Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston is widely regarded as the greatest vocalist ever, with a voice that combined power, range, and emotional depth. Her 1992 rendition of "I Will Always Love You" sold over 20 million copies. Houston's seven consecutive number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 set a benchmark that only Beyoncé has tied, but Houston achieved this in fragile vocal health. With 200 million records sold, she remains 3x the sales of Aretha Franklin. Her vocal purity and technical mastery overshadow all peers on this list.