My Love Is Your Love is the fourth studio album by American singer Whitney Houston, released worldwide on November 17, 1998. The album, her first studio album in eight years since I'm Your Baby Tonight, was composed of mid-tempo R&B, hip hop, ballads, urban-dance, reggae, and torch songs, produced by different musicians such as Rodney Jerkins, Soulshock & Karlin, Wyclef Jean, David Foster, and Babyface. Although the album only peaked at number thirteen, her lowest position at the point, on the Billboard 200 and its sales weren't bigger than the previous albums in the United States, it was a hit globally, with successful world tour in support of the album. In particular, it was a hit in Europe, topping the charts in Austria, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. It also reached the top five in other Euroepan countries like Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The album generated five hit singles including three top five Hot 100 hitsㅡ"Heartbreak Hotel", "It's Not Right But It's Okay" and the title track, "My Love Is Your Love," became Houston's third best-selling single ever. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI, Europe) certified it 4× platinum for shipping 4 million copies of the album in 1999 and 2002, respectively. Wolrdwide it has sold over 10 million copies.

With its commercial success, My Love Is Your Love received rave reviews from many critics, regarded as one of her best works. At the 42nd Grammy Awards of 2000, the album got seven nominations including Best R&B Album and two Best R&B Songs, and won one of which, Houston's sixth Grammy Award, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

Commercial performance

In the United States, My Love Is Your Love was released on November 17, 1998 when major records were released simultaneously for the holidays by high-profile musicians like Garth Brooks, Jewel, Method Man, The Offspring and Seal besides her.Time magazine wrote, "Music-industry folks have dubbed it Super Tuesday because more than 10 major pop acts issued new CDs on the single day, making it the heaviest release date ever." The album entered the Billboard 200 chart at number thirteen, which was the peak position of the album and her lowest chart position at that point in time, with sales of 123,000 copies in its first week. That result was a little disapponted because the release was Houston's first non-soundtrack album in eight years and so anticipated highly. But eventually, the album got good results thanks to a series of hit singles, her energetic promotions and a successful tour. My Love Is Your Love was present on the Billboard 200 chart for seventy-five weeks and on Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for seventy-nine weeks, peaking at number seven. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it 4× Platinum on November 1, 1999, for shipments of 4 million copies of the album. According to the Nielson SoundScan, the albums has sold 2,753,000 copies.

Across Europe, it was more successful than in United States. In early times of its release, the commercial response for the album was short of expectations. But its sales rose sharply during the European leg of the My Love Is Your Love World Tour, which was the highest grossing arena concert tour of 1999 in the continent, and consequently My Love Is Your Love became the second best-selling album of 1999 in Europe behind Cher's Believe, spending more than one year on the charts in many countries. In the U.K., it reached the number four on the albums chart and was certified 3× Platinum for shipments of 900,000 copies of the album by the British Phonographic Industry(BPI). In France, the album peaked at number two on the albums chart, was certified 2× Platinum by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique(SNEP), selling 700,000 copies. In Germany, it climbed to the number two on the albums chart on its 35th week and has sold more than 670,000 copies. The album reached the number one on the albums charts in Austria, Switzerland and Netherlands, and the top five in Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Finland. My Love Is Your Love was certified 4× Platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry(IFPI) for shipments of 4 million copies of the album in Europe.

Worldwide, the album has sold over 10 milion copies.

Critical response

Upon the album's debut, the album received positive responses from music critics. Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone magazine commented that "It's easily her most consistent album ever — in fact, it's her first consistent album.", and praised her mature voice as follows.

Jon Pareles, in his review for the New York Times, praised her fully-developed voice, too. He stated that her sound was "supple and devout", comparing Carey's fidgetting sound with every phrase in "When You Believe", and commented "Ms. Houston used to be similarly showy and disjointed, but now her improvisations bring emotional coherence to technical feats." With expressing his interest about any connections between her troubled marriage and her new materials, commented "Lest anyone draw other conclusions from the songs, the album carries a disclaimer." Also, he was almost positive about her new songs with changed style such as "It's Not Right But It's Okay", "Heartbreak Hotel" and "My Love Is Your Love", but was critical of more old-fashioned ballads, commenting "sound stodgy and bombastic".

In Billboard magazine's review, the issue dated November 28, 1999, they called the album "A tour de force that showcases her strengths in a wide array of musical genres from pop to R&B to gospel to dance." Also, stating "On an album with writing and production input from a diverse roster of players, Houston keeps it all together with her spectacular voice and singular artistic persona.", wrote "the album with immense crossover potential".

Mark Bautz of Entertainment Weekly gave the album B+, calling My Love Is Your Love "A schizophrenic album" and "A primer on today's hip-hop/R&B scene: the good, the bad." by reason of the uneveness of the album. He commented "Wyclef Jean's gorgeous reggae-tinged title song and three funky cuts by Rodney Jerkins showcase the 35-year-old Whitney Houston in all her creative, soulful maturity. In contrast, a trio of schmaltzy Babyface-produced tunes expose her as merely a gifted interpreter of bland radio-ready fare.". Similarly,TIME praised some new songs, calling the title song "superb" and Houston's remake of Stevie Wonder's classic "fabulous", but criticized the old-fashioned songs of the album sharply, commenting "The problem is with the Old Guard: producer David Foster's work is dull, and Dianne Warren and Babyface, who both wrote tracks, have better work on their respective resumes."

Writing for USA Today in November 1998, Steve Jones made a favorable comment on almost every song whether it is a ballad with her formula for success or a new styled song produced by hot, young producers who've updated and diversified her sound, stating "There's something here for just about everybody, whether you favor R&B, pop or adult contemporary radio." But he chose the remake "I Was Made To Love Him" as the best track of the album, complimenting the song highly, "The rollicking, gender-flipping remake". Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic, who gave the album four out of five stars, called it "easily ranks among her best" and complimented the musical diversity "Houston has never been quite so subtle before, nor has she ever shown this desire to branch out musically." But he also wasn't positive for adult contemporary ballads of the album, stating "In fact, the songs that feel the stiffest are the big production numbers; tellingly, they're the songs that are the most reminiscent of old-school Houston." Los Angeles Times gave it three out of four stars, writing " reflect her growth as an artist and as an individual."

Promotions

Singles

All five singles released from My Love Is Your Love, were great success worldwide. In the United States, they were all the top forty Billboard Hot 100 hits, which of three reached the top five on the chart, selling a total of 3.9 million copies. The album generated two Platinum and two Gold singles, awarded by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1999. In the United Kingdom, Houston also went to have five top forty singles including three top five hits, with a total of 1.09 million copies sold, becoming the eighth best-selling singles artist of 1999. The singles also achieved big success in other countries such as Canada, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland.

"When You Believe", duet with Mariah Carey, was released as the lead single of the album in December 1998. The song debuted at number fifty-one without retail single on the new Billboard Hot 100 chart, changed airplay-only tracks to enter the chart, the issue date of December 5, 1998. Before release, it led to expectations that the song would be a smash hit for star power of two industrial rivals. However, after the single had released, it managed to peak at number fifteen on the chart, the issue dated January 30, 1999. It reached number thirty-three on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles & Tracks chart. Billboard was unfavorable for the single, commenting "Given the potential of these two powerhouse voices, however, the song falls flat with a surprisingly understated and downright disappointing bridge: You wait and wait for the duel of the divas, and it simply never materializes," but positive of Houston's performance; "The genuine story in this track is the return of Houston, who sounds fantasticㅡas clear and confident as ever." The RIAA certified it Gold for shipments of 500,000 copies on March 24, 1999. Unlike in the United States, the single was a success on the world charts. It reached the top five in the U.K. with 260,000 copies sold, Belgium, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the top ten in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, and New Zealand. Thanks to popularity for the song across Europe, it eventually peaked at number two on the Eurochart Hot 100.

The album's second single, "Heartbreak Hotel" which features Faith Evans and Kelly Price, entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number eighty-four, the issue date of December 26, 1998. In its first week when the song was commercially available, it leaped to number twenty-nine, and after six weeks peaked at number two on the Hot 100, making it the first Houston single to peak in the runner-up spot. The song entered the revamped Billboard Hot R&B Singles & Tracks chart at number twenty-three with the mark of its seventh week on the chart, the issue date of January 9, 1999. In Its first week of retail release, it reached the number six and the following week topped the chart, becoming her eighth No.1 single on the Hot R&B chart. The single stayed on the summit for seven consecutive weeks from February 13 to March 27, 1999, which was her third longest stay atop this chart behind "I Will Always Love You" for eleven weeks and "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" for eight weeks, and was on the chart for a total of thirty-one weeks. The single sold over 1,400,000 copies in the U.S. alone, becoming the third best-selling single of 1999, and was certified Platinum by the RIAA on March 2, 1999.

"It's Not Right But It's Okay" was released as the third single from the album in May 1999. Before May, it was featured as the B-side of maxi-singles with "Heartbreak Hotel," and charted on the Hot 100 and Hot R&B with its only airplay and sales of maxi-singles. The song appeared firstly at number sixty-four on the Hot R&B Singles & Tracks chart, the issue date of January 9, 1999. It rose higher position of the chart steadily, and eventually reached its peak position, number seven, in its twenty-fourth week on the chart. On the Hot 100 chart, the single debuted at number eighty-seven, the issue date of May 8, 1999, and after the regular-length cassette & CD configurations had hit stores, peaked at number four, selling 522,000 copies in the United States. The RIAA certified it Gold on June 29, 1999. It was also successful in the United Kingdom. The single reached the number three on the singles chart, making it her twelfth top ten hits, and sold over 510,000 units, ranked at number twenty-five in the list of UK's best-selling singles in 1999. In Canada, it made rare chart performances, peaking at number three for the regular single and number five for its import single simultaneously on the Canadian SoundScan Singles chart in August 1999. After her European promotion during February in 1999, it was popular in many countries of Europe, reaching the number one in Spain, top twenty in Austria, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, and Sweden. Finally it peaked at number nine on the Eurochart Hot 100.

The title track, "My Love Is Your Love" was the fourth single from the album. It was a massive hit worldwide, becoming Houston's another signature song. Firstly, the single was released in each country of Europe from June of 1999, prior to the Unite States. Upon release, the song was popular immediately across Europe, and became a bigger hit during her My Love Is Your Love European Tour. In the U.K., it went straight to its peak position, number two, on the singles chart, the issue date of July 3, 1999. The single sold 525,000 copies, becoming the twenty-second best-selling single of 1999. In Germany, it peaked at number two and was certified Platinum for shipments of 500,000 copies by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI). It also reached the number two in countries such as Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland. It went to top ten in Belgium, Denmark, France, and Norway. Eventually the single topped the Eurochart Hot 100 for a week, becoming her fourth number one single, and was positioned at number six in the Europe's Top Singles list of 1999. In New Zealand, it peaked at number one for a week, which was Houston's third number-one single after 1987's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" and 1992's "I Will Always Love You." Likewise, it was a hit in the United States. The song debuted at number eighty-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in September 1999 and peaked at number four in January 2000, becoming her 22nd top ten hit. In addition, it reached the number two position on the Hot R&B Singles & Tracks chart, spending a total of twenty-nine weeks on the chart. The single sold 1,100,000 copies and was certified Platinum by the RIAA on December 14, 1999. Worldwide it sold over 3 million copies and became her third best-selling single ever, behind "I Will Always Love You" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)," with 12 million and 4.2 million copies sold, respectively.

"I Learned from the Best" became the fifth and final single to be released off the album in February, 2000. The song debuted at number eighty-three on the Hot 100 and peaked at number twenty-seven. It reached the number thirteen on the Hot R&B Singles & Tracks. According to the Nielsen SoundScan, the single sold 352,000 units in the United States alone. Outside the U.S., it wasn't successful as big as the previous singles from the album. The single reached the number six in Finland, the number eight in Spain, and the number nineteen in the United Kingdom with 95,000 copies sold. Besides, it went to the top forty in the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Billboard Hot Dance Music chart

The songs with various remix versions, released off My Love Is Your Love, were very popular in dance clubs and smash hits on the Billboard Dance Music chart. Four consecutive singles reached the number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chartㅡ"It's Not Right But It's Okay" for three weeks, "Heartbreak Hotel" for a week, "My Love Is Your Love" for two Weeks, and "I Learned from the Best" for three weeks. Moreover, the maxi-singles, released as vinyl, cassette and CD formats, were successful on the Billboard Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart. "My Love Is Your Love" topped the chart for two weeks, and "I Learned from the Best" for one week. "Heartbreak Hotel/It's Not Right But It's Okay" and "It's Not Right But It's Okay/I Will Always Love You" peaked at number two on the chart, respectively.

Charts and certifications

Chart positions

Certifications and sales

Singles chart positions

's Not Right But It's Okay

Artist/Band Information

Whitney Elizabeth Houston (born August 9, 1963) is an American R&B/pop singer, actress, and former fashion model. Houston is the most awarded female artist of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 2 Emmy Awards, 6 Grammy Awards, 16 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among a total of 415 career awards as of 2010. Houston is also one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 170 million albums and singles worldwide.

Inspired by several prominent soul singers in her extended family, including her mother Cissy Houston, cousins Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick, and Godmother Aretha Franklin, Houston began singing at her New Jersey church as a member of a junior gospel choir at age eleven. After she began performing alongside her mother in night clubs in the New York City area, she was discovered by Arista Records label head Clive Davis. Houston has released six studio albums and three movie soundtrack albums throughout her career, all of which have had diamond, multi-platinum, platinum, or gold certification.

Houston released her debut album Whitney Houston in 1985, which became the best-selling debut album by a female act at the time of its release. Her second studio album Whitney (1987) became the first album by a female artist to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Houston's crossover appeal on the popular music charts as well as her prominence on MTV, starting with her award-winning video for "How Will I Know", enabled several African-American female artists to follow in her success.

Houston's first acting role was as the star of the feature film The Bodyguard in 1992. The film's original soundtrack won the 1994 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Its lead single, "I Will Always Love You", became the best-selling single by a female artist in music history. The album makes her the only female act ranked in the list of the world's Top 10 best-selling albums; at number four. Houston continued to star in feature films and contributed to soundtracks including Waiting to Exhale (1995) and The Preacher's Wife (1996). After the release of her fourth studio album My Love Is Your Love (1998), she renewed her recording contract with Arista Records in 2001. She subsequently released her fifth studio album, Just Whitney, the following year with a Christmas album, One Wish: The Holiday Album, being released in 2003. Amidst widespread media coverage of personal and professional turmoil, Houston ended her 14 year marriage to Bobby Brown in 2006. In 2009, Houston released her seventh studio album, I Look To You.

Biography

Early life

Whitney Houston was born in what was then a middle income neighborhood of Newark, New Jersey, the third and youngest child of John and gospel singer Cissy Houston. She is of African American, Native American and Dutch descent. Her mother, along with cousins Dionne Warwick and the late Dee Dee Warwick and godmother Aretha Franklin were all notable figures in the gospel, rhythm and blues, pop, and soul genres. Houston was raised a Baptist, but was also exposed to the Pentecostal church. After the 1967 Newark riots, the family moved to a middle class area in East Orange, New Jersey when she was four.

At the age of eleven, Houston began to follow in her mother's footsteps and started performing as a soloist in the junior gospel choir at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, where she also learned to play the piano. Her first solo performance in the church was "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah".

When Houston was a teenager, she attended a Catholic single-sex high school, Mount Saint Dominic Academy, where she met her best friend Robyn Crawford, whom she describes as the "sister she never had." While Houston was still in school, her mother continued to teach her how to sing. In addition to her mother, Franklin, and Warwick, Houston was also exposed to the music of Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, and Roberta Flack, most of whom would have an impact on her as a singer and performer.

1977–84: Early career

Houston spent some of her teenage years touring nightclubs where her mother Cissy was performing, and she would occasionally get on stage and perform with her. In 1977, at age 14, she was a backup singer on the Michael Zager Band's single "Life's a Party". Zager subsequently offered to obtain a recording contract for the young singer, but Cissy declined, wanting her young daughter to finish school first. Then in 1978, at age 15, Houston sang background vocals on Chaka Khan's hit single "I'm Every Woman", a song she would later turn into a hit for herself on her monster-selling soundtrack album The Bodyguard. She also sang back-up on albums by Lou Rawls and Jermaine Jackson. In the early 1980s, Houston started working as a fashion model after a photographer saw her at Carnegie Hall singing with her mother. She appeared as a lead vocalist on a Paul Jabara album, entitled Paul Jabara and Friends: featuring The Weather Girls, Leata Galloway & Whitney Houston (Columbia Records, 1983). She appeared in Seventeen Magazine and became one of the first women of color to grace the cover of Seventeen magazine. She was also featured in layouts in the pages Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Young Miss and appeared in a Canada Dry soft drink TV commercial. Her striking looks and girl-next-door charm made her one of the most sought after teen models of that time. While modeling, she continued her burgeoning recording career by working with producers Ben Dover, Bill Laswell and Martin Bisi on an album they were spearheading called One Down, which was credited to the group Material. For that project, Houston contributed the ballad "Memories". Robert Christgau of The Village Voice called her contribution "one of the most gorgeous ballads you've ever heard".

Houston had previously been offered several recording agencies (Michael Zager in 1980 and Elektra Records in 1981). In 1983, Gerry Griffith, an A&R representative from Arista Records saw her performing with her mother in a New York City nightclub and was impressed. He convinced Arista's head Clive Davis to make time to see Houston perform. Davis too was impressed and offered a worldwide recording contract which Houston signed. Later that year, she made her national televised debut alongside Davis on The Merv Griffin Show.

Houston signed with Arista in 1983 but did not begin work on her album immediately. The label wanted to make sure no other label signed the singer away. Davis wanted to ensure he had the right material and producers for Houston's debut album. Some producers had to pass on the project due to prior commitments. Houston first recorded a duet with Teddy Pendergrass entitled "Hold Me" which appeared on his album, Love Language. The single was released in 1984 and gave Houston her first taste of success, becoming a Top 5 R&B hit. It would also appear on her debut album in 1985.

1985–86: Rise to prominence

Whitney86Grammy.jpgleftthumb160pxHouston in the backstage area, after receiving her first Grammy award at its 28th ceremony on February 25, 1986.

With production from Michael Masser, Kashif, Jermaine Jackson and Narada Michael Walden, Houston's self-titled debut album was released in February 1985. Rolling Stone magazine praised the new talent, calling her "one of the most exciting new voices in years" while The New York Times called the album "an impressive, musically conservative showcase for an exceptional vocal talent." The first single, the dance-funk "Someone For Me", failed to chart in the US and UK. The next single, "Thinking About You", reached the top ten of the US R&B Chart, as the album sold modestly. The release of the next single, the soulful ballad "You Give Good Love", peaked at #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and went to #1 on the R&B Charts. As a result, the album began to sell strongly, and Houston continued promoting the album by touring nightclubs in the US. She also began performing on late-night television talk shows, which was not usually accessible to black acts. The jazzy ballad "Saving All My Love for You" was released next and it would become Houston's first #1 hit single in both the US and the UK. She was now an opening act for singer Jeffrey Osborne on his nationwide tour. At the time, MTV had received harsh criticism for not playing enough videos by African-American artists while favoring rock acts. The next single, "How Will I Know", peaked at #1 and introduced Houston to the MTV audience thanks to its video. This would make the singer the first African-American female artists to receive heavy rotation on the network. By 1986, a year after its initial release, Whitney Houston topped the Billboard 200 album chart and stayed there for 14 non-consecutive weeks. The final single, "Greatest Love of All", became Houston's biggest hit at the time after peaking #1 and remaining there for three weeks. At the time, Houston released the best-selling debut album by a female artist. Houston then embarked on her world tour, Greatest Love Tour. The album had become an international success, and was certified 13x Platinum (diamond) in the United States alone, and has sold a total of 25 million copies worldwide.

At the 1986 Grammy Awards, Houston was nominated for three awards including Album of the Year. She was ineligible for the Best New Artist category due to her previous duet recording with Teddy Pendergrass in 1984. She won her first Grammy award for 'Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female' for "Saving All My Love for You".