Celine Dion, The #15 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Two

 

(Continued from Part One)

Celine's popularity had continued to grow with each release, but the Falling into You album in 1996 catapulted her into superstardom.  The Diane Warren-penned song "Because You Loved Me", from the movie Up Close and Personal, became her biggest hit to date, topping charts in the U.S., Australia, and Canada and selling over two million copies.  It remained at #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart for an incredible 19 weeks.

Dion was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammys, for Hot 100 Single, Hot Adult Contemporary Single, Hot 100 Singles Airplay and Hot Adult Top 40 Single at the Billboard Music Awards and she was nominated for Favorite Female Artist -Pop and Favorite Song from a Movie at the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards.  

Celine performed concerts throughout the world in support of the album.  Falling into You reached #1 in the U.S. and nearly every other major country and has sold over 11 million copies to date in the U.S. alone and over 32 million worldwide.  "It's All Coming Back To Me Now", written and produced by Jim Steinman, also sold over two million singles and topped charts in Canada and Belgium and the U.S. AC chart (#2 overall).

Dion captured Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and Best Pop Album and she won Billboard Music Awards for Top Billboard 200 Album Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album Artist - Female and Hot Adult Contemporary Artist and was nominated for Top Pop Artist, Top Pop Artist - Female and Top Billboard 200 Album.  

 

Her remake of the Eric Carmen song "All By Myself" peaked at #1 on the AC chart and #4 Popular in the U.S., #5 in France, #6 in the U.K., and #7 in Canada.

Celine was nominated for Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Artist and Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist two consecutive years at the American Music Awards, capturing the former award in 1998.  "Falling Into You" reached #1 in Spain and Greece and was a Top 10 hit in the U.K. and Norway. 

 

Dion performed "The Power Of The Dream" before a television audience of half a billion people at the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia in 1996.  David Foster and Babyface combined to write the song, which includes accompaniment by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. 

 

Here is Celine's remake of the song first recorded by Ike and Tina Turner made popular by the Four Tops & Supremes collaboration--"River Deep - Mountain High".

 

Dion won three World Music Awards, including World's Best-Selling Artist of the Year and World's Best-Selling Pop Artist of the Year.  By singing "Seduces Me", Celine herself entered the world of seduction.

Dion's Let's Talk About Love album in 1997 featured several high-profile stars, an indication of how much her own star had risen since her debut.    

 

Let's Talk About Love went to #1 in nearly every major country and has sold over 10 million in the U.S. and 31 million total.  In Canada, it sold over 230,000 copies in its first week, an all-time record.  "Tell Him" is the great duet between Celine and Barbra Streisand that earned the two superstars a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.  The collaboration was initiated when Celine and Barbra met at the 1997 Academy Awards.

 

The song that would become Celine's signature song, though, was her unforgettable classic featured in the movie Titanic--"My Heart Will Go On".  The song and movie are now so inextricably linked that it is impossible to hear the song or watch the movie without thinking of the other.  It topped charts throughout the world and won four Grammy Awards, including the prestigious Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Academy Award and Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Song.  It also earned Celine a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Song from A Movie.  

Dion won Billboard Music Awards for Hot Soundtrack Single, Top Billboard 200 Album and Hot Soundtrack Album (for Titanic) and was nominated for Hot Adult Contemporary Single and Top Billboard 200 Album for Let's Talk About Love as well.  The video was nominated for Best Video form a Film and Viewer's Choice at the MTV Video Music Awards.  Once again, Celine toured the world to promote her album. 

 

"Immortality" gave her a 14th #1 on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart.  It also reached #2 in Germany and #5 in the United Kingdom.

 

"Let's Talk About Love" was co-written by fellow Canadian Bryan Adams, who also plays guitar on the middle eight..

 

"I Hate You Then I Love You" is an adaptation of the Italian song "Grande grande grande" by Mina.  Celine teamed with famed tenor Luiciano Pavarotti for this one.

Other guests on the album included Carole King, Sir George Martin, and Diana King.

The beloved songstress continues with Part Three!