JANUARY
Top hit
Justify My Love · Madonna
Top album
To The Extreme · Vanilla Ice
Year
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One moment while we pull together the music from this year.
Grunge arrives
1991
Grunge detonates in September, hip-hop owns the conversation, and every A&R scout drives to Seattle with flannel in the trunk and hope in hand.
Alternative Breaks Through
Grunge cracks the surface while hip-hop owns the conversation — the monoculture starts to splinter, but the hits still feel huge. Nirvana's 'Nevermind' detonates in September and suddenly every A&R scout is driving to Seattle with a flannel shirt in the trunk. Pop doesn't die; it just learns to share the room with noise, angst, and truth. Pop doesn't die — it learns to share the room with noise, angst, and uncomfortable truth.
- grunge
- Nirvana
- hip-hop
- alternative rock
- Lollapalooza
- Nirvana's 'Nevermind' and 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' — September
- Lollapalooza festival launches alternative touring
- Michael Jackson's 'Black or White' video dominates MTV
- Mariah Carey's 'Emotions' showcases vocal acrobatics
Hot 100 · weeks at #1
Top songs
Album chart · weeks at #1
Top albums
Through the year
Tap a month to drill into chart weeks.
FEBRUARY
Top hit
The First Time · Surface
Top album
To The Extreme · Vanilla Ice
MARCH
Top hit
All The Man That I Need · Whitney Houston
Top album
Mariah Carey · Mariah Carey
APRIL
Top hit
Coming Out Of The Dark · Gloria Estefan
Top album
Mariah Carey · Mariah Carey
MAY
Top hit
Baby Baby · Amy Grant
Top album
Mariah Carey · Mariah Carey
JUNE
Top hit
I Don't Wanna Cry · Mariah Carey
Top album
Spellbound · Paula Abdul
JULY
Top hit
Rush Rush · Paula Abdul
Top album
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge · Van Halen
AUGUST
Top hit
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You · Bryan Adams
Top album
Unforgettable: With Love · Natalie Cole
SEPTEMBER
Top hit
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You · Bryan Adams
Top album
Metallica · Metallica
OCTOBER
Top hit
Good Vibrations · Marky Mark
Top album
Use Your Illusion II · Guns N' Roses
NOVEMBER
Top hit
Romantic · Karyn White
Top album
Ropin' The Wind · Garth Brooks
DECEMBER
Top hit
Black Or White · Michael Jackson
Top album
Achtung Baby · U2