Whitney Houston’s The Bodyguard soundtrack has been certified 19x Platinum by the RIAA, extending its lead as the top-certified film soundtrack in U.S. history. Released in 1992, the album includes Houston’s enduring hit “I Will Always Love You.”
The milestone places The Bodyguard ahead of six other Diamond-certified soundtracks: Saturday Night Fever (16 million), Dirty Dancing (14 million), Purple Rain (13 million), Forrest Gump (12 million), Titanic (11 million), and The Lion King (10 million).
Houston remains the only Black artist with three Diamond albums. Her debut Whitney Houston is certified 14x Platinum, and Whitney (1987) is certified 10x Platinum. Other Black artists with multiple Diamond albums include Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, and 2Pac, each with two.
Ten of Houston’s singles also received new certifications. “I Will Always Love You” is now 11x Platinum, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” 8x Platinum, and “I Have Nothing” 4x Platinum. Other upgraded singles include “Higher Love” (3x), “How Will I Know” (3x), “Heartbreak Hotel,” “My Love Is Your Love,” “Saving All My Love for You” (each 2x), and “Run to You” and “Count on Me” (Platinum).
This year marks the 40th anniversary of her debut album, which first hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 1986. Houston’s total certified units in the U.S. now stand at 114.5 million across 11 albums and 27 singles.
Pat Houston, president of the Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation, said Whitney would be grateful for her global impact and fans’ continued support. RIAA president Michele Ballantyne added that Houston’s legacy continues to reach new generations.
