Producers include: Raphael Saadiq, Q-Tip, David Foster, Rodney Jerkins, Wyclef Jean.

Includes liner notes by Amy Linden.

Although Whitney Houston's Greatest Hits is a double-disc package (and is priced as such), only the first disc actually contains original versions of Houston's hit singles; the second disc, "The Greatest Remixes", collects remixes new and old to appeal to hardcore fans. Of course, it would be impossible to fit all of Houston's 20-plus chart singles onto one disc, but that single-disc format still could have produced a fantastic and near-definitive collection. That is, if Arista hadn't made the absolutely ridiculous choice not to include "How Will I Know," "So Emotional," "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)," and "I'm Your Baby Tonight," all of them number one hits. Granted, those songs are all present on the accompanying second disc, The Greatest Remixes, but fans who want the original versions are out of luck and will have to purchase the three different albums on which those songs first appeared. That said, the compilation does do fans a few favors; there are three new tracks, including one duet apiece with Deborah Cox and Enrique Iglesias, and there are also two hits that have never actually appeared on a Houston album: "One Moment in Time" (the 1988 Olympic theme) and "If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful," a duet with Jermaine Jackson from his 1986 Precious Moments album. For the completist, Houston's Top 20 hit recording of "The Star-Spangled Banner," performed at Super Bowl XXV, is tacked on at the end of the remix disc as well. Overall, the Greatest Hits disc amply reinforces once again what a fine singles artist Houston has been for the entirety of her career. Still and all, though, it's a frustrating package marred by record company greed -- not only because of the glaring omissions designed to force consumers to buy the original albums as well, but also because casual fans won't appreciate having to pay double the money for a second disc of remixes that they probably aren't interested in owning. Overall, it's a wasted opportunity. ~ Steve Huey

Although The Greatest Hits is a double-disc package, only the first disc actually contains original versions of Houston's hit singles; the second disc, The Greatest Remixes, collects remixes new and old for hardcore fans. Of course, it would be impossible to fit all of Houston's 20-plus chart singles onto one disc, but that format still could have produced a fantastic and near-definitive collection. Four of her number one hits -- "How Will I Know," "So Emotional," "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)," and "I'm Your Baby Tonight" -- appear on the second disc here, "Greatest Remixes," but be aware that these aren't the original album versions. The compilation includes three new tracks, including one duet apiece with Deborah Cox and Enrique Iglesias, and two hits make their first appearance on a Houston album: "One Moment in Time" (the 1988 Olympic theme) and "If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful," a 1986 duet with Jermaine Jackson. Houston's Top 20 hit recording of "The Star-Spangled Banner," performed at Super Bowl XXV during the Gulf War, is tacked onto the remix disc as well. ~ Steve Huey

It should come as no surprise that a woman who counts Dionne Warwick as a cousin, Aretha Franklin as a family friend, and whose mother was a legendary session and gospel singer, became a phenomenally successful R&B act. Perhaps more surprising is that it took 17 years after first signing with Arista for Whitney Houston to produce her first greatest hits album.

These hits are neatly compartmentalized into a "Cool Down" and a "Throw Down" disc, the former featuring ballads such as "Saving All My Love for You," while the latter showcases remixes of Whitney's uptempo singles such as "How Will I Know." Four new songs, three of which are duets, are also included. At the time of release, her golden voice had led to 16 Number 1 hits (that's two more than Madonna), an Emmy, Grammys and several notable collaborations. A stocking-filler for years to come, we'll wager.