1988 in British music

This is a summary of 1988 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.

List of years in British music

Summary

The growing popularity of house music was evident in the charts by the start of 1988, with many songs of this genre becoming big hits, such as "House Arrest" by Krush, "Beat Dis" by Bomb the Bass and "Rok da House" by The Beatmasters.[1] Acid house band S'Express had two Top 10 hits this year including a number 1 in April with the song "Theme from S'Express", but the biggest dance hit of the year came from London singer Yazz, who had first had a big hit with producers Coldcut on the song "Doctorin' The House".[2] Still with Coldcut, but now with her name billed as the lead artist, her song "The Only Way Is Up" topped the chart for five weeks, becoming the second biggest-selling single of the year, and paved the way for a successful solo career, including the follow-up "Stand Up For Your Love Rights" which hit No.2 in October.

One of the biggest successes of the year was 19-year-old Kylie Minogue, well known to the public from her role in the Australian soap opera Neighbours which had been airing on the BBC since 1986.[3] The popularity of "girl next door" Minogue and her on-screen character Charlene Mitchell ensured chart success. Signed to the production trio Stock Aitken Waterman, her debut international song "I Should Be So Lucky" was number 1 for five weeks, and all of her other solo releases this year – "Got to Be Certain", "The Loco-Motion" and "Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi" – reached number 2. Her album Kylie was also number 1 for six weeks, the biggest-selling album of the year and the fifth best-selling album of the entire decade. All Kylie's hits were produced by Stock Aitken Waterman who continued to score hit after hit this year. The production powerhouse also scored Top 10s with Mel and Kim ("That's The Way It Is", No.10, February) Sinitta ("Cross My Broken Heart", No.6, March), Rick Astley ("Together Forever", No.2, March and "Take Me to Your Heart", No.8, November), Bananarama ("I Want You Back", No.5, April), Hazell Dean ("Who's Leaving Who", No.4, April), Brother Beyond ("The Harder I Try", No.2, August and "He Ain't No Competition", No.6, November). In September, another star from Neighbours – Minogue's co-star Jason Donovan – debuted with his Stock Aitken Waterman-produced hit "Nothing Can Divide Us" which reached number 5 and he would go on to outsell even Kylie the following year.

Popular teenage acts other than Minogue to emerge this year included the American singer Tiffany who scored three Top 10 hits including the No.1 "I Think We're Alone Now" while fellow American teenage star Debbie Gibson also crossed over to the British Charts and had four Top 20 hits. Gibson's biggest hit was the 1980s-compilation staple "Shake Your Love" which reached number 7 in January. Meanwhile, from Italy came Sabrina whose infamous appearances in skimpy swimsuits became tabloid-fodder throughout the year as her pan-European smash hit "Boys (Summertime Love)" hit number 3 in June and the Stock Aitken Waterman-produced follow-up "All of Me" peaked at number 25 three months later.[4]

New British boyband Bros took five singles into the Top 5 this year including "When Will I Be Famous?" and their only number 1 "I Owe You Nothing", a re-issue of their first single originally released in 1987. Wet Wet Wet scored the first number 1 of their long run of hits with a cover of "With A Little Help From My Friends" which held the top position for 3 weeks.

Also making her chart debut this year was nineteen-year-old Tanita Tikaram, who launched her career with the critically acclaimed album Ancient Heart, containing the Top 10 hit "Good Tradition" and the intriguing "Twist In My Sobriety" which peaked at number 22 in October.[5] Eddi Reader also rose to prominence during 1988 as the lead-singer of Fairground Attraction. The band made number 1 with the song "Perfect" and followed it up with another Top 10 hit, "Find My Love" and number 2 album The First of a Million Kisses.

Making chart comebacks after long-absences were Cher, re-launching her music career with "I Found Someone", a number 5 hit written and produced by Michael Bolton. Belinda Carlisle revived her career this year with three Top 10s including the number 1 "Heaven is a Place on Earth" while Kim Wilde scored a career-best three successive Top 10s with "You Came" (No.3), "Never Trust a Stranger (No.7) and "Four Letter Word" (No.6). Pop duo Dollar scored their ninth and final Top 20 hit with comeback hit "Oh L'amour", a SAW-produced cover of an early Erasure single, which made number 7 in April, and also making a chart comeback was the song "A Groovy Kind Of Love", originally a hit in 1965 for The Mindbenders, it hit number 1 in September for Phil Collins, taken from the film Buster in which Collins also starred.

Some of the more unusual hits of the year included a remix of the theme tune from the popular television series Doctor Who, by "The Timelords", who would go on to have huge success in the early 1990s under the name The KLF. Their song "Doctorin' The TARDIS" (a play on Coldcut's "Doctorin' The House") was number 1 for a week in June. A television advertisement for Miller Lite beer used the 1969 song "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" by The Hollies, which became a number 1 in September 19 years after its original release, and an advert for Coca-Cola gave Robin Beck a number 1 with the ballad "First Time". Film and Television actress Patsy Kensit, a teenager in 1988, also reached the Top 10 this year in the band Eighth Wonder. Their Pet Shop Boys-produced UK debut "I'm Not Scared" slowly climbed up the Top 40 and peaked at number 7 in May. The band were more popular in Italy and Japan where they scored several number 1 hits.

The race for Christmas number one was a battle between Cliff Richard, with a career stretching back to the 1950s and his seasonal song "Mistletoe and Wine", and new star Kylie Minogue with "Especially for You", a duet with her Neighbours co-star Jason Donovan released to coincide with their characters' on-screen wedding. Cliff won the battle with the biggest-selling song of the year, but "Especially for You" climbed to number 1 in the new year of 1989, eventually selling just short of 1 million copies.

New classical works by British composers included oboe and trumpet concertos from Peter Maxwell Davies and Michael Finnissy's Red Earth for orchestra. Devotional works included Nicholas Jackson's Variations on ‘Praise to the Lord, the Almighty’ and John Tavener's The Akathist of Thanksgiving. Russian pianist Evgeny Kissin made his Proms debut during the 1988 season, whilst Sir Andrew Davis gave up his role as conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra to become director of Glyndebourne.[6]

Events

Charts

Number-one singles

[9]

Chart date
(week ending)
SongArtist(s)Weeks
2 January"Always on My Mind"Pet Shop Boys2
9 January
16 January"Heaven Is a Place on Earth"Belinda Carlisle2
23 January
30 January"I Think We're Alone Now"Tiffany3
6 February
13 February
20 February"I Should Be So Lucky"Kylie Minogue5
27 February
5 March
12 March
19 March
26 March"Don't Turn Around"Aswad2
2 April
9 April"Heart"Pet Shop Boys3
16 April
23 April
30 April"Theme from S-Express"S'Express2
7 May
14 May"Perfect"Fairground Attraction1
21 May"With a Little Help from My Friends" /
"She's Leaving Home"
Wet Wet Wet /
Billy Bragg
4
28 May
4 June
11 June
18 June"Doctorin' the Tardis"The Timelords1
25 June"I Owe You Nothing"Bros2
2 July
9 July"Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You"Glenn Medeiros4
16 July
23 July
30 July
6 August"The Only Way Is Up"Yazz and the Plastic Population5
13 August
20 August
27 August
3 September
10 September"A Groovy Kind of Love"Phil Collins2
17 September
24 September"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"The Hollies2
1 October
8 October"Desire"U21
15 October"One Moment in Time"Whitney Houston2
22 October
29 October"Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)"Enya3
5 November
12 November
19 November"First Time"Robin Beck3
26 November
3 December
10 December"Mistletoe and Wine"Cliff Richard4
17 December
24 December
31 December

Number-one albums

Chart date
(week ending)
AlbumArtist
2 JanuaryNow 10Various Artists
9 January
16 JanuaryPopped In Souled OutWet Wet Wet
23 JanuaryTurn Back the ClockJohnny Hates Jazz
30 JanuaryIntroducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'ArbyTerence Trent D'Arby
6 February
13 February
20 February
27 February
5 March
12 March
19 March
26 MarchViva HateMorrissey
2 AprilNow 11Various Artists
9 April
16 April
23 AprilSeventh Son of a Seventh SonIron Maiden
30 AprilThe InnocentsErasure
7 MayTango in the NightFleetwood Mac
14 May
21 MayLovesexyPrince
28 MayTango in the NightFleetwood Mac
4 JuneFlite NiteVarious Artists
11 June
18 June
25 June
2 JulyTracy ChapmanTracy Chapman
9 July
16 July
23 JulyNow 12Various Artists
30 July
6 August
13 August
20 August
27 AugustKylieKylie Minogue
3 September
10 September
17 September
24 SeptemberHot City NightsVarious Artists
1 OctoberNew JerseyBon Jovi
8 October
15 OctoberFlying ColoursChris de Burgh
22 OctoberRattle and HumU2
29 OctoberMoney for NothingDire Straits
5 November
12 November
19 NovemberKylieKylie Minogue
26 November
3 DecemberNow 13Various Artists
10 December
17 December
24 DecemberPrivate Collection: 1979–1988Cliff Richard
31 December

Year end charts

Best-selling singles of 1988

[10]

No. Title Artist Peak
position
1 "Mistletoe and Wine" Cliff Richard 1
2 "The Only Way Is Up" Yazz and the Plastic Population 1
3 "I Should Be So Lucky" Kylie Minogue 1
4 "Especially for You" Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan 2[lower-alpha 1]
5 "I Think We're Alone Now" Tiffany 1
6 "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You" Glenn Medeiros 1
7 "A Groovy Kind of Love" Phil Collins 1
8 "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" The Hollies 1
9 "With a Little Help from My Friends"/"She's Leaving Home" Wet Wet Wet/Billy Bragg with Cara Tivey 1
10 "Teardrops" Womack & Womack 3
11 "The Loco-Motion" Kylie Minogue 2
12 "First Time" Robin Beck 1
13 "Perfect" Fairground Attraction 1
14 "One Moment in Time" Whitney Houston 1
15 "Push It"/"Tramp" Salt-n-Pepa 2
16 "Suddenly" Angry Anderson 3
17 "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" Belinda Carlisle 1
18 "Orinoco Flow" Enya 1
19 "Theme From S-Express" S-Express 1
20 "Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi" Kylie Minogue 2
21 "Got to Be Certain" Kylie Minogue 2
22 "The Harder I Try" Brother Beyond 2
23 "Tell It to My Heart" Taylor Dayne 3
24 "Crackers International" (EP) Erasure 2
25 "I Owe You Nothing" Bros 1
26 "Heart" Pet Shop Boys 1
27 "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" Billy Ocean 3
28 "Don't Turn Around" Aswad 1
29 "Nothing Can Divide Us" Jason Donovan 5
30 "Beat Dis" Bomb the Bass 2
31 "Drop the Boy" Bros 2
32 "Sign Your Name" Terence Trent D'Arby 2
33 "The Twist (Yo Twist)" The Fat Boys & Chubby Checker 2
34 "When Will I Be Famous?" Bros 2
35 "Boys (Summertime Love)" Sabrina 3
36 "House Arrest" Krush 3
37 "You Came" Kim Wilde 3
38 "Lovely Day" (Sunshine Mix) Bill Withers 4
39 "I Need You" B.V.S.M.P. 3
40 "Girl You Know It's True" Milli Vanilli 3
41 "Stand Up for Your Love Rights" Yazz 2
42 "Cat Among the Pigeons"/"Silent Night" Bros 2
43 "Don't Worry, Be Happy" Bobby McFerrin 2
44 "Hands to Heaven" Breathe 4
45 "Desire" U2 1
46 "A Little Respect" Erasure 4
47 "Big Fun" Inner City 8
48 "Love Changes (Everything)" (remix) Climie Fisher 2
49 "Together Forever" Rick Astley 2
50 "Missing You" Chris de Burgh 3

Best-selling albums of 1988

[11]

Position Title Artist Peak
Position
1KylieKylie Minogue1
2Private Collection: 1979–1988Cliff Richard1
3BadMichael Jackson2[lower-alpha 2]
4PushBros2
5Now 13Various Artists1
6Popped In Souled OutWet Wet Wet1
7Tracy ChapmanTracy Chapman1
8Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'ArbyTerence Trent D'Arby1
9Tango in the NightFleetwood Mac1
10Rattle and HumU21
11Money for NothingDire Straits1
12Now 12Various Artists1
13Now 111
14Dirty Dancing4
15KickINXS9
16The Premiere Collection: The Best of Andrew Lloyd WebberVarious Artists1
17WhitneyWhitney Houston6[lower-alpha 3]
18The ChristiansThe Christians2
19The Greatest Hits CollectionBananarama3
20Heaven on EarthBelinda Carlisle4
21The InnocentsErasure1
22HearsayAlexander O'Neal4
23Turn Back the ClockJohnny Hates Jazz1
24IntrospectivePet Shop Boys2
25Bridge of SpiesT'Pau2[lower-alpha 4]
26The Best of OMDOrchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark2
27Greatest HitsFleetwood Mac3
28Idol Songs: 11 of the BestBilly Idol2
29New Light Through Old WindowsChris Rea12
30The First of a Million KissesFairground Attraction2
31The Greatest LoveVarious Artists11
32The Ultimate CollectionBryan Ferry and Roxy Music6
33Buster Original SoundtrackVarious Artists6
34Nite Flite1
35ActuallyPet Shop Boys5[lower-alpha 5]
36Flying ColoursChris de Burgh1
37FaithGeorge Michael6[lower-alpha 6]
38Greatest HitsThe Human League3
39Whenever You Need SomebodyRick Astley2[lower-alpha 7]
40Soft MetalVarious Artists7
41Hits 95
42To Whom It May ConcernThe Pasadenas3
43WatermarkEnya5
44Hits 8Various Artists2
45More Dirty Dancing3
46Give Me the ReasonLuther Vandross3
47Smash Hits Party '88Various Artists12
48WantedYazz3
49The Legendary Roy OrbisonRoy Orbison1
50Hot City NightsVarious Artists1

Notes:

  1. Reached number 1 in 1989
  2. Reached number 1 in 1987
  3. Reached number 1 in 1987
  4. Reached number 1 in 1987
  5. Reached number 2 in 1987
  6. Reached number 1 in 1987
  7. Reached number 1 in 1987

Classical music

Opera

Film and Incidental music

Musical films

Musical theatre

Births

Deaths

Music awards

BRIT Awards

The 1988 BRIT Awards winners were:

See also

References

  1. "Cutting Shapes – How House Music Really Hit The UK", Greg Wilson, 18 July 2013. Accessed 13 November 2013
  2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 477. ISBN 1-904994-10-5
  3. Idato, Michael (14 July 2005). "An institution turns 20". The Age. The Age Company. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
  4. Allmusic.com Sabrina biography. Accessed 13 November 2013
  5. Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 993–994. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  6. Alan Blyth, "Davis, Sir Andrew (Frank)", The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (London: Macmillan Publishers, 2001).
  7. "Gibb's Death Tied to Natural Causes". LA Times. UPI. 12 March 1988. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  8. Eurovision Song Contest 1988 BBC Archives
  9. "1988 The Number One Singles". Official Charts Company.
  10. Scaping, Peter, ed. (1991). "Top 100 Singles: 1988". BPI YearBook 1989/90. London, England: British Phonographic Industry. pp. 64–65. ISBN 978-0-9061-5410-6.
  11. Scaping, Peter, ed. (1991). "Top 100 Albums: 1988". BPI YearBook 1989/90. London, England: British Phonographic Industry. pp. 66–67. ISBN 978-0-9061-5410-6.
  12. Volkov, Solomon: Shostakovich and Stalin: The Extraordinary Relationship Between the Great Composer and the Brutal Dictator. Knopf 2004. ISBN 0-375-41082-1
  13. "The guide to musical theatre".
  14. Walker, Kathrine Sorley, "Ashton, Sir Frederick William Mallandaine (1904–1988)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 31 March 2013 (subscription or UK public library membership required)
  15. McLean, Hugh (June 1989). "H. Hugh Bancroft". The American Organist. 23 (6): 49–51.
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