This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.
This year was the peak of
cassette
Cassette may refer to:
Technology
* Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback
** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in the ...
sales in the United States, with sales declining year on year since then.
Specific locations
*
1990 in British music
*
1990 in Norwegian music
Specific genres
*
1990 in country music
*
1990 in heavy metal music
*
1990 in hip hop music
*
1990 in Latin music
*
1990 in jazz
Events
January–March
*
January 8
Events Pre-1600
* 307 – Emperor Huai of Jin, Jin Huaidi becomes emperor of China in succession to his father, Emperor Hui of Jin, Jin Huidi, despite a challenge from his uncle, Sima Ying.
* 871 – Æthelred I, King of Wessex, Æthel ...
– Irish singer
Sinéad O'Connor
Shuhada Sadaqat (born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor on 8 December 1966; ) is an Irish singer-songwriter. Her debut album, ''The Lion and the Cobra'', was released in 1987 and charted internationally. Her second album, ''I Do Not Want What ...
released her famous single "
Nothing Compares 2 U
"Nothing Compares 2 U" is a song written and composed by Prince for his side project, The Family; the song featured on their eponymous 1985 debut album. The song features lyrics exploring feelings of longing from the point of view of an abando ...
" (originally written, composed and performed by
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
) which was a worldwide success, becoming one of the best selling singles in the world in 1990 and topped the charts in many countries including the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
and the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
.
*
January 18
Events Pre-1600
* 474 – Seven-year-old Leo II succeeds his maternal grandfather Leo I as Byzantine emperor. He dies ten months later.
* 532 – Nika riots in Constantinople fail.
* 1126 – Emperor Huizong abdicates the Chi ...
–
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...
plays the first of eighteen shows in a three-week span at London's
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...
.
*
January 21
Events Pre-1600
* 763 – Following the Battle of Bakhamra between Alids and Abbasids near Kufa, the Alid rebellion ends with the death of Ibrahim, brother of Isa ibn Musa.
* 1525 – The Swiss Anabaptist Movement is founded when Co ...
– MTV's ''
Unplugged
Unplugged may refer to:
*Acoustic music, music not produced through electronic means
*Unplugged (B.A.P song), "Unplugged" (B.A.P song), 2014
*Unplugged (Modern Family), "Unplugged" (''Modern Family''), a 2010 episode of ''Modern Family''
Albums a ...
'' is broadcast for the first time, on cable television, with British band
Squeeze.
*
February 6
Events Pre-1600
* 1579 – The Archdiocese of Manila is made a diocese by a papal bull with Domingo de Salazar being its first bishop.
1601–1900
* 1685 – James II of England and VII of Scotland is proclaimed King upon the death of ...
**
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is a British-American singer, songwriter, and musician. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer o ...
is involved in a serious motorcycle accident, resulting in several broken bones. Idol had been scheduled to have a major role in
Oliver Stone
William Oliver Stone (born September 15, 1946) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Stone won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay as writer of '' Midnight Express'' (1978), and wrote the gangster film remake '' Sc ...
's film ''
The Doors
The Doors were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential ro ...
'', but due to his injuries, the role was reduced almost to a bit part. The role of the
T-1000
The T-1000 is a fictional Character (arts), character in the Terminator (franchise), ''Terminator'' franchise. A shapeshifter, shapeshifting Android (robot), android Terminator (character concept), Terminator Assassination, assassin, the T-1000 ...
in ''
Terminator 2: Judgment Day'', originally intended for Idol, was recast entirely as a result of the accident.
**
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...
's birthday is a national holiday in
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
for the first time.
*
February 14
Events Pre-1600
* 748 – Abbasid Revolution: The Hashimi rebels under Abu Muslim Khorasani take Merv, capital of the Umayyad province Khorasan, marking the consolidation of the Abbasid revolt.
* 842 – Charles the Bald and Louis ...
– 50,000 fans watch
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
play the first of 10 concerts at Tokyo's Korakuen Dome, the beginning of the Stones' first ever tour of Japan. The group was originally scheduled to perform there in 1973 but a drug conviction prevented
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
from obtaining a visa at the time.
*
February 16
Events Pre-1600
* 1249 – Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khagan of the Mongol Empire.
* 1270 – Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeats the Livonian Order in the Battle of Kar ...
–
Ike Turner
Izear Luster "Ike" Turner Jr. (November 5, 1931 – December 12, 2007) was an American musician, bandleader, songwriter, record producer, and talent scout. An early pioneer of 1950s rock and roll, he is best known for his work in the 1960s and 1 ...
is sentenced to four years in prison for possession of
cocaine
Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly recreational drug use, used recreationally for its euphoria, euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from t ...
.
*
February 21
Events Pre-1600
* 452 or 453 – Severianus, Bishop of Scythopolis, is martyred in Palestine.
* 1245 – Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland, is granted resignation after confessing to torture and forgery.
* 1440 – The Prus ...
– The
32nd Annual Grammy Awards
The 32nd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 21, 1990, and hosted by Garry Shandling. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.
Performers
* Bette Midler - Wind Beneath My Wings
* Gloria Estefan - Don't Wan ...
are presented in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, hosted by
Garry Shandling
Garry Emmanuel Shandling (November 29, 1949 – March 24, 2016) was an American actor, comedian, writer, director, and producer.
Shandling began his career writing for sitcoms, such as '' Sanford and Son'' and ''Welcome Back, Kotter''. He made ...
.
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American blues singer and guitarist. In 1971, Raitt released her self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed roots-influenced albums that incorporated ...
's ''
Nick of Time'' wins
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to:
Awards
* ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia
* Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK
* Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US
* Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA
* Lati ...
, while
Bette Midler
Bette Midler (;''Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, comedian and author. Throughout her career, which spans over five decades, Midler has received List of awards and nominations received by Be ...
's cover of "
Wind Beneath My Wings "Wind Beneath My Wings" (sometimes titled "The Wind Beneath My Wings" and "Hero") is a song written in 1982 by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley.
The song was first recorded by Kamahl in 1982 for a country and western album he was recording. Kamahl talk ...
" wins both
Record of the Year
The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without reg ...
and
Song of the Year.
Milli Vanilli
Milli Vanilli were a German-French R&B duo from Munich. The group was founded by Frank Farian in 1988 and consisted of Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus. Their debut album, '' All or Nothing'' in Europe, reconfigured as ''Girl You Know It's True'' in ...
win
Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967. The official guidelines are as ...
.
*
February 24
Events Pre-1600
* 484 – King Huneric of the Vandals replaces Nicene bishops with Arian ones, and banishes some to Corsica.
* 1303 – The English are defeated at the Battle of Roslin, in the First War of Scottish Independence.
* 13 ...
–
The Byrds
The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...
(
Roger McGuinn
James Roger McGuinn (born James Joseph McGuinn III; July 13, 1942) is an American musician. He is best known for being the frontman and leader of the Byrds. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with the Byrds. As a ...
,
Chris Hillman
Christopher Hillman (born December 4, 1944) is an American musician. He was the original bassist of and one of the original members of the Byrds, which in 1965 included Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby and Michael Clarke.
With frequent ...
and
David Crosby
David Van Cortlandt Crosby (born August 14, 1941) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash.
Crosby joined the Byrds in 1964. They got ...
) reunite, for the first time in 25 years, to perform at a Los Angeles tribute to
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...
. The three are joined unexpectedly on stage by
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
, who sings "Mr. Tambourine Man" with the band.
*
March 15
Events Pre-1600
* 474 BC – Roman consul Aulus Manlius Vulso celebrates an ovation for concluding the war against Veii and securing a forty years' truce.
*44 BC – The assassination of Julius Caesar takes place.
* 493 – Odoa ...
–
MCA Inc.
MCA Inc. (originally an initialism for Music Corporation of America) was an American media conglomerate founded in 1924. Originally a talent agency with artists in the music business as clients, the company became a major force in the film ind ...
purchases
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label established by David Geffen and owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M Records imprint.
Founded in 1980, Geffen Records has been a part of Interscope Geffen A&M since 1999 and h ...
for over $550 million in stock. Under the agreement,
David Geffen
David Lawrence Geffen (born February 21, 1943) is an American business magnate, producer and film studio executive. He co-created Asylum Records in 1971 with Elliot Roberts, Geffen Records in 1980, DGC Records in 1990, and DreamWorks SKG in 199 ...
will continue to run the record company through an employment contract.
*
March 16
Events Pre-1600
* 934 – Meng Zhixiang declares himself emperor and establishes Later Shu as a new state independent of Later Tang.
*1190 – Massacre of Jews at Clifford's Tower, York.
* 1244 – Over 200 Cathars who refuse ...
–
Flea
Flea, the common name for the order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that live as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by ingesting the blood of their hosts. Adult fleas grow to about long, a ...
and
Chad Smith
Chad Gaylord Smith (born October 25, 1961) is an American musician who has been the drummer of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers since 1988. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. Smith is also the drummer of the h ...
of
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea (musician), Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates element ...
are arrested and charged for an incident two days earlier at a performance in
Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, or simply Daytona, is a coastal resort-city in east-central Florida. Located on the eastern edge of Volusia County near the Atlantic coastline, its population was 72,647 at the 2020 census. Daytona Beach is approximately nort ...
during
MTV's spring break coverage, in which they allegedly sexually assaulted and verbally abused a female audience member after jumping from the stage. They are released on $2,000 bail.
*
March 20
Events Pre-1600
* 673 – Emperor Emperor Tenmu, Tenmu of Japan assumes the Chrysanthemum Throne at the Asuka, Yamato#Imperial Palaces, Palace of Kiyomihara in Asuka, Yamato, Asuka.
*1206 – Michael IV of Constantinople, Michael IV Au ...
–
Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan (; born Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García; born 1 September 1957) is a Cuban-American singer, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is a seven-time Grammy Award winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and has been ...
's tour bus is involved in an accident. Estefan suffers several broken bones in her back.
*
March 25
Events Pre-1600
* 421 – Italian city Venice is founded with the dedication of the first church, that of San Giacomo di Rialto on the islet of Rialto.
* 708 – Pope Constantine becomes the 88th pope. He would be the last pope to vi ...
–
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil. Mötley Crüe has sold over 100 million albums ...
's
Tommy Lee
Thomas Lee Bass (born October 3, 1962) is an American musician and founding member of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. As well as being the band's long-term drummer, Lee founded rap metal band Methods of Mayhem and has pursued solo musical ...
is arrested for allegedly exposing his buttocks during a performance in
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta ( ), officially Augusta–Richmond County, is a consolidated city-county on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies across the Savannah River from South Carolina at the head of its navig ...
.
*
March 28
Events Pre-1600
* AD 37 – Roman emperor Caligula accepts the titles of the Principate, bestowed on him by the Senate.
* 193 – After assassinating the Roman Emperor Pertinax, his Praetorian Guards auction off the throne to Di ...
–
The Go-Go's
The Go-Go's are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. Except for short periods when other musicians joined briefly, the band has had a relatively stable lineup consisting of Charlotte Caffey on lead guitar and keyboards, Belind ...
reunite to play a benefit concert for the California Environmental Protection Act. They play several more reunion shows later in the year.
April–June
*
April 4
Events Pre-1600
* 503 BC – Roman consul Agrippa Menenius Lanatus celebrates a triumph for a military victory over the Sabines.
* 190 – Dong Zhuo has his troops evacuate the capital Luoyang and burn it to the ground.
* 611 – ...
– Gloria Estefan returns to Miami, Florida after undergoing back surgery following the March 20 accident.
*
April 5
Events Pre-1600
* 823 – Lothair I is crowned King of Italy by Pope Paschal I.
* 919 – The second Fatimid invasion of Egypt begins, when the Fatimid heir-apparent, al-Qa'im bi-Amr Allah, sets out from Raqqada at the head of his a ...
–
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
is awarded 'Artist of the Decade' by
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...
at the White House.
*
April 6
Events Pre–1600
*46 BC – Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato (Cato the Younger) at the Battle of Thapsus.
* 402 – Stilicho defeats the Visigoths under Alaric in the Battle of Pollentia.
*132 ...
– Mötley Crüe's
Tommy Lee
Thomas Lee Bass (born October 3, 1962) is an American musician and founding member of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. As well as being the band's long-term drummer, Lee founded rap metal band Methods of Mayhem and has pursued solo musical ...
suffers a mild concussion after falling off of scaffolding above his elevated drum kit during a performance in New Haven, Connecticut.
*
April 7
Events Pre-1600
* 451 – Attila the Hun captures Metz in France, killing most of its inhabitants and burning the town.
* 529 – First ''Corpus Juris Civilis'', a fundamental work in jurisprudence, is issued by Eastern Roman Empe ...
–
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Furay ...
,
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
,
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer Kristofferson (born June 22, 1936) is a retired American singer, songwriter and actor. Among his songwriting credits are "Me and Bobby McGee", " For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Nig ...
,
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album ''Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of ''Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (197 ...
,
John Mellencamp
John J. Mellencamp (born October 7, 1951), previously known as Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his catchy brand of heartland rock, which emphasizes traditional instrument ...
,
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKa ...
and
Jackson Browne
Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 18 million albums in the United States.
Emerging as a precocious teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he h ...
perform at
Farm Aid
Farm Aid is an annual benefit concert held for American farmers.
History
On July 13, 1985, while performing at the Live Aid benefit concert for the 1983–1985 Ethiopian famine, Bob Dylan made comments about family farmers within the United S ...
IV in
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
. John dedicates "Candle in the Wind" to AIDS patient
Ryan White
Ryan Wayne White (December 6, 1971 – April 8, 1990) was an American teenager from Kokomo, Indiana, who became a national poster child for HIV/AIDS in the United States after his school barred him from attending classes following a diagn ...
during his performance. White dies the following day.
*
April 13
Events Pre-1600
*1111 – Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
* 1204 – Constantinople falls to the Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade, temporarily ending the Byzantine Empire.
1601–1900
*1612 – In one of the epic samurai ...
–
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
starts her controversial
Blond Ambition Tour
The Blond Ambition World Tour (billed as Blond Ambition World Tour 90) was the third concert tour by American singer Madonna. It supported her fourth studio album '' Like a Prayer'' (1989), and the soundtrack album to the 1990 film ''Dick Tracy ...
in Tokyo, Japan.
*
April 16
Events Pre-1600
* 1457 BC – Battle of Megido - the first battle to have been recorded in what is accepted as relatively reliable detail.
* 69 – Defeated by Vitellius' troops at Bedriacum, Otho commits suicide.
* 73 – Masad ...
– A massive tribute concert is held at
Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium (branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 200 ...
for recently freed anti-
apartheid
Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...
activist
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...
, who appears in a pre-taped 45-minute speech at the event. Performers include
Anita Baker
Anita Denise Baker (born January 26, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. She is one of the most popular singers of soulful ballads, especially renowned for her work during the height of the quiet storm period in the 1980s. Starting her career ...
,
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman (born March 30, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter. Chapman is best known for her hit singles "Fast Car" and "Give Me One Reason".
Chapman was signed to Elektra Records by Bob Krasnow in 1987. The following year she released ...
,
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and activist. He rose to fame as the original lead singer of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis in 1975, he launched ...
,
The Neville Brothers
The Neville Brothers were an American R&B/soul/funk group, formed in 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
History
The group notion started in 1976, when the four brothers of the Neville family, Art (1937–2019), Charles (1938–2018), Aaron (b. 19 ...
and
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Furay ...
. The event is broadcast to 61 countries around the world.
*
April 24
Events Pre-1600
* 1479 BC – Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th dynasty).
* 1183 BC – Traditional reckoning of the Fall of Troy m ...
–
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...
is honored with a Star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...
.
*
April 25
Events Pre-1600
* 404 BC – Admiral Lysander and King Pausanias of Sparta blockade Athens and bring the Peloponnesian War to a successful conclusion.
* 775 – The Battle of Bagrevand puts an end to an Armenian rebellion against the ...
–
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
's
Fender Stratocaster, on which he performed his famous version of the "
Star Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the bo ...
" at
Woodstock
Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. ...
, is auctioned off in London for $295,000.
*
April 27
Events Pre-1600
* 247 – Philip the Arab marks the millennium of Rome with a celebration of the ''ludi saeculares''.
* 395 – Emperor Arcadius marries Aelia Eudoxia, daughter of the Frankish general Flavius Bauto. She becomes one of ...
–
Axl Rose
W. Axl Rose (born William Bruce Rose Jr.; born February 6, 1962) is an American musician. He is best known for being the lead vocalist and lyricist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, and has been the band's sole constant member since its incep ...
marries model Erin Everly, daughter of singer
Don Everly
The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (January 19, 1939 ...
, in a Las Vegas ceremony. Divorce papers are filed on May 24, then withdrawn, then filed again in October.
*
May 5
Events Pre-1600
* 553 – The Second Council of Constantinople begins.
*1215 – Rebel barons renounce their allegiance to King John of England — part of a chain of events leading to the signing of the Magna Carta.
* 1260 – Ku ...
– The 35th
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...
, held in
Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall
Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall ( hr, Koncertna dvorana Vatroslava Lisinskog) is a large concert hall and convention center in Zagreb, Croatia. It is named after Vatroslav Lisinski, a 19th-century Croatian composer. The building has a big hall wit ...
in
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
, is won by
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
singer
Toto Cutugno
Salvatore "Toto" Cutugno (; born 7 July 1943) is an Italian pop singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known for his worldwide hit song, "L'Italiano", released on his 1983 album of the same title. Cutugno also won the Eurovision Song Conte ...
for the song "
Insieme: 1992", Italy's first victory in the contest since 1964. At 46 years old, Cutugno becomes the oldest winner of the contest to date, a record he holds until 2001.
*
May 6
Events Pre-1600
* 1527 – Spanish and German troops sack Rome; many scholars consider this the end of the Renaissance.
*1536 – The Siege of Cuzco commences, in which Incan forces attempt to retake the city of Cuzco from the Spanis ...
–
Valery Leontiev
Valery Yakovlevich Leontiev (russian: link=no, Валерий Яковлевич Леонтьев; born 19 March 1949) is a Soviet and Russian pop singer, sometimes songwriter and actor whose popularity peaked in the early 1980s. He was titled a ...
show "It seems to me that I have not lived" in the
Olympic Stadium
''Olympic Stadium'' is the name usually given to the main stadium of an Olympic Games. An Olympic stadium is the site of the opening and closing ceremonies. Many, though not all, of these venues actually contain the words ''Olympic Stadium'' as ...
.
*
May 12
Events Pre-1600
* 254 – Pope Stephen I succeeds Pope Lucius I, becoming the 23rd pope of the Catholic Church, and immediately takes a stand against Novatianism.
* 907 – Zhu Wen forces Emperor Ai into abdicating, ending the Tang d ...
– First
Prague Spring International Music Festival
The Prague Spring International Music Festival ( cs, Mezinárodní hudební festival Pražské jaro, commonly cs, Pražské jaro, Prague Spring) is a classical music festival held every year in Prague, Czech Republic, with symphony orchestras an ...
following the
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution ( cs, Sametová revoluce) or Gentle Revolution ( sk, Nežná revolúcia) was a non-violent transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia, occurring from 17 November to 28 November 1989. Popular demonstrations agains ...
:
Rafael Kubelík
Rafael Jeroným Kubelík, KBE (29 June 1914 – 11 August 1996) was a Czech conductor and composer.
Son of a well-known violinist, Jan Kubelík, he was trained in Prague, and made his debut with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 1 ...
conducts the
Czech Philharmonic
The Česká filharmonie (Czech Philharmonic) is a symphony orchestra based in Prague. The orchestra's principal concert venue is the Rudolfinum.
History
The name "Czech Philharmonic Orchestra" appeared for the first time in 1894, as the title ...
orchestra in
Smetana's ''
Má vlast
''Má vlast'' (), also known as ''My Fatherland'', is a set of six symphonic poems composed between 1874 and 1879 by the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana. The six pieces, conceived as individual works, are often presented and recorded as a single ...
''.
*
May 18
Events Pre-1600
* 332 – Emperor Constantine the Great announces free distributions of food to the citizens in Constantinople.
* 872 – Louis II of Italy is crowned for the second time as Holy Roman Emperor at Rome, at the age of 4 ...
–
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
open their Urban Jungle European tour in
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...
, the Netherlands.
*
May 29
Events Pre-1600
* 363 – The Roman emperor Julian defeats the Sasanian army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Sasanian capital, but is unable to take the city.
* 1108 – Battle of Uclés: Almoravid troops under ...
**In Canada, Toronto police threaten to arrest Madonna if she performs her simulated
masturbation
Masturbation is the sexual stimulation of one's own genitals for sexual arousal or other sexual pleasure, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation may involve hands, fingers, everyday objects, sex toys such as vibrators, or combinatio ...
scene during her performance of "
Like a Virgin" on her
Blond Ambition Tour
The Blond Ambition World Tour (billed as Blond Ambition World Tour 90) was the third concert tour by American singer Madonna. It supported her fourth studio album '' Like a Prayer'' (1989), and the soundtrack album to the 1990 film ''Dick Tracy ...
. Madonna refuses to change her show, and the police decide not to press charges, later denying that they had ever threatened to do so (a claim refuted by footage captured during the filming of Madonna's 1991 documentary ''
Truth or Dare
Truth is the property of being in accord with fact or reality.Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionarytruth 2005 In everyday language, truth is typically ascribed to things that aim to represent reality or otherwise correspond to it, such as beliefs, ...
'').
**At the
Eurovision Young Musicians Competition 1990
The Eurovision Young Musicians 1990 was the fifth edition of the Eurovision Young Musicians, held at Musikverein in Vienna, Austria on 29 May 1990. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Österreichischer Rundfunk ...
finals, held at the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria, pianist
Nick van Oosterum of the Netherlands takes first place.
*
June 10
Events Pre-1600
* 671 – Emperor Tenji of Japan introduces a water clock ( clepsydra) called ''Rokoku''. The instrument, which measures time and indicates hours, is placed in the capital of Ōtsu.
*1190 – Third Crusade: Frederick I ...
– Members of
rap
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
group
2 Live Crew
2 Live Crew is an American hip hop music, hip hop group from Miami, Florida, which had its greatest commercial success from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. The group's most well-known line up was composed of Luther Campbell, Luke Campbell, Fr ...
are arrested and charged with
obscenity
An obscenity is any utterance or act that strongly offends the prevalent morality of the time. It is derived from the Latin ''obscēnus'', ''obscaenus'', "boding ill; disgusting; indecent", of uncertain etymology. Such loaded language can be use ...
after a performance in a
Hollywood, Florida
Hollywood is a city in southern Broward County, Florida, United States, located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. As of July 1, 2019, Hollywood had a population of 154,817. Founded in 1925, the city grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s, and is now ...
nightclub..
*
June 12
Events Pre-1600
* 910 – Battle of Augsburg: The Hungarians defeat the East Frankish army under King Louis the Child, using the famous feigned retreat tactic of the nomadic warriors.
* 1240 – At the instigation of Louis IX of Fr ...
–
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
releases her
debut
Debut or début (the first public appearance of a person or thing) may refer to:
* Debut (society), the formal introduction of young upper-class women to society
* Debut novel, an author's first published novel
Film and television
* ''The Debu ...
album, which would go on to top the
Billboard chart
The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...
for 11 consecutive weeks.
*
June 30
Events Pre-1600
* 296 – Pope Marcellinus begins his papacy.
* 763 – The Byzantine Empire, Byzantine army of emperor Constantine V defeats the First Bulgarian Empire, Bulgarian forces in the Battle of Anchialus (763), Battle of Anc ...
– Knebworth 1990, a one-off festival at
Knebworth Park
Knebworth is a village and civil parish in the north of Hertfordshire, England, immediately south of Stevenage. The civil parish covers an area between the villages of Datchworth, Woolmer Green, Codicote, Kimpton, Whitwell, St Paul's Walden ...
, England in support of
Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy. Participating musicians have all been winners of the
Silver Clef Award
The O2 Silver Clef Awards is an annual UK music awards lunch which has been running since 1976.
History
The Silver Clef fundraising committee was founded in 1976 by musicians and managers from across the British music industry, who wanted to hono ...
. The acts include headliners
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
,
Genesis
Genesis may refer to:
Bible
* Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind
* Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book of ...
,
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the English rock band Led Zeppelin for all of its existence from 1968 until 1980, when the band broke up following the ...
,
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
,
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Pick Withers (drums and percuss ...
,
Status Quo
is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regard to social, political, religious or military issues. In the sociological sense, the ''status quo'' refers to the current state of social structure and/or values. W ...
,
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...
and others.
July–September
*
July 7
Events Pre-1600
* 1124 – The city of Tyre falls to the Venetian Crusade after a siege of nineteen weeks.
* 1456 – A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her execution.
* 1520 – Spanish ''conquistado ...
–
The Three Tenors
The Three Tenors were an operatic singing trio, active during the 1990s and early 2000s, and termed as a supergroup (a title normally reserved for rock and pop groups) consisting of Italian Luciano Pavarotti and Spaniards Plácido Domingo and ...
give their first concert, at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome.
*
July 14
Events Pre-1600
* 982 – King Otto II and his Frankish army are defeated by the Muslim army of al-Qasim at Cape Colonna, Southern Italy.
* 1223 – Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father, Philip II.
* 1420 ...
–
Jean Michel Jarre
Jean-Michel André Jarre (; born 24 August 1948) is a French composer, performer and record producer. He is a pioneer in the electronic, ambient and new-age genres, and is known for organising outdoor spectacles featuring his music, accompanie ...
's concert
Paris la Defense
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Sin ...
attracts 2.5 million spectators.
*July 21 – Roger Waters and numerous guest stars stage a performance of
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
's ''The Wall'' in Berlin, Germany to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall eight months earlier. Scorpions (band), Scorpions, Cyndi Lauper, Thomas Dolby,
Sinéad O'Connor
Shuhada Sadaqat (born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor on 8 December 1966; ) is an Irish singer-songwriter. Her debut album, ''The Lion and the Cobra'', was released in 1987 and charted internationally. Her second album, ''I Do Not Want What ...
, The Band and Bryan Adams are among the performers.
*August 5 –
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
ends her controversial
Blond Ambition Tour
The Blond Ambition World Tour (billed as Blond Ambition World Tour 90) was the third concert tour by American singer Madonna. It supported her fourth studio album '' Like a Prayer'' (1989), and the soundtrack album to the 1990 film ''Dick Tracy ...
in Nice, France. The last date was aired live and broadcast on HBO in United States, and later released as Laser Disc only.
*August 13 – Curtis Mayfield is paralyzed from the neck down in an accident at an outdoor concert in Flatbush, Brooklyn, after stage lighting equipment collapses on top of him.
*August 19 – Leonard Bernstein conducts his final performance at Tanglewood; he suffers a coughing fit in the middle of one piece which almost brings the concert to a premature end.
*August 22 – James MacMillan's symphonic piece ''The Confession of Isobel Gowdie'' premieres at The Proms in London.
*August 24
**A judge rules that heavy metal music, heavy metal band Judas Priest is not responsible for the actions of two Nevada youths who shot themselves, one fatally, after listening to the band's music in December 1985.
**Irish singer
Sinéad O'Connor
Shuhada Sadaqat (born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor on 8 December 1966; ) is an Irish singer-songwriter. Her debut album, ''The Lion and the Cobra'', was released in 1987 and charted internationally. Her second album, ''I Do Not Want What ...
sparks controversy when she refuses to play a concert at the PNC Bank Arts Center, Garden State Arts Center in New Jersey unless the venue refrains from its tradition of playing a recording of the Star Spangled Banner, American national anthem before the performance. O'Connor is heavily criticized and her music is dropped from a number of radio stations as a result.
*August 27 – Guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan is killed in a helicopter crash following a concert at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin. He was 35.
*September 4 – Walter Yetnikoff steps down after fifteen years as President of Sony Music Entertainment, CBS Records.
*September 11 – After a decade of performing in the Francophone world, Celine Dion, Céline Dion makes her formal English-language debut in the United States with the release of her album ''Unison (Celine Dion album), Unison''.
*September 26 – The poorly received ''Cop Rock'' premieres on US television; it was TV's only musical police drama.
October–December
*October 9 – Leonard Bernstein announces his retirement from the conducting podium; he dies five days later.
*October 20 – A Florida jury acquits
2 Live Crew
2 Live Crew is an American hip hop music, hip hop group from Miami, Florida, which had its greatest commercial success from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. The group's most well-known line up was composed of Luther Campbell, Luke Campbell, Fr ...
of the obscenity charges stemming from a June 10 performance of their act known for its sexually explicit lyrics.
*October 22 – Pearl Jam, then named "Mookie Blaylock", play their first show as a band at the Off Ramp club in Seattle, Washington (state), Washington.
*October 27 –
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...
's "Black Cat (song), Black Cat" reaches number one. It was also the first song to simultaneously peak atop the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and Mainstream Rock (chart), Mainstream Rock chart.
*November 6 –
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
releases her new single, "Justify My Love". The accompanying Justify My Love (video), music video is banned by MTV amid international controversy over its sexually explicit content.
*November 21 –
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
frontman
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
finally marries longtime girlfriend Jerry Hall in a traditional Hindu ceremony on the island of Bali, although the wedding's legality is questionable.
*November 27 – Amid growing public skepticism towards the artistic integrity of dance-pop duo
Milli Vanilli
Milli Vanilli were a German-French R&B duo from Munich. The group was founded by Frank Farian in 1988 and consisted of Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus. Their debut album, '' All or Nothing'' in Europe, reconfigured as ''Girl You Know It's True'' in ...
as well as creative differences with frontmen Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus, music producer Frank Farian admits that Morvan and Pilatus had been Lip-synching in music, lip-synching all of their songs, including hits such as "Girl You Know It's True (song), Girl You Know It's True." In actuality, the tracks were composed and recorded by an ensemble of much older artists. Milli Vanilli's Grammy award for Best New Artist is voided in the ensuing fallout; accounts vary as to whether it was revoked or if Morvan and Pilatus returned it themselves.
*December 1 – American Broadcasting Company, ABC airs a television special accompanying the ''Red Hot + Blue'' benefit album in which contemporary pop performers reinterpret the songs of Cole Porter. The special includes video clips portraying the societal effects of AIDS.
*December 3 – Following the banning of her "Justify My Love (video), Justify My Love" music video by MTV, singer Madonna appears on ''Nightline (US news program), Nightline'' to defend the video.
*December 15 – Rod Stewart marries model Rachel Hunter.
*December 31 – The nineteenth annual Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest, New Year's Rockin' Eve special airs on ABC, with appearances by The Beach Boys, Bell Biv DeVoe, The Kentucky Headhunters, Nelson (band), Nelson, The O'Jays and Sweet Sensation (band), Sweet Sensation.
Also in 1990
*Fall – For the first time, Amy Grant and Gary Chapman (musician), Gary Chapman hold a night of music at their Franklin, Tennessee Riverstone Farm, for local teenagers. Performers included Rich Mullins, Rick Elias, Charlie Peacock, Wes King and Michael W. Smith. The event becomes known as "The Loft".
*Guitarists: Dan Nilsson & Micke Bargstörm, Bassist: Martin Persson & Drummer: Rille Even, all quit Opeth who were the original members of the band. David Isberg, the only remaining original member hires Guitarists: Mikael Åkerfeldt (who applied for a bassist position even when the band already had bassist causing friction but ended up as a guitarist) Andreas Dimeo, Bassist: Nick Döring & Drummer: Anders Nordin.
*Studio Fredman is built.
*Sons of Kyuss change their name to Kyuss and add new members, except for guitarist Joshua Homme, Josh Homme.
*After a hiatus of 7 years, rock group Styx (band), Styx reform to record a new album and tour without long-time guitarist Tommy Shaw, who was committed to Damn Yankees (band), Damn Yankees at the time.
*Tapes of the original William Walton score for the 1969 film ''Battle of Britain (film), Battle of Britain'' are rediscovered, having been lost since the score was abandoned in favour of one by Ron Goodwin.
Bands formed
*''See :Musical groups established in 1990, Musical groups established in 1990''
Bands disbanded
*''See :Musical groups disestablished in 1990, Musical groups disestablished in 1990''
Albums released
January–March
April–June
July–September
October–December
Release date unknown
*''1234 (Propaganda album), 1234'' – Propaganda (band), Propaganda
*''1888 (album), 1888'' – Death in June/Current 93
*''1990 (Daniel Johnston album), 1990'' – Daniel Johnston
*''2nd Avenue'' – Idle Cure
*''Anam (album), Anam'' – Clannad
*''Anonymous Bodies in an Empty Room'' – Swans (band), Swans
*''Anonymous Confessions of a Lunatic Friend'' - Bryan Duncan
*''The Apprentice (album), The Apprentice'' – John Martyn (musician), John Martyn
*''Are You Okay?'' – Was (Not Was)
*''As I Came of Age'' – Sarah Brightman
*''Bang! (Corey Hart album), Bang!'' – Corey Hart (singer), Corey Hart
*''Banking, Violence and the Inner Life Today'' – McCarthy (band), McCarthy
*''Because It's Christmas'' – Barry Manilow
*''Beers, Steers, and Queers'' – Revolting Cocks
*''Best of the West Rides Again'' – Riders in the Sky (band), Riders in the Sky
*''Beyond Thee Infinite Beat'' – Psychic TV
*''Blood Guts & Pussy'' – Dwarves (band), The Dwarves
*''Blue Pacific (album), Blue Pacific'' – Michael Franks (musician), Michael Franks
*''The Blues Brothers Band Live in Montreux'' – The Blues Brothers (live)
*''Bluesiana Triangle'' - Dr. John
*''Bonafide (Maxi Priest album), Bonafide'' – Maxi Priest
*''Brand New Heavies (album), Brand New Heavies'' – Brand New Heavies
*''Career of Evil: The Metal Years'' – Blue Öyster Cult
*''Chain Reaction'' – John Farnham
*''Christmas, Like a Lullaby'' – John Denver (12/90)
*''Classic Country Music: A Smithsonian Collection'' – Various Artists
*''The Collection (Kenny G album), The Collection'' – Kenny G
*''Concrete Jungle (Sway & King Tech album), Concrete Jungle'' – Sway & King Tech
*''Dare to Be Different (album), Dare to Be Different'' – Tommy Emmanuel
*''Debacle: The First Decade'' – Violent Femmes
*''Erpland'' – Ozric Tentacles
*''Everybody Wants to Shag... The Teardrop Explodes'' – The Teardrop Explodes
*''Evergreen Everblue'' – Raffi (musician), Raffi
*''Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions'' – Killing Joke
*''Fakebook (album), Fakebook'' – Yo La Tengo
*''Fist Sized Chunks'' – Skin Yard
*''The Flower That Shattered the Stone'' – John Denver (9/90)
*''From a Scream to a Whisper'' – Lowlife (band), Lowlife
*''Garista'' (re-release) – :zoviet*france:
*''Ghost (Ghost album), Ghost'' – Ghost (1984 band), Ghost
*''Gloryline'' – Dreams So Real
*''Greatest Hits 1977–1990'' – The Stranglers
*''Groovy, Laidback and Nasty'' – Cabaret Voltaire (band), Cabaret Voltaire
*''Heartbeats Accelerating'' – Kate and Anna McGarrigle
*''Hell with the Lid Off'' – MC 900 Ft. Jesus
*''Here Comes Trouble (Scatterbrain album), Here Comes Trouble'' – Scatterbrain (band), Scatterbrain
*''High Wire'' – Ernie Isley
*''Hispanic Causing Panic'' – Frost (rapper), Kid Frost (7/10/90)
*''Holy Soldier'' – Holy Soldier
*''Home (Hothouse Flowers album), Home'' – Hothouse Flowers
*''Horse Opera (album), Horse Opera'' – Riders in the Sky (band), Riders in the Sky
*''The House of Love (1990 album), The House of Love'' – The House of Love
*''Hot Chocolate Massage'' – Tiny Lights
*''Iced Earth (album), Iced Earth'' – Iced Earth (debut) – Released in Europe only (11/90)
*''In Scarlet Storm'' – David Zaffiro
*''I've Got That Old Feeling'' – Alison Krauss
*''Knock, Breath, Shine'' – Jacob's Trouble
*''The Last Temptation of Reid'' – Lard (band), Lard
*''Live at the China Club'' – Dramarama
*''Live at the Roxy Club'' – Sham 69
*''Lofcaudio'' – Mastedon
*''Lost Souls (The Raindogs album), Lost Souls'' – The Raindogs
*''Love Is Strange (album), Love Is Strange'' – Kenny Rogers
*''Lovers Who Wander'' – The Del-Lords
*''The Lyrical Strength of One Street Poet'' – Danny Rodriguez, D-Boy Rodriguez
*''The Massacre (The Exploited album), The Massacre'' – The Exploited
*''Craig McLachlan & Check 1–2'' – Craig McLachlan & Check 1–2
*''Meet Julie Miller'' – Julie Miller
*''Mek We Dweet'' - Burning Spear
*''Merci (Florent Pagny album), Merci'' – Florent Pagny
*''Midnight Radio'' – Big Head Todd and the Monsters
*''Motive (Red Box album), Motive'' – Red Box (band), Red Box
*''Neighbourhood Threat'' – Johnny Crash (band), Johnny Crash (debut)
*''A Night on the Town (Bruce Hornsby album), A Night on the Town'' – Bruce Hornsby, Bruce Hornsby and the Range
*''Nineteen 90'' – Regine Velasquez
*''Once Dead (album), Once Dead'' – Vengeance Rising
*''Other Voices (Paul Young album), Other Voices'' – Paul Young (singer and guitarist), Paul Young (6/4/90)
*''Oh Suzi Q.'' – Suzi Quatro
*''Paintings in My Mind'' – Tommy Page
*''Party of One'' – Nick Lowe
*''Pentagram'' – Mezarkabul
*''Plus Signs'' – Burton Cummings
*''Powerhouse (White Heart album), Powerhouse'' – White Heart
*''Reflections'' – The Shadows (final studio album)
*''Return to Samoa'' – Angry Samoans
*''Rick Elias and the Confessions'' – Rick Elias
*''Round the Outside, Round the Outside'' – Malcolm McLaren
*''Sack Full of Silver'' – Thin White Rope
*''Seasons of Love (album), Seasons of Love'' – Mad at the World
*''Set the Booty Up Right'' (EP) – Fishbone
*''Shadow in Dreams'' – Dennis Rea
*''Shake Your Soul'' – Baton Rouge
*''She Hangs Brightly'' – Mazzy Star (5/21/90)
*''Skellington (album), Skellington'' – Julian Cope
*''Skywriting (album), Skywriting'' – The Field Mice
*''Slap!'' – Chumbawamba
*''Slappy (album), Slappy'' – Green Day
*''Sons of Kyuss'' – Kyuss (debut)
*''Space Bandits'' – Hawkwind (9/24/90)
*''A Spy in the House of Love (album), A Spy in the House of Love'' – The House of Love
*''Sticks and Stones (The 77s album), Sticks and Stones'' – The 77s
*''Stiletto (album), Stiletto'' – Lita Ford
*''Strap It On (album), Strap It On'' – Helmet (band), Helmet
*''Sylentiger'' – Trytan
*''Taking Drugs to Make Music to Take Drugs To'' – Spacemen 3
*''Ten Commandments (Ozzy Osbourne album), Ten Commandments'' – Ozzy Osbourne Compilation
*''Toy Matinee'' – Toy Matinee
*''Turned On'' – Rollins Band
*''Unfun'' – Jawbreaker (band), Jawbreaker
*''Unnatural History (album), Unnatural History'' – Coil (band), Coil
*''Untitled album by :$OVIET:FRANCE:'' – Zoviet France, :$OVIET:FRANCE: (re-release)
*''The Vegetarians of Love'' – Bob Geldof
*''Volume 2 (Reagan Youth), Volume 2'' – Reagan Youth
*''Waiting for Cousteau'' –
Jean Michel Jarre
Jean-Michel André Jarre (; born 24 August 1948) is a French composer, performer and record producer. He is a pioneer in the electronic, ambient and new-age genres, and is known for organising outdoor spectacles featuring his music, accompanie ...
*''Walkin' in Faith'' – Angelica
*''Weapons of our Warfare'' – Deliverance (metal band) , Deliverance
*''Women in the Room'' – Zachary Richard
*''The Wonder'' – Tom Verlaine
*''World Power'' – Snap!
*''The Youth Are Getting Restless'' (live) – Bad Brains
Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highest positions in the charts of 1990.
Top 40 chart hit singles
Other chart hit singles
Notable singles
Other notable singles
Charts uk. Top singles 1990
* United States: List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1990 (U.S.)
* Canada: RPM number-one hits of 1990, RPM number-one albums of 1990
Other significant singles
*"Little Fluffy Clouds" – The Orb (Sampling led to legal action.)
*Sampling copyright debate continues over the Soho (band), Soho single ''Hippychick'', which uses a sample from ''How Soon Is Now?'' by The Smiths.
Published popular music
* "Keep It Together (Madonna song), Keep It Together" w.m. Stephen Bray &
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
* "The Simpsons theme song" m. Danny Elfman
Top ten best albums of the year
All albums have been named albums of the year for their hits in the charts.
# Depeche Mode – ''Violator (album), Violator''
# Pixies (band), Pixies – ''Bossanova (Pixies album), Bossanova''
# Megadeth – ''Rust in Peace''
# Jane's Addiction – ''Ritual de lo Habitual''
# Cocteau Twins – ''Heaven Or Las Vegas''
# Ride (band), Ride – ''Nowhere (album), Nowhere''
# Public Enemy (group), Public Enemy – ''Fear of a Black Planet''
# Happy Mondays – ''Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches''
# Sonic Youth – ''Goo (album), Goo''
# The La's – ''The La's (album), The La's''
Classical music
*Mario Davidovsky
**''Biblical Songs'' for soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano
**''Concertante'' for string quartet and orchestra
*Thomas Demenga – ''Solo per due'', for cello and orchestra
*Lorenzo Ferrero
**''Cadenza'', for clarinet and marimba
**''Discanto sulla musica sull'acqua di Handel''
**''Four Modern Dances'', for small orchestra
**''Musica per un paesaggio'', for small orchestra
**''Rock my Tango'', for piano solo
*Henryk Górecki
**''Good Night, Op. 63'', for soprano, alto flute, piano and three tam-tams
**Intermezzo, for piano
*John Harbison – ''The Flight into Egypt'' (cantata)
*Chris Harman – ''Iridescence'', for 24 strings
*Paul Lansky – ''Smalltalk''
*Alvin Lucier – ''Music for Piano with One or More Snare Drums''
*Witold Lutosławski – ''Chantefleurs et chantefables'' for Soprano and Orchestra
*John McCabe (composer), John McCabe – Flute Concerto
*James MacMillan
**''The Confession of Isobel Gowdie''
**''The Berserking''
*Meredith Monk – ''Book Of Days''
*John Pickard (composer), John Pickard – ''The Flight of Icarus''
*Carl Vine – Piano Sonata No. 1 (Vine), Piano Sonata No. 1
*Takashi Yoshimatsu – Symphony No. 1 ''Kamui-Chikap''
*John Zorn – ''The Dead Man''
Opera
*Gerald Barry (composer), Gerald Barry – ''The Intelligence Park''
*Azio Corghi – ''Blimunda''
*Mark Lanz Weiser – ''Purgatory'' (chamber opera, based on a play by William Butler Yeats)
Jazz
Musical theater
* ''Aspects of Love'' (Andrew Lloyd Webber) – Broadway production opened at the Broadhurst Theatre and ran for 377 performances
* ''Bran Nue Dae'' (Jimmy Chi)
* ''A Change in the Heir'' – Broadway production opened at the Edison Theatre and closed after only two weeks
* ''Five Guys Named Moe'' – London production
* ''Into the Woods'' London production opened on September 25 and ran for 197 performances. Starring Julia McKenzie and Imelda Staunton.
*''Once on This Island'' – Broadway production opened at the Booth Theatre and ran for 469 performances
* ''Shogun'' – Broadway production opened at the Marquis Theatre and ran for 72 performances
* ''Sunday in the Park with George'' (Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine) – London production
* ''Truly Blessed'' – Broadway production opened at the Longacre Theatre and ran for one month
Musical films
*''Alissa in Concert''
*''Cry-Baby''
*''Graffiti Bridge (film), Graffiti Bridge''
*''His Highness Abdullah''
*''Thazhvaram''
Awards
*Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee: Tennessee Ernie Ford
*Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees: Hank Ballard, Bobby Darin, The Four Seasons (band), The Four Seasons, The Four Tops, The Kinks, The Platters, Simon & Garfunkel and The Who
*1990 Country Music Association Awards
*Grammy Awards of 1990
*Eurovision Song Contest 1990:
Toto Cutugno
Salvatore "Toto" Cutugno (; born 7 July 1943) is an Italian pop singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known for his worldwide hit song, "L'Italiano", released on his 1983 album of the same title. Cutugno also won the Eurovision Song Conte ...
*Luc Ferrari wins the ''International Koussevitzky Prize for Recordings'' for his composition ''Histoire du plaisir et de la désolation''
*Juno Awards: Best Composer: David Tyson/Christopher Ward
*Dalida is posthumous recognition, posthumously awarded the International Diploma by the "International Star Registry" (USA), three years after her death.
''Dalida: Entre violon et amour''
by Isaline, Éditions Publibook, 2002, p. 127. . , retrieved December 29, 2009
*Scottish composer Thomas Wilson (composer), Thomas Wilson is appointed a CBE.
*Kumar Sanu wins the Filmfare Best Male Playback Award
*Anuradha Paudwal wins the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award
*32nd Japan Record Awards
Glenn Gould Prize
*Yehudi Menuhin (laureate)
Music festivals
*In Australia, the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival is founded by Michael Easton (composer), Michael Easton and Len Vorster.
Births
*January 9 – Di Genius, Jamaican singer, producer, and dj
*January 10 – Nicolas Jaar, Chilean American composer and recording artist, works with FKA Twigs.
*January 14 – Grant Gustin, American actor and singer (Glee)
*January 22 – Logic (musician), American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer.
*January 25 – Thomas Berge, Dutch singer
*February 1 – Laura Marling, British folk-pop singer-songwriter
*February 3 – Sean Kingston, American-Jamaican R&B artist
*February 6
Events Pre-1600
* 1579 – The Archdiocese of Manila is made a diocese by a papal bull with Domingo de Salazar being its first bishop.
1601–1900
* 1685 – James II of England and VII of Scotland is proclaimed King upon the death of ...
- Georgia (musician), English record producer, songwriter, singer, rapper and drummer.
*February 10 – Sooyoung, SooYoung, a member of nine-piece K-pop, Korean pop girl group Girls' Generation
*February 16
Events Pre-1600
* 1249 – Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khagan of the Mongol Empire.
* 1270 – Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeats the Livonian Order in the Battle of Kar ...
– The Weeknd, Canadian singer, songwriter, rapper, producer (Selena Gomez, Bella Hadid)
*February 18 – Choi Sung-Bong, Korean singer
*February 28 - Olivia Jean, American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. (She is known as the lead singer and guitarist of the all-female "garage goth" rock band, the Black Belles)
*March 9 – YG (rapper), American rapper
*March 17
** Hozier (musician), Irish singer-songwriter and musician
** Kai (Canadian singer), Canadian singer-songwriter (Flume)
*March 20
Events Pre-1600
* 673 – Emperor Emperor Tenmu, Tenmu of Japan assumes the Chrysanthemum Throne at the Asuka, Yamato#Imperial Palaces, Palace of Kiyomihara in Asuka, Yamato, Asuka.
*1206 – Michael IV of Constantinople, Michael IV Au ...
– Tessa Violet, American singer-songwriter, musician, activist and YouTuber
*March 22
** Claire Huangci, American pianist
** Lisa Mitchell, English-born Australian singer-songwriter
*March 26 – Xiumin, South Korean singer (Exo (group), EXO)
*March 27 – Kimbra, New Zealand singer-songwriter/guitarist
*April 2 – Roscoe Dash, American rapper
*April 8 – Kim Jong-hyun (singer), Jonghyun, South Korean singer-songwriter, record producer and actor (D. 2017)
*April 10 – Maren Morris, American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer
*April 20 – Luhan, Chinese singer-songwriter
*April 21 – Nadya Dorofeeva, Ukrainian singer
*April 22 – Machine Gun Kelly (rapper), American rapper, singer, musician and actor (Megan Fox)
* April 24
Events Pre-1600
* 1479 BC – Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th dynasty).
* 1183 BC – Traditional reckoning of the Fall of Troy m ...
- Carly Pearce, American country music singer and songwriter
*April 29 – Loick Essien, British singer
*May 12
Events Pre-1600
* 254 – Pope Stephen I succeeds Pope Lucius I, becoming the 23rd pope of the Catholic Church, and immediately takes a stand against Novatianism.
* 907 – Zhu Wen forces Emperor Ai into abdicating, ending the Tang d ...
- Shungudzo, a Zimbabwean-American singer, songwriter, former gymnast, and reality television personality.
*May 14 - Sasha Spielberg], American actress and singer known by her stage name of Buzzy Lee.
*May 17 - I_o (musician), American electronic dance music DJ and record producer. (D. 2020)
*May 26 – Nadia Oh, English singer, producer rapper, songwriter and model
*May 27 - Chris Colfer, American singer, author and actor
*May 30
** Yoona, YoonA, South Korean singer and actress, member of Girls' Generation
** Phillipa Soo, American actress and singer.
*June 4 – Zac Farro, American musician, drummer, singer-songwriter and multi instrumentalist (Hayley Williams, Paramore)
* June 5 – DJ Mustard, American producer, DJ,
*June 6
**Raisa Andriana, Indonesian singer
**Mike G, American rapper (Odd Future)
*June 7 – Iggy Azalea, Australian rapper
*June 14 – Starrah, American songwriter, singer and rapper
*June 16 – John Newman (singer), English musician, singer, songwriter and record producer
*June 18 – Raleigh Ritchie, English actor, singer-songwriter, rapper, and record producer
*June 19
** Jason Dy, Filipino singer
** Moses Sumney, American singer-songwriter, musician
*June 20 – Iselin Solheim, Norwegian singer and songwriter
*June 23 - Sasami, American singer-songwriter and musician.
*June 25
** Makj, American dj
*June 29 – Laura Macrì, Sicilian-Italian soprano singer (Mayan (band))
*July 4 – Fredo Santana, American rapper (d.2018)
*July 6 – Meg Mac, Australian singer-songwriter and musician
*July 10 – Talay Riley, British singer-songwriter, producer
*July 12 – Maverick Sabre, British singer-songwriter
*July 15 – Olly Alexander, English singer-songwriter, musician, producer
*July 16
** James Maslow, American actor, singer (Big Time Rush (band), Big Time Rush)
** Paula Rojo, Spanish singer and songwriter.
** Wizkid, Nigerian singer
*July 19 – GFOTY, British EDM Pop singer with PC music
*July 23 – Dagny (singer), Norwegian pop singer
*July 24
** Ben McKenzie (Australian Idol), Ben McKenzie, Australian Idol contestant, singer, actor
** Jay McGuiness, British singer, songwriter and dancer, former member of The Wanted
*July 28 – Soulja Boy, American rapper
*July 29 - Kat Dahlia Cuban-American R&B Latin Pop rapper, singer-songwriter and recording artist.
*August 13 – Shila Amzah, Malaysian singer
*August 15
** Jennifer Lawrence, American singer/actress
** BloodPop – American musician, record producer, and songwriter (Worked with Britney Spears, Ariana Grande, Madonna, Lady Gaga)
*August 16 – Rina Sawayama, Japanese-British singer-songwriter and model.
* August 18 - Tommy Genesis, Canadian rapper, model and artist
*August 21 – Bo Burnham, American comedian and musician
*August 23 – A.G. Cook, British singer-songwriter, music producer and head of record label PC Music. (Charli XCX)
*August 30 – Julia Jacklin, Australian singer-songwriter and musician
*September 3 – iza (singer), IZA, Brazilian singer-songwriter
*September 4 – James Bay (singer), English singer-songwriter and guitarist
*September 9 - Haley Reinhart, American singer and songwriter
* September 11 – Alex Cameron (musician), Alex Cameron, Australian musician
*September 18 – Sam Perry (looping artist), Australian singer-songwriter and looping artist
*September 19
Bjarki
Icelandic electronic music composer
*September 20 – Phillip Phillips, American jazz singer-songwriter, guitarist and sometime actor
*September 21 – Phoebe Ryan, American singer-songwriter
*September 22 - Sorcha Richardson, Irish singer-songwriter
*September 27 – Mitski, Japanese-American singer-songwriter and musician
*October 1 – Charlie McDonnell, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (Chameleon Circuit (band), Chameleon Circuit)
*October 4 – Saki (musician), Saki, Japanese guitarist and songwriter (Mary's Blood)
*October 5 - Taylour Paige, American singer and dancer
*October 7 – Seinabo Sey, Swedish recording artist and songwriter
*October 11 – Behzod Abduraimov, Uzbek classical pianist
*October 20 - Andrew Watt (record producer), American record producer, singer, musician, and songwriter (Miley Cyrus, Camilla Cabello, 5 Seconds Of Summer, Charlotte Lawrence)
*October 23 – Stan Walker, Australian-New Zealand singer-songwriter, activist, actor and television personality
*October 31 – JID, American rapper and songwriter
*November 2 – Kendall Schmidt, American actor, singer (Big Time Rush (band), Big Time Rush, Hilary Duff)
*November 6 – Kris Wu, Chinese singer-songwriter
*November 7 – Matt Corby, Australian singer-songwriter
*November 8 – SZA (singer), American singer/songwriter
*November 18
**Jackie Thomas (singer), Jackie Thomas, New Zealand singer
**Myk Perez, Filipino singer
*November 26
** Rita Ora, British singer
** Chipmunk (rapper), Chip, British rapper
** tofubeats, Japanese singer, producer and DJ
*November 27 – Blackbear (musician), blackbear, American rapper, producer, singer
*December 11 – Hyolyn, Korean singer and dancer
*December 20 – JoJo (singer), JoJo, American singer, songwriter, activist and actress
*December 21 – Holiday Sidewinder, Australian singer-songwriter, musician and record producer
*December 23 – Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, American singer and actress (Demi Lovato)
*December 26
**Jon Bellion, American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer.
**Illenium, American DJ and record producer
*December 28 – David Archuleta, Season 7 American Idol runner-up
*December 29 - Nightbirde, American singer-songwriter (d. 2022)
Unknown: Danny L Harle, British music producer and composer (PC Music)
Deaths
*January 3 – Arthur Gold, American pianist, 72
*January 7 – Jimmy Van Heusen, composer and songwriter, 77
*January 18
Events Pre-1600
* 474 – Seven-year-old Leo II succeeds his maternal grandfather Leo I as Byzantine emperor. He dies ten months later.
* 532 – Nika riots in Constantinople fail.
* 1126 – Emperor Huizong abdicates the Chi ...
– Melanie Appleby of British duo Mel and Kim, 23 (liver cancer)
*January 19 – Semprini, pianist and broadcaster, 81
*January 28 – Puma Jones, American singer, 36 (breast cancer)
*January 23 – Allen Collins, Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist, 37 (complications from pneumonia)
*February 1 – Peter Racine Fricker, composer, 69
*February 2 – Mel Lewis, drummer and bandleader, 60 (cancer)
*February 8 – Del Shannon, singer-songwriter, 55 (suicide by shotgun)
*February 14
Events Pre-1600
* 748 – Abbasid Revolution: The Hashimi rebels under Abu Muslim Khorasani take Merv, capital of the Umayyad province Khorasan, marking the consolidation of the Abbasid revolt.
* 842 – Charles the Bald and Louis ...
– Tony Holiday, German singer, 38 (AIDS-related illness)
*February 15 – George Suranovich, drummer (Love (band), Love, Eric Burdon, Chuck Berry), 45 (heart attack)
*February 16
Events Pre-1600
* 1249 – Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khagan of the Mongol Empire.
* 1270 – Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeats the Livonian Order in the Battle of Kar ...
- Keith Haring, iconic graffiti artists and AIDS activist
*February 24
Events Pre-1600
* 484 – King Huneric of the Vandals replaces Nicene bishops with Arian ones, and banishes some to Corsica.
* 1303 – The English are defeated at the Battle of Roslin, in the First War of Scottish Independence.
* 13 ...
– Johnnie Ray, singer, 63 (liver failure)
*February 26 – Cornell Gunter, R&B singer, 53 (gunshot wound)
*March 6 – Mala (Pakistani singer), Mala, singer, 50
*March 11 – Muriel Dickson, operatic soprano, 86
*March 16
Events Pre-1600
* 934 – Meng Zhixiang declares himself emperor and establishes Later Shu as a new state independent of Later Tang.
*1190 – Massacre of Jews at Clifford's Tower, York.
* 1244 – Over 200 Cathars who refuse ...
– Andrew Wood (singer), Andrew Wood, singer (Mother Love Bone), 24 (heroin overdose)
*March 17 – Ric Grech, bassist (Family (band), Family, Blind Faith), 43 (brain haemorrhage)
*April 3 – Sarah Vaughan, American jazz singer, 66 (lung cancer)
*April 25
Events Pre-1600
* 404 BC – Admiral Lysander and King Pausanias of Sparta blockade Athens and bring the Peloponnesian War to a successful conclusion.
* 775 – The Battle of Bagrevand puts an end to an Armenian rebellion against the ...
– Dexter Gordon, jazz saxophonist, 67
*May 1 – Sergio Franchi, Italian-American tenor/actor, 64 (brain cancer)
*May 8 – Luigi Nono (composer), Luigi Nono, composer, 66
*May 16 – Sammy Davis, Jr., American entertainer, 64
*June 3 – Stiv Bators, punk musician, 40 (concussion)
*June 5 – Richard Sohl, pianist (Patti Smith, Patti Smith Group), 37 (heart failure)
*June 6 – Joe Loss, English bandleader, 80
*June 14 – Erna Berger, operatic soprano, 89
*June 15 – Jim Hodder (musician), Jim Hodder, Steely Dan drummer, 42 (drowning)
*June 16 – Dame Eva Turner, operatic soprano, 98
*June 21
**June Christy, American singer, 64 (renal failure)
**Elizabeth Harwood, operatic soprano, 52 (cancer)
*June 22 – Kripp Johnson, American singer (The Del-Vikings), 54
*June 25 – Peggy Glanville-Hicks, composer, 77
*July 2 – Snooky Lanson, American singer, 76
*July 7
Events Pre-1600
* 1124 – The city of Tyre falls to the Venetian Crusade after a siege of nineteen weeks.
* 1456 – A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her execution.
* 1520 – Spanish ''conquistado ...
– Cazuza, singer and composer, 32 (AIDS-related)
*July 15 – Trouble T Roy, hip-hop dancer, 22 (fall from stage)
*July 16 – Sidney Torch, pianist, Theatre organ, cinema organist, conductor, orchestral arranger and composer
*July 18 – Gerry Boulet, Canadian singer-songwriter (Offenbach (band), Offenbach), 44 (colon cancer)
*July 26 – Brent Mydland, keyboardist (Grateful Dead), 37 (drug overdose)
*August 3 – M. Ranga Rao, Indian film composer and music director
*August 14 – Lafayette Leake, blues and jazz pianist, organist, vocalist and composer, 71
*August 15 – Viktor Tsoi, Russian singer of Kino (band), Kino, 28 (car accident)
*August 15 – Ingrid Lang-Fagerström, Swedish harpist, 92
*August 17 – Pearl Bailey, singer, 72
*August 27 – Stevie Ray Vaughan, American blues guitarist performer, 35 (helicopter crash)
*September 2 – Sari Biro, pianist, 78
*September 6 – Tom Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival), 48 (AIDS-related)
*September 13 – Phil Napoleon, jazz trumpeter, 89
*October 3 – Eleanor Steber, operatic soprano, 76
*October 4 – Ray Stephens (singer), Ray Stephens, a onetime member of The Village People, 35
*October 6
**Asser Fagerström, pianist, composer and actor, 78
**Danny Rodriguez, Christian rap artist, 22 (shot)
*October 8 – B. J. Wilson, drummer of Procol Harum, 43 (pneumonia after three years in a coma)
*October 14 – Leonard Bernstein, American composer and conductor, 72 (pneumonia and a pleural tumor)
*October 16
**Art Blakey, jazz drummer, 71
**Jorge Bolet, pianist, 75
*October 27 – Xavier Cugat, violinist, bandleader and arranger, 90
*October 31 – M. L. Vasanthakumari, Carnatic musician and playback singer, 62
*November 3 – Mary Martin, US singer and actress, 76
*November 10 – Ronnie Dyson, soul singer and actor
*December 2 – Aaron Copland, American composer
*December 7 – Dee Clark, singer, 52 (heart attack)
*December 18 – Paul Tortelier, cellist, 76
See also
* 1990 in music (UK)
* :Record labels established in 1990, Record labels established in 1990
* Timeline of musical events
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:1990 In Music
1990 in music,
20th century in music
Music by year