DavesMusicDatabase.com is devoted to ranking, rating, and reviewing music of all genres and eras. The DMDB blog serves up album and song reviews, best-of lists, music history snapshots, and music-related essays.
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| First posted 4/6/2019; updated 12/8/2020. |
 | Century of Pop Music:Songs of the Year, 1900-1999 |
A Century of Pop Music is a book published by Joel Whitburn’s Record Research. It ranks the top 40 songs of every year from 1900 through 1999 based on weekly Billboard pop charts based on peak position and weeks at that position. These are the top songs from each year. Note: click here to see other genre-specific song lists.
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| First posted 10/3/2020. |
 | Dave’s Faves:#1’s: 1990-1999 |
These were my personal #1 albums during the 1990s.
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| First posted 4/26/2020; updated 4/28/2020. |
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| Dave’s Faves:#1’s: 1990-1999 |
September 18, 1982. I can peg my fascination with music charts to that date. After listening to a local radio station’s countdown of the hits of the summer, I decided to make my own list of favorites (see original list here). I ended up revising it every few days, eventually developing my own charts which I maintained into the ‘90s. I’ve also projected before and after those lists to create speculative lists of #1 songs for eras not covered by those original charts. You can check out those links here, but this page is focused on the #1 songs that might have been for me in the 1980s.
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| First posted 12/31/1999; updated 8/15/2020. |
 | Vibe:100 Essential Albums of the 20th Century |
In December of 1999, the urban-oriented American magazine Vibe published its list of the 100 essential albums of the 20th century, as determined by the Vibe staff. Surprisingly, a link to this list has proved elusive. However, you can find the original magazine issue from the link at the bottom of the page. This list is more unusual than the average best-of list. For being a list of essentials, it is notable that only 61 of these albums rank in the top 1000 of all-time according to the DMDB. 20 of these albums don’t even show up on any of the other 160+ best-of lists accumulated by the DMDB. Commendably, there is more focus on jazz, R&B, and world music than most best-of lists. However, there are also some odd choices at times for an artist’s “best” work. James Brown’s In the Jungle Groove is more essential than Live at the Apollo? Johnny Cash’s I Walk the Line instead of his live At Folsom Prison? Rocket to Russia over the Ramones’ debut album? David Bowie’s Station to Station rather than Ziggy Stardust? Bob Marley’s African Herbsman as opposed to Exodus or the Legend compilation? Speaking of compilations, there is more emphasis on those here (25 in all) than the average list. Again, that’s not all bad, but some of the choices are questionable. While the 24-disc Centennial Edition might be a treasure to Duke Ellington fans, it’s hard to consider it “essential” to the average listener. The 3-disc Blanton-Webster Band box set or the live At Newport (both DMDB top 1000 albums) would be more palatable. Note: the original list was unranked, but the albums have been ranked here based on overall DMDB points. Also, check out annual picks for album of the year.
1. Michael Jackson Thriller (1982)
11. Bruce Springsteen Born to Run (1975)
21. Massive Attack Blue Lines (1991)
31. Curtis Mayfield Superfly (soundtrack, 1972)
41. The Specials The Specials (1979)
51. Stan Getz and João Gilberto Getz/Gilberto (1963)
61. Tupac Shakur Greatest Hits (compilation: 1991-98, released 1998)
71. Charles Mingus Pithecantrophus Erectus (1956)
81. Charlie Parker Bird: The Complete Charlie Parker on Verve (box: 1945-54, released 1990)
91. Al Green The Supreme Al Green (compilation, released 1992)
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| First posted 1/24/2011; updated 10/25/2020. |
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| Top 100 Songs of the Decade:1990-1999 |
These are the top 100 songs from 1990-1999 according to Dave’s Music Database. Rankings are figured by combining sales figures, chart data, radio airplay, video airplay, streaming figures, awards, and appearances on best-of lists. Check out other “songs of the decade” lists here.
1. I Will Always Love You…Whitney Houston (1992)
11. Gangsta’s Paradise…Coolio with L.V. (1995)
21. I’ll Be Missing You…Puff Daddy with Faith Evans & 112 (1997)
31. Waterfalls…TLC (1995)
41. The Sign…Ace of Base (1994)
51. November Rain…Guns N’ Roses (1991)
61. A Whole New World…Peabo Bryson with Regina Belle (1992)
71. Common People…Pulp (1995)
81. Doo Wop (That Thing)...Lauryn Hill (1998)
91. Can’t Help Falling in Love…UB40 (1993) |
| Last updated 4/21/2020. |
 | Rudolph the Red-Nosed ReindeerGene Autry with the Pinafores |
Writer(s): Johnny Marks (see lyrics here) First Charted: December 3, 1949 Peak: 11 US, 6 GA, 12 HP, 43 HR, 24 AC, 11 CW, 16 UK (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): 10.0 US, -- UK, 18.0 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 19.69 video, -- streaming |
Awards: 
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About the Song: The inescapable Christmas classic about Rudolph and his once-mocked red nose saving the day started life as a story Robert L. May conceived to help his daughter cope with her mother’s terminal cancer. The character took the form of a reindeer after May visited the Lincoln Park Zoo and saw how cute the animal was. He had been tasked by Sewill Avery, the owner of the Montgomery Wards in Chicago, to develop a marketing idea to attract customers. May wrote up the story and company artist Denver Gillen illustrated it. At Christmas, children received a booklet at the store when they visited Santa. More than 2.5 million were given away in 1939. In 1946, 3.5 million copies were printed. LW In 1949, May’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks (who’d previously written songs like the Ink Spots’ “Address Unknown”), turned the story into a song. It was repeatedly rejected until Gene Autry agreed to record it because his wife liked it. LW He’d launched his career in the 1920s as a cowboy in Hollywood westerns, but had also became well known as “The Singing Cowboy” for his country hits in the 1930s and ‘40s with songs like “That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine.” The song was launched with a “vigorous multi-media promotion” SS which included a Max Fleischer animated short. By the end of the holiday season, the song had sold 1.3 million copies in the U.S. plus another 400,000 of the plastic “kid-disc” version. SS In the pre-rock era, the song is second only to Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” in terms of sales. PM With no official sales tallies, the song has been reported to have sold as many as 60 million copies by 1970, AMP a figure which would actually eclipse “White Christmas.” It may be that the number reflects all versions of the song. Certainly it has been recorded multiple times – Bing Crosby and Spike Jones both had hits with it in 1950. PM The Chipmunks had a #21 hit with it in 1960 and the Melodeers, Paul Anka, and The Temptations have also charted with the song. HT
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Arista Records’ chief Clive Davis, who had worked with Santana at Columbia Records, signed him to record an album with an all-star guest roster. Santana had been fronted by many lead singers over the years, but this was a new approach. Among those lending their aid to Santana’s comeback were Eric Clapton, Cee-Lo Green, Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, Dave Matthews, and Rob Thomas. Thomas was one of the hottest names around as the front man of pop-rock group Matchbox 20. His co-writing and singing on “Smooth” launched one of the most impressive career resurgences in chart history.
Itaal Shur, a songwriter and producer who had worked with Jewel and Maxwell, brought a song called “Room One Seven” to Arista. They liked the instrumental, but thought his lyrics were too sexual and tapped Thomas for a rewrite. SF Inspired by his wife’s Puerto Rican descent, Thomas crafted the new song with the Spanish-flavored lyrics. WK Thomas envisioned George Michael singing the, but recorded a demo to play for Santana. WK
With “Smooth”, Santana didn’t just land the biggest hit of his career, but the biggest pop single of 1999. WHC In its 2008 run-down of the biggest hits in the fifty-year history of the Hot 100, Billboard magazine named it the #2 all-time song on that chart. BB100 “Smooth” spent a dozen weeks at the chart pinnacle and a grand total of 30 weeks in the top 10.
| Last updated 11/19/2020. |
69 Love Songs |
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Released: September 7, 1999 Peak: -- US, 170 UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK) Genre: indie pop/alternative rock |
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Disc 1: 1. Absolutely Cuckoo 2. I Don’t Believe in the Sun 3. All My Little Words 4. A Chicken with Its Head Cut Off 5. Reno Dakota 6. I Don’t Want to Get Over You 7. Come Back from San Francisco 8. The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side 9. Let’s Pretend We’re Bunny Rabbits 10. The Cactus Where Your Heart Should Be 11. I Think I Need a New Heart 12. The Book of Love 13. Fido, Your Leash Is Too Long 14. How Fucking Romantic 15. The One You Really Love 16. Punk Love 17. Parades Go By 18. Boa Constrictor 19. A Pretty Girl Is Like... 20. My Sentimental Melody 21. Nothing Matters When We’re Dancing 22. Sweet-Lovin’ Man 23. The Things We Did and Didn’t Do Disc 2: 1. Roses 2. Love Is Like Jazz 3. When My Boy Walks Down the Street 4. Time Enough for Rocking When We’re Old 5. Very Funny 6. Grand Canyon 7. No One Will Ever Love You 8. If You Don’t Cry 9. You’re My Only Home 10. (Crazy for You But) Not That Crazy 11. My Only Friend 12. Promises of Eternity 13. World Love 14. Washington, D.C. 15. Long-Forgotten Fairytale 16. Kiss Me Like You Mean It 17. Papa Was a Rodeo 18. Epitaph for My Heart 19. Asleep and Dreaming 20. The Sun Goes Down and the World Goes Dancing 21. The Way You Say Good-Night 22. Abigail, Belle of Kilronan 23. I Shatter Disc 3: 1. Underwear 2. It’s a Crime 3. Busby Berkeley Dreams 4. I’m Sorry I Love You 5. Acoustic Guitar 6. The Death of Ferdinand de Saussure 7. Love in the Shadows 8. Bitter Tears 9. Wi’ Nae Wee Bairn Ye’ll Me Beget 10. Yeah! Oh, Yeah! 11. Experimental Music Love 12. Meaningless 13. Love Is Like a Bottle of Gin 14. Queen of the Savages 15. Blue You 16. I Can’t Touch You Anymore 17. Two Kinds of People 18. How to Say Goodbye 19. The Night You Can’t Remember 20. For We Are the King of the Boudoir 21. Strange Eyes 22. Xylophone Track 23. Zebra Total Running Time: 172:03 |
Rating:  4.514 out of 5.00 (average of 18 ratings)
Awards:
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About the Album: “As the sprawling magnitude of its cheeky title suggests, 69 Love Songs is Stephin Merritt’s most ambitious as well as most fully realized work to date, a three-disc epic of classically chiseled pop songs that explore both the promise and pitfalls of modern romance through the jaundiced eye of an irredeemable misanthrope. A true A-to-Z catalog of touchingly bittersweet love songs that runs the gamut from tender ballads to pithy folk tunes to bluesy vamps, the sheer scope of the record allows all of Merritt’s musical personas to converge – the regular use of guest vocalists recalls his work as the 6ths, the romantic fatalism suggests the Gothic Archies project, and the stately melodies evoke the Future Bible Heroes.” JA “The album was originally conceived as a music revue. Stephin Merritt was sitting in a gay piano bar in Manhattan, listening to the pianist’s interpretations of Stephen Sondheim songs, when he decided he ought to get into theatre music because he felt he had an aptitude for it. ‘I decided I’d write one hundred love songs as a way of introducing myself to the world. Then I realized how long that would be. So I settled on sixty-nine. I’d have a theatrical revue with four drag queens. And whoever the audience liked best at the end of the night would get paid.’” WK “The variety of 69 Love Songs also derives from the many song genres that Merritt raids and filters through his own sensibility. Merritt has said ‘69 Love Songs is not remotely an album about love. It’s an album about love songs, which are very far away from anything to do with love.’ Some of the genres are obvious, as in the songs Punk Love, Love Is Like Jazz, World Love and Wi’ Nae Wee Bairn Ye’ll Me Beget.” WK “Other songs indirectly reference some of Merritt’s favorite artists, including Fleetwood Mac (No One Will Ever Love You), Cole Porter (Zebra), Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (Let’s Pretend We’re Bunny Rabbits), The Jesus and Mary Chain (When My Boy Walks Down the Street), Billie Holiday (My Only Friend), and Irving Berlin (A Pretty Girl is Like...). “Another way of understanding 69 Love Songs is through Merritt’s praise of an artist (Laurie Anderson) who ‘write[s] heartbreaking melodies with words that make fun of heartbreaking melodies.’ Consider Yeah! Oh, Yeah! where Stephin and Claudia, playing jilted lovers modeled closely on Sonny & Cher, sing their complaints to one another, overplaying and overstating their grievances such that their words become garish declarations of woe (‘what a dark and dreary life / are you reaching for a knife?’) to which the other character isn’t really capable of responding but must still follow in tone (‘yeah, oh yeah’). The lack of a firm distinction between content (what is sung) and form (the way it is sung) implies that this couple lives and dies by virtue of how persuasively they can sing to one another, and illustrates the persistent Magnetic Fields songwriting device of trapping a character within the conventions or formalities of a genre.” WK “Several of the songs bend genders as well as genres. For example: a man sings ‘He’s going to be my wife’ (‘When My Boy Walks Down the Street’) and ‘the princess there is me’ (Long-Forgotten Fairytale). Other common themes include place names (e.g. Washington, DC; Lower East Side; North Carolina; Paris; Venice), animals (e.g. bear, goldfish, jellyfish, rabbit, bat, dog, boa constrictor, cockroach), as well as themes common throughout Merritt’s work (e.g. the moon, dancing, rain, and eyes).” WK “Naturally, given a project of this size there’s the occasional bit of filler, but all in all, 69 Love Songs maintains a remarkable consistency throughout, and the highlights (I Don’t Believe in the Sun, All My Little Words, Asleep and Dreaming, Busby Berkeley Dreams, and Acoustic Guitar, to name just a few) are jaw-droppingly superb.” JA “The whole is much greater than the sum of its parts, however – for all of Merritt’s scathing wit and icy detachment, there’s a depth and sensitivity to these songs largely absent from his past work, and each one of these 69 tracks approaches l’amour from refreshing angles, galvanizing the love song form with rare sophistication and elegance.” JA “Despite its three-hour length, the music boasts the craftsmanship and economy that remain the hallmarks of classic American pop songwriting, a tradition Merritt upholds even as he subverts the formula in new and brilliant ways.” JA Notes: This was also released as three separate albums. |
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image from angelfire.com
Toward the close of the 20th century, British music magazine Q asked its readers to vote on the greatest stars of the 20th century. Here were the results:
image from watersish.com
Venue: Kemper Arena; Kansas City, MO
Tour: In the Flesh Tour
The Players: Roger Waters (vocals, guitar, bass), Andy Fairweather-Low (guitar), Doyle Bramhall II (guitar, vocals), Jon Carin (keyboards), Graham Broad (drums), Katie Kissoon (backing vocals)
Fairweather-Low has played and/or recorded with Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Stevie Nicks, and Kate Bush, among others; has worked with Waters since the 1984 Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking tour. Bramhall has played professionally since he was 15. He was one of the few musicians the late Stevie Ray Vaughan would invite to sit in with him and, at 19, was invited to join Jimmie Vaughan's Fabulous Thunderbirds. Broad has worked with Procol Harum, Bill Wyman & the Rhythm Kings, and on Waters’ Amused to Death. Jon Carin has played with The Who, Pete Townshend, Bryan Ferry and others. Kissoon has worked with Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, George Harrison, and the Pet Shop Boys among others.
| First posted 3/27/2008; updated 11/24/2020. |
Christina Aguilera |
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Released: August 24, 1999 Peak: 11 US, 14 UK, 11 CN, 21 AU Sales (in millions): 8.3 US, -- UK, 16.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: pop |
Tracks: (Click for codes to singles charts.)
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Rating:  3.713 out of 5.00 (average of 16 ratings)
Quotable: “Out of the deluge of teen-pop albums in 1999, this feels like the best of the lot.” – Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide Awards:
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About the Album: Christina Aguilera wasn’t even 18 years old when she made her chart debut with Reflection, a track from the soundtrack to Disney’s animated movie Mulan. While it was her first charting song, it wasn’t her first brush with celebrity. She’d appeared in The New Mickey Mouse Club in the early ‘90s, along with future stars Ryan Gosling, Kerri Russell, Britney Spears, and Justin Timberlake. Much was made of her being part of that group after Spears and Timberlake both became hugely successful in the music world. Because she was the last of the “alumni to hit the charts…it’s easy for cynical observers to assume that she was the lesser of the…talents…That's not the case at all. If anything, Aguilera is the best…, blessed with a rich voice that’s given the material it deserves.” AMG RCA executive Ron Fair said, “She was put on this earth to sing.” WK The Grammy world agreed, giving her the Best New Artist award over Spears. Aguilera also bested Spears when it came to the chart success of the singles from her debut album. While Spears hit #1 with “Baby One More Time,” Aguilera ascended to the top of the Billboard pop charts three times. The first single, Genie in a Bottle, topped the charts in 21 countries. WK Aguilera almost didn’t record it because a lot of other artists were after the song. WK It has been called her signature track. WK What a Girl Wants was the album’s second #1 single in the U.S. and also topped the charts in Spain and New Zealand. Aguilera insisted on a more upbeat, R&B-edged mix for the single. WK Critics compared her vocals to Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. I Turn to You, was released as the third single and hit #3 in the U.S. The song was a remake of All-4-One’s contribution to the 1996 Space Jam soundtrack. While critics acknowledged how “the track allowed Aguilera’s vocals to soar and shine,” WK they also called it “a cliché ballad.” WK The fourth single, Come on Over Baby, was considered the most sexual song on the album and featured a rap version written by Aguilera. WK It was Aguilera’s third #1 song in the U.S. The song was reworked for the single to give it more hip-hop and dance elements. WK Aguilera’s “eponymous debut remains firmly within the teen-oriented dance-pop genre” AMG although Aguilera wanted a more R&B-oriented album. WK “Unlike Spears’ album, this is done right. The songwriting is strong – the ballads are engaging, the dance numbers are catchy – the production is clean and uncluttered, letting Aguilera’s voice take the foreground. Most impressively, she not only has charisma, she can actually sing, bringing conviction to these love and heartbreak songs.” AMG “So, Christina Aguilera may be lightweight, but it’s lightweight in the best possible sense – breezy, fun, engaging, and enjoyable on each repeated listen.” AMG Sputnikmusic editor Amanda Murray said it was “an album that is highly representative of the better aspects of the teen pop movement of the late 90s.” WK All Music Guide’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine made a similar proclamation, saying that “Out of the deluge of teen-pop albums in 1999, this feels like the best of the lot.” AMG |
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