'FOREVER' MORE: Twenty years ago this week, Paula Abdul truly was an American idol, leading both the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and the Billboard 200 album chart.

In the Billboard issue dated Feb. 10, 1990, Abdul spent a second of 10 weeks atop the Billboard 200 with her debut release "Forever Your Girl," while "Opposites Attract" bounced 2-1 on the Hot 100.

"Opposites Attract" became Abdul's fourth Hot 100 No. 1, following "Straight Up," "Forever Your Girl" and "Cold Hearted," and her debut album became the first introductory set by a female artist to yield a quartet of leaders. Only one rookie female has since managed the feat: Mariah Carey, in 1990-91.

To date, "Forever Your Girl" is one of just eight albums to generate at least four Hot 100 toppers:

Five No. 1s:
Michael Jackson, "Bad" (1987-88)

Four No. 1s:
Soundtrack, "Saturday Night Fever" (1977-78)
Whitney Houston, "Whitney" (1987-88)
George Michael, "Faith" (1987-88)
Paula Abdul, "Forever Your Girl" (1989-90)
Janet Jackson, "Rhythm Nation 1814" (1989-91)
Mariah Carey, "Mariah Carey" (1990-91)
Usher, "Confessions" (2004)

As Ellen DeGeneres makes her "American Idol" debut tonight (Feb. 9), Abdul, after eight years in the judge's chair, is due to join former co-star Simon Cowell's American version of the talent competition "The X Factor," set to premiere on Fox next year.


NORTHERN 'STAR': This week in 1990, Alabama ascended 4-1 on Country Songs with "Southern Star."

Having debuted on the chart dated Dec. 9, 1989, the anthem became the 27th No. 1 of 30 chart entries the group sent onto the list in the '80s. The astonishing run included 21 leaders in-a-row from 1980 through 1986, excluding the No. 35-peaking holiday single "Christmas in Dixie" in 1982-83.

Alabama would follow "Southern Star" with five more No. 1s in the '90s: "Jukebox in My Mind" (1990), "Forever's as Far as I'll Go" and "Down Home" (1991), "I'm in a Hurry (And Don't Know Why)" (1992) and "Reckless" (1993).


HOT STUFF: While Paula Abdul commanded the Hot 100 20 years ago this week, three groups made notable entrances into the top 10.

Chicago notched its 20th top 10, as "What Kind of Man Would I Be?" bounded 11-6; Roxette collected a third top 10 from its U.S. debut "Look Sharp!," as the eventual No. 2-peaking "Dangerous" (13-7) followed the No. 1s "The Look" and "Listen to Your Heart"; and, Milli Vanilli roared 16-10 with "All or Nothing," making the pair's "Girl You Know It's True" the first debut album by a duo or group to produce five top 10s. "The year's hottest new artist keeps getting hotter," touted an ad for the duo in the Feb. 3, 1990, issue. Milli Vanilli would be crowned Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards later that month - and infamously stripped of the honor that November.

Here is the Hot 100's variety-packed top 10 this week in 1990:

No. 1, "Opposites Attract," Paula Abdul (Duet with the Wild Pair)
No. 2, "Two to Make It Right," Seduction
No. 3, "Downtown Train," Rod Stewart
No. 4, "Janie's Got a Gun," Aerosmith
No. 5, "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You," Michael Bolton
No. 6, "What Kind of Man Would I Be?," Chicago
No. 7, "Dangerous," Roxette
No. 8, "I Remember You," Skid Row
No. 9, "Escapade," Janet Jackson
No. 10, "All or Nothing," Milli Vanilli