RPM was a Canadian magazine that published the best-performing singles of Canada from 1964 to 2000. 1990 saw 21 songs reach the number-one spot in Canada. Phil Collins achieved the first number one of the year, "Another Day in Paradise", while Wilson Phillips stayed at number one into 1991 with "Impulsive". Nine different acts reached number one for the first time in 1990: The Wild Pair, Janet Jackson, Sinéad O'Connor, New Kids on the Block, Taylor Dayne, Mariah Carey, Wilson Phillips, Jon Bon Jovi without his band, and Alias—the only Canadian artist to reach number one during the year.
English singer Phil Collins was the most successful musician of 1990 in Canada, peaking at number one with four singles between January and October: "Another Day in Paradise", "I Wish It Would Rain Down", "Do You Remember?", and "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven"—all from his fourth album, ...But Seriously. "I Wish It Would Rain Down" remained at number one for six weeks in early spring, finishing 1990 as Canada's most successful single. Altogether, Collins spent 14 weeks at number one during the year, comprising more than a quarter of the calendar year.
Wilson Phillips was the only other act to reach number one with more than one song, rising to the top position with "Release Me" in September and "Impulsive" in December, totalling three weeks at number one. In May and June, Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor climbed to number one with "Nothing Compares 2 U" for five weeks while Mariah Carey and Alias stayed at number one for four weeks with "Vision of Love" and "More Than Words Can Say", respectively. Rod Stewart topped the chart for three weeks with "Downtown Train", as did Madonna with "Vogue".
+Key Indicates best-performing single of 1990
Chart history
Issue dateSongArtistReference6 January"Another Day in Paradise"Phil Collins13 January20 January27 January3 February10 February"Downtown Train"Rod Stewart17 February24 February3 March"Opposites Attract"Paula Abdul and The Wild Pair10 March17 March"Escapade"Janet Jackson24 March"I Wish It Would Rain Down"Phil Collins31 March7 April14 April21 April28 April5 May"Nothing Compares 2 U"Sinéad O'Connor12 May19 May26 May2 June9 June"All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You"Heart16 June"Vogue"Madonna23 June30 June7 July"It Must Have Been Love"Roxette14 July"Do You Remember?"Phil Collins21 July"Step by Step"New Kids on the Block28 July4 August"I'll Be Your Shelter"Taylor Dayne11 August"Across the River"Bruce Hornsby and the Range18 August25 August"Vision of Love"Mariah Carey1 September8 September15 September22 September"Release Me"Wilson Phillips29 September"Blaze of Glory"Jon Bon Jovi6 October13 October"Something Happened on the Way to Heaven"Phil Collins20 October27 October"Praying for Time"George Michael3 November10 November"Suicide Blonde"INXS17 November24 November"More Than Words Can Say"Alias1 December8 December15 December22 December"Impulsive"Wilson Phillips29 December
Notes
See also 1990 in music List of Canadian number-one albums of 1990 List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1990 (United States) List of number-one singles from the 1990s (New Zealand)
References
External links RPM Magazine at the AV Trust RPM chart search at Library and Archives Canada