Whitney Houston dead

It is with a heavy heart that I announce that the Grammy-winning, chart-topping, singing legend, Whitney Houston, died earlier this afternoon at the age of 48 years old. This terrible news was confirmed to E! News by the artist's publicist, Kristen Foster, although no further details were immediately available, including the actual cause of death. She is survived by her 18-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina, and her ex-husbandBobby Brown, whom she divorced in 2007.  

Houston was considered a monumental figure in the music industry, wowing the world with a strong, phenomenal voice (which later grew noticeably raspier after struggling with drug addiction). However, despite her past personal troubles, she still became one of the most successful and award-winning female artists of all time. Her heyday began in the late 1980s and early 1990s, which was when her hugely successful album The Bodyguard made its debut. Some of Houston's most well-known songs include "I'm Every Woman" and "I Will Always Love You." RIP Whitney...the music industry will never be quite the same.