Fifty years ago, I made my first appeared on the Earth. In celebration, we are going to take a look at the year-end Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for each year of my life and see what songs resonated with me at the time and if they continue to do so to this day.
We continue our look back at the music of my lifetime with 1991, the year I broke up with my first girlfriend, finished my junior year of high school, started my senior year, and got my first job. Z95 flipped to Hot 94.7 before going away altogether and a new rock station, 103.5 The Blaze, entered the Chicago radio scene, providing the majority of the soundtrack of that year. At 82 songs, we have broken past 80% of the Hot 100 that remain familiar to me today for the first time, with 62 of them appearing in my collection in one way or another.
#100: R.E.M. – Shiny Happy People
iTunes stats: 28 plays
Teaming up with Kate Pierson of the B-52’s, the group notched their fourth and final top ten hit, peaking at #10.
#98: Salt-N-Pepa – Do You Want Me
iTunes stats: 19 plays
The third single from the group’s third studio album, it reached #21 on the Hot 100.
#96: Warrant – I Saw Red
iTunes stats: 11 plays
Peaking at #10, it was the band’s final Top 40 hit.
#95: George Michael – Freedom! ’90
iTunes stats: 16 plays
Thanks in part to a video directed by David Fincher and featuring, among others, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, and Cindy Crawford, reaching #8 and spending twelve weeks in the Top 40 across 1990 and 1991.
#94: Naughty by Nature – O.P.P.
iTunes stats: 24 plays
Ranked in 2023 as the 96th best pop song of all time by Billboard, it hit #6 on the Hot 100.
#91: Deee-Lite – Groove is in the Heart
iTunes stats: N/A
The debut single from the dance group, it peaked at #4, becoming their lone Top 40 hit.
#90: INXS – Disappear
iTunes stats: 15 plays
The Australian band’s seventh and final top ten hit, it reached #8 on the Hot 100.
#89: Gerardo – Rico Suave
iTunes stats: 12 plays
Ranked as the ninth greatest one-hit wonder of all time by VH1 and the 37th worst song ever by Blender, it topped out at #7.
#88: Black Box – Strike It Up
iTunes stats: 15 plays
Hitting #8, the group once again used un-credited vocals from Martha Wash, leading to an out-of-court settlement.
#87: Cathy Dennis – Just Another Dream
iTunes stats: 21 plays
First released in the UK in 1989 to little fanfare, a remixed version hit the Hot 100 in January of 1991, peaking at #9 the following month.
#86: Aaron Neville – Everybody Plays the Fool
iTunes stats: N/A
First recorded by The Main Ingredient in 1972, this cover spent 20 weeks on the charts, topping out at #8.
#84: Tara Kemp – Piece of My Heart
iTunes stats: N/A
Her second consecutive top ten hit, it reached #7 and was her final Top 40 single.
#82: Queensrÿche – Silent Lucidity
iTunes stats: 22 plays
The band’s only charting single in the US, it peaked at #9.
#81: Tevin Campbell – Round and Round
iTunes stats: 15 plays
Featured on the Graffiti Bridge soundtrack and produced by Prince, the solo debut from the teen singer reached #12 on the Hot 100.
#79: Chris Isaak – Wicked Game
iTunes stats: 12 plays
Originally released in July of 1989, it became a top ten hit after being featured in Wild at Heart, eventually hitting #6.
#78: Poison – Something to Believe In
iTunes stats: 20 plays
The final top ten hit from the band, it peaked at #4
#75: Seal – Crazy
iTunes stats: 16 plays
The first big hit for the English singer-songwriter, it spent 19 weeks on the Hot 100, topping out at #7.
#74: Cathy Dennis – Too Many Walls
iTunes stats: N/A
The fourth and final top ten of Dennis’ recording career, it reached #8 on the Hot 100 and two weeks atop the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.
#73: Tesla – Signs
iTunes stats: 14 plays
Recorded live for the group’s acoustic album, it hit #8, becoming their second top ten hit.
#72: UB40 – Here I Am (Come and Take Me)
iTunes stats: 23 plays
Peaking at #7, this cover of the 1973 Al Green hit was the second single from the British reggae-pop band’s ninth studio album.
#71: UB40 – The Way You Do the Things You Do
iTunes stats: 16 plays
A hit in four consecutive decades by four different artists, this was the highest charting version, cracking the top ten at #6.
#69: Mariah Carey – Love Takes Time
iTunes stats: N/A
The second consecutive year end chart appearance for this tune, which spent three weeks atop the Hot 100 in November of 1990 and ranked as the 76th biggest hit of that year as well.
#68: Styx – Show Me the Way
iTunes stats: 13 plays
Their first top ten hit since 1983, it peaked at #3, becoming the band’s eighth and final top ten single and giving them at least one in three straight decades.
#67: Heavy D and the Boyz – Now That We Found Love
iTunes stats: 15 plays
Originally recorded by the O’Jays, Heavy D and the Boyz reached #11 on the Hot 100.
#66: Prince & the New Power Generation – Cream
iTunes stats: 14 plays
Spending two weeks atop the charts in early November, it became the final #1 single of Prince’s career.
#64: LL Cool J – Around the Way Girl
iTunes stats: 19 plays
The first top ten hit in LL’s career, it topped out at #9.
#63: Enigma – Sadness (Part I)
iTunes stats: N/A
Mixing Gregorian chants with a drum beat, it somehow reached #5 on the Hot 100.
#62: Michael Bolton – Time, Love and Tenderness
iTunes stats: N/A
The title track from Bolton’s seventh studio album, it peaked at #7, giving Bolton his fifth top ten single.
#61: The KLF – 3 a.m. Eternal
iTunes stats: 12 plays
Found on the group’s fourth and final album, it reached #5 on the Hot 100.
#60: Hi-Five – I Can’t Wait Another Minute
iTunes stats: 18 plays
The group’s second consecutive top ten hit, it topped out at #8.
#57: Vanilla Ice – Play That Funky Music
iTunes stats: 9 plays
Originally the first track released by Vanilla Ice, it was reissued with new lyrics following the success of Ice Ice Baby, peaking at #4.
#56: Nelson – After the Rain
iTunes stats: 27 plays
The second release from the grandsons of Ozzie & Harriet, it reached #6, becoming their second and final top ten hit.
#55: Bonnie Raitt – Something to Talk About
iTunes stats: 22 plays
Raitt’s only top ten hit, it topped out at #5 on both the Hot 100 and the Adult Contemporary chart.
#53: DNA featuring Suzanne Vega – Tom’s Diner
iTunes stats: 24 plays
Originally released by Vega in 1984, it was remixed by two British producers and released in 1990, reaching #5 on the Hot 100 and becoming one of the few singles in Billboard history to crack the top ten on both the Modern Rock Tracks chart and the Hot R&B Singles chart.
#52: Divinyls – I Touch Myself
iTunes stats: 40 plays
This ode to female masturbation was the group’s first single to chart in the US, peaking at #2.
#51: C+C Music Factory – Things That Make You Go Hmmm…
iTunes stats: 21 plays
The third single from the group’s debut album, it hit #4 on the Hot 100.
#50: Rod Stewart – Rhythm of My Heart
iTunes stats: N/A
Covered by Stewart for his sixteenth album, it reached #5.
#49: Michael Bolton – Love is a Wonderful Thing
iTunes stats: N/A
Peaking at #4, the song triggered a plagiarism lawsuit which ultimately paid the Isley Brothers, who had recorded a similar song with the same title, over $5 million.
#48: Wilson Phillips – Impulsive
iTunes stats: 21 plays
The only single from the nepo babies’ debut release to not top the charts, it reached #4.
#46: Extreme – Hole Hearted
iTunes stats: 23 plays
The second-highest charting single of the band’s career, it topped out at #2.
#44: Roxette – Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave)
iTunes stats: N/A
The fifth consecutive, yet final, top ten hit by the Swedish duo hit #2.
#43: FireHouse – Love of a Lifetime
iTunes stats: 19 plays
The third single from the group’s debut album, which I got for free from Hot 94.7 in place of the Poison concert tickets I had won after the tour was cancelled, the song peaked at #5 at the end of September.
#42: Whitney Houston – I’m Your Baby Tonight
iTunes stats: 13 plays
Spending a single week at #1 in December of 1990, it was Houston’s eighth chart topper and earned a Grammy nomination.
#41: Paula Abdul – The Promise of a New Day
iTunes stats: N/A
The sixth and final #1 hit of Adbul’s career, It topped the charts for a single week in September.
#40: Rythm Syndicate – P.A.S.S.I.O.N.
iTunes stats: 20 plays
The only top ten hit of the group’s career, it peaked at #2 in August.
#39: Scorpions – Winds of Change
iTunes stats: 17 plays
Released in the waning days of the Soviet Union, it reached #4 on the Hot 100.
#38: DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince – Summertime
iTunes stats: 16 plays
The duo’s highest charting single, it topped out at #4 and won the Grammy award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.
#37: Celine Dion – Where Does My Heart Beat Now
iTunes stats: N/A
The lead single from Dion’s English-language debut in the US, it hit #4 on the Hot 100, making Dion the first French-Canadian to land a top ten hit.
#36: C+C Music Factory – Here We Go (Let’s Rock & Roll)
iTunes stats: 13 plays
The second single from the group’s debut album peaked at #3.
#35: Lenny Kravitz – It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over
iTunes stats: 16 plays
The first top ten hit for Kravitz remains his highest-charting single, reaching #2 on the Hot 100.
#34: Gloria Estefan – Coming Out of the Dark
iTunes stats: N/A
Estefan’s first single after nearly dying when her tour bus was rammed by an 18-wheeler, it spent two weeks at #1 in the spring.
#33: R.E.M. – Losing My Religion
iTunes stats: 18 plays
The group’s highest-charting hit in the US, it topped out at #4 and earned the band two Grammys.
#32: Natural Selection – Do Anything
iTunes stats: 15 plays
The first of only two singles from the group, it peaked at #2 and spent a total of 21 weeks on the chart.
#31: Londonbeat – I’ve Been Thinking About You
iTunes stats: 16 plays
The group’s first single to chart in the US, it became their only top ten hit, spending a single week at #1.
#30: Cathy Dennis – Touch Me (All Night Long)
iTunes stats: 16 plays
Originally written in 1984, Dennis re-wrote the verses and scored a top ten hit, peaking at #2 in May.
#28: Amy Grant – Every Heartbeat
iTunes stats: 16 plays
The third top ten pop hit for the Christian singer, it reached #2.
#27: Wilson Phillips – You’re in Love
iTunes stats: 12 plays
The third and final chart topper for the girl group, it spent a single week at #1 in April.
#26: Mariah Carey – I Don’t Wanna Cry
iTunes stats: N/A
When this track spent two weeks atop the charts in late spring, Carey joined The Jackson 5 in being the only performers to have each of their first four singles reach #1.
#25: Tara Kemp – Hold You Tight
iTunes stats: N/A
The first single from Kemp’s debut album, it was her biggest hit, hitting #3 in April.
#23: Roxette – Joyride
iTunes stats: 24 plays
The fourth and final #1 from the Swedish duo, it topped the charts for one week in the spring of 1991.
#22: Mariah Carey – Emotions
iTunes stats: N/A
Breaking her tie with the Jackson 5 for the record for consecutive #1 singles to start a career, the title track from her sophomore album spent three weeks atop the Hot 100.
#21: Madonna – Justify My Love
iTunes stats: 14 plays
The ninth chart topper of Madonna’s career, it spent two weeks at #1 to start 1991.
#20: Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch – Good Vibrations
iTunes stats: 33 plays
Spending a single week at #1 in October, the group’s debut single was used as the walk-up music for former Cub Anthony Rizzo during the 2016 season.
#19: Janet Jackson – Love Will Never Do (Without You)
iTunes stats: 10 plays
The seventh single released from her fourth studio album, which only contained fourteen tracks, became the fourth to hit #1.
#18: Color Me Badd – I Adore Mi Amor
iTunes stats: 20 plays
The second single from the group’s debut album, it spent two weeks at #1 in September.
#17: Jesus Jones – Right Here, Right Now
iTunes stats: 14 plays
The most played song on college radio in 1991, it peaked at #2 on the Hot 100 and topped the Modern Rock Tracks chart.
#16: Whitney Houston – All the Man That I Need
iTunes stats: N/A
Originally recorded by Linda Clifford in 1982, Houston’s cover spent two weeks at #1 in late winter.
#15: Bette Midler – From a Distance
iTunes stats: N/A
Written in 1985, Midler’s cover peaked at #2 and earned the original writer a Grammy the following year.
#14: Damn Yankees – High Enough
iTunes stats: 15 plays
The sole top ten hit from the supergroup, it reached #3.
#13: Mariah Carey – Someday
iTunes stats: N/A
The third single from Carey’s debut album, it spent two weeks on top of the Hot 100 in March.
#12: Stevie B – Because I Love You (The Postman Song)
iTunes stats: 23 plays
My junior prom theme, it spent four weeks at #1 to close out 1990.
#11: Boyz II Men – Motownphilly
iTunes stats: 29 plays
The debut single from the vocal harmony group, it peaked at #3 on the Hot 100.
#10: Amy Grant – Baby Baby
iTunes stats: 12 plays
The lead single from Grant’s eighth studio album, it spent two weeks at #1 in the spring of 1991.
#9: Surface – The First Time
iTunes stats: 17 plays
The group’s second, and final, top ten single, it spent two weeks at #1 in the winter of 1991.
#8: Hi-Five – I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)
iTunes stats: 15 plays
The second single from the group’s debut album, it spent one week atop the Hot 100 and two weeks leading the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart.
#7: Extreme – More Than Words
iTunes stats: 18 plays
The band’s first single to chart in the US, it spent a week at #1.
#6: EMF – Unbelievable
iTunes stats: 23 plays
Spending a single week on top of the Hot 100, the song was the first single from the group’s debut album.
#5: Timmy T – One More Try
iTunes stats: 17 plays
The first single from an independent record label to top the charts since 1982, it spent a week at #1 in March.
#4: Paula Abdul – Rush Rush
iTunes stats: N/A
The longest running #1 hit since Madonna’s Like a Virgin spent six weeks atop the Hot 100 in 1986, the lead track from Adbul’s sophomore album spent five weeks in the top spot.
#3: C+C Music Factory – Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)
iTunes stats: 15 plays
The basis of a lawsuit from uncredited singer Martha Wash, the first single from the dance music group spent two weeks at #1.
#2: Color Me Badd – I Wanna Sex You Up
iTunes stats: 19 plays
Featured on the New Jack City soundtrack, the group’s debut single spent four weeks at #2 on the Hot 100.
#1: Bryan Adams – (Everything I Do) I Do It for You
iTunes stats: 15 plays
The longest running #1 single in UK history at sixteen consecutive weeks, it spent seven weeks atop the Hot 100 in the US, the longest run at the top of the chart since 1983.