1990 in music

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1990 in music
By location
By genre
By topic
  • List of albums released
List of years in music (table)

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990. This year was the peak of cassette sales in the United States, with sales declining year on year since then.[1]

Specific locations[]

Specific genres[]

Events[]

January–March[]

  • January 8 – Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor released her famous single "Nothing Compares 2 U" (originally written, composed and performed by Prince) which was a worldwide success, becoming one of the best selling singles in the world in 1990 and topped the charts in many countries including the United States and the United Kingdom.
  • January 18 – Eric Clapton plays the first of eighteen shows in a three-week span at London's Royal Albert Hall.
  • January 21 – MTV's Unplugged is broadcast for the first time, on cable television, with British band Squeeze.
  • February 6
    • Billy Idol is involved in a serious motorcycle accident, resulting in several broken bones. Idol had been scheduled to have a major role in Oliver Stone's film The Doors, but due to his injuries, the role was reduced almost to a bit part. The role of the T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, originally intended for Idol, was recast entirely as a result of the accident.
    • Bob Marley's birthday is a national holiday in Jamaica for the first time.
  • February 14 – 50,000 fans watch The Rolling Stones play the first of 10 concerts at Tokyo's Korakuen Dome, the beginning of the Stones' first ever tour of Japan. The group was originally scheduled to perform there in 1973 but a drug conviction prevented Mick Jagger from obtaining a visa at the time.
  • February 16 – Ike Turner is sentenced to 4 years in prison for possession of cocaine.
  • February 21 – The 32nd Annual Grammy Awards are presented in Los Angeles, hosted by Garry Shandling. Bonnie Raitt's Nick of Time wins Album of the Year, while Bette Midler's cover of "Wind Beneath My Wings" wins both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Milli Vanilli win Best New Artist.
  • February 24 – The Byrds (Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman and David Crosby) reunite, for the first time in 25 years, to perform at a Los Angeles tribute to Roy Orbison. The three are joined unexpectedly on stage by Bob Dylan, who sings "Mr. Tambourine Man" with the band.
  • March 15 – MCA Inc. purchases Geffen Records for over $550 million in stock. Under the agreement, David Geffen will continue to run the record company through an employment contract.
  • March 16 – Flea and Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers are arrested and charged for an incident two days earlier at a performance in Daytona Beach during MTV's spring break coverage, in which they allegedly sexually assaulted and verbally abused a female audience member after jumping from the stage. They are released on $2,000 bail.
  • March 20 – Gloria Estefan's tour bus is involved in an accident. Estefan suffers several broken bones in her back.
  • March 25 – Mötley Crüe's Tommy Lee is arrested for allegedly exposing his buttocks during a performance in Augusta, Georgia.
  • March 28 – The Go-Go's reunite to play a benefit concert for the California Environmental Protection Act. They play several more reunion shows later in the year.

April–June[]

  • April 4 – Gloria Estefan returns to Miami, Florida after undergoing back surgery following the March 20 accident.
  • April 6 – Mötley Crüe's Tommy Lee suffers a mild concussion after falling off of scaffolding above his elevated drum kit during a performance in New Haven, Connecticut.
  • April 7 – Neil Young, Elton John, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Guns N' Roses and Jackson Browne perform at Farm Aid IV in Indiana. John dedicates "Candle in the Wind" to AIDS patient Ryan White during his performance. White dies the following day.
  • April 13 – Madonna starts her controversial Blond Ambition Tour in Tokyo, Japan.
  • April 16 – A massive tribute concert is held at Wembley Stadium for recently freed anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, who appears in a pre-taped 45-minute speech at the event. Performers include Anita Baker, Tracy Chapman, Peter Gabriel, The Neville Brothers and Neil Young. The event is broadcast to 61 countries around the world.
  • April 24 – Janet Jackson is honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame[2]
  • April 25 – Jimi Hendrix's Fender Stratocaster, on which he performed his famous version of the "Star Spangled Banner" at Woodstock, is auctioned off in London for $295,000.
  • April 27 – Axl Rose marries model Erin Everly, daughter of singer Don Everly, in a Las Vegas ceremony. Divorce papers are filed on May 24, then withdrawn, then filed again in October.
  • May 5 – The 35th Eurovision Song Contest, held in Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall in Zagreb, is won by Italian singer Toto Cutugno for the song "Insieme: 1992", Italy's first victory in the contest since 1964. At 46 years old, Cutugno becomes the oldest winner of the contest to date, a record he holds until 2001.
  • May 6 – Valery Leontiev show "It seems to me that I have not lived" in the Olympic Stadium.
  • May 12 – First Prague Spring International Music Festival following the Velvet Revolution: Rafael Kubelík conducts the Czech Philharmonic orchestra in Smetana's Má vlast.
  • May 18 – The Rolling Stones open their Urban Jungle European tour in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
  • May 27 – The Stone Roses stage a legendary concert at Spike Island, Cheshire.
  • May 29
    • In Canada, Toronto police threaten to arrest Madonna if she performs her simulated masturbation scene during her performance of "Like a Virgin" on her Blond Ambition Tour. Madonna refuses to change her show, and the police decide not to press charges, later denying that they had ever threatened to do so (a claim refuted by footage captured during the filming of Madonna's 1991 documentary Truth or Dare).
    • At the Eurovision Young Musicians Competition 1990 finals, held at the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria, pianist of the Netherlands takes first place.
  • June 9 – The Stone Roses perform to 8,000 people at Glasgow Green, which is widely regarded as their best ever gig.
  • June 10 – Members of rap group 2 Live Crew are arrested and charged with obscenity after a performance in a Hollywood, Florida nightclub..
  • June 12 - Mariah Carey released her debut and topped the charts for 11 consecutive weeks.
  • June 30 – Knebworth 1990, a one-off festival at Knebworth Park, England in support of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy. Participating musicians have all been winners of the Silver Clef Award. The acts include headliners Pink Floyd, Genesis, Robert Plant, Elton John, Dire Straits, Status Quo, Eric Clapton and others.

July–September[]

  • July 7 – The Three Tenors give their first concert, at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome.
  • July 14 – Jean Michel Jarre's concert Paris la Defense attracts 2.5 million spectators.
  • July 21 – Roger Waters and numerous guest stars stage a performance of Pink Floyd's The Wall in Berlin, Germany to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall eight months earlier. Scorpions, Cyndi Lauper, Thomas Dolby, Sinéad O'Connor, The Band and Bryan Adams are among the performers.
  • August 5 – Madonna ends her controversial Blond Ambition Tour in Nice, France. The last date was aired live and broadcast on HBO in United States, and later released as Laser Disc only.
  • August 13 – Curtis Mayfield is paralyzed from the neck down in an accident at an outdoor concert in Flatbush, Brooklyn, after stage lighting equipment collapses on top of him.
  • August 19 – Leonard Bernstein conducts his final performance at Tanglewood; he suffers a coughing fit in the middle of one piece which almost brings the concert to a premature end.
  • August 22 – James MacMillan's symphonic piece The Confession of Isobel Gowdie premieres at The Proms in London.
  • August 24
    • A judge rules that heavy metal band Judas Priest is not responsible for the actions of two Nevada youths who shot themselves, one fatally, after listening to the band's music in December 1985.
    • Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor sparks controversy when she refuses to play a concert at the Garden State Arts Center in New Jersey unless the venue refrains from its tradition of playing a recording of the American national anthem before the performance. O'Connor is heavily criticized and her music is dropped from a number of radio stations as a result.
  • August 27 – Guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan is killed in a helicopter crash following a concert at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin. He was 35.
  • September 4 – Walter Yetnikoff steps down after fifteen years as President of CBS Records.
  • September 11 – After a decade of performing in the Francophone world, Céline Dion makes her formal English-language debut in the United States with the release of her album Unison.
  • September 26 – The poorly received Cop Rock premieres on US television; it was TV's only musical police drama.

October–December[]

  • October 9 – Leonard Bernstein announces his retirement from the conducting podium; he dies five days later.
  • October 20 – A Florida jury acquits 2 Live Crew of the obscenity charges stemming from a June 10 performance of their act known for its sexually explicit lyrics.
  • October 22 – Pearl Jam, then named "Mookie Blaylock", play their first show as a band at the Off Ramp club in Seattle, Washington.
  • October 27 – Janet Jackson's "Black Cat" reaches number one.[3] It was also the first song to simultaneously peak atop the Billboard Hot 100 and Mainstream Rock chart.[4]
  • November 6 – Madonna releases her new single, "Justify My Love". The accompanying music video is banned by MTV amid international controversy over its sexually explicit content.
  • November 21 – The Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger finally marries longtime girlfriend Jerry Hall in a traditional Hindu ceremony on the island of Bali, although the wedding's legality is questionable.
  • November 27 – Amid growing public skepticism towards the artistic integrity of dance-pop duo Milli Vanilli as well as creative differences with frontmen Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus, music producer Frank Farian admits that Morvan and Pilatus had been lip-synching all of their songs, including hits such as "Girl You Know It's True." In actuality, the tracks were composed and recorded by an ensemble of much older artists. Milli Vanilli's Grammy award for Best New Artist is voided in the ensuing fallout; accounts vary as to whether it was revoked or if Morvan and Pilatus returned it themselves.
  • December 1 – ABC airs a television special accompanying the Red Hot + Blue benefit album in which contemporary pop performers reinterpret the songs of Cole Porter. The special includes video clips portraying the societal effects of AIDS.
  • December 3 – Following the banning of her "Justify My Love" music video by MTV, singer Madonna appears on Nightline to defend the video.
  • December 15 – Rod Stewart marries model Rachel Hunter.
  • December 31 – The nineteenth annual New Year's Rockin' Eve special airs on ABC, with appearances by The Beach Boys, Bell Biv DeVoe, The Kentucky Headhunters, Nelson, The O'Jays and Sweet Sensation.

Also in 1990[]

  • Fall – For the first time, Amy Grant and Gary Chapman hold a night of music at their Franklin, Tennessee Riverstone Farm, for local teenagers. Performers included Rich Mullins, Rick Elias, Charlie Peacock, Wes King and Michael W. Smith. The event becomes known as "The Loft".
  • Guitarists: Dan Nilsson & Micke Bargstörm, Bassist: Martin Persson & Drummer: Rille Even, all quit Opeth who were the original members of the band. David Isberg, the only remaining original member hires Guitarists: Mikael Åkerfeldt (who applied for a bassist position even when the band already had bassist causing friction but ended up as a guitarist) Andreas Dimeo, Bassist: Nick Döring & Drummer: Anders Nordin.
  • Studio Fredman is built.
  • Sons of Kyuss change their name to Kyuss and add new members, except for guitarist Josh Homme.
  • After a hiatus of 7 years, rock group Styx reform to record a new album and tour without long-time guitarist Tommy Shaw, who was committed to Damn Yankees at the time.
  • Tapes of the original William Walton score for the 1969 film Battle of Britain are rediscovered, having been lost since the score was abandoned in favour of one by Ron Goodwin.

Bands formed[]

  • See Musical groups established in 1990

Bands disbanded[]

  • See Musical groups disestablished in 1990

Albums released[]

See also: Category:1990 albums

January–March[]

Date Album Artist Notes
J
A
N
U
A
R
Y 		8 Scumdogs of the Universe GWAR -
15 Flood They Might Be Giants -
Reading, Writing and Arithmetic The Sundays UK
16 The Hit List Joan Jett Covers album
Pale Toad the Wet Sprocket -
RVS III Ricky Van Shelton -
23 Lone Wolf Hank Williams, Jr. -
Missing Links Volume Two The Monkees Rarities compilation
Stick It to Ya Slaughter Debut
29 Cloudcuckooland Lightning Seeds -
A Bit of What You Fancy The Quireboys Debut
Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors Fish -
30 Riverside Luka Bloom -
The Sweet Keeper Tanita Tikaram US
? The Best of Van Morrison Van Morrison Compilation
Colour The Christians US
F
E
B
R
U
A
R
Y 		5 Chill Out The KLF -
Lost Paradise Paradise Lost Debut
7 Frizzle Fry Primus Debut
9 Blue Sky Mining Midnight Oil -
11 Real Men... Wear Black Cameo -
12 Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em MC Hammer US
Stay Sick! The Cramps -
13 Welcome to the Beautiful South The Beautiful South US
Shake Your Money Maker The Black Crowes Debut
Chance The Rave-Ups -
16 Spiritual Healing Death -
17 Heritage Earth, Wind & Fire -
19 Up to No Good Peter Wolf -
20 Carved in Sand Mission UK US
Dark at the End of the Tunnel Oingo Boingo -
The Language of Life Everything but the Girl -
This Should Move Ya Mantronix US
21 Heading for Tomorrow Gamma Ray -
Same Place the Fly Got Smashed Guided by Voices -
22 Blackout in the Red Room Love/Hate -
Damn Yankees Damn Yankees -
Gold Afternoon Fix The Church -
Submarine Bells The Chills -
27 Highwayman 2 The Highwaymen -
28 Ah Via Musicom Eric Johnson -
The Privilege of Power Riot -
? Travel-Log J.J. Cale -
M
A
R
C
H 		1 The Caution Horses Cowboy Junkies -
Poison Bell Biv DeVoe Debut
5 Happiness The Beloved US
Backstreet Symphony Thunder Debut
New Funky Nation Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. -
6 Birds of Passage Bel Canto US
Third World Warrior Kris Kristofferson -
9 House Party Various Artists Soundtrack
12 Beg to Differ Prong -
Eye Robyn Hitchcock US
Resistance Borghesia -
13 Funhouse Kid 'n Play -
My Romance Carly Simon Covers album
Pretty Woman Various Artists Soundtrack
16 Here at the Home Tribe -
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Various Artists Soundtrack
17 Just Say Ozzy Ozzy Osbourne US; Live
19 Blacks' Magic Salt-N-Pepa -
Manic Nirvana Robert Plant -
Violator Depeche Mode -
20 Changesbowie David Bowie Compilation
Extricate The Fall US
I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got Sinéad O'Connor -
Showtime Nitzer Ebb US
Swagger Blue Aeroplanes US
26 Sex Packets Digital Underground Debut
Mental Floss for the Globe Urban Dance Squad US
Unison Celine Dion Canada
Brigade Heart -
Still Got the Blues Gary Moore -
26 Paintings in Yellow Sandra -
27 Livin' Like Hustlers Above the Law -
Forever Everlasting Everlast Debut
Social Distortion Social Distortion -
29 Representing the Mambo Little Feat -
? Join Together The Who Live box set
Manners & Physique Adam Ant -

April–June[]

Date Album Artist Notes
A
P
R
I
L 		1 Up in It The Afghan Whigs -
2 Bulkhead Severed Heads -
3 Born to Sing En Vogue -
Chemicrazy That Petrol Emotion -
Lloyd Cole Lloyd Cole -
Read My Lips Jimmy Somerville -
10 Act III Death Angel -
Behind the Mask Fleetwood Mac -
Days of Open Hand Suzanne Vega -
Fear of a Black Planet Public Enemy -
Laura Branigan Laura Branigan -
Peace Anything Box -
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm A Tribe Called Quest Debut
11 Songs for Drella Lou Reed and John Cale -
Vanity/Nemesis Celtic Frost -
13 39/Smooth Green Day Debut
16 Hammerheart Bathory -
Spanking Machine Babes in Toyland -
17 The Good Son Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds -
Johnny Gill Johnny Gill -
Last Decade Dead Century Warrior Soul Debut
Live on Broadway Barry Manilow Live
The Myth of Rock Consolidated -
Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic The Sundays US
19 Repeater Fugazi US
23 Let Them Eat Bingo Beats International US
Life Inspiral Carpets -
Metaphysical Graffiti The Dead Milkmen -
Slam Big Dipper -
24 Goodbye Jumbo World Party -
? Closer to the Flame Dave Edmunds -
M
A
Y 		1 Charmed Life Billy Idol -
When the Storm Comes Down Flotsam and Jetsam -
The Winding Sheet Mark Lanegan -
Love Moves Kim Wilde -
5 Everybody Knows Sonia -
Now That's What I Call Music 17 Various Artists UK; compilation
8 Eclipse Yngwie Malmsteen US
Greatest Hits The Bangles Compilation
The Revival Tony! Toni! Toné! -
Shut Up and Dance Paula Abdul Remix album
Tattooed Millionaire Bruce Dickinson -
Wilson Phillips Wilson Phillips -
Young Lions Adrian Belew -
10 Steelheart Steelheart -
11 Screaming Life/Fopp Soundgarden Compilation
14 Circle of One Oleta Adams -
DAAS Icon Doug Anthony All Stars -
15 Corruption in Tokyo Element Ethan Japan; live
Livin' It Up George Strait -
Lock up the Wolves Dio -
Reflections of Passion Yanni Compilation
A Round and a Bout Squeeze US; live
Ten Y&T -
16 AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted Ice Cube Solo debut
18 20 Años Luis Miguel -
21 Vol. II: 1990 – A New Decade Soul II Soul -
22 I'm Breathless Madonna Soundtrack
Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em Eric B. & Rakim -
Packed! The Pretenders -
Son of Albert Andrew Ridgeley -
25 The Ghost in Science Susumu Hirasawa Japan
Hell to Pay Jeff Healey Canada
Mecca Age of Chance US
29 Bloodletting Concrete Blonde -
I Want Too Much A House US
Katydids Katydids US
Meet John Doe John Doe -
Pod The Breeders -
31 All the Stuff (And More!) Volume 1 Ramones Compilation
All the Stuff (And More!) Volume 2 Ramones Compilation
? Joe Cocker Live Joe Cocker Live
The Internationale Billy Bragg Mini-LP
Manscape Wire US
J
U
N
E 		1 The Word as Law Neurosis -
4 10 The Stranglers US
Gold Mother James -
Left Hand Path Entombed Debut
5 Step by Step New Kids on the Block -
7 Sumerian Cry Tiamat -
11 A Catholic Education Teenage Fanclub -
Sings Cole Porter Dionne Warwick Cover
Utd. State 90 808 State -
12 Compositions Anita Baker -
En las Buenas... y en las Malas José José -
Holy Water Bad Company -
I'll Give All My Love to You Keith Sweat -
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Debut
14 Amarok Mike Oldfield -
15 Sudden Stop Colin James Canada
18 Alias Alias -
19 This Time Around Green on Red -
21 No Depression Uncle Tupelo Debut
Flesh & Blood Poison -
22 New Art Riot Manic Street Preachers EP
25 Deicide Deicide -
Livonia His Name Is Alive -
Reputation Dusty Springfield -
26 After the Rain Nelson -
Danzig II: Lucifuge Danzig -
Goo Sonic Youth -
Kiss of Life Gene Loves Jezebel -
Live It Up Crosby, Stills & Nash -
29 Black Angels Kronos Quartet -
30 Biohazard Biohazard -
? Busted Cheap Trick -
Midnight Stroll Robert Cray -

July–September[]

Date Album Artist Notes
J
U
L
Y 		1 Harmony Corruption Napalm Death -
2 Armchair Theatre Jeff Lynne Solo debut
Smooth Noodle Maps Devo -
3 The Hard Way Steve Earle -
Lights...Camera...Revolution! Suicidal Tendencies -
Lofty's Roach Souffle Harry Connick, Jr. -
Seven Turns The Allman Brothers Band -
Spirits Dancing in the Flesh Santana -
We Are in Love Harry Connick, Jr. -
10 Brick by Brick Iggy Pop -
Live and Direct Adamski US
Pandemonium The Time -
Stray Aztec Camera US
13 Live'r Than God Thee Hypnotics US
Naked Thunder Ian Gillan -
16 Tales from the Twilight World Blind Guardian -
Bad of the Heart George Lamond Debut
17 Edutainment Boogie Down Productions -
19 Apple Mother Love Bone -
Brother's Keeper The Neville Brothers -
Lovegod The Soup Dragons -
23 Slave to the Thrill Hurricane -
24 Banned in the U.S.A. 2 Live Crew -
Cowboys from Hell Pantera -
Goodnight L.A. Magnum -
In the Heart of the Young Winger -
Take a Look Around Master Ace -
Un-Led-Ed Dread Zeppelin -
30 Joy Rides for Shut-Ins Cavedogs -
? Ichabod and I The Boo Radleys -
A
U
G
U
S
T
7 Blaze of Glory Jon Bon Jovi Young Guns II soundtrack
Bellybutton Jellyfish -
Enchanted Marc Almond US
Head Down Moev US
Pornograffitti Extreme -
World Clique Deee-Lite -
13 Bossanova Pixies -
14 Cleopatra Grip The Heart Throbs US
Pump Up the Volume Various Artists US; soundtrack
15 Louder Than Love TKA -
16 100 Miles and Runnin' N.W.A EP
17 Eaten Back To Life Cannibal Corpse -
20 FireHouse FireHouse -
Liberty Duran Duran -
Peace of Mind Breathe -
Tyr Black Sabbath -
21 Against the Law Stryper -
Detonator Ratt -
Facelift Alice in Chains -
Graffiti Bridge Prince Soundtrack
Persistence of Time Anthrax -
Ritual de lo Habitual Jane's Addiction -
27 No Fences Garth Brooks -
Otis Mojo Nixon -
28 Time's Up Living Colour -
30 The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken REO Speedwagon -
31 The Party The Party Debut
? Caustic Grip Front Line Assembly -
S
E
P
T
E
M
B
E
R 		3 Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 George Michael UK
Painkiller Judas Priest -
To The Extreme Vanilla Ice -
4 & Love for All The Lilac Time US
1978–1990 Go-Betweens US; compilation
And the Horse They Rode in On Soul Asylum -
Empire Queensrÿche -
In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up Ministry Live
The Neighborhood Los Lobos -
The Rembrandts The Rembrandts -
Rumor Has It Reba McEntire -
The Wild Places Dan Fogelberg -
7 The Cactus Revisited 3rd Bass Remix
9 Two Fires Jimmy Barnes -
10 Boomania Betty Boo -
Ragged Glory Neil Young and Crazy Horse -
Under the Red Sky Bob Dylan -
11 Cherry Pie Warrant -
Dave Stewart and the Spiritual Cowboys Dave Stewart and The Spiritual Cowboys US
Dear 23 The Posies -
Short Dog's in the House Too Short -
Glider My Bloody Valentine EP; US
Soundtrack from Twin Peaks Angelo Badalamenti Soundtrack
Unison Celine Dion US
12 Never, Neverland Annihilator -
14 Armed Audio Warfare Meat Beat Manifesto US
Mama Said Knock You Out LL Cool J -
16 Exitos de Gloria Estefan Gloria Estefan US; compilation
17 Heaven or Las Vegas Cocteau Twins -
Room to Roam The Waterboys -
The Wall Live in Berlin Roger Waters UK; live
18 Collected Works Hunters & Collectors US
In a Priest Driven Ambulance Flaming Lips -
The Layla Sessions: 20th Anniversary Edition Derek and the Dominos Remix + unreleased material
Minnie 'n Me: Songs Just for Girls Christa Larson -
Red Moon The Call -
Romantic? The Human League US
19 Cause of Death Obituary -
21 Lawn Boy Phish -
Nomads Indians Saints Indigo Girls -
The Razors Edge AC/DC -
Some People's Lives Bette Midler -
24 Experience Mary's Danish -
Rag and Bone Buffet: Rare Cuts and Leftovers XTC Rarities compilation
Rust in Peace Megadeth -
Souls of Black Testament -
Themes – Volume 1: March 79 – April 82 Simple Minds Box set
25 All Shook Down The Replacements -
An Emotional Fish An Emotional Fish US
Family Style The Vaughan Brothers (Stevie Ray and Jimmie) -
Have You Seen Me Lately Carly Simon -
Nomads Indians Saints Indigo Girls US
Superchunk Superchunk -
Themes – Volume 2: August 82 – April 85 Simple Minds Box set
Third Eye Redd Kross -
Wild & Lonely The Associates US
Without a Net Grateful Dead Live
X INXS -
29 In the Blood Londonbeat -
? Passion and Warfare Steve Vai -

October–December[]

Date Album Artist Notes
O
C
T
O
B
E
R 		1 Better Off Dead Sodom -
Dannii Dannii Minogue -
The La's The La's -
No Prayer for the Dying Iron Maiden -
2 Crawdaddy Darling Buds US
Jordan: The Comeback Prefab Sprout US
New Inside Tiffany -
Room to Roam Waterboys US
Rubáiyát: Elektra's 40th Anniversary Various Artists Compilation
5 This Is Our Music Galaxie 500 -
Wrong Way Up Brian Eno and John Cale -
6 Ven Conmigo Selena -
8 Enlightenment Van Morrison UK
Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band Ringo Starr Live
Themes – Volume 3: September 85 – June 87 Simple Minds Box set
9 Change of Season Hall & Oates -
Chronicles Rush Compilation
Edge of the Century Styx -
FUN '90 Mekons EP
Girls, Girls, Girls Elvis Costello Compilation
The Greatest Hits, So Far Public Image Ltd. Compilation
Seasons in the Abyss Slayer -
Shooting Straight in the Dark Mary Chapin Carpenter -
Souls of Black Testament -
Themes – Volume 4: February 89 – May 90 Simple Minds Box set
15 Nowhere Ride -
16 Back from Hell Run-D.M.C. -
Brand New Dance Emmylou Harris -
Hack Information Society -
Hope Chest: The Fredonia Recordings 1982–1983 10,000 Maniacs Compilation
Hindu Love Gods Hindu Love Gods -
Hold Me Up Goo Goo Dolls -
Private Times...and the Whole 9! Al B. Sure! -
Recycler ZZ Top -
Smile Ride US
The Geto Boys Geto Boys Remix
19 Ghost of a Dog Edie Brickell & New Bohemians -
21 Up from the Ashes Don Dokken -
22 Behaviour Pet Shop Boys -
Cure for Sanity Pop Will Eat Itself -
The Rhythm of the Saints Paul Simon -
23 458489 The Fall US; compilation
Billy's Live Bait Gear Daddies -
Faith Hope Love King's X -
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin Box set
Life Inspiral Carpets US
Slaves & Masters Deep Purple -
Some Friendly The Charlatans US
29 Choke The Beautiful South UK
Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3 Traveling Wilburys -
30 Down To Earth Monie Love -
Heart Still Beating Roxy Music Live
If There Was a Way Dwight Yoakam -
Interiors Rosanne Cash -
Lennon John Lennon Box set
Natural History: The Very Best of Talk Talk Talk Talk US
Red Hot + Blue Various Artists Cole Porter tribute
Taste of Chocolate Big Daddy Kane -
This Christmas Patti LaBelle Christmas
Too Dark Park Skinny Puppy -
31 Raygun... Naked Raygun Naked Raygun -
? Gling-Gló Björk -
N
O
V
E
M
B
E
R 		1 Kool-Aid Big Audio Dynamite II -
5 Don't Explain Robert Palmer UK
Mixed Up The Cure UK; Remix album
Serious Hits... Live! Phil Collins Live
Tripping the Live Fantastic Paul McCartney Live
6 Birdbrain Buffalo Tom -
Bona Drag Morrissey US; compilation
A Brief History of the Twentieth Century Gang of Four Compilation
Cake The Trash Can Sinatras US
Coma of Souls Kreator -
Crazy World Scorpions -
The Dancing Years Shriekback -
Hell's Ditch The Pogues US
I'm Your Baby Tonight Whitney Houston -
Put Yourself in My Shoes Clint Black -
Refugees of the Heart Steve Winwood -
Somewhere Soon The High US
Stick It Live Slaughter Live EP
Syntonic Kon Kan US
8 Casino Blue Rodeo -
To Be Continued Elton John Box set + 4 new tracks
12 Rhythm of Love Kylie Minogue -
13 Anything Is Possible Debbie Gibson -
Blast the Human Flower Danielle Dax US
Choke The Beautiful South US
Five Man Acoustical Jam Tesla Live
Gala Lush US
The Immaculate Collection Madonna Greatest hits + 2 new tracks
Reverberation Echo and the Bunnymen US
Standards The Alarm US
Vision Thing The Sisters of Mercy -
15 Naïve KMFDM -
16 GodWeenSatan: The Oneness Ween Debut
20 Ferociously Stoned Cherry Poppin' Daddies Debut
Heartbreak Station Cinderella -
Shaking the Tree Peter Gabriel Greatest hits
This Is a Collective Consolidated EP
23 Against the Grain Bad Religion -
26 A Social Grace Psychotic Waltz -
27 Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches Happy Mondays US
Ralph Tresvant Ralph Tresvant Solo debut
? Rising Donovan Live
D
E
C
E
M
B
E
R 		1 Now! That's What I Call Music 18 Various Artists UK; compilation
3 MCMXC a.D. Enigma Debut
4 Grains of Sand The Mission UK US
Home Alone John Williams Soundtrack
One for All Brand Nubian -
The Simpsons Sing the Blues The Simpsons -
8 Mermaids soundtrack Various Artists US; soundtrack
9 Rehearsal December 1990 Dark Tranquillity (as Septic Broiler) -
10 Live at Hammersmith '84 Jethro Tull Live
11 Devo's Greatest Hits Devo Compilation
Devo's Greatest Misses Devo Compilation
Dr. Adamski's Musical Pharmacy Adamski US
The Raw and the Remix Fine Young Cannibals Remixes and alternate versions
13 Gonna Make You Sweat C+C Music Factory -
15 Business as Usual EPMD -
29 99% Meat Beat Manifesto -
? Obey the Time The Durutti Column -

Release Date Unknown[]

Biggest hit singles[]

The following songs achieved the highest positions in the charts of 1990.[5]

# Artist Title Year Country Chart Entries
1 Sinéad O'Connor Nothing Compares 2 U 1990 Republic of Ireland UK 1 – January 1990; US Billboard 1 of 1990; Netherlands 1 – January 1990; Sweden 1 – February 1990; Austria 1 – March 1990; Switzerland 1 – February 1990; Norway 1 – February 1990; Poland 1 – March 1990; Germany 1 – February 1990; Republic of Ireland 1 – January 1990; New Zealand 1 for five weeks, April 1990; Australia 1 for eight weeks, May 1990; KROQ-FM 1 of 1990; Australia 3 of 1990; US Cash Box 4 of 1990; Italy 8 of 1990; Europe 8 of the 1990s; Rate Your Music 9 of 1990; Germany 19 of the 1990s; Poland 59 of all time; Belgium 90 of all time; Acclaimed 113; OzNet 138;Rolling Stone 162; WXPN 661.
2 Madonna Vogue 1990 United States UK 1 – Apr 1990, US BB 1 of 1990, US CashBox 1 of 1990, Sweden 1 – Apr 1990, Norway 1 – Apr 1990, Poland 1 – Apr 1990, New Zealand 1 for 4 weeks May 1990, Australia 1 for 4 weeks Aug 1990, Netherlands 2 – Apr 1990, Switzerland 2 – Apr 1990, Italy 5 of 1990, Germany 4 – Apr 1990, France 7 – Apr 1990, Austria 7 – May 1990, POP 7 of 1990, US BB 8 of 1990, RYM 8 of 1990, Australia 10 of 1990, Global 33 (5 M sold) – 1990, Party 181 of 2007, Germany 230 of the 1990s, Acclaimed 521, OzNet 881
3 Vanilla Ice Ice Ice Baby 1990 United States UK 1 – Nov 1990, US BB 1 of 1990, Netherlands 1 – Nov 1990, Republic of Ireland 1 – Dec 1990, New Zealand 1 for 7 weeks Dec 1990, Australia 1 for 3 weeks Apr 1991, Sweden 2 – Nov 1990, Switzerland 2 – Nov 1990, Norway 2 – Dec 1990, Germany 2 – Jan 1991, Austria 3 – Nov 1990, US BB 4 of 1990, POP 4 of 1990, France 5 – Dec 1990, Australia 15 of 1991, US CashBox 21 of 1990, Party 42 of 2007, Italy 65 of 1991, Germany 82 of the 1990s, RYM 188 of 1990
4 MC Hammer U Can't Touch This 1990 United States Netherlands 1 – Jul 1990, Sweden 1 – Aug 1990, Australia 1 of 1990, New Zealand 1 for 6 weeks Jul 1990, Australia 1 for 5 weeks Oct 1990, Switzerland 2 – Jul 1990, UK 3 – Jun 1990, Germany 3 – Jul 1990, US BB 5 of 1990, Austria 5 – Aug 1990, POP 5 of 1990, France 6 – Jun 1990, Norway 6 – Aug 1990, US BB 8 of 1990, Scrobulate 18 of rap, US CashBox 39 of 1990, RYM 63 of 1990, Germany 147 of the 1990s, RIAA 201, Party 214 of 1999, Acclaimed 1797
5 Roxette It Must Have Been Love 1990 Sweden US Bullfrog 1 – Apr 1990 (25 weeks), US BB 1 of 1990, Switzerland 1 – Jun 1990, Norway 1 – Jun 1990, Poland 1 – Jun 1990, Australia 1 for 2 weeks Oct 1990, Japan (Tokyo) 2 – May 1990, UK 3 – Jun 1990, Netherlands 3 – Jun 1990, Sweden 3 – Dec 1987, Austria 4 – Jul 1990, Germany 4 – Jun 1990, US CashBox 6 of 1990, France 8 – May 1990, Australia 8 of 1990, Brazil 12 of 1990, US Gold (certified by RIAA in Jun 1990), POP 30 of 1990, Italy 48 of 1990, Europe 52 of the 1990s, Japan (Osaku) 64 of 1990, Germany 119 of the 1990s, OzNet 716

Top hits[]

  • "A Dream's a Dream" – Soul II Soul (#6 UK, #6 NLD, #8 NZ)
  • "À toutes les filles..." – Félix Gray & Didier Barbelivien (#1 FR)
  • "After the Rain" – Nelson
  • "The Age of Love" –
  • "Algo de mí en tu corazón" – Alejandro Lerner (ARG)
  • "All Around the World" – Lisa Stansfield (#1 UK, AUT, BE, IRL, Norway, Spain)
  • "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You" – Heart (#1 AUT, CAN, #2 SWE, US)
  • "All or Nothing" – Milli Vanilli (#1 NZ, #4 US)
  • "All Together Now" – The Farm (#4 UK, #9 NLD)
  • "Alors regarde" – Patrick Bruel (#3 FR)
  • "Alright" – Janet Jackson
  • "Another Day in Paradise" – Phil Collins (#1 BE, CAN, GER, NOR, SWE, Switzerland, US, ZIM)
  • "Are You Dreaming?" – Twenty 4 Seven
  • "Around the Way Girl" – LL Cool J (US #9)
  • "Baila Esta Cumbia" – Selena y Los Dinos (MEX)
  • "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)" – Stevie B (#1 US, #2 CAN, #3 NLD)
  • "Been Caught Stealing" – Jane's Addiction
  • "Being Boring" – Pet Shop Boys (#3 FR, #4 Japan, #5 FIN)
  • "Better the Devil You Know" – Kylie Minogue (#1 (ISR), #2 (UK), #4 (Australia)
  • "Bird on the Wire" – The Neville Brothers (#5 NZ)
  • "Birdhouse In Your Soul" – They Might Be Giants (#6 UK)
  • "Black Cat" – Janet Jackson (#1 US, #3 SA, #4 CAN)
  • "Black Velvet" – Alannah Myles (#1 US, NOR, SWE, SWI)
  • "Blaze of Glory" – Bon Jovi (#1 US, CAN, NZ)
  • "Blue Savannah" – Erasure (#3 UK, IRL)
  • "Blue Sky Mine" – Midnight Oil (#7 CAN, #8 Australia)
  • "Bo le lavabo" – Lagaf' (#1 (FR))
  • "C'est toi qui m'as fait" - François Feldman (#2 FR)
  • "Candy" – Iggy Pop (#7 (NLD), #9 (Australia))
  • "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection" – Nelson (#1 US)
  • "Chain Reaction" – John Farnham (#3 Australia)
  • "Cherry Pie" – Warrant (#6 Australia)
  • "Close to You" – Maxi Priest (#1 US, #2 Australia, NZ, SWE)
  • "Club at the End of the Street" – Elton John (#1 DEN)
  • "Come Back to Me" – Janet Jackson (#2 US, #3 CAN)
  • "Cradle of Love" – Billy Idol (#2 US)
  • "Crying in the Rain" – A-ha (#1 (ARG, NOR), #2 (POL))
  • "Cult of Snap" – Snap! (#1 SP, #2 AUT, #3 GER)
  • "Dangerous" – Roxette (#2 US, #3 POL, #6 UK)
  • "De mí" – Charly García (ARG)
  • "De Música Ligera" – Soda Stereo (#1 ARG)
  • "Ding Dong" – Erste Allgemeine Verunsicherung
  • "Disappear" – INXS
  • "Do Me!" – Bell Biv DeVoe (#3 US)
  • "Doin' the Do" – Betty Boo (#3 Australia, #7 UK)
  • "Don't Miss The Party Line" – Bizz Nizz (#7 UK, #9 AUT, IRL)
  • "Don't Wanna Fall in Love" – Jane Child (#2 US, #4 CAN)
  • "Don't Worry" – Kim Appleby (#2 UK, BE, #4 NLD)
  • "Doubleback" - ZZ Top
  • "Downtown Train" – Rod Stewart (#1 CAN, #3 US)
  • "Do You Remember?" – Phil Collins
  • "Dub Be Good to Me" – Beats International (#1 UK, #2 AUS, NLD)
  • "El Cariño Es Como Una Flor" – Rudy La Scala (#1 US Latin)
  • "Enjoy the Silence" – Depeche Mode (#1 DEN, #2 GER, SWI, #4 BE)
  • "Epic" – Faith No More (#1 Australia, #2 NZ)
  • "Escapade" – Janet Jackson (#1 US, CAN)
  • "Falling" – Julee Cruise (#1 AUS, #2 SWE, #3 NOR)
  • "Fantasy" – Black Box (#3 AUS, IRL, #4 AUT, #5 UK)
  • "Forever" – Kiss (#8 US)
  • "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" – Deacon Blue (#2 UK, #2 IRL)
  • "Freedom '90" – George Michael (#1 (SP), #2 (UK), #6 (Australia, IRL))
  • "Friends In Low Places" – Garth Brooks (#3 IRL)
  • "Frente a Frente" – Chico & Roberta (#5 FR)
  • "Get Up! (Before the Night Is Over)" – Technotronic (#1 BE, CAN, SP)
  • "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" – C+C Music Factory (#1 AUT, NLD, SWI, US)
  • "Groove Is In The Heart" – Deee-Lite (#1 AUS, #2 UK, NZ #4 US)
  • "Hacelo por mí" – Attaque 77 (#1 (ARG))
  • "Hanky Panky" – Madonna (#1 FIN, #2 UK, #3 IRE, #5 ITA, #6 AUS, #10 US)
  • "Happenin' All Over Again" – Lonnie Gordon
  • "Have You Seen Her" – MC Hammer (#4 (US), #6 (FIN), #8 (UK))
  • "Hear the Drummer (Get Wicked)" – Chad Jackson (#3 UK, #5 NLD)
  • "Heart of Stone" – Taylor Dayne
  • "Hello Afrika" – Dr. Alban (#1 AUT, #2 GER, #3 SWI)
  • "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" – UB40 (#3 AUS, #6 NZ, #9 NLD)
  • "Here We Are" – Gloria Estefan
  • "High Enough" – Damn Yankees (#4 (POL))
  • "Hijo de la Luna" – Mecano #3 (NLD))
  • "Hiroshima" -Sandra (#4 GER, SWI)
  • "Hold On" – En Vogue (#2 US, #5 UK)
  • "Hold On" – Wilson Phillips (#1 US, #2 AUS, #3 CAN)
  • "Holy Smoke" – Iron Maiden (#3 UK, #4 IRL)
  • "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" – Michael Bolton (#1 US, BE, #2 AUS)
  • "How Can We Be Lovers?" - Michael Bolton
  • "I Can't Stand It!" – Twenty 4 Seven (#2 AUT, IT, SWI)
  • "Ich hab’ geträumt von dir" - Matthias Reim
  • "Ice Ice Baby" – Vanilla Ice
  • "If Wishes Came True" – Sweet Sensation (#1 US)
  • "I Go to Extremes" – Billy Joel (#1 JAP, #3 CAN)
  • "I Saw Red" – Warrant
  • "I Wish It Would Rain Down" – Phil Collins (#1 CAN, POL, #2 ZIM)
  • "Impulsive" – Wilson Phillips
  • "Infinity" – Guru Josh (#1 SP, #2 BE, #3 NLD)
  • "I Don't Have the Heart" – James Ingram
  • "I Don't Know Anybody Else" – Black Box (#2 IRL, #3 SWI, #4 NOR, UK)
  • "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" – Robert Palmer & UB40 (#1 NZ, #4 AUS, #5 AUT, NLD, SWI)
  • "I'll Be Your Everything" – Tommy Page (#1 US)
  • "I'll Be Your Shelter" – Taylor Dayne (#1 CAN, #4 US, AUS)
  • "I'm Free" – The Soup Dragons & Junior Reid
  • "I'm Not in Love" – Will to Power (#7 US, #8 NOR)
  • "I'm Your Baby Tonight" – Whitney Houston (#1 IT, US, #2 BE, CAN, FIN, NLD)
  • "Insieme: 1992" – Toto Cutugno (#2 SWI, #3 AUT, #8 BE, #9 FR)
  • "I Promised Myself" – Nick Kamen (#1 AUT, SWE, #3 SWI)
  • "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" – The Chimes (#2 NOR) #6 UK, IRL, NZ)
  • "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" – Bombalurina (#1 UK)
  • "It's Here" – Kim Wilde (#4 (FIN), #6 (DEN, NOR))
  • "It's On You" – M.C. Sar & The Real McCoy
  • "It Must Have Been Love" – Roxette
  • "It Takes Two" – Rod Stewart & Tina Turner (#3 (NLD), #4 (IRL, IT), #5 (UK))
  • "I've Been Thinking About You" – Londonbeat (#1 (AUS, AUT, BE, CAN, FIN, GER, IT, NLD, SP, SWE, SWI, US))
  • "I Wanna Be Rich" – Calloway (#2 US)
  • "(I Wanna Give You) Devotion" – Nomad & MC Mikee Freedom (#2 UK)
  • "Janie's Got a Gun" – Aerosmith (#1 AUS, #2 CAN, #4 US)
  • "Jōnetsu no Bara" – The Blue Hearts (#1 JPN)
  • "Jukebox in Siberia" – Skyhooks (#1 AUS)
  • "Just Like Jesse James" – Cher (#8 US, CAN, #10 IRL)
  • "Justify My Love" – Madonna (#1 US, CAN, FIN)
  • "Keep It Together" – Madonna (#1 AUS, #5 JPN, #8 US)
  • "Keep On Running" – Milli Vanilli (#2 AUT, #4 GER, #8 SWI)
  • "Killer" – Adamski & Seal (#1 UK, BE, #2 GER, NLD)
  • "Kingston Town" – UB40 (#1 FR, #4 UK, #5 AUT, GER)
  • "King of Wishful Thinking" – Go West (#6 AUS)
  • "Kinky Afro" – Happy Mondays (#5 UK)
  • "Knockin' Boots" - Candyman
  • "Lay Down Your Guns" – Jimmy Barnes (#4 AUS)
  • "Le Jerk" – Thierry Hazard (#2 FR)
  • "Les hommes qui passent" – Patricia Kaas (#7 FR)
  • "Let's Try It Again" – New Kids on the Block (#6 IRL, #8 UK)
  • "Listen to Your Heart" – Roxette (#1 CAN, POL, US)
  • "Live Together" – Lisa Stansfield (#5 NLD, #10 UK)
  • "Love and Kisses" – Dannii Minogue (#4 AUS)
  • "Love Takes Time" – Mariah Carey (#1 US, CAN)
  • "Love Will Lead You Back" – Taylor Dayne (#1 US, #2 CAN, #3 JPN)
  • "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" – Janet Jackson
  • "Me siento mucho mejor" – Charly García
  • "Maldòn (la musique dans la peau)" – Zouk Machine (#1 FR, #9 NLD)
  • "Marie-Jeanne" – Michel Sardou (#2 FR)
  • "Mary Had a Little Boy" – Snap! (#2 NLD, #4 GER, SWI)
  • "Megamix" – Technotronic (#4 IRL, #6 UK, #7 SWI)
  • "Mélodie d'amour" – Kaoma
  • "Miles Away" - Winger
  • "Miracle" – Jon Bon Jovi
  • "Mona (I Need You Baby)" – Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 (#2 UK, #3 US)
  • "More Than Words Can Say" – Alias (#1 CAN, #2 US)
  • "Mujer Amante" – Rata Blanca (ARG)
  • "My, My, My" – Johnny Gill
  • "Nah Neh Nah" – Vaya Con Dios (#3 ISR, CZ, #4 NLD, SWI)
  • "Naked In The Rain" – Blue Pearl (#2 AUT, #4 UK, #6 SWE)
  • "No Coke" – Dr. Alban (#1 SWE, #2 AUT, #3 GER)
  • "No More Lies"- Michel'le (#7 US)
  • "Nothing Compares 2 U" – Sinéad O'Connor
  • "Obsesión" – Miguel Mateos (ARG)
  • "Odoru Pompokolin" – B.B.Queens (#1 JPN)
  • "On écrit sur les murs" – Demis Roussos (#4 FR)
  • "Only on the Radio" – The Osborn Sisters
  • "Ooops Up" – Snap! (#1 NLD, #2 AUT, GER, SWE, SWI)
  • "Opposites Attract" – Paula Abdul (#1 AUS, CAN, US)
  • "Oye Mi Canto (Hear My Voice)" – Gloria Estefan (#4 POL, #7 IRL, #9 NLD)
  • "Petit Frank" – François Feldman (#1 FR)
  • "Pictures of You" – The Cure
  • "Play That Funky Music" – Vanilla Ice (#3 FIN, #4 US, IRL)
  • "Poison" – Bell Biv DeVoe
  • "Policy of Truth" – Depeche Mode (#1 POL, #5 IT, #7 GER, SP)
  • "Pray" – MC Hammer (#2 US, NZ, #3 NLD, #4 GER)
  • "Praying for Time" – George Michael (#1 CAN, US, #2 NOR)
  • "Price of Love" – Bad English
  • "Release Me" – Wilson Phillips (#1 US, CAN)
  • "Ride On Time" – Black Box (#1 IRL, UK, #2 AUS, NZ, SWE)
  • "Right Here, Right Now" – Jesus Jones
  • "Roam" – The B-52's (#3 US)
  • "Rockin' Over the Beat" – Technotronic (#9 UK)
  • "Sacrifice" – Elton John (#1 UK)
  • "Sadeness (Part I)" – Enigma (#1 AUT, BE, FR, GER, IRL, IT, JPN, NLD, NOR, SP, SWE, SWI, UK)
  • "Saviour's Day" – Cliff Richard (#1 UK, #5 IRL)
  • "Se bastasse una canzone" – Eros Ramazzotti (#2 BE, #4 NLD, #7 SWI)
  • "Se Me Olvidó Otra Vez" – Maná (#5 US Latin)
  • "Serious" – Duran Duran (#6 JPN, #7 IT)
  • "She Ain't Worth It" – Glenn Medeiros & Bobby Brown (#1 US)
  • "Show Me Heaven" – Maria McKee (#1 NLD, UK, #2 SWE)
  • "Signs" - Tesla
  • "Soca Dance" – Charles D. Lewis (#1 BE, FR)
  • "So Close" – Hall & Oates (#4 CAN)
  • "So Hard" – Pet Shop Boys (#1 FIN, #2 IT, SWI)
  • "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven" – Phil Collins (#4 US, #5 NLD, #8 IRL)
  • "Something to Believe In" – Poison
  • "Steamy Windows" – Tina Turner (#5 BE, #7 IRL)
  • "Step by Step" – New Kids on the Block (#1 US)
  • "Step Back in Time" – Kylie Minogue (#4 FIN, IRL, UK, #5 AUS)
  • "Step On" – Happy Mondays (#5 UK)
  • "Still Got the Blues (For You)" – Gary Moore
  • "Sucker DJ (A Witch for Love)" – Dimples D.
  • "Suicide Blonde" – INXS (#2 AUS, #9 US)
  • "Taiyō no Komachi Angel" – B'z (#1 JPN)
  • "Tears on My Pillow" – Kylie Minogue (#1 UK, #2 IRL, #3 SWE)
  • "Tengo Todo Excepto a Tí" – Luis Miguel (#1 US Latin)
  • "That's Freedom" – John Farnham (#6 AUS)
  • "The Anniversary Waltz" – Status Quo (#2 UK, #3 IRL, #4 NLD)
  • "The Dance" – Garth Brooks (#3 IRL)
  • "The Joker" - Steve Miller Band
  • "The Other Side" – Aerosmith
  • "The Power" – Snap! (#1 NLD, SWI, UK)
  • "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" – Cher (#1 AUT, IRL, NOR, UK)
  • "Thieves in the Temple" – Prince (#6 US)
  • "This Beat Is Technotronic" – Technotronic (#7 BE, CAN, NLD, #8 SWI)
  • "Thunderstruck" – AC/DC (#1 FIN, #3 NLD, NZ)
  • "To Love Somebody" – Jimmy Somerville (#4 NLD, #5 AUT, NZ)
  • "Tom's Diner" (remix) – Suzanne Vega (#1 AUT, SWI, #2 IRL, NLD, UK)
  • "Tonight" – New Kids on the Block (#3 FR, NLD, UK, #4 BE, #7 US)
  • "Touch Me" – 49ers (#3 FIN, UK, #4 IRL)
  • "U Can't Touch This" – MC Hammer
  • "Unbelievable" – EMF (#1 US, #3 SWI, UK)
  • "Unchained Melody" – The Righteous Brothers (#1 AUS, IRL, NLD, NZ, UK)
  • "Un'estate italiana" – Edoardo Bennato & Gianna Nannini (#1 IT, SWI, #2 GER)
  • "Unskinny Bop" – Poison (#3 NZ, US, #7 AUS)
  • "Verdammt, ich lieb' dich" – Matthias Reim (#1 AUT, BE, CRO, GER, NLD, POL, SWI)
  • "Vision of Love" – Mariah Carey (#1 CAN, NZ, US)
  • "Vogue" – Madonna (#1 US, UK, CAN, AUS, BRA, SPA, ITA, SWE, POL, NZ, BE, SWI, JPN, #2 IRE, #4 GER, #9 FR)
  • "Volare" – Gipsy Kings
  • "Vous êtes fous!" – Benny B (#3 FR)
  • "What I Am" – Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
  • "What it Takes" – Aerosmith (#9 US)
  • "What Time Is Love?" – The KLF (#2 FIN, NOR, #3 AUT, SWI)
  • "What's a Woman?" – Vaya Con Dios (#1 BE, NLD, #5 FR)
  • "Where Are You Baby?" – Betty Boo (#3 UK)
  • "Wicked Game" – Chris Isaak
  • "Wiggle It" – 2 in a Room
  • "Without You" – Mötley Crüe
  • "White and Black Blues" – Joëlle Ursull (#2 FR)
  • "With Every Beat of My Heart" – Taylor Dayne (#5 US, CAN, #6 JPN)
  • "Words" – The Christians
  • "World In Motion" – England New Order (#1 UK, #7 IRL, #8 NZ)
  • "World In My Eyes" – Depeche Mode (#2 SP, #4 FIN, #5 SWI)
  • "Y dale alegría a mi corazón" – Fito Paez (ARG)

Charts uk. Top singles 1990[]

  • United States: List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1990 (U.S.)
  • Canada: RPM number-one hits of 1990, RPM number-one albums of 1990

Other significant singles[]

  • "Little Fluffy Clouds" – The Orb (Sampling led to legal action.)
  • Sampling copyright debate continues over the Soho single Hippychick, which uses a sample from How Soon Is Now? by The Smiths.

Published popular music[]

  • "Keep It Together" w.m. Stephen Bray & Madonna
  • "The Simpsons theme song" m. Danny Elfman

Top ten best albums of the year[]

All albums have been named albums of the year for their hits in the charts.[6]

  1. Depeche Mode – Violator
  2. Pixies – Bossanova
  3. Megadeth – Rust in Peace
  4. Jane's Addiction – Ritual de lo Habitual
  5. Cocteau Twins – Heaven Or Las Vegas
  6. Ride – Nowhere
  7. Public Enemy – Fear of a Black Planet
  8. Happy Mondays – Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches
  9. Sonic Youth – Goo
  10. The La's – The La's

Classical music[]

  • Mario Davidovsky
    • Biblical Songs for soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano
    • Concertante for string quartet and orchestra
  • Thomas Demenga – Solo per due, for cello and orchestra
  • Lorenzo Ferrero
    • Cadenza, for clarinet and marimba
    • Discanto sulla musica sull'acqua di Handel
    • Four Modern Dances, for small orchestra
    • Musica per un paesaggio, for small orchestra
    • Rock my Tango, for piano solo
  • Henryk Górecki
    • Good Night, Op. 63, for soprano, alto flute, piano and three tam-tams
    • Intermezzo, for piano
  • John Harbison – The Flight into Egypt (cantata)
  • Chris Harman – Iridescence, for 24 strings
  • Paul Lansky – Smalltalk
  • Alvin Lucier – Music for Piano with One or More Snare Drums
  • Witold Lutosławski – Chantefleurs et chantefables for Soprano and Orchestra
  • John McCabe – Flute Concerto
  • James MacMillan
  • Meredith Monk – Book Of Days
  • John Pickard – The Flight of Icarus
  • Carl Vine – Piano Sonata No. 1
  • Takashi Yoshimatsu – Symphony No. 1 Kamui-Chikap
  • John Zorn – The Dead Man

Opera[]

  • Gerald Barry – The Intelligence Park
  • Azio Corghi – Blimunda
  • – Purgatory (chamber opera, based on a play by William Butler Yeats)

Jazz[]

Main article: 1990 in jazz

Musical theater[]

  • Aspects of Love (Andrew Lloyd Webber) – Broadway production opened at the Broadhurst Theatre and ran for 377 performances
  • Bran Nue Dae (Jimmy Chi)
  • A Change in the Heir – Broadway production opened at the Edison Theatre and closed after only two weeks
  • Five Guys Named Moe – London production
  • Into the Woods London production opened on September 25 and ran for 197 performances. Starring Julia McKenzie and Imelda Staunton.
  • Once on This Island – Broadway production opened at the Booth Theatre and ran for 469 performances
  • Shogun – Broadway production opened at the Marquis Theatre and ran for 72 performances
  • Sunday in the Park with George (Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine – London production
  • Truly Blessed – Broadway production opened at the Longacre Theatre and ran for one month

Musical films[]

Awards[]

  • Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee: Tennessee Ernie Ford
  • Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees: Hank Ballard, Bobby Darin, The Four Seasons, The Four Tops, The Kinks, The Platters, Simon & Garfunkel and The Who
  • Grammy Awards of 1990
  • Eurovision Song Contest 1990: Toto Cutugno
  • Luc Ferrari wins the International Koussevitzky Prize for Recordings for his composition Histoire du plaisir et de la désolation
  • Juno Awards: Best Composer: David Tyson/Christopher Ward
  • Dalida is posthumously awarded the International Diploma by the "International Star Registry" (USA), three years after her death.[7][8]
  • Scottish composer Thomas Wilson is appointed a CBE.
  • Kumar Sanu wins the Filmfare Best Male Playback Award
  • Anuradha Paudwal wins the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award
  • 32nd Japan Record Awards

Glenn Gould Prize[]

  • Yehudi Menuhin (laureate)

Music festivals[]

  • In Australia, the is founded by Michael Easton and .

Births[]

  • January 9 – Di Genius, Jamaican singer, producer, and dj
  • January 10 – Nicolas Jaar, Chilean American composer and recording artist, works with FKA Twigs.
  • January 13 – Liam Hemsworth, Miley Cyrus muse and long term associate, Australian actor
  • January 14 – Grant Gustin, American actor and singer (Glee)
  • January 22 – Logic (musician), American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer.
  • January 25 – Thomas Berge, Dutch singer
  • February 1 – Laura Marling, British folk-pop singer-songwriter
  • February 3 – Sean Kingston, American-Jamaican R&B artist
  • February 10 – SooYoung, a member of nine-piece Korean pop girl group Girls' Generation
  • February 16 – The Weeknd, Canadian singer, songwriter, rapper, producer (Selena Gomez, Bella Hadid)
  • February 18 – Choi Sung-Bong, Korean singer
  • March 9 – YG (rapper), American rapper
  • March 17
    • Hozier (musician), Irish singer-songwriter and musician
    • Kai (Canadian singer), Canadian singer-songwriter (Flume)
  • March 20 – Tessa Violet, American singer-songwriter, musician, activist and youtuber
  • March 22
    • Claire Huangci, American pianist
    • Lisa Mitchell, English-born Australian singer-songwriter
  • March 26 – Xiumin, South Korean singer (EXO)
  • March 27 – Kimbra, New Zealand singer-songwriter/guitarist
  • April 2 – Roscoe Dash, American rapper
  • April 8 – Jonghyun, South Korean singer-songwriter, record producer and actor { Shinee } (D. 2017)
  • April 10 – Maren Morris, American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer
  • April 20 – Luhan, Chinese singer-songwriter
  • April 21 – Nadya Dorofeeva, Ukrainian singer
  • April 22 – Machine Gun Kelly (rapper), American rapper
  • April 29 – Loick Essien, British singer
  • May 26 – Nadia Oh, English singer, producer rapper, songwriter and model
  • May 30
    • YoonA, South Korean singer and actress, member of Girls' Generation
    • Phillipa Soo, American actress and singer.
  • June 4 – Zac Farro, American musician, drummer, singer-songwriter and multi instrumentalist (Hayley Williams, Paramore)
  • June 5 – DJ Mustard, American producer, DJ,
  • June 6
    • Raisa Andriana, Indonesian singer
    • Mike G, American rapper (Odd Future)
  • June 7 – Iggy Azalea, Australian rapper
  • June 14 – Starrah, American songwriter, singer and rapper
  • June 16 – John Newman (singer), English musician, singer, songwriter and record producer
  • June 18 – Raleigh Ritchie, English actor, singer-songwriter, rapper, and record producer
  • June 19
    • Jason Dy, Filipino singer
    • Moses Sumney, American singer-songwriter, musician
  • June 20 – Iselin Solheim, Norwegian singer and songwriter
  • June 25 – Makj, American dj
  • June 29 – Laura Macrì, Sicilian-Italian soprano singer (Mayan (band))
  • July 4 – Fredo Santana, American rapper (d.2018)
  • July 6 – Meg Mac, Australian singer-songwriter and musician
  • July 10 – Talay Riley, British singer-songwriter, producer
  • July 12 – Maverick Sabre, British singer-songwriter
  • July 15 – Olly Alexander, English singer-songwriter, musician, producer
  • July 16
    • James Maslow, American actor, singer (Big Time Rush)
    • Paula Rojo, Spanish singer and songwriter.
  • July 19 – GFOTY, British EDM Pop singer with PC music
  • July 23 – Dagny (singer), Norwegian pop singer
  • July 24
    • Ben McKenzie, Australian Idol contestant, singer, actor
    • Jay McGuiness, British singer, songwriter and dancer, former member of The Wanted
  • July 28 – Soulja Boy, American rapper
  • August 8 – Rina Sawayama, Japanese-British singer-songwriter and model.
  • August 13 – Shila Amzah, Malaysian singer
  • August 15
    • Jennifer Lawrence, American singer/actress
    • BloodPop – American musician, record producer, and songwriter (Worked with Britney Spears, Ariana Grande, Madonna, Lady Gaga)
  • August 21 – Bo Burnham, American comedian and musician
  • August 23 – A.G. Cook, British singer-songwriter, music producer and head of record label PC Music. (Charli XCX)
  • August 30 – Julia Jacklin, Australian singer-songwriter and musician
  • September 3 – IZA, Brazilian singer-songwriter
  • September 4 – James Bay (singer), English singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • September 11 – Alex Cameron, Australian musician
  • September 18 – Sam Perry (looping artist), Australian singer-songwriter and looping artist
  • September 19 – Bjarki, Icelandic electronic music composer
  • September 20 – Phillip Phillips, American singer
  • September 21 – Phoebe Ryan, American singer-songwriter
  • September 27 – Mitski, Japanese-American singer-songwriter and musician
  • October 1 – Charlie McDonnell, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (Chameleon Circuit)
  • October 7 – Seinabo Sey, Swedish recording artist and songwriter
  • October 11 – Behzod Abduraimov, Uzbek classical pianist
  • October 23 – Stan Walker, Australian-New Zealand singer
  • October 31 – JID, American rapper and songwriter
  • November 2 – Kendall Schmidt, American actor, singer (Big Time Rush)
  • November 6 – Kris Wu, Chinese singer-songwriter
  • November 7 – Matt Corby, Australian singer
  • November 8 – SZA (singer), American singer/songwriter
  • November 18
    • Jackie Thomas, New Zealand singer
    • Myk Perez, Filipino singer
  • November 26
    • Rita Ora, British singer
    • Chip, British rapper
    • tofubeats, Japanese singer, producer and DJ
  • November 27 – blackbear, American rapper, producer, singer
  • December 11 – Hyolyn, Korean singer and dancer
  • December 20 – JoJo, American singer, songwriter, activist and actress
  • December 21 – Holiday Sidewinder, Australian singer-songwriter, musician and record producer
  • December 23 – Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, American singer and actress (Demi Lovato)
  • December 26
    • Jon Bellion, American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer.
    • Illenium, American DJ and record producer
  • December 28 – David Archuleta, Season 7 American Idol runner-up

Unknown: Danny L Harle, British music producer and composer (PC Music)

Deaths[]

  • January 3 – Arthur Gold, American pianist, 72
  • January 7 – Jimmy Van Heusen, composer and songwriter, 77
  • January 18 – Melanie Appleby of British duo Mel and Kim, 23 (liver cancer)
  • January 19 – Semprini, pianist and broadcaster, 81
  • January 28 – Puma Jones, American singer, 36 (breast cancer)
  • January 23 – Allen Collins, Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist, 37 (complications from pneumonia)
  • February 1 – Peter Racine Fricker, composer, 69
  • February 2 – Mel Lewis, drummer and bandleader, 60 (cancer)
  • February 8 – Del Shannon, singer-songwriter, 55 (suicide by shotgun)
  • February 14 – Tony Holiday, German singer, 38 (AIDS-related illness)
  • February 15 – George Suranovich, drummer (Love, Eric Burdon, Chuck Berry), 45 (heart attack)
  • February 16 - Keith Haring, iconic graffiti artists and AIDS activist
  • February 24 – Johnnie Ray, singer, 63 (liver failure)
  • February 26 – Cornell Gunter, R&B singer, 53 (gunshot wound)
  • March 6 – Mala, singer, 50
  • March 11 – Muriel Dickson, operatic soprano, 86
  • March 16 – Andrew Wood, singer (Mother Love Bone), 24 (heroin overdose)
  • March 17 – Ric Grech, bassist (Family, Blind Faith), 43 (brain haemorrhage)
  • April 3 – Sarah Vaughan, American jazz singer, 66 (lung cancer)
  • April 25 – Dexter Gordon, jazz saxophonist, 67
  • May 1 – Sergio Franchi, Italian-American tenor/actor, 64 (brain cancer)
  • May 8 – Luigi Nono, composer, 66
  • May 16 – Sammy Davis, Jr., American entertainer, 64
  • June 3 – Stiv Bators, punk musician, 40 (concussion)
  • June 5 – Richard Sohl, pianist (Patti Smith Group), 37 (heart failure)
  • June 6 – Joe Loss, English bandleader, 80
  • June 14 – Erna Berger, operatic soprano, 89
  • June 15 – Jim Hodder, Steely Dan drummer, 42 (drowning)
  • June 16 – Dame Eva Turner, operatic soprano, 98
  • June 21
    • June Christy, American singer, 64 (renal failure)
    • Elizabeth Harwood, operatic soprano, 52 (cancer)
  • June 22 – Kripp Johnson, American singer (The Del-Vikings), 54
  • June 25 – Peggy Glanville-Hicks, composer, 77
  • July 2 – Snooky Lanson, American singer, 76
  • July 7 – Cazuza, singer and composer, 32 (AIDS-related)
  • July 15 – Trouble T Roy, hip-hop dancer, 22 (fall from stage)
  • July 16 – Sidney Torch, pianist, cinema organist, conductor, orchestral arranger and composer
  • July 18 – Gerry Boulet, Canadian singer-songwriter (Offenbach), 44 (colon cancer)
  • July 26 – Brent Mydland, keyboardist (Grateful Dead), 37 (drug overdose)
  • August 3 – M. Ranga Rao, Indian film composer and music director
  • August 14 – Lafayette Leake, blues and jazz pianist, organist, vocalist and composer, 71
  • August 15 – Viktor Tsoi, Russian singer of Kino, 28 (car accident)
  • August 17 – Pearl Bailey, singer, 72
  • August 27 – Stevie Ray Vaughan, American blues guitarist performer, 35 (helicopter crash)
  • September 2 – Sari Biro, pianist, 78
  • September 6 – Tom Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival), 48 (AIDS-related)
  • September 13 – Phil Napoleon, jazz trumpeter, 89
  • October 3 – Eleanor Steber, operatic soprano, 76
  • October 4 – Ray Stephens, a onetime member of The Village People, 35
  • October 6
    • Asser Fagerström, pianist, composer and actor, 78
    • Danny Rodriguez, Christian rap artist, 22 (shot)
  • October 8 – B. J. Wilson, drummer of Procol Harum, 43 (pneumonia after three years in a coma)
  • October 14 – Leonard Bernstein, American composer and conductor, 72 (pneumonia and a pleural tumor)
  • October 16
    • Art Blakey, jazz drummer, 71
    • Jorge Bolet, pianist, 75
  • October 27 – Xavier Cugat, violinist, bandleader and arranger, 90
  • October 31 – M. L. Vasanthakumari, Carnatic musician and playback singer, 62
  • November 3 – Mary Martin, US singer and actress, 76
  • November 10 – Ronnie Dyson, soul singer and actor
  • December 2 – Aaron Copland, American composer
  • December 7 – Dee Clark, singer, 52 (heart attack)
  • December 18 – Paul Tortelier, cellist, 76

See also[]

  • 1990 in music (UK)
  • Record labels established in 1990
  • Timeline of musical events

References[]

  1. ^ "U.S. Sales Database".
  2. ^ "Celebrity Pictures, Entertainment News Photo Galleries and Videos". www.wireimage.com. WireImage. Archived from the original on January 27, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  3. ^ "'Black Cat' Is Anything But Bad Luck For Jackson". DeKnock, Jan. Orlando Sentinel. October 26, 1990. Retrieved April 20, 2014.
  4. ^ "Rock On The Net: Janet Jackson Info Page". Rock on the Net. Retrieved April 20, 2014.
  5. ^ Hawtin, Steve (February 10, 2008). "Songs from the Year 1990". Steve Hawtin/TsorT. Archived from the original on April 18, 2008. Retrieved April 26, 2008.
  6. ^ "Best albums of 1990". besteveralbums. 2005. Retrieved December 31, 2011.
  7. ^ Dalida's Official Website, Awards and Achievements Archived 2004-03-17 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved December 29, 2009
  8. ^ Dalida: Entre violon et amour, by Isaline, Éditions Publibook, 2002, p. 127. ISBN 978-2-7483-2629-1. (in French), retrieved December 29, 2009
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