Editing Whitney Houston (section)

=== 1990–1991: ''I'm Your Baby Tonight'' and "The Star-Spangled Banner" ===
[[File:Whitney Houston 90s.jpg|thumb|left|Houston in 1990]]
With the success of her first two albums, Houston became an international crossover superstar, appealing to all demographics. However, some black critics believed she was "[[selling out]]".<ref name=Soul>{{cite episode |series = A History of Soul Music |network =[[VH1]]|airdate=October 18, 2007}}</ref> They felt her singing on record lacked the soul that was present during her live concerts.<ref name="Cain-1990">{{cite magazine|last=Duckett Cain|first=Joy|date=December 2003|title=The Soul of Whitney|magazine=Essence}}</ref> At the [[1989 Soul Train Music Awards]], when Houston's name was called out for a nomination, a few in the audience jeered.<ref name="Company1991a">{{cite magazine|title=Ebony|magazine = Ebony|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UdQDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA112|date=May 1991 |page=112|issn=0012-9011}}</ref><ref name="Norment-1991"/> Houston defended herself against the criticism, stating, "If you're gonna have a long career, there's a certain way to do it and I did it that way. I'm not ashamed of it."<ref name="Cain-1990" /> 

Houston took a more urban direction with her third studio album, ''[[I'm Your Baby Tonight]]'', released in November 1990. The first album in which she served as [[executive producer]] and exerted creative control for the first time in her career, Houston recruited the production team of [[Antonio "L.A." Reid]] and [[Babyface (musician)|Babyface]], as well as [[Luther Vandross]] and [[Stevie Wonder]] for the album, while retaining previous producer Walden. Reviews were mixed to positive. ''Rolling Stone'' felt it was her "best and most integrated album",<ref>{{cite magazine | first = James | last = Hunter | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/im-your-baby-tonight-19910110 | title = Review: ''I'm Your Baby Tonight'' | magazine = [[Rolling Stone]] | date = January 10, 1991 | access-date = March 16, 2011 | archive-date = February 16, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120216213000/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/im-your-baby-tonight-19910110 | url-status = dead }}</ref> while ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'', at the time thought Houston's shift towards an urban direction was "superficial".<ref>{{cite web | author = Browne, David | url = https://ew.com/article/1990/11/23/im-your-baby-tonight/ | title = Music Review: ''I'm Your Baby Tonight'' | magazine = Entertainment Weekly | date = November 23, 1990 | access-date = March 16, 2011 | archive-date = February 16, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120216232023/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318684,00.html | url-status = live }}</ref> 

Commercially, the album was a success, peaking at number three on the ''Billboard'' 200, staying inside the top ten for 22 weeks, becoming the tenth best-selling album of 1991, while topping the [[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|Top R&B Albums]] chart, staying there for eight consecutive weeks. As a result, Houston earned four [[Billboard Music Awards]], including the top-selling R&B album of 1991.<ref name="whitneybillboard">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/whitney-houston/chart-history/ |title=Whitney Houston: Chart History |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=June 16, 2022}}</ref> Houston returned to the top of the Hot 100 with [[I'm Your Baby Tonight (song)|the title track]] and "[[All the Man That I Need]]", helping Houston to set another chart record by being the first female soloist to have multiple number one pop songs on three albums at least.<ref name="multipleones">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/the-weeknd-die-for-you-michael-jackson-hot-100-history-ask-billboard-1235283505/ |title=The Weeknd Matches Michael Jackson for Hot 100 history |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |last=Trust|first=Gary |date=March 10, 2023 |accessdate=June 20, 2023}}</ref>{{efn|Along with Houston, the other acts who have done this include [[the Supremes]], [[the Beatles]], [[Michael Jackson]], [[Mariah Carey]], [[Janet Jackson]] and [[The Weeknd]].<ref name="multipleones"/>}}  The title track, in particular, gave Babyface and Reid their first number one pop single, while "All the Man That I Need" became Houston's third single to top the pop, R&B and AC charts. The ballad "[[Miracle (Whitney Houston song)|Miracle]]" and the more [[hip-hop]] driven "[[My Name Is Not Susan]]" followed those singles inside the top 20, with "Miracle" reaching the top ten. The remix of "My Name Is Not Susan" included rapper [[Monie Love]].<ref name="monielove">{{cite web |url=https://www.bet.com/article/meoorp/monie-love-interview-queen-latifah-whitney-houston-new-project |title=Monie Love Talks About Her First New Solo Project in 30 Years |work=[[BET]] |date=April 6, 2023 |accessdate=June 19, 2023}}</ref> 

''I'm Your Baby Tonight'' would go on to sell ten million units worldwide, including going platinum four times in the US.<ref name="whitneycert"/><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/musics-30-fiercest-feuds-beefs-taylor-kanye-slash-axl-w498640/mariah-carey-vs-whitney-houston-w498794|title=Music's 30 Fiercest Feuds and Beefs|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|first1=Jordan|last1=Runtagh|date=September 15, 2017|access-date=October 10, 2017|archive-date=October 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019161624/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/musics-30-fiercest-feuds-beefs-taylor-kanye-slash-axl-w498640/mariah-carey-vs-whitney-houston-w498794|url-status=dead}}</ref> In addition to winning the four Billboard Music Awards, Houston was nominated for several Grammys and American Music Awards for the album. A bonus track from the album's Japanese edition, "[[Higher Love#Kygo and Whitney Houston version|Higher Love]]", was remixed by Norwegian DJ and record producer [[Kygo]] and released posthumously in 2019 to commercial success. It topped the US [[Dance Club Songs]] chart and reached number two in the UK, becoming Houston's highest-charting single in the country since 1999.<ref name="copsey">{{cite web |last=Copsey |first=Rob |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/higher-love-is-now-whitney-houstons-longest-running-single-ever-on-the-top-100-official-uk-singles-chart__28910/ |title=Higher Love is now Whitney Houston's longest-running single ever on the Top 100 Official UK Singles Chart |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]] |date=February 28, 2020 |access-date=May 20, 2021}}</ref>
[[File:Whitney Houston Welcome Heroes 6 (cropped).JPEG|alt=|left|thumb|Houston performing "My Name is Not Susan" on the ''Welcome Home Heroes'' concert in 1991]]
During the [[Persian Gulf War]], on January 27, 1991, Houston performed "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]", the US [[national anthem]], at [[Super Bowl XXV]] at [[Tampa Stadium]].<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/02/24/arts/pop-view-caution-now-entering-the-war-zone.html|title=Pop View; Caution: Now Entering The War Zone |last=Pareles|first=Jon|date=February 24, 1991|access-date=October 5, 2008 | work=The New York Times}}</ref> Houston's vocals were pre-recorded, prompting criticism.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-LoDAAAAMBAJ&q=whitney&pg=PA60 |magazine=Jet |date=March 18, 1991 |via=Google Books |page=60 |title=Whitney Houston Did Not Lip-Sync National Anthem}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QllYAAAAIBAJ&pg=6886,181496&dq=whitney+houston+lip+sync+national+anthem+super+bowl&hl=en|title=Spokane Chronicle - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UXYhAAAAIBAJ&pg=2914,1099122&dq=whitney+houston+star+spangled+banner+memorex&hl=en|title=The Daily Gazette - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref><ref name="ABC Hudson">{{cite news|first1=Luchina|last1=Fisher|first2=Sheila|last2=Marikar|title =Hudson's Super Bowl Lip-Sync No Surprise to Insiders| publisher =ABC News| date = February 3, 2009| access-date = January 22, 2013| url =https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/WinterConcert/story?id=6788924&page=1}}</ref> Dan Klores, a spokesman for Houston, said: "This is not a [[Milli Vanilli]] thing. She sang live, but the microphone was turned off. It was a technical decision, partially based on the noise factor. This is standard procedure at these events."<ref>{{cite news | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UXYhAAAAIBAJ&pg=2914,1099122&dq=whitney+houston+star+spangled+banner+memorex&hl=en | title = Was Whitney live, or was she Memorex? | publisher = The Daily Gazette Co. | agency = Associated Press | date= March 5, 1991 | access-date = March 31, 2011 | page = A6}}</ref> Nevertheless, a [[The Star Spangled Banner (Whitney Houston recording)|commercial single and video of the performance]] reached the Top 20 on the US Hot 100, giving Houston the biggest chart hit for a performance of the national anthem.{{efn|[[José Feliciano]]'s version reached number 50 in November 1968.}}<ref name="Company1991r">{{cite magazine|title=Whitney Houston's Star Spangled Banner To Be Released On Cassette |magazine=Jet |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E7sDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA31 |date=February 18, 1991 |page=31 |issn=0021-5996 |access-date=September 7, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Otfinoski2010">{{cite book|first=Steven|last=Otfinoski|author-link=Steven Otfinoski|title=African Americans in the performing arts|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gnXQSqTx2h0C&pg=PT116|access-date=February 12, 2012|date=April 1, 2010|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=978-0-8160-7838-7|pages=116–}}</ref>

Houston donated her share of the proceeds to the [[American Red Cross]] Gulf Crisis Fund and was named to the Red Cross Board of Governors.<ref name="nytimes" /><ref name="Company199u1">{{cite magazine |title=Houston Raises $500,000 For Red Cross; Named To Its Board Of Governors |magazine=Jet |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RrADAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA37 |date=June 17, 1991 |page=37 |issn=0021-5996 |access-date=September 7, 2021}}</ref><ref>Blair, Tom. "The village verbiage collector". ''The San Diego Union''. May 23, 1991. Page B1.</ref> Her rendition was critically acclaimed and is considered the benchmark for singers;<ref name="ABC Hudson" /><ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/02/jennifer-hudson-delivers-super-bowl-stage/?page=1 | title = Jennifer Hudson delivers on Super Bowl stage |work=The Washington Times | publisher = [[News World Media Development]] | date = February 2, 2009 | access-date =March 27, 2011}}</ref> VH1 listed the performance as one of the greatest moments that rocked TV.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/63773/episode_wildcard.jhtml?wildcard=/shows/dynamic/includes/wildcards/the_greatest/rocked_tvmoments/complete_list_20.jhtml&event_id=63773|title=100 Greatest Moments That Rocked TV (20–1)|publisher=[[VH1]]|access-date=December 27, 2021|archive-date=May 29, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080529034954/http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/63773/episode_wildcard.jhtml?wildcard=%2Fshows%2Fdynamic%2Fincludes%2Fwildcards%2Fthe_greatest%2Frocked_tvmoments%2Fcomplete_list_20.jhtml&event_id=63773|url-status=dead}}</ref> Following the [[September 11 attacks|September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks]], the single was rereleased, with all profits going towards the firefighters and victims of the attacks. It reached number 6 in the Hot 100 and was certified platinum.<ref name="thestarspangledbannnerriaa">{{cite web | url = https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=star%20spangled%20banner&artist=whitney%20houston&format=SINGLE&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2011&sort=Artist&perPage=25 | title = Gold & Platinum&nbsp;– Search Results for "The Star Spangled Banner" single and its video single | publisher = [[Recording Industry Association of America]] | date = October 3, 2001 | access-date = March 17, 2011 | url-status=dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130725045044/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=star%20spangled%20banner&artist=whitney%20houston&format=SINGLE&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2011&sort=Artist&perPage=25 | archive-date = July 25, 2013 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> The song's re-charting made Houston the first woman to chart the same song inside the top 20 of the Hot 100.<ref name="top20repeat">{{cite web |url=https://top40weekly.com/top-20-songs-charted-twice-by-same-artist/ |title=Top 20 Songs Charted Twice by Same Artist |work=Top40Weekly.com |date=July 24, 2024}}</ref> Later in 1991, Houston put together her ''[[Welcome Home Heroes with Whitney Houston|Welcome Home Heroes]]'' concert with [[HBO]] for the soldiers fighting in the Persian Gulf War and their families. The free concert took place at [[Naval Station Norfolk]] in [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]], Virginia in front of 3,500 servicemen and women. HBO descrambled the concert so that it was free for everyone to watch.<ref>Smith, Patricia. [https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/59168720.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+1%2C+1991&author=Patricia+Smith%2C+Globe+Staff&pub=Boston+Globe+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&edition=&startpage=NOPGCIT&desc=Mom%2C+apple+pie+and+Whitney+Houston+in+concert+for+troops "Mom, apple pie and Whitney Houston in concert for troops"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725032104/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/59168720.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+1%2C+1991&author=Patricia+Smith%2C+Globe+Staff&pub=Boston+Globe+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&edition=&startpage=NOPGCIT&desc=Mom%2C+apple+pie+and+Whitney+Houston+in+concert+for+troops |date=July 25, 2013 }}. ''The Boston Globe'' April 1, 1991.</ref> The show gave HBO its highest ratings ever at the time.<ref>Hodges, Anne. "Hope opens his home to U.S. troops". ''Houston Chronicle'' April 6, 1991.</ref> 

Houston then embarked on her third world tour, the ''[[I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour]]'', in which Houston performed 97 shows, including a ten-date sold-out residency at Wembley Arena in London. The concert tour produced mixed to positive reviews. While ''The Sun Sentinel'' argued that Houston should've opted for smaller venues and theaters that were "far more suitable to her sophistication and talent",<ref>Wilker, Deborah. "Whitney Houston: Bigger – but better?" ''Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel.'' June 13, 1991. Page 3E.</ref> ''[[USA Today]]'' praised Houston for "shak[ing] the confinements of her recordings' calculated productions and gets downright gutsy and soulful".<ref>Jones, James T. "Whitney is so emotional, soulful in concert". ''USA Today''. April 19, 1991. Page 01D.</ref>