Whitney Elizabeth Houston was an American singer, actress, film producer, and philanthropist. Known as "the Voice", she is one of the most awarded entertainers of all time and among the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales of over 220 million records worldwide. Houston is known for her crossover appeal on popular music charts that influenced the breaking down of racial barriers, the recording industry, and popular culture, as well as her powerful, soulful vocal performances, the popularization of using gospel singing techniques in pop music, and film production. In 2023, she was ranked second on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest singers of all time. Houston had 11 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and is the only artist to have seven consecutive number-one singles on the chart. She also enhanced her popularity by entering the film industry. Her accolades include eight Grammy Awards, 22 American Music Awards, two Emmy Awards, and 30 Guinness World Records. Houston's inductions include the Grammy Hall of Fame (twice), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, the BET Walk of Fame, the Soul Train Hall of Fame, the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, the New Jersey Hall of Fame, and the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress.

The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by Dick Clark Productions since 1974. From 1973 to 2005, both the winners and the nominations were selected by the members of the music industry, based on commercial performance, such as sales and airplay. Since 2006, winners have been determined by a poll of the public and fans, who can vote through the AMAs website. The event originally aired on American Broadcasting Company, after the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired. CBS will air the 2024 edition.