10 Nineties Songs That Sold Over 1 Million Copies
2. Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You
Whitney Houston's epic ballad didn't need to be attached to The Bodyguard to do well, but it didn't hurt. Her adaptation of Dolly Parton's 1973 hit brought a whole new mood to the song and remains one of the greatest vocal performances in history.
Parton's original track was far from unsuccessful, hitting number one in American charts multiple times before Houston's cover came along. The Queen of Country's financial performance pales in comparison to the 1992 release however. Houston held the world record for best-selling female performance for many years, shifting 1,650,000 units in the UK and gaining platinum certification in nine countries.
Rumours spread fast after the release, stating Parton was unhappy with the new recording and was unwilling to perform her track live while Houston was still charting. This was quickly debunked by the two singers, with Parton going on record to praise Houston for bringing the song to a wider audience and increasing royalties paid out to her.
With the tragic news of her death, Houston's rendition went to number one again as fans paid tribute. The late singer gained another double platinum certification on digital sales alone.