Songs that reach the coveted number-one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 are often hailed long after the peak date on various compilations and retrospectives, but let's take some time to honor the songs that fell just short of the summit.

We'll start with the very first #2 peak of the 1990s...

"Rhythm Nation" - Janet Jackson
Peak date: December 30, 1989 - January 13, 1990 (3 weeks)
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Another Day in Paradise" - Phil Collins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAwaNWGLM0c

Janet had no reason to worry, however, as her album Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 would go on to yield 3 more #1s with "Escapade", "Black Cat", and "Love Will Never Do (Without You)". As a matter of fact, all 7 singles from this album peaked within the Top 4 on the Hot 100. It is so far the only album to achieve this feat.

Nice topic. I don't have to add a song now but there is a book called "The Billboard Book of Number Two Singles" for those who are interested in that sort of thing. 

Nice topic. I don't have to add a song now but there is a book called "The Billboard Book of Number Two Singles" for those who are interested in that sort of thing.


Thanks for the info. That could be an interesting read...I'm all about charts and trivia. I wonder if my local library has it.

Thanks for the info. That could be an interesting read...I'm all about charts and trivia. I wonder if my local library has it.


I used to be, I still have a "Billboard top 40" book by Joel Whitburn, in fact I have borrowed several of his books from the library over time. What is a lot harder to find are similar books that address Canadian charts. (Since I am in Canada, that interests me)

Next up...

"Pump Up the Jam" - Technotronic
Peak date: January 20 - January 27, 1990 (2 weeks)
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" - Michael Bolton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EcjWd-O4jI

These kinds of dance/hip-hop songs are what helped the '90s begin to distinguish themselves from the '80s, in my opinion. Although this particular style did not last long and is now a relic of the early '90s. But that helps make it one of the more memorable #2 hits from 1990.

Next up...

"Pump Up the Jam" - Technotronic
Peak date: January 20 - January 27, 1990 (2 weeks)
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" - Michael Bolton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EcjWd-O4jI

These kinds of dance/hip-hop songs are what helped the '90s begin to distinguish themselves from the '80s, in my opinion. Although this particular style did not last long and is now a relic of the early '90s. But that helps make it one of the more memorable #2 hits from 1990.

Michael Bolton beat this?  :o  I have always liked Technotronic.  They have fun songs.

Nice topic. I don't have to add a song now but there is a book called "The Billboard Book of Number Two Singles" for those who are interested in that sort of thing.

I too find this stuff interesting.  Every time I discover an artist, usually its someone that's been around for a while, I look at their billboard charted songs and albums.  I also like to look back for artists I'm more familiar with and compare the charts to see what I feel is truly their most successful work.  Fun stuff.  :)

Nice topic. I don't have to add a song now but there is a book called "The Billboard Book of Number Two Singles" for those who are interested in that sort of thing. 

I'd be interested in finding that book and reading it. I bet it has lots of interesting info in it.

Michael Bolton beat this?  :o  I have always liked Technotronic.  They have fun songs.


That's nuts. Michael Bolton shouldn't have the number one spot.

If anyone's the remotest bit interested, here's what nearly did it in Britain - not just in 1990, but the whole dam' decade!

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/HOOK/number_two_across_the_nation___uk_singles___the_90s___so_close_and_so_frustrating____/

I gave up after the first page!

If anyone's the remotest bit interested, here's what nearly did it in Britain - not just in 1990, but the whole dam' decade!

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/HOOK/number_two_across_the_nation___uk_singles___the_90s___so_close_and_so_frustrating____/

I gave up after the first page!


I see that The B-52's were #2.

I see that The B-52's were #2.


Yes, and it took SO long to chart here that it's known to us as a '90s' song, when in fact, it belongs squarely to the previous decade!

I have the book , its a good read and you can probably find either an updated version or an older version online

"Don't Wanna Fall In Love" by Jane Child
April 14, 1990 (3 Weeks at #2)
Held Back by "Nothing Compares to you" By Sinead O'Connor and "I'll be your Everything" by Tommy Page

"The Power" by Snap
August 11, 1990 (1 Week at #2)
Held back by "Vision of Love" by Mariah Carey

If anyone's the remotest bit interested, here's what nearly did it in Britain - not just in 1990, but the whole dam' decade!

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/HOOK/number_two_across_the_nation___uk_singles___the_90s___so_close_and_so_frustrating____/

I gave up after the first page!

Thanks for the link! 

Yes, and it took SO long to chart here that it's known to us as a '90s' song, when in fact, it belongs squarely to the previous decade!


It was 1990 so it's not really a 90's song per say and it's not an 80's song either.

Very few songs experience their peak so soon after release (unless it's a highly established artist, then their songs can even debut at number one sometimes.) Most songs take several weeks after release to gain momentum and will have the peak date early in the following year because it takes time for them to catch on.

"Two To Make It Right" - Seduction
Peak: February 10 - February 17 (2 weeks)
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Opposites Attract" - Paula Abdul
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COKtraspl0k

I think this group was a flash in the pan. I would say I've never heard of them, but I am familiar with one of the members, Michelle Visage, who is one of the judges on RuPaul's Drag Race.

"Dangerous" - Roxette
Peak: March 3 - March 10, 1990 (2 weeks)
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Escapade" - Janet Jackson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFNRh26TPmM

Roxette was one of those bands/artists who enjoyed only a very small window of success around this time, along with Paula Abdul. This song didn't make it to the top spot, but they had one of the biggest hits of the year with "It Must Have Been Love" (from the Pretty Woman soundtrack.)

"Two To Make It Right" - Seduction
Peak: February 10 - February 17 (2 weeks)
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Opposites Attract" - Paula Abdul
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COKtraspl0k

I think this group was a flash in the pan. I would say I've never heard of them, but I am familiar with one of the members, Michelle Visage, who is one of the judges on RuPaul's Drag Race.

I remember this one. 

"Dangerous" - Roxette
Peak: March 3 - March 10, 1990 (2 weeks)
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Escapade" - Janet Jackson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFNRh26TPmM

Roxette was one of those bands/artists who enjoyed a only very small window of success around this time, along with Paula Abdul. This song didn't make it to the top spot, but they had one of the biggest hits of the year with "It Must Have Been Love" (from the Pretty Woman soundtrack.)

I wish they were more popular.  Even back then most people only knew them for "It Must Have Been Love" which was actually re-released in 1987 but released for the film.  Anyway, while I liked most of their music, "Joyride" was always my favorite of theirs.

"Two To Make It Right" - Seduction
Peak: February 10 - February 17 (2 weeks)
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Opposites Attract" - Paula Abdul

This is the only song I know from them.

I wish they were more popular.  Even back then most people only knew them for "It Must Have Been Love" which was actually re-released in 1987 but released for the film.  Anyway, while I liked most of their music, "Joyride" was always my favorite of theirs.


Their other big hit was "Listen to Your Heart", I bet a lot of people remember them for that one too.

If anyone's the remotest bit interested, here's what nearly did it in Britain - not just in 1990, but the whole dam' decade!

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/HOOK/number_two_across_the_nation___uk_singles___the_90s___so_close_and_so_frustrating____/

I gave up after the first page!


This is an excellent site. There are also links to #2's in the 80s, 70s, 60s. Always like to see charts from foreign countries and see how songs fared there. Sometimes there are #1 songs in the U.K. that hardly anyone knows in North America. But I think there is a thread like that somewhere on the site.

For anyone interested, here was the first ever #2 hit in Canada of 1990:  Just Between You and Me by Lou Gramm.  It was kept off the top spot by Rod Stewart's Downtown Train

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-hd_Z37Rvg

"Don't Wanna Fall In Love" - Jane Child
Peak: April 14 - April 28, 1990 (3 weeks)
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "I'll Be Your Everything" - Tommy Page; "Nothing Compares 2 U" - Sinead O'Connor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWd__w5UWVc

This song is very catchy! But more striking than the song itself...is Jane Child's hair and ear-to-nose chain/piercing thing! I wonder if anyone tried to adopt this as a trend back then ;D This is Jane Child's only Top 40 hit. In 2013, the song was featured on Grand Theft Auto V's soundtrack.

"I Wanna Be Rich" - Calloway
Peak: May 5, 1990
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Nothing Compares 2 U" - Sinead O'Connor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ztk9t_m1FpY

Another one hit wonder here...these two are brothers who became record producers after their career failed, according to Wiki.

For anyone interested, here was the first ever #2 hit in Canada of 1990:  Just Between You and Me by Lou Gramm.  It was kept off the top spot by Rod Stewart's Downtown Train

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-hd_Z37Rvg


Fixed.

Both are decent/good songs.

Their other big hit was "Listen to Your Heart", I bet a lot of people remember them for that one too.


that was a good one too.

For anyone interested, here was the first ever #2 hit in Canada of 1990:  Just Between You and Me by Lou Gramm.  It was kept off the top spot by Rod Stewart's Downtown Train

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-hd_Z37Rvg

"I Wanna Be Rich" - Calloway
Peak: May 5, 1990
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Nothing Compares 2 U" - Sinead O'Connor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ztk9t_m1FpY

Another one hit wonder here...these two are brothers who became record producers after their career failed, according to Wiki.


Yep, they were in the group Midnight Star.

Next up, one of my personal favorites...

"All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You" - Heart
Peak: May 26 - June 2, 1990 (2 weeks)
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Vogue" - Madonna
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAfxs0IDeMs

Now here is one that I really wish inched up one more spot and claimed the distinction of being a #1 song. I am a big Heart fan and this is one of my favorite songs by them. Great, catchy rock tune and I love how the whole song tells a story from start to finish. I have heard that this song was somewhat controversial when it came out due to the lyrics being about a married woman who has a one night stand to get pregnant because her husband is impotent. This was Heart's last Top 10 hit in the US. Meanwhile this song made it to #1 in Canada and Australia.

Their other big hit was "Listen to Your Heart", I bet a lot of people remember them for that one too.


They had a whole bunch of other big hits

I see that "Groove Is In The Heart" was number 13.

"Hold On" - En Vogue
Peak: July 21, 1990
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "She Ain't Worth It" - Glenn Medeiros
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liT8cILFAV4

Not to be confused with the song of the same name which was a mega-hit for Wilson Phillips that same year. My favorite part of this song is the acapella introduction.

I see that "Groove Is In The Heart" was number 13.


I don't know where you're looking but that one made #4 in the US

"Hold On" - En Vogue
Peak: July 21, 1990
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "She Ain't Worth It" - Glenn Medeiros
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liT8cILFAV4

Not to be confused with the song of the same name which was a mega-hit for Wilson Phillips that same year. My favorite part of this song is the acapella introduction.

This was also their first single.  That was a great start for them.

I don't know where you're looking but that one made #4 in the US


Howard's looking at the link I posted on the first page - songs that made #2 in Britain, Jason...it had a bit of controversy attached, as their record company claimed the sales figures were fixed against them. The song that kept it off the top (Steve Miller's 'The Joker' - yes! It took all that time!) literally sold a handful more copies according to the chart compilers - no more than thity or forty, it was THAT close! But #2 is what they had to settle for and that was their brief few minutes of fame!

Some folk may be puzzled by the inclusion of Pavarotti - this piece was extensively used by the BBC for their World Cup coverage and as England did reasonably well (a rarity!), the nation became overcome with a passion for opera...for a few weeks at least!  ;)

It was 1990 so it's not really a 90's song per say and it's not an 80's song either.


It was an 80s song in the US, Howard...it peaked there in late 1989, if I remember right!

http://www.inthe00s.com//rymimg.com/lk/f/l/801cb16f96428e639274dd814a6f89f0/1618391.jpg

I also see that Seal's "Crazy" made number 20.

But #2 is what they had to settle for and that was their brief few minutes of fame!

and I don't think Dee-Lite had any more hits after "Groove Is In The Heart"?

I also see that Seal's "Crazy" made number 20.


Just to clarify, Howard, these are NOT chart positions - everything made runner-up spot - it's simply the order they came in...

"Cradle of Love" - Billy Idol
Peak: August 4, 1990
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Vision of Love" - Mariah Carey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCZuYS-9qaw

Sexy video! :D An interesting note about this video: Idol was only filmed from the waist up because he was unable to walk due to having been injured in a motorcycle accident some weeks before the video was filmed. The song never reached number one, but it still finished in the "year-end" top 10 for the year.

"The Power" - Snap!
Peak: August 11, 1990
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Vision of Love" - Mariah Carey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm6DO_7px1I

Another classic dance song! It's almost hard to believe it didn't make number-one, but Mariah's debut was a force to be reckoned with. The song is still popular on radio and in commercials due to the catchy hook "I've got the pow-ah!" Fun fact about this song: People doing Tae Bo exorcises to this song caused a 39 story building to shake in Seoul!

"The Power" - Snap!
Peak: August 11, 1990
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Vision of Love" - Mariah Carey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm6DO_7px1I

Another classic dance song! It's almost hard to believe it didn't make number-one, but Mariah's debut was a force to be reckoned with. The song is still popular on radio and in commercials due to the catchy hook "I've got the pow-ah!" Fun fact about this song: People doing Tae Bo exorcises to this song caused a 39 story building to shake in Seoul!


It should've been number one, what a classic 90 dance song.

Hey Mark, could you maybe one day do the 80's too?  ???

Hey Mark, could you maybe one day do the 80's too?  ???


After 1990 I was gonna do '91 and potentially work my way up through the entire '90s. I suppose I could simultaneously do the '80s too. Perhaps I'll start with '89 and work my way backwards?

After 1990 I was gonna do '91 and potentially work my way up through the entire '90s. I suppose I could simultaneously do the '80s too. Perhaps I'll start with '89 and work my way backwards?


Ok, sounds good.  :)

"Come Back To Me" - Janet Jackson
Peak: August 18 - August 25, 1990 (2 weeks)
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Vision of Love" - Mariah Carey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5ecZWwO_hQ

Another #2 hit for Janet. I have to correct what I said in the OP about "Rhythm Nation" being the first #2 peak of the '90s, because I neglected to make sure it didn't begin it's run at #2 in December '89, which it turns out it did. I already covered the chart feats that Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 achieved, but "Come Back To Me" is definitely one of my favorite songs from the album. Nice, slow R&B tune. It's amazing how Janet managed to seamlessly blend so many genres into this one album.

After "Come Back to Me" it would be 11 weeks before another song peaked at number 2.

"Pray" - MC Hammer
Peak: November 10 - November 17, 1990 (2 weeks)
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Love Takes Time" - Mariah Carey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xNSgBkum7o

Not a fan of this one to be honest. The only thing I like about it is the sample of a former No. 1 hit, "When Doves Cry" by Prince! Kind of glad this song didn't make it to number one.

"More Than Words Can Say" - Alias
Peak: November 24, 1990
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Love Takes Time" - Mariah Carey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjhrGPFaQoQ

1990 was a year of #2 one-hit-wonders. The lead singer, Freddy Curci, actually had a number one hit the previous year as a member of the band Sheriff with "When I'm With You" but that band had broken up, so he and the guitarist teamed up with some ex-members of Heart to form Alias. This guy really had an incredible voice so it's kind of a shame he only had two major hits over his career. An interesting fact about this song is that it has achieved "million-air" status meaning it has been played over 1 million times. This may be one of the last songs by a hair band to chart this high. Interestingly, however, it did not make it on the Year-End Hot 100 for 1990 or 1991.

"Pray" - MC Hammer
Peak: November 10 - November 17, 1990 (2 weeks)
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Love Takes Time" - Mariah Carey

Pray was number 2? Wow I liked MC Hammer.

One more song peaked at number 2 in 1990...

"From A Distance" - Bette Midler
Peak: December 15, 1990
Blocked from the #1 spot by: "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)" - Stevie B
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKzd2Wh3xNk

Lol can you imagine a song like this charting this high in 2014? Who was Bette's audience back then? I just can't imagine any teenagers/20-somethings bragging that they just bought the new Bette Midler single. Anyway, this song may not have hit #1, but it did win a Grammy for song of the year in 1991. This song also has a "3 million airs" award similar to the previous number two hit.

That wraps up #2s for 1990. Up next...1991...