The Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 1990

 

The Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 1990

Hey guys, it’s Fire here and y’all know what time it is!! Today we’re counting down the top 10 BEST hit songs of 1990!!

So as I expressed in my worst list, 1990 turned out to be one of the worst years for pop music I’ve ever looked at. Everything was in transition, meaning that the stuff that filled in the gap in the mainstream was sedate AC ballads and bizarre novelties.

Rock was dominated by the backwash of 80s hair metal and glam rock while hip hop was only just starting to take hold in the mainstream, and the first hip hop song to hit #1 was...fucking Vanilla Ice. Both of those genres did have gems, but they were the exception, not the rule. That said, I’d also say 1990 had a signature sound—New Jack Swing. There was forceful New Jack Swing all over the 1990 Hot 100 YE, almost to an overwhelming degree. Thankfully, most of them were pretty good. And there were iconic artists and hits from this year that are still remembered today from the likes of Madonna and Janet Jackson, but as a whole most of the 1990 YE feels so forgotten, like lost relics. And spoilers, but there’s one artist this year who’s gonna utterly dominate this list with all of their hits making it.

That all means that 1990 was a very transitional year, but one that still at least had a distinct identity. It’s not the absolute worst year I’ve ever looked at—I’d be stunned if anything gets worse than 2014, but it is definitely down there.

Now to get started with this list!! As per usual, the songs eligible for this list must have met at least one of these rules:

• They had to debut on the 1990 Hot 100 YE

• Repeating songs are eligible if they beat or matched their previous standings on this YE

• Any songs in the YE Top 20 are eligible regardless of the first two rules

So let’s pull out the gems from this rough year starting with our honorable mentions!!

HM #1: Paula Abdul - (It’s Just) The Way That You Love Me (YE: #86, PEAK: #3)

Yeah, the New Jack Swing is starting early here, Paula Abdul’s softer vocals serve as a great complement to the forceful New Jack Swing production. Plus, Abdul still maintains a strong presence, not letting the production overpower her. Also I’ll say it, this just barely edged out her other hit “Opposites Attract” for this list.

HM #2: Billy Joel - We Didn't Start The Fire (YE: #35, PEAK: #1)

This is honestly a lot more hated than I expected. And while I’ve never hated this song at all (in fact I’ve always liked it), I think Fall Out Boy’s awful 2023 cover gave me a new appreciation for this track. It’s definitely as deep as a puddle, just listing off various world events in chronological order and boiling it down to “we didn’t cause this mess, but we’re trying to clean up YOUR mess, you stupid older generations”. But I think the fact that it avoids rhyming almost entirely just to keep the events in chronological order is such a novel gimmick to me that I can’t help but like it. Plus, the production is so much fun, that groove keeps the energy going and the lack of rhyming completely glosses over your head—it feels so natural. Yeah, this is a really fun song. It might not say that much, but when it kicks this much ass, I’m still gonna defend it.

HM #3: Jane Child - Don't Wanna Fall In Love (YE: #29, PEAK: #2)

This is a funky dance song soaked in its Minneapolis sound and it goes so hard. Jane Child sounds great here as she holds her own against the huge synths and remains a dominant presence that really elevates this. You can hear her desperation that she doesn’t wanna fall in love. But the incredibly tight production makes it clear that Jane Child is kinda open to the possibility of this guy winning her over. Also those synth solos are awesome. Yeah, great stuff!!

HM #4: Bell Biv Devoe - Poison (YE: #4, PEAK: #3)

Funny how in 1990 we had a hit song called “Poison” and a hit song by a band called Poison. Well, the song called “Poison” is obviously way better, and proof that great New Jack Swing production and charisma can even redeem some flaws. Yeah, the punched in adlibs of “poison!” aren’t that good. But the big key that unlocks this for me is that all our performers are on their A game here, displaying tons of charisma. They credibly sell the feeling of knowing a girl is trouble when she walks in (get the Taylor Swift reference?) but still being drawn to her regardless. Great stuff, if this is poison, I don’t think I’d mind ingesting this to be honest haha.

HM #5: Tom Petty - Free Fallin' (YE: #64, PEAK: #7)

I’ve always liked “Free Fallin’” a lot, but I’ve admittedly struggled to figure out why for years. It’s a very AC-coded soft pop song that’s definitely lasted in regular rotation today. But ultimately I think the main reason I like this is a similar reason I still love Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day”—the production and melody sound so warm. It sounds like music you’d freefall into a field of beautiful flowers to (assuming you have a parachute lol). Great little track!

HM #6: Billy Joel - I Go To Extremes (YE: #82, PEAK: #6)

“I Go To Extremes” is a song about Billy Joel apologizing to his then wife for his erratic behavior that could just as well also be read as chronicling extreme mood swings experienced through manic-depression. Joel takes the sentiment and fuses it with a piano rock line and driving percussion and sells it with a potent as hell voice. This song doesn’t really go to the extreme of making the list proper, but hey, it’s still great.

HM #7: Janet Jackson - Come Back To Me (YE: #49, PEAK: #1)

Janet Jackson had a lot of great hits this year and make no mistake, we’ll get back to her a lot on this list. Every single one of her hits showcased a way in which Jackson is a very versatile artist. “Come Back To Me” makes the list for how well Jackson gently sings over this R&B ballad pleading her lover to come back. I really like the smooth sophisti-pop leaning soul production and the Latin guitar accents. But it’s Jackson’s stellar performance that keeps this from feeling like yet another boring AC ballad. Great stuff, and yet it’s somehow her worst hit this year!!

HM #8: M.C. Hammer - U Can't Touch This (YE: #55, PEAK: #4)

When I put “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice on my worst list, I think I gave off the impression that I didn’t like early 90s pop rap. Well, here’s my rebuttal! “U Can’t Touch This” admittedly feels a bit dated, but that production is just so good. I like that funky bassline and the synth interludes a lot and M.C. Hammer has a decent flow. He keeps up with the beat really well and when he says “stop, hammer time”, it pops off because of how memetic it is. Great stuff!!

HM #9: Taylor Dayne - With Every Beat Of My Heart (YE: #48, PEAK: #5)

Taylor Dayne was another early 90s diva in the vein of Paula Abdul. And while I wasn’t very impressed by her other two hits this year (“I’ll Be Your Shelter” was mid and y’all are lucky “Love Will Lead You Back” missed the worst list, it was the last cut I made), “With Every Beat Of My Heart” was the one that really worked for me. It’s a fun dance-pop cut that suits Dayne’s vocals super well. She sounds like a true dance-pop diva with a very flamboyant voice that helps her be a strong presence. Also huge shoutout to that killer sax solo. Great track that makes me wanna dance with every beat of my heart!

HM #10: Black Box - Everybody Everybody (YE: #81, PEAK: #8)

Well, it wouldn’t be a 90s best list by Fire if I didn’t include some hi-NRG and/or house!! “Everybody Everybody” is just a great Italo house cut—the beat is super danceable and it helps me gloss over the repetitive chorus. Martha Wash has super potent vocals that yeah, might not distinguish her from other faceless house divas, but do just enough to make this a really fun time. Plus, I’ve never gone into these house cuts for a singer with a distinct identity, I only come for a fun time, and that’s exactly what this track delivers.

Alright, now for the list proper!!

10…So I mentioned at the start that 1990 saw the backwash of 80s hair metal and glam rock. But I’d honestly say there’s a bit more to it than that. 1990 felt more like an 11th year of the 80s. And a big plus of that is the techno side of dance music!! Case in point....

10. Technotronic - Get Up (Before the Night Is Over) (YE: #73, PEAK: #9)

I did not know that Technotronic actually had more than one hit. But while “Get Up (Before The Night Is Over)” isn’t quite as instantly recognizable or iconic as their biggest hit, it still slaps. I like that gurgling groove a lot and the vocalist still has tons of energy. She feels like your personal trainer telling you to get your workout on in a great way. It definitely lacks that magic that made “Pump Up The Jam” so iconic because it does kinda feel like a retread of that song, but it’s still pretty great. But on that note...

9...Well, I mean, for as great as “Get Up (Before The Night Is Over)” is, you gotta put some respect on the big one, right?...

9. Technotronic - Pump Up The Jam (YE: #13, PEAK: #2)

While “Get Up (Before The Night Is Over)” felt like a bit of a retread of this song that made it lose some of its charm, “Pump Up The Jam” still feels fresh and justifies why Technotronic chose to retread the formula. The vocalist once again plays the role of your personal trainer so well, bringing in an abundance of energy and motivation. And yet she never feels annoying. She toes a narrow balance of bringing in energy while not overdoing it to an excruciating degree. Her voice honestly feels like motivation baked within to the very beat of the song. The vocals just feel so iconic that they’re purely an instrument within the song to me. Like, without those vocals the song is just...incomplete. This a hell of a jam that I’m gonna pump up.

8...Again, 1990 in rock was the backwash of 80s hair metal and glam rock. I’ll admit that I’m not usually a fan of glam rock because I find the singers’ voices so tedious. So what if you gave a glam rock song to an R&B singer? That sounds like an utter mess waiting to happen. And yet...

8. Janet Jackson - Black Cat (YE: #59, PEAK: #1)

To be fair, I’m not sure that glam rock is even the appropriate genre to describe this. Because with that attitude, that tight groove, and those vocal inflections, Janet Jackson is clearly channeling the energy of her late brother, the great Michael Jackson. And Janet proves that she’s game for it. She trades her gentle singing on “Come Back To Me” for a killer attitude-driven performance. And the music supports the lyrics, which take the superstition of black cats symbolizing bad luck and lean into it fully. Janet Jackson and the producers clearly knew that for this song to work at all, it needed to rise above the cliches of the superstition and feel like it invented the superstition. And this song does it so well that I legitimately had to check Wikipedia to make sure. Also, when Janet yells “guitar!” and then we get one of the best guitar solos of the year, it just sounds utterly glorious. That’s how it’s done, Aerosmith. Great fucking song, but we’re not done with Janet Jackson quite yet...

7...Well, “Come Back To Me” showcased Janet Jackson’s R&B side and “Black Cat” covered her rock side. What else could we add here? Why not New Jack Swing?...

7. Janet Jackson - Alright (YE: #44, PEAK: #4)

“Alright” is a song that doesn’t really arrive with a bang like the other New Jack Swing hits this year, but remains understated yet lively enough to remain a fun song. Jackson rides the beat with loose sensuality that still maintains a dominant presence on the song. She makes that gibberish scatting on the post-chorus slot close to eurodance in that it keeps up the energy. Yeah, this is definitely way better than just “alright”, great stuff!!

6...Well, if that wasn’t enough to convince you that Janet Jackson is great at New Jack Swing, here’s exhibit B...

6. Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation (YE: #38, PEAK: #2)

“Rhythm Nation” is much closer to the forceful style of New Jack Swing that dominated the year and once again, Janet Jackson proves that she’s game for it! “Rhythm Nation” is a song about how, well pardon the Madonna reference but, music makes the peoPLE come toGEther (pretend that the way I wrote that symbolizes me singing along lol 😭) and Jackson maintains a strong presence against the panning percussion. She allows the backing vocals to play into the call-and-response effect of the song. And hell, if this is music that makes the people come together, the people chose right and this is a great nation I wouldn’t mind being a citizen of.

5...Let’s go back to what I said about “Everybody Everybody”: “Well, it wouldn’t be a 90s best list by Fire if I didn’t include some hi-NRG and/or house!!”. Yeah, you thought I wasn’t gonna include this song? Think again!!...

5. D-Mob & Cathy Dennis - C'mon And Get My Love (YE: #85, PEAK: #10)

The reason “C’mon And Get My Love” works so well for me is pretty easy to explain. The piano keys playing off the house beat sound great and Cathy Dennis’s voice is a natural fit for the production—she’s got just enough presence to elevate the song but not so much as to overpower it. I will say though that this isn’t the best 90s house song I’ve ever heard—the guy rapping admittedly makes me cringe a bit. But hey, this is still excellent.

4...I mean, I included 4 of her songs on here already. Y’all should’ve seen this making it...

4. Janet Jackson - Escapade (YE: #15, PEAK: #1)

“Escapade” was Janet Jackson’s biggest—and in my opinion best—hit in 1990. I love that forceful dance pop/Minneapolis sound production and the strong melody it supplies. Jackson also is once again such a natural fit for this song. Of all the various sounds Jackson tried her hand at in her hits in 1990, she succeeded at all of them. But this Minneapolis sound/synth funk style is easily my favorite style from her. Excellent track!! Janet Jackson had all 5 of her hits in 1990 make this list, but none could quite be my favorite hit of the year. So what 3 songs beat this?

3..This next song is probably the most stereotypical “inner indie rock snob” song I could put on a best list. And while I do like and appreciate a ton of music that falls into that category, I’ve never had an inner indie rock snob side to me, I’m not RYM (/hj). I’ll stick up for mainstream pop music just as much as I’ll stick up for any song I like, it’s just music in the end. That said, if there was a song this year that made me feel the most like a RYM user for loving (I think that’s a compliment lol?), this’d be hard to beat...

3. Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence (YE: #66, PEAK: #8)

“Enjoy The Silence” feels like a perfect song in every musical way. The smooth vocals from frontman Dave Gahan, the production that fuses elements of IDM, alternative dance, and house, and the way the melody will drop out with note perfect timing makes this feel so timeless in a way that still feels accessible. But okay, if I have this much praise for this song and am literally calling it perfect in every musical way, why isn’t this higher? Well, I will say that yes, this song is incredible, but it lacks an accessible emotional core for me to latch onto, which does keep me at a bit of a distance. Still, if this is how silence sounds, I’m sure enjoying it.

2..This next song might be one of, if not the most influential songs of 1990. It’s a song whose legacy arguably casts a long shadow over the song itself. For me, it’s only #2 on this list, but it wouldn’t be here if it didn’t belong here!...

2. Madonna - Vogue (YE: #5, PEAK: #1)

Everyone knows how influential “Vogue” has been to modern dance and house music. As recently as 2022, Beyonce interpolated it for the The Queens remix of her song “Break My Soul”. And I can admit that part of the reason “Vogue” is this high on this list is how influential it still is to this day. But it wouldn’t make this list, let alone as high as #2, if it wasn’t an incredible song on its own merits. Madonna throws herself into the song and makes it a true LGBTQ anthem. Even as a straight guy, this song makes me wanna vogue. Yeah, incredible little song, but what could be better?

1...So as I mentioned at the start, hip hop was only just starting to take hold in the mainstream in 1990. It was still largely divisive, though. The argument was “you don’t even have to sing? Anyone can do that!!”. My #1 on this list is a hip hop song. One that brought even haters of the genre together in loving. A song that reliably is still loved today. What dangerous MC was able to cut through the detractors and become a universally beloved icon?

Yeah, it wasn’t gonna be anything else...

1. Biz Markie - Just A Friend (YE: #94, PEAK: #9)

“Just A Friend” is just such an endearing song in every way. It’s clear that Biz Markie didn’t care about how embarrassing he came off. He just wanted to entertain people. And he leans into the so-bad-it’s-good quality of the song and pairs it with a relatable story of being cheated on, delivered in such a pouty manner that you can’t help but love it. Even if you hate songs intentionally designed to be as bad or wrong as possible, Biz Markie is just so earnest that you have to like it. Even my dad, who usually hates this kind of music, likes this! When I was going through the 1990 YE list, I knew that this’d be a very strong contender to top my best list, but I kinda questioned whether it was the right decision. But then arriving at this song was how I learned that Biz Markie apparently passed away back in 2021 and then hearing Biz Markie belting out this song so heartily and happily just made me really sad. It felt like I watched an innocent kid doing what they love shamelessly and getting hurt for it. I went down a rabbit hole and saw Biz Markie was on Yo Gabba Gabba. Seeing countless comments expressing grief at his passing was what cinched it for me. Biz Markie was just a wholesome guy who everyone seemed to love, someone who wanted to entertain people and did so successfully. “Just A Friend” by Biz Markie: the best hit song of 1990!! RIP Biz Markie, I hope you’re somewhere happily playing your piano in your white wig.

Alright, that’s the best list done!! 1991 lists will start next month sometime hopefully but my next article will be my Chill Pick article! So until the next article, if you’ve got your own lists of the best hit songs of 1990, feel free to comment them down below! In the meantime, Spotify playlist with every song mentioned on this list is linked right here and remember to keep it Fire!!