American singer and actress Jennifer Hudson has released four studio albums, sixteen singles (including two as a featured artist), five promotional singles and thirteen music videos. She has also made various contributions to other artist's albums and has appeared on the soundtrack for the 2006 musical film, Dreamgirls.
Hudson's music incorporates a range of musical genres such as soul and R&B. Motown is often seen as an influence on Hudson's music. Hudson rose to fame as a contestant on the third series of American Idol, however being eliminated at the "Top 7" stage. Hudson went on to perform as "Effie White" in the 2006 film adaptation of the original production of Broadway musical, Dreamgirls. Hudson won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance, becoming one of the few people to win an award at the ceremony for a debut performance. The soundtrack of the film was again a huge success, reaching number one on the Billboard 200. One of Hudson's performances, "Love You I Do", was nominated for the 2007 Academy Award for Best Original Song, and won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.
Following Hudson's success on Dreamgirls, her self-titled debut album, Jennifer Hudson was released in 2008, to commercial success, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200. Hudson's first single from the album, "Spotlight" was a success around the world, reaching number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as 11 on its British counterpart. The song also reached number-one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Jennifer Hudson has since been certified Gold in the U.S. Hudson was nominated for three Grammy Awards for Jennifer Hudson, collecting the award for "Best R&B Album" at the 51st Awards Ceremony. Her second album, I Remember Me (2011), also debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 selling 165,000 copies in its first week. The first single, "Where You At", was an R&B hit, reaching the top ten at the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
Studio albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions, sales, and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales Certifications US USR&B/HH AUS Jennifer Hudson: "Spotlight": CANPeak chart positions for albums in Canada: Jennifer Hudson: I Remember Me: GER IREJPN KOR (Int.) SWI UKFor top 100 peak positions: JHUD: "I Can't Describe (The Way I Feel)": "We Are the World 25 for Haiti": Jennifer Hudson Released: September 30, 2008 Label: Arista (#706303), J Formats: CD, digital download 2 2 73 51 — 46 27 — — 21 US: 1,000,000 (as of 2011) UK: 172,720 (as of 2011) RIAA: Gold BPI: Gold I Remember Me Released: March 22, 2011 Label: Arista, J Formats: CD, digital download 2 2 26 34 84 86 19 13 57 20 US: 675,000 (as of 2014) RIAA: Gold JHUD Released: September 23, 2014 Label: RCA Formats: CD, digital download 10 2 — — — — 170 59 100 116 US: 100,000 (as of 2014) The Gift of Love Released: October 18, 2024 Label: Interscope Formats: CD, digital download 160 — — — — — — — — — US: 50,000 "—" denotes an album that did not chart
Soundtracks Title Album details Peak chart positions US SWI UK Respect Released: August 13, 2021 Label: Epic, MGM Formats: Vinyl, CD, digital downloads, streaming 151 93 —
Singles As lead artist + List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album US "We Are the World 25 for Haiti": US R&B/HH AUS CAN GER IRE KOR (Int.) 2011: 2012: 2013: 2014: SCOAnd I Am Telling You I'm Not Going: Remember Me: NZ UK "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" 2006 60 14 — — — 37 — 32 — 32 BPI: Silver Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture "Spotlight" 2008 24 1 96 69 58 32 — — 21 11 BPI: Platinum RMNZ: Platinum Jennifer Hudson "If This Isn't Love" 2009 63 5 — — 76 — — — — 37 "Giving Myself" — 84 — — — — — — — "Where You At" 2011 64 10 — — — — 15 — — 103 I Remember Me "I Remember Me" — — — — — — 30 — — 89 "No One Gonna Love You" — 23 — — — — — — — — "I Got This" — 54 — — — — — — — — "I Will Always Love You (Live at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards)" 2012 — — — — — — — — — — "Think Like a Man" (with Ne-Yo featuring Rick Ross) 90 33 — — — — 20 — — — Think Like a Man OST "I Can't Describe (The Way I Feel)" (featuring T.I.) 2013 — — — — — — 54 — — 109 JHUD "Walk It Out" (featuring Timbaland) 2014 — — — — — — 56 — — — "It's Your World" (featuring R. Kelly) — — — — — — — — — — "I Still Love You" 2015 — — — — — — — — — — "Remember Me" 2017 — — 41 — — — — 50 — — rowspan="2" "Burden Down" — — — — — — — — — — "I'll Fight" 2018 — — — — — — — — — — RBG "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" 2021 — — — — — — — — — — "Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)" — — — — — — — — — — Respect "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" — — — — — — — — — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
As featured artist + List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album US US R&B/HH AUS CAN IRE NZ UK "Overjoyed"(Jamie Williams featuring Jennifer Hudson) 2007 — — — — — — — After Hours "We Are the World 25 for Haiti"(as USA for Haiti) 2010 2 — 18 7 9 8 50 "Go All Night"(Gorgon City featuring Jennifer Hudson) 2014 — — — — — — 14 BPI: Silver Sirens "Trouble"(Iggy Azalea featuring Jennifer Hudson)2015 67 22 10 73 20 — 7 RIAA: Gold ARIA: Platinum BPI: Platinum RMNZ: Gold Reclassified "How Great Thou Art"(Pentatonix featuring Jennifer Hudson) 2017 — — — — — — — A Pentatonix Christmas "Oh Santa!"(Mariah Carey featuring Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson) 2020 76 20 — 60 76 — 50 Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special (Apple TV+ Original Soundtrack) "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Promotional singles + List of promotional singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Album US AUS AUT CAN GER IRE NZ SWI UK "The Star-Spangled Banner" 2009 — — — — — — — — — "You Pulled Me Through" — — — — — — — — — Jennifer Hudson "One Shining Moment" 2010 — — — — — — — — — "Feeling Good" — — — — — — — — — I Remember Me "Night of Your Life"(David Guetta featuring Jennifer Hudson) 2011 81 37 7 30 12 46 38 24 35 Nothing but the Beat "On Top of the World"(with Pixie Lott, Luan Santana, Yemi Alade & Monali Thakur) 2018 — — — — — — — — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Other charted songs + List of songs, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Single Year Peak chart positions Album US US AC US R&B/HH US R&BDigitalSales US GospelDigitalSales CAN KOR Int. For "Move" and "Fake Your Way to the Top": NZHot "Santa for Someone": UK UK R&B "Love You I Do": "Move"(with Beyonce Knowles and Anika Noni Rose) 2006 — — — — — — 43 — — — Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture "Fake Your Way to the Top"(with Beyonce Knowles, Eddie Murphy and Anika Noni Rose) — — — — — — 36 — — — "Love You I Do" — — — — — — — — 80 24 "Leaving Tonight"(Ne-Yo featuring Jennifer Hudson) 2007 — — 55 — — — — — — — Because of You "All Dressed in Love" 2008 — — — — — — — — 72 — Sex and the City Soundtrack "Jesus Promised Me a Home Over There" — — — — 6 — — — — — Jennifer Hudson "I'm His Only Woman"(featuring Fantasia) — — — — — — — — — — "Let It Be"(featuring The Roots) 2010 98 — — — — 70 — — 97 — Hope for Haiti Now "Don't Look Down" 2011 — — 70 — — — — — — — I Remember Me "Believe" — — — — 3 — — — — — "Whatever Makes You Happy"(with Juicy J) 2015 — — — 22 — — — — — — Empire: Original Soundtrack from Season 1 "For My God" — — — — 7 — — — — — Empire: The Complete Season 1 "Home"(with Kennedy Holmes) 2018 — — — 6 — — — — — — The Season 15 Collection (The Voice Performance) "Memory" 2019 — — — — — — — — — — Cats: Highlights from the Motion Picture Soundtrack "Winter Wonderland" 2024 — 27 — — — — — — — — The Gift of Love "Santa for Someone" — — — — — — — 37 — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Guest appearances Song Year Album "Easy to Be Hard" 2004 Hair – Actor's Fund of America Benefit Recording "The Future Ain't What It Used to Be"(with Meat Loaf) 2006 Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose "Leaving Tonight"(with Ne-Yo) 2007 Because of You "The Star-Spangled Banner" 2009 Change Is Now: Renewing America's Promise "Let It Be Me"(with Rod Stewart) Soulbook "You Put a Move on My Heart"(with Quincy Jones) 2010 Q Soul Bossa Nostra "Proud Mary"(with John Fogerty, Allen Toussaint and Rebirth Brass Band) 2013 Wrote a Song for Everyone "I'm a Woman"(with Kristin Chenoweth) 2019 For the Girls "Superstar"(with Anthony Hamilton) 2021 Love Is the New Black
Soundtrack appearances Song Year Album "Move"(with Beyoncé Knowles and Anika Noni Rose) 2006 Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture "Fake Your Way to the Top"(with Beyoncé Knowles, Anika Noni Rose and Eddie Murphy) "Cadillac Car"(with various artists) "Steppin' to The Bad Side"(with various artists) "Love You I Do"(with Beyoncé Knowles, Anika Noni Rose and Eddie Murphy) "I Want You Baby"(with Beyoncé Knowles, Anika Noni Rose and Eddie Murphy) "Family"(with various artists) "Dreamgirls"(with Beyoncé Knowles and Anika Noni Rose) "It's All Over"(with various artists) "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" "I Am Changing" "One Night Only" "Dreamgirls"(finale version)(with Beyoncé Knowles, Anika Noni Rose and Sharon Leal) "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (dance mix) "Love Is Your Color"(with Leona Lewis) 2010 Sex and the City 2 "Bleed for Love"(featuring Soweto Gospel Choir) 2011 Winnie Mandela "I Can't Let Go" 2013 Smash episode" The Song" "I Got Love" "Everybody Loves You Now" cover of Billy Joel(with Andy Mientus) "On Broadway" cover of The Drifters(with Katharine McPhee) Smash episode On Broadway "Mama Makes Three" "Be Grateful"(with Forest Whitaker and Jacob Latimore) Black Nativity "Test of Faith" "Hush Child (Get You Through This Silent Night)"(with Jacob Latimore, Luke James and Grace Gibson) "He Loves Me Still"(with Angela Bassett) "Fix Me Jesus" "As"(with Forest Whitaker and Jacob Latimore) "I Run" 2015 Chi-Raq (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) "Remember the Music" Empire: Original Soundtrack from Season 1 "Whatever Makes You Happy"(with Juicy J) "For My God" Empire: The Complete Season 1 "Big, Blonde and Beautiful" 2016 Hairspray Live! "I Know Where I've Been" "You Can't Stop the Beat"(with Maddie Baillio, Garrett Clayton, Ariana Grande, Ephraim Sykes, Harvey Fierstein, Martin Short, Kristin Chenoweth, Dove Cameron, and Company) "Come So Far (Got So Far to Go)"(with Ariana Grande) "I'll Follow the Sun"(with the Beat Bugs) Beat Bugs: Best of Seasons 1 & 2 (Music from the Netflix Original Series) "Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight" Sing: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack "Hallelujah"(with Tori Kelly) Sing: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Deluxe) "Memory" 2019 Cats: Highlights from the Motion Picture Soundtrack "All I Need" 2023 The Color Purple (Music From and Inspired by the Motion Picture)
Music videos Video Year Director "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" 2007 Bill Condon "Spotlight" 2008 Chris Robinson "If This Isn't Love" 2009 Diane Martel "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" 2010 Paul Haggis "Where You At" 2011 Anthony Mandler "No One Gonna Love You Diane Martel "Think Like a Man" 2012 "I Can't Describe (The Way I Feel)" 2013 Anthony Mandler "Walk It Out" 2014 Little X "I Still Love You 2015 Tabitha Denholm and Molly Schiot "Remember Me" 2017 "Burden Down" Sam Lecca "Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)" 2021
Notes Charts and sales
References General
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