On February 14, 1985, a superstar was born. That’s when a newcomer named Whitney Houston released her self-titled debut album that set several chart records, racked up multiplatinum sales and yielded the dynamic singer a Grammy and an Emmy.
To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the seminal album Whitney Houston and the late singer’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on May 2, Legacy Recordings/Sony Music Entertainment and Vinyl Me, Please are issuing a commemorative two-album 12” vinyl collector’s edition. The 180-gram peaches and cream swirl-colored vinyl package includes the original album and the first U.S. release of Whitney Dancin’ Special. Released only in Japan in 1986, the EP features extended remixes of the Houston classics “How Will I Know” (a vocal and an instrumental version), «You Give Good Love,» «Thinking About You» and «Someone for Me.»
To coincide with the release of the double-LP vinyl package, tracks from Dancin’ Special will be issued digitally worldwide for the first time.
Rounding out the anniversary edition is a 32-page hard-cover photo and lyric book. Inside are new essays from manager/executor Pat Houston, songwriter/producer Narada Michael Walden, songwriter La Forrest “La La” Cope and other collaborators Houston worked with on the ’85 album. In addition, a newly remastered 4K version of the “Greatest Love of All” music video was released today (Feb. 14).
With its three Hot 100 No. 1 tracks (“Saving All My Love for You,” “How Will I Know” and “Greatest Love of All”), Whitney Houston became the first debut album and first album by a solo female artist to feature a trio of chart-topping singles. Released by Arista Records, the album itself spent 14 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 following a 55-week climb to that perch. Garnering international chart success as well, the album—inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2013—was certified diamond in March 1999. It has since sold more than 22 million copies worldwide.
Houston won her first Grammy statuette for best pop vocal performance, female for “Saving All My Love…” And her performance of the song during the 28th annual Grammy telecast led to an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program.
In late February 2020, the Estate of Whitney Houston and BASE Hologram will launch An Evening with Whitney: The Whitney Houston Hologram Tour. Stops are planned across the U.K., Europe, Mexico and North America.
