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Late American recording artist, actress, producer, and model Whitney Houston had an estimated net worth of $20 million (before death). She was inarguably one of the of the biggest female pop stars of all time. Her accomplishments as a hitmaker was extraordinary. Just to scratch the surface, she became the first artist ever to have seven consecutive singles hit number one, and her 1993 Dolly Parton cover "I Will Always Love You" became nothing less than the biggest hit single in rock history. Like many of the original soul singers, Houston was trained in gospel before moving into secular music; over time, she developed a virtuosic singing style given over to swooping, flashy melodic embellishments. In 2009, the Guinness World Records cited her as the most-awarded female act of all time.

During her career, Whitney sold over 170 million albums and won two Emmy awards, 6 Grammies, 30 Billboard Music Awards and 22 AMA’s. Her net worth had declined dramatically in the last years of her life. In 2001 she signed a $100 million recording contract with Arista and at the peak of her career she was able to earn up to $30 million a year touring.

On February 11, 2012, Houston was found dead in a suite at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, in Beverly Hills, California, submerged in the bathtub. She incurred nearly $20 million from Sony before she passed away.

Earnings & Financial Data

Date

Category

Description

Amount

2011

Asset

The value of Houston's New Jersey home

$6,500,000

2011

Record Sales

Houston sold over 5 million posthumous albums

$5,000,000

2009

Ticket Sales

Gross income of Houston's Nothing but Love tour

$36,000,000

2008

Record Sales

Estimated sales of her album titled 'Just Whitney" released in 2002

$5,000,000

2006

Sale of Asset

Amount earned from the sale of her suburban Atlanta home

$1,190,000

2005

Asset

The estimated value of Houston two real estates

$1,850,000

2004

Asset

Value of Houston's house in Florida upon purchase

$1,350,000

2001

Record Sales

Estimated sales of her album titled 'I Look to You" released in 2009

$1,290,000

2000

Contract

The value of Houston's six-year contract with the Arista Records

$100,000,000

1999

Record Sales

Estimated sales of her album titled 'Whitney: The Greatest Hits album" released in 2000

$9,000,000

1997

Record Sales

Estimated sales of her album titled 'My Love Is Your Love" released in 1998

$13,000,000

1995

Salary

Salary from the film "The Preacher's Wife"

$10,000,000

1995

Record Sales

Estimated sales of her album titled 'The Preacher's Wife: Original Soundtrack Album" released in 1996

$8,000,000

1994

Record Sales

Estimated sales of her album titled 'Waiting to Exhale: Original Soundtrack Album" released in 1995

$13,300,000

1993

Project Earnings

Houston's earnings from her Bodyguard soundtrack

$34,000,000

1991

Record Sales

Estimated sales of her album titled 'The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album" released in 1995

$45,000,000

1989

Record Sales

Estimated sales of her album titled 'Im Your Baby Tonight" released in 1990

$8,000,000

1986

Record Sales

Estimated sales of her album titled 'Whitney" released in 1987

$19,000,000

1984

Record Sales

Estimated sales of her self titled album released in 1985

$25,000,000