5th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Jan 17 5th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: Hank Ballard; Bobby Darin; The Four Seasons; The Four Tops; The Kinks; The Platters; Simon and Garfunkel; The Who; Louis Armstrong; Charlie Christian; Ma Rainey; Gerry Goffin and Carole King; and Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland
17th American Music Awards
Jan 22 17th American Music Awards: Paula Abdul & Bobby Brown win
Music Concert
Feb 12 Rock for the Rainforest benefit concert held in Beverly Hills, California; performers include: Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Herbie Hancock, Paul Simon, Don Henley, and Bruce Hornsby
Grammy Awards
Feb 21 "The Batman Theme" by Danny Elfman wins Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition at 32nd Annual Grammy Awards
- Feb 21 32nd Grammy Awards: "Wind Beneath My Wings"; "Nick of Time" win
- Feb 23 “Hold On” single released by En Vogue (Billboard Song of the Year 1990)
Music History
Feb 25 On a BBC taped interview, rock star Stevie Nicks breaks down, saying that she will never have children & no man can stand her for long
- Feb 27 "Hold On" single released by Wilson Phillips (Billboard Song of the Year 1990)
Soul Train Music Awards
Mar 14 4th Soul Train Music Awards: Soul II Soul, Janet Jackson win
Music History
Mar 20 Singer Gloria Estefan fractures her spine when a truck hits her tour bus near Scranton, Pennsylvania
Music History
Mar 31 Robert Wilson, Tom Waits, and William S. Burroughs' avant garde opera "The Black Rider" premieres March 31, 1990 at the Thalia Theater, Hamburg, Germany
- Apr 1 It becomes illegal in Salem Oregon to be within 2 feet of nude dancers
- Apr 4 Singer Gloria Estefan released from hospital after her tour bus accident
Farm Aid Concert
Apr 7 Farm Aid IV concert at Hoosier Dome (Indianapolis, Indiana) features Bonnie Raitt, John Mellencamp, John Hiatt, Carl Perkins, Arlo Guthrie, Garth Brooks, Bruce Hornsby, Elton John, Lou Reed, Taj Mahal, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Willie Nelson, Iggy Pop, and others [1]
- Apr 8 "Aspects of Love" opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 377 performances
Twin Peaks
Apr 8 "Twin Peaks" created by David Lynch and starring Kyle MacLachlan premieres on ABC-TV
- Apr 9 World's largest bunny hop at Radio City Music Hall, New York City; record eclipsed in 2007
Music History
Apr 12 James Brown moves to a work-release center after serving 15 months of 6 year sentence for weapon and drug related convictions
The Piano Lesson
Apr 16 August Wilson's play "The Piano Lesson", starring Charles S. Dutton, opens at Walter Kerr Theater NYC for 320 performances
- Apr 22 "Truly Blessed" opens at Longacre Theater NYC for 33 performances
Academy of Country Music Awards
Apr 25 25th Academy of Country Music Awards: George Strait, Clint Black, and Kathy Mattea win
- Apr 26 "Accomplice" opens at Richard Rodgers Theater NYC for 52 performances
- Apr 28 Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban's "A Chorus Line" closes at Shubert Theater, NYC, after record 6,137 performances, and 10 Tony Awards
- Apr 29 "Change in the Heir" opens at Edison Theater NYC for 16 performances
- May 1 "Prelude to a Kiss" opens at Helen Hayes Theater NYC
- May 2 "Some Americans Abroad" opens at Vivian Beaumont NYC for 62 performances
Music History
May 4 Angela Bowie reveals that ex-husband David Bowie slept with Mick Jagger
Music History
May 12 Nora Dunn and Sinéad O'Connor boycott "Saturday Night Live" to protest Andrew Dice Clay's hosting which was perceived as sexist; the show uses a time delay for the third time in its history
Television Finale
May 19 "Elvis" TV Drama about early life of Elvis Presley last airs on ABC
- May 20 "Truly Blessed" closes at Longacre Theater NYC after 33 performances
- Jun 1 "Cemetery Club" closes at Brooks Atkinson Theatre NYC after 56 performances
- Jun 2 "Turtle Power" by Partners In Kryme hits #13
- Jun 4 24th Music City News Country Awards: Ricky Van Shelton & Patty Loveless win
Music History
Jun 7 Michael Jackson enters St. John's Hospital and Health Center, near his home, for chest pains after a dance rehearsal and exercise session
- Jun 9 Michael Jackson is hospitalized with inflamed rib cartilage, in California
- Jun 9 Red Hot Organization releases music album "Red Hot + Blue" featuring contemporary pop stars (including U2; Annie Lennox; Thompson Twins; Sinéad O'Connor; Tom Waits) performing songs of Cole Porter to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV
- Jun 10 "Accomplice" closes at Richard Rodgers Theater NYC after 52 performances
- Jun 10 Musical "Meet Me In St Louis", based on the 1944 film, closes at Gershwin Theater, NYC, after 253 performances
- Jun 10 Rap group 2 Live crew members arrested in Florida for obscenity
Music History
Jun 11 UN appoints British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John as environmental ambassador
Mariah Carey Debut Album
Jun 12 "Mariah Carey" debut album by Mariah Carey is released
Music History
Jun 21 Little Richard [Penniman] gets a star on Hollywood's Walk Of Fame
Music Concert
Jun 22 Billy Joel performs a concert at Yankee Stadium, New York City
- Jun 22 Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, England opens: The Cure, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo headline; other performers include Sinéad O'Connor, Neville Brothers, Ry Cooder, Del Amitri, Flaco Jiminez, Hothouse flowers, and World Party
Music History
Jun 23 Police find marijuana at Chuck Berry's home
- Jul 4 2 Live Crew release "Banned in the USA" the lyrics quote Star Spangled Banner and Gettysburg Address
Jetsons the Movie
Jul 6 "Jetsons the Movie" by Hanna-Barbera with Tiffany Darwish, premieres
Music Concert
Jul 7 1st 'Three Tenors' concert featuring Plácido Domingo, José Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti at Baths of Caracalla in Rome; recording becomes world's best-selling classical record
Music Concert
Jul 21 Pink Floyd's "The Wall" is performed where the Berlin Wall once stood; charity concert led by Roger Waters, with guests Cyndi Lauper, Joni Mitchell, The Scorpions,; Sinéad O'Connor, Bryan Adams, The Band, Van Morrison, The Hooters, and others
- Aug 1 "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" closes at Eugene O'Neill Theater NYC after 149 performances
- Aug 1 British pop-reggae band UB40 deported from Seychelles after being arrested on suspicion of marijuana possession
A Little Night Music
Aug 3 New York City Opera's limited run production of Stephen Sondheim's musical "A Little Night Music" opens at New York State Theater, NYC, for 11 performances
Music History
Aug 13 American soul singer Curtis Mayfield becomes paralyzed from neck down after stage lighting equipment falls on him at an outdoor concert at Wingate Field in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York; although unable to perform live, he continued to compose, sing, and record
- Aug 27 "No Fences" second studio album by Garth Brooks is released (Billboard Album of the Year 1991)
- Sep 1 "Heidi Chronicles" closes at Plymouth Theater, NYC, after 621 performances
Jerome Robbins' Broadway
Sep 1 "Jerome Robbins' Broadway" closes at Imperial theater, NYC. after 634 performances
The Grapes of Wrath
Sep 2 Frank Galati's adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel "The Grapes of Wrath" closes at Cort Theater, NYC. after 188 performances
- Sep 6 7th MTV Video Music Awards: Sinead O'Connor wins
Music History
Sep 7 New York City Opera's production of Kurt Weill and Langston Hughes' "Street Scene" opens at NY State Theater, NYC; runs for 6 performances
- Sep 27 American punk rocker Dee Dee Ramone arrested for marijuana possession in Washington Square Park, NYC
Music History
Sep 28 Marvin Gaye gets a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame
- Sep 29 "Love & Affection" by Nelson peaks at #1 on pop singles chart
- Sep 29 "Street Scene" closes at NY State Theater NYC after 6 performances
- Oct 2 "Michael Feinstein in Concert" opens at Golden NYC for 30 performances
- Oct 3 Florida record store owner Charles Freeman is found guilty of obscenity, for selling 2 Live Crew rap records
- Oct 4 "Stand Up Tragedy" opens at Criterion Theater NYC for 13 performances
Interiors
Oct 5 Columbia Records releases "Interiors", the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash. produced by Cash herself
Country Music Association Awards
Oct 8 24th Country Music Association Awards: George Strait wins
Radio History
Oct 9 Radio stations around world play "Imagine" honoring John Lennon on what would have been his 50th birthday
The Rhythm of the Saints
Oct 16 Warner Bros, Records releases "The Rhythm of the Saints", the eighth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon
Music History
Oct 17 "Jackie Mason - Brand New" opens at Neil Simon Theater, NYC; runs for 216 performances
Music History
Oct 17 Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong drops out of school to pursue a career in music
Once on This Island
Oct 18 Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens' musical "Once on This Island", based on Rosa Guy's novel "My Love, My Love" (a Caribbean-set retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid"), opens at Booth Theater, NYC; runs for 469 performances
- Oct 27 "Michael Feinstein in Concert" closes at Golden NYC after 30 performances
Oh, Kay!
Nov 1 Revival of George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, and P. G. Wodehouse's musical "Oh, Kay!" opens at Richard Rodgers Theater, NYC; runs for 77 performances
- Nov 4 Alan Janes' jukebox musical "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story", starring Paul Hipp, opens at Shubert Theatre, NYC; runs for 225 performances
I'm Your Baby Tonight
Nov 6 "I'm Your Baby Tonight" 3rd studio album by Whitney Houston is released (Billboard Album of the Year 1991)
- Nov 7 English-Yiddish musical revue "Those Were The Days" opens at Edison Theater, NYC; runs for 126 performances
- Nov 7 New York City Opera's limited run production of Stephen Sondheim's musical "A Little Night Music" closes at New York State, NYC, after 11 performances
Wicked Game
Nov 8 Musician Chris Isaak releases single "Wicked Game"
Shadowlands
Nov 11 William Nicholson's drama "Shadowlands", based on the life of C.S. Lewis, opens at Brooks Atkinson Theatre, NYC; runs for 169 performances and wins a Tony Award
- Nov 17 American singer David Crosby breaks his left leg, ankle and shoulder in a motorcycle accident in Los Angeles, California
Music Premiere
Nov 18 Revival of Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's musical "Fiddler on the Roof", starring Topol, opens at Gershwin Theater NYC for 241 performances
- Nov 19 Pop duo Milli Vanilli are stripped of their Grammy Award after it is learned they did not sing on their award-winning "Girl You Know Its True" album
- Nov 26 1st Billboard Music Awards: M.C. Hammer & Janet Jackson win
- Nov 29 Paul Chihara and John Driver's musical "Shogun - The Musical", based on James Clavell's novel, opens at Marquis Theater, NYC; runs for 72 performances
- Dec 13 Revival of Leigh, Charlap, Styne, Comden and Green's musical "Peter Pan", starring Cathy Rigby, opens at Lunt-Fontanne Theater, NYC; runs for 45 performances
Five Guys Named Moe
Dec 14 Louis Jordan's revue "Five Guys Named Moe" premieres in London
Kendrick Lamar
Eminem
XXXTentacion
Tupac Shakur
Nicki Minaj
Coolio