(Credits: Far Out)
Sat 17 January 2026 8:00, UK
There are many people who hail the 1990s as being one of the greatest decades for music of all time, and when you listen to the music released during that time, it’s hard to disagree.
In the ‘90s, we saw the monumental rise of Britpop, while other experimental subsections of genres like R&B and hip-hop also began poking their heads into the mainstream. A great deal of classics which continue to fill dancefloors in the modern age were originally released in the 1990s, as the decade continues to cement itself as one of the most exciting out there.
It seems that from the word go, it was clear the decade was going to be something special. Usually, when a decade is praised for being a creative turning point, it takes a few years for styles and trends to truly get underway; however, it seems that wasn’t the case for the ‘90s. In the very first year of the decade, plenty of the songs which went all the way to number one, we still listen to today as if they were only just released.
One of those songs, for instance, was Sinéad O’Connor’s ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’, which is without a doubt one of her most emotional numbers and arguably one of the saddest songs ever recorded. The track was originally written by Prince and released by a band called The Family in 1985. Unfortunately, not many people listened to it, but Sinéad O’Connor knew there was something special buried in the heart of the track. She released a cover version five years later, and it became an instant hit.
The co-director of Connor’s label Ensign, Chris Hill, recalled the first time he heard the track, and immediately recognised it would be a hit because of the sheer emotion it stirred within him. “Fachtna O’Kelly, Sinéad’s manager, brought in a cassette and when I heard it I actually started crying,” said Hill. “I just sat there with tears in my eyes. Then O’Kelly rang up Sinead O’Connor and went, ‘Chris is crying.’ ‘Was it that bad?’ Sinéad asked.”
Some of the other great songs which were released in 1990 included the likes of ‘World In Motion’ by New Order, ‘The Joker’ by Steve Miller Band and ‘Unchained Melody’ by The Righteous Brothers. Sometimes, number one songs aren’t a good reflection of a period in time for music, but in this instance, the ‘90s had kicked off with a bang.
Of course, we need to have one exception to the rule. Amongst all of these musical gems, there was a number one track which didn’t quite cut it, and is undoubtedly the worst number one to come out of such a massive year.
So, what was the worst number one from the 1990s?
It’s the general consensus that hip-hop started in The Bronx in 1973, but it wasn’t until the ‘80s that it started to be recognised as a genre that could pierce through the mainstream, and while the majority of artists who were making waves were doing so through devotion to the genre, once its potential became clear, it was only a matter of time before artists started taking advantage of the hype.
Enter: Vanilla Ice.
Vanilla Ice took a sound that people were intrigued by and made it palatable for an audience who might otherwise turn their noses up, with his song ‘Ice Ice Baby’ going straight to number one in December 1990, using the melody from Queen’s ‘Under Pressure’ and what are arguably some of the worst lyrics ever committed to the airwaves.
The catchy nature of the song and the growing interest in rap meant that plenty listened to it, but regardless of the song’s success, this is a number one that can be left in the past.
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