Every #1 Song of 1990: The Year Gen X Switched to CD
From ballads that melted your Discman to dance jams that ruled the roller rink, 1990 had it all. The Gen X mixtape was evolving—and this was the year it started spinning into something new.
📅 January 6–13
“Another Day in Paradise” – Phil Collins
Holdover from ’89, Phil’s social commentary still hit hard in the new decade. Smooth, haunting, and still filled with that signature gated drum sound.
📅 January 20
“How Am I Supposed to Live Without You” – Michael Bolton
The power ballad to end all power ballads. Big hair, bigger emotions, and a vocal delivery so intense you could hear the heartbreak through the Aqua Net.
📅 February 10
“Opposites Attract” – Paula Abdul (with MC Skat Kat)
Paula teamed up with a rapping cartoon cat and somehow made it work. Equal parts cheesy and charming, this was peak early-90s weirdness, and Gen X was here for it.
📅 March 3
“Escapade” – Janet Jackson
Part party, part rebellion. Janet invited us to run away from our problems—and we were more than ready. Her Rhythm Nation era was unstoppable.
📅 March 24
“Black Velvet” – Alannah Myles
A smoky, sultry tribute to Elvis that oozed Southern gothic vibes. This was the kind of song that made you want to wear a black leather jacket and brood at the jukebox.
📅 April 7
“Love Will Lead You Back” – Taylor Dayne
Big vocals and soft focus. This one screamed “slow dance at the school gym” and probably soundtracked your first breakup and your mom’s aerobics class.
📅 April 21
“Nothing Compares 2 U” – Sinéad O’Connor
Written by Prince, delivered by Sinéad with devastating simplicity. The video was iconic. The tears were real. Gen X wasn’t emotionally ready, but we played it on repeat anyway.
📅 May 12
“Vogue” – Madonna
Strike a pose—this one defined 1990. Mixing old Hollywood glamour with underground ballroom culture, Madonna gave Gen X permission to dance, express, and pose like we were in a Jean Harlow biopic.
📅 June 2
“Hold On” – Wilson Phillips
Three voices. One empowering anthem. This was the year’s most unexpected feel-good song and became the unofficial soundtrack to hanging onto hope—and perms.
📅 June 30
“Step by Step” – New Kids on the Block
NKOTB’s peak. The dance moves, the matching outfits, the stadium screams—this was boy band mania before the Backstreet Boys even graduated middle school.
📅 July 7
“She Ain’t Worth It” – Glenn Medeiros featuring Bobby Brown
A pop-meets-R&B summer jam with just enough Bobby Brown swagger to make it a radio staple. We weren’t sure who Glenn was, but Bobby brought the heat.
📅 July 14
“Vision of Love” – Mariah Carey
The debut that shook the world. Mariah hit that whistle note and instantly made every Gen X karaoke night a competition we weren’t ready for. Vocal goals were changed forever.
📅 August 4
“It Must Have Been Love” – Roxette
From the Pretty Woman soundtrack, this one gave us glamorous heartbreak. You couldn’t watch Julia Roberts cry in the rain without this song haunting your Walkman for days.
📅 August 11
“Rub You the Right Way” – Johnny Gill
New Edition’s grown-up sound went solo and sultry. R&B was heating up fast, and Johnny’s smooth intensity made it a bedroom staple for the slow-jam crowd.
📅 August 18
“If Wishes Came True” – Sweet Sensation
Freestyle’s last big gasp before fading into the club basement of nostalgia. A guilty pleasure, but we were all singing it in the car—don’t deny it.
📅 August 25
“Blaze of Glory” – Jon Bon Jovi
From Young Guns II, this was Jon’s cowboy phase. Less hairspray, more tumbleweed drama. It was dramatic, cinematic, and sounded amazing while air-guitaring in denim.
📅 September 8
“Release Me” – Wilson Phillips
Back again with harmonies so perfect they could’ve calmed your most brutal teen angst. This one was tailor-made for tear-stained diary entries.
📅 September 15
“Do Me!” – Bell Biv DeVoe
Sassy, sexy, and very not safe for Catholic school dances. BBD brought new jack swing into full Gen X consciousness—and made everyone say “Poison” differently forever.
📅 September 29
“Close to You” – Maxi Priest
This reggae-tinged love jam felt like a beach day for your soul. Maxi gave us smooth vocals and just enough island flair to make it the chillest hit of the year.
📅 October 6
“Praying for Time” – George Michael
Heavy, poetic, and political—George stepped away from pop gloss and dropped a slow-burning reflection on inequality. No video. Just the truth. Respect.
📅 October 27
“I Don’t Have the Heart” – James Ingram
Quiet storm vibes. This soulful ballad gave us heartache in silk-pajama form. James’ voice was honey, and we were all crying into our flannel pillows.
📅 November 3
“Ice Ice Baby” – Vanilla Ice
You either loved it or loved to hate it, but you definitely knew every word. The first rap song to hit #1, and maybe the first time Gen X heard Queen’s “Under Pressure” and thought, “wait…”
📅 November 10
“Love Takes Time” – Mariah Carey
Mariah’s follow-up hit proved she wasn’t a one-note wonder. More vocal acrobatics, more heartbreak, more drama—exactly how we liked our ballads.
📅 November 24
“I’m Your Baby Tonight” – Whitney Houston
Whitney pivoted to a more R&B edge with Bobby Brown swagger. This jam was pure 1990 cool—flawless vocals over a beat that made you want to dance and flirt.
📅 December 15
“Because I Love You (The Postman Song)” – Stevie B
A slow jam that landed in a million mixtapes labeled “For You.” If you were in love in December ’90, this song sealed it with a heartfelt synthy kiss.
1990 wasn’t just a new year—it was the birth of a new decade, and the transition was real. Gen X was moving from glam to groove, rock to R&B, cassette to CD. We still had the edge of the ’80s, but now we had a Mariah whistle note to go with it.