Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.
So, as our retrospective segments, ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay,’ allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our latest feature – Chart Rewind – serves as a variation of our Retro Rewind assay to salute an entire era of music history.
This week, we’re so excited for ‘So Emotional’ – the sixth in Whitney Houston‘s historic string of seven consecutive Hot 100 chart-toppers.
Join us inside:
When she scored her first Hot 100 #1 hit with ‘Saving All My Love For You’ in 1985 (click here to read more), Whitney Houston unknowingly began planting seeds for a historic Billboard feat that – even at writing – is still standing the test of time.
Over the two years that followed the arrival of her first LP, 1985’s ‘Whitney Houston,’ the diva’s ascent to superstardom was aided by gargantuan sales of that effort (which held the record for “best-selling debut album for a solo artist” for years after its release), becoming the first female artist to premiere a project at #1 on the Billboard 200 (her sophomore album, ‘Whitney’), and – by October 1987 – having racked up 5 consecutive #1 hits on the Hot 100.
The pressure to continue that level of success was answered with ‘So Emotional’ – penned by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, the songwriting masterminds behind Madonna‘s ‘Like a Virgin,’ Cyndi Lauper‘s ‘True Colors,’ and a number of other 80’s megahits. Acting as the third single from Houston’s second LP, the edgy, guitar-driven cut – released October 12, 1987 – stood as a sonic departure from the soaring ballads and safer Pop-buoyed uptempo tunes of her catalog up to that date. But, if the impressive #47 Hot 100 debut by the month’s end was any indication music lovers welcomed the deviation.
Just three months later, ‘Emotional’ became the first new chart-topper of 1988.
Along with the honor, Houston – then with six #1s to her credit – entered a historic three-way tie with legends The Beatles and Bee Gees for ‘most consecutive Hot 100 #1 hits.’ Before ‘Emotional’ had even been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Whitney had already broken the record when she nabbed her seventh consecutive #1 hit, ‘Where Do Broken Hearts Go’ in spring of the same year.
Look below to see who joined Whitney in the top 25 this week 33 years ago.
Hot 100 This Week in 1988
Hot 100 This Week in 2021
Click here to see this week’s full Hot 100 recap.
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YASS meanwhile Paula was singing off key on the records😩😩 RIP QUEEN
Paula didn’t end up a dead crackhead.
Girl, shouldn’t you be tending to ur newborn? Between Trump’s calamitous week and ur innate ability to be nasty, I can’t imagine ur baby is feeling the love from you. Anyway, the name Whitney Elizabeth Houston is sacred and disparaging comments will not be tolerated. 💋💋
Go look after that thing, that dropped out your mile wide v*****. You on every single post talking s***. You should be reported for child neglect. Who has this much free time with a newborn. I know the daddy ain’t around and you definitely don’t have a job or family support. You are a miserable unhappy h**.
Save it, tofu bish
Yeah she ended up a cokehead, pill popping has been. Whitney still breaking records beyond the grave. What is Paula doing these days?
Whitney died from an accidental drowning or murder
She was a crackhead who died, regardless of what from = dead crackhead. Does the thick one get it yet?
Every time I see Whitney throwback signature hair style. I always think of Jems and the hologram. I remember being little and always thinking that was Whitney Houston B.K.A Shana elmsford. I believe Whitney Houston has the most iconic hair style that will be forever remember out all stars.. hmm 🤔
Whitney Whitney Whitney!! I still jam out to “So Emotional” now and again. So many gems on the “Whitney” album 💙💙💙
Crackney Crackney Crackney! ! I still jam out to “you gave good d I c k “ “ saving all my crack for you” now and again. So many gems on the “Crackney” album 👵🏿👵🏿👵🏿 I love “how will I know” btw 🖤🖤🖤
Yasssssss chile!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
🥱🥱 I’m still flying high off the downfall of Trump. You bitter b****** can’t bring me (or Whitney) down. We’re winners 💋💋💋💋🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻
Cant believe the fàgs that run this blog didnt mention sasha valour iconic lip sync of this song that exposed the song to a younger generation.
Here’s an idea…post about it in ur own gotdamn blog troll. Oh but wait… 😂😂🤡🤡🖕🏻🖕🏻
Because no one cares maybe?
Classic! 💅🏿💅🏿 Even tho she can’t dance for 💩
Glad to see two talented white gentlemen by the names of Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly writing such amazing songs, that’s power!
Mhmm…and their names would be lost in obscurity if it wasn’t for the black vocal prodigy that is Whitney Elizabeth Houston. Nice try Danzou. Go race bait on those QAnon blogs. 🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🤡🤡🤡
You must be dumber then I thought, anyone can sing a song but not anyone can write a successful song and they wrote plenty. Stay hating troll.
Why do you hate that part of the song’s success was due to white people? As most things are. Most things you use are also made by/made possible by where people. The language you speak and write in is the white man’s language. The world wouldn’t be as progressed as it is without white people. Just take a look at non-white majority countries aside from Japan.
@ Fake Fancy…you’re a clown imbecile masquerading as this ridiculous champion for racial equality. Putting words to a piece of paper and music will probably NOT make a song successful by itself. It’s the singers emotions, conviction, passion and interpretation of those words which then resonates with the listeners and makes the song successful. Case in point…I will Always Love You. The song was a nothing burger from Dolly until Whitney came along and made it something. Now shut the fûćk up dummy.
@Shayla…blah blah blah. There isn’t anything in my comment about hating white people. You’re projecting your own hatred for other races on me. Fancy Fake aka Danzou aka Dear Black People aka Misty Knight attempted to diminish Whitney’s personal success as a black woman by pointing out that the song was written by two white men and I had to school the troll. 💋💋🖕🏻🖕🏻
Oh no, you haven’t schooled anyone you are the only clown here who goes to CLOWN school. There is always a great singer right around a corner they might be black, they might be white but without great song lyrics, it means nothing. I am the master and I will always school Fancy CLOWNS like you.
I’m not wasting anymore of my time on you Danzou. 🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🤡🤡🤡🤡
Is that a promise Fancy CLOWN 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
You don’t like it when I prove you wrong as always.
Fancy CLARK is hillbilly inbred junkbunk chile 🤣 Me and the new improved marilyn knows this as FACT 😂🤳🏽
Het Fancy CLOWNi thought you weren’t wasting any more of my time on me, you just can’t get me out of your head. You are so sad.
These RnB bitchezz faking like they didn’t listen to Whitney and wanna be her y’all can’t sing like her