List of Hot Adult Contemporary number ones of 1990
Adult Contemporary is a chart published by Billboard ranking the top-performing songs in the United States in the adult contemporary music (AC) genre. In 1990, 18 songs topped the chart, then published under the title Hot Adult Contemporary, based on playlists submitted by radio stations.[1]
In the issue of Billboard dated January 6, Michael Bolton reached number one with "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You", displacing the final number one of 1989, "Another Day in Paradise" by Phil Collins.[2] Bolton's song held the top spot for one further week before being replaced by Rod Stewart's recording of the Tom Waits song "Downtown Train".[3] Stewart was one of five acts to achieve two number ones during the year, as he returned to the top of the chart in April with "This Old Heart of Mine (1989 version)". The song featured additional vocals by Ronald Isley, whose group the Isley Brothers had recorded the original version of the song in the mid-1960s.[4] Michael Bolton, Mariah Carey, Gloria Estefan and Wilson Phillips also took two songs to number one during the year. Estefan and Stewart each spent a total of six weeks atop the chart, tying for the most weeks spent at number one during the year with Bette Midler, who spent six consecutive weeks in the top spot with "From a Distance", the year's longest unbroken run at number one.
In the second half of the year, Mariah Carey achieved the feat of taking her first two singles not only to the top of the Hot Adult Contemporary chart but also to number one on Billboard's all-genre listing, the Hot 100,[5] beginning a recording career which would ultimately make her the biggest-selling female performer of all time.[5] She would achieve six AC number ones in the first half of the 1990s,[6] before her music began to move in a more heavily R&B and hip hop-influenced direction.[5] In October the Righteous Brothers reached number one with their 1965 recording of the song "Unchained Melody", which was re-released after it was prominently featured in the film Ghost.[7] Following the song's appearance on the film's soundtrack, the duo recorded a new version of the song, and both recordings entered the Hot 100,[7] but it was the original rendition which gained sufficient airplay on adult contemporary radio to enter and ultimately top the AC chart.[8][9] The year's final number one was also taken from a film soundtrack. "You Gotta Love Someone" by Elton John, which spent the last three weeks of 1990 at number one, appeared in the film Days of Thunder.[10]
Chart history
Indicates best-performing AC song of 1990[11] |
References
- Whitburn, Joel (2007). Joel Whitburn Presents Billboard Top Adult Songs, 1961-2006. Record Research Incorporated. p. vi. ISBN 9780898201697.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for January 6, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
- Hann, Michael (April 19, 2013). "Rod Stewart: 'I thought songwriting had left me'". The Guardian. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- Ankeny, Jason. "The Isley Brothers Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- Ankeny, Jason. "Mariah Carey Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- "Mariah Carey Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- Leopold, Todd (July 10, 2015). "'Ghost' love has lingered for 25 years". CNN. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- DeKnock, Jan (October 19, 1990). "James Ingram Hits No.1 as a Solo". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- Whitburn, Joel (2002). Joel Whitburn's Top Adult Contemporary, 1961-2001. Record Research Incorporated. p. 204. ISBN 9780898201499.
- McDonald, Steven. "Days of Thunder [Music from the Motion Picture]". AllMusic. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- "Billboard Adult Contemporary Year End, 1990". Retrieved September 12, 2020.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for January 13, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for January 20, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for January 27, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for February 3, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for February 10, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for February 17, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for February 24, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for March 3, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for March 10, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for March 17, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for March 24, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for March 31, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for April 7, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for April 14, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for April 21, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for April 28, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for May 5, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for May 12, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for May 19, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for May 26, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for June 2, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for June 9, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for June 16, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for June 23, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for June 30, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for July 7, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for July 14, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for July 21, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for July 28, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for August 4, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for August 11, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for August 18, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for August 25, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for September 1, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for September 8, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for September 15, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for September 22, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for September 29, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for October 6, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for October 13, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for October 20, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for October 27, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for November 3, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for November 10, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for November 17, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for November 24, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for December 1, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for December 8, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for December 15, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for December 22, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- "Adult Contemporary chart for December 29, 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2019.