# List of European number-one airplay songs of the 1990s

Music & Media published a chart of the most popular songs on European radio every week. During the 1990s, the main airplay chart had been changed thrice: European Airplay Top 50 (up to 12 October 1991), European Hit Radio (22 December 1990 to 18 January 1997), and European Radio Top 50 (since 25 January 1997).

## European number-one airplay hits

Key :
| † | Best-performing airplay song of the year |

### European Airplay Top 50

| Song | Artist(s) | Issue date | Wks. |
| 1990 ||||
| "Another Day in Paradise" | Phil Collins | 18 November 1989 | 12 |
| "Dear Jessie" | Madonna | 27 January 1990 | 1 |
| "Nothing Compares 2 U" | Sinéad O'Connor | 24 February 1990 | 7 |
| "Enjoy the Silence" | Depeche Mode | 7 April 1990 | 2 |
| "Black Velvet" | Alannah Myles | 28 April 1990 | 2 |
| "Vogue" | Madonna | 12 May 1990 | 7 |
| "Se bastasse una canzone" | Eros Ramazzotti | 30 June 1990 | 1 |
| "Hold On" | Wilson Phillips | 7 July 1990 | 2 |
| "It Must Have Been Love" | Roxette | 21 July 1990 | 3 |
| "Hanky Panky" | Madonna | 11 August 1990 | 4 |
| "Club at the End of the Street" | Elton John | 8 September 1990 | 1 |
| "Praying for Time" | George Michael | 15 September 1990 | 3 |
| "Tom's Diner" | DNA featuring Suzanne Vega | 6 October 1990 | 2 |
| "I've Been Thinking About You" | Londonbeat | 20 October 1990 | 4 |
| "I'm Your Baby Tonight" | Whitney Houston | 10 November 1990 | 6 |
| "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" | Robert Palmer featuring UB40 | 15 December 1990 | 4 |
| 1991 ||||
| "All This Time" | Sting | 2 February 1991 | 8 |
| "Joyride" | Roxette | 30 March 1991 | 6 |
| "Secret Love" | Bee Gees | 13 April 1991 | 1 |
| "The One and Only" | Chesney Hawkes | 18 May 1991 | 1 |
| "Love Is a Wonderful Thing" | Michael Bolton | 25 May 1991 | 3 |
| "Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave)" | Roxette | 15 June 1991 | 1 |
| "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" | Cher | 22 June 1991 | 5 |
| "Rush Rush" | Paula Abdul | 20 July 1991 | 1 |
| "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" † | Bryan Adams | 3 August 1991 | 10 |
| "Calling Elvis" | Dire Straits | 21 September 1991 | 1 |

### European Hit Radio

| Song | Artist(s) | Issue date | Wks. |
| 1990 ||||
| "I'm Your Baby Tonight" | Whitney Houston | 22 December 1990 | 1 |
| 1991 ||||
| "Freedom! '90" | George Michael | 12 January 1991 | 3 |
| "All This Time" | Sting | 2 February 1991 | 4 |
| "Cry for Help" | Rick Astley | 2 March 1991 | 2 |
| "Auberge" | Chris Rea | 16 March 1991 | 1 |
| "My Side of the Bed" | Susanna Hoffs | 23 March 1991 | 1 |
| "Joyride" | Roxette | 30 March 1991 | 2 |
| "Rhythm of My Heart" | Rod Stewart | 6 April 1991 | 8 |
| "Love Is a Wonderful Thing" | Michael Bolton | 8 June 1991 | 3 |
| "Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave)" | Roxette | 29 June 1991 | 2 |
| "Rush Rush" | Paula Abdul | 20 July 1991 | 4 |
| "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" † | Bryan Adams | 10 August 1991 | 11 |
| "Something Got Me Started" | Simply Red | 2 November 1991 | 4 |
| "Change" | Lisa Stansfield | 30 November 1991 | 1 |
| "No Son of Mine" | Genesis | 7 December 1991 | 1 |
| "Black or White" | Michael Jackson | 14 December 1991 | 8 |
| 1992 ||||
| "I Can't Dance" | Genesis | 22 February 1992 | 2 |
| "Remember the Time" | Michael Jackson | 7 March 1992 | 4 |
| "Human Touch" | Bruce Springsteen | 4 April 1992 | 4 |
| "Why" | Annie Lennox | 2 May 1992 | 4 |
| "Do It to Me" | Lionel Richie | 30 May 1992 | 4 |
| "The One" | Elton John | 27 June 1992 | 4 |
| "Too Funky" † | George Michael | 25 July 1992 | 2 |
| "This Used to Be My Playground" | Madonna | 8 August 1992 | 8 |
| "My Destiny" | Lionel Richie | 3 October 1992 | 2 |
| "Iron Lion Zion" | Bob Marley and the Wailers | 17 October 1992 | 2 |
| "Erotica" | Madonna | 31 October 1992 | 4 |
| "Sleeping Satellite" | Tasmin Archer | 28 November 1992 | 2 |
| "I Will Always Love You" | Whitney Houston | 12 December 1992 | 9 |
| 1993 ||||
| "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" | Sting | 27 February 1993 | 3 |
| "Ordinary World" | Duran Duran | 20 March 1993 | 1 |
| "I'm Every Woman" | Whitney Houston | 27 March 1993 | 4 |
| "Give In to Me" | Michael Jackson | 24 April 1993 | 1 |
| "Jump They Say" | David Bowie | 1 May 1993 | 1 |
| "Informer" | Snow | 8 May 1993 | 1 |
| "Somebody to Love" | George Michael and Queen | 15 May 1993 | 1 |
| "That's the Way Love Goes" | Janet Jackson | 22 May 1993 | 5 |
| "I Don't Wanna Fight" | Tina Turner | 26 June 1993 | 2 |
| "(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You" | UB40 | 10 July 1993 | 6 |
| "What's Up?" † | 4 Non Blondes | 21 August 1993 | 5 |
| "Dreamlover" | Mariah Carey | 25 September 1993 | 4 |
| "Go West" | Pet Shop Boys | 23 October 1993 | 2 |
| "Both Sides of the Story" | Phil Collins | 6 November 1993 | 5 |
| "Please Forgive Me" | Bryan Adams | 11 December 1993 | 5 |
| 1994 ||||
| "All for Love" | Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart, and Sting | 29 January 1994 | 7 |
| "Streets of Philadelphia" | Bruce Springsteen | 19 March 1994 | 6 |
| "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" | Symbol | 30 April 1994 | 7 |
| "I'll Stand by You" | The Pretenders | 18 June 1994 | 2 |
| "Love Is All Around" | Wet Wet Wet | 2 July 1994 | 9 |
| "7 Seconds" | Youssou N'Dour and Neneh Cherry | 3 September 1994 | 7 |
| "Always" | Bon Jovi | 22 October 1994 | 8 |
| "Secret" | Madonna | 5 November 1994 | 3 |
| 1995 ||||
| "Stay Another Day" | East 17 | 14 January 1995 | 3 |
| "She's a River" | Simple Minds | 4 February 1995 | 3 |
| "No More 'I Love You's" | Annie Lennox | 25 February 1995 | 7 |
| "Back for Good" | Take That | 15 April 1995 | 5 |
| "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" | Bryan Adams | 20 May 1995 | 4 |
| "Scream" | Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson | 17 June 1995 | 5 |
| "This Ain't a Love Song" | Bon Jovi | 22 July 1995 | 2 |
| "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" | U2 | 5 August 1995 | 2 |
| "Shy Guy" | Diana King | 19 August 1995 | 5 |
| "You Are Not Alone" | Michael Jackson | 23 September 1995 | 4 |
| "Fantasy" | Mariah Carey | 21 October 1995 | 3 |
| "Fairground" | Simply Red | 11 November 1995 | 1 |
| "Heaven for Everyone" | Queen | 18 November 1995 | 3 |
| "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" | Whitney Houston | 9 December 1995 | 1 |
| "GoldenEye" | Tina Turner | 16 December 1995 | 2 |
| 1996 ||||
| "Earth Song" | Michael Jackson | 6 January 1996 | 4 |
| "Jesus to a Child" | George Michael | 3 February 1996 | 5 |
| "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot" | Sting | 9 March 1996 | 3 |
| "How Deep Is Your Love" | Take That | 30 March 1996 | 4 |
| "They Don't Care About Us" | Michael Jackson | 27 April 1996 | 2 |
| "Fastlove" | George Michael | 11 May 1996 | 6 |
| "The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You" | Bryan Adams | 22 June 1996 | 4 |
| "Killing Me Softly" | Fugees | 20 July 1996 | 5 |
| "Woman" | Neneh Cherry | 24 August 1996 | 3 |
| "Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)" | Pet Shop Boys | 14 September 1996 | 2 |
| "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | 28 September 1996 | 2 |
| "Dance into the Light" | Phil Collins | 12 October 1996 | 2 |
| "I Love You Always Forever" | Donna Lewis | 26 October 1996 | 3 |
| "Say You'll Be There" | Spice Girls | 16 November 1996 | 6 |
| 1997 ||||
| "Step by Step" | Whitney Houston | 18 January 1997 | 1 |

### European Radio Top 50

| Song | Artist(s) | Issue date | Wks. |
| 1997 ||||
| "Step by Step" | Whitney Houston | 25 January 1997 | 2 |
| "Don't Speak" | No Doubt | 8 February 1997 | 5 |
| "Your Woman" | White Town | 15 March 1997 | 4 |
| "The Real Thing" | Lisa Stansfield | 12 April 1997 | 4 |
| "Blood on the Dance Floor" | Michael Jackson | 10 May 1997 | 5 |
| "MMMBop" | Hanson | 14 June 1997 | 7 |
| "I'll Be Missing You" | Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112 | 2 August 1997 | 6 |
| "Men in Black" | Will Smith | 13 September 1997 | 5 |
| "Anybody Seen My Baby?" | The Rolling Stones | 18 October 1997 | 3 |
| "Spice Up Your Life" | Spice Girls | 8 November 1997 | 3 |
| "As Long as You Love Me" | Backstreet Boys | 29 November 1997 | 2 |
| "Sunchyme" | Dario G | 6 December 1997 | 1 |
| "Back to You" | Bryan Adams | 20 December 1997 | 1 |
| "Together Again" | Janet Jackson | 27 December 1997 | 7 |
| 1998 ||||
| "Torn" | Natalie Imbruglia | 17 January 1998 | 3 |
| "Frozen" | Madonna | 7 March 1998 | 9 |
| "Stop" | Spice Girls | 9 May 1998 | 1 |
| "Truly Madly Deeply" | Savage Garden | 16 May 1998 | 1 |
| "Say You Love Me" | Simply Red | 23 May 1998 | 3 |
| "Ray of Light" | Madonna | 13 June 1998 | 4 |
| "Life" | Des'ree | 11 July 1998 | 7 |
| "Viva Forever" | Spice Girls | 29 August 1998 | 4 |
| "Millennium" | Robbie Williams | 26 September 1998 | 5 |
| "Outside" | George Michael | 31 October 1998 | 5 |
| "Believe" | Cher | 5 December 1998 | 7 |
| 1999 ||||
| "Big Big World" | Emilia Rydberg | 23 January 1999 | 4 |
| "Wish I Could Fly" | Roxette | 20 February 1999 | 2 |
| "...Baby One More Time" | Britney Spears | 6 March 1999 | 9 |
| "No Scrubs" | TLC | 8 May 1999 | 1 |
| "In Our Lifetime" | Texas | 15 May 1999 | 1 |
| "I Want It That Way" | Backstreet Boys | 22 May 1999 | 4 |
| "Canned Heat" | Jamiroquai | 19 June 1999 | 1 |
| "Beautiful Stranger" | Madonna | 26 June 1999 | 8 |
| "If You Had My Love" | Jennifer Lopez | 21 August 1999 | 1 |
| "Summer Son" | Texas | 28 August 1999 | 4 |
| "Genie in a Bottle" | Christina Aguilera | 25 September 1999 | 3 |
| "Unpretty" | TLC | 2 October 1999 | 2 |
| "I Saved the World Today" | Eurythmics | 30 October 1999 | 4 |
| "Waiting for Tonight" | Jennifer Lopez | 27 November 1999 | 8 |

## Statistics
### Artists by total number-one songs

| Artist | Number-one songs |
| Madonna | 9 |
| Michael Jackson | 8 |
| George Michael | 7 |
| Bryan Adams | 6 |
| Whitney Houston | 5 |
| Spice Girls | 5 |
| Sting | 4 |
| Roxette | 4 |
| Phil Collins | 3 |
| Janet Jackson | 3 |
| Simply Red | 3 |