Heartbreak Hotel (Whitney Houston song)
"Heartbreak Hotel" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Artwork for US, Japanese and Australian editions | ||||
Single by Whitney Houston featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price | ||||
from the album My Love Is Your Love | ||||
B-side | "It's Not Right but It's Okay" | |||
Released | December 15, 1998 (1998-12-15) | |||
Recorded | September 1998[1] | |||
Genre |
| |||
Length |
| |||
Label | Arista | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | Soulshock & Karlin | |||
Whitney Houston singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Faith Evans singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Heartbreak Hotel" on YouTube | ||||
"Heartbreak Hotel" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston. Originally written for inclusion on TLC's third studio album FanMail, it was later recorded by Houston after TLC rejected the song.[2] The song was written by Carsten Schack, Kenneth Karlin and Tamara Savage, and produced by Soulshock & Karlin. It was released on December 15, 1998, by Arista Records, as the second single from Houston's 1998 album My Love Is Your Love. The song prominently features R&B singers Faith Evans and Kelly Price during the choruses and bridge.
The song reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number one on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart on February 2, 1999. "Heartbreak Hotel" was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was also a hit in many countries worldwide. The song received two nominations at the 2000 Grammy Awards for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The video, directed by Kevin Bray,[3] was nominated for Best R&B Video at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards. In 2019, the song was listed as one of the 50 best songs of the 1990s by Rolling Stone.[4]
Composition
"Heartbreak Hotel" is written in the key of E♭ minor with a tempo of 67 beats per minute in common time. The chords in the song alternate between E♭m7 and A♭m7, and the vocals in the song span from G♭3 to A♭5.[5]
Release
It is the second single released from Houston's My Love Is Your Love album. It holds the distinction as being one of only three songs to be on both discs for Houston's 2000 Greatest Hits collection, in its original and remixed formats. It is absent on both 2007's The Ultimate Collection, and the standard edition of 2012's I Will Always Love You: The Best of Whitney Houston, though some regions were given a deluxe edition of the latter album, in which the song is included.
Reception
Critical reception
Billboard magazine reviewed the song very favorably saying, "[It's] a highly effective setting for Houston, who wears her emotions on her sleeve and serves up one of the most effective performances on the album. Price and Evans sell themselves grandly as empathetic sisters alongside their pained friend, soaring with emotion and helping keep the timeless artist identifiable to a new generation of R&B fans. Of course, R&B radio will give this a hug in an instant."[6] NME also reviewed the song positively: "Although the appeal of this oddly-paced mid-tempo relies heavily on the 'girls united in rejection' ethos, it works because the guest vocalists appearing with Houston – Faith Evans and Kelly Price – are two enormously talented singers who have carved out careers specializing in soulful balladry. Their respective abilities to wring emotion out of the written word means that anything they sing is seen as sincere. [...] But the risk of having three individually successful singers collaborate on one track is that the song could drown in the weight of competitive vocal acrobatics. But Houston, Evans and Price are secure in their gifts[.] Confident without being cocky, emotive without being melodramatic, they've made a tidy meal of this track[.]"[7]
Commercial performance
"Heartbreak Hotel" entered the US Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 84 with airplay alone as there was not yet a retail single; issue date of December 26, 1998.[8] On its first week that retail release impacted the song's chart position; it leaped from number 55 to 29, and spent three weeks at number two on the Hot 100.[9][10][11] Additionally, the song entered the revamped Billboard Hot R&B Singles & Tracks chart at number 23 with the mark of its seventh week on the chart, the issue date of January 9, 1999.[12] In its first week on retail release, the song reached the number six and the following week topped the chart, becoming her eighth number-one single on the Hot R&B chart.[13][14] The single stayed on the summit for seven consecutive weeks from February 13 to March 27, 1999, which was her third longest stay atop the Hot R&B chart behind "I Will Always Love You" for 11 weeks in 1992–1993 and "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" for eight weeks in 1995–1996, and was on the chart for a total of 31 weeks.[15][16] It placed at number four and number three, on the Billboard year-end Hot 100 Singles and Hot R&B Singles & Tracks chart, respectively.[17][18] It was certified Platinum for shipments of 1,000,000 copies or more by the Recording Industry Association of America on March 2, 1999.[19] According to Nielsen SoundScan, the single sold over 1,300,000 copies in the US alone, making it the country's third best-selling single of 1999.[20]
Awards and nominations
"Heartbreak Hotel" was nominated for Best R&B Video at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards.[21] The song was also nominated for "R&B Single of the Year" at the 10th Billboard Music Awards on December 8, 1999,[22][23] and for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best R&B Song at the 42nd Grammy Awards on February 23, 2000.[24] Houston was honored with a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Female Artist for the song at its 31st ceremony on April 6, 2000.[25] It was nominated for "Favorite Single" at the 6th Blockbuster Entertainment Awards on May 9, 2000.[26] On May 16, 2000, the song won the Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) Pop Award at its 48th ceremony.[27] In 2019, seven years after Houston's death and nearly 21 years after it was released, the song was listed as one of the 50 best songs of the 1990s on Rolling Stone.[4]
Live performances
Houston first performed an edited version of "Heartbreak Hotel" live on The Rosie O'Donnell Show on November 23, 1998, appearing with Faith Evans and Kelly Price to promote My Love Is Your Love.[28][29] The three women performed the song together at the 9th Billboard Music Awards on December 7, 1998.[30][31] During her European promotion in February 1999, the song was performed live by Houston alone on the French television show, Les Annees Tube. On June 27 that year, Houston made a surprise appearance at the 13th Annual New York City Lesbian & Gay Pride Dance and performed a remixed version of the song along with "It's Not Right but It's Okay".[32][33] Video of the performance premiered on MTV All Access on July 21, 1999.[34]
During her My Love Is Your Love World Tour in 1999, the song was second on the tour's setlist. Houston added elements from the Jackson Five hit "This Place Hotel" to end the song. One performance on the tour was broadcast live on Polish TV channel, TVP1, on August 22, 1999.[35] "Heartbreak Hotel" was included in the setlist of Soul Divas Tour in 2004 and performed at Live & Loud Music Festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on December 1, 2007.[36]
Track listings
|
|
Charts
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[19] | Platinum | 1,300,000[20] |
Release history
Region | Version | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States | "Heartbreak Hotel" | December 15, 1998 | Radio | Arista | [76] |
Japan | "Heartbreak Hotel" / "It's Not Right but It's Okay" | February 24, 1999 | CD | [77] | |
United Kingdom | "Heartbreak Hotel" | December 18, 2000 |
|
| [78] |
See also
- R&B number-one hits of 1999 (USA)
- Number-one dance hits of 1999 (USA)
References
- ^ Baker, Soren (October 11, 1998). "POP MUSIC; The Spotlight Becomes Her; Faith Evans is moving on with her life as an R&B singer and mother after the death of her husband, the Notorious B.I.G., last year". Archived from the original on June 4, 2011.
- ^ "Soulshock Talks Producing Hits With His Partner Karlin For 2Pac, Whitney Houston & Monica (Exclusive)". youknowigotsoul.com. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
- ^ "Production Notes". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 6. February 6, 1999. p. 73.
- ^ a b "50 Best Songs of the Nineties". Rolling Stone. August 28, 2019. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
- ^ Karlin, Kenneth. "Whitney Houston "Heartbreak Hotel" Sheet Music in Gb Major – Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ^ Singles Reviews & Previews: "Heartbreak Hotel" by Whitney Houston Feat. Faith Evans and Kelly Price. Billboard. January 9, 1999. Retrieved October 8, 2010.
- ^ Jacqueline Springer (December 8, 2000). "NME Track Reviews – Whitney Houston: Heartbreak Hotel". NME Magazine. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100 chart listing for the week of December 26, 1998". Billboard. December 26, 1998. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100 chart listing for the week of February 6, 1999". Billboard. February 6, 1999. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100 chart listing for the week of March 20, 1999". Billboard. March 20, 1999. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
- ^ Fred Bronson (March 27, 1999). "Chart Beat: From Zero To Hero Fro Busta & Janet". Billboard. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
- ^ "Billboard Hot R&B Singles & Tracks chart listing for the week of January 9, 1999". Billboard. January 9, 1999. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
- ^ "Billboard Hot R&B Singles & Tracks chart listing for the week of February 6, 1999". Billboard. February 6, 1999. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
- ^ "Billboard Hot R&B Singles & Tracks chart listing for the week of February 13, 1999". Billboard. February 13, 1999. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
- ^ "Billboard Hot R&B Singles & Tracks chart listing for the week of March 27, 1999". Billboard. March 27, 1999. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
- ^ "Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for the week of March 27, 1999". Billboard.com. March 27, 1999. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
- ^ "1999 Year End Charts – Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. December 31, 1999. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
- ^ "1999 Year End Charts – Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. December 31, 1999. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
- ^ a b "American single certifications – Houston, Whitney – Heartbreak Hotel". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ a b "Best-Selling Records of 1999". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 4. BPI Communications Inc. January 22, 2000. p. 63. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "1999 MTV Video Music Awards". MTV. September 9, 1999. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2010.
- ^ "1999 Billboard Music Awards Nominees & Winners". digitalhit.com. December 9, 1999. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
- ^ "Spears Is Finalist In Six Billboard Awards Categories". billboard.com. November 19, 1999. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
- ^ "2000 The 42nd Grammy Award Winners & Nominees". rockonthenet.com. February 23, 2000. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
- ^ The 31st Image Awards Winners. The Crisis. March–April 2000. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ^ Scott Hettrick (February 9, 2000). "B'buster Noms: Stars Vs. Selves". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
- ^ Jill Pesselnick (May 27, 2000). BMI's Film, TV, Pop Awards: Twain, Cherry Picked. Billboard. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
- ^ "Rosie's 3rd Season (1998–1999) Guests". acmewebpages.com. November 23, 1999. Archived from the original on November 21, 2010. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ^ ""Heartbreak Hotel" live performance at The Rosie O'Donnell Show on November 23, 1998" (uploaded March 23, 2008). YouTube.
- ^ Artists & Music: Billboard Music Awards Gathers Industry, Artists In Las Vegas. Billboard. December 26, 1998. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ^ ""Heartbreak Hotel" live performance at the 1998 Billboard Music Awards". YouTube. June 7, 2006. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ^ "Whitney Houston Surprises Crowd At Gay-Lesbian Pride Event". MTV. June 28, 1999. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ^ Michael Paoletta (July 10, 1999). Whitney's Gay Pride Show Shares The Love. Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ^ "Whitney Houston: MTV All Access 1999 (part 1)". YouTube. April 16, 2009. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ^ ""Heartbreak Hotel" live performance in Sopot, Poland on August 22, 1999". YouTube. May 1, 2010. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ^ "Live & Loud 07 Kuala Lumpur: Performing artists". lnlkl.com. December 1, 2007. Archived from the original on February 19, 2011. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ^ Heartbreak Hotel/It's Not Right But It's Okay (The Dance Mixes) (US Maxi-CD Single liner notes). Whitney Houston. United States: Arista Records. 1999. 07822-13613-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Heartbreak Hotel (US CD Single liner notes). Whitney Houoston. United States: Arista Records. 1999. 07822-13619-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Heartbreak Hotel (US Vinyl Remixes liner notes). Whitney Houston. United States: Arista Records. 1999. ADP-3618.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Heartbreak Hotel (UK Maxi-CD Single liner notes). Whitney Houston. England: BMG Arista Records. 2000. 74321 820572.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Heartbreak Hotel (German Maxi-CD Single liner notes). Whitney Houston. Germany: BMG Arista Records. 2000. 74321 82159 2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Heartbreak Hotel (German Maxi-CD Single liner notes). Whitney Houston. Germany: BMG Arista Records. 2001. 74321 82296 2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Whitney Houston Featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price – Heartbreak Hotel". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ "Whitney Houston Featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price – Heartbreak Hotel" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
- ^ "Whitney Houston Featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price – Heartbreak Hotel" (in French). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8125." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 8160." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ a b Lwin, Nanda (2000). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. p. 135. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 16. April 17, 1999. p. 9. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ "Whitney Houston Featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price – Heartbreak Hotel" (in French). Les classement single.
- ^ "Whitney Houston – Heartbreak Hotel" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
- ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 312 Vikuna 26.2. – 5.3. 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). February 26, 1999. p. 10. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 3, 2001" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
- ^ "Whitney Houston feat. Faith Evans & Kelly Price – Heartbreak Hotel" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "Whitney Houston feat. Faith Evans & Kelly Price – Heartbreak Hotel / It's Not Right but It's Okay". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ "Whitney Houston – dorobek wykonawcy na LP3" (in Polish). LP3. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ "Whitney Houston Featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price – Heartbreak Hotel". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
- ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
- ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1999". ARIA. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
- ^ "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 1999" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
- ^ "1999 The Year in Music: Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 52. December 25, 1999. pp. YE-48. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
- ^ "1999 The Year in Music: Hot Dance Club-Play Singles". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 52. December 25, 1999. p. YE-60. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
- ^ "1999 The Year in Music: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 52. December 25, 1999. p. YE-57. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
- ^ "Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 1999" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. December 24, 1999. p. 54. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 25, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
- ^ "1999 The Year in Music: Hot Dance Maxi-Singles Sales". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 52. December 25, 1999. p. YE-61. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ "Most Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 1999" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. December 24, 1999. p. 53. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 25, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
- ^ "Heartbreak Hotel". whitneyhouston.com. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
- ^ "ハートブレイク・ホテル | ホイットニー・ヒューストン" [Heartbreak Hotel | Whitney Houston] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
- ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting December 18, 2000: Singles". Music Week. December 16, 2000. p. 23.
External links
- Heartbreak Hotel at Discogs
- v
- t
- e
- Whitney Houston
- Whitney
- I'm Your Baby Tonight
- My Love Is Your Love
- Just Whitney...
- One Wish: The Holiday Album
- I Look to You
- The Bodyguard
- The Preacher's Wife
- I Wanna Dance with Somebody (The Movie: Whitney New, Classic and Reimagined)
- Whitney Houston Live: Her Greatest Performances
- Whitney: The Greatest Hits
- Love, Whitney
- The Ultimate Collection
- I Will Always Love You: The Best of Whitney Houston
- I Go to the Rock: The Gospel Music of Whitney Houston
- Whitney: Dancin' Special
- I Wish You Love: More from The Bodyguard
- Welcome Home Heroes with Whitney Houston
- The Concert for a New South Africa
- Whitney: Brunei The Royal Wedding Celebration
- Classic Whitney: Live from Washington, D.C.
- VH1 Divas Live '99
- "Dance with Somebody"
- The Bodyguard (musical)
- Being Bobby Brown
- The Houstons: On Our Own
- Bobby Brown (ex-husband)
- Bobbi Kristina Brown (daughter)
- Cissy Houston (mother)
- Whitney (2015 film)
- Whitney: Can I Be Me (2017 film)
- Whitney (2018 film)
- Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022 film)
Category