Whitney Houston Top 10

Mattel designed a new celebrity Barbie doll to their toy collection: Whitney Houston! The product unveiled 8/9, which was her birthday. Her 2012 gone-too-soon death horribly upset fans and the music industry. 2 posthoumous biopics adapted Whitney's biography, and she remains acclaimed as one of the greatest singers of all time. Saluting a 25-year singing career, I countdown 10 hits remembering her talent.

Biopics: Whitney (2025), I Wanna Dance With Somebody (2022), Biography - Bobby Brown

Playlist:
10. “Million Dollar Bill” (2009)
9. “The Star Spangled Banner” (1991)
8. “I’m Your Baby Tonight” (1990)
7. “You Give Good Love” (1984)
6. “How Will I Know” (1985)
5.  “Saving All My Love For You” (1985)
4. “I Have Nothing” (1992-1993)
3. “Greatest Love of All” (1985)
2. “I Will Always Love You” (1992-1993)
1. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” (1987)

Originals and samples: "We're Getting Stronger" - Loeatta Holloway (1976-1977)
"Saving All My Love for You" - Marilyn McCoo (1978)
"The Greatest Love of All" - George Benson (1977)
"I Will Always Love You" - Dolly Parton (1974)
"Somebody" - Natalie La Rose feat. Jeremih (2015)                                                               Ellen Degeneres Show (2003-2022)

Movies: The Bodyguard (1992), Waiting to Exhale(1995), The Preacher's Wife (1996), Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella(1997) - 20/20 Special; Vanity Fair petition, Sparkle (2009)

Other favorites I love: "So Emotional" (1987), "Do You Hear What I Hear" (1987), "All the Man That I Need" (1990), "I'm Every Woman" (1992-1993), "Run To You" (1992-1993), "Count On Me" feat. CeCe Winans (1995-1996), "When You Believe" feat. Mariah Carey (1998), "It's Not Right, But It's Okay" (1999), "My Love Is Your Love" (1999), "One Wish (For Christmas)" (2003), "Celebrate" feat. Jordin Sparks (2009)

Transcript

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Welcome to Music Media Review, the weekly podcast critiquing modern music and media headlines. I'm Jess. The topical reason choosing this countdown episode is retail. Mattel designed a Whitney Houston Barbie doll, modeling the look from 1987's music video, I Wanna Dance with Somebody Who Loves Me. The Collectible just came out August 9th, which was Whitney's 63rd birthday. It's horrific how she left this world, but her name comes up often as one of the best singers of all time. I think Mattel nailed the Barbie's smile and curly hair so pretty. Available in the $60 range, it's currently Amazon's bestseller in doll shopping category, soon to be waitlisted on Walmart and Target Keeping Up Demand. To celebrate and remember Whitney Houston, I've created a top 10 list of songs leaving a mark every listen. There are a lot to choose from, a 25-year gap, which is why I've linked her catalog, favorites of mine, and this playlist. So count on me on this Whitney Houston Top 10. Number 10, Million Dollar Bill. Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born August 9th, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey. Daughter to gospel singer Sissy Houston, baptized by Darlene Love, cousin of Dion and Dee Warwick, singing was destined in her future. She began in church choir at five, then shadowing her mother, entering adolescence. As one of New Jersey's famous alumni celebs, Franklin Elementary School was renamed Whitney E. Houston Academy of Creative and Performing Arts. I bet the music classes are superb teaching East Orange's students. Besides having a beautiful voice, Whitney also had a beautiful face and slim figure. She was approached doing modeling work before catching a music break, not minding any publicity to get her name out there. Clive Davis managed Arista Records envisioning secular music for Whitney Houston to sing professionally under his wing. Lasting seven consecutive albums, she officially signed 1983 until 2009's album, I Look to You. Mingling at parties her whole life, Million Dollar Bill came about meeting Alicia Keys at a Clive Davis party. Requesting she'd write a song for her, Alicia was honored and collaborated with her now husband, Swiss Beats. I'd see VH1 heavily rotate Million Dollar Bill's music video, supporting a hopeful comeback. Cutting backstage to a theater, Whitney walks through a dry cleaner store, restaurant kitchen, magically ending up on stage singing to the viewers. I like the modern disco and motivation telling women how they feel about their partners. Sampling Liotta Holloway's 1977's We're Getting Stronger, the chorus is The way that he's making me feel this way about his love, I've been looking for something like this. I'm saying oh, oh, oh, oh. If he makes you feel like a million dollar bill, say oh oh oh. Makes you go left, right, up, down, got you spinning round and round. Say oh oh oh, say ah baby. Alicia Key sings backup, has a real knack picking cool rhythms whenever she composes. I learn a lot of obscure songs from her repertoire. Million Dollar Bill was Whitney's last solo hit, Believing in Love After Divorce. Unfortunately, she accidentally died february eleventh, twenty twelve at the Beverly Hills Hilton. Planning on going to Clive Davis's Grammy's party next evening, Whitney took a bath in her hotel room and accidentally drowned due to cocaine use. The entire Grammy's ceremony dedicated her memory. Ello Cool Jay opened up a eulogy prayer as the host. My friend texted me the breaking news that afternoon she passed and I was in shock. Still wasn't over Michael Jackson's loss at fifty in 2009, then Whitney suddenly gone at 48. Despite struggles, her performances were million dollar quality and would have loved this new Barbie doll. On 2009's I Look To You Million Dollar Bill charted number 100 on the Hop 100, number 16 Hot RB Hip Hop Songs, No. 1 Dance Club Songs, and Adult RB for two weeks. Clive Davis died of respiratory issues this summer, June 22nd, at 94. I'm sure he was quietly involved with Mattel creating the new Barbie doll. He marveled Whitney as much as her mother. Stanley Tucci brilliantly portrayed him in 2022 biopic I Wanna Dance with Somebody. Number 9. The Star Spangled Banner. The United States' national anthem is one of the hardest songs to sing, let alone live. When asked a favorite brandition, Whitney Houston's name tops the list. She sang it to kick off Super Bowl XXIV at Tampa Stadium January 27, 1991. I just vacation in downtown Tampa by the waterfront and their Lightning Hockey Team's venue, Benchmark International Arena. Very cool area, I'd revisit. Tampa Stadium was located near the airport, demolished 1999 and rebuilt as Raymond James Stadium on the same property. Super Bowl XXIV was a historic game in pop culture history. In addition to Whitney's Star Spangled Banner performance, the New York Giants beat Buffalo Bills 20-19, and the halftime show was preempted due to ABC News reporting on the Gulf War. New Kids on the Block set broadcasted after the game around 10.40 p.m. and was the first musical act to play halftime since 1972's having Ella Fitzgerald and Carol Channing replaced by marching bands for 19 years until the 90s booked Celebrities. How far we've come with streaming, news alerts, and music preferences for this annual telecast. Gloria Estefan sang at 1992's game, and you can hear in episode two when I flash back Latin halftime artists up to Bad Bunny's 2026 headline. Getting back to Whitney Houston, she almost turned down the opportunity because of filming 1992's movie The Bodyguard. According to ESPN, Whitney sang Star Spangled Banner at a 1988 Nets Lakers game, one moment in time at the Summer Olympics, and was invited by Ricky Minor to record a rehearsed demo. Because there wasn't the technology we have now, the audio was lip-synced over how she did with the brass, strings, and cymbals. Fortunately, that secret was kept much later and Whitney stayed on cue, matching verbally. Some felt it was too slow. I loved how it gave enough room for her big notes and hushed down in the second verse. It's so majestic, a charity single was released for her fans to purchase. Her white sweatband, matching sweatsuit striped red and blue, peacefully sported patriotism as U.S. troops fled to Kuwait ten days prior. A slow-paced version that Marvin Gaye did at 1983's NBA All-Star Game inspired the final arrangement. Juxtaposition to National Anthem starting events, the Star Spangled Banner ends 2000 compilation, Whitney the Greatest Hits Double Album. Second to Jose Feliciano's at 1968's World Series achieved a second time for the Anthem to Chart on the Hop 100. His ranked number 50. Hers was number 48 Adult Contemporary, number 20 on the Hop 100, and has 15 million Spotify streams. 115 million Americans tune in to Super Bowl XXV, 750 million worldwide. Other national anthem live performances I recommend are Jimi Hendrix at 1969's Woodstock Stage, NSync's Acapella Five Part Harmony at Subway Series 2000 World Series, and Chris Stapleton at Super Bowl 57 2023. Number 8, I'm your baby tonight. You may be wondering what non-sports song could have led NFL's decision I just spoke about. Marketing-wise, the current work Whitney accomplished was third album, I'm your baby tonight. In my opinion, the 1990 title track is a fantastic standout. I discovered it on former TV network VH1 Soul, I think during Million Dollar Bills timing. She lets loose in a pop RB tune produced by Kenneth Babyface Edmonds and LA Reed. Their duo stamped late 80s, early 90s hits splashing subgenre New Jack Swing, mixing jazz and dance beats with multiple singers. One click and I'm back reliving the memories of that era. Great times and music. Whitney wears a leather jacket and ripped jeans in I'm Your Baby Tonight's music video, differentiating the formal wear she'd worn in the 80s. This introduced a new decade Whitney Houston, rhythmically carrying over her power vocals. I don't know how she handled any breathing room singing I'm Your Baby Tonight's fast tempo. I'd watch some contestants try covering it on music competition shows. Extremely difficult to do. The impressive part I adore is the bridge Whitney does before repeating the double chorus fading out. I'm gonna recite the lyrics now. Picture hearing it a faster speed set to music. Looks like I'm fatal, it's all on the table, and baby, you hold the cards. You've got the magic, and I gotta have it. I don't want the pieces, I want every single part. I'll be your angel, I'm ready and able. Whatever you want is fine. Whenever you're ready, just call on your lady. I'll be your baby tonight. Yeah. I'm gonna challenge myself and see how far I get practicing that. Not gonna match Whitney's soul, learning with her recording would be fun, and let me know if you give it a try. I'm your baby tonight single charted number 17 Dance Club Songs, number seven adult contemporary, number one on the Hop 100, and Hot RB singles for two weeks. Number 7. You give good love. Self-titled debut album Whitney Houston burst Valentine's Day 1985. You give good love broke through a loungy love ballad the way she'd sing at nightclubs. Then you hear her ability come to light second chorus. The octave changes low to high, where Whitney digs deep, opening her compassionate range. With no concept or storyline, she simply sings with a photographer filming her on a stage platform in the video, letting everyone see a star being born. I saw BET do a music video marathon tribute when Whitney passed. Never heard You Give Good Love before then. I don't find it too slow for radio. Musicians dream a debut song would sound so incredible and succeed immediately. Lala Forrest Cope joined Disco Group Change with Lutha Vandros in 1981, wrote You Give Good Love, and offered it through mutual friend Kashef Salim, who produced Whitney Houston's album. At twenty one, Whitney's poise represented young talent to a modern generation, filling a forgotten void to appreciate mainstream. Another thing to admire You Give Good Love, a female sweetly gratifying how her whole heart is finding the man she always wanted, obtaining the rarity and asking reciprocation beautifully bold. Whitney naturally repeats certain words to emphasize winning all hearts. American Music Awards gave Favorite Soul RB single, the recording academy nominated Best RB Song and Best RB Vocal Performance Grammys, Aretha Franklin's Free Way of Love Triumphed. It did chart number nine in Canada, number four Adult Contemporary, number three on the Hop 100, and number one Hot Black Singles. Number six, How Will I Know. I had no clue the relationships Whitney had before getting married. First experimented same-sex with her teenage best friend Robert Crawford, they romantically split up but stayed besties forever, hiring her as creative director to remain close. Becoming more popular, male partners were Jermaine Jackson, Eddie Murphy, and football quarterback Randall Cunningham when he played in the Philadelphia Eagles mid-80s. Entrusting someone also pursuing Pop RB fame, new edition member and solo act Bobby Brown married Whitney Houston, 1992. They met backstage at 1989 Soul Train Music Awards and parented their daughter, Bobby Christina. Due to Bobby's growing criminal record and infidelity, Marriage Strain exposed on Bravo reality show Being Bobby Brown 2005 to 2006. Whoever's idea to air those moments further damaged to 2007's divorce. Perhaps raised religious, Whitney never embellished her personal life through music. She empowered within and proudly independent. Even though how will I know it wasn't self-written, I can tell dating pondered navigating. How will I know if he really loves me? I say a prayer with every heartbeat. I fall in love whenever we meet. I'm asking you, because you know about these things. How will I know if he's thinking of me? I try to phone, but I'm too shy. Can't speak. Falling in love is so bittersweet. This love is strong. Why do I feel weak? How will I know's relatability and youthfulness exploded on MTV, earning Best Female Video at the second video music awards. The watercolor walls brighten a dance jam following a smiling Whitney wearing a cute gray cutout dress and matching hairbow. Altering vocal runs each time the title is sung makes it catchy to sing along and hope she'd luck out. Might be my favorite Whitney Houston video. Third single on 1985's debut, How Will I Know, charted number three Hot Dance Club Play, number one Hot Black Singles, Adult Contemporary, and The Hop 100 for two weeks. Number 5. Saving All My Love for You Side B's single To Hell Will I Know was Saving All My Love for You. I've considered it my favorite when seeing the music video rerun on VH1 Classic and VH1 Soul in the late 2000s. Narrating a mistress perspective, Whitney Coos the guilty pleasure, feeling special, slowly realizing the one-sided fruition. You used to tell me we'd run away together. Love gives you the right to be free. You said be patient, just wait a little longer. But that's just an old fantasy. I've got to get ready just a few minutes more. Gonna get that old feeling when you walk through that door. Cause tonight is the night for feeling alright. We'll be making love the whole night through. So I'm saving all my love. Yes, I'm saving all my love. Yes, I'm saving all my love for you. No other woman is gonna love you more. Illustrating a truth for adulterers, the music video starts with a woman looking down at Whitney from an upper level balcony, ending with the lover closing up to his wife near London's South Bank waterfront. We see Whitney singing intimately alone in the studio, dolled up later but assumed to be stood up. By no means do I condone infidelity. My interests draw from the melody, anticipation, and notes. What you may not know is that the original was done in 1978 by the Fifth Dimensions lead singer Marilyn McCoo. I love that group and linked the origin produced by the same engineer, Michael Macer. Felt empty not hearing Whitney's elongation and Marilyn repeating the outro. Still a nice flow. Winning Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Grammy and AMA's favorite RB Soul video, Saving All My Love for You, topped number one Hot Black Singles, The Hop 100, and Adult Contemporary for three weeks. Number four, I Have Nothing. Whitney Houston is the second singer to have multiple soundtracks on the same music label as her solo records. Elvis Presley had 17. Whitney published three sharing featured artists' credit: The Bodyguard, 1992, Waiting to Exhale, 1995, and The Preacher's Wife, 1996. I've seen the first two movies recall Denzel Washington's smiling scene in the commercials advertising The Preacher's Wife. Sometimes that gets shown around Christmas time. I can try catching it then if not renting on my own. I'm sorry to the Die Hard fans, I truthfully did not like The Bodyguard. Seemed predictable, and not what I expect it to pair with its soundtrack. Kevin Costner stars as Private Security protecting a nominated actress who stalked in harassment up to the Academy Awards. Critics shared the same review I gave. The songs Whitney sang overturned massive success, surprisingly achieved. Three Soul Train Music Awards, Grammys including Album of the Year, four People's Choice Awards, five NAACP Image Awards, eight American Music Awards, 11 Billboard Music Awards, and the Brit Awards soundtrack. I'll admit, redoing Chaka Khan's I'm Every Woman is exceptional. I Have Nothing's my pick. Many reality show contestants compete with that, stunning judges if they're able to hold the notes and belt out. Married couple David Foster and his wife Linda Thompson wrote I Have Nothing based on the relationship Linda had dating Elvis in the mid-70s. I swear I did not know that fact citing the soundtrack stats comparison. I don't really need to look very much further. I don't want to have to go where you don't follow. I won't hold it back again, this passion inside. I can't run from myself. There's nowhere to hide. Your love I'll remember forever. But don't make me cry. Close one more door. I don't want to hurt anymore. Stay in my arms if you dare, or must I imagine you there? Don't walk away from me. I have nothing. Nothing. Nothing. If I don't have you. Ideally, this would be my top Whitney Houston selection. Nominated Best Original Song at the Academy Awards, Grammy's Best Song Written for Visual Media, I Have Nothing charted number four in RB, The Hop 100, No. 3 Top 40 Radio, and No. 1 Adult Contemporary for two weeks. Aladdin's duet, A Whole New World by Peble Bryson and Regina Bell beat both award categories. Number 3. Greatest love of all. Provided as you give good love's B-side single, Arista didn't want the same styles back to back. The way digital singles are posted nowadays prior to album release dates, sometimes it can fill time if necessary. I think that's what happened seeing How Will I Know do so well. Greatest Love of All plugged a final cut off Whitney Houston's debut spring 1986. Fans had to wait a year for second album Whitney to come out summer 1987. That's a long gap, but a killer great start playing it out. Greatest Love of All apparently is a 1970s cover too. George Benson sang it 1977 when boxer Muhammad Ali started his own biopic, The Greatest. Learn something else when we hear this from now on. He sounded like Stevie Wonder's diction. Philadelphia songwriter Linda Creed wrote Greatest Love of All after getting diagnosed with breast cancer at 26. Surviving a decade, Linda bravely watched Whitney master the single's promotion a month before dying. Pulling heartstrings every angle, poignant the impartance guiding children, succeeding a stronger life, yet still feel proud to live the life she had. I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside. Give them a sense of pride to make it easier. Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be. Everybody's searching for a hero. People need someone to look up to. I never found anyone who fulfilled my needs, a lonely place to be, and so I learned to depend on me. I decided long ago never to walk in anyone's shadows. If I fail, if I succeed, at least I'll live as I believe. No matter what they take from me, they can't take away my dignity, because the greatest love of all is happening to me. I found the greatest love of all inside of me. The greatest love of all is easy to achieve. Learning to love yourself, it is the greatest love of all. Whitney serie getting Linda Creed's poetry Timeless to us all. Greatest Love of All won favorite soul RB video at AMA's 1987. Steve Winwood's Higher Love knocked out Grammy's Record of the Year nomination, which Whitney covered in 1989, later released a dance remix by Kaigo in 2019, and Anita Baker's Sweet Love stole Soul Train Music Awards Single of the Year. They're lucky those nominations stretched two years later. Tough competition by Great Songs, 40 years exactly. Greatest Love of All charted number three hot black singles, number one on the Hop 100 for three weeks, and a month on Adult Contemporary. The Ellen DeGeneres Show ran 2003 to 2022 on NBC, occasionally airing a segment called Just Kid Inc. Viewers would send humorous scribbling kids drew, Ellen would lip sync Greatest Love of All's opening line. She too, it's so funny. One time she continued through the whole chorus and YouTube made a montage on its YouTube channel attributing. A fourth cover on this countdown, the bodyguard revived I Will Always Love You to My Generation. Whitney slowed the first verse soft acapella, coscendoing the volume of her voice each chorus, declaring loudly finishing it out. Kevin Costner came up with the idea to start it out a cappella like a conversation. Music supervisor Maureen Crow suggested readapting Dolly Parton's Swan song, I Will Always Love You. Dolly dedicated the lyrics to Porter Wagner, deciding to leave his variety TV show when going solo. Consumers remain in awe how Whitney's pop power ballad twists the romantic storyline cinematically. I recently shared on my Shania Twain countdown how Adult Contemporary Stations self-educated me very young. I heard I Will Always Love You rotate all the time in its head day. I got sick of it. Most associated to be Whitney Houston's biggest song. For obvious reasons, I gave it second placing, saluting Dolly Partner's ownership. She herself had to pull over her car to react hearing it on the radio for the first time. Collecting royalties, I Will Always Love You won two Soul Train Awards, American Music Awards, six Billboard Music Awards, People's Choice Music Video, MTV Movie Awards Best Song from a movie, and two Grammys, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Performance Female. Jennifer Hudson sang it at 2012's Grammys morning Whitney's sudden passing. The reason why Whitney sat in the music video leaning forward was to conceal her baby bump. She showcased it in I'm Every Woman's video at the end, celebrating the news. Heartbreaking to fathom, Bobby Christina died the same way as her mother, July 26, 2015, losing his ex-wife, daughter, and son Bobby Jr. overdosing in 2020, Bobby Brown Sr. finally sobered up. Married to his manager Alyssa Etheridge since 2012, he vows being a stand-up father figure to their daughters and loyal rest of his life. A E did a candid biography episode in 2022 interviewing him. I highly recommend it. Between 1992 to 1993, I will always love you charted number one globally. Five weeks adult contemporary, five weeks R ⁇ B, 14 weeks on the Hop 100. Most Whitney Houstons lists, I Will Always Love You, number one. I settled a backup in honor of Barbie's product, hip production, and the name of her biopic. Number one on our Whitney Houston top 10 is I Wanna Dance with Somebody Who Loves Me. Adding the parentheses to this title, a joints How will I know's messaging? Finding that Mr. Wright to fill her heart night today. Pop RB and 80s stations love blasting the club hit to this day. Despite me being an 80s fanatic, I've always felt I want to dance with some buddies over the top for Whitney's reputation. Two contemporary references sparsely convince me to like it. In 2004 rom-com movie 13 Going on 30, Jennifer Garner's character gets out of the shower in her apartment, applies makeup, happily seeing the clothes in her walk-in closet to pick out for a business party. Then 2015 sampled on Natalie LaRose's one-hit wonder, Somebody. RB singer Jeremia remixes the chorus while Natalie solos the verses. I wanna rock with somebody. I wanna take shots with somebody. I wanna leave with somebody, and we ain't gotta tell nobody. We ain't gotta tell nobody. Flipping the genders was a smart idea for that part, and I like it against the techno backbeat. Somebody hit number 10 on the Hop 100, number 5 Hot RB hip hop songs, number 3 pop airplay, and number 1 rhythm airplay for four weeks. Not too shabby. Split screen artwork I collage for this episode is a photo shoot shot from I Wanna Dance With Somebody's Music Video Set. Lavender suited her perfectly. I interpret Whitney's modeling experience, flashback the beginning spotlight shining down on the stage, doing outfit changes, flashy sets, and the dancers posing. I assess my content closely to the topics for this podcast, concluding I want to dance with somebody who loves me, feels right here. Fun fact American Idol Judge Randy Jackson is who plays the electric bass. Promo single to 1987's Whitney. It charted number two Hot Black Singles under Stephanie Mills's I Feel Good All Over, top number one Dance Club Play and The Hop 100 for two weeks. Ten years later, Whitney Houston produced a televised movie reboot of Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. She was asked to star but responded being too old. Brandy did instead co-string Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, and Victor Garber. Vanity Fair is pushing a 30th anniversary soundtrack creation for 2027. I'd go crazy. Always loved Whitney playing the fairy godmother and the music. Fingers crossed, rest in power. Thanks for tuning in to this countdown. Hope I gave enough justice. Feel free to share your memories and feedback about Whitney Houston. Email musicmedia review podcast at gmail.com. I spotted VMA's social media started posting nominee forums. I'll post when things are up on Music Media Reviews pages. Follow on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Please rate and review wherever you're streaming. I've also created a poll on Spotify and YouTube to vote which Whitney Houston era is your favorite. I'm leaning towards the 90s movie soundtracks. I'm Jess. Talk to you next week.