‘I Will Always Love You’ Turns 30: How Whitney Houston’s Monumental Hit Became the Gold Standard of Vocal Performance

November 2 brought with it the 30th anniversary of Whitney Houston‘s ‘I Will Always Love You,’ easily one of the most important recordings in the history of modern music.

The gold standard of vocal dexterity, the 1992 hit towers as Houston’s signature song – a particularly impressive feat for a woman who had already collected nine Billboard Hot 100 #1 hits by the time the tune landed in her lap.

Found aboard the soundtrack to her film debut, ‘The Bodyguard’ (which boasts the best-selling soundtrack and female album of all-time thanks to sales in excess of 45 million worldwide), ‘Always’ was almost “the hit that wasn’t” as the diva was originally set to re-record Jimmy Ruffin‘s 1966 Motown hit “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” for the Kevin Costner-led movie.

“I couldn’t make it fit for Whitney. I tried two demos. I didn’t like it. She didn’t like it,” Foster once recalled.

Once Costner, who starred in and produced ‘The Bodyguard’ film, suggested Dolly Parton‘s 1974 chart-topper, ‘I Will Always Love You,’ instead, David says it was a perfect fit.

“The minute I heard that song, I knew what to do with it and how to make it perfect for Whitney,” he revealed.

Transforming the sorrowful Country song into a full-on soulful heartbreak anthem, Whitney’s revamp – which includes the addition of a now-unforgettable a capella intro and soaring climax – blared as a resounding salute to love lost.

An out-of-the-box hit, ‘Always’ opened at #40 on the Billboard Hot 100 before hopping to #1 just two weeks later. Going on to dominate radio for the two years that followed, the bittersweet ballad didn’t tap out of the top spot until 14 weeks after its arrival there – marking the first time any artist had held onto the chart summit that long. And while the years that followed would see a select group of acts tie or surpass that record, the only other female act to know such glory by her lonesome would be Whitney’s diva friend Mariah Carey (thanks to her gargantuan 2005 hit ‘We Belong Together’).

What’s more, Houston’s ‘Always’ became the first tune to sell over 600,000 copies in one week – a feat all the more impressive given that it had already been available for weeks at the time this was accomplished.

By 2022, the song was certified Diamond by the RIAA (a measure that denotes sales of 10 million in the United States alone). With that triumph, Houston became the first Black female to own a Diamond single and multiple Diamond albums. Worldwide, its sales hover over the 20 million mark, making it the best-selling single by a female act ever.

And while its chart stats are nothing short of legendary, they can only be matched by the slew of accolades the song rounded up at the height of its popularity.

Beyond collecting Soul Train Awards, People Choice Awards, American Music Awards, and Billboard Awards, ‘Always’ collected multiple GRAMMYs (including Record of the Year) over its 2-year domination spree.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9S8whWulU0

The biggest flex of Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’ comes not courtesy of its lofty sales or impressive award amassment, but instead its enduring legacy.

Yes, it’s listed on multiple “greatest song ever” lists including the top 100 of Rolling Stone’s ‘Greatest 500 Songs’ tally, but it’s also #65 on the American Film Institute’s ‘100 Greatest American Movie Songs’ index, registered in the Library of Congress, and found inside the top 10 of a slew of other all-time lists.

Arguably, where it shines most is its apex historical positioning. From talent competitions to tribute performances, ‘I Will Always Love You’ remains the highest reach for any vocalist seeking to prove he or she has the chops to be ordained a master of the craft.

For that nearly-unreachable benchmark of excellence, we thank Miss Houston and David Foster – even three decades later – for blessing modern history with one of music’s most monumental moments.

[photos courtesy: GRAMMYs/AP Photos/Getty Images]