RPM was a Canadian magazine that published the best-performing singles of Canada from 1964 to 2000. Twenty-five singles peak atop the RPM Singles Chart in 1988. "Faith" by George Michael held the top position from 1987 into 1988, and Chicago achieved the final number-one hit of the year with "Look Away". Eight musical acts peaked at number one in Canada for the first time this year: M|A|R|R|S, Rick Astley, Terence Trent D'Arby, Midnight Oil, INXS, Cheap Trick, Tracy Chapman, and Bobby McFerrin. No Canadian acts topped the chart this year.
1988 was a successful year for British musical acts in Canada. Trinidadian-English singer Billy Ocean had the most successful single of the year with "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car", which topped the chart for four weeks in April. However, it was George Michael who picked up the most number-one singles in 1988, topping the RPM Singles Chart with "Faith", "One More Try", "Monkey", and "Kissing a Fool". In total, Michael stayed at the summit for seven weeks. Meanwhile, a third English singer, Rick Astley, accumulated eight weeks at number one with three hits: "Never Gonna Give You Up", "Together Forever", and "It Would Take a Strong Strong Man", the most out of any artist during the year.
Along with "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" and "Together Forever", "Desire" by Irish band U2 was the joint-longest-running number-one track of 1988, staying at the top for four weeks in November and December. George Harrison, Tiffany, M|A|R|R|S, Elton John, and Phil Collins all stayed at number one for three weeks with their sole 1988 number ones. This year, only two female acts obtained a number-one hit: Tiffany and Tracy Chapman.
† Indicates best-performing single of 1988 |
"Tarzan Boy" is the debut single by Italian-based act Baltimora. The song was written by Maurizio Bassi and Naimy Hackett, and released in 1985 as the lead single from Baltimora's debut album Living in the Background. The song was re-recorded and released in 1993, and has been covered by several artists throughout the years.
"Always on My Mind" is a ballad written by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher, and Mark James, first recorded by Brenda Lee, and first released by Gwen McCrae in March 1972. Lee's version was released three months later in June 1972. The song has been a crossover hit, charting in both the country and western and pop categories. Elvis Presley's recording was the first commercially successful version of the song.
"When I Fall in Love" is a popular song, written by Victor Young (music) and Edward Heyman (lyrics). It was introduced in Howard Hughes' last film One Minute to Zero as the instrumental titled "Theme from One Minute to Zero". Jeri Southern sang on the first vocal recording released in April 1952 with the song's composer, Victor Young, handling the arranging and conducting duties. The song has become a standard, with many artists recording it; the first hit version was sung by Doris Day released in July 1952.
"Love Bites" is a song by English glam metal band Def Leppard from their album Hysteria. The power ballad is Def Leppard's only number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became a top-10 hit in Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. On the UK Singles Chart, the track peaked at number 11.
"You Got It" is a song from American singer Roy Orbison's 22nd studio album, Mystery Girl (1989). The song was released posthumously on January 3, 1989, after Orbison's death from a heart attack on December 6, 1988. The song was issued with "The Only One" as the B-side and was later released with "Crying". The single reached number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Adult Contemporary chart, returning Orbison to the top 10 for the first time in 25 years. "You Got It" also reached number three on the UK Singles Chart and entered the top five in 10 other countries. Although it is an Orbison solo single, Orbison's fellow Traveling Wilburys bandmates, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, co-wrote the song and played instruments on the record.
"Never Gonna Give You Up" is the debut single recorded by English singer and songwriter Rick Astley, released on 27 July 1987. It was written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, and was released by RCA, PWL and BMG as the first single from Astley's debut album, Whenever You Need Somebody (1987). The song was a worldwide number-one hit, initially in the United Kingdom in 1987, where it stayed at the top of the chart for five weeks and was the best-selling single of that year. It eventually topped the charts in 25 countries, including the United States and West Germany, and winning Best British Single at the 1988 Brit Awards. The song is considered to be Astley's signature song and it is often played at the end of his live concerts.
"Heaven Is a Place on Earth" is a song by American singer Belinda Carlisle from her second studio album, Heaven on Earth (1987). Written by Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley, the song was released as the lead single from the Heaven on Earth album on September 14, 1987, and it reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 on December 5, 1987, becoming Carlisle's only US chart-topper to date. A month later it peaked at number one in the United Kingdom, where it held the top spot of the UK Singles Chart for two weeks. In Australia is peaked at number 2. It is considered to be Carlisle's signature song.
"Together Forever" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Rick Astley and released by RCA and BMG as the fourth single from his debut album, Whenever You Need Somebody (1987). The song reached number two in the United Kingdom, behind Neighbours star and fellow Stock Aitken Waterman artist Kylie Minogue's debut single "I Should Be So Lucky". The single was a worldwide hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on 18 June 1988, becoming Astley's second and final US chart-topper, also topped the charts in Canada, Ireland and Spain, and was a top ten hits in many European countries.
"Devil Inside" is a song by Australian rock band INXS. The song was written by Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence and was released as the second single from the band's sixth studio album, Kick, in February 1988. The song reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks. "Devil Inside" also peaked at number six in Australia, number three in Canada, and number two in New Zealand. Cash Box said that the band "[uses] a Daytripper-like guitar sound and riff it under a sultry, breathy vocal to put the point across."
"Could've Been" is a song by American teen-pop singer Tiffany, released as the third single from her debut album, Tiffany (1987). Commercially, the song proved to be a successful follow-up to her debut single "I Think We're Alone Now", peaking atop the US Billboard Hot 100, the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart, and the Irish Singles Chart in early 1988. It also reached number four on the UK Singles Chart and number five in New Zealand.
"Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" is a song by Trinidadian-British singer Billy Ocean, based on a line in the Sherman Brothers' song "You're Sixteen". It was released as the first single from Ocean's album Tear Down These Walls (1988). Part of its popularity lay in its cutting-edge music video, which features animation mixed with live-action sequences. The saxophone solo is performed by Vernon Jeffrey Smith.
"Cry for Help" is a song by British singer Rick Astley, released as the first single from his third studio album, Free (1991). It was written by Astley and Rob Fisher, formerly one half of the 1980s pop outfits Naked Eyes and Climie Fisher. The Andraé Crouch Choir provided backing vocals. The song is a ballad, unlike Astley's earlier dance-oriented hit singles.
"She Wants to Dance with Me" is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter Rick Astley, released as the lead single from his second studio album, Hold Me in Your Arms (1988). The song was released in United Kingdom on September 12, 1988 by RCA, and became an international success, peaking in the top ten in many countries, including Canada, where it topped the chart, and the US and the UK, where it reached number six.
"You Gotta Love Someone" is a song by English musician Elton John, written by John along with Bernie Taupin and released as a single from the Days of Thunder soundtrack in October 1990. The single was also used to promote the Rocket Records 2-CD retrospective The Very Best of Elton John, issued largely in overseas markets excluding the United States, where the more expansive box set To Be Continued... was issued.