Whitney Houston’s 1987 album Whitney included “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me).” The record was Houston’s second studio album and arrived after the enormous success of her self-titled 1985 debut.
Released in June 1987, Whitney opened at number one on the Billboard 200, making Houston the first female artist to debut at the top of that chart. The album remained number one for 11 consecutive weeks. Its lead single, written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, became one of Houston’s signature songs and topped charts around the world.
The album produced four consecutive number-one singles in the United States: “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” “So Emotional” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go.” That run helped Houston set a record with seven consecutive Billboard Hot 100 number ones across her first two albums. The main source of confusion is Houston’s 1985 debut, Whitney Houston, which has a similar title but contains “How Will I Know” and “Greatest Love of All,” not “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”