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1991 in music

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Events

1991 was the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", became the most popular U.S. album of the year. Followed immediately by other grunge bands like Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, grunge dominated the U.S. charts for the next few years. Its success effectively ended pop-oriented, 1980s glam metal groups like Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Poison and Ratt, whose sales and critical viability were beginning to decline for about two years previously. (Oddly, the rock band Guns N' Roses's popularity flourished. Van Halen also seemed to continue with their popularity throughout 1991.) Grunge also ended Los Angeles' status as the city for rock music stardom, and established Seattle as such.

A Tribe Called Quest's Low End Theory was released this year; it would go on to be considered one of the best hip hop albums of the 1990s. A Tribe Called Quest, along with De La Soul, Dream Warriors, Gang Starr and the Poor Righteous Teachers, helped define what came to be known as alternative rap with important releases this year.

Queen frontman Freddie Mercury died at home in London on November 24, due to AIDS complications. Rumors had been circulating that Mercury had AIDS, but the death came as a shock to millions of fans and the music industry. The remaining members of Queen formed the Mercury Phoenix Trust and the following year, a tribute concert was staged in Wembley Stadium. A sell-out crowd in attendance witnessed the three surviving members reuniting to play along with performances by the likes of David Bowie, Elton John, Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard, Metallica and George Michael.

Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody goes to number one for the second time, which is the first and only time a single has gone to number one in the same version more than once. It was also the first and only time a single has gone to number one more than once on the UK Christmas charts. It has now spent a total of 14 weeks on the UK charts.

1991 was also the year CCM, or contemporary Christian music, reached a new peak. Amy Grant, who had already crossed back and forth between CCM and pop in the mid-80s, achieved her (and CCM's) first #1 hit on the pop charts with the hit single "Baby Baby." Another single, "That's What Love Is For," would also top the charts, this time in the Adult Contemporary field. Meanwhile, Grant's album Heart In Motion reaches #10 on the pop chart and #1 on the Christian chart despite its non-religious objective, and quickly become a best-seller. Another CCM crossover artist in 1991 is Michael W. Smith, who achieves a Top Ten pop hit with his single "Place In This World." The subsequent album, Go West Young Man, is also a hit.

The massive success of Garth Brooks in this year sets the stage for the mid-1990s influx of pop-oriented country musicians. In addition, several soon-to-be pivotal bands form or release debuts, including future pioneers in riot grrl punk (Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, Huggy Bear), jam bands (moe., Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Spin Doctors) and stoner metal (Kyuss, Sleep, The Obsessed). Massive Attack's Blue Lines, while unique at the time, invented the sound that would eventually become known as trip hop. Entombed's Clandestine and Dismember's Like an Ever Flowing Stream are early releases from the Scandinavian metal scene. On the other side of the Atlantic, New York death metal band Suffocation release their debut full-length Effigy of the Forgotten, often considered one of the most influential extreme metal albums ever recorded. Trance music rises to prominence in the underground dance scene of Frankfurt, Germany, pioneered by such producers as Dance 2 Trance and Resistance D. U2 release their seventh album Achtung Baby, considered by many of their fans to be their best album. Metallica also released their most commercially successful self-titled album, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers broke through to the mainstream with their critically and commercially acclaimed Blood Sugar Sex Magik.

Bands formed

Bands disbanded

Albums released

Biggest hit singles

The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in 1991.

# Artist Title Year Country Chart Entries
1 Bryan Adams (Everything I Do) I Do it For You 1991 Flag of Canada UK 1 - Jun 1991, US BB 1 of 1991, US BB 3 of 1991, US CashBox 1 of 1991, Holland 1 - Jul 1991, Sweden 1 - Aug 1991, Austria 1 - Aug 1991, Switzerland 1 - Jul 1991, Norway 1 - Jul 1991, Australia 3 of 1991, Germany 9 of the 1990s, Germany 1 - Jan 1992, Éire 1 - Jul 1991, New Zealand 1 for 8 weeks Aug 1991, Australia 1 for 11 weeks Oct 1991, Europe 5 of the 1990s, Belgium 150 of all time, Global 7 (10 M sold) - 1991, TOTP 6, Virgin 60, RYM 73 of 1991, POP 3 of 1991, Scrobulate 30 of ballad, OzNet 121, Party 70 of 2007
2 Michael Jackson Black Or White 1991 Flag of the United States UK 1 - Nov 1991, US BB 1 of 1991, US BB 19 of 1991, US CashBox 29 of 1992, Holland 3 - Nov 1991, Sweden 1 - Nov 1991, Austria 2 - Nov 1991, Switzerland 1 - Nov 1991, Norway 1 - Nov 1991, Australia 24 of 1992, Germany 115 of the 1990s, Germany 2 - Jan 1992, Éire 1 - Nov 1991, New Zealand 1 for 8 weeks Nov 1991, Australia 1 for 8 weeks Feb 1992, RYM 96 of 1991, POP 19 of 1991
3 Roxette Joyride 1991 Flag of Sweden UK 4 - Mar 1991, US BB 1 of 1991, US BB 35 of 1991, US CashBox 33 of 1991, Holland 1 - Mar 1991, Sweden 1 - Mar 1991, France 7 - Apr 1991, Austria 1 - Mar 1991, Switzerland 1 - Mar 1991, Norway 1 - Mar 1991, Australia 13 of 1991, Germany 24 of the 1990s, Germany 1 - Mar 1991, Australia 1 for 3 weeks Jul 1991, POP 37 of 1991
4 The Scorpions Wind of Change 1991 Flag of Germany UK 2 - Sep 1991, US BB 4 of 1991, US BB 24 of 1991, Holland 1 - Apr 1991, Sweden 1 - Mar 1991, France 10 - Dec 1990, Austria 1 - Jun 1991, Switzerland 1 - Feb 1991, Norway 1 - Apr 1991, Germany 1 of the 1990s, Germany 1 - Apr 1991, Europe 26 of the 1990s, RYM 142 of 1990, POP 26 of 1991, Scrobulate 9 of ballad
5 Right Said Fred I'm Too Sexy 1991 Flag of the United Kingdom UK 2 - Jul 1991, US BB 1 of 1992, US BB 8 of 1992, Holland 20 - Sep 1991, France 10 - Aug 1991, Austria 2 - Nov 1991, Norway 2 - Sep 1991, Australia 20 of 1991, Germany 15 - Mar 1992, Éire 1 - Oct 1991, New Zealand 1 for 1 weeks Jan 1992, Australia 1 for 3 weeks Feb 1992, RYM 80 of 1991, POP 2 of 1992, Scrobulate 27 of funny, Party 124 of 2007

Top hits