Whitney Houston’s Chart-Topping Hits Are Driving Multiple Albums To Success
Whitney Houston left behind a discography filled with some of the most popular pop and R&B songs in history. The vocal talent has now been gone for well over a decade, but interest in her beloved singles is still high—just take a look at the United Kingdom's music charts.
Two of Houston's greatest hits compilations are charting across the pond this week. Both collections manage to find space on two different tallies each. Oddly, there's no crossover, as neither project appears on the same list as another from Houston.
Houston's The Ultimate Collection doesn't just appear on several charts; it returns to multiple rankings in the U.K. this time. The compilation is a top 40 win once again on the Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums tally, where it re-enters at No. 38. The same set is also back on the Official Album Downloads roster, where it restarts its time on the roster at No. 84.
Meanwhile, another one of Houston's popular collections of smashes is on the rise. I Will Always Love You - The Best of Whitney Houston doesn't need to find its way back to any lists, as it was already present on the two rosters it lands on this period.
I Will Always Love You lifts just a pair of rungs on the Official Albums Streaming chart, making a home at No. 56. Over on the main albums tally, the compilation gains a lot more ground. The set ascends from No. 73 to No. 59, improving by more than 10 spaces at once on that roster.
The tracklists of both I Will Always Love You and The Ultimate Collection share a number of songs. The two compilations seem like they're both able to survive in the United Kingdom simultaneously as fans may be consuming them in different ways. While some stick to streaming, others seem more intent on continuing to buy the late singer's most celebrated tracks.
Some of Houston's success is tied directly to the albums that appear on the charts. If the set appears on the downloads tally, it's because the full-length itself is being purchased legally on a site like iTunes in sizable numbers. Her performance on the main albums ranking, however, could be powered in large part by consumption of the songs featured on a compilation, opposed to a fan listening to or buying the complete project.
