# Vanessa Williams discography

Vanessa Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American actress and singer. In 1987, Williams released her debut album, The Right Stuff. The first single, "The Right Stuff", found success on the R&B chart, while the second single, "He's Got the Look", found similar success on the same chart. The third single, "Dreamin'", was a pop hit, becoming Williams's first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 8, and her first number one single on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album reached gold status in the US and earned her an NAACP Image Award and three Grammy Award nominations, including one for Best New Artist.
Her second album The Comfort Zone became the biggest success in her music career. The lead single "Running Back to You" reached top twenty on the Hot 100, and the top position of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart on October 5, 1991. Other singles included "The Comfort Zone" (#2 R&B), "Just for Tonight" (#26 Pop), a cover of The Isley Brothers' "Work to Do" (#3 R&B), and the club-only hit "Freedom Dance (Get Free!)". The most successful single from the album, as well as her biggest hit to date, is "Save the Best for Last". It reached No. 1 in the United States, where it remained for five weeks, as well as No. 1 in Australia, the Netherlands, and Canada, and was in the top 5 in Japan, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The album sold 2.2 million copies in the US at its time of release and has since been certified triple platinum in the United States by the RIAA, gold in Canada by the CRIA, and platinum in the United Kingdom by the BPI. The Comfort Zone earned Williams five Grammy Award nominations.
The Sweetest Days, her third album, was released in 1994 to highly-favorable reviews. The album saw Williams branch out and sample other styles of music that included jazz, hip hop, rock, and Latin-themed recordings such as "Betcha Never" and "You Can't Run", both written and produced by Babyface. Other singles from the album included the adult-contemporary and dance hit "The Way That You Love" and the title track "The Sweetest Days". The album was certified platinum in the US by the RIAA and earned her two Grammy Award nominations.
Other releases include two Christmas albums, Star Bright, released in 1996, and Silver & Gold in 2004; Next in 1997, and Everlasting Love in 2005, along with a greatest-hits compilation released in 1998, and a host of other compilations released over the years. Notable chart performances from subsequent albums, motion picture and television soundtracks have included the songs "Love Is", which was a duet with Brian McKnight, the Golden Globe- and Academy Award-winning "Colors of the Wind", "Where Do We Go from Here?", and "Oh How the Years Go By".
On June 2, 2009, she released her eighth studio album on Concord Records titled The Real Thing. It features songs written and/or produced by Babyface, Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Bebel Gilberto, and Rex Rideout. Williams described the album as "a hybrid of samba, bossa nova, some salsa and also some pop and R&B". The title song "The Real Thing", the fourth single released from the album, peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart.
She received a number of Grammy nominations for her work in the music industry, including hits such as "The Right Stuff", "Save the Best for Last", "Colors of the Wind", and "Oh How the Years Go By".

## Albums
### Studio albums

| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Sales | Certifications |
| Year | Album details | US | US R&B | AUS | CAN | GER | NLD | UK | Sales | Certifications |
| 1988 | The Right Stuff Release date: February 2, 1988 Label: Wing, Mercury | 38 | 18 | — | — | — | 45 | — | | US: Gold |
| 1991 | The Comfort Zone Release date: August 20, 1991 Label: Wing, Mercury | 17 | 1 | 29 | 24 | 52 | 28 | 24 | | US: 3× Platinum CAN: Gold |
| 1994 | The Sweetest Days Release date: December 6, 1994 Label: Wing, Mercury | 57 | 25 | 72 | — | 74 | — | — | | US: Platinum |
| 1996 | Star Bright Release date: November 5, 1996 Label: Mercury | 36 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | | US: Gold |
| 1997 | Next Release date: August 26, 1997 Label: Mercury | 53 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | US: 220,000 | |
| 2004 | Silver & Gold Release date: October 12, 2004 Label: Lava, Atlantic | 120 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | US: 100,000 | |
| 2005 | Everlasting Love Release date: January 25, 2005 Label: Lava, Atlantic | 159 | 57 | — | — | — | — | — | US: 60,000 | |
| 2009 | The Real Thing Release date: June 2, 2009 Label: Concord | 91 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | US: 62,000 | |
| 2024 | Survivor Release date: August 23, 2024 Label: Mellian Music, WMG | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |||||||||||
* $^A$ Peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart and at No. 6 on the ARIA R&B Albums chart.
* $^B$ Peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart and at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.

### Live albums

| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions |
| Year | Album details | US | AUT | GER |
| 2001 | Our Favorite Things (with Tony Bennett, Charlotte Church, & Plácido Domingo) First live album Release date: October 16, 2001 Label: Sony Classical | 102 | 48 | 79 |
* $^C$ Peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Classical Crossover chart and at No. 25 on the Billboard Top Internet Albums chart.

### Compilation albums

| Year | Album details |
| 1998 | Greatest Hits: The First Ten Years First compilation album Released: November 17, 1998 Label: Mercury |
| 2003 | 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Vanessa Williams Second compilation album Released: September 23, 2003 Label: Mercury |
| 2004 | Love Songs Third compilation album Released: January 13, 2004 Label: Mercury |
| 2021 | The Best Fourth compilation album Released: May 14, 2021 Label: Mercury |

## Singles

| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album |
| Year | Single | US | US Dan | US A/C | AUS | CAN | GER | IRE | NLD | NZ | UK | Certifications | Album |
| 1988 | "The Right Stuff" | 44 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 21 | — | 71 | | The Right Stuff |
| 1988 | "(He's Got) The Look" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Right Stuff |
| 1988 | "Dreamin'" | 8 | — | 2 | 108 | 16 | — | — | 40 | 19 | 74 | | The Right Stuff |
| 1989 | "Darlin' I" | 88 | — | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Right Stuff |
| 1991 | "Running Back to You" | 18 | 2 | — | 102 | 86 | — | — | — | — | 82 | | The Comfort Zone |
| 1991 | "The Comfort Zone" | 62 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Comfort Zone |
| 1992 | "Save the Best for Last" | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 3 | US: Gold AUS: Platinum | The Comfort Zone |
| 1992 | "Just for Tonight" | 26 | — | 2 | — | 10 | — | — | 46 | 45 | 83 | | The Comfort Zone |
| 1992 | "Work to Do" | 52 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Comfort Zone |
| 1993 | "Love Is" (with Brian McKnight) | 3 | — | 1 | 49 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 92 | | Beverly Hills 90210: The Soundtrack |
| 1994 | "The Sweetest Days" | 18 | — | 3 | 47 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 41 | | The Sweetest Days |
| 1995 | "The Way That You Love" | 67 | 6 | — | — | 39 | — | — | — | — | 52 | | The Sweetest Days |
| 1995 | "Colors of the Wind" | 4 | — | 2 | 16 | 11 | — | 16 | 8 | 25 | 21 | US: Gold | Pocahontas: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack |
| 1995 | "You Can't Run" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Sweetest Days |
| 1996 | "Where Do We Go from Here?" | 71 | — | 5 | — | 29 | 87 | — | — | — | — | | Greatest Hits: The First Ten Years |
| 1996 | "Do You Hear What I Hear?" | — | — | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Star Bright |
| 1997 | "Happiness" | — | — | — | — | 70 | — | — | — | 49 | — | | Next |
| 1997 | "First Thing on Your Mind" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Next |
| 1997 | "Oh How the Years Go By" | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Next |
| 1998 | "Who Were You Thinkin' 'Bout?" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Next |
| 1998 | "Refugio de Amor (You Are My Home)" (with Chayanne) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Dance with Me: Music from the Motion Picture |
| 2004 | "Silver and Gold" | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Silver & Gold |
| 2004 | "Merry Christmas Darling" | — | — | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Silver & Gold |
| 2005 | "You Are Everything" | — | 5 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Everlasting Love |
| 2009 | "Breathless" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Real Thing |
| 2009 | "Just Friends" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Real Thing |
| 2009 | "Close to You" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Real Thing |
| 2009 | "The Real Thing" | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Real Thing |
| 2024 | "Legs (Keep Dancing)" | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | Survivor |
| "Bop!" (with Trixie Mattel and Lion Babe) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | Survivor |
| "iLike Moonlight" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | Survivor |
| "Survivor" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | Survivor |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. ||||||||||||||
* $^F$ A 1989 remix of the song charted at number 62 in the UK.
* $^G$ Peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart and at No. 5 on the Billboard Tropical/Salsa Songs chart.
* $^H$ Peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs chart.
* $^I$ Peaked at No. 3 on the Dance/Electronic Digital Songs Sales chart. The Dance Club Songs chart is no longer published.
*** The title track ”survivor” has been used as a promotional single for the album, including a lyrics video release.

### Featured singles

| Year | Single | Artist | Peak positions | Peak positions | Album |
| Year | Single | Artist | US | US R&B | Album |
| 1995 | "Freedom (Theme from Panther)" | Various artists | 45 | 18 | Panther |
| 2020 | Twerking 5 to 9: The Rusical | As part of the Cast of RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race featuring Christina Bianco & April Malina | - | - | non-album single |

## Other appearances

| Year | Song | Album |
| 1994 | "Save the Best for Last" (Live) | Released on the compilation Grammy's Greatest Moments: Volume II. |
| 1994 | "You Would Be My Baby" | Recorded for the soundtrack The Mask. |

## Video releases
### Video albums

| Year | Title |
| 1989 | The Right Stuff Released: 1989 Label: PolyGram |
| 1992 | The Comfort Zone Collection Released: 1992 Label: Polydor |

### Concert videos

| Year | Video details | Notes |
| 1996 | Vanessa Williams & Friends: Christmas in New York | |
| 1997 | Vanessa Williams live in Japan | |
| 1998 | Pavarotti & Friends for the Children of Liberia | |
| 2000 | Our Favorite Things: Christmas in Vienna | With Tony Bennett and Plácido Domingo |
| 2004 | Vanessa Williams Christmas: Live by Request | |

### Music videos

| Year | Title | Director |
| 1988 | "The Right Stuff" | Rebecca Blake |
| 1988 | "(He's Got) The Look" | Alek Keshishian |
| 1988 | "Dreamin'" | Alek Keshishian |
| 1989 | "Darlin' I" | Alek Keshishian |
| 1991 | "Running Back to You" | Ralph Ziman |
| 1991 | "The Comfort Zone" | Ralph Ziman |
| 1992 | "Save the Best for Last" | Ralph Ziman |
| 1992 | "Just for Tonight" | David Cameron |
| 1992 | "Work to Do" | Pam Thomas |
| 1992 | "What Will I Tell My Heart" | Ralph Ziman |
| 1992 | "Save the Best for Last" (Holiday Version) | Kevin Bray |
| 1992 | "What Child Is This?" | |
| 1993 | "Love Is" (with Brian McKnight) | Ralph Ziman |
| 1994 | "The Sweetest Days" | Kevin Bray |
| 1995 | "The Way That You Love" | Matthew Rolston |
| 1995 | "Freedom (Theme from Panther)" (with Various Artists) | Antoine Fuqua |
| 1995 | "Colors of the Wind" | Dominic Orlando |
| 1996 | "Where Do We Go from Here?" | Andy Morahan |
| 1997 | "Happiness" | Francis Lawrence |
| 1998 | "Refugio de Amor (You Are My Home)" (with Chayanne) | Gustavo Garzón |
| 2009 | "Breathless" | Mike Ruiz |
| 2009 | "Just Friends" | Mike Ruiz |
| 2009 | "Close to You" | Mike Ruiz |
| 2024 | "Legs (Keep Dancing)" | |
| 2024 | "Bop!" (with Lion Babe) | |