American Top 40 1988

Whatever you were doing in 1987 and whoever you were doing it with (or to), these are the songs you were doing it to, presented by the host who played the hits from coast to coast , Casey Kasem!

Events that shaped the Rock world in 1988

"Fab" Comeback... Although ex-Beatle George Harrison had several Top 40 hits since Give Me Love reached number one in 1973, he set a record for the longest time between number one hits in the Rock era, 15 years, in 1988. On January 16, George ended his drought when Got My Mind Set On You reached the pinnacle of the Billboard chart. It was an unusual record set by one of the "Fab" Four.

...and a Short Reign At The Top! Ten months after George Harrison ended his 15-year drought, another group destined for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame broke Harrison's record for a number one drought. In November of '88, the Beach Boys reached number one with Kokomo, ending a nearly 22-year hiatus from the top spot. The group known for their California-style surfing music, last topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in December, 1966 with Good Vibrations, making their streak the longest away from number one.

A Mournful Loss: Pop music lost one of the icons of the Disco era on March 10, when late '70's superstar and the Bee Gees youngest brother Andy Gibb passed away following a serious heart condition. Gibb was best known for his number one hits I Just Want To Be Your Everything(1977), Love Is Thicker Than Water(1978), and Shadow Dancing(also in 1978). Like his brothers, Andy was loaded with talent and loved by millions of fans. He was also known as a heartthrob with women. Following his string of smash hits, Andy dated actress Victoria Principal, best known for her role as Pamela Ewing on the hit TV series Dallas, and, following a painful breakup with her, turned to drugs and alcohol to relieve the stress. After a few years of substance abuse, Andy was finally persuaded by his brothers to get his life back together and enter rehab. The drugs took their toll on his body, leading to his heart condition, and, unfortunately his death. Andy Gibb was only 30.

Triple Whammie! The "King," Elvis Presley, passed away 11 years earlier, but his legacy lived on in a most unusual way in 1988. Many artists have had their hit singles remade by other artists to become hits once again. Many artists have had hit song titles used by other artists for different songs (than the originals) that also became hits. And, on 3 occasions prior to '88, some artists had their song titles used on other hit songs that charted at the same time as their's did. On August 20, Elvis became the only artist to have all 3 of those events happen at once! This was the date that Cheap Trick debuted on the Top 40 with their cover of Elvis' Don't Be Cruel. Another song titled Don't Be Cruel by Bobby Brown also entered the Top 40 on August 20. Both the Cheap Trick remake and the Bobby Brown single made the Top 10, and gave the "King" the only "Triple Whammie" of this sort in Rock history 11 years after his untimely death in 1977.

Michael vs. Michael? As a member of the short·lived duo Wham!, George Michael, along with his partner Andrew Ridgley, enjoyed immediate success in 1984 and 1985, as their first three singles reached number one. It was after their breakup that George would see his biggest success as a solo artist in 1988! During that year, four of his songs - Faith, Father Figure, One More Try, and Monkey - all hit number one! On top of that, Faith became the number one song of the year. This was an even bigger year than Michael Jackson had 5 years earlier with his enormously successful album Thriller, where he enjoyed 3 number ones. Speaking of Michael Jackson, 3 of his songs also hit number one in 1988. These were The Way You Make Me Feel, Man In The Mirror, and Dirty Diana. For top honors in '88, it shaped up to be (George) Michael vs. Michael (Jackson), with George as the winner.

All of the songs that hit the weekly Top 40 pop charts in 1988, according to Billboard Magazine.

[ ]--Original Date of Entry Into Top 40
( )--Peak Position on Chart

Faith--George Michael [see 1987] (#1)
So Emotional--Whitney Houston [see 1987] (#1)
Is This Love--Whitesnake [see 1987] (#2)
Got My Mind Set On You--George Harrison [see 1987] (#1)
Shake Your Love--Debbie Gibson [see 1987] (#4)
Don't You Want Me--Jody Watley [see 1987] (#6)
The Way You Make Me Feel--Michael Jackson [see 1987] (#1)
Catch Me (I'm Falling)--Pretty Poison [see 1987] (#8)
Cherry Bomb--John Cougar Mellencamp [see 1987] (#8)
Need You Tonight--INXS [see 1987] (#1)
Valerie--Steve Winwood [see 1987] (#9)
Tell It To My Heart--Taylor Dayne [see 1987] (#7)
Candle In The Wind--Elton John [see 1987] (#6)
Dude (Looks Like A Lady)--Aerosmith [see 1987] (#14)
Hazy Shade Of Winter--Bangles [see 1987] (#2)
Could've Been--Tiffany [see 1987] (#1)
Heaven Is A Place On Earth--Belinda Carlisle [see 1987] (#1)
There's The Girl--Heart [see 1987] (#12)
Animal--Def Leppard [see 1987] (#19)
Seasons Change--Exposé [see 1987] (#1)
(I've Had) The Time Of My Life--Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes [see 1987] (#1)
Crazy--Icehouse [see 1987] (#14)
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man--Prince [see 1987] (#10)
That's What Love Is All About--Michael Bolton [see 1987] (#19)
Hungry Eyes--Eric Carmen [see 1987] (#4)
I Want To Be Your Man--Roger [see 1987] (#3)
Power Of Love--Laura Branigan [see 1987] (#26)
We'll Be Together--Sting [see 1987] (#7)
Should've Known Better--Richard Marx [see 1987] (#3)
Tunnel Of Love--Bruce Springsteen [see 1987] (#9)
I Live For Your Love--Natalie Cole [see 1987] (#13)
True Faith--New Order [see 1987] (#32)
Say You Will--Foreigner [see 1987] (#6)
Don't Shed A Tear--Paul Carrack [see 1987] (#9)
Pop Goes The World--Men Without Hats [see 1987] (#20)
Honestly--Stryper [see 1987] (#23)
Motortown--The Kane Gang [see 1987] (#36)
Everywhere--Fleetwood Mac [see 1987] (#14)
What Have I Done To Deserve This--Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield [see 1987] (#2)
Push It--Salt·N·Pepa [see 1987] (#19)
Just Like Heaven--The Cure [1/9] (#40)
Can't Stay Away From You--Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine [1/16] (#6)
I Found Someone--Cher [1/16] (#10)
Pump Up The Volume--M/A/R/R/S [1/16] (#13)
She's Like The Wind--Patrick Swayze featuring Wendy Fraser [1/16] (#3)
853-5937--Squeeze [1/23] (#32)
Father Figure--George Michael [1/23] (#1)
I Get Weak--Belinda Carlisle [1/23] (#2)
Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley [1/23] (#1)
Because Of You--The Cover Girls [1/30] (#27)
Endless Summer Nights--Richard Marx [1/30] (#2)
Just Like Paradise--David Lee Roth [1/30] (#6)
Love Overboard--Gladys Knight & the Pips [1/30] (#13)
Be Still My Beating Heart--Sting [2/6] (#15)
I Want Her--Keith Sweat [2/6] (#5)
Out Of The Blue--Debbie Gibson [2/6] (#3)
Rhythm Of Love--Yes [2/6] (#40)
(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay--Michael Bolton [2/13] (#11)
Hysteria--Def Leppard [2/13] (#10)
Man In The Mirror--Michael Jackson [2/13] (#1)
Rocket 2 U--Jets [2/13] (#6)
Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car--Billy Ocean [2/20] (#1)
Live My Life--Boy George [2/20] (#40)
Twilight World--Swing Out Sister [2/20] (#31)
Angel--Aerosmith [2/27] (#3)
Check It Out--John Cougar Mellencamp [2/27] (#14)
Devil Inside--INXS [2/27] (#2)
Girlfriend--Pebbles [2/27] (#5)
Some Kind Of Lover--Jody Watley [2/27] (#10)
When We Was Fab--George Harrison [2/27] (#23)
Wishing Well--Terence Trent D'Arby [2/27] (#1)
Never Knew Love Like This--Alexander O'Neal featuring Cherrelle [3/5] (#28)
Rock Of Life--Rick Springfield [3/5] (#22)
Where Do Broken Hearts Go--Whitney Houston [3/5] (#1)
I Saw Him Standing There--Tiffany [3/12] (#7)
Prove Your Love--Taylor Dayne [3/12] (#7)
You Don't Know--Scarlett & Black [3/12] (#20)
Electric Blue--Icehouse [3/19] (#7)
One Step Up--Bruce Springsteen [3/19] (#13)
Pink Cadillac--Natalie Cole [3/19] (#5)
What A Wonderful World--Louis Armstrong [3/19] (#32)
Anything For You--Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine [3/26] (#1)
Fishnet--Morris Day [3/26] (#23)
Going Back To Cali--L.L. Cool J [3/26] (#31)
Pamela--Toto [3/26] (#22)
I Wish I Had A Girl--Henry Lee Summer [4/2] (#20)
Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)--Samantha Fox [4/2] (#3)
Piano In The Dark--Brenda Russell [4/2] (#6)
Shattered Dreams--Johnny Hates Jazz [4/2] (#2)
Two Occasions--The Deele [4/2] (#10)
Always On My Mind--Pet Shop Boys [4/9] (#4)
I Don't Want To Live Without You--Foreigner [4/9] (#5)
Wait--White Lion [4/9] (#8)
Dreaming--Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark [4/16] (#16)
Kiss And Tell--Bryan Ferry [4/16] (#31)
One More Try--George Michael [4/16] (#1)
Say It Again--Jermaine Stewart [4/16] (#27)
Everything Your Heart Desires--Daryl Hall & John Oates [4/23] (#3)
My Girl--Suave [4/23] (#20)
One Good Reason--Paul Carrack [4/23] (#28)
Strange But True--Times Two [4/23] (#21)
Ritual--Dan Reed Network [4/30] (#38)
Together Forever--Rick Astley [4/30] (#1)
We All Sleep Alone--Cher [4/30] (#14)
Circle In The Sand--Belinda Carlisle [5/7] (#7)
Foolish Beat--Debbie Gibson [5/7] (#1)
I Still Believe--Brenda K. Starr [5/7] (#13)
I'm Still Searching--Glass Tiger [5/7] (#31)
Make It Real--Jets [5/7] (#4)
Alphabet Street--Prince [5/14] (#8)
Da' Butt--E.U. [5/14] (#35)
Dirty Diana--Michael Jackson [5/14] (#1)
Kiss Me Deadly--Lita Ford [5/14] (#12)
Nightime--Pretty Poison [5/14] (#36)
Nite And Day--Al B. Sure! [5/14] (#7)
The Valley Road--Bruce Hornsby & The Range [5/14] (#5)
Beds Are Burning--Midnight Oil [5/21] (#17)
The Flame--Cheap Trick [5/21] (#1)
Nothin' But A Good Time--Poison [5/21] (#6)
Pour Some Sugar On Me--Def Leppard [5/21] (#2)
Promise Me--The Cover Girls [5/21] (#10)
Mercedes Boy--Pebbles [5/28] (#2)
New Sensation--INXS [5/28] (#3)
Under The Milky Way--The Church [5/28] (#24)
When We Kiss--Bardeux [5/28] (#36)
Lost In You--Rod Stewart [6/4] (#12)
Tall Cool One--Robert Plant [6/4] (#25)
Hands To Heaven--Breathe [6/11] (#2)
Heart Of Mine--Boz Scaggs [6/11] (#35)
Hold On To The Nights--Richard Marx [6/11] (#1)
Paradise--Sade [6/11] (#16)
Rush Hour--Jane Wiedlin [6/11] (#9)
Sign Your Name--Terence Trent D'Arby [6/11] (#4)
Supersonic--J.J. Fad [6/11] (#30)
Black And Blue--Van Halen [6/18] (#34)
Parents Just Don't Understand--D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince [6/18] (#12)
Roll With It--Steve Winwood [6/18] (#1)
1·2·3--Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine [6/25] (#3)
The Colour Of Love--Billy Ocean [6/25] (#17)
Just Got Paid--Johnny Kemp [6/25] (#10)
Do You Love Me--The Contours [7/2] (#11)
I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That--Elton John [7/2] (#2)
I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love--Chicago [7/2] (#3)
I Should Be So Lucky--Kylie Minogue [7/2] (#28)
Love Changes (Everything)--Climie Fisher [7/2] (#23)
Trouble--Nia Peeples [7/2] (#35)
Love Will Save The Day--Whitney Houston [7/9] (#9)
Rag Doll--Aerosmith [7/9] (#17)
Tomorrow People--Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers [7/9] (#39)
The Twist (Yo, Twist)--Fat Boys with Chubby Checker [7/9] (#16)
Fast Car--Tracy Chapman [7/16] (#6)
Monkey--George Michael [7/16] (#1)
Simply Irresistible--Robert Palmer [7/16] (#2)
I Know You're Out There Somewhere--Moody Blues [7/23] (#30)
I'll Always Love You--Taylor Dayne [7/23] (#3)
In Your Soul--Corey Hart [7/23] (#38)
Perfect World--Huey Lewis & The News [7/23] (#3)
Sweet Child O' Mine--Guns 'N Roses [7/23] (#1)
When It's Love--Van Halen [7/23] (#5)
All Fired Up--Pat Benatar [7/30] (#19)
Here With Me--REO Speedwagon [7/30] (#20)
If It Isn't Love--New Edition [7/30] (#7)
Nobody's Fool--Kenny Loggins [7/30] (#8)
Another Part Of Me--Michael Jackson [8/6] (#11)
It Would Take A Strong Strong Man--Rick Astley [8/6] (#10)
Missed Opportunity--Daryl Hall & John Oates [8/6] (#29)
One Good Woman--Peter Cetera [8/6] (#4)
Sayin' Sorry (Don't Make It Right)--Denise Lopez [8/6] (#31)


Songs not in this countdown collection


Don't Worry Be Happy--Bobby McFerrin [8/13] (#1)
I Don't Want To Be A Hero--Johnny Hates Jazz [8/13] (#31)
I Hate Myself For Loving You--Joan Jett & The Blackhearts [8/13] (#8)
Please Don't Go Girl--New Kids On The Block [8/13] (#10)
Don't Be Cruel--Bobby Brown [8/20] (#8)
Don't Be Cruel--Cheap Trick [8/20] (#4)
Love Bites--Def Leppard [8/20] (#1)
A Nightmare On My Street--D.J. Jazzy & The Fresh Prince [8/20] (#15)
Fallen Angel--Poison [8/27] (#12)
Look Out Any Window--Bruce Horsby & The Range [8/27] (#35)
What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)--Information Society [8/27] (#3)
Red Red Wine--UB40 [9/3] (#1) (see also 1984 Hits)
Staying Together--Debbie Gibson [9/3] (#22)
What You See Is What You Get--Brenda K. Starr [9/3] (#24)
Chains Of Love--Erasure [9/10] (#12)
Don't You Know What The Night Can Do?--Steve Winwood [9/10] (#6)
Forever Young--Rod Stewart [9/10] (#12)
True Love--Glen Frey [9/10] (#13)
A Groovy Kind Of Love--Phil Collins [9/17] (#1)
The Loco·Motion--Kylie Minogue [9/17] (#3)
Never Tear Us Apart--INXS [9/17] (#7)
Wild, Wild West--The Escape Club [9/17] (#1)
Kokomo--The Beach Boys [9/24] (#1)
One Moment In Time--Whitney Houston [9/24] (#5)
Superstitious--Europe [9/24] (#31)
Time And Tide--Basia [9/24] (#26)
Another Lover--Giant Steps [10/1] (#13)
Bad Medicine--Bon Jovi [10/1] (#1)
Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)--Cinderella [10/1] (#12)
How Can I Fall?--Breathe [10/1] (#3)
Indestructible--Four Tops [10/1] (#35)
Dance Little Sister (Part One)--Terence Trent D'Arby [10/8] (#30)
Desire--U2 [10/8] (#3)
Baby, I Love Your Way / Freebird Medley (Free Baby)--Will To Power [10/15] (#1)
It Takes Two--Rob Base & D.J. E·Z Rock [10/15] (#36)
Kissing A Fool--George Michael [10/15] (#5)
Look Away--Chicago [10/15] (#1)
Waiting For A Star To Fall--Boy Meets Girl [10/15] (#5)
A Word In Spanish--Elton John [10/15] (#19)
Giving You The Best That I Got--Anita Baker [10/22] (#3)
I Don't Want Your Love--Duran Duran [10/22] (#4)
The Promise--When In Rome [10/22] (#11)
Walk On Water--Eddie Money [10/22] (#9)
Downtown Life--Daryl Hall & John Oates [10/29] (#31)
Edge Of A Broken Heart--Vixen [10/29] (#26)
Small World--Huey Lewis & The News [10/29] (#25)
Welcome To The Jungle--Guns N' Roses [11/5] (#7)
Domino Dancing--Pet Shop Boys [11/5] (#18)
Finish What Ya Started--Van Halen [11/5] (#13)
Spy In The House Of Love--Was (Not Was) [11/5] (#16)
In Your Room--Bangles [11/12] (#5)
My Prerogative--Bobby Brown [11/12] (#1)
Not Just Another Girl--Ivan Neville [11/12] (#26)
Early In The Morning--Robert Palmer [11/12] (#19)
Every Rose Has It's Thorn--Poison [11/12] (#1)
Till I Loved You--Barbra Streisand & Don Johnson [11/12] (#25)
I Remember Holding You--Boys Club [11/19] (#8)
Silhouette--Kenny G [11/19] (#13)
Symptoms Of True Love--Tracie Spencer [11/19] (#38)
Two Hearts--Phil Collins [11/26] (#1)
Don't Rush Me--Taylor Dayne [11/26] (#2)
Smooth Criminal--Michael Jackson [11/26] (#7)
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah--Judson Spence [11/26] (#32)
The Way You Love Me--Karyn White [11/26] (#7)
Armageddon It--Def Leppard [12/3] (#3)
Put A Little Love In Your Heart--Annie Lennox & Al Green [12/3] (#9)
All This Time--Tiffany [12/3] (#6)
Little Liar--Joan Jett & The Blackhearts [12/10] (#19)
Wild World--Maxi Priest [12/10] (#25)
Thanks For My Child--Cheryl "Pepsii" Riley [12/10] (#32)
Holding On--Steve Winwood [12/10] (#11)
Born To Be My Baby--Bon Jovi [12/17] (#3)
Ghost Town--Cheap Trick [12/17] (#33)
I Wanna Have Some Fun--Samantha Fox [12/17] (#8)
When I'm With You--Sheriff [12/17] (#1)
When The Children Cry--White Lion [12/17] (#3)
Straight Up--Paula Abdul [12/24] (#1)
Kiss--Art Of Noise featuring Tom Jones [12/24] (#31)
The Lover In Me--Sheena Easton [12/24] (#2)
Wild Thing--Tone Loc [12/24] (#2)