Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em by MC Hammer spent 21 weeks at #1 in 1990, including 18 consecutive weeks.

The highest-selling albums and EPs in the United States are ranked in the Billboard 200, which is published by Billboard magazine. The data are compiled by Nielsen Soundscan based on each album's weekly physical and digital sales.[1] In 1990, 8 albums occupied the peak position on the chart.

Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em, the third and most popular album (and second major-label release) by MC Hammer, had the longest run among the releases that reached peak position in 1990, spending 21 non-consecutive weeks in the top position (18 of these weeks were consecutive). Its popularity was due primarily to the runaway single, "U Can't Touch This". However, it was criticized for its sampling of other artists' songs.[2] "U Can't Touch This" sampled "Super Freak" by Rick James; "Dancin' Machine" sampled the Jackson 5; "Have You Seen Her" is a semi-cover of The Chi-Lites song; "Help the Children" interpolates Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)"; "Pray" and "She's Soft and Wet" sample the Prince hits "When Doves Cry" and "Soft and Wet" respectively.

The album raised rap music to a new level of popularity. It was the first hip-hop album certified diamond by the RIAA for sales of over ten million.[3] It remains one of the genre's all-time best-selling albums.[4] To date, the album has sold over 18 million copies worldwide.[5][6][7][8]

According to Guinness World Records, the album cost just $10,000 to produce.

Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 was the best performing and best-selling album of 1990 despite not reaching number-one at any point during the year. The album achieved 4 weeks atop the chart during 1989.[9]

Chart history

Issue date Album Artist(s) Label Ref.
January 6 ...But Seriously Phil Collins Atlantic [10]
January 13 Girl You Know It's True Milli Vanilli Arista [11]
January 20 ...But Seriously Phil Collins Atlantic [12]
January 27 [13]
February 3 Forever Your Girl Paula Abdul Virgin [14]
February 10 [15]
February 17 [16]
February 24 [17]
March 3 [18]
March 10 [19]
March 17 [20]
March 24 [21]
March 31 [22]
April 7 Nick of Time Bonnie Raitt Capitol [23]
April 14 [24]
April 21 [25]
April 28 I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got Sinéad O'Connor Chrysalis [26]
May 5 [27]
May 12 [28]
May 19 [29]
May 26 [30]
June 2 [31]
June 9 Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em MC Hammer Capitol [32]
June 16 [33]
June 23 [34]
June 30 Step by Step New Kids on the Block Columbia [35]
July 7 Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em MC Hammer Capitol [36]
July 14 [37]
July 21 [38]
July 28 [39]
August 4 [40]
August 11 [41]
August 18 [42]
August 25 [43]
September 1 [44]
September 8 [45]
September 15 [46]
September 22 [47]
September 29 [48]
October 6 [49]
October 13 [50]
October 20 [51]
October 27 [52]
November 3 [53]
November 10 To the Extreme Vanilla Ice SBK [54]
November 17 [55]
November 24 [56]
December 1 [57]
December 8 [58]
December 15 [59]
December 22 [60]
December 29 [61]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Billboard Methodology". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Archived from the original on 2008-07-31. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  2. ^ "article". rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on November 21, 2007.
  3. ^ "article". community.allhiphop.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2009.
  4. ^ "Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em: Overview". allmusic.
  5. ^ "article". prnewswire.com. Archived from the original on 2003-01-25. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
  6. ^ "article". time.com. June 24, 2001. Archived from the original on August 30, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2010.
  7. ^ "article". newyorker.com. 19 August 1996.
  8. ^ "article". sing365.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-15.
  9. ^ "Billboard Year End 1990". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 1, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  10. ^ "January 6, 1990". Billboard 200.
  11. ^ "January 13, 1990". Billboard 200.
  12. ^ "January 20, 1990". Billboard 200.
  13. ^ "January 27, 1990". Billboard 200.
  14. ^ "February 3, 1990". Billboard 200.
  15. ^ "February 10, 1990". Billboard 200.
  16. ^ "February 17, 1990". Billboard 200.
  17. ^ "February 24, 1990". Billboard 200.
  18. ^ "March 3, 1990". Billboard 200.
  19. ^ "March 10, 1990". Billboard 200.
  20. ^ "March 17, 1990". Billboard 200.
  21. ^ "March 24, 1990". Billboard 200.
  22. ^ "March 31, 1990". Billboard 200.
  23. ^ "April 7, 1990". Billboard 200.
  24. ^ "April 14, 1990". Billboard 200.
  25. ^ "April 21, 1990". Billboard 200.
  26. ^ "April 28, 1990". Billboard 200.
  27. ^ "May 5, 1990". Billboard 200.
  28. ^ "May 12, 1990". Billboard 200.
  29. ^ "May 19, 1990". Billboard 200.
  30. ^ "May 26, 1990". Billboard 200.
  31. ^ "June 2, 1990". Billboard 200.
  32. ^ "June 9, 1990". Billboard 200.
  33. ^ "June 16, 1990". Billboard 200.
  34. ^ "June 23, 1990". Billboard 200.
  35. ^ "June 30, 1990". Billboard 200.
  36. ^ "July 7, 1990". Billboard 200.
  37. ^ "July 14, 1990". Billboard 200.
  38. ^ "July 21, 1990". Billboard 200.
  39. ^ "July 28, 1990". Billboard 200.
  40. ^ "August 4, 1990". Billboard 200.
  41. ^ "August 11, 1990". Billboard 200.
  42. ^ "August 18, 1990". Billboard 200.
  43. ^ "August 25, 1990". Billboard 200.
  44. ^ "September 1, 1990". Billboard 200.
  45. ^ "September 8, 1990". Billboard 200.
  46. ^ "September 15, 1990". Billboard 200.
  47. ^ "September 22, 1990". Billboard 200.
  48. ^ "September 29, 1990". Billboard 200.
  49. ^ "October 6, 1990". Billboard 200.
  50. ^ "October 13, 1990". Billboard 200.
  51. ^ "October 20, 1990". Billboard 200.
  52. ^ "October 27, 1990". Billboard 200.
  53. ^ "November 3, 1990". Billboard 200.
  54. ^ "November 10, 1990". Billboard 200.
  55. ^ "November 17, 1990". Billboard 200.
  56. ^ "November 24, 1990". Billboard 200.
  57. ^ "December 1, 1990". Billboard 200.
  58. ^ "December 8, 1990". Billboard 200.
  59. ^ "December 15, 1990". Billboard 200.
  60. ^ "December 22, 1990". Billboard 200.
  61. ^ "December 29, 1990". Billboard 200.
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