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.
Apparently, there was this black comedy (in more ways than one as it had a predominantly black cast) known as Booty call which was panned by critics at the time for being considered too vulgar, this was back when stuff like Beavis and Butthead and the Bloodhound gang were considered critical darlings mind you. The film had a theme song from SWV and Missy Elliott, this being the first hit the latter had anywhere in the world.
#49 for 1997 (#16 website)
Although it did chart in NZ, "The rain" wasn't a huge hit over there for Missy Elliott which is strange because this second single from her was likely due to the presence of Da Brat who had a minor hit over there with "Funkdafied" from earlier in the decade. Both of these women also appeared on Lil Kim's posse cut from the previous year, so that's likely the real reason why this collaboration took off over there.
#46 for 1998 (#43 website)
I get the feeling this would've underperformed on the NZ charts were it not for the inclusion of airplay on the RIANZ charts, after all it bounced up and down the top twenty throughout its chart run as opposed to it being a more mainstream hit for the Christian band over here in Australia. It was their only major success over there like it was over here, although they did score a minor follow up with "There she goes."
#43 for 1999 (#44 website)
This was the first of six consecutive chart toppers for Westlife in the UK, it would've been ten consecutive chart toppers if the Bob the builder theme didn't prevent one of their tracks from getting to number one over there the following year (do with that information what you will.) While they weren't that crazy popular over in NZ, they did still score a ton of success over there including this chart-topping hit.
#44 for 1999 (#40 website)
Well, this was bound to be a success for S Club 7 in NZ just as the decade was coming to an end, after all teen pop and music made specifically to sell a product (in this case the band's TV show) were all the rage by the end of the 90's which is why music afficionados seem to despise this period of music nowadays.
#45 for 1999 (#4 website)
OK I'm not even going to mention ANY of the controversies that R Kelly has been involved with on this site as this is meant to be a safe space for that type of thing, instead I'll be focusing on his music which includes this theme song to the Looney tunes film Space jam which also stars Michael Jordan in the leading role. This is by far the song that is best affiliated with the film and so was a natural choice for the soundtrack's lead single.
#50 for 1997 (#38 website)
This was the only chart topper that Guns N Roses had not just during the Use your illusions era but overall in NZ, they were one of the biggest bands of all time in NZ and yet this cover of the Wings classic was the only song of theirs that made it further up the charts than number two. For what it's worth, they never made it to number one in Australia with any of their singles despite how big they were here.
#44 for 1992 (#27 website)
This was a massive hit for the American hip hop trio Something for the pain in NZ and their native America, mainly for the chorus which features fellow American RNB duo Trina and Tamara which connects the verses together about how awesome the love of the rappers is for their respective partners. Even though this was a big success for them, they called it quits not long after it fell off the charts.
#47 for 1998 (#44 website)
I think this was the only swing revival track to make it big in NZ (correct me if I'm wrong) it was admittedly an instant success over there unlike here in Australia where it failed to catch on for some reason. I guess we Aussies were growing tired of songs being carried by trumpet instrumentation as this song is mostly known for its usage of the instrument throughout its runtime.
#46 for 1999
This was all set to top the Billboard charts this year as it did in NZ, however due to the change of format with how they were calculated, it didn't end up becoming a number one hit in America. I thought I'd shared that here as I have nothing new to add to this song on this site and instead want to highlight just how unreliable the Billboard charts had becoming beginning with this year.
#45 for 1992 (#30 website)
This was the final hit that AC/DC had anywhere in the world, mainly because it was the theme to the Arnold Schwarzenegger flick Last action hero where he stars in a film that involves him traveling from film universe to film universe with hilarity ensuing. I haven't seen the film (shocking I know) but it looks pretty terrible from the videos I've seen on YouTube.
#50 for 1993 (#29 website)
Much like here in Australia, this was a hit in NZ following Bruce's Oscar win for this ballad for the film it was written for. Speaking of Philadelphia, the film was a critical darling at the time due to it being among the first to depict a homosexual man with any form of dignity and respect (although he was played by the VERY straight Tom Hanks who won an Oscar for his portrayal.)
#46 for 1994 (#50 website)
This charted higher in NZ than it did in Australia, although that doesn't mean it was more successful given it has roughly the same placement on this list as it does on the Australian side of my site. This was originally a hit in the UK for the American duo before it crossed over to America, I'm guessing because the kiwis recognised the sample from Spandau ballet before their fellow Americans did.
#58 for 1991 (#30 website)
This was a modest success for Elton John in NZ on the Listener chart, meaning that the kiwis were already familiar with the original version of this ballad when it was released as a single for charity late the previous year. Naturally it was a big hit over there like it was worldwide, however it wasn't as huge as it was here in Australia and certainly not in America or the duo's native UK.
#46 for 1992 (#35 website)
Unlike here in Australia where this was a hit for Alicia Bridges twice, in NZ this was the only time the disco classic was a success over there as it vastly underperformed upon its initial release in the late 70's. As a final bit of trivia, it turns out that Alicia Bridges is indeed a lesbian as she revealed as such around the time this became a hit for her due to appearing in the LGBT masterpiece Priscilla queen of the desert.
#55 for 1995 (#45 website)
This was one of the last hit singles that Will Smith had in his career anywhere in the world, granted he would come back in the midpoint of the 00's with "Switch" which is arguably his biggest hit in the southern hemisphere, but this was his last big hit in his native America given how it was the theme song to his film of the same name which was torn apart by critics for various reasons.
#47 for 1999 (#42 website)
This is a remix of a mambo track form the 50's (hence the name of the song) that became a massive hit worldwide for the British EDM group Shaft right as the 90's was coming to an end. This wasn't a hit here in Australia, although the group's followup single was as "Mambo Italiano" became a modest success in the new year given how it was a cover of the Rosemary Clooney classic.
#48 for 1999 (#29 website)
Even though this is credited as a Lil Kim track, it's really a posse cut with her, Da Brat, Left Eye Lopez from TLC, Missy Elliott and Angie Martinez and was made for the Nothing to lose soundtrack of all things. Apparently, this is a remix of a song from her debut album given how it heavily samples the Kool and the Gang classic "Ladies night," naturally it's flipped so that it's about the girls not putting out for their male audience.
#51 for 1997 (#27 website)
Much like here in Australia, this was the only other solo hit that Jon Bon Jovi had in NZ given how it also came from the Young Guns II soundtrack this year. Even though the success he had this year over there was equal to that down under, his popularity would quickly decline as the decade went on over there as opposed to it increasing here.
#56 for 1990
This was a massive hit for the NZ band Moana and the Moahunters, a group of Maori musicians who scored their one and only hit this year with this pop track during the early months of the year. They did have songs and even albums released before and since this one big hit from them, however this was the only success they had in their career.
#59 for 1991 (#42 website)
Although this appears in roughly the same position on this side of my site as it does on the Australian side, I should point out that this was much more of a success in NZ albeit as a sleeper hit as it didn't peak very high like it did throughout the rest of the world. I guess the kiwis were a bit put off by what EMF stood for but eventually came around due to how incessantly catchy the song was.
#60 for 1991 (#15 website)
Well, it appears the kiwis could also appreciate this protest track about beauty standards disguised as a booty anthem just as much as we Aussies did back in the day, although this was a much bigger hit for Sir mix a lot in his native America given how it was a huge chart topper on Billboard for a song whose opening line is "I like big buts and I can not lie."
#47 for 1992 (#47 website)
I guess this was less successful in NZ than it was here in Australia due to the original from the Commodores already being a hit in the 70's over there, as such the kiwis really didn't need this almost note for note cover of the track to become a hit this year and yet it was likely due to their nostalgia of the original.
#51 for 1993 (#35 website)
Well, it appears the kiwis weren't as big of fans of the Disney adaptation of the Three musketeers as we Aussies were, or at the very least, they weren't as big of fans of this three-way collaboration from Bryan Adams, Sting and Rod Stewart which was the final hit for two out of these three men in most parts of the world.
#47 for 1994 (#42 website)
This was yet another Mariah Carey song that was much bigger in NZ than it was here in Australia, although you've likely noticed that every one of her entries was much bigger over there than it was over here which tells you everything you need to know about how well loved she was over there compared to over here back in the day.
#48 for 1996 (#28 website)
I think this was one of the first EDM tracks that made the kiwis realise what they were missing out on over there given how it managed to become a huge hit there for the Swiss DJ Robert Miles. Admittedly it as far more successful here in Australia due to EDM still being at the height of its popularity here, however the kiwis couldn't resist this instrumental track back in the day.
#49 for 1996 (#31 website)
This was a predictably repeat entry for this list given how well-beloved Aladdin remains to this day, although I have seen people criticise these adult contemporary renditions of the showstoppers from the Disney films as little more than a soulless attempt to milk money from their respective films. I disagree as it would be weird to see the original versions of these songs on the charts especially back then.
#52 for 1993 (#37 website)
It's hard to say how much airplay was a factor to this song's success for Shania Twain in NZ, after all her previous two singles underperformed over there despite them being massively popular here in Australia the previous year. In any case, the kiwis seemed to gravitate towards this pop rendition of her country track on Come on over where she shoots down guys who don't impress her, it's far less catty than I'm making it out to be.
#49 for 1999 (#38 website)
I think this was one of the last genuine country songs to become a hit in NZ as there definitely wasn't much country to make it big over there without some pop makeover, it also comes from a country legend over there as John Grenell had been releasing country albums strictly for their country scene for the better part of two decades by that point.
#57 for 1990
This was only a modest success here in Australia for Skid row, certainly nowhere near as popular as it was in NZ where hair metal seemed to still be one of the most popular genres of the first year of the 90's. Fans of Gilmour girls will recognise lead singer Sebastian Bach as Gil, although his character on the show was more loosely based on their original lead singer who did quit the band before they made it big.
#58 for 1990 (#33 website)
From what I can gather, Kid N Play were the hip hop duo of MC Hammer as they were kid friendly rappers who even had their own cartoon show similar to that of Hammerman (both of these shows look awful for the record.) I guess they also had an acting career which is perhaps how the kiwis managed to get their hands on this pop rap track this year.
#48 for 1992 (#32 website)
This was another entry that was a pain in the backside to do research on, here we have the German duo Jonestown who scored their one and only hit anywhere in the world with this hip hop track which goes to show that the kiwis would allow anything from RNB and hip hop to become a success over there by this point in time so long as they knew about its existence.
#48 for 1998 (#38 website)
This had a bit of a delay to its success in NZ, I'm guessing because the kiwis weren't quite ready to allow a new generation of Sade in their music scene given how the original band were still quite popular at the time of this songs release over there. They changed their minds when the second single from the album became a success over there which pushed this up the charts as well.
#48 for 1994 (#27 website)
Well, I guess Paula Abdul having a hit with "Straight up" the previous year in NZ costed her a number one hit over there as this collaboration with the cartoon feline MC Skat Kat wasn't nearly as successful over there as it was over here in Australia. In fact, her album in general wasn't that big here as it was only a minor sleeper hit the previous year as opposed to being a massive hit down under this year.
#59 for 1990 (#40 website)
This was the last hit that Coolio had in NZ, it was a lot more pop friendly compared to his other work which is perhaps why it was a hit but also largely forgotten in his catalogue in recent years.
#52 for 1997
#49 for 1998
You's think this would be a bigger hit in NZ than it was here in Australia due to the presence of En Vogue, you'd be mistaken as I'm fairly certain their presence was the only reason why this second song from Salt n Pepa's album Very necessary was a hit at all over there given how much of a failure "Shoop" was. This would be the trio's last hit over there; however, En Vogue would return for one more hit later in the decade.
#49 for 1994 (#38 website)
The original version of this track which appeared on the Australian side of my site flopped hard in NZ for the Scottish band Texas, I guess it was too adult contemporary for the kiwis who were all about hip hop and EDM by this point in time. That seemed to be the mindset when they got members of the Wu Tang Clan of all groups to collaborate with them on this remix which finally gave them a hit over there.
#50 for 1998 (#36 website)
This might have been a huge success for Bon Jovi this year in NZ, however it was the only hit they had from their album of the same name as both it and the other singles all flopped over there despite them being massive hits here in Australia. Admittedly this was the only single of theirs to retain the bombast they had from their 80's material.
#49 for 1992
This was another song from Mariah Carey that proved to be more successful in NZ than it was here in Australia, she was really on a roll this year even if she only had one chart topper outside of Billboard with "Vision of love" from the previous year. Her second international chart topper came when she performed "I'll be there" on MTV unplugged to silence those rumours that she was lip synching on her albums.
#61 for 1991
There was little doubt that this would be a massive success over in NZ this year given how their cover of a Bill Withers classic was a huge hit for them the previous year over there, I guess this all comes down to the band incorporating reggae elements to their sound with their album with Deni Hines as their vocalist as that's the only explanation I can think of for their success around this time.
#50 for 1992 (#12 website)
As this was released on time in NZ, it means it was able to become a success much sooner over there than it did here in Australia. It was also less successful over there, although that's more due to the trio already having success with the other three songs from Crazysexycool by the time this was released as a single there as opposed to them only having one hit over here with "Waterfalls."
#56 for 1995
#50 for 1996
Both of POT USA's big hits from Australia will be reappearing on this side of my site as it appears the kiwis also found enjoyment with both of these tracks back in the day, more so with this lead single to their debut album it seems given how much bigger it was over there compared to over here. Like most alternative rock from the 90's, this wasn't a hit in the band's native America, not even on the Billboard airplay charts.
#51 for 1996 (#38 website)
This original track from Air supply was a fairly big hit for them in NZ back in the day, certainly more so than it was here in Australia which was an early sign of their international appeal despite them being far from the biggest Australian band of the 70's. NZ EDM duo Deep obsession decided to turn the ballad into a dance track which resulted in it being equally as successful nearly two decades later.
#51 for 1998 (#20 website)
Well, this was hard to find information about, from what I can gather, D faction was a NZ group who scored their one and only hit with this cover of the Billy Joe Royal track from thirty years prior which I'm guessing was a big deal over there back in the day if this was able to be a massive hit for the group.
#52 for 1996
The hits seemed to keep on coming for CJ Lewis in NZ as he managed to score a big hit over there with the title track to his second album, it proved to be much bigger there than it was in his native UK as was everything else in his catalogue as he didn't have much success in on the British charts with his brand of pop reggae.
#53 for 1996
Well, here's that second single that M People had in NZ, it's a cover of an obscure Motown track from ten years prior which I'm guessing the kiwis appreciated enough to make their earlier entry on this list a success over there. It was also quite big in their native UK during the Christmas period of 1993/1994, although it often gets lost in the shuffle with their back catalogue in recent years.
#50 for 1994 (#30 website)
This was more of a sleeper hit in NZ than it was here in Australia, likely due to it initially being the theme to the film Clueless despite it not appearing on the soundtrack for whatever reason (likely in hopes of it selling the band's album which it initially failed to do.) It looked like the band wouldn't be a household name over there due to its sleeper success, however "Don't speak" put those fears to rest when it came out.
#54 for 1996 (#25 website)
Well, this feels even more out of place on this list than it did on the Australian side of my site, although it's worth noting that the kiwis had already made this a hit two months prior to it ever touching our charts back in the day. I guess this being an instant success in the band's native UK compelled the kiwis to make this an instant success over there which led to us Aussies following suit later in the year.
#53 for 1997 (#32 website)
This was an obvious success for Mariah Carey given the high concept music video as well as her still being one of the most popular artists of the moment even as the decade was coming to an end. I guess one thing I haven't mentioned yet about this track is the Jay z feature which was the east coast rappers first hit he had in the southern hemisphere despite him not even being credited on this track.
#50 for 1999 (#7 website)
This was the second hit that Beats international managed to achieve in NZ back in the day, that's right, Fatboy slim managed to score a second hit over there before he embarked on a solo career later in the decade. This time we have a straighter forward cover of the Elvis Presley track as this doesn't have additional lyrics or samples like their earlier hit did which is perhaps why this didn't chart in Australia.
#51 for 1992 (#50 website)
This was the second big hit that Annie Crummer had over in NZ this year, it was the title track to her solo debut which was also a massive success for the former vocalist for a band known as Netherworld dancing toys.
#53 for 1993
Before there was Bow wow, there was A+ who was a teenage rapper who made it big this year with the lead single to his second and to date final album in NZ and his native America. I guess it isn't fair to suggest he was a pioneer of teenage hip hop given how both Outkast and Kris Kross predate him in that regard, however he was the first teenage rapper to make it big on his own and not as part of a unit.
#51 for 1999
It may surprise you to learn that "Bust a move" was a flop in NZ for Young MC, even when it was rereleased in Australia this year for the rapper, it didn't share its success over there for some reason. I'm guessing because the kiwis somehow got a hold of his second single which was a massive hit over there, likely because of it being a novelty hip hop track about getting sent to the principal's office.
#60 for 1990 (#39 website)
Although this wasn't as big a hit as their first two singles in NZ, this ballad was nonetheless quite huge over there likely due to it being their first Billboard chart topper as well as this type of ballad being ubiquitous over there at the time. It was a huge flop here in Australia, meaning that we Aussies didn't want to hear any more from these guys.
#62 for 1991
#52 for 1992
This was originally released two years prior to deafening silence for Chris Isaak, I'm guessing because it came out too soon after the tragic passing of Roy Orbison and many people found it to be too similar to one of his songs to be worth listening to without it coming off as poor taste for the passing legend. It was given a second chance this year when it was featured in the David Lynch film Wild at heart.
#63 for 1991
This had a bit of a delay to its release in NZ, likely because this is an EDM cover of the KC and the Sunshine band classic from eleven years prior which was a bit out of the comfort zone for the kiwis at the time. I'm guessing they made it a success when they realised this came complete with a rap verse which was able to fit in with the increasing number of hip hop making it big over there.
#51 for 1994 (#32 website)
This wasn't as big for George Michael in NZ as it was here in Australia, mainly because we Aussies were very excited to see what the second volume for Listen without prejudice would look like as opposed to the kiwis who likely saw the writing on the wall when it was announced that George would become the new lead singer for Queen following the tragic death of Freddie Mercury.
#53 for 1992
This was the highest charting song from Jagged little pill from Alanis Morissette, it wasn't her biggest hit as that honour goes to her earlier entry on this list, however it was this song that the kiwis gravitated towards the quickest due to the jokes being made about irony dating back to its initial release. At least Alanis got the last laugh by saying those jokes was the point of the song.
#55 for 1996
Given how this was more in the EDM genre than anything, it makes sense that this wasn't as successful in NZ as it was here in Australia and White town's native UK. Still with how catchy this song is as well as the possibility of it being the first song to be from the perspective of a trans woman, there was little doubt that this was going to be a success over there upon its initial release.
#54 for 1997 (#40 website)
This was one of only two hits that Foxy Brown had in NZ, although I get the feeling this was more a hit over there due to the chorus provided to her by Blackstreet who were among the most popular artists of the moment. Foxy was a protegee of Jay Z, which is impressive considering she was only eighteen when she released this as a single which goes to show you how competent she was as a rapper at that age.
#55 for 1997 (#28 website)
Well, I guess it had been thirty years since the original from Brian Hyland became a huge hit for him worldwide, so why not have this short-lived novelty group named after a character from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats make it their own this year? As big of a hit as it was in NZ, at least it wasn't a massive chart topper over there like it was in the group's native UK.
#61 for 1990
Much like in Australia and the UK, this was the only hit that Jon Secada had in NZ likely due to the Latin elements connecting with audiences for this one and only song from the American singer. At least he was a lot more popular in his homeland throughout the decade which may have even led to the rise of the Latin craze from the second half of the 90's.
#54 for 1992 (#34 website)
Ever want to know why Jason Priestly from 90210 ever took Hollywood by storm outside of his starring role in the TV series? Well, it may have something to do with his first feature length film which was so poorly received that history has done its best to try and erase its existence. I bring this up because there's no information on who provided the theme song to the film other than it being a cover of a Diana Ross classic.
#54 for 1993
#52 for 1994
At least this song managed to be a hit on time in NZ, although like many songs that were hits earlier in one country in the southern hemisphere than the other, it wound up being a bigger hit here in Australia the following year likely due to the show being a juggernaut by the time season three premiered as opposed to it only being a moderate success when season two came around.
#57 for 1995 (#42 website)
This was the only hit the Beastie boys ever had in the southern hemisphere, mainly for the wacky music video which easily could've made my weirdest videos of the 90's like had it been a hit here in Australia. I'm guessing this was a success more for the hype that the trio had with the video as opposed to Australia where their album was a success due to an (in my opinion) terrible dance remix of their debut single.
#52 for 1998 (#21 website)
As it turns out, there was a TV show based on the British family trio which means that this song of theirs was in fact a theme to a TV show even if it was a hit almost a full year prior to when the show premiered. It was a huge success for the trio in NZ and their native UK as well as it being a minor sleeper hit here in Australia this year, likely due to it fitting in with all the teen pop from the time.
#53 for 1998 (#49 website)
Well, it looks like the west coast of the hip hop wars already had a strong leg in with the kiwis given how this track from Brotherhood of Creed was a massive success over there and not in the duo's native America. I guess their fellow Americans initially felt they were the British novelty group Brotherhood of man given how the two groups share a similar name to each other even if they're from two different genres.
#55 for 1992 (#19 website)
This was one of many RNB acts from NZ to score moderate success in their homeland throughout the 90's, though it was far from the biggest hit that the RNB scene over there had to offer, it did spark enough interest here in Australia for it to rank pretty high on the Triple J year end list for this year. Sadly, it's commercial success in the duo's homeland and the critical success it received over here did the group very little favours in the long run.
#53 for 1994 (#40 website)
This was the second hit that Lutricia McNeal was able to score not just in NZ but throughout Europe, I'm not sure why she failed in her native America when she was doing so well throughout the rest of the world given how RNB was still a popular genre on Billboard this far into the 90's.
#54 for 1998 (#40 website)
It feels a bit weird that this has a higher placement on this list than "If you had my love" (don't worry that's still to come on this list) although this did have to work its way up the NZ charts as opposed to that debuting at number one over there which is why this is ranked higher on the list. It also wasn't attached to the turn of the century over there like it was internationally which means it didn't rebound in the new year like it did down under.
#52 for 1999 (#34 website)
Well, this was so much less successful in NZ for Martika than it was here in Australia, admittedly it's more surprising it was so successful here than anything considering it wasn't that big of a hit in her native America or the UK either. In fact, it's failure internationally led to her retiring from music after she was done promoting her second album the following year.
#64 for 1991 (#47 website)
Although they achieved moderate success the previous year with their breakthrough single "Insane in the brain" in NZ, it was this second single from their album which made them a household name as it quickly rose up the charts over there due to how catchy the song is. Apparently, this was called "We ain't going out like that" in their native America, I'm not sure why there's a different title there compared to the rest of the world.
#54 for 1994 (#44 website)
So, you know the guy who sung on the chorus to "Gangsta's paradise" from earlier on this list right? Well, it turns out he had a solo hit of his own in NZ with this track likely due to him being a good singer and the kiwis wanting to check out what else he had to offer in his catalogue. This curiosity only lasted for one song as he would quickly fade into obscurity after this fell off the charts over there.
#56 for 1996
When we last saw Eric Clapton on this site, it was with his emotional tribute to his son which he wrote not only for him but also a long-forgotten film by the name of Rush. Fast forward four years and he manages to score another hit in NZ with this theme to the film Phenomenon which doesn't have the emotional baggage that his previous hit had but was a compelling ballad to the kiwis regardless.
#57 for 1996 (#37 website)
AKA Brown were a NZ hip hop duo who scored their one and only hit this year with this rap number likely in an attempt to become the new DLT or Che fu going into the new millennium. Though they made a huge splash with this song of theirs, their time in the spotlight was limited to when this was on the charts.
#53 for 1999
This was another easy hit that Five managed to achieve in NZ this year, although it wasn't as big as their other hits I've already featured on this side of my site considering that it fell off the charts rather quickly despite debuting high over there. Admittedly this was a very common phenomenon for a lot of these repeat entries on this list as they would made a huge splash over there and quickly drop down the charts.
#54 for 1999 (#24 website)
The hits kept on coming for SWV in NZ as this was a huge success for the trio over there this year, I'm guessing because their popularity was still intact in their native America as this was also a huge success on Billboard this year. The girls would have one more hit the following year with Missy Elliott of all people before their popularity was no more.
#58 for 1996 (#49 website)
Like in Australia, Natalie Imbruglia is a two-hit wonder in NZ with this being her first big hit over there. Unlike here in Australia, her second hit didn't come until the new millennium when "Wrong impression" got her out of the one hit wonder bin over there. Neither of these songs came close to the success this and "Big mistake" achieved in Australia this year, suggesting that she wasn't as popular over there overall.
#55 for 1998
It's a bit curious this was merely equally as successful in NZ as it was here in Australia given how you'd think this would've been an easy chart topper for Natural selection over there with how similar it is to many of the other tracks on this list, alas it appears the kiwis didn't have as much love for this as their fellow Americans did.
#65 for 1991
#56 for 1992
This proved to be a slightly bigger hit in NZ than it was here in Australia, I'd say because the kiwis confused this for an Alanis Morrissette track except that didn't seem to do Meredith Brooks many favours two years prior. I'm guessing it was because they were surprised that Jennifer Love Hewitt managed to have a song that wasn't just a novelty hit for her like other Hollywood stars such as Eddie Murphy or Patrick Swayze.
#55 for 1999
Here's that other big hit that Diesel managed to score in NZ just like he did here in Australia, naturally the success of both songs was reversed over there to what they achieved here given how this was the second single from his album and thus, the song that would've had some of its success taken away from audiences who checked out the album because of its popularity.
#57 for 1992 (#45 website)
It's a bit weird that this debut single from J-lo found less success than her earlier entry on this list in NZ, although it does have the distinction of debuting at the top spot as opposed to "Waiting for tonight" which had to work its way up the charts to reach its peak position. In any case, it's apparent that she had far less success over there than she did over here which will become more evident as we get into the new millennium.
#56 for 1999 (#37 website)
She had plenty of success with her time in Miami sound machine throughout the 80's in NZ, so it makes sense that this ballad would be a hit over there this year even if it was largely due to the kiwis showing their support for her following her near fatal experience while she was on tour this year. In Australia, we showed her our support by making "Here we are" a minor success and the album a huge success.
#62 for 1990 (#37 website)
Well, I did mention earlier on this list that this was likely the reason why the duo's cover of "Ring my bell" was a massive success over in NZ, so let's look at this summer jam that the duo put out which made them a household name in the music industry following the success of Will Smith's show at the time. I'm not sure why this flopped here in Australia as we Aussies gave them a massive hit with "Boom shake the room" later in the decade.
#66 for 1991 (#33 website)
This was the song that made the Mutton birds a household name given that it was their first hit in their homeland right around the time they dropped their highly successful debut album. They had potential to crossover to Australia as did many NZ bands from the 90's, however it was sadly never met as Triple J never promoted their music despite being a rock band.
#58 for 1992 (#48 website)
This was the fourth and final single to be released from Supergroove's debut album Traction, it was a massive success over there proving how inescapable the NZ funk rock band was around this time which no doubt led to them sparking international interest in their music which sadly never translated to actual success for them.
#55 for 1994 (#34 website)
This was the third hit that Warren G scored off his second album in NZ, it's a song that features one of the Isley brothers on the chorus to help connect his verses together which was essentially the formula of all of his big hits throughout the 90's. It appears even the kiwis grew tired of this formula as he didn't have any more hits after this.
#56 for 1997 (#34 website)
This was technically a hit twice in NZ, the first time was upon its initial release where this song from the Australian duo Bachelor girl managed to appeal to the kiwis in a way that many other adult contemporary ballads failed to do so around this time. It began dropping out of the charts before rebounding in the new year due to airplay becoming a factor of the charts and it having a strong radio presence over there.
#56 for 1998
#57 for 1999
Although this was released on time over in NZ due to how successful En Vogue was throughout the decade over there, the trade-off was that it was far less popular over there than it was over here given how much lower this appears on this list compared to the Australian side of my site. It could also be that this was the second single over there from the widely popular Set it off which was a huge critical and commercial success.
#57 for 1997
Emma Paki was one of several female singer/songwriters from NZ looking to make it big this year, in guessing she would've become a massive success in her homeland had Bic Runga not stolen her thunder later in the decade with her own music. Emma did achieve a massive hit with this entry over there and nothing else once her contemporary broke through after all.
#58 for 1995
Sadly, "Another night" failed to appear on this side of my site due to being way too much of a sleeper hit to do so even though it was a huge success over there. Fortunately, this second single was able to rack up the points to appear on this side of my site due to the success of that song which in turn translated to the album's success over there.
#59 for 1995
This was the final big hit that Boyz II Men were able to achieve anywhere in the world, I'm not sure why their popularity took such a massive nosedive this far into the decade given how there were still plenty of RNB groups copying their style finding massive success around the world. I guess once you dominated the Billboard charts for over four months with the same song, you're bound to have people get sick of you.
#58 for 1997 (#31 website)
It was only inevitable that the kiwis would also welcome back Terence Trent D'arby with open arms this year given how much more successful his debut album was over there compared to here, in fact he would go on to have moderate success over there throughout the decade as he scored several minor hits over there that failed to make an impression over here.
#55 for 1993 (#48 website)
This was originally a hit for Jim Steinman thirteen years prior in NZ as well as it being a minor hit here in Australia, it was one of the only tracks salvaged from his one and only album for Meat loaf as it was originally written to be on Bat out of hell II all those years ago. It's hard to say if this was always meant to be a single since its inception in the late 70's, however it was a big hit for Meat loaf over there this year.
#56 for 1994
This was the first song that Wyclef Jean had as a lead artist in NZ, or at least technically it is as he recruits the Refugee Allstars on this track which is comprised of a former bandmate of his from the Fugees Pras making this a Fugees track but without Lauryn Hill. This song has become notorious over the years for sampling "Staying alive" from the Bee Gees, it's not even the first hit in the 90's to do so.
#59 for 1997 (#50 website)
I guess the kiwis didn't care as much for the Australian miners back then as they did for Aboriginal rights, although there was still a level of appreciation for this track given how it peaked higher over there despite it being less successful overall. Midnight oil were arguably bigger in NZ throughout the 90's mainly because their next album spawned them a genuine hit over there.
#63 for 1990
Babyface is of course best known for his legendary production he gave to the likes of Whitney Houston and Boyz II Men throughout the decade, however it's worth noting that he also fancied himself an RNB singer back in the 90's which peaked with this ballad in NZ and his native America this year. He would go on to have further success as the decade went on in both countries including with the song I've already featured on the Australian side of this side.
#57 for 1994
Mista were a short lived American RNB and hip-hop group who achieved no success on the Billboard charts and yet were able to score a massive hit in NZ with this number, it was their only crossover success over there but considering how much of a failure they were in their homeland, it's still an impressive feat for them.
#59 for 1996 (#42 website)
It appears the kiwis were also feeling nostalgic for the Jim Henson preschool show which premiered twenty years prior and is still running to this day, that's the best explanation I have for how this remix of the show's theme song managed to become such a huge worldwide success back in the day except for in America as British artists didn't have as much luck in the 90's on Billboard as they had previously done.
#59 for 1992
This was the second hit that J'son managed to achieve in NZ this year, he really did seem like the new equivalent of Tevin Campbell or even Kris Kross as those guys were struggling for mainstream popularity even in their native America around this time. Alas his popularity would come to an end after this fell off the charts as he never bothered the charts anywhere in the world ever again.
#60 for 1996 (#45 website)
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