The Ten Best Selling Songs in Austria in 1990

Welcome to a new series in which I'll take a look at the most successful songs in Austria over the last 30 years. This series honors the songs that shaped the pop culture I grew up with. I was born in 1996, and of course, the early '90s also influenced the years that followed.

I've already dedicated a couple of lists to number one hits. However, sometimes the best-selling song of the year isn't the same as the best-selling song of a particular week, and vice versa. That said, many of these hits tend to stick around for years. A song that's heavily hyped for a week might top the charts for those seven days, only to drop off dramatically afterward. Meanwhile, another song could stay within the top ten for an entire year without ever reaching number one.

In 1990, there were ten number one hits. Of those, four made it onto the list of the ten best-selling songs of the year.
The Top Ten
Verdammt, ich lieb Dich - Matthias Reim

Yup, this song is dope. It has energy and a really cool symbiosis of rock and synth pop that's extremely enjoyable, and I don't really get why some call this schlager, simply because it's German.

Peak position: 1
Having spent 12 weeks on top of the charts, the German pop rock song was also the biggest number 1 hit of the year.

Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinéad O'Connor

Need I say anything about this masterpiece? It shows how different two approaches by different artists can be. I love Prince, but The Family's version is an average experience, while the rough emotion of O'Connor's singing and the power of her production turn this into an unforgettable song.

I Promised Myself - Nick Kamen

1990 really sounded like a mix of the 80s and 90s. It's where synth pop and eurodance clashed and coexisted with each other. This song is clearly still rooted in 80s synth pop, and of course, like most hits of this era, it's great pop.

Ooops Up - Snap!

A wonderfully soulful song by Snap!, which was unfortunately somewhat forgotten over the years, while "The Power" and "Rhythm is a Dancer", both great themselves, became classics. Check this one out, too.

I Can't Stand It - Twenty 4 Seven & Capt. Hollywood

Eurodance has finally arrived! Watch out! Here's an early example of the genre that in the years to come would dominate the charts. And you probably know how much I love this style.

Black Velvet - Alannah Myles
Ding Dong - EAV

Not one of my favorites by them. If you want to hear really great songs by Erste Allgemeine Verunsicherung, usually called EAV, check out the tunes "Liebe, Tod & Teufel", "Fata Morgana" or "Geld oder Leben". This one is just a normal pop song whose overall melody and feeling doesn't appeal to me as much.

What's a Woman - Vaya Con Dios

Just plain great, especially the instrumentation with the organ and brass gives an incredible tension. Shockingly good, and sadly, one of the few songs on these lists that didn't stick around. Wouldn't mind hearing it on the radio one day or the other.

Infinity - Guru Josh

This song best marks the transition from synth pop to eurodance as the foremost genre of the masses. It features strong elements of each of the styles, apart from being very memorable in and of itself, especially the sax motif.

It Must Have Been Love (Christmas For the Broken-Hearted) - Roxette

I never considered this a Christmas song. Probably because unlike other Christmas songs - even those that have little to do with Christmas - it plays throughout the year and doesn't have anything typically associated with the holiday. It's just a magnificent ballad by a great band.