|  | The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject.(December 2010) | 
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.
| By location | 
|---|
| By genre | 
| By topic | 
| List of years in music | 
|---|
| (table) | 
| Date | Song | Artist | 
|---|---|---|
| January 16 | "Man in the Mirror" | Michael Jackson | 
| February 25 | "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" | Whitney Houston | 
| April 16 | "Please Don't Go Girl" | New Kids on the Block | 
| April 18 | "Dirty Diana" | Michael Jackson | 
| May 16 | "Don't Be Cruel" | Bobby Brown | 
| June 10 | "Waiting for a Star to Fall" | Boy Meets Girl | 
| June 27 | "Girl You Know It's True" | Milli Vanilli | 
| July 11 | "Another Part of Me" | Michael Jackson | 
| October 11 | "My Prerogative" | Bobby Brown | 
| October 24 | "Smooth Criminal" | Michael Jackson | 
| November 7 | "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" | New Kids on the Block | 
| December 27 | "Roni" | Bobby Brown | 
The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1988.
| # | Artist | Title | Year | Country | Chart Entries | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phil Collins | A Groovy Kind of Love | 1988 |   | UK 1 - Sep 1988 (15 weeks), US Billboard 1 - Sep 1988 (25 weeks), Holland 1 - Sep 1988 (12 weeks), Switzerland 1 - Oct 1988 (23 weeks), Poland 1 - Sep 1988 (17 weeks), Belgium 1 - Oct 1988 (10 weeks), Eire 1 for 2 weeks - Sep 1988, Canada RPM 1 for 3 weeks - Oct 1988, Australia 1 for 1 week - Nov 1988, Europe 1 for 1 week - Oct 1988, Norway 2 - Sep 1988 (16 weeks), Italy 2 of 1988, Germany 3 - Jan 1989 (5 months), ODK Germany 3 - Sep 1988 (23 weeks) (13 weeks in top 10), Springbok 3 - Jan 1989 (4 weeks), Sweden 4 - Sep 1988 (7 weeks), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Jan 1989), Germany Gold (certified by BMieV in 1989), Austria 6 - Nov 1988 (4 months), Japan (Tokyo) 7 - Nov 1988 (12 weeks), Canada 7 of 1988, South Africa 11 of 1989, US Radio 23 of 1988 (peak 1 8 weeks), Australia 23 of 1988, US BB 29 of 1988, US CashBox 29 of 1988, ARC 41 of 1988 (peak 1 12 weeks), POP 65 of 1988, Brazil 75 of 1989, Germany 103 of the 1980s (peak 3 16 weeks), UKMIX 770, UK Silver (certified by BPI in Sep 1988), RYM 193 of 1988 | 
| 2 | Bobby McFerrin | Don't Worry Be Happy | 1988 |   | US Billboard 1 - Jul 1988 (26 weeks), Austria 1 - Nov 1988 (4 months), Germany 1 - Jan 1989 (5 months), ODK Germany 1 - Oct 1988 (23 weeks) (10 weeks at number 1) (15 weeks in top 10), Canada RPM 1 for 2 weeks - Oct 1988, Australia 1 for 6 weeks - Nov 1988, Europe 1 for 6 weeks - Nov 1988, Germany 1 for 10 weeks - Nov 1988, Grammy in 1988, UK 2 - Sep 1988 (11 weeks), Holland 2 - Oct 1988 (11 weeks), Switzerland 2 - Oct 1988 (21 weeks), Belgium 2 - Oct 1988 (10 weeks), Germany Platinum (certified by BMieV in 1989), Springbok 4 - Dec 1988 (11 weeks), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Jan 1989), Norway 5 - Oct 1988 (10 weeks), South Africa 5 of 1989, Sweden 13 - Oct 1988 (4 weeks), Poland 13 - Sep 1988 (11 weeks), POP 13 of 1988, Canada 14 of 1988, Japan (Tokyo) 19 - Nov 1988 (4 weeks), Germany 23 of the 1980s (peak 1 16 weeks), Switzerland 26 of 1989, US CashBox 28 of 1988, Brazil 30 of 1988, US Radio 32 of 1988 (peak 1 8 weeks), US BB 37 of 1988, Scrobulate 92 of happy, Italy 97 of 1989, RIAA 301, RYM 94 of 1988 | 
| 3 | U2 | Desire | 1988 |   | UK 1 - Oct 1988 (13 weeks), Japan (Tokyo) 1 - Nov 1988 (14 weeks), Poland 1 - Oct 1988 (13 weeks), Italy 1 for 2 weeks - Oct 1988, Eire 1 for 4 weeks - Sep 1988, Canada RPM 1 for 4 weeks - Nov 1988, New Zealand 1 for 5 weeks - Oct 1988, Australia 1 for 2 weeks - Oct 1988, Holland 2 - Sep 1988 (11 weeks), US Billboard 3 - Oct 1988 (17 weeks), Belgium 3 - Oct 1988 (9 weeks), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Jan 1989), KROQ 4 of 1988, Norway 5 - Oct 1988 (8 weeks), Canada 5 of 1988, Switzerland 9 - Oct 1988 (12 weeks), ODK Germany 9 - Oct 1988 (14 weeks) (3 weeks in top 10), Italy 10 of 1988, Germany 11 - Oct 1988 (2 months), Sweden 12 - Oct 1988 (3 weeks), Holland free40 20 of 1988, Austria 23 - Nov 1988 (1 month), ARC 34 of 1988 (peak 1 12 weeks), US Radio 54 of 1988 (peak 3 8 weeks), US BB 56 of 1988, Acclaimed 2038 (1988), UK Silver (certified by BPI in Oct 1988), RYM 65 of 1988 | 
| 4 | Billy Ocean | Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car | 1988 |  /   | US Billboard 1 - Feb 1988 (20 weeks), Holland 1 - Jan 1988 (13 weeks), Norway 1 - Feb 1988 (13 weeks), Belgium 1 - Jan 1988 (15 weeks), Eire 1 for 1 week - Feb 1988, Canada RPM 1 for 4 weeks - Apr 1988, Canada 1 of 1988, Australia 1 for 5 weeks - Apr 1988, Springbok 1 - Apr 1988 (23 weeks), UK 3 - Feb 1988 (11 weeks), Switzerland 3 - Mar 1988 (13 weeks), Germany 3 - Mar 1988 (3 months), ODK Germany 3 - Feb 1988 (18 weeks) (9 weeks in top 10), Australia 4 of 1988, US CashBox 6 of 1988, US Radio 6 of 1988 (peak 1 10 weeks), Sweden 7 - Feb 1988 (3 weeks), South Africa 7 of 1988, Austria 8 - Apr 1988 (4 months), US BB 15 of 1988, Poland 19 - Mar 1988 (10 weeks), ARC 23 of 1988 (peak 1 13 weeks), Switzerland 26 of 1988, Brazil 52 of 1988, OzNet 261, Germany 303 of the 1980s (peak 3 11 weeks), UK Silver (certified by BPI in Mar 1988) | 
| 5 | Guns 'N Roses | Sweet Child o' Mine | 1988 |   | US Billboard 1 - Jun 1988 (24 weeks), US CashBox 1 of 1988, US (Sup) Platinum (certified by RIAA in Dec 2008), US Radio 4 of 1988 (peak 1 10 weeks), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Jun 2005), US BB 5 of 1988, UK 6 - Aug 1988 (52 weeks), ARC 6 of 1988 (peak 1 14 weeks), Brazil 6 of 1988, POP 6 of 1988, nuTsie 8 of 1980s, France 10 - Sep 1988 (1 week), Switzerland 15 - Jun 1989 (6 weeks), Scrobulate 15 of hard rock, Vinyl Surrender 18 (1987), Holland 24 - Sep 1988 (10 weeks), 24 in 2FM list, Sweden 27 - Jul 2008 (1 week), Belgium 29 - Oct 1989 (1 week), Poland 33 - Sep 1988 (5 weeks), TheQ 36, UK Songs 2013-23 peak 40 - Jan 2014 (5 weeks), Canada 50 of 1988, Japan (Tokyo) 72 - Nov 1988 (2 weeks), DMDB 83 (1988), Acclaimed 109 (1987), Belgium 180 of all time, Rolling Stone 196, RIAA 210, RYM 10 of 1988 | 
The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in the U.S. in 1988.
| Position | Song Title | Artist | Highest Position | weeks at #1 | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Faith | George Michael | 1 | 4 | 
| 2 | Need You Tonight | INXS | 1 | 1 | 
| 3 | Got My Mind Set on You | George Harrison | 1 | 1 | 
| 4 | Never Gonna Give You Up | Rick Astley | 1 | 2 | 
| 5 | Sweet Child o' Mine | Guns N' Roses | 1 | 2 | 
The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in the U.S. in 1988.[ citation needed ]
| Song title | Artist(s) | Release date(s) | US | UK | Highest chart position | Other Chart Performance(s) | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "1-2-3" | Gloria Estefan & the Miami Sound Machine | June 1988 | 3 | 9 | 3 ( United States) | See chart performance entry | 
| "Angel" | Aerosmith | January 1988 | 3 | 69 | 3 (United States) | 2 (U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock) - 14 (Canada) | 
| "Angel of Harlem" | U2 | December 1988 | 14 | 9 | 1 (Canada, New Zealand) | See chart performance entry | 
| "Another Lover" | Giant Steps | June 1988 | 13 | n/a | 13 (United States) | 10 (U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play) - 12 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100 Singles) | 
| "Another Weekend" | Five Star | May 1988 | n/a | 18 | 12 (Ireland) | 23 (U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles) - 24 (Netherlands [Dutch Single Top 100]) | 
| "Any Love" | Luther Vandross | August 1988 | 44 | 31 | 31 (Australia) | 1 (U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles) - 12 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) | 
| "Anything For You" | Gloria Estefan | March 1988 | 1 | 10 | 1 (United States) | 1 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 2 (Netherlands [Dutch Top 40]/[Single Top 100]) - 3 (U.S. Billboard Hot Latin Songs) - 5 (Belgium) - 11 (Australia) - 19 (Ireland) | 
| "Atmosphere" (re-release) | Joy Division | August 1988 | n/a | 34 | 5 (New Zealand) | n/a | 
| "Blue Monday 1988" | New Order | April 1988 | 68 | 3 | 1 (New Zealand) | See chart performance entry | 
| "Breakaway" | Big Pig | May 1988 | 60 | 89 | 1 (New Zealand) | 7 (U.S. Billboard Dance Club SOngs) - 8 (Australia) - 10 (Canada) | 
| "Buffalo Stance" | Neneh Cherry | November 1988 | 3 | 3 | 2 (Greece, Switzerland, West Germany) | See chart performance entry | 
| "Cuddly Toy" | Roachford | May 1988 | 25 | 4 | 4 (US Billboard Hot 100) | See chart performance entry | 
| "I Owe You Nothing" | Bros | June 1988 | n/a | 1 | 1 (United Kingdom) | See chart performance entry | 
| "Knocked Out" | Paula Abdul | May 1988 | 41 | 21 | 21 (United Kingdom) | See chart performance entry | 
| "Man in the Mirror" | Michael Jackson | February 1988 | 1 | 21 | 1 (United States) | See chart performance entry | 
| "Never Tear Us Apart" | INXS | August 1988 | 7 | 24 | 2 (Canada) | See chart performance entry | 
| "New Sensation" | INXS | May 1988 | 3 | 25 | 1 (Canada) | See chart performance entry | 
| "Nothin' but a Good Time" | Poison | April 1988 | 6 | 35 | 6 (US Billboard Hot 100) | 10 (Australia) - 19 (US Mainstream Rock [Billboard]) | 
| "Simply Irresistible" | Robert Palmer | June 1988 | 2 | 44 | 1 (Australia) | 1 (U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks) - 2 (U.S. Cash Box) - 2 (Canada) - 6 (New Zealand) - 10 (France) - 57 (West Germany) | 
| "Under the Milky Way" | The Church | February 1988 | 24 | 90 | 22 (Australia) | See chart performance entry | 
| Song title | Artist(s) | Release date(s) | Other Chart Performance(s) | 
|---|---|---|---|
| "A Little Respect" | Erasure | July 1988 | See Chart performance entry | 
| "Ain't No Half-Steppin'" | Big Daddy Kane | July 1988 | 53 (US Billboard Hot Black Singles) | 
| "Ana Ng" | They Might Be Giants | April 1988 | 11 (US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks) | 
| "Bring the Noise" | Public Enemy | February 1988 | 56 (US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks) | 
| "Carolyn's Fingers" | Cocteau Twins | June 1988 | 2 (US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)} | 
| "Cars and Girls" | Prefab Sprout | February 1988 | 41 (Australia) - 44 (UK Singles Chart) | 
| "Children's Story" | Slick Rick | April 1988 | 2 (US Billboard Hot Rap Singles) - 5 (US Billboard Hot Black Singles) - 39 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs) | 
| "Coldsweat" | The Sugarcubes | January 1988 | 2 (UK Indie Charts) - 65 (UK Singles Chart) | 
| "Crash" | The Primitives | February 1988 | See Chart performance entry | 
| "Cult of Personality" | Living Colour | July 1988 | See Chart performance entry | 
| "Deanna" | Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds | October 1988 | 4 (UK Indie Charts) | 
| "Devil Inside" | INXS | February 1988 | See Chart performance entry | 
| "Dominion" | The Sisters of Mercy | February 1988 | 7 (Ireland) - 13 (UK Singles Chart) - 30 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs) | 
| "Elephant Stone" | The Stone Roses | September 1988 | 86 (Australia) - 4 (Ireland) - 8 (UK Singles Chart) Note:The reissue of the single charted in 1990. | 
| "Everyday Is Like Sunday" | Morrissey | May 1988 | 3 (Irish Singles Chart) - 9 (UK Singles Chart) - 76 (Dutch Single Top 100) | 
| "Fast Car" | Tracy Chapman | April 1988 | See Chart performance entry | 
| "Feed Me with Your Kiss" b/w "Keep the Glove" | My Bloody Valentine | September 1988 | n/a | 
| "Follow the Leader | Eric B. & Rakim | July 1988 | 11 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs) - 16 (US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs) - 21 (UK Singles Chart) - 75 (Netherlands) | 
| "Freak Scene" b/w "Believe Me" | Dinosaur Jr. | October 1988 | n/a | 
| "Gigantic" | Pixies | August 1988 | 93 (UK Singles Chart) | 
| "I Believe In You" | Talk Talk | September 1988 | 43 (New Zealand) - 65 (Netherlands [Single Top 100]) - 85 (UK Singles Chart) | 
| "If I Should Fall from Grace with God" | The Pogues | January 1988 | See Chart performance entry | 
| "Into Temptation | Crowded House | December 1988 | 20 (Dutch Single Top 100) - 38 (New Zealand) - 59 (Australia) - 64 (Canada) | 
| "Left to My Own Devices" | Pet Shop Boys | November 1988 | See Chart performance entry | 
| "Lucretia My Reflection | The Sisters of Mercy | June 1988 | 20 (UK Singles Charts) - 22 (Ireland) - 30 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs) | 
| "The Mercy Seat" | Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds | June 1988 | 3 (UK Indie Charts) | 
| "Mother" | Danzig | August 1988 | See Chart performance entry | 
| "New Sensation" | INXS | January 1988 | See Chart performance entry | 
| "Never Tear Us Apart" | INXS | June 1988 | See Chart performance entry | 
| "Orange Crush" | R.E.M. | December 1988 | See Chart performance entry | 
| "Orpheus" | David Sylvian | May 1988 | n/a | 
| "Reptile" | The Church | July 1988 | 94 (Australia) - 27 (U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart) | 
| "Sidewalking" | The Jesus and Mary Chain | March 1988 | 20 (Irish Singles Chart) - 23 (New Zealand) - 30 (UK Singles Chart) - 95 (Europe) | 
| "Sister Madly" | Crowded House | August 1988 | 26 (New Zealand) - 66 (Australia) - 92 (Canada) | 
| "South of Heaven" | Slayer | July 1988 | n/a | 
| "Streets of Your Town" | The Go-Betweens | July 1988 | 30 (New Zealand) - 68 (Australia) - 80 (UK Singles Chart) | 
| "Suedehead" | Morrissey | February 1988 | 2 (Irish Singles Chart) - 5 (UK Singles Chart) - 18 (Finland) - 30 (Dutch Single Top 100) - 45 (Australia) | 
| "The Evil That Men Do" | Iron Maiden | August 1988 | n/a | 
| "The King of Rock 'n' Roll" | Prefab Sprout | March 1988 | 6 (Ireland) - 7 (UK Singles Chart) | 
| "Teen Age Riot" b/w "Silver Rocket"/"Kissability" | Sonic Youth | October 1988 | 20 (U.S. Billboard Alternative Airplay) | 
| "There She Goes" | The La's | November 1988 | See Chart performance entry | 
| "Trick of the Light" | The Triffids | January 1988 | 73 (UK Singles Chart) - 77 (Australia) | 
| "Touch Me I'm Sick" | Mudhoney | August 1988 | n/a | 
| "Under the Milky Way" | The Church | February 1988 | See chart performance entry | 
| "Was There Anything I Could Do?" | The Go-Betweens | October 1988 | 16 (US Modern Rock Tracks [Billboard]) | 
| "You Made Me Realise" | My Bloody Valentine | August 1988 | 2 (UK Indie Chart) |