Top Songs — 1990
▶ Spotify PlaylistLadies and gentlemen
We have more influence over your children than you do
But we love them...
That's the English translation of Cindy Lair's intro to Stop! by Jane's Addiction. And thank goodness they had our back — because with no smartphones, no Life360, and the parenting standards in 1990, attending a concert as a high schooler was a very different thing than it is today.
Around that time, my friend and I decided at the last minute to go to Nassau Coliseum for an incredible bill: Sonic Youth and Social Distortion opening for Neil Young. All three were touring behind their 1990 releases. But getting to the show? It's almost laughable when viewed through the lens of modern parenting.
We were dropped off on the shoulder of Hempstead Turnpike, just outside the Coliseum's parking lot. We climbed a fence to get onto the grounds (no CCTV to worry about back then), presumably to dodge the parking fee. Adding to the complexity, we didn't have tickets. We'd heard on the radio that tickets were still available at the box office. No cell phones, no backup plan — just counting on our ride to stick around in case we came back empty-handed.
Luckily, there were seats. The concert was fantastic, the crowd was sparse, and no one texted anyone to say they'd arrived safely.
It's wild to think about now. Today, we track our kids' every movement and get anxious if we're not in regular contact. Back then, the grownups let us loose, crossed their fingers, and hoped everything went alright.
It's not like I thought my parents were especially lax. But on nights like that, we were left in the care of the band. And thankfully, they loved us enough to give us a great show.
1.⭐ Bad Religion — 21st Century (Digital Boy)
2.⭐ Jane's Addiction — Stop!
3.⭐ George Michael — Freedom! '90
4.⭐ EMF — Unbelievable
5.⭐ Brian Eno;John Cale — Lay My Love
6.⭐ Bad Religion — Anesthesia
7.⭐ They Might Be Giants — Birdhouse in Your Soul
8.⭐ Pixies — The Happening
9.⭐ Bad Religion — Modern Man
10.⭐ Anything Box — Living In Oblivion
11.⭐ The Sundays — Here's Where The Story Ends
12.⭐ Kitchens Of Distinction — Quick as Rainbows
13.⭐ Morrissey — November Spawned a Monster
14.⭐ Straitjacket Fits — Down In Splendour
15.⭐ Alice In Chains — Man in the Box
16.⭐ The Chills — Heavenly Pop Hit
17.⭐ The House of Love — Shine On
18.⭐ Yo La Tengo — Did I Tell You
19.Ned's Atomic Dustbin — Kill Your Television
20.Trashcan Sinatras — Obscurity Knocks
21.Superchunk — Slack Motherfucker
22.Depeche Mode — Enjoy the Silence
23.Divinyls — I Touch Myself
24.Green Day — I Was There
25.Tesla — Signs
26.Bad Religion — Turn On the Light
27.Madonna — Vogue
28.Concrete Blonde — Joey
29.Sinéad O'Connor — Nothing Compares 2 U
30.Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine — Sheriff Fatman
31.Social Distortion — Ball and Chain
32.Jane's Addiction — Classic Girl
33.Queensrÿche — Silent Lucidity
34.Fastbacks — In the Summer
35.Nirvana — Sliver
36.Cocteau Twins — Iceblink Luck
37.Jane's Addiction — Obvious
38.Midnight Oil — Blue Sky Mine
39.Jesus Jones — Right Here Right Now
40.Brian Eno;John Cale — Spinning Away
41.The Monochrome Set — White Lightning
42.Bob Mould — It's Too Late
43.Saint Etienne — Only Love Can Break Your Heart
44.The Black Crowes — Hard To Handle
45.Yo La Tengo — You Tore Me Down
46.World Party — Way Down Now
47.my bloody valentine — Soon
48.Ultra Vivid Scene — Special One
49.Yo La Tengo — Here Comes My Baby
50.AC/DC — Moneytalks
51.Alice In Chains — Bleed The Freak
52.Yo La Tengo — Can't Forget
53.Mazzy Star — Halah
54.Poison — Ride The Wind
55.The Cleaners From Venus — The Jangling Man
56.Happy Mondays — Kinky Afro
57.Sonic Youth — Kool Thing
58.Green Day — Going to Pasalacqua
59.The Black Crowes — Jealous Again
60.Cocteau Twins — Heaven Or Las Vegas
61.Red Hot Chili Peppers — Show Me Your Soul
62.Green Day — At the Library
63.Alice In Chains — Sea Of Sorrow
64.Lush — Sweetness and Light
65.AC/DC — Thunderstruck
66.Deee-Lite — Groove Is in the Heart
67.Bad Religion — Faith Alone
68.Yo La Tengo — Yellow Sarong
69.LL COOL J — Mama Said Knock You Out
70.The Orb — Little Fluffy Clouds
71.The Charlatans — The Only One I Know
72.Primal Scream — Loaded
73.Yo La Tengo — Griselda
74.Yo La Tengo — Speeding Motorcycle
75.The Silos — I'm Over You
76.Neil Young;Crazy Horse — White Line
77.Midnight Oil — Forgotten Years
78.The Soup Dragons — I'm Free
79.Pet Shop Boys — So Hard
80.Pixies — Velouria
81.Go West — The King of Wishful Thinking
82.Billy Idol — Cradle Of Love
83.INXS — Suicide Blonde
84.Eric Johnson — Cliffs Of Dover
85.Social Distortion — Ring of Fire
86.The Black Crowes — Twice As Hard
87.Jane's Addiction — Been Caught Stealing
88.Ride — Vapour Trail
89.Poison — Unskinny Bop
90.Pet Shop Boys — Being Boring