Where Do Broken Hearts Go

When you listen to Where Do Broken Hearts Go, it's easy to feel the power of that soaring voice, but there's a story behind how it became one of Whitney Houston's most recognized ballads. The song, written by Frank Wildhorn and Chuck Jackson, was one of the first presented for her second album, Whitney, but Houston had her doubts at first. She wasn't sure if the message of the lyrics connected with her. It was Clive Davis, the president of Arista Records, who convinced her it had the potential to be a huge hit. The recording, which took place between January and February 1987 at Right Track Recording in Manhattan, ended up being one of the last to be completed for the album, precisely because of that initial reluctance.

What makes Where Do Broken Hearts Go stand out is its structure as a pop and soul ballad that narrates a woman's reflection on a past relationship, after a painful breakup, and her conviction that the couple will reunite in the future. Some critics noted that this song marked a shift towards more introspective and emotional themes in Houston's music. After its release on February 15, 1988, the song became a resounding commercial success. It not only topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks but also became Houston's seventh consecutive single to reach number one, surpassing a previous record set by The Beatles and Bee Gees.

This achievement remains as of 2026. Furthermore, the song resonated internationally, reaching the top ten in countries like Canada and Ireland, and the top twenty in the United Kingdom. The music video, filmed in Newark, New Jersey, and directed by Peter Israelson, received extensive airplay on channels like MTV and BET, despite some criticism regarding its sound and the appearance of Houston's partner in the video. For this song, Houston was nominated for a Soul Train Music Award. Throughout her career, Houston performed it on tours, sometimes in medley segments, and after her passing in 2012, Where Do Broken Hearts Go was included in lists of the best songs, notably in Essence as the best song about breakups.