Houston, who died from drug-related complications in 2012, joins Notorious B.I.G. , Soundgarden, the Doobie Brothers and several other acts nominated this year for possible induction in 2020, NBC News reports.
Houston, 48, grew up in Newark and East Orange and attended Mount St. Dominic in Caldwell. She rose to global super-stardom in the 1980s with hits like "You Give Good Love" and "How Will I Know." Her first two albums have sold more than any other pair of debut albums.
She broke other records too, including for best-selling gospel album for the 1996 soundtrack of the film "The Preacher's Wife."
The top vote-getters will be announced in January and inducted on May 20 at the 35th annual Rock Hall of Fame ceremony at the Public Auditorium in the Hall's home base of Cleveland. The ceremony is presented by Kilpsch Audio, NBC also reported.
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