Lists of the number one and top·ranked Alternative Rock Songs of 1990
| Title | Artist | Weeks at #1 | Starting Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blues From A Gun | The Jesus And Mary Chain | 2 weeks | 1990-01-06 |
| House | The Psychedelic Furs | 3 weeks | 1990-01-20 |
| Cuts You Up | Peter Murphy | 7 weeks | 1990-02-10 |
| Nothing Compares 2 U | Sinead O'Connor | 1 week | 1990-03-31 |
| Blue Sky Mine | Midnight Oil | 1 week | 1990-04-07 |
| Metropolis | The Church | 1 week | 1990-04-14 |
| Enjoy The Silence | Depeche Mode | 3 weeks | 1990-04-21 |
| The Emperor's New Clothes | Sinead O'Connor | 1 week | 1990-05-12 |
| Forgotten Years | Midnight Oil | 1 week | 1990-05-19 |
| Here's Where The Story Ends | The Sundays | 1 week | 1990-05-26 |
| Policy Of Truth | Depeche Mode | 1 week | 1990-06-02 |
| Way Down Now | World Party | 5 weeks | 1990-06-09 |
| Joey | Concrete Blonde | 4 weeks | 1990-07-14 |
| Jealous | Gene Loves Jezebel | 2 weeks | 1990-08-11 |
| I'll Be Your Chauffeur | David J | 1 week | 1990-08-18 |
| Stop! | Jane's Addiction | 2 weeks | 1990-09-01 |
| Every Beat Of The Heart | The Railway Children | 1 week | 1990-09-08 |
| Suicide Blonde | INXS | 1 week | 1990-09-22 |
| Never Enough | The Cure | 3 weeks | 1990-09-29 |
| Merry Go Round | The Replacements | 4 weeks | 1990-10-13 |
| Been Caught Stealing | Jane's Addiction | 4 weeks | 1990-10-27 |
| More | Sisters Of Mercy | 5 weeks (3 week(s) in 1990) | 1990-12-15 |
| 22 total | |||
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The countdown below comes straight from Billboard Magazine's year·end edition of the top 30 Modern Rock Tracks of 1990.
Bear in mind, Billboard takes their ranking from November of the previous year, to November of the current year, so this method won't be accurate for any calendar year.
| Rank | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Cuts You Up | Peter Murphy |
| 2. | Policy Of Truth | Depeche Mode |
| 3. | Here's Where The Story Ends | The Sundays |
| 4. | Metropolis | The Church |
| 5. | The Emperor's New Clothes | Sinead O‹ Connor |
| 6. | Nothing Compares 2 U | Sinead O‹ Connor |
| 7. | No Myth | Michael Penn |
| 8. | Head On | The Jesus And Mary Chain |
| 9. | Love And Anger | Kate Bush |
| 10. | Way Down Now | World Party |
| 11. | Joey | Concrete Blonde |
| 12. | I'm Free | The Soup Dragons |
| 13. | Proud To Fall | Ian McCulloch |
| 14. | Standing There | The Creatures |
| 15. | Forgotten Years | Midnight Oil |
| 16. | Jealous | Gene Loves Jezebel |
| 17. | I Don't Know Why I Love You | The House Of Love |
| 18. | Enjoy The Silence | Depeche Mode |
| 19. | House | The Psychedelic Furs |
| 20. | Blue Sky Mine | Midnight Oil |
| 21. | Deliverance | The Mission UK |
| 22. | Fools Gold | The Stone Roses |
| 23. | Give It Up | Hothouse Flowers |
| 24. | Blues From A Gun | The Jesus And Mary Chain |
| 25. | Roam | The B · 52's |
| 26. | I'll Be Your Chauffeur | David J. |
| 27. | Never Enough | The Cure |
| 28. | Birdhouse In Your Soul | They Might Be Giants |
| 29. | The Crying Scene | Aztec Camera |
| 30. | Type | Living Colour |
source: Billboard Magazine back issue from December 22, 1990
<< Previous Year's Billboard Year End Countdown | Next Year's Billboard Year End Countdown >>
KROQ gets credit as the very first Modern Rock radio station ever! At year's end starting in 1980, KROQ ranked the top "106.7" songs of each year, based on votes by their listeners. The 106.7 comes from their place on the FM dial.
Instead of listing the chart, just follow the link below to go directly to the website providing the chart.
Bear in mind, the ranking has a year·end bias, as the top·ranked songs tended to be the ones most heavily played toward the end of the year.
<< Previous Year For KROQ | KROQ's Top 106.7 songs of 1990 | Next Year For KROQ >>
91X, another early Modern Rock station from San Diego, also made a listener·based year·end countdown. 91X ranked their top 91 songs each year, beginning in 1983.
Follow the link below to go directly to the website providing the chart.
<< Previous Year For 91X | 91X Top 91 songs of 1990 | Next Year For 91X >>
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