The Billboard Hot 100 is the main song chart of the American music industry and is updated every week by the Billboard magazine. During the 1990s the chart was based collectively on each single's weekly physical sales figures and airplay on American radio stations.
The methodology for determining sales and airplay figures drastically changed with the chart dated November 30, 1991. Instead of surveying retail stores and radio stations, sales data was now gathered by Soundscan via a collection of the number of barcode scans a record received while airplay was to be compiled by Broadcast Data Systems, which continuously monitored what songs were being played on radio.[1] As the decade progressed, a growing trend in the music industry was to promote songs to radio without the release of a commercially-available singles in an attempt by record companies to boost albums sales. Because such a release was required to chart on the Hot 100, many popular songs that were hits on top 40 radio never made it onto the chart. Beginning December 5, 1998, the Hot 100 changed from being a "singles" chart to a "songs" chart.[2] Not only did Billboard start allowing airplay-only tracks to chart, it broadened its radio panel to include "R&B, adult R&B, mainstream rock, triple-A rock, and country outlets", which was formerly "confined to the mainstream top 40, rhythmic top 40, adult top 40, adult contemporary, and modern rock formats."[3]
"Another Day in Paradise" by Phil Collins began the 1990s in the number-one position, spending the first two weeks of the decade on top, but its first week at number one was on the chart dated December 23, 1989. Santana's "Smooth" featuring Rob Thomas finished the decade and began the next with a 12-week run atop the Hot 100.
| Reached number one | Artist(s) | Single | Record label | Weeks at number one | Ref | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | |||||||
| 711 | January 20, 1990 | "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" | 3 | [4] | |||
| 712 | February 10, 1990 | "Opposites Attract" | 3 | ||||
| 713 | March 3, 1990 | "Escapade" | A&M | 3 | |||
| 714 | March 24, 1990 | "Black Velvet" | 2 | ||||
| 715 | April 7, 1990 | "Love Will Lead You Back" | 1 | ||||
| 716 | April 14, 1990 | "I'll Be Your Everything" | 1 | ||||
| 717 | April 21, 1990 | "Nothing Compares 2 U" | 4 | ||||
| 718 | May 19, 1990 | "Vogue" | 3 | ||||
| 719 | June 9, 1990 | Wilson Phillips | "Hold On"♪ (1990) | 1 | |||
| 720 | June 16, 1990 | "It Must Have Been Love" | 2 | ||||
| 721 | June 30, 1990 | "Step By Step" | 3 | ||||
| 722 | July 21, 1990 | "She Ain't Worth It" | 2 | ||||
| 723 | August 4, 1990 | "Vision of Love" | 4 | ||||
| 724 | September 1, 1990 | "If Wishes Came True" | 1 | ||||
| 725 | September 8, 1990 | "Blaze Of Glory" | 1 | ||||
| 726 | September 15, 1990 | Wilson Phillips | "Release Me" | 2 | |||
| 727 | September 29, 1990 | "(Can't Live Without Your) Love And Affection" | 1 | ||||
| 728 | October 6, 1990 | "Close To You" | 1 | ||||
| 729 | October 13, 1990 | "Praying for Time" | 1 | ||||
| 730 | October 20, 1990 | "I Don't Have the Heart" | 1 | ||||
| 731 | October 27, 1990 | Janet Jackson | "Black Cat" | A&M | 1 | ||
| 732 | November 3, 1990 | "Ice Ice Baby" | 1 | ||||
| 733 | November 10, 1990 | Mariah Carey | "Love Takes Time" | 3 | |||
| 734 | December 1, 1990 | "I'm Your Baby Tonight" | 1 | ||||
| 735 | December 8, 1990 | "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)" | 4 | ||||
| 1991 | |||||||
| 736 | January 5, 1991 | "Justify My Love" | 2 | ||||
| 737 | January 19, 1991 | "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" | A&M | 1 | |||
| 738 | January 26, 1991 | "The First Time" | 2 | ||||
| 739 | February 9, 1991 | "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" | 2 | ||||
| 740 | February 23, 1991 | "All the Man That I Need" | 2 | ||||
| 741 | March 9, 1991 | "Someday" | 2 | ||||
| 742 | March 23, 1991 | "One More Try" | 1 | ||||
| 743 | March 30, 1991 | "Coming Out of the Dark" | 2 | ||||
| 744 | April 13, 1991 | "I've Been Thinking About You" | 1 | ||||
| 745 | April 20, 1991 | "You're in Love" | 1 | ||||
| 746 | April 27, 1991 | "Baby Baby" | A&M | 2 | |||
| 747 | May 11, 1991 | "Joyride" | 1 | ||||
| 748 | May 18, 1991 | "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)" | 1 | ||||
| 749 | May 25, 1991 | Mariah Carey | "I Don't Wanna Cry" | 2 | |||
| 750 | June 8, 1991 | "More Than Words" | A&M | 1 | |||
| 751 | June 15, 1991 | "Rush Rush" | 5 | ||||
| 752 | July 20, 1991 | "Unbelievable" | 1 | ||||
| 753 | July 27, 1991 | "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You"♪ (1991) | A&M | 7 | |||
| 754 | September 14, 1991 | Paula Abdul | "The Promise of a New Day" | 1 | |||
| 755 | September 21, 1991 | "I Adore Mi Amor" | 2 | ||||
| 756 | October 5, 1991 | "Good Vibrations" | 1 | ||||
| 757 | October 12, 1991 | Mariah Carey | "Emotions" | 3 | |||
| 758 | November 2, 1991 | "Romantic" | 1 | ||||
| 759 | November 9, 1991 | "Cream" | 2 | ||||
| 760 | November 23, 1991 | "When A Man Loves A Woman" | 1 | ||||
| 761 | November 30, 1991 | "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" | 1 | ||||
| 762 | December 7, 1991 | "Black or White" | 7 | ||||
| 1992 | |||||||
| 763 | January 25, 1992 | "All 4 Love" | 1 | ||||
| 764 | February 1, 1992 | "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" | 1 | ||||
| 765 | February 8, 1992 | "I'm Too Sexy" | 3 | ||||
| 766 | February 29, 1992 | "To Be With You" | 3 | ||||
| 767 | March 21, 1992 | "Save the Best for Last" | 5 | ||||
| 768 | April 25, 1992 | "Jump" | 8 | ||||
| 769 | June 20, 1992 | "I'll Be There" | 2 | ||||
| 770 | July 4, 1992 | "Baby Got Back" | 5 | ||||
| 771 | August 8, 1992 | "This Used To Be My Playground" | 1 | ||||
| 772 | August 15, 1992 | Boyz II Men | "End of the Road"♪ (1992) | 13 | |||
| 773 | November 14, 1992 | "How Do You Talk To An Angel" | 2 | ||||
| 774 | November 28, 1992 | "I Will Always Love You"♪ (1993) | 14 | ||||
| 1993 | |||||||
| 775 | March 6, 1993 | "A Whole New World" | 1 | ||||
| 776 | March 13, 1993 | "Informer" | 7 | ||||
| 777 | May 1, 1993 | "Freak Me" | 2 | ||||
| 778 | May 15, 1993 | "That's The Way Love Goes" | 8 | ||||
| 779 | July 10, 1993 | "Weak" | 2 | ||||
| 780 | July 24, 1993 | "(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You" | 7 | ||||
| 781 | September 11, 1993 | "Dreamlover" | 8 | ||||
| 782 | November 6, 1993 | "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" | 5 | ||||
| 783 | December 11, 1993 | Janet Jackson | "Again" | 2 | |||
| 784 | December 25, 1993 | Mariah Carey | "Hero" | 4 | |||
| 1994 | |||||||
| 785 | January 22, 1994 | "All For Love" | A&M | 3 | |||
| 786 | February 12, 1994 | "The Power Of Love" | 4 | ||||
| 787 | March 12, 1994 | "The Sign" ♪ (1994) | 6 | ||||
| 788 | April 9, 1994 | "Bump n' Grind" | Jive | 4 | |||
| 789 | May 21, 1994 | "I Swear" | 11 | ||||
| 790 | August 6, 1994 | "Stay (I Missed You)" | 3 | ||||
| 791 | August 27, 1994 | "I'll Make Love to You" | 14 | ||||
| 792 | December 3, 1994 | Boyz II Men | "On Bended Knee" | 6 | |||
| 793 | December 17, 1994 | "Here Comes the Hotstepper" | 2 | ||||
| 1995 | |||||||
| 794 | January 28, 1995 | "Creep" | 4 | ||||
| 795 | February 25, 1995 | "Take A Bow" | 7 | ||||
| 796 | April 15, 1995 | "This Is How We Do It" | 7 | ||||
| 797 | June 3, 1995 | "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman" | A&M | 5 | |||
| 798 | July 8, 1995 | TLC | "Waterfalls" | 7 | |||
| 799 | August 26, 1995 | "Kiss from a Rose" | 1 | ||||
| 800 | September 2, 1995 | "You Are Not Alone" | 1 | ||||
| 801 | September 9, 1995 | "Gangsta's Paradise"♪ (1995) | 3 | ||||
| 802 | September 30, 1995 | "Fantasy" | 8 | ||||
| 803 | November 25, 1995 | "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" | 1 | ||||
| 804 | December 2, 1995 | Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men | "One Sweet Day" | 16 | |||
| 1996 | |||||||
| 805 | March 23, 1996 | "Because You Loved Me" | 6 | ||||
| 806 | May 4, 1996 | "Always Be My Baby" | 2 | ||||
| 807 | May 18, 1996 | "Tha Crossroads" | 8 | ||||
| 808 | July 13, 1996 | "How Do U Want It" / "California Love" | Interscope | 2 | |||
| 809 | July 27, 1996 | "You're Makin' Me High" / "Let It Flow" | 1 | ||||
| 810 | August 3, 1996 | "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)"♪ (1996) | 14 | ||||
| 811 | November 9, 1996 | Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre | "No Diggity" | Interscope | 4 | ||
| 812 | December 7, 1996 | Toni Braxton | "Un-Break My Heart" | 11 | |||
| 1997 | |||||||
| 813 | February 22, 1997 | "Wannabe" | 4 | ||||
| 814 | March 22, 1997 | "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" | 6 | ||||
| 815 | May 3, 1997 | "Hypnotize" | 3 | ||||
| 816 | May 24, 1997 | "MMMBop" | 3 | ||||
| 817 | June 14, 1997 | "I'll Be Missing You" | 11 | ||||
| 818 | August 30, 1997 | The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Puff Daddy & Mase | "Mo Money Mo Problems" | 2 | |||
| 819 | September 13, 1997 | "Honey" | 3 | ||||
| 820 | October 4, 1997 | "4 Seasons of Loneliness" | 1 | ||||
| 821 | October 11, 1997 | "Candle in the Wind '97" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight"♪ (1997) | A&M | 14 | |||
| 1998 | |||||||
| 822 | January 17, 1998 | "Truly Madly Deeply" | 2 | ||||
| 823 | January 31, 1998 | "Together Again" | 2 | ||||
| 824 | February 14, 1998 | "Nice & Slow" | 2 | ||||
| 825 | February 28, 1998 | "My Heart Will Go On" | 2 | ||||
| 826 | March 14, 1998 | "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" | 3 | ||||
| 827 | April 4, 1998 | "All My Life" | 3 | ||||
| 828 | April 25, 1998 | "Too Close"♪(1998) | 5 | ||||
| 829 | May 23, 1998 | "My All" | 1 | ||||
| 830 | June 6, 1998 | "The Boy Is Mine" | 13 | ||||
| 831 | September 5, 1998 | "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" | 4 | ||||
| 832 | October 3, 1998 | Monica | "The First Night" | 5 | |||
| 833 | October 17, 1998 | "One Week" | 1 | ||||
| 834 | November 14, 1998 | "Doo Wop (That Thing)" | 2 | ||||
| 835 | November 28, 1998 | "Lately" | Red Ant | 1 | |||
| 836 | December 5, 1998 | R. Kelly & Céline Dion | "I'm Your Angel" | Jive | 6 | ||
| 1999 | |||||||
| 837 | January 16, 1999 | Brandy | "Have You Ever" | 2 | |||
| 838 | January 30, 1999 | "…Baby One More Time" | Jive | 2 | [5] | ||
| 839 | February 13, 1999 | Monica | "Angel of Mine" | 4 | |||
| 840 | March 13, 1999 | "Believe"♪ (1999) | 4 | ||||
| 841 | April 10, 1999 | "No Scrubs" | 4 | ||||
| 842 | May 8, 1999 | "Livin' la Vida Loca" | 5 | ||||
| 843 | June 12, 1999 | "If You Had My Love" | 5 | ||||
| 844 | July 17, 1999 | "Bills, Bills, Bills" | 1 | ||||
| 845 | July 24, 1999 | "Wild Wild West" | 1 | ||||
| 846 | July 31, 1999 | "Genie in a Bottle" | 5 | ||||
| 847 | September 4, 1999 | "Bailamos" | Interscope | 2 | |||
| 848 | September 18, 1999 | TLC | "Unpretty" | 3 | |||
| 849 | October 9, 1999 | "Heartbreaker" | 2 | ||||
| 850 | October 23, 1999 | "Smooth" | 12 | ||||
The following artists achieved three or more number-one hits during the 1990s.[6] A number of artists had number-one singles on their own as well as part of a collaboration.
| Artist | Number-one hits | |
|---|---|---|
| Mariah Carey | 14 | |
| Janet Jackson | 6 | |
| Boyz II Men | 5 | |
| Madonna | 4 | |
| Whitney Houston | 4 | |
| Celine Dion | 4 | |
| TLC | 4 | |
| Wilson Phillips | 3 | |
| Paula Abdul | 3 | |
| Bryan Adams | 3 | |
| Puff Daddy | 3 | |
| Monica | 3 |
The following artists were featured in top of the chart for the highest total number of weeks during the 1990s.
| Artist | Weeks at number-one | |
|---|---|---|
| Mariah Carey | 60 | |
| Boyz II Men | 50 | |
| Monica | 22 | |
| Puff Daddy | 19 | |
| TLC | 18 | |
| Whitney Houston | 18 | |
| 17 | ||
| 17 | ||
| Brandy | 15 | |
| Bryan Adams | 15 | |
| Elton John | 15 |
The following songs were featured in top of the chart for the highest total number of weeks during the 1990s.
| Weeks at number one | Song | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | "One Sweet Day" | Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men |
| 14 | "I Will Always Love You" | Whitney Houston |
| "I'll Make Love To You" | Boyz II Men | |
| "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)" | Los Del Rio | |
| "Candle in the Wind 1997 / Something About the Way You Look Tonight" | Elton John | |
| 13 | "End of the Road" | Boyz II Men |
| "The Boy Is Mine" | Brandy & Monica | |
| 11 | "I Swear" | All-4-One |
| "Un-Break My Heart" | Toni Braxton | |
| "I'll Be Missing You" | Puff Daddy & Faith Evans ft. 112 |