It's only minor in a pure musical sense. It's major when talking about a complete performer
there is a difference between a pure musician-vocalist and a artist-performer with above average musicianship and/or vocals. Beyonce is more in the latter category while Aretha and Whitney are in the former. It's the same reason why Tina Turner has always been placed above Whitney and Aretha as a total package instead of vocally where she isn't even close to them.
Most of whitney's actual music in the 80's was a disservice to her vocal skills because most of it was watered down trash. That's why she was booed at the soul train awards
whitney was a supreme vocalist but her music from the 80's was wack...that's why she got booed at the soul train awards