You Believe" appeared on Houston's first new LP in 8 years - My Love Is Your Love. Whitney's new LP featured a variety of producers including Babyface, Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill, and Missy Elliott. On her collaboration with Carey, Houston told USA Today: "We came together to sing, we didn't come together to fight... Mariah and I never had a rivalry because I didn't know her well enough to have one with her and she didn't know me well enough to have one with me... so when we met, we got to know each other and now we're friends." Whitney also talked to Newsweek about rumors that continue to plague her: "No, I'm not a drug addict, and neither is my husband. If that were so, you'd get a lot less work out of me. It would show in the performances and in the work." • 'When You Believe', a duet with Mariah Carey from the animation film 'The Princess Of Egypt', is released as a single and reaches UK #4 and US #15. DECEMBER • My Love Is Your Love was certified platinum. |
| 1999 |
| JANUARY • My Love Is Your Love was certified 2x platinum. APRIL • Houston is part of the VH1 Divas Live concert, with Tina Turner, Cher, Brandy and Mary J Blige. JUNE • Whitney kicked off her world tour in Chicago as her next single, "It's Not Right, But It's Okay," climbed the charts. • Whitney won a NAACP Award for Outstanding Duo/Group for "When You Believe" (with Mariah Carey) and was also nominated for Outstanding Album and Outstanding Female Artist for My Love Is Your Love, and Outstanding Video for "When You Believe" (with Mariah Carey), and Outstanding Performance in a Variety Series/Special for When You Believe: Music Inspired By The Prince Of Egypt. AUGUST • Whitney was nominated for 2 Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards for Best R&B/Soul Single ("Heartbreak Hotel") and Best R&B/Soul Album (My Love Is Your Love). OCTOBER • As "My Love Is Your Love" heated up the charts, it was announced that Whitney teamed up with Enrique Iglesias for a duet to appear on Houston's greatest hits due out next year. • My Love Is Your Love was certified 3x platinum. NOVEMBER • Whitney won a MTV European Music Award for Best R&B Artist. • The Bodyguard soundtrack was certified 17x platinum DECEMBER • The single "My Love Is Your Love" was certified platinum. |
| 2000 |
| JANUARY • Whitney was nominated for 3 American Music Awards for Favorite Female Artist, Favorite Female Artist, and Favorite R&B Album. • Also during the month, marijuana was reportedly found in Whitney's luggage at a Hawaiian airport, but Houston boarded the plane before police arrived. A bag of marijuana was reportedly found at a security checkpoint and Houston was able to leave on her flight before police arrived. FEBRUARY • Whitney won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance - Female ("It's Not Right, But It's Okay") and was also nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals ("When You Believe" with Mariah Carey), Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group ("Heartbreak Hotel" with Faith Evans and Kelly Price), and Best R&B Album (My Love Is Your Love). Whitney performed "It's Not Right, But It's Okay" and "I Learned From The Best" at the Grammys. • Whitney was also nominated for 2 Soul Train Music Awards for Best R&B/Soul Single, Female ("My Love Is Your Love") and Best R&B/Soul Album, Female (My Love Is Your Love). MARCH • Whitney was honored with an Artist of the Decade award at this year's Soul Train Music Awards as another single ("I Learned From The Best") from My Love Is Your Love climbed the charts. • Late in the month, Whitney's publicist stated that Whitney "regretfully withdrew" from performing at Sunday's Academy Awards due to a sore throat, resulting in Faith Hill filling in for her. But the New York Post is claiming the songstress was asked to leave rehearsals by Burt Bacharach after performance mistakes and "discombobulated" appearance. Whitney also stirred up controversy with a Jane interview in which she responded to a question about her bracelet: "I asked this Jew guy on Diamond Row in New York (to make it)." APRIL • As reports came that a Whitney special on CBS this spring would not be happening, Whitney released a vinyl box set (Unreleased Mixes) with 4 LPs of remixed hits. Whitney did show up for Arista Record's 25th anniversary special (aired in May) and performed a 20 minute set. The following day it was announced that marijuana possession charges would not be filed against Houston in Hawaii (from the January incident). MAY • Whitney's greatest hits, Whitney - The Greatest Hits, was released and hit #1 in the U.K. The 2-CD collection includes new collaborations with Enrique Iglesias, George Michael. and Deborah Cox. • My Love Is Your Love was certified 4x platinum. JUNE • Whitney - The Greatest Hits was certified 2x platinum and topped the UK charts for 2 weeks. |
| 2001 |
| JANUARY • Whitney was nominated for an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist. FEBRUARY • Whitney was nominated for a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single, Group, Band or Duo ("Same Script, Different Cast" with Deborah Cox). APRIL • Whitney was nominated for a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Female Artist - R&B. MARCH • A judge dismissed the marijuana possession charges against Whitney in Hawaii. Whitney may be the co-starring in the next James Bond film JUNE • Whitney was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Black Entertainment Television Awards. AUGUST • Whitney signed a new multi-album record deal with Arista Records worth over $100 million. In a statement, Whitney said of the deal: "I am so excited with this new deal and I'm looking forward to going into the studio soon to start work on my next album." SEPTEMBER • Whitney helped out Michael Jackson in celebrating his 30 years in the music business as a solo artist with a party. OCTOBER • In light of the 9/11 tragedy, the single "The Star Spangled Banner" was certified platinum and topped the Billboard Hot 100 Sales Singles chart for 6 weeks and the R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart for 2 weeks. |
| 2002 |
| MAY • Whitney performed on VH1 Divas 2002: Divas Las Vegas. AUGUST • Whitney hit the Top 40 with "Whatchulookinat." Billboard said the track "...comes across like a poor little rich girl whining." OCTOBER • Whitney topped the Billboard Dance Music Club Play chart for a week with the 'Thunderpuss & Full Intention Mixes' of "Whatchulookinat." NOVEMBER • Whitney - The Greatest Hits was certified 3x platinum. DECEMBER • In an interview with Diane Sawyer on ABC, Whitney talked about many issues being bantered around in the press: "I am not sick. Let's get that straight. I am not sick, OK?" She went on to acknowledge past use of alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine. "I don't like to think of myself addicted... I had a bad habit... which can be broken... I'm not gonna tell you I'm somebody's junkie.... My business is sex, drugs, rock and roll. You know? My friends, we have a good time. But as you get older and you get wiser... you stop a lot of the kid stuff. Trust me. I partied my tail off - you get to a point where... the party's over." • Just Whitney... was released. |
| 2003 |
| JANUARY • Just Whitney... was certified platinum. FEBRUARY • Whitney received bad news when her 82 year old father died in New York. Whitney and her father had some legal squabbles lately, but Whitney did spend time with her dad before his death. APRIL • Whitney topped the Billboard Hot Dance Music / Club Play chart for a week with the remixes of "Try It On My Own." MAY • Whitney appeared on FOX's Boston Public. • Whitney performed on VH1's Divas Duets 2003 . • Whitney and her husband went to Israel on a 'spiritual retreat' and met with the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. JUNE • Whitney topped the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart for a week with the dance mixes of "Love That Man." NOVEMBER • Whitney released the holiday LP One Wish - The Holiday Album. DECEMBER • It was reported that Whitney called the police and had cut lip and bruises on her face. She told police that she had a fight with Brown, who had left for a flight to California. Brown turned himself into police a few days later and was charged with misdemeanor battery - Whitney was at his side at court. |
| 2004 |
| FEBRUARY • Whitney Houston performed three shows in Russia in February: one in St Petersburg and two in Moscow. Russian fans of the singer reportedly paid up to $1300, or nearly 10 times the country's average monthly, per ticket for the concert. • Whitney performed in Dubai MARCH • Whitney's spokesperson announced that Whitney had checked into a drug rehabilitation facility for 30 days. She left after 5 days. JUNE • Whitney Honored With Women's World Award. Whitney was among the first to receive a Women's World Award, presented to extraordinary women who have helped make our world a better place. Among the other recipients at last night's Women's World Award gala held in Hamburg, Germany were Whitney's cousin Dionne Warwick, Waris Dirie, Nadja Auermann, Ute-Henriette Ohoven and Agnes Wessalowski. A crystal trophy was presented to each of the recipients. Whitney and cousin Dionne performed at the awards ceremony. JULY • Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick and Natalie Cole tour together as Soul Divas and gave 3 concerts in Germany. • Whitney tours Asia, she gave concert in Bangkok, Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong SEPTEMBER • Whitney Houston performed at World Music Awards as a tribute to her mentor and industry father, music mogul/producer CLIVE DAVIS |
| 2005 |
| MARCH • It was reported that Whitney checked herself back into a drug rehabilitation facility SEPTEMBER • Whitney sang at Russian billionaire Andrei Melnichenko's wedding, reports say she was paid 1 milion dollars. OCTOBER • Whitney made appearance at '25 Strong: The BET Silver anniversary celebration |