Whether penciled in history books for reasons good, bad, ugly, and/or everything in between, 2020 brought with it some of entertainment’s most memorable moments.
Now, as the year draws to a close, That Grape Juice is reflecting on our favorite moments that rocked – and to some degree maybe even reshaped – the Urban and Pop cultural landscape as we know it.
First, we revisit the long-awaited entry of late Pop icon Whitney Houston into the hallowed halls of Rock & Roll fame.
Whitney Houston may have been eligible for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in her lifetime, but the Pop diva – despite being one of most influential and best-selling female artists in history – never made the cut in the nomination periods that followed her first year of eligibility (2010).
Angered fans were cooled in 2020 when the groundbreaking songstress was finally given her due and listed among the year’s class of inductees – a tally that also included the likes of Depeche Mode, the Doobie Brothers, Notorious B.I.G., Nine Inch Nails, and T. Rex.
**READ: Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame 2020: Whitney Houston & Notorious B.I.G To Be Inducted**
Though the event was forced to be rescheduled due to the global health crisis, the moment of truth came November 7 when Alicia Keys – one of many R&B superstars who considered Houston a mentor – took to HBO to officially present the ‘Saving All My Love For You’ singer’s estate with her official induction.
**READ: Whitney Houston Inducted Into 2020 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame By Alicia Keys**
Bringing to close a decade-long wait, the induction was just the icing on a very productive year for Houston’s legacy.
Just weeks prior, the iconic singer entered history books for owning the first solo track released in the 1990’s (‘I Will Always Love You’) to see its video cross 1 billion views on YouTube. That same week she made headlines for becoming the first Black artist to have 3 Diamond-certified albums.
**READ: RIAA: Whitney Houston Becomes First Black Artist To Have 3 Diamond Albums**