Number One Country Songs of 1990
Written By: Amanda Tempel
Published: February 18, 2026
The country charts in 1990 reflected a genre in transition. Traditional-leaning stars like George Strait, Randy Travis, and Clint Black continued to dominate the airwaves, while a new generation of artists began reshaping country music’s sound and image. The rise of Garth Brooks and Travis Tritt signaled the start of a decade that would bring massive commercial growth and a new wave of arena-level stars.
Ballads ruled the charts throughout the year, with emotional favorites like “The Dance” and “Love Without End, Amen” spending multiple weeks at the top. Established hitmakers shared space with rising artists, making 1990 a defining year that bridged the traditional sounds of the late ’80s with the blockbuster country boom of the ’90s.
Here’s a complete look at the artists, songs, and songwriters who reached No. 1 on the Billboard country charts in 1990.
Biggest Country Music Highlights of 1990
George Strait spent the most time at No. 1 in 1990, leading all artists with nine total weeks on top of the charts.
Garth Brooks scored one of the most important hits of his career with “The Dance,” a song that helped launch him into superstardom.
Clint Black and Dan Seals each earned two No. 1 hits during the year, continuing their late-’80s momentum.
Alabama remained the top country group of the era, scoring multiple No. 1 hits in 1990.
Lorrie Morgan, KT Oslin, and Reba McEntire represented the leading female voices at the top of the charts.
Number One Country Songs of 1990
Who's Lonely Now (Highway 101) - Kix Brooks and Don Cook - 1 week
It Ain't Nothin' (Keith Whitley) - Tony Hasdelen - 1 week
Nobody's Home (Clint Black) - Clint Black - 3 weeks
Southern Star (Alabama) - Rich Alves, Steve Dean, and Roger Murrah - 1 week
On Second Thought (Eddie Rabbitt) - Eddie Rabbitt - 2 weeks
No Matter How High (Oak Ridge Boys) - Even Steven and Joey Scarbury - 1 week
Chains (Patty Loveless) - Hal Bynum and Bud Reneu - 1 week
Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart (Randy Travis) - Hugh Prestwood - 4 weeks
Five Minutes (Lorrie Morgan) - Beth Nielsen Chapman - 1 week
Love on Arrival (Dan Seals) - Dan Seals - 3 weeks
Help Me Hold On (Travis Tritt) - Travis Tritt and Pat Terry - 1 week
Walkin' Away (Clint Black) - Clint Black and Hayden Nichols - 2 weeks
I've Cried My Last Tear For You (Ricky Van Shelton) - Chris Waters and Tony King - 1 week
Love Without End, Amen (George Strait) - Aaron Barker - 5 weeks
The Dance (Garth Brooks) - Tony Arata - 3 weeks
Good Times (Dan Seals) - Sam Cooke - 2 weeks
Next To You, Next To Me (Shenandoah) - Robert Ellis Orrall and Curtis Wright - 3 weeks
Jukebox In My Mind (Alabama) - Dave Gibson and Ronnie Rogers - 4 weeks
Friends in Low Places (Garth Brooks) - Dewayne Blackwell and Earl Bud Lee - 4 weeks
You Lie (Reba McEntire) - Bobby Fischer, Charlie Black, and Austin Roberts - 1 week
Home (Joe Diffie) - Fred Lehner and Andy Spooner - 1 week
You Really Had Me Going (Holly Dunn) - Holly Dunn, Chris Waters, and Tom Shapiro - 1 week
Come Next Monday (KT Oslin) - KT Oslin, Charlie Black, and Rory Bourke - 2 weeks
I've Come To Expect It From You (George Strait) - Buddy Cannon and Dean Dillon - 4 weeks
Songwriters with the Most Weeks at Number One in 1990
5 Weeks
Aaron Barker
Clint Black
4 Weeks
Buddy Cannon
Dave Gibson
Dean Dillon
Dewayne Blackwell
Earl Bud Lee
Hugh Prestwood
Ronnie Rogers
3 Weeks
Charlie Black
Curtis Wright
Dan Seals
Robert Ellis Orrall
Tony Arata
2 Weeks
Chris Waters
Eddie Rabbitt
Hayden Nichols
KT Oslin
Rory Bourke
Sam Cooke
1 Week
Andy Spooner
Austin Roberts
Beth Nielsen Chapman
Bobby Fischer
Bud Reneu
Don Cook
Even Steven
Fred Lehner
Hal Bynum
Holly Dunn
Joey Scarbury
Kix Brooks
Pat Terry
Rich Alves
Roger Murrah
Steve Dean
Tom Shapiro
Tony Hasdelen
Tony King
Travis Tritt
Country Artists with the Most Weeks at Number One in 1990
9 Weeks
George Strait
7 Weeks
Garth Brooks
5 Weeks
Alabama
Clint Black
Dan Seals
4 weeks
Randy Travis
3 Weeks
Shenandoah
2 Weeks
Eddie Rabbitt
KT Oslin
1 Week
Highway 101
Holly Dunn
Joe Diffie
Keith Whitley
Lorrie Morgan
Oak Ridge Boys
Patty Loveless
Reba McEntire
Ricky Van Shelton
Travis Tritt
Male Country Artists With Most Weeks at Number One in 1990
George Strait - 9 Weeks
Garth Brooks - 7 Weeks
Clint Black, Dan Seals - 5 Weeks
Randy Travis - 4 Weeks
Eddie Rabbitt - 2 Weeks
Joe Diffie, Keith Whitley, Ricky Van Shelton, Travis Tritt - 1 Week
Female Country Artists with Most Weeks at Number One in 1990
KT Oslin - 2 Weeks
Holly Dunn, Lorrie Morgan, Patty Loveless, Reba McEntire - 1 Week
Country Music Groups with Most Weeks at Number One in 1990
Alabama - 5 Weeks
Shenandoah - 3 Weeks
Highway 101, Oak Ridge Boys - 1 Week
Country Music Artists with the Most Number One Hits in 1990
Alabama, Clint Black, Dan Seals, Garth Brooks, George Strait - 2 Number One Songs
Eddie Rabbitt, Highway 101, Holly Dunn, Joe Diffie, Keith Whitley, KT Oslin, Lorrie Morgan, Oak Ridge Boys, Patty Loveless, Randy Travis, Reba McEntire, Ricky Van Shelton, Shenandoah, and Travis Tritt - 1 Number One Song
Breakdown of Number One Songs
Male Country Artists with the Most Number One Hits in 1990
Clint Black, Dan Seals, Garth Brooks, George Strait - 2 Number One Songs
Eddie Rabbitt, Joe Diffie, Keith Whitley, Randy Travis, Ricky Van Shelton, Travis Tritt - 1 Number One Song
Female Country Artists with the Most Number One Hits in 1990
Holly Dunn, KT Oslin, Lorrie Morgan, Patty Loveless, and Reba McEntire - 1 Number One Song
Country Music Groups with the Most Number One Hits in 1990
Alabama - 2 Number One Songs
Highway 101, Oak Ridge Boys, and Shenandoah - 1 Number One Song
1990 Country Music Chart FAQs
What was the No. 1 country song of 1990?
“Love Without End, Amen” by George Strait spent the most weeks at No. 1 in 1990, leading all songs that year.
Who had the most No. 1 hits in 1990?
Alabama, Clint Black, Dan Seals, Garth Brooks, and George Strait each scored two No. 1 hits in 1990.
Who spent the most weeks at No. 1 in 1990?
George Strait led all artists with nine total weeks at the top of the country charts.
What was Garth Brooks’ No. 1 song in 1990?
Garth Brooks scored No. 1 hits in 1990 with “The Dance” and “Friends in Low Places.”
Which female artists hit No. 1 in 1990?
Lorrie Morgan, KT Oslin, Holly Dunn, Patty Loveless, and Reba McEntire all reached No. 1 during the year.