The Billboard Hot 100 is the main song chart of the American music industry and is updated every week by the Billboard magazine. During the 1990s the chart was based collectively on each single's weekly physical sales figures and airplay on American radio stations.

The methodology for determining sales and airplay figures drastically changed with the chart dated November 30, 1991. Instead of surveying retail stores and radio stations, sales data was now gathered by Soundscan via a collection of the number of barcode scans a record received while airplay was to be compiled by Broadcast Data Systems, which continuously monitored what songs were being played on radio. As the decade progressed, a growing trend in the music industry was to promote songs to radio without the release of a commercially available singles in an attempt by record companies to boost albums sales. Because such a release was required to chart on the Hot 100, many popular songs that were hits on top 40 radio never made it onto the chart. Beginning December 5, 1998, the Hot 100 changed from being a "singles" chart to a "songs" chart. Not only did Billboard start allowing airplay-only tracks to chart, it broadened its radio panel to include "R&B, adult R&B, mainstream rock, triple-A rock, and country outlets", which was formerly "confined to the mainstream top 40, rhythmic top 40, adult top 40, adult contemporary, and modern rock formats."

"Another Day in Paradise" by Phil Collins began the 1990s in the number-one position, spending the first two weeks of the decade on top, but its first week at number one was on the chart dated December 23, 1989. Santana's "Smooth" featuring Rob Thomas finished the decade and began the next with a 12-week run atop the Hot 100.

Number ones Key – Number-one single of the year

# Reached number oneArtist(s)SingleRecord labelWeeks atnumber oneRef1990 711 January 20, 1990 Michael Bolton "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" Columbia 3 No. 1 hits during the 1990s 712 February 10, 1990 Paula Abdul & The Wild Pair "Opposites Attract" Virgin 3 713 March 3, 1990 Janet Jackson "Escapade" A&M 3 714 March 24, 1990 Alannah Myles "Black Velvet" Atlantic 2 715 April 7, 1990 Taylor Dayne "Love Will Lead You Back" Arista 1 716 April 14, 1990 Tommy Page "I'll Be Your Everything" Warner Bros. 1 717 April 21, 1990 Sinéad O'Connor "Nothing Compares 2 U" EMI 4 718 May 19, 1990 Madonna "Vogue" Warner Bros. 3 719 June 9, 1990 Wilson Phillips"Hold On"♪ (1990) EMI 1 720 June 16, 1990 Roxette "It Must Have Been Love" EMI 2 721 June 30, 1990 New Kids on the Block "Step By Step" Columbia 3 722 July 21, 1990 Glenn Medeiros featuring Bobby Brown "She Ain't Worth It" MCA 2 723 August 4, 1990 Mariah Carey "Vision of Love" Columbia 4 724 September 1, 1990 Sweet Sensation "If Wishes Came True" EEG 1 725 September 8, 1990 Jon Bon Jovi "Blaze Of Glory" IDJMG 1 726 September 15, 1990 Wilson Phillips "Release Me" EMI 2 727 September 29, 1990 Nelson "(Can't Live Without Your) Love And Affection" DGC 1 728 October 6, 1990 Maxi Priest "Close To You" Charisma 1 729 October 13, 1990 George Michael "Praying for Time" Columbia 1 730 October 20, 1990 James Ingram "I Don't Have the Heart" Warner Bros. 1 731 October 27, 1990 Janet Jackson "Black Cat" A&M 1 732 November 3, 1990 Vanilla Ice "Ice Ice Baby" EMI 1 733 November 10, 1990 Mariah Carey "Love Takes Time" Columbia 3 734 December 1, 1990 Whitney Houston "I'm Your Baby Tonight" Arista 1 735 December 8, 1990 Stevie B "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)" RCA 4 1991 736 January 5, 1991 Madonna "Justify My Love" Warner Bros. 2 737 January 19, 1991 Janet Jackson "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" A&M 1 738 January 26, 1991 Surface "The First Time" Columbia 2 739 February 9, 1991 C+C Music Factory featuring Freedom Williams "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" Columbia 2 740 February 23, 1991 Whitney Houston "All the Man That I Need" Arista 2 741 March 9, 1991 Mariah Carey "Someday" Columbia 2 742 March 23, 1991 Timmy T "One More Try" Quality 1 743 March 30, 1991 Gloria Estefan "Coming Out of the Dark" Epic 2 744 April 13, 1991 Londonbeat "I've Been Thinking About You" MCA 1 745 April 20, 1991 Wilson Phillips "You're in Love" EMI 1 746 April 27, 1991 Amy Grant "Baby Baby" A&M 2 747 May 11, 1991 Roxette "Joyride" EMI 1 748 May 18, 1991 Hi-Five "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)" RCA 1 749 May 25, 1991 Mariah Carey "I Don't Wanna Cry" Columbia 2 750 June 8, 1991 Extreme "More Than Words" A&M 1 751 June 15, 1991 Paula Abdul "Rush Rush" Virgin 5 752 July 20, 1991 EMF "Unbelievable" EMI 1 753 July 27, 1991 Bryan Adams "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You"♪ (1991) A&M 7 754 September 14, 1991 Paula Abdul "The Promise of a New Day" Virgin 1 755 September 21, 1991 Color Me Badd "I Adore Mi Amor" Giant 2 756 October 5, 1991 Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch featuring Loleatta Holloway "Good Vibrations" EEG 1 757 October 12, 1991 Mariah Carey "Emotions" Columbia 3 758 November 2, 1991 Karyn White "Romantic" Warner Bros. 1 759 November 9, 1991 Prince & The New Power Generation "Cream" Warner Bros. 2 760 November 23, 1991 Michael Bolton "When A Man Loves A Woman" Columbia 1 761 November 30, 1991 P.M. Dawn "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" IDJMG 1 762 December 7, 1991 Michael Jackson "Black or White" Epic 7 1992 763 January 25, 1992 Color Me Badd "All 4 Love" Giant 1 764 February 1, 1992 George Michael & Elton John "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" Columbia 1 765 February 8, 1992 Right Said Fred "I'm Too Sexy" Charisma 3 766 February 29, 1992 Mr. Big "To Be With You" Atlantic 3 767 March 21, 1992 Vanessa Williams "Save the Best for Last" IDJMG 5 768 April 25, 1992 Kris Kross "Jump" Columbia 8 769 June 20, 1992 Mariah Carey "I'll Be There" Columbia 2 770 July 4, 1992 Sir Mix-A-Lot "Baby Got Back" Reprise 5 771 August 8, 1992 Madonna "This Used To Be My Playground" Warner Bros. 1 772 August 15, 1992 Boyz II Men"End of the Road"♪ (1992) Motown 13 773 November 14, 1992 The Heights "How Do You Talk To An Angel" Capitol 2 774 November 28, 1992 Whitney Houston "I Will Always Love You"♪ (1993) Arista 14 1993 775 March 6, 1993 Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle "A Whole New World" Columbia 1 776 March 13, 1993 Snow "Informer" EEG 7 777 May 1, 1993 Silk "Freak Me" EEG 2 778 May 15, 1993 Janet Jackson "That's The Way Love Goes" Virgin 8 779 July 10, 1993 SWV "Weak" RCA 2 780 July 24, 1993 UB40 "(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You" Virgin 7 781 September 11, 1993 Mariah Carey "Dreamlover" Columbia 8 782 November 6, 1993 Meat Loaf "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" MCA 5 783 December 11, 1993 Janet Jackson "Again" Virgin 2 784 December 25, 1993 Mariah Carey "Hero" Columbia 4 1994 785 January 22, 1994 Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart & Sting "All For Love" A&M 3 786 February 12, 1994 Céline Dion "The Power Of Love" 550 Music 4 787 March 12, 1994 Ace of Base "The Sign" ♪ (1994) Arista 6 788 April 9, 1994 R. Kelly "Bump n' Grind" Jive 4 789 May 21, 1994 All-4-One "I Swear" Atlantic 11 790 August 6, 1994 Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories "Stay (I Missed You)" RCA 3 791 August 27, 1994 Boyz II Men "I'll Make Love to You" Motown 14 792 December 3, 1994 Boyz II Men "On Bended Knee" Motown 6 793 December 17, 1994 Ini Kamoze "Here Comes the Hotstepper" Columbia 2 1995 794 January 28, 1995 TLC "Creep" Arista 4 795 February 25, 1995 Madonna "Take A Bow" Warner Bros. 7 796 April 15, 1995 Montell Jordan "This Is How We Do It" IDJMG 7 797 June 3, 1995 Bryan Adams "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman" A&M 5 798 July 8, 1995 TLC "Waterfalls" Arista 7 799 August 26, 1995 Seal "Kiss from a Rose" Warner Bros. 1 800 September 2, 1995 Michael Jackson "You Are Not Alone" Epic 1 801 September 9, 1995 Coolio featuring L.V. "Gangsta's Paradise"♪ (1995) MCA 3 802 September 30, 1995 Mariah Carey "Fantasy" Columbia 8 803 November 25, 1995 Whitney Houston "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" Arista 1 804 December 2, 1995 Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men "One Sweet Day" Columbia 16 1996 805 March 23, 1996 Céline Dion "Because You Loved Me" 550 Music 6 806 May 4, 1996 Mariah Carey "Always Be My Baby" Columbia 2 807 May 18, 1996 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony "Tha Crossroads" Relativity 8 808 July 13, 1996 2Pac featuring K-Ci & JoJo / Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman "How Do U Want It" / "California Love" Interscope 2 809 July 27, 1996 Toni Braxton "You're Makin' Me High" / "Let It Flow" Arista 1 810 August 3, 1996 Los Del Rio "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)"♪ (1996) RCA 14 811 November 9, 1996 Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre "No Diggity" Interscope 4 812 December 7, 1996 Toni Braxton "Un-Break My Heart" Arista 11 1997 813 February 22, 1997 Spice Girls "Wannabe" Virgin 4 814 March 22, 1997 Puff Daddy featuring Mase "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" Arista 6 815 May 3, 1997 The Notorious B.I.G. "Hypnotize" Arista 3 816 May 24, 1997 Hanson "MMMBop" IDJMG 3 817 June 14, 1997 Puff Daddy & Faith Evans featuring 112 "I'll Be Missing You" Arista 11 818 August 30, 1997 The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Puff Daddy & Mase "Mo Money Mo Problems" Arista 2 819 September 13, 1997 Mariah Carey "Honey" Columbia 3 820 October 4, 1997 Boyz II Men "4 Seasons of Loneliness" Motown 1 821 October 11, 1997 Elton John "Candle in the Wind '97" /"Something About the Way You Look Tonight"♪ (1997) A&M 14 1998 822 January 17, 1998 Savage Garden "Truly Madly Deeply" Columbia 2 823 January 31, 1998 Janet Jackson "Together Again" Virgin 2 824 February 14, 1998 Usher "Nice & Slow" Arista 2 825 February 28, 1998 Céline Dion "My Heart Will Go On" 550 Music 2 826 March 14, 1998 Will Smith "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" Columbia 3 827 April 4, 1998 K-Ci & JoJo "All My Life" MCA 3 828 April 25, 1998 Next "Too Close"♪(1998) Arista 5 829 May 23, 1998 Mariah Carey "My All" Columbia 1 830 June 6, 1998 Brandy & Monica "The Boy Is Mine" Atlantic 13 831 September 5, 1998 Aerosmith "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" Columbia 4 832 October 3, 1998 Monica "The First Night" Arista 5 833 October 17, 1998 Barenaked Ladies "One Week" Reprise 1 834 November 14, 1998 Lauryn Hill "Doo Wop (That Thing)" Columbia 2 835 November 28, 1998 Divine "Lately" Red Ant 1 836 December 5, 1998 R. Kelly & Céline Dion "I'm Your Angel" Jive 6 1999 837 January 16, 1999 Brandy "Have You Ever" Atlantic 2 838 January 30, 1999 Britney Spears "…Baby One More Time" Jive 2 839 February 13, 1999 Monica "Angel of Mine" Arista 4 840 March 13, 1999 Cher "Believe"♪ (1999) Warner Bros. 4 841 April 10, 1999 TLC "No Scrubs" Arista 4 842 May 8, 1999 Ricky Martin "Livin' la Vida Loca" Columbia 5 843 June 12, 1999 Jennifer Lopez "If You Had My Love" Work Records 5 844 July 17, 1999 Destiny's Child "Bills, Bills, Bills" Columbia 1 845 July 24, 1999 Will Smith featuring Dru Hill & Kool Moe Dee "Wild Wild West" Columbia 1 846 July 31, 1999 Christina Aguilera "Genie in a Bottle" RCA 5 847 September 4, 1999 Enrique Iglesias "Bailamos" Interscope 2 848 September 18, 1999 TLC "Unpretty" Arista 3 849 October 9, 1999 Mariah Carey featuring Jay-Z "Heartbreaker" Columbia 2 850 October 23, 1999 Santana featuring Rob Thomas "Smooth" Arista 12

Statistics by decade Artists by total number-one singles The following artists achieved three or more number-one hits during the 1990s. A number of artists had number-one singles on their own as well as part of a collaboration.

Artist Number-one hits Mariah Carey 14 Janet Jackson 6 Boyz II Men 5 Madonna 4 Whitney Houston 4 Celine Dion 4 TLC 4 Wilson Phillips 3 Paula Abdul 3 Bryan Adams 3 Puff Daddy 3 Monica 3

Artists by total number of weeks at number-one The following artists were featured in top of the chart for the highest total number of weeks during the 1990s.

Artist Weeks at number-one Mariah Carey 60 Boyz II Men 50 Monica 22 Puff Daddy 19 TLC 18 Whitney Houston 18 Janet Jackson 17 Céline Dion 17 Brandy 15 Bryan Adams 15 Elton John 15

Songs by total number of weeks at number-one The following songs were featured in top of the chart for the highest total number of weeks during the 1990s.