# Best #1 single of the year retrospective: 1990 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 28, 2014, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770 "2014-10-28T16:20:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/41 "2014-10-28T20:01:17Z")
Very few songs I recognized and went with Sinead. 1990 was a big transition year for me (as was 1992-93), so I’m not really surprised that I don’t know a lot of them. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/42 "2014-10-28T20:02:56Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Other decent albums released this year: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - The Good Son (One of their best I think) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/43 "2014-10-28T20:07:02Z")
The Pogues’ _Hell’s Ditch_, their last album. Many don’t like it as much as their previous efforts, but I love it. And…the Boo-Ya Tribe’s _New Funky Nation_. (I think it was called that…it’s the best track, in any case.) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/44 "2014-10-28T20:27:50Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > “It’s been 17 hours and 15 days, Since you took your love away” coupled with > “I put my arms around every boy I meet.” > > Two weeks of angst and slutty behavior, huh. Well, you’ve certainly been through the wringer, I can’t help thinking. Ha, ha! I’m going to think that every time I hear it now. > [@Finagle](#): > > I’m going to go with the smokey and evocative “Black Velvet” instead. Me too. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/45 "2014-10-28T21:33:17Z")
I have to agree that this is a terrible year. I never understood the attraction to Sinead or her singing. I voted for Alannah Myles. I remember my jaw hitting the floor when I heard Black Velvet. Distant second to Janet’s Escapade, and I still really like Madonna’s Vogue which is on my workout playlist. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/46 "2014-10-28T21:36:36Z")
These polls are starting to depress me. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/47 "2014-10-28T21:51:19Z")
There are three songs I don’t recognize on this list, so I’ll have to listen to them later tonight before I make my vote. I’ll just say right now that this is NOT an impressive list of #1 songs. I liked most of the 1980s charts, but this is a big step backward. There was nearly a shocking result for last place. James Ingram’s “I Don’t Have the Heart” almost pulled off a remarkable feat: it almost managed to be worse than Michael Bolton, New Kids on the Block, AND Vanilla Ice. I think “Step By Step” is just a tiny bit worse than “I Don’t Have the Heart,” so “Step By Step” finishes dead-ass last. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/48 "2014-10-28T21:51:31Z")
Yeah, I’m abstaining for the first time. This was the year of alternative/college radio for me - the aforementioned Breeders, Pixies, Sonic Youth, older punk, ska and reggae, world music like 3Mustaphas3 ( _Soup of the Century_ came out in 1990 ). I pretty much listened to nothing on this list and so can’t really formulate an honest opinion. ETA: Well, I do know the Phil Collins song. But I’m not voting for it. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/49 "2014-10-28T22:20:04Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > I kinda expected that as we went into the 90’s I’d start to know more of the songs, I’m a 90’s teenager after all. But I know very few of the songs on that list, I wonder if its an american thing, must check out the uk charts that year. There’s a little overlap, but honestly, the UK #1s from 1990 are just plain _weird_; New Kids on the Block - “Hangin’ Tough” Kylie Minogue - “Tears On My Pillow” Sinead O’Connor - “Nothing Compares 2 U” Beats International - Dub Be Good to Me" Snap! - “The Power” Madonna - “Vogue” Adamski w/ Seal - “The Killer” England New Order - “World In Motion” Elton John - “Sacrifice / Healing Hands” Partners In Crime - “Turtle Power” Bombalurina - “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” The Steve Miller Band - “The Joker” (!) Maria McKee - “Show Me Heaven” The Beautiful South - “A Little Time” The Righteous Brothers - “Unchained Melody” (!!!) Vanilla Ice - “Ice Ice Baby” Cliff Richard - “Saviour’s Day” ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/50 "2014-10-28T22:38:38Z")
Seeing so many people vote for Sinead just reignites my teenage anger about 1990. What the hell is wrong with you people? That song is barely tolerable, once. Played every forty minutes for two years on end… Dear God, please let me forget. Are all of you people going to vote for Mariah Carey’s Titanic song too? :mad: As for me… Blaze of Glory is the best thing on this list. It’s not even Bon Jovi’s best, but it’s a song I still enjoy listening to. (In fact, the only other song on this year’s list that I still listen to is Roxette’s It Must Have Been Love). ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/51 "2014-10-28T22:46:50Z")
Wow. I only remember one song of all these. Maybe if I heard some of the others, I might say, “Oh. Yeah. I remember that,” but given only the artists and the titles . . . Gosh. Maybe this is where I stop voting. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/52 "2014-10-28T22:49:49Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > Seeing so many people vote for Sinead just reignites my teenage anger about 1990. What the hell is wrong with you people? That song is barely tolerable, once. Played every forty minutes for two years on end… Dear God, please let me forget. Are all of you people going to vote for Mariah Carey’s Titanic song too? :mad: > > As for me… Blaze of Glory is the best thing on this list. It’s not even Bon Jovi’s best, but it’s a song I still enjoy listening to. (In fact, the only other song on this year’s list that I still listen to is Roxette’s It Must Have Been Love). If you really feel that “Blaze of Glory” is a better song than “Nothing Compares 2 U,” well, we’re very different people. And it’s Celine Dion who sang the Titanic song, not Mariah Carey. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/53 "2014-10-28T22:55:29Z")
> [@SaharaTea](#): > > If you really feel that “Blaze of Glory” is a better song than “Nothing Compares 2 U,” well, we’re very different people. > > And it’s Celine Dion who sang the Titanic song, not Mariah Carey. I really do feel that way. Frankly, I think I’d still prefer Bon Jovi’s _worst_ song over NC2U. I guess it takes all types. Anyway, maybe the selective amnesia is starting to kick in already. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/54 "2014-10-28T22:58:28Z")
Wow. '90 must have been when I stopped paying much attention to Top 40 music. I recognize almost all of these artists, but I can’t even vaguely recall most of these songs. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/55 "2014-10-28T23:00:40Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > There’s a little overlap, but honestly, the UK #1s from 1990 are just plain _weird_; > > New Kids on the Block - “Hangin’ Tough” > Kylie Minogue - “Tears On My Pillow” > Sinead O’Connor - “Nothing Compares 2 U” > Beats International - Dub Be Good to Me" > Snap! - “The Power” > Madonna - “Vogue” > Adamski w/ Seal - “The Killer” > England New Order - “World In Motion” > Elton John - “Sacrifice / Healing Hands” > Partners In Crime - “Turtle Power” > Bombalurina - “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” > The Steve Miller Band - “The Joker” (!) > Maria McKee - “Show Me Heaven” > The Beautiful South - “A Little Time” > The Righteous Brothers - “Unchained Melody” (!!!) > Vanilla Ice - “Ice Ice Baby” > Cliff Richard - “Saviour’s Day” Hahaha, yes it’s not a _great_ list, but the Beats International and Adamski tracks were a bit more, I dunno, in tune with the younger set (I was youngish at this point)? The Snap! one too, to be honest. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/56 "2014-10-28T23:14:33Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > There’s a little overlap, but honestly, the UK #1s from 1990 are just plain _weird_; > > New Kids on the Block - “Hangin’ Tough” > Kylie Minogue - “Tears On My Pillow” > Sinead O’Connor - “Nothing Compares 2 U” > Beats International - Dub Be Good to Me" > Snap! - “The Power” > Madonna - “Vogue” > Adamski w/ Seal - “The Killer” > England New Order - “World In Motion” > Elton John - “Sacrifice / Healing Hands” > Partners In Crime - “Turtle Power” > Bombalurina - “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” > The Steve Miller Band - “The Joker” (!) > Maria McKee - “Show Me Heaven” > The Beautiful South - “A Little Time” > The Righteous Brothers - “Unchained Melody” (!!!) > Vanilla Ice - “Ice Ice Baby” > Cliff Richard - “Saviour’s Day” Now I could have voted for Snap! without a problem. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/57 "2014-10-28T23:19:38Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > I really do feel that way. Frankly, I think I’d still prefer Bon Jovi’s _worst_ song over NC2U. I guess it takes all types. Fair enough. But if you said the same thing about say, Michael Bolton, we would have to stage an intervention, stat. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/58 "2014-10-28T23:35:59Z")
This was the year we moved to Fort Worth and I started listening to local college radio, so I don’t recognize at least half of these songs. Still, while I’d change the channel now if I heard the Sinead song come up, to me it’s an ideal cover in the sense that she really makes it her own. Definitely worth the vote. On the album side a fairly quiet year as music coils up and prepares to explode. I listened to The Sundays (Reading, Writing…), Social Distortion (eponymous), the good Reverend (Smoke 'Em if You Got 'Em) and the Breeders (Pod) a lot; in retrospect, Danzig (Lucifuge), The Notwist (epo.) and The Replacements (All Shook Down) also came out with good albums. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/59 "2014-10-28T23:41:43Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > A meh year for US no 1s. The UK chart is a bit better, to my taste, both then and now. > > Other decent albums released this year: > > The Sundays - Reading, Writing and Arithmetic > **The La’s - The La’s** > Jane’s Addiction - Ritual de lo Habitual > Teenage Fanclub - A Catholic Education > > and My Bloody Valentine’s Glider EP came out, giving the first clues towards what on earth they were spending all of Creation Records money on… Thank you for reminding me of The La’s! Need to re-acquaint myself! I remember really liking them. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX9TDQcCyVE) ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770/60 "2014-10-28T23:44:35Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Yeah, racking through my brain, and then looking at lists, 1990 doesn’t really have much going for it. 1989 had a good number of albums that I loved, but all I see in 1990, besides the Sonic Youth you mentioned (I’m unfamiliar with Zorn), is Public Enemy’s “Fear of a Black Planet,” and I guess that’s it. Oh, looks like The Breeders “Pod” was this year, as was the Pixies “Bossanova,” but they’re both just solid records to me, nothing earth-shattering. Oh, wait, there is Ride’s “Nowhere.” So I’d add that to the Public Enemy and Sonic Youth. Depeche Mode “Violator” is by far my favorite album from that year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1990/702770.md?page=4)