The Hot 100 Airplay chart ranks the most frequently broadcast songs on US radio stations, published by Billboard magazine. Prior to December 1990, radio stations were simply asked what songs were on their playlists and what songs have recently been added. Nielsen BDS was introduced in Billboard in January 1990 and first used on the Billboard Country music chart. Billboard introduced the Top 40 Radio Monitor on December 8, 1990, as a BDS-monitored airplay chart for comparison to the Hot 100 airplay-component chart, which was determined by radio playlists. The Top 40 Radio Monitor became the official airplay component of the Hot 100 with the issue dated November 30, 1991, when the methodology of the Hot 100 was changed to utilize both BDS (airplay) and Soundscan (sales) technology. BDS measures actual airplay by monitoring radio stations continuously with computers that "listen for the unique 'audio fingerprint' of each song and register a detection every time a song is played." One of the first noticeable effects of the change in methodology was that there tended to be less turnover of the top songs. Before the switch, no song had spent at least ten weeks at number one on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, but from December 1990 until the end of the decade, 17 songs had a minimum ten-week run at the top of the chart. While the BDS technology may have had some impact as to why this was happening, the cause has also been attributed to the trends of the radio industry at the time with stations playing the same songs over longer periods of time.
In the mid-1990s, a new trend began to emerge: singles without being released commercially in an attempt to boost album sales. While not a new concept, it started becoming commonplace. With the June 17, 1995, issue, "I'll Be There for You", became the first single to top the Hot 100 Airplay chart without appearing on the Hot 100. (It would later peak at No. 17 on the Hot 100 when released as a B-side to the Rembrandts follow-up single, "This House Is Not a Home", combined with its continued but fading dominance on the radio.) More songs followed with tracks such as "Don't Speak", "Men in Black", "Fly", "Torn", and "Iris", each becoming the most played song on American pop radio, despite being ineligible to chart on the Hot 100 itself due to a lack of a commercially available single. While this practice did not end, in the Billboard issue dated December 5, 1998, policy was revised to allow "airplay-only" songs to chart on the Hot 100.
Number-one airplay hits
Issue dateSongArtist(s)1990 January 6 "Another Day in Paradise" Phil Collins January 13 January 20 "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" Michael Bolton January 27 February 3 "Opposites Attract" Paula Abdul with The Wild Pair February 10 February 17 February 24 March 3 "Escapade" Janet Jackson March 10 March 17 March 24 March 31 "Love Will Lead You Back" Taylor Dayne April 7 April 14 "Don't Wanna Fall in Love" Jane Child April 21 April 28 "Nothing Compares 2 U" Sinéad O'Connor May 5 May 12 May 19 May 26 "Vogue" Madonna June 2 June 9 June 16 "It Must Have Been Love" Roxette June 23 June 30 July 7 "Step by Step" New Kids on the Block July 14 "She Ain't Worth It" Glenn Medeiros featuring Bobby Brown July 21 July 28 August 4 "Vision of Love" Mariah Carey August 11 August 18 August 25 "Come Back to Me" Janet Jackson September 1 September 8 "Release Me" Wilson Phillips September 15 September 22 September 29 "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven" Phil Collins October 6 October 13 "Praying for Time" George Michael October 20 October 27 "I Don't Have the Heart" James Ingram November 3 November 10 "Ice Ice Baby" Vanilla Ice November 17 November 24 "Love Takes Time" Mariah Carey December 1 December 8 December 15 December 22 "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)" Stevie B December 291991 January 5 "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" Janet Jackson January 12 January 19 January 26 February 2 February 9 February 16 February 23 "Someday" Mariah Carey March 2 March 9 March 16 March 23 March 30 April 6 April 13 April 20 April 27 May 4 "Touch Me (All Night Long)" Cathy Dennis May 11 May 18 "Baby Baby" Amy Grant May 25 June 1 "Rush Rush" Paula Abdul June 8 June 15 June 22 June 29 July 6 July 13 July 20 July 27 August 3 "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" Bryan Adams August 10 August 17 August 24 August 31 September 7 September 14 September 21 September 28 "I Adore Mi Amor" Color Me Badd October 5 October 12 October 19 "Emotions" Mariah Carey October 26 November 2 November 9 November 16 "When a Man Loves a Woman" Michael Bolton November 23 November 30 December 7 "Black or White" Michael Jackson December 14 December 21 December 281992 January 4 "All 4 Love" Color Me Badd January 11 January 18 January 25 February 1 "I Love Your Smile" Shanice February 8 February 15 February 22 February 29 March 7 "Remember the Time" Michael Jackson March 14 March 21 "Save the Best for Last" Vanessa Williams March 28 April 4 April 11 April 18 April 25 May 2 May 9 May 16 "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" En Vogue May 23 May 30 June 6 June 13 "I'll Be There" Mariah Carey June 20 June 27 July 4 July 11 July 18 July 25 August 1 August 8 "Baby-Baby-Baby" TLC August 15 August 22 "End of the Road" Boyz II Men August 29 September 5 September 12 September 19 September 26 October 3 October 10 October 17 October 24 October 31 November 7 November 14 November 21 "I'd Die Without You" P.M. Dawn November 28 December 5 "I Will Always Love You" Whitney Houston December 12 December 19 December 261993 January 2 "I Will Always Love You" Whitney Houston January 9 January 16 January 23 January 30 February 6 February 13 February 20 "A Whole New World" Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle February 27 March 6 March 13 March 20 "I Have Nothing" Whitney Houston March 27 April 3 April 10 April 17 April 24 May 1 "Freak Me" Silk May 8 May 15 May 22 "That's the Way Love Goes" Janet Jackson May 29 June 5 June 12 June 19 June 26 July 3 July 10 July 17 July 24 July 31 "Can't Help Falling in Love" UB40 August 7 August 14 August 21 August 28 "Dreamlover" Mariah Carey September 4 September 11 September 18 September 25 October 2 October 9 October 16 October 23 October 30 November 6 November 13 "Again" Janet Jackson November 20 November 27 December 4 December 11 "Hero" Mariah Carey December 18 December 251994 January 1 "Hero" Mariah Carey January 8 January 15 January 22 January 29 February 5 February 12 February 19 "Breathe Again" Toni Braxton February 26 "The Sign" Ace of Base March 5 March 12 March 19 March 26 April 2 April 9 April 16 April 23 April 30 May 7 May 14 May 21 May 28 "I Swear" All-4-One June 4 June 11 June 18 June 25 July 2 July 9 July 16 July 23 July 30 "Don't Turn Around" Ace of Base August 6 August 13 "Stay (I Missed You)" Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories August 20 August 27 September 3 September 10 "I'll Make Love to You" Boyz II Men September 17 September 24 October 1 October 8 October 15 October 22 October 29 November 5 November 12 November 19 November 26 December 3 "On Bended Knee" December 10 December 17 December 24 December 311995 January 7 "On Bended Knee" Boyz II Men January 14 January 21 January 28 February 4 February 11 February 18 "Take a Bow" Madonna February 25 March 4 March 11 March 18 March 25 April 1 April 8 April 15 April 22 "I Know" Dionne Farris April 29 May 6 May 13 May 20 May 27 June 3 June 10 "Water Runs Dry" Boyz II Men June 17 "I'll Be There for You" The Rembrandts June 24 July 1 July 8 July 15 July 22 July 29 August 5 August 12 "Kiss from a Rose" Seal August 19 August 26 September 2 September 9 September 16 September 23 September 30 October 7 October 14 October 21 "Fantasy" Mariah Carey October 28 November 4 November 11 November 18 November 25 December 2 December 9 "One Sweet Day" Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men December 16 December 23 December 301996 January 6 "One Sweet Day" Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men January 13 January 20 January 27 February 3 February 10 February 17 February 24 March 2 March 9 "Missing" Everything but the Girl March 16 March 23 March 30 April 6 April 13 "Because You Loved Me" Celine Dion April 20 April 27 May 4 May 11 May 18 May 25 June 1 June 8 June 15 June 22 June 29 July 6 July 13 July 20 "You Learn" Alanis Morissette July 27 August 3 August 10 August 17 August 24 "I Love You Always Forever" Donna Lewis August 31 September 7 September 14 September 21 September 28 October 5 October 12 October 19 October 26 November 2 November 9 November 16 "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" Celine Dion November 23 November 30 "I Love You Always Forever" Donna Lewis December 7 "Don't Speak" No Doubt December 14 December 21 December 281997 January 4 "Don't Speak" No Doubt January 11 January 18 "Un-Break My Heart" Toni Braxton January 25 February 1 "Don't Speak" No Doubt February 8 February 15 February 22 March 1 March 8 March 15 March 22 March 29 April 5 April 12 "You Were Meant for Me" Jewel April 19 April 26 May 3 May 10 May 17 May 24 May 31 June 7 June 14 "MMMBop" Hanson June 21 June 28 July 5 July 12 "Sunny Came Home" Shawn Colvin July 19 July 26 August 2 August 9 "Men in Black" Will Smith August 16 August 23 August 30 September 6 "Semi-Charmed Life" Third Eye Blind September 13 September 20 September 27 "Foolish Games" Jewel October 4 October 11 October 18 "Fly" Sugar Ray October 25 November 1 November 8 November 15 November 22 November 29 "Tubthumping" Chumbawamba December 6 December 13 December 20 December 271998 January 3 "Tubthumping" Chumbawamba January 10 January 17 January 24 January 31 "My Heart Will Go On" Celine Dion February 7 February 14 February 21 February 28 March 7 March 14 March 21 March 28 April 4 April 11 "Truly Madly Deeply" Savage Garden April 18 April 25 May 2 May 9 May 16 "Torn" Natalie Imbruglia May 23 May 30 June 6 June 13 June 20 June 27 July 4 July 11 July 18 July 25 August 1 "Iris" Goo Goo Dolls August 8 August 15 August 22 August 29 September 5 September 12 September 19 September 26 October 3 "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" Aerosmith October 10 "Iris" Goo Goo Dolls October 17 October 24 October 31 November 7 November 14 November 21 November 28 December 5 December 12 "Lullaby" Shawn Mullins December 19 December 26 "Have You Ever?" Brandy1999 January 2 "Have You Ever?" Brandy January 9 January 16 January 23 January 30 February 6 February 13 February 20 February 27 "Slide" Goo Goo Dolls March 6 "Angel of Mine" Monica March 13 March 20 "No Scrubs" TLC March 27 April 3 April 10 April 17 April 24 May 1 May 8 May 15 May 22 May 29 June 5 June 12 June 19 "Livin' La Vida Loca" Ricky Martin June 26 July 3 July 10 July 17 "I Want It That Way" Backstreet Boys July 24 July 31 August 7 "All Star" Smash Mouth August 14 August 21 August 28 September 4 September 11 "Genie in a Bottle" Christina Aguilera September 18 September 25 October 2 "Mambo #5" Lou Bega October 9 October 16 October 23 October 30 November 6 November 13 "Smooth" Santana featuring Rob Thomas November 20 November 27 December 4 December 11 December 18 "Back at One" Brian McKnight December 25
See also 1990s in music List of Hot 100 number-one singles of the 1990s (U.S.)
Notes and references
Additional sources Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. (2004) Billboard Biz