Modern Rock Tracks No. 1s - Jane's Addiction and "Stop!"

Jane's Addiction kicks off the '90s alternative wave with their first #1 hit, one that doesn't have the radio-replay legacy of their other songs but is an absolute banger that deserves to be unearthed

Nov 05, 2023

Jane’s Addiction - “Stop!”

Weeks atop the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart: 2 non-consecutive weeks (September 1, 1990 and September 15, 1990)

Billboard Hot 100 chart toppers during this time:

Sweet Sensation - “If Wishes Came True” (9/1/1990)
Wilson Phillips - “Release Me” (9/15/1990)

It’s difficult to imagine the modern alternative rock landscape without Jane’s Addiction. Up until this point in history, the alternative rock charts were largely dominated by British or European acts who developed a strong but silent following in the U.S. So much of that music was siloed into specific alternative rock stations, specific chunks of airtime on MTV, and never really had the chance to explode on the mainstream in full force. But under the surface, alternative music was percolating, ready for its moment in the sun, and while so many point to Nirvana’s outsized impact with the release of “Nevermind,” you could make a case that Jane’s Addiction and frontman Perry Farrell were the catalyst for the start of alternative rock’s heyday in the 1990s and beyond.

Yet, even though Jane’s Addiction is such a big piece of the history of alternative rock, the band’s fire burned hot and fast, reaching their apex during the waning months of 1990 and into 1991 before burning out and disbanding (for the first time) by 1992. But they left behind a legacy that included at least two critically praised albums, 1988’s “Nothing Shocking” and 1990’s “Ritual de lo Habitual,” the latter spawning the band’s first MRT chart-topper, “Stop!”

“Stop!” does not get a lot of airplay these days, and maybe it’s because it’s tonally different from the tracks that do get continued airplay. Their first hit, 1988’s “Jane Says,” is easily the band’s most popular hit, peaking at #6 on the MRT charts behind U2’s “Desire” in November 1988. I always find it interesting when a band’s most-beloved hit is one that didn’t top the charts at the time, though looking over many of the #1 songs I’ve covered here, it’s safe to say that chart success in the early days of the MRT chart doesn’t always translate into long-term notoriety.

The track with the most radio airplay that sounds closest to “Stop!” might be “Mountain Song,” which didn’t make the MRT chart but remains Jane’s Addiction’s third most popular song in terms of Spotify streams. We’ll be covering at least a couple more songs from the band in this column, but suffice to say, the aesthetic of Jane’s Addiction has definitely trended toward rock, but moreso on the “softer” side. They encompass an alternative rock vibe that would be replicated and repeated throughout the ‘90s, but never edging too far into a punk or thrash-rock area.

“Stop!” completely turns this polished rock sound on its head. Jane’s Addiction takes their otherwise streamlined alternative vibe and completely freaks out, with extended guitar riffs, in-your-face lyrics, and just nonstop energy. It’s the opposite of stopping; the band is basically pushing their audience to freak out, jump in the pit and get crazy. I would LOVE to be in the pit for this song, and can only imagine how ridiculous it must have been to be in the crowd when they broke out this track.

And if you’re listening to the track, either live or in person, it starts with a relatively calm Spanish intro:

Señores y señoras
Nosotros tenemos más influencia con sus hijos que tú tiene
Pero los queremos
Creado y regado de Los Ángeles, ¡Juana's adicción!

It’s an interesting opening, which is loosely translated as the speaker “having more influence over your children than you do, but they are loved anyway.” But there’s nothing sinister about these words; indeed, it’s another perhaps unintended example of how Jane’s Addiction shifted the focus of that era’s youth away from their parents’ music and into a sound that would become all their own.

And then the song opens, that guitar thrashing, the drums reverberating, and Farrell bleating out a call to anyone who’s listening: It’s time to rock!

Here we go
No
No way
No one
Gonna stop, now go!

The world is loaded
It's lit to pop and nobody is gonna stop

It’s five minutes of nonstop party, with little mini pauses where you think you’re going to get a break, but then the band jumps into it again, relentlessly pushing the envelope and urging its audience to give in and ride the wave. At one point toward the end, Farrell urges everyone to turn off their cars and hand over their radios and just hum along with him. It’s like the band is urging submission to their new world order, with Farrell as the leader and the band as his lieutenants, pushing everyone toward a world where the trappings of the past give way to the music of the future. Again, what a spectacle that must have been!

This is a song I only discovered recently, again owing to its lack of regular airplay on your standard 1990s music stations. And while it’s not Jane’s Addiction’s most popular song, it still ranks fifth on its list of most-streamed songs on Spotify, and really isn’t too far behind some of their other oft-played radio hits. It’s a rock song that might find its way on my “Running Up The Charts” playlist, as it has the same rock energy as bands like The Hives.

I think this is the real beginning of the alternative rock music wave of the 1990s, and I intend to go into greater detail about this when I discuss Jane’s Addiction again in a few short weeks when they return to the top of the MRT charts. As for “Stop!,” the song managed to top the charts for one week, get bumped off temporarily for a week, and then return for an additional week before sliding down and disappearing.

This may not become your favorite Jane’s Addiction song, and you might not even remember it from its heyday, but if you haven’t revisited it in awhile, you owe it to yourself to add it to your ‘90s rock playlists and just submit to the rock explosion that the band unleashes with this track.

Rating: 8/10

Chart Check: A look at other notable MRT chart songs from this time period

Quite a few top-10 hits found their high-water mark during Jane’s Addiction’s first run at the top of the MRT charts. We’re introduced to future MRT #1 artist The Charlatans, who debut on the MRT charts this week. We also get some Hüsker Dü solo stuff and another appearance by Stone Roses.

“Dreamtime” by The Heart Throbs: U.K. indie-rock band The Heart Throbs weren’t around long enough to maintain a lasting legacy in the U.S., but they took dreamy psychedelic-rock banger “Dreamtime” to a #2 peak on the MRT charts behind “Stop!” The band would ultimately break up in 1993, but did manage a couple of minor U.K. hits in their relatively brief existence.

“The Only One I Know” by The Charlatans: The Charlatans are U.K. rock legends, “Madchester” progenitors who generated 22 Top 40 hits, three #1 albums and two more #2 albums in their native land. The origins of the band’s success begin here, with the second single from their first chart-topping album, “Some Friendly.” If you listen closely, you can pick up the hint of Deep Purple’s “Hush” on the keyboards, which fits in well with the psychedelic vibe the band’s shooting for. This track peaked at #5 behind Jane’s Addiction. We’ll be talking about The Charlatans again when they eventually hit the top of the charts.

“One Love” by Stone Roses: Speaking of “Madchester,” let’s talk again about Stone Roses, who find themselves back in the MRT top 10 with this auditory gem. “One Love” peaked at #4 in the U.K. and managed a #9 finish on the MRT charts.

“It’s Too Late” by Bob Mould: Do you guys like Hüsker Dü? I’m still way overdue to take a deep dive into that band’s catalog, as I’m positive I’m going to love their stuff. Bob Mould, Hüsker Dü’s guitarist and vocalist, underscores my point about his band’s greatness with this track, a solid guitar-rocker that peaked at #10 behind Jane’s Addiction. I’ll keep you posted if I ever do make my way into Hüsker Dü’s legacy, but if it’s anywhere near as good as this track, I’ll be very pleased.