1990 in music explained

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

• 1990 in British music
• 1990 in Norwegian music
• 1990 in South Korean music

Specific genres

• 1990 in country music
• 1990 in heavy metal music
• 1990 in hip hop music
• 1990 in Latin music
• 1990 in jazz

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 , 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 four 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.
  • A riot almost breaks out in downtown Los Angeles when Depeche Mode draw a crowd of 20,000 during an in-store appearance at Wherehouse Entertainment to sign copies of their new album Violator.^[2]
• 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 5 – Michael Jackson is awarded 'Artist of the Decade' by George H. W. Bush at the White House.
• 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.^[3]
• 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 "", 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 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 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 releases her debut album, which would go on to top the Billboard 200 for 11 consecutive weeks.^[4]
• 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.^[5] It was also the first song to simultaneously peak atop the Billboard Hot 100 and Mainstream Rock chart.^[6]
• 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

January–March

Date		Album	Artist	Notes
J A N U A R Y	8	Scumdogs of the Universe		-
	15	Flood		-
		Reading, Writing and Arithmetic		Debut
	16	The Hit List		Covers album
		Pale		-
		RVS III		-
	23	Lone Wolf		-
		Missing Links Volume Two		Rarities compilation
		Stick It to Ya		Debut
	25	We're in This Together		-
	29	A Bit of What You Fancy		Debut
		Cloudcuckooland		-
		Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors		-
	30	Riverside		-
		The Sweet Keeper		US
	?	Colour		US
F E B R U A R Y	5	Chill Out		-
		Lost Paradise		Debut
	7	Frizzle Fry		Debut
	9	Blue Sky Mining		-
	12	Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em		US
		Stay Sick!		-
	13	Chance		-
		Shake Your Money Maker		Debut
		Welcome to the Beautiful South		US
	16	Spiritual Healing		-
	17	Heritage		-
	19	Up to No Good		-
	20	Carved in Sand		US
		Dark at the End of the Tunnel		-
		The Language of Life		-
		This Should Move Ya		US
	21	Break Through		-
		Heading for Tomorrow		-
		Same Place the Fly Got Smashed		-
	22	Blackout in the Red Room		-
		Damn Yankees		-
		Gold Afternoon Fix		-
		Submarine Bells		-
	27	Here in the Real World		-
		Highwayman 2		-
	28	Ah Via Musicom		-
		The Privilege of Power		-
	?	Travel-Log		-
M A R C H	1	The Caution Horses		-
	5	Just Say Ozzy		Live EP
		Backstreet Symphony		Debut
		Happiness		US
		New Funky Nation		-
	6	Birds of Passage		US
		Third World Warrior		-
	9	House Party	Various Artists	Soundtrack
	12	I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got		-
		Changesbowie		Compilation
		Beg to Differ		-
		Eye		US
		Resistance		-
		Manners & Physique	Adam Ant	–
	13	Funhouse		-
		My Romance		Covers album
		Pretty Woman	Various Artists	Soundtrack
	16	Here at the Home		-
			Various Artists	Soundtrack
	19	Blacks' Magic		-
		Manic Nirvana		-
		Violator		-
	20	Poison		Debut
		Sex Packets		Debut
		Extricate		US
		Showtime		US
		Swagger		US
	26	Brigade		-
		Mental Floss for the Globe		US
		Paintings in Yellow		-
		Still Got the Blues		-
	27	Livin' Like Hustlers		-
		Forever Everlasting		Debut
		A View from 3rd Street		-
		Social Distortion		-
	29	Representing the Mambo		-
	?	The Best of Van Morrison		Compilation
		Join Together		Live box set

April–June

Date		Album	Artist	Notes
A P R I L	2	Bulkhead		-
		Unison		Canada
	3	Born to Sing		-
		Chemicrazy		-
		Lloyd Cole		-
		Read My Lips		-
	9	Behind the Mask		-
	10	Act III		-
		Days of Open Hand		-
		Fear of a Black Planet		-
		Laura Branigan		-
		Peace		-
		People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm		Debut
	11	Songs for Drella		-
		Vanity/Nemesis		-
	13	39/Smooth		Debut
	16	Spanking Machine		-
	17	The Good Son		-
		Johnny Gill		-
		Last Decade Dead Century		Debut
		Live on Broadway		Live
		The Myth of Rock		-
		Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic		US
	19	Repeater		US
	23	Hammerheart		-
		Let Them Eat Bingo		US
		Life		-
		Metaphysical Graffiti		-
		Slam		-
		Everybody Knows		-
		Now That's What I Call Music 17	Various Artists	UK; compilation
	30	Charmed Life		-
	?	Lovegod		-
		Up in It		-
		Closer to the Flame		-
M A Y	1	When the Storm Comes Down		-
		The Winding Sheet		-
	8	Eclipse		US
		Greatest Hits		Compilation
		Young Lions		-
		Tattooed Millionaire		-
		The Revival		-
		Shut Up and Dance		Remix album
		Wilson Phillips		-
		Goodbye Jumbo		-
	10	Steelheart		-
	11	Screaming Life/Fopp		Compilation
	14	Circle of One		-
		Love Moves		-
		Packed!		-
		DAAS Icon		-
	15	Corruption in Tokyo		Japan; live
		Livin' It Up		-
		Lock up the Wolves		-
		Reflections of Passion		Compilation
		A Round and a Bout		US; live
		Ten		-
	18	AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted		Solo debut
		20 Años		-
	21			-
	22	I'm Breathless		Soundtrack
		Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em		-
		Son of Albert		-
	25	The Ghost in Science		Japan
		Mecca		US
	29			Compilation
		Hell to Pay		Canada
		Bloodletting		-
		I Want Too Much		US
		Katydids	Katydids	US
		Meet John Doe	John Doe	-
		Pod		-
	30	Tangled		-
	31	All the Stuff (And More!) Volume 1		Compilation
		All the Stuff (And More!) Volume 2	Ramones	Compilation
	?	Amarok		-
		Joe Cocker Live		Live
		The Internationale		Mini-LP
		Manscape		US
J U N E	1	The Word as Law		-
	4	10		US
		Gold Mother		-
		Left Hand Path		Debut
	5	Step by Step		-
	7	Sumerian Cry		-
	11	Real Men... Wear Black		-
		A Catholic Education		-
		Sings Cole Porter		Cover
		Utd. State 90		-
	12	Armchair Theatre		Solo debut
		Compositions		-
		En las Buenas... y en las Malas		-
		Holy Water		-
		I'll Give All My Love to You		-
		Mariah Carey		Debut
	15	Sudden Stop		Canada
	18	Alias		-
		Past to Present 1977-1990		Compilation+ 4 new tracks
		Turtle Soup		UK
	19	This Time Around		-
	20	Beyond Belief		-
	21	No Depression		Debut
		Wicked Beat	B'z	EP
	25	Deicide		-
		Livonia		-
		New Art Riot		EP
		Reputation		-
		Stick It in Your Ear	Paul Laine	Japanese release date
	26	After the Rain		-
				-
		Goo		-
		Kiss of Life		-
		Live It Up		-
	29	Black Angels		-
	?	Biohazard		-
		Busted		-
		Midnight Stroll		-

July–September

Date		Album	Artist	Notes
J U L Y	2	Flesh & Blood		-
		Smooth Noodle Maps		-
	3	The Hard Way		-
		Lights...Camera...Revolution!		-
		Lofty's Roach Souffle		-
		Seven Turns		-
		Spirits Dancing in the Flesh		-
		We Are in Love	Harry Connick Jr.	-
	10	Brick by Brick		-
		Live and Direct		US
		Pandemonium		-
		Stray		US
	13	Live'r Than God		US
	16	Naked Thunder		-
		Tales from the Twilight World		-
		Bad of the Heart		Debut
	17	Edutainment		-
	19	Apple		-
	23	Slave to the Thrill	Hurricane	-
	24	Banned in the U.S.A.		-
		Cowboys from Hell		-
		Goodnight L.A.		-
		In the Heart of the Young		-
		Take a Look Around		-
		Un-Led-Ed		-
	30	Harmony Corruption		-
		Joy Rides for Shut-Ins		-
	31	Hell Is for Wimps		-
	?	Smile		US
		Ichabod and I		-
A U G U S T	7	Blaze of Glory		Young Guns II soundtrack
		Brother's Keeper		-
		Bellybutton		-
		Enchanted		US
		Head Down		US
		Pornograffitti		-
		World Clique		-
	13	Bossanova		-
	14	100 Miles and Runnin'		EP
		Cleopatra Grip		US
		Pump Up the Volume	Various Artists	US; soundtrack
	15	Louder Than Love		-
	17	Eaten Back To Life		-
	20	FireHouse		-
		Liberty		-
		Peace of Mind		-
		Tyr		-
	21	Against the Law		-
		Detonator		-
		Facelift		-
		Graffiti Bridge		Soundtrack
		Persistence of Time		-
		Ritual de lo Habitual		-
	27	No Fences		-
		Otis		-
	28	Time's Up		-
	31	The Party		Debut
		So Much 2 Say		-
	?	The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken		-
		Caustic Grip		-
S E P T E M B E R	3	Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1		UK
	4	Chronicles		Compilation
		& Love for All		US
		1978–1990		US; compilation
		And the Horse They Rode in On		-
		Empire		-
		In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up		Live
		The Neighborhood		-
		The Rembrandts		-
		Rumor Has It		-
		The Wild Places		-
	7	The Cactus Revisited		Remix
		Two Fires		-
	10	To The Extreme		-
		Boomania		-
		Ragged Glory		-
	11	Cherry Pie		-
		Under the Red Sky		-
		Dave Stewart and the Spiritual Cowboys		US
		Dear 23		-
		Glider		EP; US
		Short Dog's in the House		-
		Soundtrack from Twin Peaks		Soundtrack
		Unison		US
		Home For Christmas		-
	12	Never, Neverland		-
	14	Armed Audio Warfare		US
		Mama Said Knock You Out		-
	17	Painkiller		-
		The Wall Live in Berlin		UK; live
		Themes – Volume 2: August 82 – April 85		Box set
		Romantic?		–
		Room to Roam		-
		Heaven or Las Vegas		-
	18	Collected Works		US
		In a Priest Driven Ambulance		-
				Remix + unreleased material
		Minnie 'n Me: Songs Just for Girls		-
		Red Moon		-
	19	Cause of Death		-
	21	Lawn Boy		-
		Nomads Indians Saints		-
	24	The Razors Edge		-
		Some People's Lives		-
		Experience		-
				Rarities compilation
		Rust in Peace		-
	25	All Shook Down		-
		An Emotional Fish		US
		Family Style	The Vaughan Brothers (Stevie Ray and Jimmie)	-
		Have You Seen Me Lately		-
		Superchunk		-
		Third Eye		-
		Wild & Lonely		US
		Without a Net		Live
		X		-
		Hi-Five		-
	?	In the Blood		-
		It's... Madness		US;Compilation
		Nu Thang		-
		Passion and Warfare		-

October–December

Date		Album	Artist	Notes
O C T O B E R	1	No Prayer for the Dying		-
		Dr. Adamski's Musical Pharmacy		-
		Better Off Dead		-
		Hell's Ditch		–
		Dannii		-
		Go West Young Man		-
		The La's		-
		Exitos de Gloria Estefan		Compilation
	2	Crawdaddy		US
				US
		New Inside		-
			Various Artists	Compilation
	5	This Is Our Music		-
		Wrong Way Up		-
	8	Enlightenment		UK
		Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band		Live
		Themes – Volume 1: March 79 – April 82		Box set
		Themes – Volume 3: September 85 – June 87		Box set
	9	Change of Season		-
		Edge of the Century		-
		FUN '90		EP
		Girls, Girls, Girls		Compilation
		Seasons in the Abyss		-
		Shooting Straight in the Dark		-
		Souls of Black		-
	15	Remasters		Compilation
		The Rhythm of the Saints		-
		Bona Drag		Compilation
		Themes – Volume 4: February 89 – May 90		Box set
		Nowhere		-
	16	Back from Hell		-
		Brand New Dance		-
		Hack		-
				Compilation
		Hindu Love Gods		-
		Hold Me Up		-
		Private Times...and the Whole 9!		-
		Recycler		-
		The Geto Boys		Remix
	22	Slaves & Masters		-
		Behaviour		-
		Heart Still Beating		Live
		Vision Thing		-
		The Greatest Hits, So Far		Compilation
		Cure for Sanity		-
		Kool-Aid		-
	23	458489		US; compilation
		Billy's Live Bait		-
		Circle Slide		-
		Faith Hope Love		-
		Life		US
		Some Friendly		US
	29	Led Zeppelin		Boxed Set
		Choke		UK
		Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3		-
	30	Down To Earth		-
		Ghost of a Dog		-
		If There Was a Way		-
		Interiors		-
		Lennon		Box set
		Red Hot + Blue	Various Artists	Cole Porter tribute
		Taste of Chocolate		-
		This Christmas		Christmas
		Too Dark Park		-
31	Raygun... Naked Raygun		-
?	Up from the Ashes		-
	Gling-Gló		-
N O V E M B E R	5	Don't Explain		UK
		Mixed Up		UK; Remix album
		Serious Hits... Live!		Live
		Tripping the Live Fantastic		Live
		Reverberation		-
		Refugees of the Heart		-
		Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches		-
	6	Birdbrain		-
		A Brief History of the Twentieth Century		Compilation
		Cake		US
		Coma of Souls		-
		Crazy World		-
		The Dancing Years		-
		I'm Your Baby Tonight		-
		Put Yourself in My Shoes		-
		Somewhere Soon		US
		Stick It Live		Live EP
		Syntonic		US
	7	Risky	B'z	–
	8	To Be Continued		Box set + 4 new tracks
	12	Ven Conmigo		-
		Rhythm of Love		-
	13	Mermaids soundtrack	Various Artists	US; soundtrack
		Anything Is Possible		-
		Blast the Human Flower		US
		Five Man Acoustical Jam		Live
		Gala		US
		The Immaculate Collection		Greatest hits + 2 new tracks
		Standards		US; Compilation
	15	Naïve		-
	16			Debut
	19	Shaking the Tree		Compilation
	20	Casino		-
		Ferociously Stoned		Debut
		Heartbreak Station		-
		This Is a Collective		EP
	23	Against the Grain		-
	26	A Social Grace		-
	27	Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast		Debut
		Ralph Tresvant		Solo debut
		Rising		Live
		Now! That's What I Call Music 18	Various Artists	UK; compilation
D E C E M B E R	3	MCMXC a.D.		Debut
	4	Grains of Sand		US
		Home Alone		Soundtrack
		One for All		-
		The Simpsons Sing the Blues		Debut
	10	Live at Hammersmith '84		Live
	11	Devo's Greatest Hits		Compilation
		Devo's Greatest Misses	Devo	Compilation
		The Raw and the Remix		Remixes and alternate versions
	18	Gonna Make You Sweat		-
		Business as Usual		-
		99%		-
	?	Obey the Time		-

Release date unknown

• • 1234 – Propaganda 1888 – Death in June/Current 93
• 1990 – Daniel Johnston
• 2nd Avenue – Idle Cure
• Anam – Clannad
• Anonymous Bodies in an Empty Room – Swans
• Anonymous Confessions of a Lunatic Friend – Bryan Duncan
• The Apprentice – John Martyn
• Are You Okay? – Was (Not Was)
• As I Came of Age – Sarah Brightman
• Bang! – Corey Hart
• Banking, Violence and the Inner Life Today – McCarthy
• Because It's Christmas – Barry Manilow
• Beers, Steers, and Queers – Revolting Cocks
• Best of the West Rides Again – Riders in the Sky
• Beyond Thee Infinite Beat – Psychic TV
• Blood Guts & Pussy – The Dwarves
• Blue Pacific – Michael Franks
• The Blues Brothers Band Live in Montreux – The Blues Brothers (live)
• Bluesiana Triangle – Dr. John
• Bonafide – Maxi Priest
• Brand New Heavies – Brand New Heavies
• – Blue Öyster Cult
• Chain Reaction – John Farnham
• Christmas, Like a Lullaby – John Denver (12/90)
• – Various Artists
  • The Collection – Kenny G Concrete Jungle – Sway & King Tech
• Dare to Be Different – Tommy Emmanuel
• – Violent Femmes
• Erpland – Ozric Tentacles
• Everybody Wants to Shag... The Teardrop Explodes – The Teardrop Explodes
• Evergreen Everblue – Raffi
• Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions – Killing Joke
• Fakebook – Yo La Tengo
• Fist Sized Chunks – Skin Yard
• The Flower That Shattered the Stone – John Denver (9/90)
• From a Scream to a Whisper – Lowlife
• Garista (re-release) –
• Ghost – Ghost
• Gloryline – Dreams So Real
• Greatest Hits 1977–1990 – The Stranglers
• Groovy, Laidback and Nasty – Cabaret Voltaire
• Head - The Jesus Lizard
• Heartbeats Accelerating – Kate and Anna McGarrigle
• Hell with the Lid Off – MC 900 Ft. Jesus
• Here Comes Trouble – Scatterbrain
• High Wire – Ernie Isley
• Hispanic Causing Panic – Kid Frost (7/10/90)
• Holy Soldier – Holy Soldier
  • Home – Hothouse Flowers Horse Opera – Riders in the Sky
  • The House of Love – The House of Love Hot Chocolate Massage – Tiny Lights
• Iced Earth – Iced Earth (debut) – Released in Europe only (11/90)
• In Scarlet Storm – David Zaffiro
• I've Got That Old Feeling – Alison Krauss
• Knock, Breath, Shine – Jacob's Trouble
• The Last Temptation of Reid – Lard
  • Live at the China Club – Dramarama Live at the Roxy Club – Sham 69

• Lofcaudio – Mastedon
• Lost Souls – The Raindogs
• Love Is Strange – Kenny Rogers
• Lovers Who Wander – The Del-Lords
• The Lyrical Strength of One Street Poet – D-Boy Rodriguez
• The Massacre – The Exploited
• Craig McLachlan & Check 1–2 – Craig McLachlan & Check 1–2
• Meet Julie Miller – Julie Miller
• Mek We Dweet – Burning Spear
• Merci – Florent Pagny
• Midnight Radio – Big Head Todd and the Monsters
• Motive – Red Box
• Neighbourhood Threat – Johnny Crash (debut)
  • A Night on the Town – Bruce Hornsby and the Range Nineteen 90 – Regine Velasquez
• Once Dead – Vengeance Rising
• Other Voices – Paul Young (6/4/90)
• Oh Suzi Q. – Suzi Quatro
• Paintings in My Mind – Tommy Page
• Party of One – Nick Lowe
• Pentagram – Mezarkabul
• Plus Signs – Burton Cummings
• Powerhouse – White Heart
• Reflections – The Shadows (final studio album)
• Return to Samoa – Angry Samoans
• Rick Elias and the Confessions – Rick Elias
• Round the Outside, Round the Outside – Malcolm McLaren
  • Sack Full of Silver – Thin White Rope Seasons of Love – Mad at the World
• Set the Booty Up Right (EP) – Fishbone
• Shadow in Dreams – Dennis Rea
• Shake Your Soul – Baton Rouge
• She Hangs Brightly – Mazzy Star (5/21/90)
• Skellington – Julian Cope
• Skywriting – The Field Mice
• Slap! – Chumbawamba
• Slappy – Green Day
• Sons of Kyuss – Kyuss (debut)
• Space Bandits – Hawkwind (9/24/90)
• A Spy in the House of Love – The House of Love
• Sticks and Stones – The 77s
• Stiletto – Lita Ford
• Strap It On – Helmet
• Sylentiger – Trytan
• Taking Drugs to Make Music to Take Drugs To – Spacemen 3
• Talisman – Talisman
• Ten Commandments – Ozzy Osbourne Compilation
• Toy Matinee – Toy Matinee
• Turned On – Rollins Band
• Unfun – Jawbreaker
• Unnatural History – Coil
• – (re-release)
• The Vegetarians of Love – Bob Geldof
• Volume 2 – Reagan Youth
• Waiting for Cousteau – Jean Michel Jarre
• Walkin' in Faith – Angelica
• Weapons of our Warfare – Deliverance
• Women in the Room – Zachary Richard
• The Wonder – Tom Verlaine
• World Power – Snap!
• The Youth Are Getting Restless (live) – Bad Brains

Biggest hit singles

The following songs achieved the highest positions in the charts of 1990.^[7]

	Artist	Title	Year	Country	Chart Entries
1			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; 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; 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			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			1990		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			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			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 40 chart hit singles

Song title	Artist(s)	Release date(s)	US	UK	Highest chart position	Other Chart Performance(s)
"A Dream's a Dream"			April 1990	86	6	1 (Greece)	See chart performance entry
"À toutes les filles..."			May 1990	n/a	n/a	1 (France, Belgium)	See chart performance entry
"After the Rain"			October 1990	6	n/a	6 (United States)	39 (US Billboard Album Rock Tracks)
"All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You"			March 1990	2	8	1 (Australia, Canada)	See chart performance entry
"All or Nothing"			January 1990	4	74	1 (New Zealand)	See chart performance entry
"All Together Now"			November 1990	n/a	4	4 (United Kingdom)
"Alors regarde"			September 1990	n/a	n/a	3 (France)	14 (Québec) – 16 (Europe [European Airplay Top 50]) – 20 (Europe [Eurochart Hot 100])
"Alright"			March 1990	4	20	4 (Netherlands, United States)	See chart performance entry
"The Anniversary Waltz" (Part One)			September 1990	n/a	2	2 (United Kingdom)	3 (Ireland) – 5 (Netherlands) – 9 (Austria) – 12 (Switzerland) – 13 (Belgium) – 17 (Germany) – 104 (Australia)
"The Anniversary Waltz" (Part Two)			December 1990	n/a	16	16 (United Kingdom)	14 (Ireland) – 33 (Belgium) – 66 (Netherlands)
"Are You Dreaming?"			November 1990	n/a	17	4 (Switzerland)	See chart performance entry
"Around the Way Girl"			November 1990	9	n/a	9 (United States)	1 (U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Songs) – 5 (U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs) – 7 (U.S. Billboard Dance Club Songs) – 27 (New Zealand) – 45 (Australia)
"Avant de partir"			July 1990	n/a	n/a	7 (France)	12 (Québec) – 34 (Europe)
"Because I Love You"			September 1990	1	6	1 (United States)	See chart performance entry
"Been Caught Stealing"			November 1990	n/a	34	24 (Ireland)	1 (US Billboard Alternative Songs) – 29 (US Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks) – 56 (Australia)
"Being Boring"			November 1990	n/a	20	5 (Finland, Italy)	See chart performance entry
"Better the Devil You Know"			April 1990	n/a	2	2 (United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"Black Cat"			August 1990	1	15	1 (United States)	See chart performance entry
"Black Velvet"			Released in 1989 Charted in '89/'90	1	2		See chart performance entry
"Blaze of Glory"			July 1990	1	13		See chart performance entry
"Blue Savannah"			January 1990	n/a	3	1 (Israel)	See chart performance entry
"Candy"			September 1990	28	67	9 (Australia)	See chart performance entry
"(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection"			May 1990	1	54	1 (United States)	11 (Canada) – 20 (Australia) – 44 (New Zealand)
"Cherry Pie"			August 1990	10	35	6 (Australia)	See chart performance entry
"Close to You"			May 1990	1	7	1 (United States)	See chart performance entry
"Club at the End of the Street"			April 1990	28	47	12 (Canada)	See chart performance entry
"Come Back to Me"				2	20	2 (United States)	See chart performance entry
"Cradle of Love"			April 1990	2	34	2 (United States)	See chart performance entry
"Crying in the Rain"			June 1990	n/a	13	1 (Norway)	See chart performance entry
"Cult of Snap"			September 1990	n/a	8	1 (Spain)	See chart performance entry
"The Dance"			April 1990	n/a	36	3 (Ireland)	1 (Canada Country Tracks, U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs) – 31 (Scotland) – 89 (Europ)
"Dangerous"			May 1990	2	6	2 (Canada, Denmark, United States)	See chart performance entry
"Disappear"			September 1990	8	21	1 (Canada)	See chart performance entry
"Do You Remember?"			April 1990	4	n/a	1 (Canada)	See chart performance entry
"Doin' the Do"			May 1990	90	7	3 (Australia)	See chart performance entry
"Don't Miss The Party Line"			April 1990	n/a	7	7 (United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"Don't Wanna Fall in Love"			January 1990	2	22	2 (United States)	See chart performance entry
"Don't Worry"			October 1990	n/a	2	1 (Zimbabwe)	See chart performance entry
"Don't You Love Me"			March 1990	78	12	6 (Ireland)	See chart performance entry
"Doubleback"			May 1990	n/a	29	9 (Sweden)	See chart performance entry
"Downtown Train"			Charted in '89/'90	3	10	1 (Canada)	See chart performance entry
"Dub Be Good to Me"			January 1990	76	1	1 (Israel, United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"Enjoy the Silence"			February 1990	8	6	1 (Denmark, Spain)	See chart performance entry
"Epic"			January 1990	9	25	1 (Australia)	See chart performance entry
"Escapade"			January 1990	1	17	1 (Canada, United States)	See chart performance entry
"Falling"			Charted in '90,'91,'92	n/a	7	1 (Australia)	See chart performance entry
"Fantasy"			October 1990	n/a	5	3 (Australia, Ireland)	See chart performance entry
"Forever"			January 1990	8	65	8 (United States)	17 (US Billboard Mainstream Rock – 18 (Canada) – 73 (Australia)
"Freedom! '90"			October 1990	8	28	1 (Canada, Zimbababwe)	See chart performance entry
"Friends In Low Places"			August 1990	n/a	36	3 (Ireland)	See chart performance entry
"Get Up! (Before the Night Is Over)"			January 1990	1	2		See chart performance entry
"Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)"			November 1990	1	3		See chart performance entry
"Groove Is in the Heart"			August 1990	4	2	1 (Australia)	See chart performance entry
"Hanky Panky"			July 1990	10	2	1 (Finland)	See chart performance entry
"Happenin' All Over Again"			January 1990	n/a	4	3 (Ireland)	See chart performance entry
"Have You Seen Her"			March 1990	4	8	2 (Ireland)	See chart performance entry
"Healing Hands"			June 1990	13	45	1 (United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"Hear the Drummer (Get Wicked)"			February 1990	n/a	3	3 (Netherlands, United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"Heart of Stone"			July 1990	12	n/a	4 (Canada)	1 (Canada Adult Contemporary) – 8 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) – 42 (Australia)
"Hello Afrika"			September 1990	n/a	n/a	1 (Austria)	See chart performance entry
"Here I Am (Come and Take Me)"			January 1990	7	46	3 (Australia)	See chart performance entry
"High Enough"			September 1990	3	81	3 (United States)	2 (US Billboard Album Rock Tracks) – 12 (Canada) – 24 (New Zealand) – 57 (Australia)
"Hold On"			March 1990	2	5	2 (United States)
"Hold On"			February 1990	1	6	1 (United States)
Holy Smoke"			September 1990	n/a	3	3 (United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"How Am I Supposed to Live Without You"			Released in 1989 Charted in '89/'90	1	3	1 (Belgium, United States)	See chart performance entry
"How Can We Be Lovers?"			May 1990	3	10	2 (Canada)	See chart performance entry
"I Can't Stand It!"			Releaesd in 1989 Charted in '90/'91	n/a	7	1 (Europe, Italy)	See chart performance entry
"I Don't Have the Heart"			August 1990	1	n/a	1 (United States)	2 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) – 53 (US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Song) – 78 (Australia)
"I Don't Know Anybody Else"			Releaesd in 1989 Charted in '89/'90	23	4	1 (Finland)	See chart performance entry
"I Go to Extremes"			January 1990	6	70	3 (Canada)	See chart performance entry
"I Promised Myself"			1990	n/a	50	1 (Austria, Sweden)	See chart performance entry
"I Saw Red"			November 1990	10	n/a	10 (United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"			May 1990	n/a	6	2 (Norway)	See chart performance entry
"I Wanna Be Rich"			May 1990	2	100	2 (United States)	See chart performance entry
"(I Wanna Give You) Devotion"	Nomad & MC Mikee Freedom		1990	n/a	2	1 (Greece)	See chart performance entry
"I Wish It Would Rain Down"			May 1990	3	7	1 (Canada)	See chart performance entry
"Ice Ice Baby"			August 1990	1	1		See chart performance entry
"If Wishes Came True"			June 1990	1	n/a	1 (United States)	See chart performance entry
"I'll Be Your Baby Tonight"			October 1990	n/a	6	1 (New Zealand)	See chart performance entry
"I'll Be Your Everything"			February 1990	1	53	1 (United States)	See chart performance entry
"I'll Be Your Shelter"			March 1990	4	43	1 (Canada)	See chart performance entry
"I'll Never Fall in Love Again"			August 1990	n/a	2	2 (Ireland, United Kingdom)	72 (Netherlands)
"I'm Free"			1990	79	5	5 (United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"I'm Not in Love"			July 1990	2	1	1 (Canada, Ireland, UK)	See chart performance entry
"I'm Your Baby Tonight"			September 1990	1	5	1 (Greece, Italy, Portugal, US)	See chart performance entry
"Impulsive"			October 1990	4	42	1 (Canada)	See chart performance entry
"Infinity"			Released in 1989 Charted in 1990	n/a	5	1 (Spain)	See chart performance entry
""			1990	n/a	n/a	2 (Portugal, Switzerland)	See chart performance entry
"It Must Have Been Love"			March 1990	1	3		See chart performance entry
"It Takes Two"			November 1990	n/a	5	1 (Denmark)	See chart performance entry
"It's Here"			April 1990	n/a	42	4 (Finland)	See chart performance entry
"It's On You"		Released in 1989 Charted in '89/'90	n/a	n/a	1 (Spain)	See chart performance entry
"Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini"			July 1990	n/a	1	1 (Ireland, United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"I've Been Thinking About You"			September 1990	1	2		See chart performance entry
"Janie's Got a Gun"		Released in 1989 Charted in '89/'90	4	76	1 (Australia)	See chart performance entry
"The Joker"			August 1990 Released in 1974 Reissued in 1990	n/a	1		See chart performance entry
"Jōnetsu no Bara"						See chart performance entry
"Just Like Jesse James"			Released in 1989 Charted in '89/'90	8	11	8 (Canada, United States)	See chart performance entry
"Justify My Love"			November 1990	1	2		See chart performance entry
"Keep It Together"			January 1990	8	n/a	1 (Australia) with "Vogue"	See chart performance entry
"Keep On Running"			November 1990	n/a	76	2 (Austria)	See chart performance entry
"Killer"			March 1990	n/a	1	1 (Belgium, UK, Zimbabwe)	See chart performance entry
"King of Wishful Thinking"			July 1990	8	18	3 (Canada)	See chart performance entry
"Kingston Town"			March 1990	n/a	4	1 (France)	See chart performance entry
"Kinky Afro"			October 1990	n/a	5	5 (United Kingdom)	1 (US Billboard Alternative Airplay) – 22 (Europe) – 34 (New Zealand) – 63 (Australia)
"Let's Try It Again"			September 1990	53	8	6 (Ireland)	See chart performance entry
"Listen to Your Heart"		Released in 1988 Charted in '88,89,90	1	6	1 (Canada, United States)	See chart performance entry
"Listen to Your Heart"		Released in 1989 Charted in '89/'90	n/a	10	10 (United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"Live Together"			February 1990	n/a	10	7 (Belgium)	See chart performance entry
"Love and Kisses"			February 1990	n/a	8	4 (Australia)	15 (New Zealand) – 22 (Ireland) – 25 (Europe) – 48 (Belgium)
"Love Takes Time"			August 1990	1	37	1 (Canada, United States)	See chart performance entry
"Love Will Lead You Back"			January 1990	1	69	1 (United States)	See chart performance entry
"Love Will Never Do (Without You)"			October 1990	1	34	2 (Canada, United States)	See chart performance entry
"Mary Had a Little Boy"			December 1990	n/a	8	1 (Canada, Zimbabwe)	See chart performance entry
"Miles Away"			October 1990	12	56	12 (United States)	14 (US Billboard Mainstream Rock) – 44 (Canada) – 151 (Australia)
"Miracle"			November 1990	12	29	8 (Australia)	See chart performance entry
"Mona (I Need You Baby)"			March 1990	n/a	2	2 (United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"Mélodie d'amour"						See chart performance entry
"More Than Words Can Say"			September 1990	2	n/a	1 (Canada)	See chart performance entry
"My, My, My"			May 1990	10	89	10 United States)	See chart performance entry
"Naked In The Rain"			June 1990	n/a	4	2 (Austria)	See chart performance entry
"No Coke"			November 1990	n/a	n/a	1 (Australia)	See chart performance entry
"No More Lies"		Released in 1989 Charted in '89/'90	7	78	7 (United States)	1 (US Billboard Dance Singels Sales) – 2 (US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs) – 7 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs) – 153 (Australia)
"Nothing Compares 2 U"			January 1990	1	1		See chart performance entry
"Ooops Up"			June 1990	35	5	1 (Greece)	See chart performance entry
"Opposites Attract"		Released in 1989 Charted in '89/'90	1	2	1 (Australia, Canada, US)	See chart performance entry
"The Other Side"			June 1990	22	46	22 (Canada, United States)	1 (US Albums Rock Tracks)
"Pictures of You"			March 1990	71	24	9 (Ireland)	See chart performance entry
"Play That Funky Music"			November 1990	4	10	3 (Finland)	See chart performance entry
"Poison"			March 1990	3	19	3 (New Zealand)	See chart performance entry
"Policy of Truth"			May 1990	15	16	5 (Finland)	See chart performance entry
"The Power"			January 1990	2	1		See chart performance entry
"Pray"			August 1990	2	8	2 (New Zealand, United States)	See chart performance entry
"Praying for Time"			August 1990	1	6	1 (Canada, United States)	See chart performance entry
"Price of Love"			March 1990	5	80	5 (United States)	See chart performance entry
"Release Me"			June 1990	1	36	1 (Canada, United States)	See chart performance entry
"Ride On Time"		Released in 1989 Charted in '89/'90	n/a	1	1 (Iceland, Ireland, UK)	See chart performance entry
"Right Here, Right Now"			September 1990	2	31	2 (United States)	See chart performance entry
"Roam"		Released in 1989 Charted in '89/'90	3	17	2 (New Zealand)	See chart performance entry
"Rockin' Over the Beat"		Released in 1989 Charted in '89/'90	95	9	9 (United States)	See chart performance entry
"Romeo"			September 1990	6	n/a	6 (United States)	32 (Canada) – 35 (US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play) – 48 (New Zealand) – 69 (US Billboard Hot R&B Singles) – 105 (Australia)
"Sacrifice" (1990 reissue)			May 1990 First released in 1989	18	55	2 (Europe, France)	See chart performance entry UK # 1 with "Healing Hands"
"Sadeness (Part I)"	Enigma		October 1990	5	1		See chart performance entry
"Saviour's Day"			November 1990	n/a	1	1 (United Kingdom)	5 (Ireland) – 36 (Belgium) – 97 (Australia)
"Sensitivity"			October 1990	4	18	4 (United Kingdom)	1 (UK Dance) – 1 (US Billboard Hot R&B Singles) – 19 (US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play) – 62 (Australia)
"She Ain't Worth It"			May 1990	1	12	1 (United States)	See chart performance entry
"The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)"			November 1990	33	1		See chart performance entry
"Show Me Heaven"			June 1990	n/a	1	1 (Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, UK)	See chart performance entry
"Signs"			November 1990	8	70	8 (United States)	2 (US Billboard Mainstream Rock) – 72 (Canada)
"So Close"			September 1990	11	69	4 (Canada)	6 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) – 9 (US Radio & Records CHR/Pop Airplay Chart) – 106 (Australia)
"So Hard"			September 1990	62	4	1 (Finland)	See chart performance entry
"Soca Dance"			July 1990	n/a	n/a	1 (Belgium, France)	See chart performance entry
"Something Happened on the Way to Heaven"			April 1990	4	15	1 (Canada)	See chart performance entry
"Something to Believe In"			September 1990	4	35	3 (Canada)	5 (US Billboard Mainstream Rock) – 38 (New Zealand) – 44 (Australia) – 98 (Europe)
"Steamy Windows"		Released in 1989 Charted in '89/'90	39	13	5 (Belgium)	See chart performance entry
"Step by Step"			September 1990	1	2	1 (Canada, Spain, United States)	See chart performance entry
"Step Back in Time"			October 1990	n/a	4	4 (Finland, Ireland, UK)	See chart performance entry
"Step On"			March 1990	57	5	5 (United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"Still Got the Blues (For You)"			April 1990	97	31	1 (Belgium)	See chart performance entry
"Sucker DJ (A Witch for Love)"			November 1990	n/a	17	1 (Australia)	2 (New Zealand) – 8 (Netherlands) – 10 (Austria) – 16 (Germany) – 25 (Belgium)
"Suicide Blonde"			August 1990	9	11	1 (Canada, New Zealand)	See chart performance entry
"Tears on My Pillow"			January 1990	n/a	1	1 (United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"Thieves in the Temple"			July 1990	6	7	3 (Denmark)	See chart performance entry
"This Beat Is Technotronic"			February 1990	n/a	14	5 (Finland, Ireland)	See chart performance entry
"Thunderstruck"			September 1990	n/a	13	1 (Finland)	See chart performance entry
"To Love Somebody"			November 1990	n/a	8	4 (Netherlands)	5 (New Zealand) – 11 (Switzerland) – 12 (Italy) – 15 (France) – 20 (Germany)
"Tom's Diner" (remix)			July 1990	5	2	1 (Austria, European, Greece, Switzerland)	See chart performance entry
"Tonight"			February 1990	7	3	3 (France, Netherlands, UK)	See chart performance entry
"Touch Me"		Released in 1989 Charted in '89/'90	n/a	3	3 (Finland, Greece, UK)	See chart performance entry
"Turtle Power!"			April 1990	13	1	1 (United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"U Can't Touch This"			May 1990	8	3		See chart performance entry
"Unbelievable"			October 1990	1	3	1 (United States)	See chart performance entry
"Unchained Melody"			October 1990	19	1		See chart performance entry
"Unskinny Bop"			June 1990	3	15	1 (Canada)	See chart performance entry
"Vision of Love"			May 1990	1	9	1 (Canada, New Zealand, United States)	See chart performance entry
"Vogue"			March 1990	1	1		See chart performance entry
"Volare"		Released in 1989 charted in '89/'90	n/a	86	16 (France)	1 (US Billboard Hot Latin Songs) – 24 (Belgium, Italy) – 26 (Netherlands) – 90 (Australia)
"What I Am"		Released in 1988 Charted in '88,'89,'90	7	31	1 (Canada)	See chart performance entry
"What it Takes"			February 1990	9	n/a	9 (United States)	1 (US Billboard Album Rock Tracks) – 15 (Canada) – 19 (New Zealand) – 46 (Australia
"What Time Is Love?"			August 1990	n/a	5	5 (United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"Where Are You Baby?"			July 1990	n/a	3	3 (United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"Wicked Game"		Released in 1989 Charted in '89/'90	6	10	1 (Belgium)	See chart performance entry
"Wiggle It"			November 1990	15	3	3 (Australia, Ireland, UK)	See chart performance entry
"With Every Beat of My Heart"		Released in 1989 Charted in '89/'90	5	53	5 (Canada, United States)	See chart performance entry
"Without You"			February 1990	8	39	8 (United States)	11 (US Billboard Mainstream Rock) – 46 (Australia)
"Words"	The Christians	Released in 1989 charted in '89/'90	n/a	18	1 (France)	See chart performance entry
"World in Motion"			May 1990	n/a	1	1 (United Kingdom)	See chart performance entry
"World in My Eyes"			September 1990	52	17	2 (Denmark, Spain)	See chart performance entry
"You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)"			January 1990	87	5	1 (Israel)	See chart performance entry

Other chart hit singles

Notable singles

Song title	Artist(s)	Release date(s)	Other Chart Performance(s)
"100 Miles and Runnin'"		1990	2 (U.S Billboard Hot Rap Songs) 32 (New Zealand) 33 (Australia) 51 (U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks)
"Being Boring"			November 1990	See chart performance entry
"Blue Savannah"			January 1990
"Blue Sky Mine"			February 1990	See chart performance entry
"Birdhouse in Your Soul"			January 1990	3 (U.S. Billboard Alternative Airplay) 6 (UK Singles Chart) 12 (Ireland) 125 (Australia)
"Can I Kick It?"			October 1990	See chart performance entry
"De-Luxe"			March 1990	14 (U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs)
"Dig for Fire"	Pixies		October 1990	11 (US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks) 62 (UK Singles Chart)
"Dub Be Good to Me"			January 1990	See chart performance entry
"Enjoy the Silence"			February 1990	See chart performance entry
"Hello"	data-sort-value="Beloved"			January 1990	See Chart Performance Entry
"Heaven or Las Vegas"			September 1990	9 (U.S. Billboard Alternative Airplay)
"Heavenly Pop Hit"	data-sort-value="Chills"			March 1990	2 (New Zealand) 17 (U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs) 97 (UK Singles Chart) 118 (Australia)
"Here's Where the Story Ends"	data-sort-value="Sundays"			January 1990	1 (U.S. Billboard Alternative Airplay)
"Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"			September 1990	See chart performance entry
"Iceblink Luck"			August 1990	38 (UK Singles Chart)
"Joey"			May 1990	See chart performance entry
"Killer" b/w "Bass Line Changed My Life"			March 1990	See chart performance entry
"Kool Thing"			June 1990	7 (U.S. Billboard Alternative Airplay) 24 (Ireland) 81 (UK Singles Chart)
"Metropolis"	data-sort-value="Church"			February 1990	1 (U.S. Billboard Alternative Airplay) 11 (U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock) 19 (Australia) 41 (New Zealand)
"Never Enough"			September 1990	See chart performance entry
"Nothing Compares 2 U"	data-sort-value="O'Connor, Sinead"			January 1990	See chart performance entry
"Pictures of You"	data-sort-value="Cure"			March 1990	See chart performance entry
"Policy of Truth"			May 1990	See chart performance entry
"Shine On" (re-record)	data-sort-value="House Of Love"			January 1990	20 (UK Single Charts)
"The Ship Song"	data-sort-value="Cave, Nick"			March 1990	84 (UK Singles Chart)
"Soon" b/w "Glider"			April 1990	41 (UK Singles Chart)
"One Love"	data-sort-value="Stone Roses"			July 1990	See chart performance entry
"Took the Children Away"	data-sort-value="Roach"			September 1990	n/a
"Velouria"	Pixies		July 1990	4 (US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks) 28 (UK Singles Chart)
"The Only One I Know"	data-sort-value="Charlatans"			May 1990	See chart performance entry
"The Weeping Song"	data-sort-value="Cave, Nick"			September 1990	n/a

Other notable singles

Top singles of 1990

• United States: List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1990
• Canada: List of number-one singles of 1990 (Canada)
• UK: 1990 in British music#Charts
• Japan: List of Oricon number-one singles 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.^[8]

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

Album charts

• List of Canadian number-one albums of 1990

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
  • The Berserking
• 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
• Mark Lanz Weiser – Purgatory (chamber opera, based on a play by William Butler Yeats)

Jazz

See 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

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

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
• 1990 Country Music Association Awards
• 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.^{[9] [10]}
• 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 9 – Di Genius, Jamaican singer, producer, and DJ
• January 10 – Nicolas Jaar, Chilean American composer and recording artist, works with FKA Twigs.
• 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
• January 28 – Ichiko Aoba, Japanese singer
• January 29 – MacKenzie Porter, Canadian country singer, songwriter, and actress.
• February 1 – Laura Marling, British folk-pop singer-songwriter
• February 3 – Sean Kingston, American-Jamaican R&B artist
• February 6 – Georgia (musician), English record producer, songwriter, singer, rapper and drummer.
• February 10 – SooYoung, a member of nine-piece Korean pop girl group Girls' Generation
• February 16 – The Weeknd, Canadian singer-songwriter, rapper, and producer (Selena Gomez, Bella Hadid)
• February 18 – Choi Sung-Bong, Korean singer
• February 20 – Alemán, Mexican rapper
• February 28 – Olivia Jean, American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. (She is known as the lead singer and guitarist of the all-female "garage goth" rock band, the Black Belles)
• March 9 – YG, American rapper
• March 13 – Klô Pelgag, Canadian singer from Quebec
• March 15 – Siobhan Magnus, American singer
  • • March 17 Hozier (musician), Irish singer-songwriter, musician and activist
  • Kai (Canadian singer), Canadian singer-songwriter (Flume)
• March 20 – Tessa Violet, American singer-songwriter, musician, activist and YouTuber
• March 21 – Erika de Casier, Portuguese-born Danish singer
  • • March 22 Claire Huangci, American pianist
  • Lisa Mitchell, English-born Australian singer-songwriter
• March 24 – Cleo Sol, British 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 (D. 2017)
• April 10 – Maren Morris, American country music singer, songwriter, activist and record producer
• April 20 – Luhan, Chinese singer-songwriter
• April 21 – Nadya Dorofeeva, Ukrainian singer
• April 22 – Machine Gun Kelly (rapper), American rapper, singer, musician and actor (Megan Fox)
• April 24 – Carly Pearce, American country music singer and songwriter
• April 27 – Robin Bengtsson, Swedish singer
• April 29 – Loick Essien, British singer
• May 12
  • Etika, American YouTuber and Twitch streamer whose career started as a rapper (D. 2019)
  • Shungudzo, a Zimbabwean-American singer, songwriter, former gymnast, and reality television personality.
• May 14 – Sasha Spielberg, American actress and singer known by her stage name of Buzzy Lee.
• May 17
  • I_o (musician), American electronic dance music DJ and record producer. (D. 2020)
  • Kree Harrison, American singer
• May 26 – Nadia Oh, English singer, producer rapper, songwriter and model
• May 27 – Chris Colfer, American singer, author and actor
  • • 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 23 – Sasami, American singer-songwriter and musician.
• June 25 – Makj, American dj
• 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.
  • Wizkid, Nigerian singer
  • C. Tangana, Spanish rapper, singer and songwriter (worked with Rosalía)
• 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
• July 29 – Kat Dahlia Cuban-American R&B Latin Pop rapper, singer-songwriter and recording artist.
• August – A.G. Cook, British singer-songwriter, music producer and former record label proprietor^[11]
• August 13
  • Shila Amzah, Malaysian singer
  • Serrini – Hong Kong singer-songwriter
    • August 15 Jennifer Lawrence, American singer/actress
  • BloodPop – American musician, record producer, and songwriter (Worked with Britney Spears, Ariana Grande, Madonna, Lady Gaga)
• August 16 – Rina Sawayama, Japanese-British singer-songwriter, activist and model.
• August 18 – Tommy Genesis, Canadian rapper, model and artist
• August 21 – Bo Burnham, American comedian and musician
• August 24 – Hiroki Kamemoto, Japanese guitarist (Glim Spanky)
• 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 6 – DPR Ian, Australian singer
• September 9 – Haley Reinhart, American singer and songwriter
• 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 jazz singer-songwriter, guitarist and sometime actor
• September 21 – Phoebe Ryan, American singer-songwriter
• September 22 – Sorcha Richardson, Irish singer-songwriter
• September 25 – Danny L Harle, British music producer and composer (PC Music)
• September 27 – Mitski, Japanese-American singer-songwriter and musician
• October 1 – Charlotte McDonnell, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (Chameleon Circuit)
• October 2 – Samantha Barks, A Manx singer and actress
• October 4 – Saki, Japanese guitarist and songwriter (Mary's Blood)
• October 5 – Taylour Paige, American singer and dancer
• October 7 – Seinabo Sey, Swedish recording artist and songwriter
• October 8 – Trent Harmon, American signer
• October 11 – Behzod Abduraimov, Uzbek classical pianist
• October 19 – Jessica Meuse, American singer
• October 20 – Andrew Watt (record producer), American record producer, singer, musician, and songwriter (Miley Cyrus, Camilla Cabello, 5 Seconds Of Summer, Charlotte Lawrence)
• October 23 – Stan Walker, Australian-New Zealand singer-songwriter, activist, actor and television personality
• October 26 – Stu Mackenzie, Australian musician (King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard)
• October 29 – Eric Saade, Swedish singer-songwriter
• October 31 – JID, American rapper and songwriter
• November 2 – Kendall Schmidt, American actor, singer (Big Time Rush, Hilary Duff)
• November 6 – Kris Wu, Canadian rapper
• November 7 – Matt Corby, Australian singer-songwriter
• November 14 – DJ Suede the Remix God, American hip hop record producer and 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
  • Bugzy Malone, English rapper
    • December 21 Holiday Sidewinder, Australian singer-songwriter, musician and record producer
  • Taylor Louderman, American actress, singer, and dancer
• 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^[12]
• December 29 – Nightbirde, American singer-songwriter (d. 2022)

Unknown:

• Virgen Maria, Spanish DJ and record producer.

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 17 – Ric Grech, bassist (Family, Blind Faith), 43 (brain haemorrhage)
• March 19 – Andrew Wood, singer (Mother Love Bone), 24 (heroin overdose)
• 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 – Richard Sohl, pianist (Patti Smith Group), 37 (heart failure)
• June 4 – Stiv Bators, punk musician, 40 (concussion)
• 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 15 – Ingrid Lang-Fagerström, Swedish harpist, 92
• 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

Notes and References

1. Web site: U.S. Sales Database. . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160112212022/https://www.riaa.com/u-s-sales-database/ . January 12, 2016 .
2. Web site: Ultimate Classic Rock . When Depeche Mode's 'Violator' Nearly Caused a Riot: Book Excerpt . Ultimate Classic Rock . 22 December 2020.
3. Web site: Celebrity Pictures, Entertainment News Photo Galleries and Videos . WireImage . www.wireimage.com . 2018-01-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110127010101/http://www.wireimage.com/SearchResults.aspx?igi=43235&s=janet%20jackson&sfld=C&vwmd=e . 2011-01-27 . dead .
4. Web site: Rowley . Glenn . Mariah Carey Shares Cryptic Teaser For 30th Anniversary Celebration of Debut Album . Billboard . 15 July 2020.
5. Web site: 'Black Cat' Is Anything But Bad Luck For Jackson. DeKnock, Jan. Orlando Sentinel. 1990-10-26. 2014-04-20.
6. Web site: Rock On The Net: Janet Jackson Info Page. Rock on the Net. 2014-04-20.
7. Web site: Songs from the Year 1990. Hawtin. Steve. February 10, 2008 . Steve Hawtin/TsorT. April 26, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080418080305/http://tsort.info/music/yr1990.htm. 18 April 2008 . live.
8. Web site: Best albums of 1990 . besteveralbums . 2005 . December 31, 2011.
9. http://www.dalida.com/reward.htm Dalida's Official Website, Awards and Achievements
10. https://books.google.com/books?id=ovOBGuFBYEoC&q=Dalida Dalida: Entre violon et amour
11. Web site: Alexander Guy Cook. Companies House. 15 December 2024.
12. Web site: David Archuleta: Life After Idol - Portrait Magazine, November 2009 I.... https://archive.today/20130221231705/http://www.portraitmagazine.net/archives/davidarchuleta.html. dead. February 21, 2013. February 21, 2013. November 20, 2017.