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1990 in music
See also:
1989 in music,
other events of 1990,
1991 in music and the
list of 'years in music'.
- January 21 - MTV's Unplugged[?] premieres on cable television with musical guest, Squeeze
- February 6 - Billy Idol is involved in a serious motorcycle accident, resulting in several broken bones. Idol had been scheduled to have a major role in Oliver Stone's film The Doors, but had to back out of the project due to his injuries.
- February 8 - 50 year old songwriter Del Shannon dies of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
- February 14 - 50,000 fans watch The Rolling Stones play the first of 10 concerts at Tokyo's Korakuen Dome[?], the beginning of the Stones' first ever tour of Japan.
- February 16 - Ike Turner is sentenced to 4 years in prison for possession of cocaine.
- February 17 - Aerosmith appears in the Saturday Night Live sketch Wayne's World, where they perform the Wayne's World theme song.
- February 24 - The Byrds (Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman[?] and David Crosby) reunite, for the first time in 25 years, to perform at a Los Angeles, California tribute to Roy Orbison. The three are joined unexpectedly on stage by Bob Dylan, who sings "Mr. Tambourine Man" with the band.
- February 27 - In Time Magazine, Milli Vanilli "singer" Rob Pilatus[?] states that their group is, "more talented than any Bob Dylan or Paul McCartney. Mick Jagger can't produce a sound. I'm the new Elvis."
- March 20 - Gloria Estefan's tour bus is involved in an accident. Estefan suffers several broken several bones in her back.
- March 25 - Mötley Crüe's Tommy Lee is arrested for allegedly exposing his backside during a performance in Augusta, Georgia
- April 4 - Gloria Estefan returns to Miami, Florida after undergoing back surgery in March following a tour bus accident.
- April 6 - Mötley Crüe's Tommy Lee suffers a mild concussion after falling off of scaffolding above his elevated drum kit during a performance in New Haven, CT.
- April 7 - Neil Young, Elton John, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Guns N' Roses and Jackson Browne perform at Farm Aid[?] IV in Indiana. John dedicates "Candle in the Wind" to AIDS patient Ryan White during his performance. White died later that evening
- April 25 - Jimi Hendrix's Fender Stratocaster that he used to perform his famous version of the "Star Spangled Banner" at Woodstock, is auctioned off in London for $295,000
- May 8 - In Los Angeles, California, Tom Waits wins a $2.5 million lawsuit against Frito-Lay[?] for unlawfully using a sound alike of Waits in its Doritos television commercials.
- May 26 - Gin Blossoms sign a contract with A&M Records
- October - Jamaaladeen Tacuma records Boss of the Bass[?], that will be a blockbuster in 1991
- Fall - For the first time, Amy Grant and Gary Chapman[?] hold a night of music at their Franklin, Tennessee Riverstone Farm, for local teenagers. Performers included Rich Mullins, Rick Elias, Charlie Peacock[?], Wes King[?] and Michael W. Smith. The event becomes known as "The Loft".
- November 27 - "Vocal" group Milli Vanilli admits to lip-synching hits such as "Girl You Know It's True." They later have their Grammy award revoked.
- December - The Smashing Pumpkins records Gish, which will be a blockbuster album in 1991
- Madonna's "Justify My Love" music video is banned by MTV. The singer appears on Nightline to defend the video.
- The poorly received Cop Rock preimieres on television, TV's first (and last) musical police drama.
- Will Smith hits primetime television with the sitcom, The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air[?].
- Spin Doctors' begins performing
- Pearl Jam's career begins
- Ash forms
- Blue Meanies forms
- Blink-182 forms
- Face To Face forms
- Vertical Horizon forms
- Master Sound forms
- Rage Against the Machine forms
- Ricky Martin's career begins
- The Prodigy's career begins
- Mariah Carey's career begins
- Leaders of the New School (including Busta Rhymes) forms
- Master Sound forms
- Face To Face finishes recoring their demos
- January 23 - Allen Collins[?], Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist, complications from pneumonia
- February 8 - Del Shannon, suicide
- February 25 - Johnnie Ray[?], liver failure
- March 16 - Andrew Wood[?], Mother Love Bone
- April 3 - Sarah Vaughn[?], lung cancer
- August 27 - Stevie Ray Vaughan, blues guitarist performer
- October 14 - Leonard Bernstein, American composer and conductor
- October 16 - Art Blakey, jazz drummer
- December 2 -- Aaron Copland, American composer