American singer and entertainer Whitney Houston is recognized globally for her crossover appeal on the popular music charts and movies that influenced the breaking down of gender and racial barriers. As one of the best-selling and most awarded performers in history, Houston's career has left a profound legacy on the entertainment industry and popular culture. Known as ''The Voice", she was named the greatest woman in music by ABC and the second-greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone. In 2025, Forbes named Houston the top black female vocalist, the number one female singer of the 80s and third of the 90s. Many major publications including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Fox News, and NBC News dubbed Houston the “greatest singer of her generation”.