Fifty years ago, I made my first appeared on the Earth. In celebration, we are going to take a look at the year-end Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for each year of my life and see what songs resonated with me at the time and if they continue to do so to this day.
We continue our look back at the music of my lifetime with 1987, the year I wrapped up seventh grade, moved to eighth grade, and turned 13. I started to have some awareness of the pop music of the day, but still have many blind spots, even to this day. 35 of the Hot 100 are familiar to me now, with only 13 of them appearing in my collection in one way or another.
#98: Beastie Boys – (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)
iTunes stats: 16 plays
Named one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, it peaked at #7 the first week of March in 1987.
#93: Huey Lewis and the News – Doing It All for My Baby
iTunes stats: N/A
The song of choice for my eighth-grade music class critic report, it reached #6, making the band the first group to have five top ten singles from one album.
#74: Bon Jovi – Wanted Dead or Alive
iTunes stats: 29 plays
Hitting #7 on the Hot 100 and #13 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, it made Slippery When Wet the first glam metal album to have three top ten hits.
#72: Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine – Rhythm Is Gonna Get You
iTunes stats: N/A
The lead single from the group’s tenth studio album, it topped out at #5.
#67: Ben E. King – Stand by Me
iTunes stats: 22 plays
Originally peaking at #4 in 1961, the song was re-released alongside the film of the same name in 1987, reaching #9 and giving King a top ten hit, either as part of a group or as a solo artist, in four decades.
#59: Michael Jackson – Bad
iTunes stats: N/A
Originally intended to be a duet with Prince, the song spent two weeks atop the Hot 100 and was Jackson’s eighth #1 hit.
#58: Madonna – La Isla Bonita
iTunes stats: N/A
The fifth and final single from the True Blue album, it peaked at #4, giving Madonna her eleventh top five single, trailing only Elvis Presley and the Beatles at the time.
#52: Suzanne Vega – Luka
iTunes stats: N/A
Vega’s highest charting US hit, it reached #3 and earned Vega multiple Grammy nominations in 1988.
#49: Huey Lewis and the News – Hip to Be Square
iTunes stats: N/A
Featuring back-up vocals from then-49ers Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, Dwight Clark, and Riki Ellison, the track peaked at #3.
#42: Madonna – Who’s That Girl
iTunes stats: N/A
The title song to Madonna’s latest film, it became her sixth #1 single, giving her the most of the decade to that point.
#40: Genesis – Land of Confusion
iTunes stats: N/A
Known for its video featuring puppets based ont he band, the song reached #4 in January of 1987.
#39: Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram – Somewhere Out There
iTunes stats: N/A
Featured on the soundtrack to An American Tail, the track topped out at #2 in March.
#32: Cutting Crew – (I Just) Died in Your Arms
iTunes stats: 22 plays
The debut single from the group, one of only four to chart in the US, spent two weeks at #1.
#30: Madonna – Open Your Heart
iTunes stats: N/A
Reaching the top of the Hot 100 in February, the tune gave Madonna her third #1 song from the True Blue album, making her just the second female artist, following Whitney Houston, to achieve the feat.
#29: Club Nouveau – Lean on Me
iTunes stats: N/A
A bouncy remake of the Bill Withers hit from 1972, it spent two weeks atop the Hot 100 in March.
#27: Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes – (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life
iTunes stats: N/A
Spending a week at #1 in November of 1987, the song was the theme to Dirty Dancing and scored a Grammy, a Golden Globe, and an Oscar.
#26: Debbie Gibson – Only in My Dreams
iTunes stats: N/A
Gibson’s debut single, released when she was just 16, it peaked at #4.
#24: George Michael – I Want Your Sex
iTunes stats: N/A
Featured on the Beverly Hills Cop II soundtrack, the first single from Michael’s Faith album reached #2,
#23: U2 – I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
iTunes stats: N/A
Earning two Grammy nominations, the track spent two weeks at #1, their second consecutive chart-topping single.
#22: Whitney Houston – Didn’t We Almost Have It All
iTunes stats: N/A
Spending two weeks atop the Hot 100, it was Houston’s fifth consecutive #1 hit.
#21: Chris de Burgh – The Lady in Red
iTunes stats: 10 plays
Voted the third-worst song of the 1980s by Rolling Stone’s readers, the track reached #3, becoming de Burgh’s first hit.
#19: Billy Idol – Mony Mony
iTunes stats: 32 plays
This live cover of the old Tommy James and the Shondells hit reached the top of the Hot 10o, displacing another Tommy James cover.
#18: Tiffany – I Think We’re Alone Now
iTunes stats: 19 plays
Released when she was just 15, Tiffany’s cover of the Tommy James and the Shondells hit spent two weeks at #1, becoming her biggest hit.
#16: Jody Watley – Looking for a New Love
iTunes stats: N/A
The first single from Watley’s debut album, it peaked at #2, spending four weeks at that position.
#15: U2 – With or Without You
iTunes stats: 16 plays
Spending three weeks at #1, the track was the lead single from the band’s Joshua Tree album.
#13: Crowded House – Don’t Dream It’s Over
iTunes stats: 16 plays
The biggest international hit for the group from New Zealand, it topped out at #2 on the Hot 100.
#12: Wang Chung – Everybody Have Fun Tonight
iTunes stats: 30 plays
Peaking at #2, it was the first single from the band’s fourth album,
#11: Los Lobos – La Bamba
iTunes stats: N/A
A Mexican folk song originally recorded as a rock song by Ritchie Valens in 1958, this version, from the film of the same name about Valens’ life and death, topped the charts, becoming just the fourth non-English song to do so.
#10: Bon Jovi – Livin’ on a Prayer
iTunes stats: 33 plays
Spending four weeks on top of the charts from Valentine’s Day through St. Patrick’s Day, it was the band’s second straight #1 single.
#9: Bob Seger – Shakedown
iTunes stats: N/A
Written and recorded for the Beverly Hills Cop II soundtrack, it became Seger’s only #1 single.
#8: Bruce Hornsby and the Range – The Way It Is
iTunes stats: N/A
The second single from the group’s debut album, it spent a week at #1 in December of 1986.
#7: Whitesnake – Here I Go Again
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Originally released in 1982, it was re-recorded and became the group’s sole #1 hit in October.
#5: Starship – Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now
iTunes stats: N/A
The theme to the film Mannequin, it became the first, but certainly not the last, #1 hit for co-writer Diane Warren.
#4: Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)
iTunes stats: N/A
The lead single from Houston’s sophomore effort, it spent two weeks on top of the Hot 100 and earned Houston a Grammy nomination and win.
#1: The Bangles – Walk Like an Egyptian
iTunes stats: 26 plays
The first #1 hit of 1987, it spent a total of four weeks in the top spot and was the band’s first chart-topper.