‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody,’ the lead single from Whitney Houston‘s 1987 eponymous sophomore album, not only hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 at the height of its popularity (becoming her fourth in what would go on to be a record-setting string of 7 consecutive chart-toppers) but it would eventually nab 7x Platinum status at the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The measure denotes sales equivalence of 7 million in the United States.
In fact, the latter organization has it listed as her second highest-certified hit in the country to date following the gargantuan ‘I Will Always Love You.’
A staple at weddings as well as TV and movie soundtracks over the last 3 decades, the enduring legacy of the Narada Michael Walden-produced smash got yet another nod thanks to Billboard’s recently published list of the “500 Best Pop Songs.”
Taking to press Friday (October 20), Billboard – in celebration of its 65th anniversary – lifted the lid on the final 100 of its “500 Best Pop Songs,” a tally limited to Hot 100-charting singles only that saw Houston’s GRAMMY-winning hit leading the fray.
Elsewhere in the upper rankings of the list, King and Queen of Pop Michael Jackson and Madonna are found at #7 and #6 for their respective hits ‘Billie Jean’ and ‘Like a Prayer.’
The top 10 aren’t the only places the trio of Pop royals are found on the historic Billboard rankings. Houston has ‘I Will Always Love You’ (#60) while Madonna has ‘Vogue‘ (#186) and ‘Borderline‘ (#128). Michael also has ‘Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough’ (#113).
Billboard’s 500 Best Pop Songs of All Time
#1 – Whitney Houston’s ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’
#2 – ABBA’s ‘Dancing Queen’
#3 – The Temptations’ ‘My Girl’
#4 – Backstreet Boys’ ‘I Want It That Way’
#5 – Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Since U Been Gone’
#6 – Madonna’s ‘Like a Prayer’
#7 – Michael Jackson’s ‘Billie Jean’
#8 – Carly Rae Jepsen’s ‘Call Me Maybe’
#9 – 2Pac’s ‘California Love’
#10 – The Beatles’ ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’
See the full list here.
QUEEN
Whitney Houston’s discography is MID asf (WEAK catalog) and I Wanna Flop With Somebody isn’t better than anythinh MJ put out in hid entire 40 year career. 💯
Coming from a Beyonce stan! Regardless of what your clogged arteries think, WHITNEY IS THE GREATEST FEMALE VOCALIST OF ALL TIME.
IWDWS > drop it like a thotty
Actually Beyonce with all 4 Octaves can outsing any note by Whitney past D#5. 😆 Whitney’s voice got more and more SHRILL from E#5 Forward sounding like a strangled cat. 😆 🤣
Says a bonafide fool who will never erase Whitney’s legacy
Will you ever affect this list? Thought not
I miss this clean and drug free Whitney so much!!!
Another list, another Beyoncé absence…
What a weird list! F.u.cckk DAMN
Haha haha ha haha
This is the supremely correct decision. Whitney’s ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ is the ultimate feel good experience, it gets people on the dancefloor, it even makes oldies tap their feet. The lyrics are light, clean and wholesome, not dark, like so much music coming out these days. Whitney’s vocals are superior, pristine and totally under her control and the video shows Whitney’s phenomenal beauty whilst having fun. We love you Whitney – The Greatest Singer of All Time.
Congratulations to George Merrill & Shannon Rubicam the two excellent white songwriters who wrote the song that anyone would have been able to make a hit.