Late R&B singer Whitney Houston secured another record posthumously today after becoming the first black artiste to have three diamond-certified albums.
The Recording Industry Association of America recently confirmed that Houston’s sophomore album titled Whitney has gone ahead to secure said certification. The 11 track album, which boasted dance music, pop, and R&B, brought about the Grammy-winning “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me),” “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” “So Emotional,” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go,” which all topped the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
She first secured diamond status with her debut – a self-titled album which was released in 1985. The project went on to move a whopping 13 million copies. The second album to achieve the remarkable feat was 1992’s soundtrack to “The Bodyguard,” in which Whitney landed a lead role. The musical masterpiece would go on to secure over 18 million pure sales. Houston’s recent accomplishment is further magnified when one considers that only a handful of musicians such as Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, the Eagles, The Beatles, and Led Zeppelin, who have secured over three diamond records. The RIAA certifies a musical piece as being diamond certified when it has moved over 10 million copies. In recent years those figures have included digital sales and streams.
Sadly, Whitney Houston passed away in 2012 at the age of 48. Thankfully, by that time, she had already built up her legacy of being a true powerhouse with the microphone, impacting the lives of individuals through her extensive catalog of music. Her work will be honored through her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this coming week [Nov 7].
