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See also: 1990 in music, other events of 1991, 1992 in music, 1990s in music and the list of 'years in music'

Events

1991 was the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", became the most popular U.S. album of the year. Followed immediately by other grunge bands like Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, grunge dominated the U.S. charts for the next few years. Its success effectively ended pop-oriented, 1980s hair metal groups like Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Poison and Ratt, whose sales and critical viability were beginning to decline for about two years previously. (Oddly, the semi-glam rock band Guns N' Roses's popularity flourished.) Grunge also ended Los Angeles' status as the city for rock music stardom.

A Tribe Called Quest's Low End Theory was released this year; it would go on to be considered one of the best hip hop albums of the 1990s. A Tribe Called Quest, along with De La Soul, Dream Warriors, Gang Starr and the Poor Righteous Teachers, helped define what came to be known as alternative rap with important releases this year.

Queen frontman Freddie Mercury died at home in London on November 24, due to AIDS complications. Rumors had been circulating that Mercury had AIDS, but the death came as a shock to millions of fans and the music industry. The remaining members of Queen formed the Mercury Phoenix Trust and the following year, a tribute concert was staged in Wembley Stadium. A sell-out crowd in attendance witnessed the three surviving members reuniting to play along with performances by the likes of David Bowie, Elton John, Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard, Metallica and George Michael.

Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody goes to number one for the second time. The first and only time a single has gone to number one in the same version more then once. It was also the first and only time a single has gone to number one more then once on the UK christmas charts. It has now spent a total of 14 weeks on the UK charts.

1991 was also the year CCM, or contemporary Christian music, reached a new peak. Amy Grant, who had already crossed back and forth between CCM and pop in the mid-80s, achieved her (and CCM's) first #1 hit on the pop charts with the hit single "Baby Baby." Another single, "That's What Love Is For," would also top the charts, this time in the Adult Contemporary field. Meanwhile, Grant's album Heart In Motion reaches #10 on the pop chart and #1 on the Christian chart despite its non-religious objective, and quickly become a best-seller. Another CCM crossover artist in 1991 is Michael W. Smith, who achieves a Top Ten pop hit with his single "Place In This World." The subsequent album, Go West Young Man, is also a hit.

The massive success of Garth Brooks in this year sets the stage for the mid-1990s influx of pop-oriented country musicians. In addition, several soon-to-be pivotal bands form or release debuts, including future pioneers in riot grrl punk (Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, Huggy Bear), jam bands (moe., Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Spin Doctors) and stoner metal (Kyuss, Sleep, Obsessed). Massive Attack's Blue Lines, while unique at the time, invented the sound that would eventually become known as trip hop. Entombed's Clandestine and Dismember's Like an Ever Flowing Stream are early releases from the Scandinavian metal scene. U2 release their seventh album Achtung Baby, considered by many of their fans to be their best album. Metallica also released their most commercially successful self-titled album, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers broke through to the mainstream with their critically and commercially acclaimed BloodSugarSexMagik.

Albums released

Top hits

See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1991

Classical music

Opera

Musical theater

Musical films

Births

Deaths

Awards

Charts

KROQ

External Charts

1991 in music

1991 en musique | 1991 במוזיקה | 1991 - muzyka | 1991 в музыке | Musikåret 1991

 

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