single · February 12, 1991

The Star Spangled Banner

Whitney Houston

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Houston's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV became an iconic performance, transcending sports and music. Released as a single, it became a Top 20 hit during the Persian Gulf War.

• The recording took place at Grand Slam productions in Union, New Jersey. The single was released by Arista Records on February 12, 1991. It charted at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.
• The Arista single release featured a live rendition of "America the Beautiful" on the B-side. The performance was so popular that it was later included on the deluxe edition of Houston's 1992 film soundtrack, The Bodyguard.
• Houston performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" a cappella, with the band joining in later for the single release. The single version reached number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart.

Whitney Houston was a dominant force in 20th-century pop, soul, and R&B music. In 1991, she was at the height of her global superstardom following the success of her second album, Whitney.