The list of musical artists that have racked up the most No. 1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 has changed dramatically in the past decade or so. Several modern stars have pulled ahead of a number of legends, thanks in part to changes in how the ranking of the most-consumed tunes in America is compiled. It’s easier these days for the biggest figures in the business to debut cuts at No. 1 every time they release a new album, which helps them make history with each new era.
Artists like Taylor Swift, Rihanna and Drake are counted among the most successful names in the history of the Billboard Hot 100, and they have all managed to pass some of the biggest and most respected soloists and groups of all time. One musician who has been leapfrogged over multiple times in just the past few years alone is Whitney Houston, who, even more than a decade after her passing, remains on the list of musicians with the most No. 1 songs.
All of Houston’s Billboard Hot 100-ruling smashes were recently gathered together on a new compilation titled WH1TNEY. The title plays on the late superstar’s name by swapping the letter I for the number one, and the new hits project becomes a quick win on multiple Billboard charts in America this week.
Whitney Houston’s Album Debuts on Three Billboard Charts
WH1TNEY debuts on three Billboard rankings this week. The compilation launches on the Top R&B Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts and the Billboard 200 at Nos. 20, 44 and 148, respectively.
Whitney Houston Returns to the R&B Charts
WH1TNEY earns Houston only her fourth appearance on the Top R&B Albums chart, despite her legacy as an R&B powerhouse. The compilation earns the late singer her first debut on the roster in just under a decade. She last launched a project on the tally in December 2017, when I Wish You Love: More From The Bodyguard arrived.
The late superstar is much more familiar with the broader Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums ranking, where WH1TNEY becomes her milestone fifteenth project to appear. She has placed just one additional title on the Billboard 200, where her career count is now up to 16.
WH1TNEY Becomes One of Houston’s Lowest-Charting Albums
The newly-offered compilation stands out as Houston’s second-lowest-peaking release on all three charts where it debuts. On the Billboard 200, only I Wish You Love: More From The Bodyguard stalled in a lower position. That project opened at No. 165, spent one week on the roster and then disappeared. The same collection is also Houston’s lowest-charting title on the Top R&B Albums ranking.
Whitney Houston Has Rarely Missed the Top 10
On the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, another collection claims the distinction of being Houston’s lowest-peaking release. VH1 Divas Live/99 – which is credited to not only Houston, but also Cher, Tina Turner and Brandy – debuted at No. 78 more than a quarter-century ago. That position no longer exists, as Billboard has since shortened the roster to 50 spaces.
WH1TNEY is one of only two Houston releases to miss the top 10 on the Top R&B Albums chart. It is also one of just three of her 15 appearances on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums ranking to fail to surge into the highest tier for even one week.
Whitney Houston’s No. 1 Hits All Gathered Onto One Compilation
Throughout her career, Houston scored 11 No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100. She currently stands alone on the list of artists with the most rulers, and she’s now in ninth place. Here are all of Houston’s leaders on the main songs tally in the U.S., which are featured on WH1TNEY.