"The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album" is the soundtrack to the 1992 film The Bodyguard, starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. Released on November 17, 1992, by Arista Records, the album was co-executive produced by Houston and Clive Davis. It features a mix of Whitney Houston's performances on one side and tracks by other artists on the second side (in the original LP and cassette formats).
The album was a monumental success, earning widespread praise for Houston's vocal performance and the overall production. It became one of the best-selling albums of all time, topping charts in 18 countries and securing a place in the top ten in many others. In the United States, it set a record for the most weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 by a female artist, holding that distinction for 19 years until Adele's 21 surpassed it in 2011. The album is certified Diamond by the RIAA and remains Houston's highest-selling album, with over 45 million copies sold worldwide. It is also the best-selling soundtrack of all time and the best-selling album by a woman in music history.
One of the most iconic aspects of The Bodyguard soundtrack is Whitney Houston's rendition of "I Will Always Love You," originally written and recorded by Dolly Parton. This song became a global hit and remains one of Houston's signature songs. The album also won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, further solidifying its success.
In honor of the 25th anniversary of the soundtrack's release, I Wish You Love: More from The Bodyguard was released, featuring never-before-released live recordings from Houston's The Bodyguard World Tour (1993–1994), alternate versions of songs from the film, and a remix of "I'm Every Woman."
The creation of the soundtrack began with Houston and Clive Davis collaborating on the selection and production of songs. Originally, Houston had planned to record What Becomes of the Brokenhearted as the theme song for the film. However, after learning that Paul Young's version would be used for the Fried Green Tomatoes soundtrack, the team looked for another option. Kevin Costner, the film's co-star, suggested the classic song "I Will Always Love You," which was then re-recorded by Houston. This became one of the defining moments of her career.
Houston's contributions to the album included several tracks recorded during the production of the film, starting with "Queen of the Night," recorded in November 1991, before the principal photography of the film. She also recorded "I Have Nothing" and "Run to You" in tandem shortly thereafter. Additional recordings, such as "Jesus Loves Me" and "I'm Every Woman" (a cover of Chaka Khan's hit), were recorded in early 1992. The final track recorded for the soundtrack was "I'm Every Woman," completed in August 1992, after filming had concluded.
Overall, The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album became not only a cultural and commercial milestone for Whitney Houston but also a landmark release in the history of film soundtracks.
