Whitney Houston shatters album sales record for Black artists
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Whitney Houston has posthumously belted out a major career milestone.
The late pop icon's estate partnered with Sony Music Entertainment's Legacy Recordings to announce Wednesday that Houston's second studio album, 1987's Whitney, has been certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America, making her the only Black artist in history with three 10x-Platinum LPs.
Whitney — parent album for the smash singles "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)," "So Emotional," and more — joins Houston's previously certified albums Whitney Houston (1985) and The Bodyguard soundtrack (1992), both of which moved 13 million and 18 million units in the United States, respectively, since their original release dates.
In a statement, Houston's estate expressed thanks to the singer's fans "for their abiding love for her music and making this achievement come true" just under nine years since the legendary performer died in February 2012.
Earlier this year, Houston was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, though the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced the typically live induction ceremony to go digital for the 2020 honorees, airing Saturday, Nov. 7 at 8:00 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.
Houston's legacy will also come to life on the big screen via her estate, longtime collaborator Clive Davis, and more in the upcoming biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody, to be directed by The Photograph's Stella Meghie from a script written by four-time Oscar nominee Anthony McCarten. The film is schedule to begin production in 2021 with a targeted Thanksgiving 2022 release date.
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