The Music, and Life, It Seems, Was Better for Whitney Houston in the '80s

For much of the past decade, Whitney Houston has made headlines not for her music or her acting but for chaotic episodes from her personal life involving her equally rambunctious husband and fellow '80s icon Bobby Brown, as well as suspected substance abuse and health problems. This is an unfortunate regression for an artist who ushered in abundant sunlight to the pop music scene when she emerged in 1985.

Luckily, the passing of years has perhaps made it easier to see that Houston's peak as an artist in the late '80s actually featured music of relatively lasting merit. I mean, even her best songs will never be capable of providing spiritual sustenance, but they do make up a pretty damn rich dessert. So, if your musical waistline can stand it (OK, I'm treating this metaphor a bit like Stretch Armstrong now), allow yourself to indulge in a helping from my list of Whitney Houston's top five most delectable singles from the '80s.

• Whitney Houston profile
• Whitney Houston's official website
• Compare prices on Whitney Houston CDs here

Album Cover Photo Courtesy of Arista Records