Whitney Houston 2006—present
 Houston’s second album, Whitney, was released in June 1987, and became the first album in history by a female artist to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 in the US and the UK album chart, as well as topping the charts in several countries around the world. The album's first four singles, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me),” “Didn't We Almost Have It All,” “So Emotional,” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” all peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100—which brought her a total of seven consecutive Hot 100 number-one hits; breaking the record of six previously shared by The Beatles and The Bee Gees. The album's fifth, and final single, “Love Will Save the Day” also peaked in the Top 10 on the Hot 100. Whitney was certified nine times platinum in America, and sold approximately 20 million worldwide. Many critics felt that Houston was holding back and RollingStone said the narrow channel through which this talent has been directed is frustrating.
Houston won her second Grammy in 1988, for ‘Best Female Pop Vocal Performance’ (“I Wanna Dance With Somebody”) and embarked on the worldwide The Moment of Truth tour. The same year, she recorded a song for NBC's coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics, “One Moment in Time,” which peaked at number five in the U.S., while reaching number one in the UK and Germany.
Screen shot from the “I’m Your Baby Tonight” music video (1990).With the success of her first two albums, Houston was a cross over superstar. However, many critics complained that her music was bland and that she sounded too White. Then at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards, Houston's name was called out for a nomination before the audience booed her. This led the pop singer to take a more urban direction in her music. I'm Your Baby Tonight, Houston’s third studio album, was released in November 1990 and featured collaborations with Babyface, Luther Vandross, and Stevie Wonder. The album showed Houston's versatility on a new batch of tough rhythmic grooves, soulful ballads and up-tempo dance tracks. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and went on to be certified four times platinum in the US, selling ten million worldwide. The first two singles, “I’m Your Baby Tonight” and “All The Man That I Need” each hit number one on both the pop and R&B singles charts respectively. The third and fourth singles: “Miracle,” and “My Name Is Not Susan” peaked at numbers nine and twenty, respectively —the fifth single, I Belong to You, peaked in the Top 10 on the R&B charts, while yet another single, the duet with Stevie Wonder entitled, We Didn't Know, made the R&B Top 20. Though sales of the album were down drastically compared to her previous efforts, the album was well received by critics. RollingStone felt it was her best and most integrated album
Houston performed “The Star Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl XXV in January 1991. Her recording on the song was released as a commercial single, reaching the top twenty on the U.S. Hot 100; making her the only artist to turn the national anthem into a chart hit (ten years later, the song was re-released after the September 11, 2001 attacks, this time peaking becoming a Top 10 hit.) Houston donated her share of the proceeds to the American Red Cross. This legendary performance of the national anthem was named number one in the NFL’s 2003 list of Top 25 greatest moments in NFL history.[citation needed]. VH1 also listed it as the 12th greatest moment that rocked TV.
In 1991, Houston embarked I’m Your Baby Tonight World Tour, which Rolling Stone poll voters voted “Worst Tour of the Year.” The tour didn't sell out as much as her previous tours.
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