Whitney Houston is not only an American singer, actress, and former fashion model, but also being a relative of several prominent soul singers - including her mother Cissy Houston, cousins Dee Dee and Dionne Warwick and godmother Aretha Franklin - Houston has been singing since the age of eleven.

When this, Houston's self-titled debut album was released in February of '85, Rolling Stone Magazine praised the new talent, calling her "one of the most exciting new voices in years." Indeed, the New York Times called the album "an impressive, musically conservative showcase for an exceptional vocal talent."

Houston's first single, "You Give Good Love" is one of my all-time favorite songs by her. Just everything about that song is superb, especially Houston's amazing delivery. The people of the world obviously think that "The Greatest Love of All" is this album's finest jewel because it is always sung at graduations, church services and commencements.

Indeed, "The Greatest Love of All" is lyrically the best song on this album because of the inspirational lines she sings just for the children. "Thinking About You" and "Take Good Care of My Heart" are good offerings, but they fall short when comparing them to the rest of this album.

"How Will I Know" was offered to Janet Jackson first, but she turned it down. Houston took the song and made it all her own; you would never know that this song was written for someone else. It has that '80s American Bandstand feel to it. "Saving All My Love for You" is another one of her most definitive songs. It is an R&B classic.

But, after the dance-funk single "Someone For Me" failed to chart in both the US and UK, the album initially sold modestly and failed to make an impact. But the release of the next single, the aforementioned ballad "You Give Good Love", peaked at #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 while going #1 on the R&B Charts. As a result, the album began to sell strongly before topping the R&B Album chart. Did you know that it had had such a rocky, subdued start to life? No, not may of us think of this debut like that.

And so now this album has become an international success, and indeed was certified 13x Platinum (Diamond) in the United States alone just a few years ago!