No Whitney wasn't the first. I was disappointed with several of Barbra Streisand's albums during the 80s and early 90s because she seemed to be bellowing out her songs, not singing. They were way too loud.

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You may be right (I've never knowinglyheard any post-1970s Streisand) but the Houston single was a multi-million-seller, regrettably, so I'd wager it had more influence than Babs.