When Whitney Houston arrived on the scene as a fresh-faced ing(nue in 1985, few could have predicted the level of superstardom she'd achieve or how fast she'd do it. Certainly the voice was there--supple, soulful, and when called upon, explosive. But the material on her debut album--and those that followed it, for that matter--was bland pop pap that mostly wasted her gift. Still there were numerous hits on Whitney Houston, including a trio of ballads: "You Give Good Love," "Saving All My Love for You," and the extraordinarily vapid "Greatest Love of All." The up-tempo "How Will I Know" was a mere trifle, perhaps, but it's one of her most winning performances. And that video. That dress. 'Nuff said. --Daniel Durchholz