1990 in music

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Events

  • Dance music breaks out.
  • Madonna's "Justify My Love" music video is banned by MTV. The singer appears on Nightline to defend the video.
  • Pennywise signs a contract to their recent label Epitaph Records
  • The poorly received Cop Rock premieres on television, TV's first (and last) musical police drama.
  • Christina Aguilera appears on Star Search.
  • Garth Brooks releases his second album, "No Fences" and wins various awards across the music industry, including "best new country artist."
  • Del Amitri's second album, and first for five years, Waking Hours effectively relaunches their career. It provides them with the UK hit Nothing Ever Happens and the minor US hit Kiss This Thing Goodbye.
  • Sons of Kyuss changed their named to Kyuss, add new members except guitarist Josh Homme.
  • After a hiatus of 7 years, rock group Styx (band) reform to record a new album and tour without long time guitarist Tommy Shaw who was committed to Damn Yankees at the time. With his blessing, A&M recording artist Glen Burtnik joins Styx and release "Edge of The Century". The first single was Burnik's "Love Is The Ritual" which barely entered the Billboard 100. The follow-up single -- a religiously inspired ballad entitled "Show Me The Way" with Dennis DeYoung on vocals -- became a minor hit but then suddenly skyrocketed to the #1 spot on the Billboard 100 after radio stations took the liberty and produced their own versions of the song featuring comments from Operation: Desert Storm soldiers during the solo break -- a move that reportedly didn't sit well with the band, who believed it unfairly politicized their music, the Christian religious faith, and the sacrifices of the troops.

Bands formed

Bands disbanded

Albums released

January

Day Album Artist Notes
5 Flood They Might Be Giants -
15 Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic The Sundays UK
16 The Hit List Joan Jett Covers album
23 Stick It to Ya Slaughter -
29 A Bit of What You Fancy The Quireboys UK

February

Day Album Artist Notes
12 Chill Out The KLF -
13 Just Say Ozzy Ozzy Osbourne US; Live
Shake Your Money Maker The Black Crowes -
19 Lloyd Cole Lloyd Cole UK
Extricate The Fall -
Heading for Tomorrow Gamma Ray -
20 Dark at the End of the Tunnel Oingo Boingo -
The Language of Life Everything but the Girl -
22 Damn Yankees Damn Yankees -
Gold Afternoon Fix The Church -
Submarine Bells The Chills -
The Caution Horses Cowboy Junkies -
25 Blue Sky Mining Midnight Oil -
27 Here in the Real World Alan Jackson -
Highwayman 2 The Highwaymen -
28 Ah Via Musicom Eric Johnson -

March

Day Album Artist Notes
1 Poison Bell Biv DeVoe -
6 New Funky Nation Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. -
12 Beg to Differ Prong -
13 Kid 'n Play's Funhouse Kid 'n Play -
Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em MC Hammer -
Pretty Woman soundtrack Various Artists -
Spiritual Healing Death -
19 Blacks' Magic Salt-N-Pepa -
Manic Nirvana Robert Plant -
My Romance Carly Simon Covers album
Violator Depeche Mode -
20 Changesbowie David Bowie Compilation
Fear of a Black Planet Public Enemy -
I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got Sinéad O'Connor -
23 Recycler ZZ Top -
26 Brigade Heart -
Sex Packets Digital Underground -
Still Got the Blues Gary Moore -
The Best of Van Morrison Van Morrison UK
Unison Celine Dion Canada
27 Forever Everlasting Everlast -
Livin' Like Hustlers Above the Law -
Social Distortion Social Distortion -

April

Day Album Artist Notes
3 Born to Sing En Vogue -
10 Act III Death Angel -
Behind the Mask Fleetwood Mac -
Days of Open Hand Suzanne Vega -
Laura Branigan Laura Branigan -
11 Songs for Drella Lou Reed and John Cale -
Vanity/Nemesis Celtic Frost -
16 Hammerheart Bathory -
17 Johnny Gill Johnny Gill -
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm A Tribe Called Quest -
23 Life Inspiral Carpets -
24 Goodbye Jumbo World Party -
25 Back For Another Taste Helix -
30 The Internationale Billy Bragg Mini-LP

May

Day Album Artist Notes
1 Charmed Life Billy Idol -
The Winding Sheet Mark Lanegan -
When the Storm Comes Down Flotsam and Jetsam -
5 Now That's What I Call Music 17 (UK series) Various Artists UK; Compilation
8 Eclipse Yngwie Malmsteen US
Greatest Hits The Bangles Greatest Hits
Shut Up and Dance Paula Abdul Remix album
Tattooed Millionaire Bruce Dickinson -
Wilson Phillips Wilson Phillips -
Young Lions Adrian Belew
11 Screaming Life/Fopp Soundgarden Compilation
14 DAAS Icon Doug Anthony All Stars -
15 Lock up the Wolves Dio -
Reflections of Passion Yanni Compilation
Ten Y&T -
16 AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted Ice Cube -
World Power Snap! -
21 Vol. II: 1990 - A New Decade Soul II Soul -
22 I'm Breathless Madonna -
25 Hell to Pay Jeff Healey Canada
29 Bloodletting Concrete Blonde -
31 Scumdogs of the Universe GWAR -

June

Day Album Artist Notes
5 Step by Step New Kids on the Block -
7 Sumerian Cry Tiamat -
11 A Catholic Education Teenage Fanclub -
Live It Up Crosby, Stills & Nash -
12 Holy Water Bad Company -
I'll Give All My Love to You Keith Sweat -
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey -
Standard Time Vol. 3 - The Resolution Of Romance Wynton Marsalis -
14 Amarok Mike Oldfield -
18 Alias Alias -
19 A Night on the Town Bruce Hornsby and the Range -
22 New Art Riot Manic Street Preachers EP
25 Deicide Deicide -
Livonia His Name Is Alive -
Sudden Stop Colin James Canada
26 After The Rain Nelson -
Danzig II: Lucifuge Danzig -
Goo Sonic Youth -
Real Men... Wear Black Cameo -
30 Biohazard Biohazard -
Lonely Avenue Barney Bentall and the Legendary Hearts -

July

Day Album Artist Notes
3 Are You Okay? Was (Not Was) -
Lights...Camera...Revolution! Suicidal Tendencies -
Lofty's Roach Souffle Harry Connick, Jr. -
Love & Emotion Stevie B -
Seven Turns Allman Brothers Band -
Spirits Dancing in the Flesh Santana -
The Hard Way Steve Earle -
We Are in Love Harry Connick, Jr. -
10 Bonafide Maxi Priest US
Brick by Brick Iggy Pop -
Flesh and Blood Poison -
Pandemonium The Time -
13 Banned in the U.S.A. 2 Live Crew -
Naked Thunder Ian Gillan -
16 Tales from the Twilight World Blind Guardian -
19 Apple Mother Love Bone -
Lovegod The Soup Dragons -
24 Cowboys from Hell Pantera -
In the Heart of the Young Winger -
Take a Look Around Master Ace -
Un-Led-Ed Dread Zeppelin -

August

Day Album Artist Notes
6 World Clique Deee-Lite -
7 Bellybutton Jellyfish -
Blaze of Glory Jon Bon Jovi Young Guns II soundtrack
Brother's Keeper The Neville Brothers -
Pornograffiti Extreme -
13 Bossanova Pixies -
16 100 Miles and Runnin' N.W.A. EP
17 Eaten Back To Life Cannibal Corpse -
20 Graffiti Bridge Prince Soundtrack
Liberty Duran Duran -
Tyr Black Sabbath -
21 Against the Law Stryper -
Detonator Ratt -
Facelift Alice in Chains -
FireHouse FireHouse -
Persistence of Time Anthrax -
Ritual de lo Habitual Jane's Addiction -
Short Dog's in the House Too Short -
27 No Fences Garth Brooks -
28 Time's Up Living Colour -
Up from the Ashes Don Dokken -

September

Day Album Artist Notes
3 Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 George Michael UK
Painkiller Judas Priest -
4 And the Horse They Rode in On Soul Asylum -
Empire Queensrÿche -
In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up Ministry Live
Rumor Has It Reba McEntire -
The Wild Places Dan Fogelberg -
To the Extreme Vanilla Ice -
9 Two Fires Jimmy Barnes -
10 Boomania Betty Boo -
Under the Red Sky Bob Dylan -
11 Cherry Pie Warrant -
Soundtrack from Twin Peaks Angelo Badalamenti TV soundtrack
Ragged Glory Neil Young and Crazy Horse -
Unison Celine Dion US
12 Never, Neverland Annihilator -
16 Exitos de Gloria Estefan Gloria Estefan US; Compilation
17 Heaven or Las Vegas Cocteau Twins -
Room to Roam The Waterboys -
The Wall Live in Berlin Roger Waters UK; Live
18 Mama Said Knock You Out LL Cool J -
The Layla Sessions: 20th Anniversary Edition Derek and the Dominos Remix + unreleased material
19 Cause of Death Obituary -
21 JAPANESKA The Boom -
Lawn Boy Phish -
Nomads Indians Saints Indigo Girls -
Some People's Lives Bette Midler -
The Razors Edge AC/DC -
X INXS -
24 Rag and Bone Buffet: Rare Cuts and Leftovers XTC Rarities compilation
Rust in Peace Megadeth -
Souls of Black Testament -
25 All Shook Down The Replacements -
Family Style The Vaughan Brothers (Stevie Ray and Jimmie) -
Have You Seen Me Lately Carly Simon -
Ivory Teena Marie -
Superchunk Superchunk -
Without a Net Grateful Dead Live

October

Day Album Artist Notes
1 No Prayer for the Dying Iron Maiden -
2 New Inside Tiffany -
8 Enlightenment Van Morrison UK
Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band Ringo Starr Live
9 Change of Season Hall & Oates -
Chronicles Rush 2-disc compilation
Edge of the Century Styx -
Seasons in the Abyss Slayer -
Shooting Straight in the Dark Mary Chapin Carpenter -
16 Brand New Dance Emmylou Harris -
Hold Me Up Goo Goo Dolls -
Private Times... and the Whole 9! Al B. Sure! -
22 Behaviour Pet Shop Boys -
23 Faith Hope Love King's X -
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin Box Set
Slaves & Masters Deep Purple -
Wicked Sensation Lynch Mob -
28 The Rhythm of the Saints Paul Simon -
29 Choke The Beautiful South
Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3 Traveling Wilburys -
30 Feeding Frenzy: Jimmy Buffett Live! Jimmy Buffett Live
Heart Still Beating Roxy Music Live
If There Was a Way Dwight Yoakam -
Interiors Roseanne Cash -
Red Hot + Blue Various Artists Cole Porter tribute
Taste of Chocolate Big Daddy Kane -
Too Dark Park Skinny Puppy -

November

Day Album Artist Notes
1 Kool-Aid Big Audio Dynamite II -
5 Don't Explain Robert Palmer UK
Mixed Up The Cure UK; Remix album
Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches Happy Mondays UK
Serious Hits... Live! Phil Collins Live
Tripping the Live Fantastic Paul McCartney Live
6 Coma of Souls Kreator -
Crazy World Scorpions -
I'm Your Baby Tonight Whitney Houston -
Put Yourself in My Shoes Clint Black -
Refugees of the Heart Steve Winwood -
Stick It Live Slaughter Live EP
8 Casino Blue Rodeo -
12 Rhythm Of Love Kylie Minogue -
13 Anything Is Possible Debbie Gibson -
Five Man Acoustical Jam Tesla Live
The Immaculate Collection Madonna Greatest Hits
Vision Thing The Sisters of Mercy -
15 Naïve KMFDM -
20 Back from Hell Run-D.M.C. -
Heartbreak Station Cinderella -
Shaking the Tree Peter Gabriel Greatest Hits
23 Against the Grain Bad Religion -
26 A Social Grace Psychotic Waltz -

December

Day Album Artist Notes
1 Now! That's What I Call Music 18 (UK series) Various Artists UK; Compilation
3 MCMXC a.D. Enigma -
4 Home Alone Soundtrack John Williams -
One for All Brand Nubian -
The Simpsons Sing the Blues The Simpsons -
8 Mermaids soundtrack Various Artists US; Soundtrack
13 Gonna Make You Sweat C+C Music Factory -