July 1992 -- ...the end of the road for many from the 80's

A switch from my usual 1970's and 1980's top 40 countdowns, I listened to Downtown Julie Brown's playing of the top 30 hits from this week in 1992.  It's similar in format to the ones that the gang from 80's on 8 do, though she gives a lot less commentary, especially on chart position.

The charts were in a transition...in late 1991, Billboard stopped receiving reports from radio stations and record stores of what they were playing ans selling and instead monitored it independently.  This led to a big change in what had traditionally charted, adding a lot more urban records to the mix, the occasional country hot seller, and downplaying much of the 80's pop/rock and adult contemporary.

Biggest casualties -- 80's stars Genesis, Richard Marx, George Michael, and Lionel Richie all having the biggest hits they would ever have again.  Likewise for the white "girl groups" like Expose with the final hurrah by the Cover Girls.

By this point, big hair rock had died with the arrival of alternative rock, with Guns & Roses marking the end of that era, with the Red Hot Chili Peppers representing the new.  But rock was barely represented compared to the 70's and 80's.

Light adult contemporary largely went away (no more Michael Bolton or Kenny G), as marked by Vanessa Williams' last hit, with the crazy exception of Celine Dion who had a great decade.

Other 80's hitmakers pressed through just fine -- Madonna, Janet, Whitney -- alongside an onslaught of  R&B from Mariah Carey, TLC, En Vogue, Jodeci, and one-offs like Kris Kross and the embarrassing "Baby Got Back."

It would be another year before the Gin Blossoms brought a brighter pop-rock sound to the charts that so many people associate with the 90's alongside Hootie, Goo Goo Dolls, Sugar Ray, etc...

1 1 BABY GOT BACK –•– Sir Mix-A-Lot – 14 (1)
2 2 I’LL BE THERE –•– Mariah Carey – 7 (1)
3 3 UNDER THE BRIDGE –•– Red Hot Chili Peppers – 15 (2)
4 5 IF YOU ASKED ME TO –•– Celine Dion – 12 (4)
5 6 DAMN I WISH I WAS YOUR LOVER –•– Sophie B. Hawkins – 13 (5)
6 7 ACHY BREAKY HEART –•– Billy Ray Cyrus – 10 (6)
7 4 JUMP –•– Kris Kross – 15 (1)
8 9 TENNESSEE –•– Arrested Development – 14 (8)
9 8 MY LOVIN’ (YOU’RE NEVER GONNA GET IT) –•– En Vogue – 17 (2)
10 10 WISHING ON A STAR –•– Cover Girls – 7 (10)

11 13 JUST ANOTHER DAY –•– Jon Secada – 13 (11)
12 14 LIFE IS A HIGHWAY –•– Tom Cochrane – 9 (12)
13 12 TOO FUNKY –•– George Michael – 5 (12)
14 11 THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE –•– Luther Vandross & Janet Jackson – 7 (10)
15 16 BABY-BABY-BABY –•– TLC – 6 (15)
16 15 HOLD ON MY HEART –•– Genesis – 11 (12)
17 35 THIS USED TO BE MY PLAYGROUND –•– Madonna – 2 (17)
18 17 COME & TALK TO ME –•– Jodeci – 15 (16)
19 20 FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE –•– The Cure – 5 (19)
20 26 NOVEMBER RAIN –•– Guns N’ Roses – 3 (20)

21 21 WARM IT UP –•– Kris Kross – 6 (21)
22 19 SLOW MOTION –•– Color Me Badd – 10 (18)
23 23 KEEP ON WALKIN’ –•– Ce Ce Peniston – 8 (23)
24 30 GIVING HIM SOMETHING HE CAN FEEL –•– En Vogue – 6 (24)
25 18 LIVE AND LEARN –•– Joe Public – 18 (4)
26 27 JUST FOR TONIGHT –•– Vanessa Williams – 8 (26)
27 34 THEY WANT EFX –•– Das EFX – 10 (27)
28 33 TAKE THIS HEART –•– Richard Marx – 5 (28)
29 25 DO IT TO ME –•– Lionel Richie – 11 (21)

30 36 GOOD STUFF –•– The B-52’s – 4 (30)