Music History Events: Releases
July 30, 1991 "Enter Sandman" is released as a single, serving as a preview of what's to come from Metallica's Black Album. With a cover of the early Queen classic "Stone Cold Crazy" on the B-side, it reaches #16 on the Hot 100, their best showing to this point.
June 11, 1991 Lynyrd Skynyrd return to recording with Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991. It's their sixth album, following Street Surviors, but is their first since the plane wreak take took three band-members lives in 1977. The new lineup initially uses the name "Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991," but eventually has to drop this name after the media and fans essentially ignore it and continue to call them Lynyrd Skynyrd.
June 11, 1991 Skid Row release the album Slave To The Grind, the follow-up to their 5-million-selling self-titled debut. It debuts at #1 in America and sells 2 million, but it doesn't have legs: none of the songs catch on with radio or MTV.
May 20, 1991 The first album from an MTV Unplugged performance is released when Paul McCartney issues Unplugged (The Official Bootleg) in the UK. It is released in America in June.
May 18, 1991 Bananarama release Pop Life, their first album without bandmate Siobhan Fahey, who left the group in 1988 amid tensions over their pop-oriented image. It's also their last release as a trio. Jacquie O'Sullivan replaces Fahey on the album, but leaves later that year due to the press constantly comparing her with the former 'Nana.
May 14, 1991 Primus' major label debut (and eventual commercial breakthrough), Sailing the Seas of Cheese, is released. The album spawns the alt-rock classics "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver," "Tommy the Cat," and "Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers."
April 1, 1991 School of Fish release their eponymous debut album, featuring their lone hit "3 Strange Days."
March 26, 1991 Bob Dylan's The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 is released.
January 22, 1991 Sting releases his third full-length studio album, The Soul Cages.
November 23, 1990 Bad Religion release their fifth full-length studio album, Against the Grain. This is the band's last recording with drummer Pete Finestone, who left the band just prior to the recording of their next album Generator, which eventually dropped in 1992.
September 25, 1990 INXS release X, the follow-up to their wildly successful 1987 album Kick. In the interim, lead singer Michael Hutchence released an album with his less glamorous band, Max Q.
September 24, 1990 AC/DC releases The Razors Edge, omitting the apostrophe in the title. The only album by the band to feature Chis Slade on drums, it reaches #2 on the US Albums chart and #4 in the UK.
September 9, 1990 Following Freedom, his much-lauded return to form, Neil Young releases Ragged Glory. His 18th studio album, the garage rock classic is also one of his most balls-out productions to date, and not what one would generally expect from a 45-year-old man late into a long musical career.
August 20, 1990 Prince releases his album Graffiti Bridge, which contains the tracks "Thieves In The Temple" and "New Power Generation."More
June 26, 1990 Nelson release their debut album After the Rain, which sells over 2 million copies thanks to the #1 single "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection." Nelson is the duo of Gunnar and Matthew, the twin sons of Rick Nelson.More
June 26, 1990 Sonic Youth release Goo. With songs like "Kool Thing," the album is a seminal landmark in alternative rock.
June 21, 1990 Exodus release their fourth studio album, Impact Is Imminent.
May 15, 1990 Mariah Carey releases her first single, the ballad "Vision Of Love." In August, it climbs to #1 in America, setting Carey on track to become the best-selling female artist of the '90s.
April 10, 1990 Public Enemy release their highly anticipated third album, Fear Of A Black Planet, with the incendiary lead single "Fight The Power." The album becomes the first in hip-hop history to sell a million copies its first week of release.
April 10, 1990 A Tribe Called Quest release their debut album, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, drawing comparisons to the mellow grooves of De La Soul. It doesn't do much damage on the charts but ages well, with the songs "Can I Kick It?" and "Bonita Applebum" earning a place as hip-hop classics.
February 9, 1990 Midnight Oil release the album Blue Sky Mining. The lead single, "Blue Sky Mine," is inspired by the Wittenoom industrial disaster in the band's native Australia. The song is a Top 10 hit on the ARIA singles chart and tops the rock charts in the US.More
February 7, 1990 Primus release their first studio album, Frizzle Fry. Their mashup of progressive, punk and alternative is a winner, earning them an ardent fanbase that takes to affectionately screaming "Primus Sucks!" at concerts.
January 1, 1990 Ween release their debut full-length album, GodWeenSatan: The Oneness, on Twin/Tone records. The album contains 26 songs, some of which had appeared on the six cassette tapes the band had self-released in the late '80s.
November 2, 1989 Bad Religion release their fourth full-length studio album, No Control.
October 16, 1989 Kate Bush releases her sixth studio album, The Sensual World. The title track, inspired by James Joyce's novel Ulysses, earns her a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Performance.
October 2, 1989 After years of poorly received output, Neil Young returns to form with Freedom, his 17th studio album. Having ditched Geffen Records after years of problems, Young records Freedom with his original label, Reprise. The album features three songs ("Don't Cry," "Eldorado" and "On Broadway") first released on the EP Eldorado earlier in the year.
September 25, 1989 New wave duo Tears for Fears release their third album, The Seeds Of Love. It's the last TFF release to feature Curt Smith, who relocates to New York to pursue a solo career after an acrimonious split with bandmate Roland Orzabal. They reunite in 2004 for Everybody Loves A Happy Ending.
September 21, 1989 Rush move away from their keyboard-heavy sound with Presto, their 13th studio album and first under the Atlantic Records label. The album's four singles are "Show Don't Tell," "Presto," "The Pass," and "Superconductor."
May 17, 1989 The Doobie Brothers release their reunion album, Cycles, which gets them back on the radio with the hit single "The Doctor."
May 2, 1989 The Cure issue a gloomy record that's predicted to be commercial suicide, but ends up being their best seller: Disintegration. It boasts their biggest pop hits, "Lovesong" and "Lullaby."More
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