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 1990, the year I finished my sophomore year of high school, started my junior year, turned 16 and got my driver’s license, and, oh yeah, found myself with my first girlfriend. These songs formed the soundtrack of my high school years and continue to be some of my favorites. A full 70 of the Hot 100 are still familiar to me now, with a whopping 50 of them appearing in my collection in one way or another.
#99: Mellow Man Ace – Mentirosa
iTunes stats: 17 plays
The lone single from the Cuban rapper, it spent 24 weeks on the chart, peaking at #14.
#96: Mötley Crüe – Without You
iTunes stats: 24 plays
Reaching #8 on the Hot 100, the song is said to be about drummer Tommy Lee’s relationship with Heather Locklear.
#94: Biz Markie – Just A Friend
iTunes stats: 39 plays
Markie’s highest charting single, it topped out at #9.
#91: Aerosmith – What It Takes
iTunes stats: 18 plays
Written with Desmond Child, it peaked at #9.
#88: Michael Bolton – When I’m Back on My Feet Again
iTunes stats: N/A
Reaching #7 in August, the song was Bolton’s third top ten hit.
#86: Paula Abdul – (It’s Just) The Way That You Love Me
iTunes stats: 15 plays
Originally released as the second single from Abdul’s debut album in 1988 to little success, it was re-released in the fall of 1989 and rose to #3.
#85: D Mob with Cathy Dennis – C’mon and Get My Love
iTunes stats: 21 plays
The song that introduced Cathy Dennis to the public, it just cracked the top ten.
#82: Billy Joel – I Go to Extremes
iTunes stats: N/A
The second single from Joel’s eleventh studio album, the song just missed the top five, peaking at #6
#81: Black Box – Everybody Everybody
iTunes stats: N/A
Featuring uncredited vocals by Martha Wash, the song reached #8 on the Hot 100.
#78: The B-52’s – Love Shack
iTunes stats: 22 plays
Making the year-end charts for the second consecutive year, the 47th biggest hit of 1989 spent 27 total weeks on the chart.
#76: Mariah Carey – Love Takes Time
iTunes stats: N/A
Spending three weeks at #1 in November, the second single from Carey was her second straight chart topper.
#75: Faith No More – Epic
iTunes stats: 26 plays
Ranked as the 30th greatest metal song of all time by VH1, it was the band’s breakthrough hit, reaching #9.
#73: Technotronic featuring Ya Kid K – Get Up! (Before the Night Is Over)
iTunes stats: 16 plays
Released in January of 1990, it rose to #7.
#72: Skid Row – I Remember You
iTunes stats: 19 plays
The New Jersey band’s second and final top ten hits, peaking at #6.
#70: Go West – King of Wishful Thinking
iTunes stats: 17 plays
Featured on the Pretty Woman soundtrack, the track reached #8 on the Hot 100.
#66: Depeche Mode – Enjoy the Silence
iTunes stats: 22 plays
Released in February, the song became the group’s highest charting single in the US, topping out at #8 in July.
#64: Tom Petty – Free Fallin’
iTunes stats: 34 plays
The highest and longest charting hit of Petty’s career, it peaked at #7, becoming his third and final top ten hit.
#63: Taylor Dayne – I’ll Be Your Shelter
iTunes stats: 6 plays
Reaching #4 on the Hot 100, the song, released in March, was written by Diane Warren and remains Dayne’s final top ten hit.
#62: Digital Underground – The Humpty Dance
iTunes stats: 43 plays
The group’s first Top 40 hit, it topped out at #11.
#61: Aerosmith – Janie’s Got a Gun
iTunes stats: 37 plays
Hitting #4 on the Hot 100, the song earned the group a Grammy award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
#59: Janet Jackson – Black Cat
iTunes stats: 12 plays
The sixth single from Jackson’s fourth studio album spent a single week atop the Hot 100 at the end of October.
#56: Phil Collins – I Wish It Would Rain Down
iTunes stats: N/A
Featuring guitar work from Eric Clapton, Collins reached #3 on the Hot 100 with this track.
#55: MC Hammer – U Can’t Touch This
iTunes stats: 18 plays
The first rap song to be nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammys, it peaked at #8 on the Hot 100.
#52: Michael Bolton – How Can We Be Lovers
iTunes stats: N/A
Reaching #3, Bolton co-wrote this tune with both Diane Warren and Desmond Child.
#49: Janet Jackson – Come Back to Me
iTunes stats: N/A
The fifth single from Rhythm Nation to crack the top five, it peaked at #2 on the Hot 100 and became Jackson’s only #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
#48: Taylor Dayne – With Every Beat of My Heart
iTunes stats: 2 plays
Dayne’s fifth consecutive top ten hit, it reached #5 in December of 1989.
#47: MC Hammer – Have You Seen Her
iTunes stats: 19 plays
Hitting #4, this cover/re-working of the old Chi-Lites tune game Hammer his second consecutive top ten hit.
#46: Milli Vanilli – Blame It on the Rain
iTunes stats: 10 plays
The third and final #1 hit for the disgraced German duo, it spent two weeks atop the charts towards the end of 1989.
#45: Vanilla Ice – Ice Ice Baby
iTunes stats: 20 plays
Originally released as a B-side, the track became the first hip hop single to top the Hot 100, spending a single week at #1 in November of 1990.
#44: Janet Jackson – Alright
iTunes stats: N/A
The only single (out of seven) from Jackson’s Rhythm Nation album to not reach or surpass #2, it peaked at #4.
#43: Luther Vandross – Here and Now
iTunes stats: N/A
A new track added to his best of compilation, it became his first top ten single, reaching #6.
#42: Soul II Soul featuring Caron Wheeler – Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)
iTunes stats: 25 plays
The group’s only US top ten single, it went to #4 on the Hot 100.
#40: The B-52’s – Roam
iTunes stats: 29 plays
The group’s second, and final, top ten single, it peaked at #3 in March and spent 20 total weeks on the chart.
#38: Janet Jackson – Rhythm Nation
iTunes stats: 11 plays
The title track from her fourth studio album, it stalled out at #2 on the Hot 100 while topping both the Hot Black Singles and Dance Club Songs charts.
#37: Rod Stewart – Downtown Train
iTunes stats: N/A
This cover of a Tom Waits song from 1985 reached #3 and earned Stewart a Grammy nod.
#36: James Ingram – I Don’t Have the Heart
iTunes stats: N/A
Ingram’s final Top 40 hit, it spent a single week atop the Hot 100 in October.
#35: Billy Joel – We Didn’t Start the Fire
iTunes stats: 18 plays
The third chart-topping single of Joel’s career, it spent two weeks at #1 in December of 1989.
#34: Roxette – Dangerous
iTunes stats: 24 plays
The fourth and final single from the duo’s sophomore album, it peaked at #2.
#33: New Kids on the Block – Step by Step
iTunes stats: N/A
The title track from the boy band’s fourth studio album, it spent three weeks on top of the Hot 100 in the summer of 1990.
#32: Poison – Unskinny Bop
iTunes stats: 22 plays
The lead single from the group’s third studio album, it reached #3 on the Hot 100 and #5 Album Rock Tracks chart.
#30: Seduction – Two to Make It Right
iTunes stats: 11 plays
Spending two weeks at #2 in February, the track was the girl group’s sole top ten hit.
#29: Jane Child – Don’t Wanna Fall in Love
iTunes stats: N/A
The second single from the Canadian singer-songwriter’s self-titled debut album, it was her sole Top 40 hit, spending three weeks at #2 in April.
#28: Taylor Dayne – Love Will Lead You Back
iTunes stats: 2 plays
Dayne’s one and only #1 hit, it spent fifteen weeks in the Top 40.
#27: Nelson – (Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection
iTunes stats: 14 plays
The debut single from the sons of Ricky Nelson, the song spent a single week at #1 in September.
#26: Snap! – The Power
iTunes stats: 21 plays
The first release from the German dance group peaked at #2.
#25: Sweet Sensation – If Wishes Came True
iTunes stats: 17 plays
The highest charting song of the group’s career, it spent a single week at #1 in September.
#24: Glenn Medeiros featuring Bobby Brown – She Ain’t Worth It
iTunes stats: N/A
The lone top ten single from Medeiros, it hit #1 for two weeks in the summer of 1990.
#23: Johnny Gill – Rub You the Right Way
iTunes stats: 20 plays
The former New Edition member earns his only solo top five hit, peaking at #3.
#22: Calloway – I Wanna Be Rich
iTunes stats: 21 plays
The third and final single from the group’s debut album, it became their sole top ten hit, reaching #2 in May.
#21: Lisa Stansfield – All Around the World
iTunes stats: 11 plays
Nominated for the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Grammy, it peaked at #3 on the Hot 100 and topped the Hot Black Singles chart, making Stansfield the first white woman to do so in two years.
#20: Linda Ronstadt featuring Aaron Neville – Don’t Know Much
iTunes stats: N/A
The tenth and final top ten single for Ronstadt, this cover reached #2.
#19: Wilson Phillips – Release Me
iTunes stats: N/A
The second single for the descendants of the Beach Boys and the Mamas and the Papas, it spent two weeks atop the Hot 100 in September.
#18: Alannah Myles – Black Velvet
iTunes stats: 22 plays
The only top thirty hit of her career, Myles spent two weeks at #1 in March
#17: Maxi Priest – Close to You
iTunes stats: 11 plays
The lead single from the English reggae singer’s fifth album, it spent a single week atop the Hot 100.
#16: Heart – All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You
iTunes stats: 16 plays
The lead single from the band’s tenth studio album, it spent two weeks at #2 and was their final top ten hit.
#15: Janet Jackson – Escapade
iTunes stats: 15 plays
The third of a record-setting seven top five singles from a single album, it spent three weeks at #1 in March.
#14: Paula Abdul – Opposites Attract
iTunes stats: 9 plays
The sixth and final single from Abdul’s debut album, it spent three weeks at #1 in February.
#13: Technotronic – Pump Up the Jam
iTunes stats: 14 plays
The first release from the Belgian hip-hop troupe, hitting #2 in early 1990.
#12: Michael Bolton – How Am I Supposed to Live Without You
iTunes stats: N/A
Co-written by Bolton in 1982 and originally released by Laura Branigan, this version spent three weeks at #1 and earned Bolton a Grammy.
#11: Bell Biv DeVoe – Do Me!
iTunes stats: 46 plays
The second, and final, top ten hit from the former New Edition members reached #3 and spent 22 weeks on the chart.
#10: Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze of Glory
iTunes stats: 22 plays
The first solo release from Bon Jovi, it spent a single week atop the charts in September.
#9: Billy Idol – Cradle of Love
iTunes stats: 25 plays
The lead single from Idol’s fourth studio album, it peaked at #2 on the Hot 100 and became Idol’s first and sole #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
#8: En Vogue – Hold On
iTunes stats: N/A
The group’s debut single, it reached #2 on the Hot 100 in July.
#7: Phil Collins – Another Day in Paradise
iTunes stats: N/A
The seventh and final chart topper of Collins’ career, it spent four weeks at #1, the final two weeks of 1989 and the first two of 1990.
#6: Mariah Carey – Vision of Love
iTunes stats: N/A
Carey spent four weeks atop the Hot 100 in late summer with her debut single.
#5: Madonna – Vogue
iTunes stats: 12 plays
The biggest selling single of Madonna’s career to that point, it spent three weeks at #1 in the spring.
#4: Bell Biv DeVoe – Poison
iTunes stats: 50 plays
The debut single from the former members of New Edition peaked at #3, spending four weeks at that position in June.
#3: Sinead O’Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U
iTunes stats: 18 plays
Spending four weeks atop the charts in the spring of 1990, O’Connor took the Prince-penned song and made it her own.
#2: Roxette – It Must Have Been Love
iTunes stats: 18 plays
Originally released as a Christmas song in 1987, it was reworked for the Pretty Woman soundtrack and spent two weeks at #1.
#1: Wilson Phillips – Hold On
iTunes stats: 16 plays
Only the second song in Billboard history to be the year-end #1 despite spending just a single week on top of the Hot 100.