Whitney Houston is dancing with a brand new record — she is now the third female artist in history to achieve an RIAA-certified Diamond album and song. To be certified Diamond — the Recording Industry Association of America’s most coveted honor — a song or album must sell over 10 million units.
Forbes reports that Whitney’s 1992 ballad “I Will Always Love You,” from her nearly double Diamond-certified soundtrack for The Bodyguard, is her first to reach Diamond status. The late singer’s 1985 debut Whitney Houston and her sophomore 1987 Whitney album are also Diamond, making her the only female artist to have three albums of that status.
Only two other women in music history can say they have a Diamond-certified single and album: Taylor Swift and Mariah Carey.
Taylor became the first female artist in history to nab both honors after her 2012 Fearless album sold over 10 million copies in 2017, joining her 2014 hit “Shake It Off” that was certified Diamond a few years earlier.
As for Mariah, she has two Diamond-certified albums: Daydream and Music Box. Her 1994 hit, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” just achieved its Diamond status in December 2021.
The Recording Industry Association of America has recently amended its rules when it comes to determining a song or album’s status. Initially, awards were based on sales, but recently, it began allowing streaming numbers to count towards its Gold, Platinum and Diamond honors.
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