1990 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.

Events

January–March

• 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 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^[1]
• 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 6 – Valery Leontiev show "It seems to me that I have not lived" in the Olympic Stadium.
• 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 Nick van Oosterum 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 30 - Knebworth 1990, a one-off festival at Knebworth Park, England in support of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy. Participating musicians had all been winners of the Silver Clef Award. The acts included 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.
• 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".
• October 27 – Janet Jackson's "Black Cat" reaches number one.^[2] It was also the first song to simultaneously peak atop the Billboard Hot 100 and Mainstream Rock chart.^[3]
• 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 legal bindingness is questionable.
• November 27 – "Vocal" group Milli Vanilli admits to lip-synching hits such as "Girl You Know It's True." They later have their Grammy award revoked.
• 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

• 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

January – March

April – June

July – September

October – December

Release Date Unknown

Biggest hit singles

The following songs achieved the highest positions in the charts of 1990.^[4]

#	Artist	Title	Year	Country	Chart Entries
1	Sinéad O'Connor	Nothing Compares 2 U	1990		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; Éire 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		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		UK 1 – Nov 1990, US BB 1 of 1990, Netherlands 1 – Nov 1990, Éire 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		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		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 on record

• "A Dream's a Dream" - Soul II Soul (#6 UK, #6 NLD, #8 NZ)
• "À toutes les filles..." – Félix Gray and Didier Barbelivien (#1 FR)
• "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)
• "Another Day in Paradise" – Phil Collins (released in late 1989; #1 BE, CAN, GER, NOR, SWE, Switzerland, US, ZIM)
• "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 JAP, #5 FIN)
• "Better the Devil You Know" – Kylie Minogue (#1 (ISR), #2 (UK), #4 (Australia)}
• "Bo le lavabo" – Lagaf' (#1 (FR))
• "Bird On A Wire" – The Neville Brothers (#5 NZ)
• "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)
• "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)
• "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)
• "Downtown Train" – Rod Stewart (#1 CAN, #3 US)
• "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)
• "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 Philips (#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)
• "I Can't Stand It!" - Twenty 4 Seven (#2 AUT, IT, SWI)
• "Ice Ice Baby" - Vanilla Ice
• "If Wishes Came True" - Sweet Sensation (#1 US)
• "I Go to Extremes" – Billy Joel (#1 JAP, #3 CAN)
• "I Wish It Would Rain Down" – Phil Collins (#1 CAN, POL, #2 ZIM)
• "Infinity" - Guru Josh (#1 SP, #2 BE, #3 NLD)
• "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 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 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 JAP)
• "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 JAP, #8 US)
• "Keep On Running" - Milli Vanilli (#2 AUT, #4 GER, #8 SWI)
• "Killer" – Adamski feat. 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)
• "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)
• "Living in Sin" - Bon Jovi (#9 US)
• "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 JAP)
• "Me siento mucho mejor" – Charly García
• "Maldòn (la musique dans la peau) – Zouk Machine (#1 FR, #9 NLD)
• "Mary Had a Little Boy" - Snap! (#2 NLD, #4 GER, SWI)
• "Megamix" - Technotronic (#4 IRL, #6 UK, #7 SWI)
• "Mélodie d'amour" - Kaoma
• "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)
• "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 JAP)
• "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)
• "Release Me" - Wilson Philips (#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, JAP, 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 JAP, #7 IT)
• "She Ain't Worth It" – Glenn Medeiros feat. Bobby Brown (#1 US)
• "Show Me Heaven" - Maria McKee (#1 NLD, UK, #2 SWE)
• "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)
• "Steamy Windows" - Tina Turner (#5 BE, #7 IRL)
• "Step by Step" – New Kids on the Block
• "Step Back in Time" – Kylie Minogue (#4 FIN, IRL, UK, #5 AUS)
• "Step On" – Happy Mondays (#5 UK)
• "Suicide Blonde" – INXS (#2 AUS, #9 US)
• "Taiyō no Komachi Angel" – B'z (#1 JAP)
• "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 - Part One" - Status Quo (#2 UK, #3 IRL, #4 NLD)
• "The Dance" - Garth Brooks (#3 IRL)
• "The Other Side" – Aerosmith (released in 1989)
• "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 and 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, JAP, #2 IRE, #4 GER, #9 FR)
• "Vous êtes fous!" – Benny B (#3 FR)
• "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
• "White and Black Blues" – Joëlle Ursull (#2 FR)
• "With Every Beat of My Heart" – Taylor Dayne (#5 US, CAN, #6 JAP)
• "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

• 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.^[5]

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 – The Confession of Isobel Gowdie
• Meredith Monk – Book Of Days
• John Pickard – The Flight of Icarus
• Carl Vine – Piano Sonata No. 1 (Vine)
• Takashi Yoshimatsu – Symphony No. 1 Kamui-Chikap
• John Zorn – The Dead Man

Opera

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

Musical theater

• Aspects of Love (Andrew Lloyd Webber) – Broadway production opened at the Broadhurst Theatre and ran for 377 performances
• A Change in the Heir -- Broadway production opened at the Edison Theatre and closed after only two weeks
• Five Guys Named Moe - London production
• 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

• Alissa in Concert
• Cry-Baby
• Graffiti Bridge
• His Highness Abdullah
• Thazhvaram

Awards

• The following artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: 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.^[6][7]
• 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 Port Fairy Spring Music Festival is founded by Michael Easton and Len Vorster.

Births

• January 25 – Thomas Berge, Dutch singer
• February 1 – Laura Marling, folk-pop singer-songwriter
• February 3 – Sean Kingston, R&B artist
• February 10 – SooYoung, a member of nine-piece Korean pop girl group Girls' Generation
• February 18 - Choi Sung-Bong, Korean singer
• March 22 – Claire Huangci, pianist
• March 27 - Kimbra, New Zealand singer-songwriter/guitarist
• April 2 - Roscoe Dash, American rapper
• April 29 - Loick Essien, British singer
• May 30 – YoonA, member of Girls' Generation
• June 6
  • Raisa Andriana, Indonesian singer
  • Mike G, American rapper (Odd Future)
• June 18 - Raleigh Ritchie, British singer
• July 3 - Fredo Santana, American rapper
• July 12 - Maverick Sabre, British singer-songwriter
• July 24 – Ben McKenzie, Actor
• July 28 – Soulja Boy, American rapper
• August 13 – Shila Amzah, Malaysian singer
• September 20 - Phillip Phillips, American singer
• October 1 - Charlie McDonnell, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (Chameleon Circuit)
• October 23 – Stan Walker, Australian singer
• November 7 – Matt Corby, Australian singer
• November 18
  • Jackie Thomas, New Zealand singer
  • Myk Perez, Filipino singer
• November 26
  • Rita Ora, British singer
  • Chip, British rapper
• December 20 – JoJo, R&B singer
• December 28 - David Archuleta, Season 7 American Idol runner-up

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 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