Rewind to
1991
27 different songs reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991. The year opened with Justify My Love by Madonna at the top, and (Everything I Do) I Do It For You by Bryan Adams held #1 the longest — 7 weeks in 1991.
Prices rose 4.2% over 1990. One dollar in 1991 buys about what $2.36 buys in 2025.
A gallon of regular gas averaged $1.14, down 2% from 1990. In 2025 dollars that is $2.69, against an actual 2025 average of $3.26.
Mailing a letter took a 29¢ stamp (it is 73¢ in 2025), and the federal minimum wage was $4.14 an hour.
Songs that hit #1
27
Gallon of gas
$1.14
2025: $3.26
Inflation
4.2%
change in CPI vs 1990
$1 then is
$2.36
in 2025 dollars
Every #1 hit of 1991
| Song | Artist | First week at #1 | Weeks at #1 in 1991 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Justify My Love | Madonna | Jan 5 | 2 |
| Love Will Never Do (Without You) | Janet Jackson | Jan 19 | 1 |
| The First Time | Surface | Jan 26 | 2 |
| Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) | C+C Music Factory | Feb 9 | 2 |
| All The Man That I Need | Whitney Houston | Feb 23 | 2 |
| Someday | Mariah Carey | Mar 9 | 2 |
| One More Try | Timmy T. | Mar 23 | 1 |
| Coming Out Of The Dark | Gloria Estefan | Mar 30 | 2 |
| I've Been Thinking About You | Londonbeat | Apr 13 | 1 |
| You're In Love | Wilson Phillips | Apr 20 | 1 |
| Baby Baby | Amy Grant | Apr 27 | 2 |
| Joyride | Roxette | May 11 | 1 |
| I Like The Way (The Kissing Game) | Hi-Five | May 18 | 1 |
| I Don't Wanna Cry | Mariah Carey | May 25 | 2 |
| More Than Words | Extreme | Jun 8 | 1 |
| Rush Rush | Paula Abdul | Jun 15 | 5 |
| Unbelievable | EMF | Jul 20 | 1 |
| (Everything I Do) I Do It For You | Bryan Adams | Jul 27 | 7 |
| The Promise Of A New Day | Paula Abdul | Sep 14 | 1 |
| I Adore Mi Amor | Color Me Badd | Sep 21 | 2 |
| Good Vibrations | Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch Featuring Loleatta Holloway | Oct 5 | 1 |
| Emotions | Mariah Carey | Oct 12 | 3 |
| Romantic | Karyn White | Nov 2 | 1 |
| Cream | Prince And The N.P.G. | Nov 9 | 2 |
| When A Man Loves A Woman | Michael Bolton | Nov 23 | 1 |
| Set Adrift On Memory Bliss | P.M. Dawn | Nov 30 | 1 |
| Black Or White | Michael Jackson | Dec 7 | 4 |
Weeks are counted within 1991; a song that carried over from 1990 or into 1992 shows only its 1991 weeks.
What things cost in 1991
| Item | 1991 price | In 2025 dollars | Actual 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallon of regular gas | $1.14 | $2.69 | $3.26 |
| Dozen large eggs | $0.99 | $2.34 | $4.25 |
| Loaf of white bread (per lb) | $0.71 | $1.68 | $1.87 |
| Ground beef (per lb) | $1.59 | $3.77 | $6.09 |
| Whole chicken (per lb) | $0.88 | $2.08 | $2.06 |
| Bacon (per lb) | $2.22 | $5.25 | $7.02 |
| Ground coffee (per lb) | $2.81 | $6.64 | $8.18 |
| Bananas (per lb) | $0.48 | $1.14 | $0.65 |
| Sugar (per lb) | $0.43 | $1.01 | $1.02 |
| Potatoes (per lb) | $0.33 | $0.78 | $0.96 |
| Flour (per lb) | $0.23 | $0.55 | $0.56 |
| Electricity (per kWh) | $0.09 | $0.21 | $0.18 |
| Federal minimum wage (per hour) | $4.14 | $9.78 | $7.25 |
| Median new home sale price | $119,975 | $283,608 | $415,400 |
| First-class stamp | 29¢ | 69¢ | 73¢ |
Compare 1991 prices with any amount → · Find the #1 song on any day in 1991 →
The internet in 1991
Websites in existence
1
June 1991 · Netcraft / Internet Live Stats
Americans online
1.2%
World Bank, via FRED
