The album’s lead single, I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me), quickly became a defining anthem of the decade, setting the tone for a string of additional hits from the album including Didn’t We Almost Have It All, So Emotional, and Where Do Broken Hearts Go. Each of those singles would go on to hit number one in the US, cementing Whitney's place as a global pop icon.
Whitney topped the charts not only in the United States, but also in the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, Austria, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Her powerhouse vocals and polished pop production elevated her sophomore effort beyond the typical expectations of a follow-up album.
80s insight: Whitney's dominance with this album marked a cultural shift—her success in 1987 helped break barriers for Black female pop artists on mainstream radio and television. The music video for I Wanna Dance with Somebody became a staple on MTV, showcasing her crossover appeal in the post-Michael Jackson, post-MTV-launch era.
Whitney topped the charts not only in the United States, but also in the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, Austria, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Her powerhouse vocals and polished pop production elevated her sophomore effort beyond the typical expectations of a follow-up album.
80s insight: Whitney's dominance with this album marked a cultural shift—her success in 1987 helped break barriers for Black female pop artists on mainstream radio and television. The music video for I Wanna Dance with Somebody became a staple on MTV, showcasing her crossover appeal in the post-Michael Jackson, post-MTV-launch era.
