Well I guess I should look at what was big throughout the 90's in NZ considering how I did the same for Australia on this site, at least this list will be more straightforward as (at least as far as I'm aware) there wasn't more than one chart chronicling what was popular over in NZ like there was here in Australia.
If we're going by chart runs, this was the biggest hit of the decade in NZ despite its success here in Australia only being a fraction of that here in Australia for Peter Andre. This pop reggae track was so successful over there (likely due to how hot he is in the video) that it allowed him to find crossover success in the UK which eventually compelled him to move over there and never look back.
#1 for 1995
#1 for 1996 (#3 website)
These guys were already well familiar to the kiwis by the time they released their theme to the Eddie Murphy flick Boomerang, as such this theme managed to break records in the 90's over there like it did in their native America and it also arguably became the biggest hit of the decade in both countries.
#1 for 1992 (#4 website)
#1 for 1993 (#38 website)
It was inevitable that Whitney Houston would find success with her cover of the Dolly Parton classic over in NZ, almost as much as me leading off this list with two songs that broke records on Billboard in such a short amount of time from each other.
#2 for 1992
#2 for 1993 (#2 website)
There was little doubt that the Spice girls was going to take over the world with this song back in the day, who cares if the lyrics make no sense and that it's under three minutes? The melody is still infectious, and the girls have so much charisma that it's impossible not to love their performances.
#2 for 1996 (#15 website)
#1 for 1997
Given how Wet wet wet already saw massive success in NZ with their debut album from the late 80's, it was only inevitable that their cover of the Mindbenders classic for the Hugh Grant flick Four weddings and a funeral would be a massive success for them in NZ as it was in most parts of the world.
#1 for 1994 (#1 website)
It appears the kiwis were equally in love with this dance remix of an early track from Run DMC's career, as such it was also the biggest hit of the year over there despite this never charting on Billboard or even sparking any buzz over in America.
#1 for 1998 (#2 website)
Although they had success with their albums a decade prior, this was the first hit single that the B52's were able to score in NZ just like everywhere else in the world except for Australia. Indeed, I'm guessing this became a success over there due to it being the perfect book end for the 80's which was a decade filled with joyous party music to distract from all of the stress and anxiety that the world was going through.
#1 for 1990 (#24 website)
This remains the most successful song in UB40's career regardless of where in the world you're from, although in NZ this was up against some stiff competition given how much the kiwis loved their music and reggae overall over the years. Even so, I don't think even they would realise that this was one of the biggest hits of the 90's over there given how it's a cover of an Elvis classic for a long-forgotten film.
#3 for 1993 (#1 website)
It appears the kiwis were more on board with making this a success for Ini Kamoze than us Aussies back in the day (it must be due to that "Land of a 1000 dances" interpolation) as this managed to be a huge hit over there around the time it became a huge Billboard chart topper for the reggae musician.
#2 for 1994
#2 for 1995 (#7 website)
It appears we Aussies got the release schedule for Inner circle wrong as this was meant to be the second single to crossover internationally for the Jamaican band and yet we had it as their first hit single. As a result, it not only wasn't as big here as it could've been, but they also remain a one hit wonder despite them scoring multiple hits over in NZ throughout the 90's.
#4 for 1993 (#9 website)
#3 for 1994
Much like in Australia, this collaboration between MJ and Slash reignited the popularity of the former's album Dangerous in NZ, unlike in Australia, the album managed to continue to spawn hit singles over there for the king of pop which we'll look at later down this list.
#5 for 1993 (#7 website)
The kiwis were certainly in love with TLC throughout the 90's, so it stands to reason their anthem against loser boyfriends or "scrubs" as they call them would be a massive success over there for the trio. Interestingly the rap verse from Left eye Lopez was only included in the video as it isn't anywhere to be found on the single or even album versions.
#1 for 1999 (#8 website)
One thing I'll say here that I didn't mention on the Australian side of this site is that this didn't get to number one in the duo's native UK, this was due to the song being blocked from the top spot from Bryan Adams mammoth sixteen week run at the top spot over there. It's a reason as to why people have come to despise that song over the years due to it blocking a fun joke song aimed at narcissists.
#1 for 1991 (#23 website)
#3 for 1992 (#31 website)
I don't know how they did it, but Rednex was able to score a massive hit with their blend of country and EDM despite the Grid failing to score a hit the previous year with "Swamp thing" like they did here in Australia and throughout Europe. I guess the novelty of these guys thinking they were American rednecks was fascinating to the kiwis in a way it wasn't anywhere else in the world.
#3 for 1995 (#5 website)
Given how these guys already scored a massive hit in NZ and their native America before they took the world by storm with this ballad (stay tuned for it in a bit) it was inevitable that this would be a massive success in both countries more so than it already was in countries that these guys were a borderline one hit wonder in.
#4 for 1994 (#2 website)
I have no idea how this managed to become one of the biggest hits of the decade in NZ, I guess they were charmed by how sincere these guys were on this track to the point where it was not only an inescapable hit there but also an incentive for them to check out the rest of the album which nowhere else in the world did.
#4 for 1992 (#28 website)
#6 for 1993 (#36 website)
Well, this song's success in NZ was inevitable given how Coolio already had success over there with "Fantastic voyage" from earlier in the decade, it came from an (at the time) popular film as well as having lyrics that directly challenge the status quo for poor communities in America which resonated with audiences.
#4 for 1995 (#1 website)
#3 for 1996
Given how this went on to be a massive success worldwide, it stands to reason that it would be one of the biggest hits of the decade in the rapper's native homeland which indeed it was for the rapper known as OMC. He did score a few minor hits throughout the second half of the decade in his homeland, none of which managed to become a success anywhere else in the world.
#5 for 1995
#4 for 1996 (#5 website)
Well at least this was released on time for Shaggy in NZ, meaning this was able to be a success months before it even touched the charts here in Australia for the Jamaican rapper. I never quite understood why this was so heavily delayed here as he did find success here with "Oh Carolina" from earlier in the decade, perhaps we didn't want him to be a household name like he was in NZ.
#6 for 1995 (#3 website)
#5 for 1996
Well, this would've been completely out of leftfield in NZ considering how successful his earlier family friendly hip hop was over there, at least we Aussies could pretend this was simply the Fresh prince scoring his first hit as a gangster rapper to help audiences mature with him in the show. This didn't prevent the song from being a massive worldwide hit for him and DJ Jazzy Jeff.
#7 for 1993 (#20 website)
#5 for 1994
Even though this was an even bigger success in NZ than it was here in Australia, this debut single from Ace of base had a bit of a delay to its release over there likely due to it being a dance track more so than a reggae track. Indeed, once it was released over there, it quickly became a massive success for the band due to the reggae groove as well as the story about a woman wanting to fall pregnant with a lover.
#8 for 1993 (#49 website)
#6 for 1994 (#22 website)
This was both the final number one single of the 80's and the first number one of the 90's in NZ, meaning that Margaret Urlich was poised for great things to happen in the latter decade which did at first as this song and the album it came from became a massive success over here in Australia for her.
#2 for 1990
There were no signs of these guys slowing down anywhere in the world as this lead single to their second album managed to be a huge worldwide success for them, although their success in NZ was about on par as it was here in Australia which suggests these guys were able to transcend genres with their ballads back in the day.
#7 for 1994 (#3 website)
#7 for 1995
Well, this was a hit that was bound to be a massive success in NZ, it was a reggae cover of a Fats Domino track from the early 60's that was already a massive success in Bitty McLean's native UK around this time. This is one of the first songs to be pulled from shelves over there as it randomly stopped charting despite it still being in the top ten, I'm guessing to promote his album this came from.
#9 for 1993 (#26 website)
#8 for 1994
Given how this was released on time in NZ compared to it being six months late in Australia, this third single from TLC managed to be a massive success for the trio over there and no doubt helped the album skyrocket up their charts as well. It's a song about self-empowerment and not allowing stigma to get you down, making it well ahead of its time when it comes to social justice.
#8 for 1995 (#2 website)
While this was also a huge chart topper for MC Hammer in NZ, the fact that the kiwis already gave a number one hit to Run DMC with their 1986 effort "Walk this way" meant that they already had no fear of handing their first hip hop chart topper to someone who modern historians would say didn't deserve it. This was also a hit due to them being familiar with the Rick James track this song infamously samples.
#3 for 1990 (#1 website)
Evidently this was originally written for TLC in mind, could you imagine if those girls had of sung this classic? In any case, we have the song that made Britney a household name thanks to how catchy it is as well as the lyrics which still resonate with audiences to this day.
#2 for 1999 (#12 website)
This was a massive hit for the Backstreet boys in NZ much like it was internationally, again likely due to the single version being slightly different from the album version which was still a common phenomenon back in the day. I feel the video had something to do with it as well as it's a clever take on how their female audience tended to sexualise them and how it ends with them doing the same to some female executives.
#2 for 1997
#2 for 1998 (#33 website)
This was a massive success for the NZ hard rock band Push push, so much so that it even had mild success here in Australia when it was released as a single here due to its success over there as well as it being a rock track. Sadly, this was the best they could do over here, although they found better luck in their homeland as their album was a moderate success for them.
#2 for 1991 (#3 website)
I should point out that even though this is a cover of the Kool and the Gang classic from 1985 (which wasn't a hit in NZ funnily enough) that the original didn't have any rapping on it meaning that Pappa Bear did a rap cover of a non-rap song which I think is the only hit of this kind to be as such over the years. It allowed him to score a second hit in NZ later in the year with another cover of an 80's song.
#3 for 1998 (#4 website)
All the world needed for this title track from Lenny Kravitz's biggest album was an infectious guitar lick to permeate throughout the track, that is except for America where this wasn't even released as a single for some reason which means that it never charted on Billboard for him. It did the album no favours as the second single (which is still to come on this list) and the album also bombed in America.
#10 for 1993 (#5 website)
This was a success in NZ slightly sooner than it was here in Australia, this means that it was the kiwis love for this ballad that allowed it to become one of the biggest hits of the decade for the American band Sonia dada. I still feel this is more of an Australian hit considering A: it wound up being bigger here in the long run and B: both the album and their second single were hits here when they weren't over there.
#5 for 1992
#11 for 1993 (#27 website)
The absence of Martha Walsh wasn't even noticed on this track given how these two managed to find massive success in NZ with this song by simply replacing her with a different vocalist. As it turns out, David Cole would pass away not long after this track became the duo's final hit for them, which explains why this is the last anyone had heard from either of them.
#9 for 1994 (#15 website)
#9 for 1995
Well, it appears everyone in the world except for America wanted to hear Nancy Cartwright sing a song about doing a dance based on her signature character that was written by the king of pop back in the day, this led to the cast releasing an album where they did similar songs in their cartoon voices which proved to be a massive success in certain parts of the world.
#3 for 1991 (#10 website)
This was released on time in NZ likely due to RNB being well embraced over there compared to here in Australia where it needed some incentive to be a success from us Aussies. That incentive came for Toni's second single from her debut album when it became a hit here and in the UK of all places which finally allowed us to check this ballad out to see what all the fuss was about.
#12 for 1993
#10 for 1994 (#20 website)
This was the biggest hit to come from Headless chickens in their homeland, although curiously when it came time for them to crossover here in Australia, this was bundled with their earlier hit "Cruise control" which allowed both songs to see minor success here. I guess this is better than both songs being a massive flop which likely would've been the case if either of them was released on their own.
#11 for 1994
#10 for 1995
Well, this was the first hip hop single to go to number one in America, so naturally the kiwis would follow suit in making it a success as it was everywhere else in the world. At least they had a more credible song to take home the prize of being the first hip hop single to top the charts over there than even us Aussies, Run DMC certainly is a cooler hip hop group nowadays than this guy was.
#4 for 1990 (#29 website)
#4 for 1991
Well, this may have arrived a little too late to the party for its success this year to make any sense, however this acoustic guitar ballad from Mr. big was nonetheless a massive success in NZ as it was everywhere else in the world. Perhaps if the band had broken out at the start of the decade, then their other two singles from their album would've been massive hits for them as well.
#6 for 1992 (#3 website)
While the first Bat out of hell album wasn't as inescapable in NZ as it was in Australia, that didn't prevent the second edition from being a massive success over there given how the lead single became one of the biggest hits of the decade for Meat loaf like it did everywhere else in the world.
#13 for 1993 (#6 website)
I would say that the kiwis were even bigger fans of the first Bad boys film than us Aussies except that this is a pop reggae track from a Jamaican artist which of course would be a more likely explanation as to how this track from Diana King managed to be an even bigger success over there than it was here. Unfortunately, this was her only hit over there as her theme to My best friend's wedding wasn't a hit like it was here.
#11 for 1995 (#10 website)
Even though everyone involved on this track was American, this was originally a hit in the UK before it crossed over to their native America which was a fairly common trend for American artists throughout the 90's. There was little doubt this would be an even bigger success in NZ considering how they were essentially the RNB equivalent of Black Box, right down to having controversies with Martha Walsh.
#5 for 1991 (#8 website)
I think America was the only place in the world where these guys didn't have a hit with their iconic track from the mid 60's this year because of its inclusion in that titillating scene in Ghost, although it did take a bit longer for it to become a hit in NZ compared to here in Australia and throughout Europe for some reason.
#6 for 1991 (#2 website)
Well, this was that rare hip hop track that incorporated reggae into its sound, so this was an inevitable hit for Snow in NZ given how both of those genres would permeate in their music scene throughout the decade. Interestingly this wasn't a huge success for Snow in his native Canada, likely due to Canadians having a hard time supporting their local talent at the best of times and that they were less into hip hop than us Aussies at the time.
#14 for 1993 (#3 website)
This managed to become a massive success for the British boy band in NZ mainly due to their incorporation of RNB during a time where that was inescapable in NZ, they were kind of the 90's equivalent of Blue in that regard even though that boy band would achieve infinitely more success in the 00's both in NZ and Australia.
#12 for 1995 (#8 website)
This was the first solo single that Annie Crummer released, it was a huge success in her homeland given how she was coming off the success of her two bands Netherworld dancing toys and When the cats away (weird band names I just realised.) She would have some minor success with her album Language due to the lead singles success but that's about the full extent of her popularity over there.
#7 for 1992 (#24 website)
#15 for 1993
I'm not sure if the kiwis were tuned in to Triple J back in the day (there's evidence to support they were and weren't) if they were then that would explain how Silverchair were able to score a massive hit with their debut single given how the station heavily promoted the band back in the day. It led to them having massive success over there this year with their debut album and the singles from it.
#13 for 1995 (#13 website)
It appears the kiwis were also flattered by this rehash of "Wanted dead or alive" that they made it a huge chart topper over there despite the original only being a modest success a few years prior, it was exactly how things panned out for this solo debut from Jon Bon Jovi both there and in Australia back in the day.
#5 for 1990 (#4 website)
Well regardless of what you think about this track from Puff Daddy, there's no denying that the sentiment was genuine as many people felt it was a touching tribute to the late Biggie Smalls who had tragically passed away earlier in the year the same way his frenemy 2pac did the previous year. It was a massive success in NZ likely due to this and the Police sample he uses.
#3 for 1997 (#2 website)
It was inevitable that this self-empowerment anthem would be a massive worldwide success for Mariah Carey, after all it came from a highly successful album and its message of self-love is poignant even to this day and arguably more so back in the day. It was strangely the final Billboard chart topper for her on Music box as her next two singles didn't quite get to number one in her native America.
#16 for 1993
#12 for 1994 (#41 website)
Regardless of what your thoughts are on this song, there's no denying it was a massive success back in the day meaning that many people felt comfort in hearing Linda Perry sing about her heartbreak in order to make it a huge worldwide success. Interestingly this song was only a modest success in the band's native America, meaning it was bigger in the southern hemisphere and throughout Europe back in the day.
#17 for 1993 (#10 website)
#13 for 1994
Given how hip hop was more commercially viable in NZ this early in the 90's, it makes sense that Arrested development would not only score success with this track sooner over there than they did here but also for it to be a much bigger hit over there. This did catch on here in Australia; however, it was only a mere fraction as successful as it was in NZ.
#8 for 1992
#18 for 1993 (#30 website)
This was a bit late to the party over in NZ, however it didn't seem to matter as it was equally as successful over there for Martha Walsh and company as it was here in Australia at the start of the decade. I would say it was because of the Milli Vanilli scandal that resulted in these guys not being as big over there as they were here, except that C+C Music factory was even bigger over there the following year.
#6 for 1990 (#13 website)
These guys were previously known as the Dance exponents in NZ back in the 80's, although contrary to popular belief they weren't in fact a dance band and were more in line with new wave and pub rock. They rebranded themselves as the Exponents entering the 90's which allowed them to score massive success in their homeland during the first stretch of the decade.
#7 for 1991 (#6 website)
This wound up being slightly more successful in NZ than the first song from the Use your illusions era, only slightly though as "You could be mine" was a strong start to this era for the band over there given how it was the theme to the second Terminator film initially.
#8 for 1991 (#25 website)
#9 for 1992
This is technically the biggest hit of Will Smith's solo career in NZ, by all accounts it was "Men in black" but that was pulled from shelves over there the previous year in order to encourage the success of the soundtrack (it didn't work by the way.) This on the other hand was free to chart for as long as it did which is why it remains his biggest hit over there.
#4 for 1998 (#17 website)
Everything about this track suggests that its success in NZ was inevitable, west coast rapper? Check. Theme for a film starring a west coast rapper? Check. Hip hop track in general? Check. It was a massive success for both men involved in NZ and even a moderate success here in Australia as its appearance on that side of my site can attest.
#14 for 1994 (#16 website)
#14 for 1995
Yep, that album cover isn't controversial in the slightest, I can't imagine anyone being put off by this reggae cover of a Drifters track from British singer CJ Lewis with the image of a woman flashing him. Evidently the kiwis and his fellow Brits weren't as this became a massive hit in both countries and even allowed him to score a string of hits in NZ as the decade went on.
#15 for 1994 (#6 website)
Well, this song's success was inevitable in NZ, although it's worth noting that it almost could've been a hit over there even without the video as it was originally released as the fourth single from the Use your illusions era with a much more generic concert video to go with the track. Of course, it recharted once the music video was released from the band which continued the story that "Don't cry" had told.
#10 for 1992 (#2 website)
MC Lyte had been active in the hip hop game since the late 80's when she was a teenager, so to see her finally score a hit in NZ and her native America almost a decade after breaking through must have been a pleasant surprise for those rooting for her at the time. Indeed, this was an excellent time for women rappers as she was one of several MC's this year to score success this year.
#4 for 1997 (#6 website)
This was the song which finally made AC/DC a household name in NZ, again likely due to how distinct it is from the rest of their catalogue which I'm guessing is what the kiwis needed to finally give them a hit over there. The band had little trouble finding success after this given how their album was not only a huge success over there but so were the singles and even some of their other songs from the 90's.
#7 for 1990
#9 for 1991
Following the success, he had with Linda Ronstadt on their duet "Don't know much," Aaron Neville was able to score success with his family band the Neville brothers for the Mel Gibson flick of the same name which remains one of his less popular films out of his filmography. The film was named after a Leonard Cohen track which of course the group covered for its theme song.
#8 for 1990 (#16 website)
Given how both horrible CGI and EDM had become the norm by the end of the 90's, it only seems fitting that this track from Eiffel 65 would find massive success over there like it did internationally even if that success pales in comparison to how well it did here in Australia. It's a reminder of how far CGI has come from the twentieth century as well as a nostalgia bomb for everyone born between 1980 and 2000.
#3 for 1999 (#6 website)
It looks like Jenny Morris had a similar trajectory for success in NZ as she did here in Australia, the only difference I can think of is that her solo debut was a huge flop for here over there as opposed to being a moderate success here a few years prior to this becoming her first hit in both countries. It was a good way for her to not only end the 80's but also begin the 90's due to how successful it was.
#9 for 1990
There was this heist film this year that starred the likes of Jada Pinkett and Queen Latifah that was a huge commercial success worldwide, although the real success came from its soundtrack which was kicked off with this posse cut from Brandy, Tamia, Gladys Knight and Chaka Khan each presumably portraying the roles of the four leading actresses from the film.
#6 for 1996 (#21 website)
#5 for 1997
MJ was on a roll when he released this track about how everyone deserves to be treated with respect regardless of the colour of their skin (a message that feels more poignant now than ever) from the positive message of the track to it being a bop to listen to, it remains an iconic track in his catalogue to this day.
#10 for 1991 (#19 website)
#11 for 1992
This is a song I'm surprised wasn't a hit here in Australia, I guess we Aussies only had room for one group like this at a time as this was released during the height of Aqua's dominance worldwide. It appears the kiwis allowed this to be bigger than anything released from Aqua given how this fellow Danish band didn't have any other success throughout their career over there.
#5 for 1998 (#8 website)
Well, there were several mashup singles to become popular in NZ throughout the 80's just like there was here in Australia, so it only makes sense that this hit from Jive Bunny would become a success over there right when the decade was coming to an end. That said they remain a one hit wonder over there despite them having multiple hits in their native UK as well as a second hit here in Australia.
#10 for 1990
This had a bit of a delay to its success in NZ, suggesting the kiwis weren't interested in handing success to this sequel band to the Clash Mick Jones formed following him getting fired from the band in the mid 80's. They quickly changed their minds when this became a huge success here in Australia which led to them and the Clash scoring further success around this time due to Mick's renewed popularity.
#11 for 1991
#12 for 1992 (#16 website)
While this wasn't the biggest hit that Ace of Base had in NZ, it was their highest charting single as this got to number one whilst their earlier entry was only a top three hit over there. This was indeed a huge year for the Swedish foursome thanks to their blend of EDM and reggae which helped them establish themselves as the (then) modern equivalent of Abba.
#16 for 1994 (#4 website)
Well, this did manage to make its way to number one in NZ for both Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, it didn't stay there for sixteen weeks, and it certainly didn't overstay its welcome overall on their charts like it did in America, but it was a massive success for them regardless and set up the stage for several other tracks dedicated to the fallen friends of artists.
#15 for 1995 (#23 website)
#7 for 1996 (#32 website)
The 90's had just began and there was already a call for 70's nostalgia worldwide as this one and only hit from Deee lite became a massive success everywhere in the world with the trio delivering the nostalgia people wanted. Their native America was the last place in the world where this caught on as it only did so months after it became a massive success in Australia, NZ and the UK.
#11 for 1990 (#27 website)
#12 for 1991
From what I can gather, this is the only song recorded by Keith Martin who I'm guessing was an aspiring RNB singer looking for his big break in the music industry. He somewhat achieved that in NZ as this was a massive hit from the Bad boys soundtrack, but so was Diana King and MN8's entries on this list so that's more due to how massively popular the film was over there.
#16 for 1995 (#11 website)
This was only slightly bigger in NZ than their debut single (which we'll look at shortly) I'm guessing the world wanted a more upbeat track from these guys than their smoother RNB that kickstarted their career. Interestingly, this wasn't released as a single in their native America until after they had a number one hit with "I adore mi amor," meaning they had two ballads over there before they had an upbeat track.
#13 for 1991 (#16 website)
Enigma was off to a good start in the career when their debut single became a massive success worldwide, it was the conformation that new age music would be one of the more popular genres in the world regardless of where you were from as they would find further success with their next album as well.
#14 for 1991 (#13 website)
Unlike in Australia where this second single was delayed for some reason, it was released on time in NZ which means it managed to be even more of a success for the girls over there than it was over here. This is taking into account that their third single was released rather soon after its release over there due to it becoming a Christmas UK chart topper and being marketed as such in NZ.
#8 for 1996
#6 for 1997
Well, the kiwis weren't interested in having "Set you free" become a success for these guys, although that didn't mean there was no chance for them having a hit over there as this second single from their discography became a massive success for them due to the nostalgia that the kiwis had for the Bee Gees classic of the same name this track heavily samples.
#17 for 1995 (#9 website)
#9 for 1996
This was one of a surprising number of American rappers to find massive success in NZ despite being a massive flop in their native America, then again, the amount of EDM artists that made it big here in Australia throughout the 90's despite them failing to do so in their local music scenes was astronomical so perhaps this was the kiwis' trend in the music scene this decade.
#15 for 1991 (#11 website)
This was one of only two hits that American singer Sybil had in NZ, although she would go on to have massive success later in the decade in the UK of all places for reasons I can't seem to fathom. This is a cover of the Dionne Warwick track from the early 60's, I'm not sure if this was bigger in NZ than the original since their charts don't go that far back and there's no retrospective archive available either.
#12 for 1990 (#17 website)
Just like in Australia, this was a two for one deal in NZ for Arrested development likely because their label wanted them to have that number one hit over there that they never wound up getting anywhere in the world. They came close admittedly as this did nearly top the NZ charts with these two tracks.
#19 for 1993 (#14 website)
You may be surprised that this isn't any higher on my list, this is mostly because like in America, this song briefly charted the previous year in NZ which is when this remix first existed for the aging Spanish duo. It blew up in popularity this year over there the same way it did internationally, however there thankfully wasn't another version of this song to chart with it simultaneously like there was here in Australia.
#10 for 1996 (#9 website)
A band as extreme as err.... Extreme would surely have success with one of their hair metal tracks that was all the rage during their initial breakthrough in their native America in the late 80's. That wasn't the case anywhere else in the world as they largely remain a one hit wonder with this ballad that was an even bigger success in NZ for them, although they did achieve moderate success with the second single from their album Pornograffiti over there.
#16 for 1991 (#7 website)
While they didn't reach the same level of dizzying heights in NZ as they did here in Australia, Faith no more were still more popular over there this decade than they were in their native America which further proves how Billboard was more interested in breaking chart records than promoting their local talent given how hard it was for anyone who wasn't an A list celebrity to make it big in America in the 90's.
#13 for 1990 (#5 website)
Well, I guess the original version of this RNB classic from Earth wind and fire was a success in NZ in the early 80's, so it makes sense that this Australian RNB quartet would score massive success over there with their rendition of the track fifteen years later. The boys did score a second minor hit over there with "Hey girl" later in the year, a song we'll be looking at much later down this list.
#11 for 1996 (#14 website)
Unlike in Australia where this took its sweet time in finding an audience, this was more of an immediate success for Deborah Cox in NZ likely due to the kiwi's policy of welcoming RNB with open arms throughout the 90's. This policy didn't extend for any of her other hits including her biggest hit on Billboard "Nobody's supposed to be here" later in the decade.
#12 for 1996 (#8 website)
Whether it was due to it originally being from Prince or if the kiwis felt that Sinead O'Connor was the star of the decade, this was a massive success for the Irish singer just like it was throughout the rest of the world. The song is heartbreaking right down to the video where she sheds real tears due to her having personal demons at the time with a former friend as well as the Purple one himself.
#14 for 1990 (#11 website)
There were a ton of hits to come from Supergroove's debut album, however this was by far the biggest from the album as it was an infectious number that could stand up to something from the likes of Red hot chili peppers or even Lenny Kravitz from around this time. This was even a minor success here in Australia due to how well it did over there, although I feel it could've been a genuine hit at the time.
#17 for 1994 (#5 website)
For whatever reason, this remix took two years to become a success in NZ and the Four seasons native America given how it was released in 1992 in Australia where it was a massive success here. This remix has since superseded the original when it comes to its presence on oldies stations, although you can still sometimes hear the original here and there.
#18 for 1994
#18 for 1995 (#46 website)
I think this was always intended to be the big hit from Daydream for Mariah Carey, it's just the fact that her earlier entry on this list happened to become one of the biggest hits of all time in her native America is what made it so successful due to it being a collaboration with Boyz II Men as well as the lyrical content connecting better with audiences.
#19 for 1995 (#4 website)
At least here in Australia Alannah Myles managed to score two hits from her debut album, in NZ her only hit over there was her Billboard chart topper which was reportedly about Elvis Presley. She may be a one hit wonder in NZ, however that didn't prevent her album from being a massive success like it was everywhere else in the world.
#15 for 1990 (#10 website)
Well, if "One sweet day" was able to take the world by storm earlier in the year, you better believe that this would follow suit and be a huge success worldwide. There was absolutely no way this was going to fail in NZ given how these guys already had a massive hit the previous year with "1st of tha month," indeed this songs success would lead to them to have further success over there throughout the decade.
#13 for 1996 (#1 website)
Even though he had been dead for two years by this point, 2pac somehow managed to continue to release new material from beyond the grave beginning with this track which samples Bruce Hornsby's "The way it is" which served as nostalgia for both the original track and the rapper's body of work over in NZ this year.
#4 for 1999 (#32 website)
Much like in Australia, this was the first major hit that Bryan Adams had in NZ despite having a highly successful album from the mid 80's over there. I guess the Kevin Costner adaptation of Robin hood was well received at the time even though nowadays it's heavily criticised for its more mature approach to the legend, that and people realised that Kevin couldn't do a plausible British accent for the character.
#17 for 1991 (#1 website)
This was more of an immediate success in NZ than it was here in Australia, in fact I'm guessing this was a hit here in Australia because it was so inescapable in NZ which of course made it a hit in the UK but not in America because this was never released as a single over there. As such, Tragic kingdom was a huge worldwide success everywhere except for the band's homeland.
#14 for 1996
#7 for 1997 (#30 website)
Even though this song about de stigmatising sex in the mainstream was still a massive hit for the hip hop trio in NZ, it curiously wasn't as big over there as it was over here where it was at its most popular. These girls were the rare exception to the rule where hip hop artists found more success in NZ than in Australia back in the day as it was the other way around for them.
#18 for 1991
#13 for 1992 (#23 website)
Well, UB40 seemed to have been on top of the world as far as the kiwis were concerned, so of course their collaboration with Robert Palmer on this Bob Dylan cover would be a massive success for them much sooner than it was in Australia. I guess it was our love for Robert that allowed this to become a success here in Australia, although nowhere near as popular as it was over there.
#16 for 1990
#19 for 1991 (#40 website)
This wasn't even the biggest hit that Guns N Roses managed to achieve in NZ this year and it was still much bigger over there than it was over here, I guess the kiwis really loved both Axel Rose and the Terminator films if this lead single can do so well over there and not in the bands native America.
#20 for 1991 (#4 website)
Even though this never made it to number one on Billboard, that didn't prevent the line dance pioneer from becoming a massive worldwide success for Billy Ray Cyrus as this managed to also be an inescapable hit in NZ this year. At least this didn't last as long on the charts there as it did here, hence why it's slightly lower on this list.
#14 for 1992 (#1 website)
While this has similar lyrics to the Chi Lite's ballad that this second hit from MC Hammer is sampling, Hammer changes them partially to turn it into a rap ballad but also to slightly change the context of the original track as while that was a ballad about the narrator losing the love of their life, here Hammer is merely crushing over a woman he's in love with.
#17 for 1990 (#20 website)
Well, this guy was a huge fanboy of UB40, so it seems fitting that he would score massive success in NZ with this update of the Equals track from 1968 with the assistance of Ali Campbell from the band over there. It was a hit much sooner than it was here in Australia likely for a multitude of reasons, the biggest being that anything affiliated with UB40 was a guaranteed success in NZ back in the day.
#19 for 1994 (#23 website)
#20 for 1995
This was originally released the previous year to deafening silence in the southern hemisphere, I'm guessing because we didn't want to have any controversies involving the music video like the band had in the UK as it reportedly attracted a record number of complaints from viewers when it was first unveiled over there. The kiwis were eventually won over by this track when their big hit in Australia became as such.
#8 for 1997 (#9 website)
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