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 1989, the year I finished my freshman year of high school and started my sophomore year. Z95 and B96 continued to be the hit stations in Chicago and provided the majority of the soundtrack of that year. At 68 songs, we are nearing 70% of the Hot 100 that remain familiar to me today, with 44 of them appearing in my collection in one way or another.
#99 Don Henley – The End of the Innocence
iTunes stats: N/A
The Eagles drummer and sometimes singer reached #8 with the title track from his third solo album.
#93 Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal
iTunes stats: N/A
The sixth top-ten single from Jackson’s Bad album, this track peaked at #7.
#91 Alice Cooper – Poison
iTunes stats: 18 plays
Hitting #7, it was Cooper’s fist top ten hit in a dozen years.
#88 Rick Astley – She Wants to Dance with Me
iTunes stats: N/A
The lead single from Astley’s sophomore effort, it became his fourth consecutive top ten hit, peaking at #6.
#87 Samantha Fox – I Wanna Have Some Fun
iTunes stats: 24 plays
Reaching #8, the title track for the former Page 3 model was her third, and final, US top ten hit.
#86 Guns N’ Roses – Paradise City
iTunes stats: 14 plays
Ranked by VH1 as the 21st greatest metal song of all time, the final single from the group’s debut album rose to #5 on the Hot 100.
#84: Edie Brickell & New Bohemians – What I Am
iTunes stats: 15 plays
The group’s only Top 40 hit, it reached #7.
#82: Bon Jovi – Lay Your Hands on Me
iTunes stats: 11 plays
The fourth and final top ten hit from New Jersey, it peaked #7.
#81: Aerosmith – Love in an Elevator
iTunes stats: 18 plays
The band reached #5 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart with their lead single from Pump, their tenth studio album.
#77: Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne – Close My Eyes Forever
iTunes stats: 25 plays
The highest-charting solo single for both Ford and Osbourne, it peaked at #8.
#76: REM – Stand
iTunes stats: 33 plays
The future theme song of the Chris Elliot vehicle Get a Life, the song hit #6, giving the band their second top ten hit.
#74: Guns N’ Roses – Welcome to the Jungle
iTunes stats: 17 plays
Named the second greatest metal song by VH1 in 2008, it peaked at #7 on the Hot 100.
#71: Guns N’ Roses – Patience
iTunes stats: 26 plays
Reaching #4, the song is thought to be about the troubled relationship between singer Axl Rose and his ex-wife.
#68: The Cure – Lovesong
iTunes stats: N/A
The group’s only top ten hit on the Hot 100, it rose to #2 In October of 1989.
#66: Bangles – In Your Room
iTunes stats: 19 plays
The lead single from the band’s third album, it peaked at #5 in January of 1989.
#65: Tone Loc – Funky Cold Medina
iTunes stats: 20 plays
The second and final Top 40 hit for the rapper and producer, it reached #3 and became just the second ever platinum-certified rap single.
#61: Skid Row – 18 and Life
iTunes stats: 8 plays
The band’s biggest hit, it reached #4 on the Hot 100 and #11 on the Album Rock Tracks chart.
#60: White Lion – When the Children Cry
iTunes stats: 18 plays
Written by the group’s lead singer about his childhood with a single mother, it made it to #3 on the Hot 100.
#59: Madonna – Cherish
iTunes stats: N/A
Peaking at #2, it gave Madonna the record for the most consecutive top-five singles with 16.
#58: Tears For Fears – Sowing the Seeds of Love
iTunes stats: N/A
The lead single from the group’s third studio album, it reached #2, becoming their fourth and final top ten hit.
#57: Donny Osmond – Soldier of Love
iTunes stats: N/A
Originally unreleased in the US since Osmond didn’t have a record deal, it eventually topped out at #2, becoming Osmond’s sixth and last top ten hit.
#55: Madonna – Express Yourself
iTunes stats: 17 plays
Accompanied by a music video directed by David Fincher, it peaked at #2.
#54: Richard Marx – Satisfied
iTunes stats: N/A
The lead single from his second album, it became the second of three consecutive #1 singles for Marx.
#53: Def Leppard – Armageddon It
iTunes stats: 29 plays
The sixth single released off of Hysteria, it went to #3, becoming the band’s third top ten hit.
#52: New Kids on the Block – You Got It (The Right Stuff)
iTunes stats: N/A
Peaking at #3 in March, it was the second single released from the group’s second album.
#51: Love and Rockets – So Alive
iTunes stats: 16 plays
Easily the band’s biggest US hit, it reached #3 on the Hot 100 and spent five weeks at #1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.
#49: New Kids on the Block – Hangin’ Tough
iTunes stats: N/A
The title track from the group’s second album, it topped the charts in September of 1989.
#48: Bobby Brown – Every Little Step
iTunes stats: 16 plays
Peaking at #3, this track earned Brown his first Grammy award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.
#47: The B-52’s – Love Shack
iTunes stats: 22 plays
The group’s first Top 40 hit, it rose to #3 and spent 27 total weeks on the chart.
#46: Jody Watley – Real Love
iTunes stats: N/A
The lead single from her sophomore album spent two weeks at #2 in May of 1989.
#45: Michael Damien – Rock On
iTunes stats: 11 plays
Featured in Dream a Little Dream, this cover gave the soap opera star his first single in eight years, reaching the top of the charts.
#44: Prince – Batdance
iTunes stats: 16 plays
Prince’s fourth #1 single, it was the lead single from his soundtrack to the first Michael Keaton Batman film.
#43: Great White – Once Bitten, Twice Shy
iTunes stats: 34 plays
This cover of an old Ian Hunter tune reached #5 on the Hot 100 and #6 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
#42: Young MC – Bust a Move
iTunes stats: 34 plays
Featuring bass guitar by Flea, this one hit wonder spent 39 weeks on the Hot 100, peaking at #7, and earned Young MC a Grammy.
#40: Fine Young Cannibals – Good Thing
iTunes stats: N/A
The British groups second, and final, chart topper on the Hot 100.
#39: Bon Jovi – Born to Be My Baby
iTunes stats: 18 plays
Despite peaking at #3, it was left off of the band’s 1994 greatest hits compilation.
#38: Taylor Dayne – Don’t Rush Me
iTunes stats: N/A
Spending a week at #2 in January of 1989, it was Dayne’s highest-charting single to date.
#37: Sheriff – When I’m With You
iTunes stats: 21 plays
Peaking at #61 when it was originally released in 1983, the song hit #1 in 1989, four years after the band had broken up.
#36: Neneh Cherry – Buffalo Stance
iTunes stats: 23 plays
The debut single from Cherry topped out at #3 and remains her highest charting hit in the US.
#35: Cher – If I Could Turn Back Time
iTunes stats: 26 plays
Hitting #3, it became Cher’s highest charting single since 1974.
#34: Bad English – When I See You Smile
iTunes stats: 19 plays
Made up of members of Journey and their friends, the group had their one and only #1 hit in November of 1989.
#33: Tone Loc – Wild Thing
iTunes stats: 30 plays
Written by Young MC, the song peaked at #2 in February of 1989.
#32: The Bangles – Eternal Flame
iTunes stats: 12 plays
Hitting #1 in February, making the Bangles just the third all-girl group to have multiple #1 singles, after the Shirelles and the Supremes.
#31: Mike + the Mechanics – The Living Years
iTunes stats: N/A
The one and only chart-topping hit, and the final top ten hit, for the side-project from Genesis’ Mike Rutherford.
#30: Paula Abdul – Forever Your Girl
iTunes stats: N/A
The title track from Abdul’s debut album spent four weeks at #1 in the spring of 1989.
#29: Martika – Toy Soldiers
iTunes stats: 26 plays
Spending two weeks atop the Hot 100, it was Martika’s sole top ten hit.
#28: Milli Vanilli – Baby Don’t Forget My Number
iTunes stats: N/A
The first of three #1 hits for the soon-to-be disgraced group who did not actually perform on their album.
#26: New Kids on the Block – I’ll Be Loving You (Forever)
iTunes stats: N/A
The third single from the group’s sophomore effort, it became their first chart topper,
#25: Madonna – Like a Prayer
iTunes stats: 18 plays
The title track from Madonna’s fourth studio album, it became her seventh #1 hit, spending three weeks atop the Hot 100.
#24: Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me by Now
iTunes stats: 9 plays
This cover of the Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes classic became the band’s second #1 hit in the US.
#23: Bon Jovi – I’ll Be There For You
iTunes stats: 19 plays
Spending a single week atop the charts, giving the band their fourth #1 hit.
#22: Roxette – Listen to Your Heart
iTunes stats: 21 plays
Became the first song to top the Hor 100 without the release of a 7-inch single.
#21: Milli Vanilli – Blame It on the Rain
iTunes stats: 10 plays
The third and final #1 hit for the supposed German dance pop group.
#19: Bobby Brown – On Our Own
iTunes stats: 22 plays
Featured on the Ghostbusters II soundtrack, it spent three weeks at #2.
#18: Fine Young Cannibals – She Drives Me Crazy
iTunes stats: 15 plays
The lead single from the group’s second and final album, it spent a week at #1 in April.
#17: Roxette – The Look
iTunes stats: 23 plays
Became the first of the group’s four chart-topping hits.
#16: Milli Vanilli – Girl I’m Gonna Miss You
iTunes stats: N/A
Spent two weeks atop the charts in late September, becoming the group’s second #1 hit.
#15: Warrant – Heaven
iTunes stats: 17 plays
The group’s most successful single, it spent two weeks at #2.
#13: Debbie Gibson – Lost in Your Eyes
iTunes stats: N/A
The lead single from Gibson’s sophomore album, it spent three weeks on top of the Hot 100, becoming her biggest hit and her fifth and final top ten single.
#11: Richard Marx – Right Here Waiting
iTunes stats: 16 plays
Spending three weeks at #1 in August, Marx originally offered the song to Barbara Streisand before recording it himself for his second album.
#8: Milli Vanilli – Girl You Know It’s True
iTunes stats: N/A
Peaking at #2, the song, whose track got stuck leading to the group’s eventual downfall, became their first hit.
#7: Bette Midler – Wind Beneath My Wings
iTunes stats: N/A
The song, which I used to play on the organ, spent a week at #1 in the summer of 1989, becoming Midler’s first top ten hit since 1980.
#6: Paula Abdul – Cold Hearted
iTunes stats: N/A
The fifth single from Abdul’s debut album, it became the third hit to top the Hot 100.
#5: Janet Jackson – Miss You Much
iTunes stats: N/A
The lead single from Jackson’s fourth studio album, it spent four weeks on top of the charts, becoming the second #1 hit of her career.
#4: Paula Abdul – Straight Up
iTunes stats: N/A
Abdul’s first Top 40 hit, it spent three weeks at #1 in February of 1989.
#3: Poison – Every Rose Has Its Thorn
iTunes stats: 15 plays
Released in October of 1988, it spent three weeks atop the charts, spanning the end of 1988 and the start of 1989.
#2: Bobby Brown – My Prerogative
iTunes stats: 16 plays
The second single from Brown’s second solo album, it spent a week at #1 in January.
#1: Chicago – Look Away
iTunes stats: 12 plays
The group’s third, and final, chart topping single, their first since 1982.