''See also:''
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 Glam 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 rock band Guns N' Roses 's popularity flourished. Van Halen also seemed to continue with their popularity throughout 1991.) Grunge also ended Los Angeles ' status as the city for rock music stardom, and established Seattle as such.
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, which is the first and only time a single has gone to number one in the same version more than once. It was also the first and only time a single has gone to number one more than 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 Music ians. 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 Band s ( Moe. , Dave Matthews Band , Phish , Spin Doctors ) and Stoner Metal ( Kyuss , Sleep , The 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. On the other side of the Atlantic, New York death metal band Suffocation release their debut full-length Effigy Of The Forgotten , often considered one of the most influential extreme metal albums ever recorded. Trance Music rises to prominence in the underground dance scene of Frankfurt, Germany , pioneered by such producers as Dance 2 Trance and Resistance D . 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 '' Blood Sugar Sex Magik ''.
- Goo Goo Dolls release their first official single, There You Are
- January 18 - Three people are crushed to death during an AC/DC concert in Salt Lake City, Utah when audience members rushed the stage.
- February 27 - James Brown is granted an early parole and released from jail. Brown had been arrested after leading Police on a high speed chase through two states in 1989 . Pop Will Eat Itself documented the affair with their song, "Not Now James, We're Busy".
- February 28 - Hollywood, California 's Record Plant Studios recording studio closes its doors. Among the albums recorded at the Record Plant were The Eagles ' '' Hotel California '', Fleetwood Mac 's '' Rumours '' and Stevie Wonder 's '' Songs In The Key Of Life ''
- March 11 - Janet Jackson signs a $30 million (US) contract with Virgin Records , making her the highest paid female recording artist ever.
- March 16 - Seven members of country music singer Reba McEntire 's band and her road manager are killed when their private plane crashes in California , near the U.S.-Mexico Border . McEntire travels on a separate plane.
- March 20
- --- Michael Jackson signs a $1 billion contract with Sony .
- --- Eric Clapton 's four-year-old son, Conor, dies after falling 53 stories from a New York City apartment window. (The death of his son would inspire Clapton to write "Tears in Heaven".)
- March 24 - The Black Crowes are dropped as the opening act of ZZ Top 's tour for repeatedly insulting the tour's sponsor, Miller Beer .
- March 27 - New Kids On The Block 's Donnie Wahlberg is arrested in Louisville, Kentucky for allegedly setting his hotel room on fire.
- March 28 - George Harrison , Phil Collins and others attend funeral services for Eric Clapton 's late son, Conor.
- April 28 - Bonnie Raitt marries actor Michael Noonan O'Keefe in New York .
- May 7 - In Macon, Georgia , a judge dismisses a Wrongful Death lawsuit against Ozzy Osbourne . The suit was filed by a local couple that believed their son was inspired to attempt Suicide by Osbourne's music.
- '', a documentary chronicling singer Madonna 's 1990 Blond Ambition Tour , is released to theatres.
- June 18 - Van Halen releases their ninth album '' For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge '', spawing the huge ballad hit Right Now and the Top Billboard 30 hit " Top Of The World "
- July - Launch of the Australian Festival Of Chamber Music .
- August 13 - Metallica releases their most successful album, "Metallica" (also called "The Black Album"). This album is somewhat of a departure from the Thrash Metal sound they helped pioneer. It is one of the best selling albums of all time RIAA.com Diamond Certified Albums
- August 27 - Dr. Dre pleads no contest to charges that he beat up a woman at a West Hollywood nightclub. Dr. Dre is sentenced to 24 months probation.
- September 17 - Guns N' Roses release the highly anticipated albums Use Your Illusion I & II which debut at the two highest spots on the Billboard 200 , the first such feat for a rock act. The albums went on to sell 7 million copies each and spawned the most expensive music videos ever made and a very controversy-laden multi-year world tour.
- September 24 - Nirvana releases '' Nevermind '', debuting at #144 on the Billboard 200 . Red Hot Chili Peppers also release their 5th album '' Blood Sugar Sex Magik '' on the same day.
- Tupac Shakur 's solo career begins with his first album, 2Pacalypse Now , however it does not do well. 6 year old Qa'id Walker is shot dead by a stray bullet during a confrontation between Tupac's entourage and a rival group.
- October 25 - Steely Dan spontaneously reunites
- Whitney Houston sings " The Star-Spangled Banner " at the Super Bowl . The recording is then released and becomes a hit single.
- Britney Spears appears on '' Star Search ''
- Country music legend Kenny Rogers stars his restaurant chain, "Kenny Rogers Roasters," serving up tasty chicken.
- Perry Farrell organizes the first Lollapalooza tour as a farewell for his just-dissolved band, Jane's Addiction
- Nas joins Main Source
- The Pharcyde signs to Delicious Vinyl , their first label
- The original surviving members of Bill Haley And His Comets from the 1950s reunite for a Europe an concert tour, and soon after resume regular touring and recording engagements that continue as of 2005.
- '' 2Pacalypse Now '' - 2Pac
- ''Derelicts of Dialect'' - 3rd Bass
- '' Spellbound '' - Paula Abdul
- '' Waking Up The Neighbours '' - Bryan Adams
- ''Ascension'' - The Aints
- ''Gülümse'' - Sezen Aksu
- ''Greatest Hits Volume 1'' - Anal Cunt
- ''Coolin' At The Playground Ya Know'' - Another Bad Creation
- '' Attack Of The Killer B's '' - Anthrax
- '' Blood For Blood '' - Aria
- ''Cry For Help'' - Rick Astley
- ''To Mother'' - Babes In Toyland
- '' '80-'85 '' - Bad Religion (compilation)
- '' Pop Life '' - Bananarama
- ''Beckology'' (box set compilation) - Jeff Beck
- '' True Love '' - Pat Benatar
- '' The Globe '' - Big Audio Dynamite II
- ''Prince of Darkness'' - Big Daddy Kane
- ''Midnight Radio'' - Big Head Todd & the Monsters
- ''Revolution Girl Style Now'' - Bikini Kill (debut, independent demo cassette)
- ''I Need a Haircut'' - Biz Markie
- ''Travelers and Thieves'' - Blues Traveler
- '' Leisure '' - Blur (debut)
- '' War Master '' - Bolt Thrower
- ''Vodou Adjae'' - Boukman Eksperyans
- ''8 Duets: Hamburg 1991'' - Anthony Braxton
- ''Ropin' the Wind'' - Garth Brooks
- ''Star Time'' - James Brown
- ''Space I'm In'' - The Candyskins (debut)
- ''Butchered at Birth'' - Cannibal Corpse
- '' Emotions '' - Mariah Carey
- '' Necroticism - Descanting The Insalubrious '' - Carcass
- ''Intérprete'' - Beth Carvalho
- ''Reflexive Universe'' - C.C.C.C.
- '' Chagall Guevara '' - Chagall Guevara
- ''Whirlpool'' - Chapterhouse (debut)
- '' Born Suspect '' - Chris Rock (Debut)
- '' Don't Fear The Reaper (EP) '' - Clint Ruin & Lydia Lunch
- ''Nothing but a Burning Light'' - Bruce Cockburn
- '' Marc Cohn '' - Marc Cohn (debut)
- '' Love's Secret Domain '' - Coil
- ''C.M.B.'' - Color Me Badd
- ''String Of Pearls'' - Deborah Conway
- '' Hey Stoopid '' - Alice Cooper
- '' Mighty Like A Rose '' - Elvis Costello
- '' The Ghosts That Haunt Me '' - Crash Test Dummies
- '' Ceremony '' - The Cult
- ''Entreat'' - The Cure
- ''Island'' - Current 93 with HÖH ( Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson )
- ''Lactating Purple'' - Helios Creed
- ''This Is Not The Way Home'' - The Cruel Sea
- '' Cypress Hill '' - Cypress Hill (debut)
- ''85-86'' - Dag Nasty
- ''Italia Mia'' - Dalida (compilation)
- ''Les Années Barlay (1956-1970)'' - Dalida (compilation)
- ''Blwch Tymer Tymor'' - Datblygu
- '' Human '' - Death
- ''Water (EP)'' - Def FX
- '' De La Soul Is Dead '' - De La Soul
- ''I Wish My Brother George Was Here'' - Del Tha Funkee Homosapien
- ''Kaira'' - Toumani Diabaté
- '' Liebe Ist... 2 '' - Die Flippers
- '' Träume Einer Nacht '' - Die Flippers
- ''I '' - Die Krupps
- '' Green Mind '' - Dinosaur Jr.
- '' On Every Street '' - Dire Straits
- '' Open Doors, Closed Windows '' - Disco Inferno
- '' Like An Ever Flowing Stream '' - Dismember
- ''Divinyls'' - Divinyls
- '' Homebase '' - DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
- '' Vinyl '' - Dramarama
- '' 5,000,000 - Dread Zeppelin
- ''And Now the Legacy Begins'' - Dream Warriors
- ''Ex:El'' - 808 State
- ''Electronic'' - Electronic (debut)
- '' Schubert Dip '' - EMF
- '' Clandestine '' - Entombed
- ''Chorus'' - Erasure
- '' Into The Light '' - Gloria Estefan
- '' Prisoners In Paradise '' - Europe
- '' Shift-Work '' - The Fall
- '' L'Autre... '' - Mylène Farmer
- ''Time for a Witness'' - The Feelies (final album)
- ''The Reality of My Surroundings'' - Fishbone
- '' Believing In Better '' - Lennie Gallant
- ''Step in the Arena'' - Gang Starr
- '' We Can't Dance '' - Genesis
- ''Mo' Ritmo'' - Gerardo
- ''João'' - João Gilberto
- ''Infrared Roses'' - Grateful Dead
- ''Heart In Motion'' - Amy Grant
- ''Hooked'' - Great White
- '' Use Your Illusion I '' - Guns N' Roses
- '' Use Your Illusion II '' - Guns N' Roses
- ''Masturbatorium'' - The Hafler Trio
- '' Live '' - Happy Mondays
- ''Yummy!'' - Hard-Ons
- '' Havana 3am '' - Havana 3am (debut)
- '' Pretty On The Inside '' - Hole (debut)
- ''I'm On Your Side'' - Jennifer Holliday
- '''' - Ice-T
- '' Iced Earth '' - Iced Earth (debut)
- '' The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move...It's The Infectious Grooves '' - The Infectious Grooves
- ''X'' - INXS
- ''Nada dan Dakwah'' - Rhoma Irama
- '' Dangerous '' - Michael Jackson
- '' Grippe - Jawbox
- '' Doubt '' - Jesus Jones
- '' Catfish Rising '' - Jethro Tull
- ''Page of Life'' - Jon & Vangelis
- ''Amen'' - Salif Keita
- ''Face the Nation'' - Kid 'n Play (final album)
- '' The White Room '' - The KLF
- ''Funke, Funke Wisdom'' - Kool Moe Dee
- '' Wretch '' - Kyuss (debut)
- ''Smell the Magic'' - L7
- ''The La's'' - The La's (debut, final album)
- ''LaTour'' - LaTour
- ''A Little Ain't Enough'' - David Lee Roth
- ''Future Without a Past'' - Leaders Of The New School (debut)
- ''V'' - Legião Urbana
- '' Biscuits (EP)'' - Living Colour
- ''Buena Suerte'' - Los Rodrígues
- '' San Antorium '' - Lowlife
- ''Shotgun Wedding'' - Lydia Lunch and Rowland S. Howard
- ''Geetan Bhari Patari'' - Gurdas Maan
- '' It's... Madness Too - Madness
- '' Distant Plastic Trees '' - The Magnetic Fields
- '' The Yngwie Malmsteen Collection '' - Yngwie J. Malmsteen (compilation)
- '' Blue Lines '' - Massive Attack
- ''International Pop Overthrow'' - Material Issue (debut)
- '' Solace '' - Sarah McLachlan
- '' Clown Heaven And Hell '' - Me Mom & Morgentaler
- ''Bullhead'' - Melvins
- '' Eggnog '' - Melvins
- ''Kindala'' - Margareth Menezes
- ''Daniela Mercury '' - Daniela Mercury
- ''We Are Here'' - Mescalinum United
- '' The Human Factor '' - Metal Church
- '' Metallica '' - Metallica
- ''Mind Funk'' - Mind Funk (debut)
- '' Let's Get To It '' - Kylie Minogue
- '' Madra '' - Miranda Sex Garden
- '' Spine Of God '' - Monster Magnet
- '' Lean Into It '' - Mr. Big
- ''Blessed are the Sick'' - Morbid Angel
- ''The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Sings Hymns Of Faith'' - The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
- '' Hymns To The Silence '' - Van Morrison
- '' Kill Uncle '' - Morrissey
- '' 1916 '' - Motörhead
- ''Hoodoo'' - Alison Moyet
- '' Loveless '' - My Bloody Valentine (final album)
- ''Sexplosion!'' - My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult
- '' 13-Point Program To Destroy America '' - Nation Of Ulysses
- '' God Fodder '' - Ned's Atomic Dustbin (debut)
- ''Day 1'' - Robbie Nevil
- '' Boys Will Be Boyz '' - Newsboys
- ''Places I Have Never Been'' - Willie Nile
- '' Nevermind '' - Nirvana
- ''Niggaz4life'' - N.W.A. (final album)
- '' Ribbed '' - NOFX
- ''Lunar Womb'' - The Obsessed
- ''The Orb's Adventures Beneath the Overworld'' - The Orb
- ''Orbital (The Green Album)'' - Orbital
- ''Horrorscope'' - Overkill
- '' No More Tears '' - Ozzy Osbourne
- '' Ten '' - Pearl Jam (debut)
- '' Pennywise '' - Pennywise
- ''Into the Great Wide Open'' - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
- '' A Picture Of Nectar '' - Phish
- '' Lawn Boy '' - Phish
- '' Positively Phranc '' - Phranc
- '' Trompe Le Monde '' - Pixies (final album)
- '' Swallow This Live '' - Poison
- ''Pure Poverty'' - Poor Righteous Teachers
- '' Screamadelica '' - Primal Scream
- '' Sailing The Seas Of Cheese '' - Primus
- ''Diamonds and Pearls'' - Prince
- ''The Missing Years'' - John Prine
- '' Grandes Exitos '' - Los Prisioneros
- ''World Outside'' - The Psychedelic Furs (final album)
- '' Apocalypse '91...The Enemy Strikes Black '' - Public Enemy
- ''Luck of the Draw'' - Bonnie Raitt
- '' Innuendo '' - Queen
- '' Out Of Time '' - R.E.M.
- ''Ratt N' Roll 8191'' - Ratt
- '' Blood Sugar Sex Magik '' - Red Hot Chili Peppers
- '' Harmony Ranch - Riders In The Sky
- ''Saints and Sinners'' - Kane Roberts
- ''Horrorific Atrocities'' - Rotting Flesh
- '' Joyride '' - Roxette
- '' Roll The Bones '' - Rush
- '' Foxbase Alpha '' - Saint Etienne
- ''Heartbeat'' - Ryuichi Sakamoto
- '''' - Savatage
- '' Scamboogery '' - Scatterbrain
- '' School Of Fish '' - School Of Fish (debut)
- '' Uncle Anesthesia '' - Screaming Trees
- ''Seal'' - Seal (debut)
- '' Arise '' - Sepultura
- '' Magia '' - Shakira
- ''Hilang Permataku'' - Yuni Shara
- '' Ask The Ages '' - Sonny Sharrock
- '' Real Life '' - Simple Minds
- '' Superstition '' - Siouxsie & The Banshees
- '' Slave To The Grind '' - Skid Row
- '' 1,000 Smiling Knuckles '' - Skin Yard
- ''Wayward Sons of Mother Earth'' - Skyclad
- '' Suit Suit...hehehe '' - Slank
- ''Volume One'' - Sleep (debut)
- '' Spiderland '' - Slint
- '' Gish '' - The Smashing Pumpkins (debut)
- ''Blow Up'' - The Smithereens
- '' Somewhere Between Heaven And Hell '' - Social Distortion
- ''Qui Sème le Vent Récolte le Tempo'' - MC Solaar
- '' Badmotorfinger '' - Soundgarden
- '' Pocket Full Of Kryptonite '' - Spin Doctors
- '' Go Figure '' - Spirit Of The West
- ''The Soul Cages'' - Sting
- '' Jah Won't Pay The Bills '' - Sublime (debut, independent demo cassette)
- ''At The Village Vanguard'' - Sun Ra Sextet
- '' No Pocky For Kitty '' - Superchunk
- '' Tossing Seeds (Singles 89-91) '' - Superchunk
- ''Effigy of The Forgotten'' - Suffocation
- '' Mistaken Identity '' - Donna Summer
- ''Overspill'' - Sun Dial
- ''By Heart'' - Brenda K. Starr
- '' Keep It Comin' '' - Keith Sweat
- ''Girlfriend'' - Matthew Sweet
- '' Raise '' - Swervedriver
- '' Laughing Stock '' - Talk Talk (final album)
- '' Temple Of The Dog '' - Temple Of The Dog (debut, final album)
- '' The Tea Party '' - The Tea Party (Debut)
- ''Milestone'' - The Temptations
- ''Psychotic Supper'' - Tesla
- '' Babyteeth '' - Therapy? (debut)
- '' Miscellaneous T '' - They Might Be Giants
- ''Violent Impression'' - This Picture (debut)
- '' The Real Ramona '' - Throwing Muses
- ''Everybody's Angel'' - Tanita Tikaram
- ''Tin Machine II'' - Tin Machine (final album)
- '' Whispers '' - Thomas Anders
- '' Fear '' - Toad The Wet Sprocket
- ''Little Magnets Versus the Bubble of Babble'' - Transvision Vamp (final album)
- '' The Low End Theory '' - A Tribe Called Quest
- ''Boss of the Bass'' - Jamaaladeen Tacuma
- ''Slow, Deep and Hard - Type O Negative
- ''As Ugly As They Want To Be - Ugly Kid Joe
- ''Unsane'' - Unsane
- '' Achtung Baby '' - U2
- '' For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge '' - Van Halen
- '' The Comfort Zone '' - Vanessa Williams
- ''Circuladô'' - Caetano Veloso
- ''Vital Signs 2'' - Vital Signs
- '' Why Do Birds Sing? '' - Violent Femmes
- ''Honey Lingers'' - Voice Of The Beehive
- ''Warfaze'' - Warfaze
- '' The Pod '' - Ween
- ''Widespread Panic'' - Widespread Panic
- ''Love Wars'' - Womack & Womack
- '' In Celebration Of Life - Yanni
- ''Baby'' - Yello
- ''Play Kurt Weill'' - The Young Gods
- '' world tour)
- '' Good-bye My Loneliness '' - Zard
- '' Mō Sagasanai '' - Zard
- '' Mr. Bad Example '' - Warren Zevon
The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in 1991.
''See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits Of 1991 ''
- January 8 - Steve Clark , guitarist of Def Leppard
- February 6 - Danny Thomas , singer and actor
- February 17 - Gitta Alpár , opera singer
- February 21 - Margot Fonteyn , ballerina
- February 26 - Slim Gaillard , jazz musician
- March 2 - Serge Gainsbourg , singer and songwriter
- March 14
- ---Jerome Doc Pomus (65), songwriter, cancer
- --- Howard Ashman , lyricist
- March 15 - Bud Freeman , jazz musician
- March 21 - Leo Fender , inventor of the Electric Guitar
- April 8 - Per Yngve Ohlin , aka 'Dead', vocalist for Mayhem
- April 21 - Steve Marriott , The Small Faces and Humble Pie
- April 21 - Willi Boskovsky , conductor
- April 23 - Johnny Thunders , rock guitarist and singer
- May 8 - Jean Langlais , composer
- May 9 - Yanka Dyagileva , poet and singer
- May 19 - Odia Coates , singer
- May 23 - Wilhelm Kempff , pianist and composer
- May 27 - Leopold Nowak , musicologist
- June 1 - David Ruffin , singer
- June 4 - MC Trouble , rapper
- June 6 - Stan Getz , US saxophonist
- June 9 - Claudio Arrau , pianist
- June 14 - Joy Finzi , founder of the Finzi Trust
- September 4 - Charlie Barnet , US bandleader
- September 8 - Alex North , composer
- September 17 - Zino Francescatti , violinist
- September 28
- --- Miles Davis , musician
- --- Eugène Bozza , composer
- October 6 - Igor Talkov , Russian singer/songwriter
- October 9 - Roy Black , singer
- October 17 - Tennessee Ernie Ford
- October 27 - Sir Andrzej Panufnik , Polish composer
- October 31 - Joseph Papp , Broadway producer
- November 2 - Mort Shuman , songwriter
- November 8 - Frances Faye , singer
- November 15 - Jacques Morali , disco composer
- November 24
- --- Freddie Mercury , singer
- --- Eric Carr , drummer
- December 13 - Stuart Challender , conductor
- ''date unknown''
- --- Tom Anderson , Shetland fiddler
- --- Ole Beich , guitarist and bassist
- --- Garvin Bushell , multi-instrumentalist
- --- Patricia Cullen , composer
- --- Honorata De La Rama , singer
- --- Wilhelm Lanzky-Otto , horn virtuosi
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