November 6, 1990 Madonna releases "Justify My Love," which stirs controversy when MTV bans the saucy video. The brouhaha piques interest in the song, which becomes her ninth #1 hit in the US.More
November 4, 1990 The musical tribute Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story opens on Broadway.
November 3, 1990 After being featured prominently in the smash hit film Ghost, The Righteous Brothers' version of "Unchained Melody" returns to the top of the UK charts after 25 years.
November 3, 1990 "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice hits #1 in the US, marking the first time a rapper has topped the chart.More
November 1, 1990 Eagle-eyed viewers can spot Eagle-Eye Cherry as "Guy #2" on the "Just Thinking About It" episode of The Cosby Show. By the end of the decade, the actor-turned-singer's debut single, "Save Tonight," is a Top 10 hit on the Hot 100.
October 22, 1990 The band Mookie Blaylock, soon be known as Pearl Jam, make their stage debut at The Off Ramp in Seattle. In the audience are members of Soundgarden and Seattle Mariners pitcher Randy Johnson.
October 20, 1990 Nine Inch Nails release their debut album, Pretty Hate Machine. Frontman Trent Reznor writes, sings and plays every instrument on all the songs on the album, which he also co-produces. The album includes the enduring NIN tunes "Head Like A Hole" and "Down In It."
October 17, 1990 The Judds say goodbye. With daughter Wynonna by her side, Naomi Judd announces her retirement from music due to her illness with Hepatitis C. After the duo's farewell tour, Wynonna releases her first solo album in 1992.
October 14, 1990 In Baghdad, Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens), secures the release of four British prisoners (all Muslin) detained as Iraq prepares for the Gulf War.
October 8, 1990 The Go-Go's pose for the first "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" poster for PETA.More
October 8, 1990 Eddie Vedder flies from his home in San Diego to Seattle, where he meets his Pearl Jam bandmates for the first time and starts a week of recording that becomes the bulk of their debut album, Ten. Vedder was chosen based on vocals he added to a three-song instrumental demo the band made.More
October 7, 1990 Soundgarden perform at the Gathering of the Tribes festival in Costa Mesa, California. In the crowd is Eddie Vedder, who the next day flies to Seattle and meets his Pearl Jam bandmates for the first time. Vedder and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden end up recording vocals together that day for the song "Hunger Strike" as part of the Temple of the Dog project.
October 6, 1990 Soundgarden, Iggy Pop, Ice T, The Cramps, Joan Baez and Public Enemy are among the artists to perform at Shoreline Amphitheatre in California, as part of A Gathering of Tribes, which is organized by The Cult's Ian Astbury. The festival is a forebear to Lollapalooza, which launches a year later.
October 3, 1990 Charles Freeman, who owns the E-C Records store in Fort Lauderdale, is convicted of selling obscene material after selling a copy of the 2 Live Crew album As Nasty As They Wanna Be two days after it was ruled obscene in a federal court. His punishment: a $1000 fine.
September 29, 1990 Nelson (Rick Nelson's twin sons, Gunnar and Matthew) top the Billboard Hot 100 with "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection," becoming the second generation of Nelsons to top the charts. Their grandfather, Ozzie Nelson, may have been the most popular of the bunch as a band leader in the '30s and '40s.
September 26, 1990 Cop Rock, a musical police drama with a theme song by Randy Newman, debuts on ABC. Stung by scathing reviews and terrible ratings, it is cancelled after 11 episodes.More
September 25, 1990 Mercer University Drive in Macon, Georgia, is renamed "Little Richard Penniman Boulevard" after the famous singer who grew up there.
September 22, 1990 After parting with original drummer Chad Channing, Nirvana plays their one and only show with Dan Peters of Mudhoney on drums (at the Motor Sports International Garage in Seattle). He is replaced by Dave Grohl, who mans the kit henceforth.
September 22, 1990 The N.W.A. EP 100 Miles and Runnin' (their first release without Ice Cube, who left the group several months earlier to pursue a successful solo career) debuts at #27 on the Billboard 200 chart.
September 13, 1990 Eddie Vedder does some surfing, writes some lyrics, and adds his vocals to three instrumental tracks recorded by the guys he would later join in Pearl Jam. The songs become "Alive," "Once" and "Footsteps."
September 10, 1990 Starring a young rapper named Will Smith, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air debuts on NBC. Smith hones his acting skills during his six seasons on the show, which features guest appearances by his musical partner, DJ Jazzy Jeff.More
September 6, 1990 Tom Fogerty (rhythm guitarist for Creedence Clearwater Revival) dies from an AIDS-related tuberculosis infection in Scottsdale, Arizona, at age 48. He contracted HIV from blood transfusions.
September 3, 1990 George Michael releases his second solo album, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1. Looking to avoid the pitfalls that overwhelmed him after his debut Faith, Michael refuses to tour in support of the album and won't appear in the music videos.More
August 29, 1990 After soundcheck for her concert in Saratoga Springs, New York, Sinead O'Connor dons a disguise and joins protesters outside the venue. The hubbub is over her concert from a week earlier when she asked that the National Anthem not be played before her performance.
August 27, 1990 35-year-old Stevie Ray Vaughan dies in a helicopter crash near East Troy, Wisconsin, following a concert at the Alpine Valley Music Theater where earlier in the evening he appeared with Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, and his older brother, Jimmie Vaughan.
August 24, 1990 Sinéad O'Connor refuses to perform at the Garden State Arts Center in New Jersey until they agree not to play the US national anthem before the show.More
August 21, 1990 Alice in Chains release their debut album, Facelift, one of the first grunge albums to gain widespread popularity.More
August 21, 1990 Jane's Addiction release the alternative rock touchstone Ritual de lo Habitual, which frontman Perry Farrell describes as filled with "sex and violence and joy and happiness."More
August 20, 1990 Prince releases his album Graffiti Bridge, which contains the tracks "Thieves In The Temple" and "New Power Generation."More
August 13, 1990 While warming up for an outdoor concert at Wingate Field in Flatbush, Brooklyn, Curtis Mayfield is paralyzed when a lighting tower falls from the stage and onto his back. He remains a quadriplegic for the next nine years until his death in 1999.
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