# Best #1 single of the year retrospective: 1991 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 30, 2014, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998 "2014-10-30T13:13:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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 30, 2014, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/21 "2014-10-30T15:43:58Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > The alternative chart – nice! I would have voted for RHCP (“Give it Away,”), but many worthy contenders there. (Some looks so mainstream to me, hard to call it “alternative” – but whatever.) Technically, it was called the “Modern Rock” chart until 2009. Billboard also had a “Mainstream Rock” chart which used airplay from AOR stations. Their #1s for 1991 looked like this; Sting - “All This Time” The Black Crowes - “She Talks To Angels” The Rolling Stones - “Highwire” Queensrÿche - “Silent Lucidity” REM - “Losing My Religion” Yes - “Lift Me Up” Van Halen - “Poundcake” Tom Petty - “Learning To Fly” Van Halen - “Runaround” Tom Petty - “Out In the Cold” Rush - “Dreamline” John Cougar Mellencamp - “Get A Leg Up” Van Halen - “Top of the World” Dire Straits - “Heavy Fuel” U2 - “Mysterious Ways” ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/22 "2014-10-30T15:47:24Z")
> [@Eddie\_F](#): > > I halfheartedly (_very_ halfheartedly) voted for PM Dawn. And that was the only song I could even consider voting for on this shitty, shitty list. Good god, what a dire fucking set of songs this thing is. Same here. At first, looking through it, I thought, “Am I going to have to vote for fucking EMF?” I guess I could have gone with Prince in a pinch, but man - you can actually see the charts turn to shit as the '80s end. ---
**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 30, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/23 "2014-10-30T16:47:44Z")
Albums I was listening to then: Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger Pearl Jam - Ten Hole - Pretty on the Inside Smashing Pumpkins - Gish Nirvana - Nevermind (sensing a theme here?) Hopefully you guys might come up with some I’ve forgotten, but overall a year that felt fantastic while it was happening has reduced to albums I no longer listen to, except Gish occasionally. ---
**Author:** ![Eddie\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@Eddie\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eddie_F)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/24 "2014-10-30T16:49:29Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Rough year, indeed. Absolutely dire. I have a vague recollection of enjoying Prince’s “Cream” and its sexy swagger, so I went with that. I consider this time to be near the beginning of his wilderness years. And to me, it’s a damned shame that this pretty generic 4/4 pop-rocker reached number one while the likes of “Gett Off” and “Money Don’t Matter 2 Night” from the same album didn’t make it as high. ---
**Author:** ![Eddie\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@Eddie\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eddie_F)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/25 "2014-10-30T16:50:37Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Yep. It may have started with that song. I remember it being particularly controversial video at the time (which I guess is not surprising with Madonna) featuring sadmasochism, homoeroticism, voyeurism, etc. It was like film noir meets Mapplethorpe meets MTV. The video was pretty great. The song, not as much. ---
**Author:** ![Eddie\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@Eddie\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eddie_F)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/26 "2014-10-30T16:55:56Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Technically, it was called the “Modern Rock” chart until 2009. Billboard also had a “Mainstream Rock” chart which used airplay from AOR stations. Their #1s for 1991 looked like this; > > Sting - “All This Time” > The Black Crowes - “She Talks To Angels” > The Rolling Stones - “Highwire” > Queensrÿche - “Silent Lucidity” > REM - “Losing My Religion” > Yes - “Lift Me Up” > Van Halen - “Poundcake” > Tom Petty - “Learning To Fly” > Van Halen - “Runaround” > Tom Petty - “Out In the Cold” > Rush - “Dreamline” > John Cougar Mellencamp - “Get A Leg Up” > Van Halen - “Top of the World” > Dire Straits - “Heavy Fuel” > U2 - “Mysterious Ways” My top five from this list: [ol] [li]“Losing My Religion”[/li][li]“Learning to Fly”[/li][li]“Mysterious Ways”[/li][li]“She Talks to Angels”[/li][li]“All This Time”[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/27 "2014-10-30T16:57:13Z")
Albums I remember listening to that year (going through my iTunes library): The Bats - Fear Of God Billy Bragg - Don’t Try This At Home Chapterhouse - Whirlpool De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead The Feelies - The Good Earth Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend My Bloody Valentine - Loveless Ned’s Atomic Dustbin - God Fodder R.E.M. - Out of Time Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians - Perspex Island Slint - Spiderland Teenage Fanclub - Bandwagonesque Too Much Joy - Cereal Killers A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory U2 - Achtung Baby ---
**Author:** ![Eddie\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@Eddie\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eddie_F)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/28 "2014-10-30T16:59:24Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Aside from a few gems, the list of #1 alternative songs from 1991 is made up mostly of stuff I don’t remember either; > > Sisters of Mercy - “More” > Happy Mondays - “Kinky Afro” > Sting - “All This Time” > Jesus Jones - “Right Here, Right Now” > REM - “Losing My Religion” > Simple Minds - “See The Lights” > Elvis Costello - “The Other Side Of Summer” > Electronic - “Get the Message” > Siouxsie and the Banshees - “Kiss Them for Me” > Big Audio Dynamite II - “Until She Comes” > Robyn Hitchcock - “So You Think You’re in Love” > Red Hot Chili Peppers - “Give It Away” > U2 - “The Fly” > Nirvana - “Smells Like Teen Spirit” > U2 - “Mysterious Ways” > > The alternative charts (which started in 1988 and are based on airplay data from about 80 stations nationwide) might be a good idea for a future poll series, though. > > (In case you’re wondering, the current alternative #1 is “Stolen Dance” by Milky Chance. Aaaaand my top five from _this_ list: [ol] [li]“Losing My Religion”[/li][li]“Smells Like Teen Spirit”[/li][li]“So You Think You’re in Love”[/li][li]“Kinky Afro”[/li][li]“The Fly”[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/29 "2014-10-30T17:00:55Z")
> [@Art\_Rock](#): > > More than half I think I have never heard (of), the ones I know, I don’t like. This is the first year where I abstain. Ditto. ---
**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 30, 2014, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/30 "2014-10-30T17:33:58Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Albums I was listening to then: > Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger > Pearl Jam - Ten > Hole - Pretty on the Inside > Smashing Pumpkins - Gish > Nirvana - Nevermind (sensing a theme here?) > > Hopefully you guys might come up with some I’ve forgotten, but overall a year that felt fantastic while it was happening has reduced to albums I no longer listen to, except Gish occasionally. Ned’s Atomic Dustbin - God Fodder! ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/31 "2014-10-30T17:43:37Z")
Wow, a lot of mediocre hits! ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/32 "2014-10-30T17:45:47Z")
So it looks like it’s agreed then: Sampti will dump the top #1 single of the year poll as of 1991 since it’s become completely irrelevant, and then publish two polls going forward: top #1 Modern Rock and top #1 Mainstream Rock for the 1990s (as they used to say, “The Music of My Life”). I think this plan will work best, doesn’t everyone agree? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/33 "2014-10-30T17:52:59Z")
> [@Art\_Rock](#): > > More than half I think I have never heard (of), the ones I know, I don’t like. This is the first year where I abstain. Me too. I don’t see a single song that would not prompt me to switch channels or turn off the radio, not counting the ones I don’t recognize at all. In the other polled years there was always at least one or two nice ones to vote for. ---
**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 30, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/34 "2014-10-30T17:53:58Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Technically, it was called the “Modern Rock” chart until 2009. Billboard also had a “Mainstream Rock” chart which used airplay from AOR stations. Their #1s for 1991 looked like this; > > Sting - “All This Time” > The Black Crowes - “She Talks To Angels” > The Rolling Stones - “Highwire” > Queensrÿche - “Silent Lucidity” > REM - “Losing My Religion” > Yes - “Lift Me Up” > Van Halen - “Poundcake” > Tom Petty - “Learning To Fly” > Van Halen - “Runaround” > Tom Petty - “Out In the Cold” > Rush - “Dreamline” > John Cougar Mellencamp - “Get A Leg Up” > Van Halen - “Top of the World” > Dire Straits - “Heavy Fuel” > U2 - “Mysterious Ways” Now I know why I don’t recognize a lot of songs in the poll, I was listening to THIS stuff. I was one of the two votes for Michael Jackson. The song has a great message and is so upbeat. > **[Michael Jackson - Black Or White Lyrics | AZLyrics.com](https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/michaeljackson/blackorwhite.html)** > > Michael Jackson "Black Or White": Hey! What?! Turn that off! Dad, this is the best part! Turn it off! No! It's too late for this... ---
**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 30, 2014, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/35 "2014-10-30T17:54:12Z")
> [@SirRay](#): > > So it looks like it’s agreed then: Sampti will dump the top #1 single of the year poll as of 1991 since it’s become completely irrelevant, and then publish two polls going forward: top #1 Modern Rock and top #1 Mainstream Rock for the 1990s (as they used to say, “The Music of My Life”). > I think this plan will work best, doesn’t everyone agree? If I see Sampti around anywhere, I’ll let him know, but we’re not getting off this horse until we catch up to the present day. Besides, we haven’t even gotten to the Age of Crunk yet. ---
**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 30, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/36 "2014-10-30T17:57:18Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Please tell me there will eventually be another good year. 1. ---
**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 30, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/37 "2014-10-30T18:03:12Z")
> [@SirRay](#): > > So it looks like it’s agreed then: Sampti will dump the top #1 single of the year poll as of 1991 since it’s become completely irrelevant, and then publish two polls going forward: top #1 Modern Rock and top #1 Mainstream Rock for the 1990s (as they used to say, “The Music of My Life”). > I think this plan will work best, doesn’t everyone agree? The poll at the time of this posting seems to be favouring stuff that isn’t Mainstream or Modern Rock. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/38 "2014-10-30T18:31:08Z")
> [@SirRay](#): > > So it looks like it’s agreed then: Sampti will dump the top #1 single of the year poll as of 1991 since it’s become completely irrelevant, and then publish two polls going forward: top #1 Modern Rock and top #1 Mainstream Rock for the 1990s (as they used to say, “The Music of My Life”). > I think this plan will work best, doesn’t everyone agree? I can start doing the modern rock/alternative chart polls - don’t care enough about mainstream rock to invest any time in that. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/39 "2014-10-30T18:32:08Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > The poll at the time of this posting seems to be favouring stuff that isn’t Mainstream or Modern Rock. At this time when I checked the poll, EMF’s “Unbelievable” was leading, with C+C Music Factory right behind. Now back in my day, we considered bands & singers like EMF, Jesus Jones, No Doubt, Robyn Hitchcock et.al to be part of the New Wave/Alt Rock/Modern Rock genre e.g. whatever was played on WLIR (wait, early '90s, I mean WDRE) at the time. Most of the other songs upon hearing would induce finger-pushing of the radio-button to find a different station. So, it’s fitting a new wave/alt-rock song is leading the #1 singles poll (for now). And everyone knows Sampti is Smapti in Simlish… ---
**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 30, 2014, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998/40 "2014-10-30T18:32:38Z")
I agree with Sapmti, Spamti, and their ilk that we should stick with the original plan. Even negative results (i.e., the crappy Billboard #1s from 1990 to something like 2005) are results, and might suggest interesting things, but only if we keep the original protocol. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1991/702998.md?page=3)