Perhaps more than any other record company in recent memory, Arista Records can justifiably claim to have been home to many of the world's most successful divas. The term itself may have become somewhat overplayed, but the list of just a few of the great female vocalists whose names have graced Arista's roster leaves one in little doubt that Clive Davis has more than a penchant for knowing a bona fide, certified diva when he hears one.

Since its inception, Arista's roster has included, chronologically, such illustrious ladies as Melissa Manchester, Patti Smith, Jennifer Warnes, Phyllis Hyman, Angela Bofill, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Carly Simon, Taylor Dayne, Lisa Stansfield, Jennifer Holliday, Annie Lennox, Sarah McLachlan, Deborah Cox, Monica and Angie Stone. In the '90s, joint ventures with LaFace and Bad Boy have brought a new crop of divas-in-training to the Arista fold, notably Toni Braxton, TLC and Faith Evans.

Arista's ongoing commitment to presenting the music of key female artists has had more relevance than ever during the last few years. In 1999, the company released "Ultimate Divas," a 17-track compilation that not only included artists associated with Arista such as Franklin, Warwick, Houston, Braxton and Lennox but also featured legendary figures like Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald alongside contemporary icons Chaka Khan, Tina Turner, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Diana Ross and Mary J. Blige.

FAMOUS EARS

The label, under Davis' tutelage, has played more than a passing role in the influence women have had on the world of music on a global basis. Not only has Davis used his famous "ears" to bring new female artists to the attention of the music-buying public: he has been responsible for the rejuvenation of the recording careers of such legends as one of the original '60s crossover artists, Dionne Warwick (with the label from 1978 to 1994) and "Queen Of Soul" Aretha Franklin (who joined the roster in 1980). Davis recalls signing Warwick, the result of which was a platinum album and classic recordings such as "I'll Never Love This Way Again," "D ją Vu" and "That's What Friends Are For": "Over the years, Dionne Warwick certainly defined the term "urban pop,'" he says. "Her voice floated in and out of lyrics like no other, and yet it could soar as well."

Franklin has continued to reinvent herself as a recording artist during her two decades with Arista via hit albums and singles like "Freeway of Love," "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)," "Willing To Forgive," "Jump To It" and "A Rose Is Still A Rose." Says Davis, "Aretha's voice is indeed a natural treasure. You just know that, hundreds of years from now, people will still be listening to her and marveling at "The Queen Of Soul.'"

ELEGANCE AND BEAUTY

While female artists have consistently contributed to Arista's dominance in the marketplace, the impact of Whitney Houston has been unparalleled. With Davis nurturing and developing her recording career, Houston has broken record after record on a global basis. Domestic sales alone for her six albums for the label have easily topped 50 million, worldwide sales have surpassed the 100-million-unit mark, and she recently received her seventh Grammy Award. Davis recalls his initial impressions when signing Houston to the label: "Right after I signed Whitney, I brought her on Merv Griffin's nationwide television show and introduced her, saying that, for the next generation, here was a singer who combined the fiery gospel of Aretha Franklin with both the sultry elegance of lyrical phrasing and the beauty of Lena Horne."

Of particular significance is the diverse range of women who have recorded for Arista: Lisa Stansfield and Annie Lennox, legendary singer/songwriter Carly Simon, former Broadway diva Jennifer Holliday, poet-turned-rock icon Patti Smith, Canadian chanteuses Sarah McLachlan and Deborah Cox, Monica and most recently, classic-soul star Angie Stone, the latest in the long line of women who have helped make Arista diva-friendly.