1994: the non-crossover #1s, AC and RB

Here are the non-crossover #1s, the hits for 1994 in adult contemporary and rhythm and blues.

Adult contemporary, besides the Celine Dion and Boyz II Men crossovers:

Now and Forever – Richard Marx, 11 weeks at  #1. I have but a vague recollection of this song.

Can You Feel The Love Tonight – Elton John, eight weeks at #1. I’ve seen at least five productions of The Lion King, including one in which my daughter appeared.  I saw Elton perform in Albany in 1998.

Wild Night – John Mellencamp/ Me’shell Ndegeocello, eight weeks at #1. I remember this mostly because it reminded me of the Van Morrison original. 

All I Wanna Do – Sheryl Crow, eight weeks at #1, from an album I actually own.

I’ll Remember – Madonna, four weeks at #1. It is from the soundtrack to the motion picture With Honors, a film I do not recall. While I’ve owned earlier Madonna music, I wasn’t familiar with this song.

There are only seven AC #1 songs in total for 1994.

Another tidy list

Hot R&B singles, besides R. Kelly and Boyz II Men crossovers:

Any Time, Any Place – Janet Jackson, ten weeks at #1. When I saw her at SPAC in 2018, this song was on the setlist, but I wasn’t familiar with it.

Creep – TLC, nine weeks at #1, gold record. The post title is a bit of a misnomer for this song. Creep did go to #1 pop for four weeks, but not until January 1995.

Seven Whole Days – Toni Braxton, five weeks at #1. I own this album as well. 

Cry For You – Jodeci, four weeks at #1

I Wanna Be Down – Brandy, four weeks at #1

Back & Forth – Aaliyah, three weeks at #1. She’s likely my daughter’s favorite 1990s artist.

Practice What You Preach – Barry White, three weeks at #1

Understanding – Xscape, two weeks at #1

There are only ten R&B songs in total for 1994.

 

1994 #1 country hits

Joe Diffie, John Michael Montgomery, Neil McCoy…

Unlike the concise number-one lists for pop, R&B, and adult contemporary, the 1994 #1 country hits list is long, with 30 records. I will list them all, but I’ll only link to the ones that reached #1 for over a week because I’m a lazy blogger. Well, except for two.

Four weeks at #1

Pick Up Man – Joe Diffie. Bobbie Jo Gentry? An obvious reference. 

Wild One – Faith Hill

I Swear – John Michael Montgomery, #42 pop. I recall a discussion at the time about how the lines of music had blurred with this song, as All-4-One’s version hit #1 the same year

Wink – Neil McCoy, #91 pop

Three weeks at #1

Summertime Blues – Alan Jackson, #104 pop. It’s a cover of that Eddie Cochran/Blue Cheer/Who song.

Living On Love – Alan Jackson

No Doubt About It – Neil McCoy, #75 pop

Two weeks at #1:

My Love – Little Texas, #83 pop

If The Good Die Young – Tracy Lawrence

Don’t Take The Girl – Tim McGraw, #17 pop

Be My Baby Tonight – John Michael Montgomery, #73 pop

XXX’s and OOO’s (An American Girl) – Trisha Yearwood, #114 pop

Third Rock From The Sun – Joe Diffie, #84 pop

She’s Not The Cheating Kind – Brooks and Dunn

A single week at #1

The rest of the songs were only #1 hits for one week

Live Until I Die – Clay Walker, #107 pop

I Just Wanted You To Know -Mark Chestnutt

Trying To Get Over It – Vince Gill

Piece Of My Heart – Faith Hill, #115 pop. It is the song I know from Janis Joplin!

A Good Run Of Bad Luck – Clint Black

If Bubba Can Dance (I Can Too) – Shenandoah

Your Love Amazes Me – John Berry

That Ain’t No Way To Go – Brooks and Dunn

Foolish Pride – Travis Tritt, #112 pop

Dreaming With My Eyes Open – Clay Walker

Whisper My Name – Randy Travis

Who’s That Man – Toby Keith, #102

Shut Up and Kiss Me  – Mary Chapin Carpenter, #90 pop. I own a physical copy of this song and have over a half dozen MCC albums.

If I Could Make a Living -Clay Walker, #121 pop

The Big One – George Strait

If You’ve Got Love – John Michael Montgomery

The #1 hits of 1994

Motown

The #1 hits of 1994 are what a bad typist likes: a concise list! I will acknowledge that I own the Boyz II Men and All-4-One albums from which these hits derived.

All the songs went platinum except Stay, which “only” went gold.

I’ll Make Love To You -Boyz II Men (Motown), 14 weeks at #1 pop, three weeks at #1 AC, nine weeks at #1 RB. Now that’s crossover power.

I Swear – All-4-One (Blitzz/Atlantic), 11 weeks at #1 pop, #3 AC, #13 RB. This song was a #1 CW and #42 pop hit for John Michael Montgomery in the same year.

The Sign – Ace Of Bass (Arista), six weeks at #1 pop, #2 AC

On Bended Knee – Boyz II Men (Motown), six weeks at #1 pop, #8 AC, #2 for two weeks RB

The Power Of Love – Celine Dion (550 Music/Epic), four weeks at #1 pop and AC

Bump N’ Grind – R. Kelly (Jive), four weeks at #1 pop, 12 weeks at #1 RB

Stay (I Missed You) – Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories (RCA), three weeks at #1 pop, #5 AC. From the movie Reality Bites, starring Winona Ryder and Ben Stiller. I never saw the movie, yet I have the soundtrack on CD. Ethan Hawke, also in the movie, directed the Loeb video.

All For Love -Bryan Adams/Rod Stewart/Sting (A&M), three weeks at #1 pop, eight weeks at #1 AC. From the movie Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves starring Kevin Costner, which I saw on TV in 2023.

Here Comes The Hotstepper – Ini Kamoze (Columbia), two weeks at #1 pop, #2 for four weeks RB. The song samples Hot Pants-I’m Coming by Bobby Byrd and Heartbeat by Taana Gardner. It incorporates Land of 1000 Dances. The song was later incorporated into the movie Ready To Wear (Pret-A-Porter), starring Julia Roberts. Ini Kamoze means “mountain of the true God.” I don’t think I ever heard this song before.

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