When it comes to the 1990s, 1992 was a seminal year for music. The decade had by now shed any lingering 1980s vibes and had stepped into a whole new cultural world on its own. Names like Dr. Dre, Kurt Cobain, Eddie Vedder, and Chris Cornell ruled the airwaves. And in 1992, they were all huge.
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But along with those big-name artists, there were others who broke through into the mainstream—some even hit the top spot on the coveted Billboard Hot 100. And that’s just who we wanted to check out here below. Indeed, these are three acts you might be shocked to hear hit No. 1 in 1992.
“Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-A-Lot from ‘Mack Daddy’ (1992)
The Seattle rapper’s ode to posteriors is still a hit today. The song ends up in television commercials all the time, and if you walk into any karaoke bar in the world, chances are someone is going to fire up Mix’s track and bounce to every word. Heck, even Nicki Minaj sampled the song for one of her biggest singles. And in 1992, Mix’s “Baby Got Back” earned him both a No. 1 single and a Grammy Award. Not bad work for the Pacific Northwesterner.
“Jump” by Kris Kross from ‘Totally Krossed Out’ (1992)
The young rappers Kris Kross, who were famous for being pre-teen stars and for wearing their clothes backwards, struck oil when they released this single, which was produced by Jermaine Dupri (though it sounds like it could have been produced by Dr. Dre). The hook to “Jump” is supremely catchy, and despite the oddity of this rap duo, many were singing along with them when the video came on MTV!
“End Of The Road” by Boyz II Men from ‘Boomerang’ (1992)
Oh, Boyz II Men. How many hearts have you broken? How many couples have you brought together on prom night? The sublimely romantic, harmonizing group shook souls and skeletons with their tunes in the early 90s. And they’re still doing it today, too. The group from Philly sure knew how to connect deeply with fans and move an audience. And that’s why they hit No. 1 in 1992 with their stirring single, “End Of The Road”.
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