List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 1990 explained

The highest-selling albums and EPs in the United States are ranked in the Billboard 200, which is published by Billboard magazine. The data are compiled by Nielsen Soundscan based on each album's weekly physical and digital sales.^[1] In 1990, 8 albums occupied the peak position on the chart.

Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em, the third and most popular album (and second major-label release) by MC Hammer, had the longest run among the releases that reached peak position in 1990, spending 21 non-consecutive weeks in the top position (18 of these weeks were consecutive). Its popularity was due primarily to the runaway single, "U Can't Touch This".However, it was criticized for its sampling of other artists' songs.^[2] "U Can't Touch This" sampled "Super Freak" by Rick James; "Dancin' Machine" sampled the Jackson 5; "Have You Seen Her" is a semi-cover of The Chi-Lites song; "Help the Children" interpolates Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)"; "Pray" and "She's Soft and Wet" sample the Prince hits "When Doves Cry" and "Soft and Wet" respectively.

The album raised rap music to a new level of popularity. It was the first hip-hop album certified diamond by the RIAA for sales of over ten million.^[3] It remains one of the genre's all-time best-selling albums.^[4] To date, the album has sold over 18 million copies worldwide.^{[5] [6] [7] [8]}

According to Guinness World Records, the album cost just $10,000 to produce.

Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 was the best performing and best-selling album of 1990 despite not reaching number-one at any point during the year. The album achieved 4 weeks atop the chart during 1989.^[9]

Chart history

scope=col	Issue date	scope=col	Album	scope=col	Artist(s)	scope=col	Label	scope=col class="unsortable"
	...But Seriously		Atlantic	^[10]
	Girl You Know It's True	Milli Vanilli	Arista	^[11]
	...But Seriously	Phil Collins	Atlantic	^[12]
	^[13]
	Forever Your Girl		Virgin	^[14]
	^[15]
	^[16]
	^[17]
	^[18]
	^[19]
	^[20]
	^[21]
	^[22]
	Nick of Time		Capitol	^[23]
	^[24]
	^[25]
	I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got		Chrysalis	^[26]
	^[27]
	^[28]
	^[29]
	^[30]
	^[31]
	Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em	MC Hammer	Capitol	^[32]
	^[33]
	^[34]
	Step by Step	New Kids on the Block	Columbia	^[35]
	Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em	MC Hammer	Capitol	^[36]
	^[37]
	^[38]
	^[39]
	^[40]
	^[41]
	^[42]
	^[43]
	^[44]
	^[45]
	^[46]
	^[47]
	^[48]
	^[49]
	^[50]
	^[51]
	^[52]
	^[53]
	To the Extreme	Vanilla Ice	SBK	^[54]
	^[55]
	^[56]
	^[57]
	^[58]
	^[59]
	^[60]
	^[61]

See also

• 1990 in music

Notes and References

1. Web site: Billboard Methodology . . . 2009-01-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080731010035/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/about_us/bbmethodology.jsp . 2008-07-31 . dead .
2. Web site: article. https://web.archive.org/web/20071121142132/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/mchammer/albums/album/214027/review/5943181/please_hammer_dont_hurt_em. dead. November 21, 2007. rollingstone.com.
3. Web site: article . community.allhiphop.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090201170003/http://community.allhiphop.com/go/thread/view/12461/5467055/TOP_10_selling_rap_albums_of_all_time. February 1, 2009 .
4. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r27923|pure_url=yes}} Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em: Overview]. allmusic.
5. Web site: article. prnewswire.com. 2020-02-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20030125112446/http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=105&STORY=%2Fwww%2Fstory%2F08-06-2001%2F0001548803. 2003-01-25. dead.
6. News: article. https://web.archive.org/web/20100830163344/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101940328-164065,00.html. dead. August 30, 2010. time.com . June 24, 2001 . May 20, 2010.
7. Web site: article. 19 August 1996 . newyorker.com.
8. Web site: article . sing365.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120715115902/http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/MC-Hammer-Biography/4E0F2063AA089C6748256E0700170A6C . 2012-07-15 .
9. Billboard Year End 1990. https://web.archive.org/web/20130401110118/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1990/the-billboard-200. dead. April 1, 2013. Billboard. March 19, 2015.
10. Web site: January 6, 1990. .
11. Web site: January 13, 1990. .
12. Web site: January 20, 1990. .
13. Web site: January 27, 1990. .
14. Web site: February 3, 1990. .
15. Web site: February 10, 1990. .
16. Web site: February 17, 1990. .
17. Web site: February 24, 1990. .
18. Web site: March 3, 1990. .
19. Web site: March 10, 1990. .
20. Web site: March 17, 1990. .
21. Web site: March 24, 1990. .
22. Web site: March 31, 1990. .
23. Web site: April 7, 1990. .
24. Web site: April 14, 1990. .
25. Web site: April 21, 1990. .
26. Web site: April 28, 1990. .
27. Web site: May 5, 1990. .
28. Web site: May 12, 1990. .
29. Web site: May 19, 1990. .
30. Web site: May 26, 1990. .
31. Web site: June 2, 1990. .
32. Web site: June 9, 1990. .
33. Web site: June 16, 1990. .
34. Web site: June 23, 1990. .
35. Web site: June 30, 1990. .
36. Web site: July 7, 1990. .
37. Web site: July 14, 1990. .
38. Web site: July 21, 1990. .
39. Web site: July 28, 1990. .
40. Web site: August 4, 1990. .
41. Web site: August 11, 1990. .
42. Web site: August 18, 1990. .
43. Web site: August 25, 1990. .
44. Web site: September 1, 1990. .
45. Web site: September 8, 1990. .
46. Web site: September 15, 1990. .
47. Web site: September 22, 1990. .
48. Web site: September 29, 1990. .
49. Web site: October 6, 1990. .
50. Web site: October 13, 1990. .
51. Web site: October 20, 1990. .
52. Web site: October 27, 1990. .
53. Web site: November 3, 1990. .
54. Web site: November 10, 1990. .
55. Web site: November 17, 1990. .
56. Web site: November 24, 1990. .
57. Web site: December 1, 1990. .
58. Web site: December 8, 1990. .
59. Web site: December 15, 1990. .
60. Web site: December 22, 1990. .
61. Web site: December 29, 1990. .