This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.
Events
- January 21 - MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with musical guest, 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.
- 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.
- 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, California tribute to Roy Orbison. The three are joined unexpectedly on stage by Bob Dylan, who sings "Mr. Tambourine Man" with the band.
- 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 backside during a performance in Augusta, Georgia
- April 4 - Gloria Estefan returns to Miami, Florida after undergoing back surgery in March following a tour bus 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, CT.
- 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 died later that evening.
- April 16 - a massive tribute concert is held at Wembley Stadium for recently freed anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, who makes a 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 25 - Jimi Hendrix's Fender Stratocaster that he used to perform his famous version of the "Star Spangled Banner" at Woodstock, is auctioned off in London for $295,000
- May 18 - The Rolling Stones open their Urban Jungle European tour in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
- May 27 - The Stone Roses stage a legendary concert at Spike Island, Cheshire
- May 29 - 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 press charges (a claim refuted by footage captured during the filming of Madonna's 1991 documentary Truth or Dare).
- June 10 - members of rap group 2 Live Crew are arrested and charged with obscenity after a performance in a Hollywood, Florida nightclub..
- 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.
- August 5 - Madonna ends her controversial Blond Ambition Tour in Nice, France.
- August 24 - A judge rules that heavy metal band Judas Priest is not responsible for the suicide and attempted suicide of two Nevada youths who shot themselves after listening to the band's music.
- August 27 - Stevie Ray Vaughn dies sadly after a show in a helicopter crash.
- 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.
- 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".
- 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.
- Madonna's "Justify My Love" music video is banned by MTV. The singer appears on Nightline to defend the video.
- The poorly received Cop Rock premieres on television, TV's first (and last) musical police drama.
- Sons of Kyuss changed their named to Kyuss, add new members except guitarist Josh Homme.
- After a hiatus of 7 years, rock group Styx (band) reform to record a new album and tour without long time guitarist Tommy Shaw who was committed to Damn Yankees at the time.
Bands formed
Bands disbanded
Albums released
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Release Date Unknown
Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highest positions in the charts of 1990.[1]
| # |
Artist |
Title |
Year |
Country of origin |
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 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, Holland 2 - Apr 1990, Switzerland 2 - Apr 1990, Italy 5 of 1990, Germany 6 - 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, Holland 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 |
|
Holland 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 |
Enigma |
Sadeness |
1990 |
   |
UK 1 - Dec 1990, Holland 1 - Nov 1990, France 1 - Dec 1990, Austria 1 - Nov 1990, Switzerland 1 - Nov 1990, Norway 1 - Dec 1990, Germany 1 - Jan 1991, Éire 1 - Jan 1991, Sweden 2 - Dec 1990, Poland 2 - Dec 1990, US BB 5 of 1991, Italy 7 of 1991, Germany 21 of the 1990s, POP 43 of 1991, RYM 47 of 1990, OzNet 226 |
Top hits on record
|
