~ Welcome to 1994 ~
We’ve gotten through 1993 and now it’s time to take a quick look at 1994 but before we go any further, let’s check out what music is out there dominating the charts.
Top 10 Billboard Hits of 1994
10.) Don’t turn Around by Ace of Base
9.) All That She Wants by Ace of Base
8.) All for Love by Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart & Sting
7.) Breathe Again by Toni Braxton
6.) Stay by Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories
5.) Hero by Mariah Carey
4.) The Power of Love by Celine Dion
3.) I’ll Make Love to You by Boyz II Men
2.) I Swear by All-4-One
And the number one song of 1994…
The Sign by Ace of Base
Top Headlines of 1994
- Serbs’ heavy weapons pound Sarajevo.
- Thousands dead in Rwanda massacre.
- South Africa holds first interracial national election; Nelson Mandela elected President.
- Israel signs accord with Palestinians, peace treaty with Jordan.
- IRA declares cease fire in Northern Ireland. Ulster Protestants declare cease fire.
- US sends forces to Persian Gulf.
- Russians attack secessionist Republic of Chechnya.
- Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan attacked; three arrested in attack.
- Aldrich Ames, high CIA official, charged with spying for Soviets.
- Four convicted in World Trade Center bombing.
- O.J. Simpson arrested in killings of wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and friend, Ronald Goldman.
- US Supreme Court approves limit on abortion protests.
- Senate confirms Stephen G. Breyer for Supreme Court.
- Major league baseball players strike.
- Newt Gingrich named House Speaker.
- Kurt Cobain kills himself. He was only 27.
- Ninety-five million viewers watch O.J. Simpson and Al Cowlings drive along LA freeways in history’s most exciting low speed car chase.
- Steven Spielberg wins his first directing Oscar for Schindler’s List.
- For the first time in history, chain bookstores outsell independent stores, signaling what many fear to be the death of smaller booksellers at the hands of superstores.
- Tom Hanks wins his second consecutive Best Actor Oscar. He won in 1993 for his role in Philadelphia and in 1994 for Forrest Gump.
- ER and Friends both debut on NBC, establishing NBC’s dominance of the Thursday night lineup.
- Woodstock ’94 commemorates the original weekend long concert. Green Day and Nine Inch Nails join Bob Dylan and the Allman Brothers.
- White House launches Web Page. Initial commerce sites are established and mass marketing campaigns are launched via email, introducing the term “spamming to the Internet vocabulary.
- Dr. Ned First of the US, clones calves from cells of early embryos.
- The FDA approves the Flavr Savr tomato, the first genetically engineered food product.
- Notable deaths: Richard Nixon, Burt Lancaster, John Candy, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Tip O’Neill, and Jessica Tandy.
Prices in 1994
- Avg. Home Cost – $125,000
- Avg. Car Cost – $21,372
- Avg. Yearly Income – $26,939
- Minimum Wage – $4.25 hr
- Avg. Monthly Rent – $550
- Gal Gas – $1.11
- Gal Milk – $1.12
- Postage Stamp – $.29
- Movie Ticket – $4.08
- Concert Ticket – $30 to $50
- 1 LB Ground Beef – $1.48
- 1 LB Chicken – $.90
- Dozen Eggs – $.92
- 16 oz Jar Peanut Butter – $2.00
- 1 LB Margarine – $1.15
- 1 LB Butter – $1.50
- Pork Chops – $1.50
- 1/2 Gal Ice Cream – $2.62
- Loaf of Bread – $1.00
- 1 LB Bacon – $1.50
- McDonald’s Big Mac – $2.45
- Burger King Whopper – $2.29
- 27″ Color TV – $500 to $1,000
- Home Stereo System – $200 to $2,000
- VCR – $200 to $500
- CD Player -$100 to $500
- Blank VCR Tapes – 3pk $12.00
- Microwave – $100 to $200
Top Toys of 1994
- Power Rangers: Action figures, playsets, and vehicles. Ranged from a few dollars to $20.
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Still super popular and prices ranged from a couple of dollars to $30.
- Kenner’s Batman: These figures, especially iconic villains like the Joker and the Penguin, could cost around $10 to $20.
- Barbie & Accessories – Girls continually love Barbie and no different in 1994 and sold anywhere from $10 to $50.
- McFarlane Toys’ Spawn Action Figures: Early figures, especially those of Spawn himself, could range from $10 to $20.
- SNES or Super Nintendo Entertainment System was still super hot and it generally retailed for about $199. Games sold anywhere from $30 to $60.
- Mighty Max: These action figures and playsets were quite popular, with figures ranging from a few dollars to around $10.
- Jibba Jabba: These quirky, interactive creatures were a hit, costing about $20.
- Donkey Kong Country: This SNES game was a massive hit, and a new copy would have cost about $50.
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island: Another very popular SNES game, cost about $50.
- Street Fighter II Turbo: This arcade classic was ported to the SNES and was a must have for fighting game fans and it took cost about $50.
- Mortal Kombat II: A highly popular fighting game for both SNES and Sega Genesis and cost about $50.
- NHL 95: A popular hockey game for various consoles and sold for about $50.
- Action Man: A classic action figure line, with figures and play sets that cost from a couple of dollars to $10.
Top TV Shows in 1994
- Friends
- ER
- Seinfeld
- Home Improvement
- Roseanne
- Murder, She Wrote
- Mad About You
- Frasier
- NYPD Blue
- The X-Files
- Party of Five
- The Simpsons
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
- The Tonight Show w/Jay Leno
- The Oprah Winfrey Show
- 60 Minutes
- Grace Under Fire
- The Commish
- Chicago Hope
- SeaQuest 2032
Top Movies of 1994
- The Shawshank Redemption
- The Lion King
- Pulp Fiction
- Forrest Gump
- Speed
- Leon: The Professional
- True Lies
- Dumb and Dumber
- The Mask
- The Crow
- The Santa Clause
- Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
- Clear and Present Danger
- Interview with the Vampire
- Maverick
- Natural Born Killers
- Stargate
- Legends of the Fall
- Clerks
- It Could Happen to You
Well, not a bad year for movies, more than I can say about the year in music. LOL. See you tomorrow when we hop on over to 1995.
No Thought Police 