How Whitney Houston Shaped the Future: A Legacy Timeline
A detailed timeline of the impact and legacy of Whitney Houston across different fields.
Whitney Houston, nicknamed "The Voice," was a highly acclaimed American singer, actress, producer, and philanthropist. Renowned for her exceptional vocal talent and captivating performances, she achieved remarkable chart success and broke down gender and racial barriers in the music industry. Houston remains a cultural icon, recognized as one of the most awarded performers and ranked among the greatest singers of all time.
September 11, 2001: Re-release of "The Star-Spangled Banner" after 9/11
Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Whitney Houston's single, "The Star-Spangled Banner", was rereleased, with all profits going towards the firefighters and victims of the attacks, reaching number 6 in the Hot 100 and becoming certified platinum.
2001: Last Top-10 Single Prior to Death
After Whitney Houston's death, the single "I Will Always Love You" returned to the Billboard Hot 100 after almost 20 years, peaking at number three and becoming a posthumous top-10 single for Houston, the first one since 2001.
2007: Entrance into Music Industry Considered a Milestone
In 2007, USA Today considered Whitney Houston's entrance into the music industry one of the 25 musical milestones of the last 25 years, noting she paved the way for Mariah Carey.
February 18, 2012: Memorial Service
On February 18, 2012, Whitney Houston's memorial service was held at her home church, New Hope Baptist Church, in Newark, New Jersey.
May 2012: Release of "Celebrate"
In May 2012, Whitney Houston's last song, "Celebrate", from the movie "Sparkle", was released.
August 17, 2012: Release of "Sparkle" Movie
On August 17, 2012, the movie "Sparkle" was released, featuring "Celebrate", the last song Whitney Houston recorded.
2012: Posthumous Gospel Chart Appearances
In 2012, two of Whitney Houston's final recordings - "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" and "Celebrate", from the film "Sparkle" - posthumously made the Billboard gospel charts.
2013: Named Greatest Woman in Music by ABC
In 2013, ABC named Whitney Houston the greatest woman in music, acknowledging her profound influence.
2013: Inducted into New Jersey Hall of Fame
In 2013, Whitney Houston was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.
2013: Cissy Houston's Book Release
In 2013, Whitney Houston's mother, Cissy Houston, released her book, "Remembering Whitney: My Story of Love, Loss, and the Night the Music Stopped".
2014: Inducted into Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame
In 2014, Whitney Houston was inducted into the official Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in its second class.
2019: Crawford's Memoir Release
In 2019, Robyn Crawford, Whitney Houston's longtime executive assistant and friend, released her memoirs, "A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston", stating that she left Houston's management company after Houston declined to seek help for drug dependency.
2019: Posthumous Release of "Higher Love" Remix
In 2019, a remix of Whitney Houston's bonus track "Higher Love" by Kygo was released posthumously, achieving commercial success, topping the US Dance Club Songs chart and becoming her highest-charting single in the UK since 1999.
October 2020: "I Will Always Love You" Music Video Reaches 1 Billion Views
In October 2020, the music video for "I Will Always Love You" surpassed 1 billion views on YouTube, making Whitney Houston the first solo 20th-century artist to have a video reach that milestone.
January 2021: "I Will Always Love You" Certified Diamond
In January 2021, "I Will Always Love You" was certified diamond, making Whitney Houston one of only four female artists to earn a diamond-certified single and album. It remains the best-selling US single by a female artist.
May 2023: Receives Brits Billion Award
In May 2023, Whitney Houston was one of the first of 13 artists to be given the Brits Billion Award by the BPI for reaching 1 billion career streams in the United Kingdom.
October 2023: Posthumous Earnings and Record
In October 2023, Whitney Houston made the list of the top 10 highest-earning posthumous celebrities on Forbes, earning $30 million, and she later won a posthumous Guinness World Records entry as the highest-earning posthumous female celebrity, her record 31st.
2023: Rolling Stone Ranks Houston Second Greatest Singer
In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Whitney Houston second on their list of the greatest singers of all time, highlighting her powerful yet tender soprano voice and her defining 1990s single, a cover of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You."
2023: Rolling Stone's Greatest Singers List
In 2023, Whitney Houston was ranked second on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest singers of all time, solidifying her legacy as one of the most influential vocalists.
2025: Houston's Consecutive Number One Hits Record
As of 2025, Whitney Houston remains the only artist in history to score seven consecutive number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100.
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