As Adele marks one year on the Billboard charts, we look at 21 amazing facts about the equally amazing 21. By Gil Kaufman and James Montgomery Adele Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ FilmMagic The traditional gift for a one-year anniversary is paper. Though, considering that Adele has sold more than 6 million copies of her breakthrough album 21 since its U.S. release one year ago this week, trust us, paper is the one thing the Grammy-winning British songbird has plenty of. What she’s also racked up over the past 52 weeks is a gang of awards, records and amazing feats of music industry daring that most people thought just weren’t possible in the download era. So, on the anniversary of the unstoppable album’s chart debut, we thought we’d take a look back at the year that was, with 21 amazing facts about 21 . 1. In February 2011, 21 debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with first-week sales of 352,000 copies. It stayed in the top three for 24 consecutive weeks and has never fallen out of the top 10 since its release. 2. In the year since its release, 21 ‘s lowest chart position was #7, in November 2011. The following week, it was back at #2, and it hasn’t left the top three since. 3. With her , Adele has broken the record previously held by the late Whitney Houston ‘s soundtrack to “The Bodyguard” by notching 21 non-consecutive weeks at #1. 4. The album’s 21 weeks atop the chart also mean that it spent a staggering 40 percent of the past year as the country’s #1 album. 5. 21 was not only the best-selling album of 2011 in the U.S. — with sales of more than 5.8 million — it’s also the best-selling digital album of all time in this country, racking up more than 2 million downloads to date. 6. The album debuted at #1 in the U.K. upon its release on January 30, 2011, and held that spot for four weeks. After she sang “Someone Like You” on the BRIT Awards telecast, sales increased by nearly 900 percent on Amazon.co.uk within an hour of her performance. She also set a Guinness World Record in September 2011 by becoming the first female artist to have two singles and two albums in the U.K. top five simultaneously. 7. 21 was also the best-selling album of the 21st century in the U.K., passing Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black. 8. 21 has topped the charts in 27 different countries, including Switzerland, Sweden, Mexico, Poland and Greece, and has sold more than 17 million copies worldwide. 9. In the U.S. alone, 21 has sold more copies in one year than Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream, Lady Gaga’s Born This Way, Rihanna’s Talk That Talk and Beyonc
Fellow ‘Idol’ judge Jennifer Lopez dishes to MTV News about working alongside ‘most positive’ person. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Jim Cantiello Jennifer Lopez Photo: MTV News As season 11 of “American Idol” chugs along, it’s clear that Jennifer Lopez , Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler have found their footing and place with one another. The threesome is already into their second season as the show’s brain trust, and J.Lo is revealing just what makes sharing the judging panel with “Idol” vet Jackson so great. “He has all different kinds of sunglasses. There was one pair where I was like, ‘Those are too big … those are just too big!’ and he’s like, ‘I love these,’ ” she laughed to MTV News during a recent chat about the Fox reality singing competition. “The thing I love about Randy is he’s always so positive, even when he gives negative criticism on the show, ’cause he’s the hardest of all of us.” While Jackson is straight up when it comes to his feelings about the contestants’ talent — or lack thereof — it’s his cool “dawg” demeanor that makes his criticism a much easier pill to swallow. “He’ll straight-out tell you that was awful. We won’t say it,” she said, adding that she and Tyler don’t verbalize their feelings as straightforwardly. “Even though he’s that guy, he’s the most positive and the most great-energy person ever. He can laugh at himself so genuinely at the same time. He’s just an amazing person.” As amazing as his judging style is Jackson’s aforementioned sense of style, which reaches far beyond spectacles. “And he loves crazy sunglasses and I love them on him. Without the glasses, it’s not really Randy — that and the shoes. He has a crazy taste in those things, like a little bit out there,” she said. “Not mad at that.” Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Jennifer Lopez Related Artists Randy Jackson Jennifer Lopez
MTV News’ resident Lohan defender explains how returning to ‘Saturday Night Live’ may be the first step in her career comeback. By John Mitchell Lindsay Lohan Photo: Evan Agostini/Getty Images I’ve long been a defender of Linsday Lohan . I root for her success and am eternally hopeful — and thus often disappointed — that she will get it together. When people slam her, mock her long, long list of troubles , I can always be called upon to email them a link to Robert Downey Jr.’s biography, which has many parallels to Lohan’s but differs because it also contains the phrase “.357-caliber Magnum handgun.” Downey’s list of troubles easily eclipses Lohan’s (at this point, anyway), but he managed to fully recover and go on to become one of the biggest stars on the planet, starring in enormous box-office hits like “Iron Man” and “Sherlock Holmes” and earning Oscar nominations for films like “Tropic Thunder.” She’s not entirely out of the woods just yet, but she’s been earning “glowing” reports on her probation progress and was recently announced as the host of “Saturday Night Live” on March 3. A series of good signs and the first truly positive news out of Camp Lohan in a long time. When word of Lohan’s hosting stint on “SNL” was announced, I was incredibly pleased. For many reasons, it seems like a smart move, and if she pulls it off, it could be the first step (of many necessary steps) toward a real career comeback. Here’s why:
Singer opens up about the late pop icon as he releases his cover of her track ‘Exhale (Shoop Shoop).’ By Jocelyn Vena Whitney Houston Photo: Jun Sato/ WireImage Just days after a number of A-listers paid tribute to the late, great Whitney Houston at her funeral on Saturday in New Jersey, R&B crooner Robin Thicke decided to pay homage to the singer in his own way. The singer dropped a cover of Houston’s classic track “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” over the weekend, arranging the song with a piano and his own sweet falsetto voice. Released in November 1995, the original version was the lead single off Houston’s “Waiting to Exhale” soundtrack. Thicke’s soulful version definitely calls to mind Babyface, who wrote and produced the song for the late star. Noticeably, Thicke changed the song from the third person to the first person, making it a bit more personal. “I was thinking about Whitney and how incredible she was and remembered I had recorded this song years ago but never released it,” Thicke said on Tuesday (February 21) in a statement to MTV News. “When I listened to it again, I was overcome by emotion, because the lyrics express everything I’m feeling right now.” He continued that the song reminds us what was unique about the late singer, who died over Grammy weekend in Los Angeles. “That’s what was so special about Whitney, she had an amazing ability to connect to all of us and at the same time make us feel inspired,” he said. “We love Whitney Houston and always will!” Over the weekend, in a sea of moving tributes to the star from her closest friends — including Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, R. Kelly and gospel greats BeBe and CeCe Winans, Donnie McClurkin and Kim Burrell — Kevin Costner’s speech about his “The Bodyguard” co-star stood as one of the homegoing’s stand-out moments. “Off you go, Whitney, off you go, escorted by an army of angels to your heavenly father,” Costner told the room in tears. “And when you sing before him, don’t you worry — you’ll be good enough.” What do you think of Robin Thicke’s version of “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)”? Leave your comment below. Related Videos Farewell To A Legend: Whitney Houston’s Funeral Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words Whitney Houston: Life And Music Of An Icon Related Artists Whitney Houston Robin Thicke
Singer tweets out a photo of her wrists emblazoned with her ‘Stay Strong’ tattoos and the date ‘3.6.2012.’ By Jocelyn Vena What does Demi Lovato have up her sleeve? We’ll know in good time. But for now, the singer/actress tweeted out a photo teasing a super-secret special project she is working on with MTV. The photo features her wrists, emblazoned with her tattoos that read “Stay Strong.” The picture offers up a couple of hints: the date “3.6.2012” and the hashtag #staystrong. “Lovatics-I wanted to tell you FIRST about a special I worked on with @MTV,” she tweeted . “It premieres March 6th at 10pm!! #staystrong” Lovato first showed off the ink back in March 2011, just two months after she left an Illinois treatment center to deal with personal issues including an eating disorder and cutting. “The journey that I went through and the support of my fans was so meaningful to me that I wanted to thank my fans in a way that I know can never be forgotten,” the singer said in 2011. “It’s something that my fans were actually drawing on their wrists while I was still in treatment,” she explained about the significance of her tattoos. “Some people even got tattoos of it, so I wanted to show you guys that I will never forget the support that you guys gave me.” Since returning to the spotlight, she has focused on her music career, including her 2011 album, Unbroken, which launched her empowering hit single “Skyscraper.” Her next single is “Give Your Heart a Break.” Lovato has become a voice for young people struggling with personal issues. In December, she visited and spoke to patients at the Timberline Knolls Center , where she had received treatment. “To be able to share my story and let them know that it gets easier … Life is beautiful … you are worthy of it,” Lovato said. “Please say a prayer for all of those struggling with eating disorders, self-harm, mood disorders and substance abuse.” Tune in to MTV on Tuesday, March 6, at 10 p.m. for Demi Lovato’s top-secret special! Related Artists Demi Lovato
The-Dream will stop by ‘RapFix Live’ Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com. By Rob Markman The-Dream Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/ Getty Images Now that MTV News’ fiery Hottest MCs in the Game roundtable debate is complete, it’s time to slow things down just a little bit on this week’s “RapFix Live.” Whether behind the scenes or out front, The-Dream knows how to craft a hit record. As a songwriter and producer, the Atlanta-based musician has written humongous hits for Beyonc
The years since Lohan’s last ‘Saturday Night Live’ hosting gig have been filled with turmoil. By John Mitchell Lindsay Lohan Photo: FilmMagic For the first time in a long time, the universe seems to be working in Lindsay Lohan’s favor. The actress has been confirmed as host of the March 3 episode of “Saturday Night Live” and has reportedly booked the role of film legend Elizabeth Taylor in the Lifetime movie “Liz and Dick.” Recently, she’s been lying low and working to finish the community service she was sentenced to following numerous probation violations relating to past DUI arrests and charges she shoplifted a necklace from a Venice, California, boutique in early 2011. Her most recent probation progress reports from Los Angeles Superior Court judge Stephanie Sautner have been “glowing,” and there’s been some indication she may even be on track to complete the requirements of her probation early, according to Radar . Lohan last hosted “SNL” in April 2006. She’s hosted the legendary sketch-comedy show three times, receiving mostly positive reviews for her stints on the show. But a lot has happened to the starlet in the years since. Let’s take a look at where she was when she last hosted the show and the turbulent years since. When Lindsay Last Hosted ‘SNL’ When Lohan last graced the famous Studio 8-H at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, she was promoting her star vehicle “Just My Luck” and the Robert Altman-directed “A Prairie Home Companion.” Lohan received a career-high paycheck of $7 million for the rom-com, which was helmed by Donald Petrie, who was working in the genre that brought him great success with “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” and “Miss Congeniality.” The role was intended to be the bridge that carried Lohan from her child-star past into adult roles but failed to catch fire at the box office, grossing a disappointing $17 million. While it didn’t perform particularly well in theaters either, “Companion” earned warm reviews and, importantly, landed the actress accolades from two of the film industry’s most respected veterans, the late Altman, the legendary director of “MASH,” “Nashville,” “Short Cuts” and “Gosford Park,” and Meryl Streep, who complimented Lohan’s acting skills in W magazine, saying, “She’s in command of the art form” and “completely, visibly living in front of the camera.” While trouble was brewing in her personal life at the time, with rumors of drug use, hard partying and eating disorders already plaguing the then-19-year-old actress, Lohan still had some of the most highly esteemed people in her industry rushing to her defense. Later that same year, she earned a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination as part of the sprawling cast of “Bobby.” Just a month after her “SNL” appearance, concerns about her partying came to a head when she was hospitalized on the set of “Georgia Rule.” Her reps claimed “she was overheated and dehydrated,” but Morgan Creek Productions executive James G. Robinson famously called her bluff and did so very publicly, penning a letter that was quickly made public calling the actress “irresponsible and unprofessional” and stating, “We are well aware that your ongoing all night heavy partying is the real reason for your so-called ‘exhaustion.’ ” The actress soldiered on, but not for long. In January 2007, production on her much-maligned and financially unsuccessful film “I Know Who Killed Me” was suspended when she entered the hospital to have her appendix removed and again less than a month later when she entered the Wonderland Center, a lavish treatment facility for substance abuse that caters to a celebrity clientele. It was the first of several court-ordered and voluntary stays in rehab. Soon after, she withdrew from a planned film adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s “A Woman of No Importance” and was released from the independent film “The Edge of Love” after the director was not able to secure insurance for Lohan to star. Lohan’s Legal Troubles Begin The tumult that has plagued Lohan since early 2007 is as well-publicized as it is seemingly endless. For all intents and purposes, the legal troubles that continue to plague the actress really began in May 2007, when she was arrested for driving under the influence. We’ve briefly catalogued those troubles below: May 26, 2007 : Lohan is arrested after crashing her Mercedes into a shrub and curb in Los Angeles at 5:30 a.m. and is charged with misdemeanor DUI. She immediately re-enters rehab, this time at Promises Treatment Center in Malibu. July 24, 2007 : The actress is again arrested for DUI , this time following a brief car chase through Santa Monica. When police search Lohan, she is found to have a small amount of cocaine in her pocket. People reports that she was wearing an alcohol-detection ankle bracelet at the time of her arrest and was booked for DUI, possession of cocaine, transporting a narcotic into a custody facility and driving on a suspended license. In August, Lohan reaches a plea deal that includes one day in jail (though she ultimately only serves 84 minutes), 10 days of community service, completion of an 18-month alcohol-education program, hundreds of dollars in fines and 36 months of probation. February 2008 : Lohan re-creates Marilyn Monroe’s famous “Last Sitting” in a controversial photo shoot for New York magazine. Unable to secure acting roles, reportedly because production companies can’t afford the high cost of insuring her, she launches a line of leggings, 6126 (Monroe’s birthday), and a spray-tan line, Sevin Nyne, in collaboration with Sephora. October 16, 2009 : Lohan is more than an hour late to a probation hearing in Beverly Hills for a progress review on her two DUI cases and receives another year of probation due to failure to complete alcohol-education classes as required. June 8, 2010 : A judge issues an arrest warrant for Lohan after she violates a court order to not consume alcohol while wearing a SCRAM alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelet. The warrant is recalled after she posts $200,000 bail. July 6, 2010 : Lohan is sentenced to 90 days in jail and 90 days in rehab for violating her probation in her DUI cases. July 20, 2010 : The actress is taken into custody to begin her jail term. She serves only 14 days of the 90-day sentence due to overcrowding and is taken immediately to UCLA Medical Center to begin her court-ordered rehab. She is again released early and permitted to continue her treatment on an outpatient basis. September 24, 2010 : Having failed a drug test, Lohan’s trial is revoked and she spends a day in jail before being released on bail. A few days later, she is sent on justice sequence to the Betty Ford Center, where she remains for three months. February 9, 2011 : Barely free for a month, Lohan is charged with a burglary after walking out of a Venice, California, boutique with a $2,500 necklace still around her neck. She pleads no contest, but as any violations of the law constitute a violation of her probation, she is sentenced to 120 days in jail, 360 hours of community service at a Los Angeles women’s shelter and 120 hours service at the L.A. County morgue. Due to jail overcrowding, she serves house arrest instead, wearing a tracking ankle monitor for 35 days. While underneath house arrest, her monitoring bracelet detects trace amounts of alcohol in her system, which under further investigation are not deemed a probation violation, so she receives no additional punishment. October 19, 2011 : After Lohan fails to complete her court-ordered community service, Judge Sautner revokes the actress’ probation and sends her to jail, telling the actress that if she wants to stay out of a corrections facility, she needs to complete 16 hours of community service at the morgue before her next hearing. She is again sentenced to jail November 7, this time for 30 days, but is released after just a few hours due to overcrowding. Following her latest brush with the law, the actress seemed to decide that enough was enough. She’s reportedly been diligent about completing her community service so she can get back to work as an actress and has received positive notices from the judge. Rumored to be experiencing financial difficulties due to her inability to work, Lohan accepted a $1 million deal to pose for the January issue of Playboy. Her photo shoot for the men’s magazine was, unsurprisingly, inspired by Marilyn Monroe’s shoot for the same mag. The issue was released early after the photos leaked online and was enormously successful, reportedly even selling out in some markets . Lohan’s March 3 appearance on “Saturday Night Live” will be her first acting gig since Robert Rodriguez’s 2010 film “Machete.” Are you rooting for Lindsay’s comeback? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Lindsay Lohan: Crime And Punishment Related Photos The Highs And Lows Of Lindsay Lohan Related Artists Lindsay Lohan
Actress will return to ‘Saturday Night Live’ on March 3 with musical guest Jack White. By Jocelyn Vena Lindsay Lohan Photo: Getty Live from New York, it’s Lindsay Lohan! The embattled actress will host “Saturday Night Live” on March 3, the show has confirmed. This will be the fourth time she takes the “SNL” stage, where she’ll be joined by musical guest Jack White. In a statement to CNN, her rep said, “Lindsay is very much looking forward to hosting SNL and working with the incredible cast, crew and writers to put on a memorable show.” Her probation restrictions are lifted in March, just in time for her to host. Meanwhile sources tell TMZ that Lohan called up “SNL” head honcho, Lorne Michaels, asking if she could host an episode this season. After several conversations, Michaels and Lohan settled on the March date. The source adds that Lohan has always loved hosting the show and looks to Michaels as a father figure. Since Lohan first hosted “SNL” back in 2004 at the tender age of 17, the actress has been through quite a lot, including multiple court appearances and several jail stints. In the years since, she’s had a hard time reigniting her once-thriving movie career. Most recently she was attached to a Linda Lovelace biopic , but she eventually lost the role. She last hosted “SNL” in 2006. While Lohan has had a hard time booking movie gigs, she did make headlines when she appeared in Playboy in December . In the issue, the actress opened up about her public woes. “Looking back, I probably would have listened to and taken more advice from the people whom I admire and would have followed through with it more,” she said. “My stubbornness at 18 and 19 years old got in the way. During the past five years, I’ve learned that time flies faster than you think, and because you only live once, you have to learn from your mistakes, live your dreams and be accountable.” Will Lindsay Lohan make a good “SNL” host? Leave your comment below. Related Artists Lindsay Lohan
Chi-Town hero claims the Throne and Hottest MCs in the Game VII’s top 3 with a Twisted Fantasy and a groundbreaking joint album. By MTV News staff Kanye West Photo: Getty Images To be considered one of the Hottest MCs in the Game, a rapper has to build a solid case with lyrics and album sales, but buzz is just as important, and few artists can stir up a frenzy quite like Kanye West , who happens to have the verses and plaques to back it up. But that’s just touching the surface when it comes to why the Hip-Hop Brain Trust gave ‘Ye the #3 spot on our Hottest MCs in the Game VII list. The Chicago native set tongues wagging back on New Year’s Eve 2010, when he announced at a party in Las Vegas that his joint album with Jay-Z would arrive at the top of ’11. Although Watch the Throne didn’t actually drop until August 8, 2011, anticipation in the months leading up to its release was palpable. “Kanye came off of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in 2010, and just the hype from that album rolled over into 2011, as he started prepping us for WTT, ” said Nadeska Alexis, MTV News’ RapFix blog editor. “Kanye was the only thing people could talk about for the first few months of the year.” Want to join the debate? Just hit us on Twitter using the hashtag #HottestMC! West and Jay teased fans with the single “H.A.M.” — later relegated to a bonus track — all while Kanye continued to push songs from his Grammy-winning solo LP. A flashy video for “All of the Lights” featured an appearance from Rihanna and generated plenty of chatter, and that folded right into the Watch the Throne hype. HOT STREAK Album: Watch the Throne with Jay-Z; My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Selected Mixtapes: None Singles: “All of the Lights” (with Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie); “H.A.M,” “N—as in Paris” and “Otis” (all with Jay-Z) Street Bangers: “Paris” remix (with Jay-Z and T.I.) Key Guest Appearances: Big Sean’s “Marvin & Chardonnay” Meteoric Metrics: Watch the Throne debuted at #1 on the album charts and has sold approximately 1.3 million copies to date, while West’s Grammy-winning solo single “All of the Lights” was certified platinum Business Ventures: Inked an official distribution deal with Def Jam Records for G.O.O.D. Music imprint; launched DW by Kanye West line at Paris Fashion Week Tours: Along with Jay-Z, West put on one of the most anticipated hip-hop tours to date in support of Watch the Throne. They grossed $48.3 million across 26 dates. Monumental Moment: Not only did Kanye add “cray” to the rap vernacular, he joined Jay in performing “Paris” a record 11 times at one of their live shows Forecast: After picking up Grammys for Best Rap Album ( MBDTF ) and Best Rap Performance (“Otis”), Kanye is currently at work on the highly anticipated G.O.O.D. album. And, of course, the second incarnation of his fashion line is getting plenty of advance buzz. In the weeks before the album debuted, Throne fans were treated to more tidbits from the project, much of which had the indelible Kanye West stamp. Animal-inspired cover art designed by Givenchy creative director Riccardo Tisci? The brainchild of Kanye West, certainly. “Jay-Z has really stood alone over the course of his career and he never really let somebody else get in the front,” said Rahman Dukes, MTV News’ director of hip-hop news, about the collaboration. “This is the one time [he let someone take control] and that’s a huge nod to Kanye’s genius.” One of the key elements in building anticipation for the album was that the Throne successfully avoided a leak. The duo even threw a grand listening session at the Museum of Natural History in New York City — select music journalists and A-list insiders from Beyonc
Family and friends said their final farewell to the iconic singer who was buried at the Fairview Cemetery. By Sowmya Krishnamurthy Whitney Houston Photo: WireImage NEWARK, New Jersey — Superstar singer Whitney Elizabeth Houston was laid to rest in a private ceremony in Westfield, New Jersey today. She was buried next to her father John Houston at the Fairview Cemetery. According to reports, fans and onlookers lined streets with memorials and signs, watching as the police-escorted motorcade and the hearse carrying her casket drove to the cemetery. The 48-year-old died on February 11, 2012 . She was found dead inside her Beverly Hilton hotel room at approximately 3:55 p.m. PT in Los, Angeles. The official cause of death is still being investigated. She was at the Beverly Hilton in preparation for mentor Clive Davis’ annual pre-Grammy party. Houston was memorialized in a grand ceremony yesterday at the New Hope Baptist Church, the same church she grew up singing in as a child in Newark, New Jersey. The “homegoing” ceremony, marking the singer’s spiritual return “home”, lasted some five hours and was conducted in the Baptist tradition. Although invite-only, it was nationally televised and streamed on Livestream for fans. It featured family friends, professional colleagues and dignitaries from all walks including daughter Bobbi Kristina, cousin Dionne Warwick, actor/filmmaker Tyler Perry, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Flags in New Jersey flew half mast in Houston’s honor. Bittersweet, the ceremony celebrated Houston’s amazing life and accomplishments and guests shared personal anecdotes about their Nippy, her nickname. Clive Davis mused, “You wait for a voice like that for a lifetime. A face like that. A smile like that. A presence like that for a lifetime. And when one person embodies it all — well, it takes my breath away.” Bodyguard costar Kevin Costner fought back tears as he said, “Go sing for your heavenly father, Whitney.” Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, the Winans family and R. Kelly were among those who gave Houston a musical send-off. Stevie Wonder personalized the lyrics of his classic “Ribbon In The Sky” to “There’s an angel in the choir of love” for Whitney while R. Kelly performed a moving rendition of “I Look to You”, a song he penned that Whitney featured on her 2009 album of the same name. The proceedings ended in a fitting manner with Whitney’s most famous song, “I Will Always Love You,” playing as her casket was somberly walked out of the church. Whitney was at her peak the definitive pop diva that all others were measured up to. Her phenomenal vocal range and gorgeous looks made her a multi-genre sensation. The daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, her pristine voice ruled the 80s and 90s with a slew of chart-topping albums and memorable songs like “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” and “The Greatest Love of All”; she broke the chart record with seven consecutive Billboard #1 songs. Her promising film career included roles like 1992’s The Bodyguard and 1995’s Waiting to Exhale and her rendition of “I Will Always Love You” from the former film stands as one of the most recognized and beloved songs in pop history. Houston’s artistic influence is indelible still on subsequent generations from Mariah Carey to Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Hudson. Despite a long-standing public battle with addiction and a tumultuous relationship with then-husband Bobby Brown , Whitney was working on staging a personal and professional comeback at the time of her death. She had wrapped filming on the movieSparkle with Jordin Sparks and was working on new music. Since her untimely passing, Whitney has sold over 1 million albums and singles . The diva lives on. Related Videos Farewell To A Legend: Whitney Houston’s Funeral Related Artists Whitney Houston