Whitney Houston’s 1992 The Bodyguard soundtrack extends its lead as the top-certified film soundtrack in RIAA history. On Wednesday (June 25), the album was certified for U.S. shipments of 19 million units.
Six other soundtracks have been certified Diamond (10 million or more): the Bee Gees-led Saturday Night Fever (16 million), Dirty 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 another singular RIAA distinction: She is the only 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 other Black stars – Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey and 2Pac – have each had two Diamond albums.
The certification levels of 10 Houston singles were also upgraded on Wednesday. The affected singles are “I Will Always Love You” (11x Platinum); “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” (8x Platinum); “I Have Nothing” (4x Platinum), “Higher Love” with Kygo (released on Kygo/RCA Records) and “How Will I Know” (each is 3x Platinum); “Heartbreak Hotel,” “My Love Is Your Love” and “Saving All My Love for You” (each is 2x Platinum); and “Run to You” and “Count on Me” (each is Platinum).
“I Will Always Love You,” “I Have Nothing” and “Run to You” are all from The Bodyguard soundtrack. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” from her sophomore album, ranked No. 1 on Billboard’s 2023 megalist “The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List.”
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Houston’s breakthrough. Whitney Houston was released on Feb. 14, 1985. The album first cracked the top 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 only include the U.S. numbers. In the U.S. alone, Houston’s RIAA-certified units total 114.5 million across 38 titles (27 singles plus 11 albums).
Houston died on Feb. 11, 2012, at age 48. She was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.
“I know that Whitney would be happy to know of the impact that her music has made globally,” Pat Houston, Whitney Houston’s sister-in-law, executor of her estate and the president of The Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation, said in a statement. “… She would be delighted to know that her loyal and worldwide fans have continued to love her and carry on her musical legacy through the generations. She would want us to say thank you to every person that contributed to her recordings, her productions, and the marketing of all her records, especially to Clive Davis and the extraordinary team of Arista Records through her many years at the label.”
RIAA president and COO Michele Ballantyne said in a statement: “Whitney Houston’s iconic voice and powerful songs have carried her legacy across generations. With 11 new certifications, RIAA is proud to celebrate how her enduring impact is still felt throughout the music industry and as the Estate’s partnership with Sony finds moments to reach new fans. We are grateful for the remarkable gift Whitney left for us all!”
