Whitney Houston’s 1992 The Bodyguard soundtrack extends its lead because the top-certified movie soundtrack in RIAA historical past. On Wednesday (June 25), the album was licensed for U.S. shipments of 19 million models.
Six different soundtracks have been licensed Diamond (10 million or extra): the Bee Gees-led Saturday Night time Fever (16 million), Soiled Dancing (14 million), Prince & the Revolution’s Purple Rain (13 million), Forrest Gump (12 million), Titanic (11 million) and The Lion King (10 million).
Houston holds one other singular RIAA distinction: She is the one Black artist with three Diamond albums. Her 1985 debut album Whitney Houston stands at 14x platinum. Her 1987 sophomore album Whitney is at 10x platinum. Three different Black stars – Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey and 2Pac – have every had two Diamond albums.
The certification ranges of 10 Houston singles had been additionally upgraded on Wednesday. The affected singles are “I Will All the time Love You” (11x Platinum); “I Wanna Dance With Someone (Who Loves Me)” (8x Platinum); “I Have Nothing” (4x Platinum), “Larger Love” with Kygo (launched on Kygo/RCA Data) and “How Will I Know” (every is 3x Platinum); “Heartbreak Lodge,” “My Love Is Your Love” and “Saving All My Love for You” (every is 2x Platinum); and “Run to You” and “Depend on Me” (every is Platinum).
“I Will All the time Love You,” “I Have Nothing” and “Run to You” are all from The Bodyguard soundtrack. “I Wanna Dance With Someone,” from her sophomore album, ranked No. 1 on Billboard’s 2023 megalist “The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List.”
This yr marks the fortieth anniversary of Houston’s breakthrough. Whitney Houston was launched on Feb. 14, 1985. The album first cracked the highest 10 on the Billboard 200 on the chart dated Aug. 31, 1985, and first reached No. 1 on the chart dated March 8, 1986.
These new RIAA certifications solely embrace the U.S. numbers. Within the U.S. alone, Houston’s RIAA-certified models whole 114.5 million throughout 38 titles (27 singles plus 11 albums).
Houston died on Feb. 11, 2012, at age 48. She was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame in 2020.
“I do know that Whitney could be blissful to know of the affect that her music has made globally,” Pat Houston, Whitney Houston’s sister-in-law, executor of her property and the president of The Whitney E. Houston Legacy Basis, stated in a press release. “… She could be delighted to know that her loyal and worldwide followers have continued to like her and stick with it her musical legacy via the generations. She would need us to say thanks to each person who contributed to her recordings, her productions, and the advertising and marketing of all her data, particularly to Clive Davis and the extraordinary staff of Arista Data via her a few years on the label.”
RIAA president and COO Michele Ballantyne stated in a press release: “Whitney Houston’s iconic voice and highly effective songs have carried her legacy throughout generations. With 11 new certifications, RIAA is proud to rejoice how her enduring affect remains to be felt all through the music business and because the Property’s partnership with Sony finds moments to succeed in new followers. We’re grateful for the outstanding reward Whitney left for us all!”