The Greatest Hits (CD - 2000)

Producers include: Raphael Saadiq, Q-Tip, David Foster, Rodney Jerkins, Wyclef Jean.

Includes liner notes by Amy Linden.

It should come as no surprise that a woman who counts Dionne Warwick as a cousin, Aretha Franklin as a family friend, and whose mother was a legendary session and gospel singer, became a phenomenally successful R&B act. Perhaps more surprising is that it took 17 years after first signing with Arista for Whitney Houston to produce her first greatest hits album.

These hits are neatly compartmentalized into a "Cool Down" and a "Throw Down" disc, the former featuring ballads such as "Saving All My Love for You," while the latter showcases remixes of Whitney's uptempo singles such as "How Will I Know." Four new songs, three of which are duets, are also included. At the time of release, her golden voice had led to 16 Number 1 hits (that's two more than Madonna), an Emmy, Grammys and several notable collaborations. A stocking-filler for years to come, we'll wager. minimize