1986 Power Ballad Named Named No. 1 Hit Song Became a Timeless Anthem

A number one power ballad single captured the hearts of listeners worldwide and has since evolved into a timeless anthem over the past 40 years.

Back in 1986, Whitney Houston released one of her iconic songs, “Greatest Love of All,” that quickly became more than just a chart success.

Written by lyricist Linda Creed and renowned composer Michael Masser, it was initially created for The Greatest, a 1977 biopic of Muhammad Ali.

Before the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, it was first recorded by George Benson, intended for the movie; however, it was a fated performance when the then-19-year-old Houston sang the track at a New York nightclub, which was witnessed by Masser and legendary record producer Clive Davis.

Both were moved by the female singer’s rendition and later offered her a recording contract with the label Arista Records.

Despite the initial plans for her debut album, Houston wanted to include “Greatest Love of All” due to the song’s message of self-reliance.

On February 14, 1985, she released her self-titled debut studio album, which featured some of her signature hits and chart-topping tracks, including “Saving All My Love for You”, “How Will I Know” and of course “Greatest Love of All”.

Beyond the public’s love for the song, it also reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and dominated the chart for three consecutive weeks.

Moreover, “Greatest Love of All” also reached the top spot on the Billboard Adult Contemporary and R&B charts, further solidifying its presence in the music scene.

In addition to her chart-topping success, Houston also received major wins following the release of her hit track.

Whitney Houston’s recording of “Greatest Love of All” earned several prestigious awards and nominations following its massive success in 1986.

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The singer-actress took home Favorite Soul/R&B Video Single and Favorite Album at the 4th Annual American Music Awards.

The popularity of the song and her other tracks also led her to win Top Pop Artist, Top Pop Album and Top Pop Album Artist at the 1986 Billboard Music Awards.

Celebrating the milestone, the official Instagram account of the late music icon marked 40 years since its release.

“40 years ago today, “Greatest Love of All” was released as a single from Whitney’s debut album ‘Whitney Houston’. Originally recorded by George Benson in 1977 for the film “The Greatest”, the song was further popularized by Whitney, becoming a major hit — topping the charts in the U.S., Australia and Canada and reaching the Top 20 in most other countries. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 3 weeks in 1986 and remains her third biggest U.S. hit, after “I Will Always Love You” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)”. The song won the American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Video Single, and received a GRAMMY nomination for a Record Of The Year and a Soul Train Music Award nomination for Single of The Year,” the caption reads.

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