How Will I Know
Whitney Houston
1986
Annual listening-list association, not an original-release-date field. Original release year reconciled with reviewed recording-specific Artist Essentials evidence in v3.6.
Release: 1985
Release: 1985Source checked | Recent carryover
V3.6 reconciles the original release year with the reviewed Artist Essentials entry for this exact retained recording ID. Year precision is used; an album-first release is not silently replaced by a later single, reissue or annual-list year. The selected original recording is documented on Whitney Houston (1985). Year precision does not substitute a later single, video, remaster or annual-list date.
The large badge identifies this listening list, not a newly issued recording. Later reissues and renewed chart popularity do not replace an original release date. How years are assigned.
Owner-supplied release annotations
Reported dates in 1986.html. Not independently established; neighboring dates can reflect album/single or regional differences.
Whitney Houston - official original album catalog
The 1985 debut album and original track membership, including How Will I Know, Saving All My Love for You, You Give Good Love and Greatest Love of All. Embedded video dates and later performances do not date the original album recordings.
Inspiration and background
Supplied note - not independently verified
This note came with the supplied collection and has not been independently verified.
Originally written for Janet Jackson, this upbeat song about young love became one of Whitney Houston's signature hits.
Evidence scope: Source-provided note, not an established account of the songwriter's intent
Sources for this information
Owner-supplied 1986.html, song-list position 6
Supplied annotation reproduced with attribution; underlying historical claims have NOT been independently verified.
Other appearances and versions
catalog version unspecified
Textual identity reconciliation, not audio-fingerprint or exact-pressing verification. Version labels are catalog safeguards.
An annual chart year and an original release date are different. Similar titles may be covers or different masters; no audio fingerprint has been performed.
Sources and scope
Source-backed annual association (secondary source; not a complete discographic review)
Editorial artist-repertoire classification
Billboard year-end 1986 table (Wikipedia transcription)
Secondary chart transcription reviewed for title, artist and annual association. Not proof of release date, genre or inspiration.
Browse by year
1960-2025. Each year contains 150 selections.