Pop Shots – A Look At The Top 10 … From 34 Years Ago

Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week I’m hopping into my time machine again, and this time I’m setting the coordinates to 34 years ago, to take a look at the Billboard Top 10 from this week back in 1991.

This Top 10 features quite possibly the most random collection of artists a Top 10 has ever had … and that’s exactly why I love the ‘90s so much! There is no singular sound here, instead there’s a little bit of everything.

So let’s get into this exploration in chart history! Of course, since this is Pop Shots, you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.

1. P.M. Dawn – Set Adrift on Memory Bliss

 

P.M. Dawn deserves so much better in the annals of hip-hop history.

Predominantly known for an incident involving KRS-One storming the stage, grabbing the mic, and booting them from the their set – a beef that stemmed from comments P.M. Dawn’s Prince Be made during an interview with Details magazine – P.M. Dawn was actually a great duo that created a vibe that was unique in hip-hop.

While they may never receive the props they deserve, “Set Adrift on Memory Bliss” will always be a classic.

2. Michael Bolton – When a Man Loves a Woman

 

When Michael Bolton made the transition from wanting to be an ‘80s rock star (yes, really) to being a crooner, he hit it big, and although he was at #2 this week back in 1991 with his cover of the Percy Sledge classic “When a Man Loves a Woman,” the song had been in the top spot the week prior.

Bolton lives one town over from me, but when I was working at various stores in his town during my high school and college summers I never saw him come in. To this day I’m still waiting to randomly bump into Michael Bolton.

 3. Michael Jackson – Black or White

 

Michael Jackson came under just a bit of scrutiny for releasing a song about not caring about skin color when it seemed as though he was turning a shade lighter by the day, but with a killer John Cougar Mellencamp sample, and a video that introduced the world to the wonder that is morphing, “Black or White” was destined to be a hit.

Also, let’s marvel for a moment at the cast of the video … and not think about one aspect of it.

4. Boyz II Men – It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday

 

A guaranteed to make you cry classic, the harmonies of Boyz II Men, combined with the pain of nostalgia for loved ones we’ve lost, made for a song that hit us right in the heart.

This will forever be the go-to song for experiencing loss, and honestly, I don’t think I can click play on it right now without losing part of my day by getting exceedingly emotional.

5. Prince and the New Power Generation – Cream

 

I have a sneaking suspicion that I’m not in the minority when I say this, but when Prince made racy songs, I thought those songs were a lot of fun. “Cream” was a prime example of this, and in addition to being fun, it was also a JAM!

I know I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again – ‘90s Prince was peak Prince, because these songs could exist in any era of music.

6. Paula Abdul – Blowing Kisses in the Wind

 

Sometimes an artist has so many hits that occasionally a once well-known song winds up falling through the cracks of time. In the case of Paula Abdul, if you asked a person to start naming songs of hers, “Blowing Kisses in the Wind” probably wouldn’t be in the first five or six that came to mind, but it’s still a great song, and if you click play you’ll have a nice “Oh yeah, I remember this!” moment.

7. Color Me Badd – All 4 Love

 

Not just here to make love until you drown, Color Me Badd were also doing it “All 4 Love.”

This fun throwback to a bygone era of vocal groups let everyone know the foursome could really harmonize, and weren’t just going to be know as the group that gave us “I Wanna Sex You Up.”

OK, maybe they are known as the group that gave us “I Wanna Sex You Up.” Sorry fellas, but when you make a song that iconic, it lasts forever.

8. Naughty By Nature – O.P.P.

 

I cannot fathom how any of our parents handled us rapping “O.P.P.” when we were 13 years old. Perhaps they didn’t know what it meant. Perhaps they knew exactly what it meant, but figured we didn’t. Whatever the reason, everyone in my 8th grade class vocally proclaimed to be down with O.P.P.

Heck, I still go nuts as soon as I hear “Arm me with harmony.”

9. Natural Selection – Do Anything

 

In a Top 10 that’s filled with icons, legends, and memorable acts, Natural Selection seems to be wildly out of place. The duo lasted exactly one album, and “Do Anything" was their only Top 10 hit, peaking at #2, but you know what, it’s a fun song with elements of pop, R&B, hip-hop, and New Jack Swing.

Seeing them here, and hearing this song again for the first time in years … suddenly I feel like I need to do some internet sleuthing, and track down Natural Selection for an interview.

10. Bryan Adams – Can’t Stop This Thing We Started

 

Much like Paula Abdul, Bryan Adams is an artist with a catalog of hits so deep that some no longer receive airplay, and therefore are no longer at the forefront of our minds. In his case, one of those songs is “Can’t Stop This Thing We Started.” A playful pop-rock song, it feels like pure joy, and who couldn’t use a shot of that right now? Put this one back in rotation ASAP!

That’s all for this edition of Pop Shots, but come back next Monday for more shots on all things pop.