Songs of the Year
Songs of the Year: 1989
It’s the end of the 80s, alternative and grunge are on the way, but first, here’s Chicago!
We’ve reached the end of the 80s, and change is in the air. Nirvana, Mother Love Bone and Soundgarden have established much of the grunge sound up in the Pacific northwest, the Pixies are blowing indie peoples’ minds with their soft/loud dynamic, and from merry old England comes the Stone Roses, progenitors of a new Britpop movement that would bloom in the near future.
None of that really affected the music listeners of the Billboard charts, however. The top song of 1989 was Chicago’s Look Away. Hardly cutting edge. Following up the once-venerable group were Bobby Brown with My Prerogative, Poison’s Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Straight Up from Paula Abdul and Miss You Much from Janet Jackson.
On the album charts, Bobby Brown ruled. His Don’t Be Cruel was the best performing and best-selling album of the year. The Raw & the Cooked from Fine Young Cannibals, Like a Prayer from Madonna and the Batman soundtrack also topped the charts in multiple weeks.
THE RULES: It’s a simple concept. We pick five of our favorite songs that made the Billboard Top 100 (established in 1958) during any time that year. We also select five “wildcards” that can be any songs released as a single or on an album or EP that year. Finally, we also pick our “worst” song of the year, just for fun.
We started in 1958 and we’re going until we run out of years.
Standings So Far …
In one of the closest battles we’ve had yet, Morrissey edged out Living Colour by a mere three votes, giving Kramzer another win. Jason’s pick of the Waterboys came in third, but had a strong showing as well. This week: an old guy faces off against a monumental debut and a beloved classic from one of the biggest “alternative” bands of the time.
Joe: 15
Jason: 12.5
Kramzer: 9.5
Vote
Which Was the Best Song of 1989?
- I Wanna Be Adored by The Stone Roses (44%, 99 Votes)
- Most of the Time by Bob Dylan (33%, 73 Votes)
- Hey by Pixies (23%, 52 Votes)
Total Voters: 224
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My favorite songs of 1989:
Rank-Title-Artist
1. ARMAGEDDON IT – DEF LEPPARD
2. HEADED FOR A HEARTBREAK – WINGER
3. SOWING IN THE SEEDS OF LOVE – TEARS FOR FEARS
4. EDIE (CIAO BABY) – CULT
5. VOICES OF BABYLON – OUTFIELD
6. RUNNIN’ DOWN A DREAM – TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS
7. WALKING AWAY – INFORMATION SOCIETY
8. BUFFALO STANCE – NENEH CHERRY
9. ROCKET – DEF LEPPARD
10. DON’T LOOK BACK – FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS
11. COMING HOME – CINDERELLA
12. KISSES ON THE WIND – NENEH CHERRY
13. DON’T RUSH ME – TAYLOR DAYNE
14. GIRL YOU KNOW IT’S TRUE – MILLI VANILLI
15. GLAMOUR BOYS – LIVING COLOUR
16. LOVE IN AN ELEVATOR – AEROSMITH
17. ANGEL OF HARLEM – U2
18. THE LOOK – ROXETTE
19. WAY COOL JR. – RATT
20. LOVE SHACK – B-52’S
21. ROCK ‘N’ ROLL GIRLS – KATRINA AND THE WAVES
22. RONI – BOBBY BROWN
23. THIS TIME I KNOW IT’S FOR REAL – DONNA SUMMER
24. POP SONG ’89 – R.E.M
25. ORINOCO FLOW (SAIL AWAY) – ENYA
26. I WON’T BACK DOWN – TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS
27. ROCK AND A HARD PLACE – ROLLING STONES
28. SMOOTH CRIMINAL – MICHAEL JACKSON
29. CULT OF PERSONALITY – LIVING COLOUR
30. MY ONE TEMPTATION – MICA PARIS
31. THE PRISONER – HOWARD JONES
32. THE BEST – TINA TURNER
33. CHERISH – MADONNA
34. IT’S ALRIGHT – PET SHOP BOYS
35. BETWEEN SOMETHING AND NOTHING – OCEAN BLUE
36. REAL LOVE – JODY WATLEY
37. BACK TO LIFE – SOUL II SOUL
38. GET ON YOUR FEET – GLORIA ESTEFAN
39. EVERLASTING LOVE – HOWARD JONES
40. DRIVEN OUT – THE FIXX
More of my favorite songs of 1989:
Rank-Title-Artist
41. VERONICA – ELVIS COSTELLO
42. MORE THAN YOU KNOW – MARTIKA
43. THE DOCTOR – DOOBIE BROTHERS
44. LULLABY – CURE
45. BUST A MOVE – YOUNG MC
46. DRESSED FOR SUCCESS – ROXETTE
47. FADING AWAY – WILL TO POWER
48. COLD HEARTED – PAULA ABDUL
49. LOVE HAS TAKEN IT’S TOLL – SARAYA
50. SATISFIED – RICHARD MARX
51. MAYOR OF SIMPLETON – XTC
52. FASCINATION STREET – CURE
53. IT’S JUST THE WAY THAT YOU LOVE ME – PAULA ABDUL
54. BORN TO BE MY BABY – BON JOVI
55. THE WAY YOU LOVE ME – KAREN WHITE
56. MY BRAVE FACE – PAUL MCCARTNEY
57. I’LL BE YOU – REPLACEMENTS
58. HEY BABY – HENRY LEE SUMMER
59. FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY – BULLETBOYS
60. LEAVE A LIGHT ON FOR ME – BELINDA CARLISLE
61. STRAIGHT UP – PAULA ABDUL
62. EXPRESS YOURSELF – MADONNA
63. DOWNTOWN – ONE 2 MANY
64. NOW YOU’RE IN HEAVEN – JULIAN LENNON
65. CUDDLY TOY (FEEL FOR ME) – ROACHFORD
66. ALL SHE WANTS IS – DURAN DURAN
67. I DROVE ALL NIGHT – CYNDI LAUPER
68. FIRE WOMAN – CULT
69. MISS YOU MUCH – JANET JACKSON
70. A LITTLE RESPECT – ERASURE
71. POP SINGER – JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP
72. STAND UP – SIREN
73. ROOMS ON FIRE – STEVIE NICKS
74. I’LL BE THERE FOR YOU – BON JOVI
75. WITH EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART – TAYLOR DAYNE
76. LOVE CRIES – STAGE DOLLS
77. CHANNEL Z – B-52’S
78. LIKE A PRAYER – MADONNA
79. DR. FEELGOOD – MOTLEY CRUE
80. OPEN LETTER TO A LANDLORD – LIVING COLOUR
81. RADAR LOVE – WHITE LION
82. SEVENTEEN – WINGER
83. YO NO SE – PAJAMA PARTY
84. I’M A BELIEVER – GIANT
85. YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET – FIGURES ON A BEACH
86. FOREVER YOUR GIRL – PAULA ABDUL
87. WHEN LOVE COMES TO TOWN – U2 WITH B.B. KING
88. ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY – GREAT WHITE
89. I WANNA BE THE ONE – STEVIE B
90. WALKIN’ SHOES – TORA TORA
91. GOOD LIFE – INNER CITY
92. MY PREROGATIVE – BOBBY BROWN
93. MIXED EMOTIONS – ROLLING STONES
94. FEELS SO GOOD – VAN HALEN
95. LOVE SONG – CURE
96. IT’S ONLY LOVE – SIMPLY RED
97. LITTLE FIGHTER – WHITE LION
98. BLAME IT ON THE RAIN – MILLI VANNILLI
99. WHAT I AM – EDIE BRICKELL & THE NEW BOHEMIANS
100. TWO HEARTS – PHIL COLLINS
More of my favorites of 1989:
Rank-Title-Artist
101. KEEP ON MOVIN’ – SOUL II SOUL
102. ANGELIA – RICHARD MARX
103. HOOKED ON YOU – SWEET SENSATION
104. CLOSER TO FINE – INDIGO GIRLS
105. SUGAR DADDY – THOMPSON TWINS
106. 18 AND LIFE – SKID ROW
107. I WANNA HAVE SOME FUN – SAMANTHA FOX
108. GOOD THING – FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS
109. TOY SOLDIERS – MARTIKA
110. PRETENDING – ERIC CLAPTON
111. THE INVISIBLE MAN – DANCE WITH A STRANGER
112. OVER AND OVER – PAJAMA PARTY
113. WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE – BILLY JOEL
114. LAY YOUR HANDS ON ME – BON JOVI
115. FRIENDS – JODY WATLEY
116. IT’S NOT ENOUGH – STARSHIP
117. ALL IS FORGIVEN – (RED) SIREN
118. THE LIVING YEARS – MIKE & THE MECHANICS
119. LIVING IN SIN – BON JOVI
120. HEAVEN – WARRANT
121. IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME – CHER
122. YOU GOT IT (THE RIGHT STUFF) – NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
123. NO SOUVENIRS – MELISSA ETHERIDGE
124. WILD WORLD – MAXI PRIEST
125. FORGET ME NOT – BAD ENGLISH
126. YOUR MAMA DON’T DANCE – POISON
127. ONE NIGHT – BAD COMPANY
128. GOD IS A BULLET – CONCRETE BLONDE
129. I WANNA BE LOVED – HOUSE OF LORDS
130. THIS IS ACID – MAURICE
131. ROCK ON – MICHAEL DAMIAN
132. THAT’S THE WAY – KATRINA & THE WAVES
133. RIGHT HERE WAITING – RICHARD MARX
134. I WANT IT ALL – QUEEN
135. PARTYMAN – PRINCE
136. GET ON THE DANCE FLOOR – ROB BASE & DJ EZ ROCK
137. MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY – NATALIE COLE
138. HOLDING ON – STEVE WINWOOD
139. I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE – MARTIKA
140. SMOOTH UP – BULLETBOYS
141. PARADISE CITY – GUNS N’ ROSES
142. IF YOU LEAVE ME NOW – JAYA
143. SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY – FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS
144. STAND – R.E.M
145. LEFT TO MY OWN DEVICES – PET SHOP BOYS
146. SECOND CHANCE – .38 SPECIAL
147. LISTEN TO YOUR HEART – ROXETTE
148. HOOKS IN YOU – MARILLION
149. CALL IT LOVE – POCO
150. HEAVEN HELP ME – DEON ESTUS WITH GEORGE MICHAEL
151. ONE – METALLICA
152. IKO IKO – BELLE STARS
153. IT’S NO SECRET – KYLIE MINOGUE
154. THE LOVER IN ME – SHEENA EASTON
155. I DON’T WANT A LOVER – TEXAS
156. CLOSE MY EYES FOREVER – LITA FORD WITH OZZY OSBOURNE
157. DON’T MAKE ME OVER – SYBIL
158. HEARTS ON FIRE – STEVE WINWOOD
159. BATDANCE – PRINCE
160. TALK IT OVER – GRAYSON HUGH
161. SOLD ME DOWN THE RIVER – ALARM
162. ROCK WIT’ CHA – BOBBY BROWN
163. I’M LIFE – FIXX
164. JUST GOT PAID – JOHNNY KEMP
165. PERFECT – FAIRGROUND ATTRACTION
166. ONE – BEE GEES
167. SEE THE LIGHT – JEFF HEALEY
168. END OF THE LINE – TRAVELING WILBURYS
169. GREAT COMMANDMENT – CAMOUFLAGE
170. YOU’RE MY ONE AND ONLY (TRUE LOVE) – SEDUCTION
171. DON’T KNOW MUCH – LINDA RONSTADT & AARON NEVILLE
172. BABY BABY – EIGHTH WONDER
173. ROUND AND ROUND – NEW ORDER
174. JOY AND PAIN – ROB BASE & DJ EZ ROCK
175. THE DIFFERENT STORY – PETER SCHILLING
176. BE WITH YOU – BANGLES
177. HEALING HANDS – ELTON JOHN
178. I ONLY WANNA BE WITH YOU – SAMANTHA FOX
179. ANY OTHER FOOL – SADAO WATANABE WITH PATTI AUSTIN
180. WHEN I SEE YOU SMILE – BAD ENGLISH
181. TOUCH THE FIRE – ICEHOUSE
182. THE LAST WORTHLESS EVENING – DON HENLEY
183. I CAN’T FACE THE FACT – GINA GO-GO
184. BABY DON’T FORGET MY NUMBER – MILLI VANILLI
185. ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE – PHIL COLLINS
186. TALK TO MYSELF – CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS
187. ARMS OF ORION – PRINCE
188. YOUTH GONE WILD – SKID ROW
189. NEED A LITTLE TASTE OF LOVE – DOOBIE BROTHERS
190. TROUBLE ME – 10,000 MANIACS
191. SO ALIVE – LOVE & ROCKETS
192. CRAZY ABOUT HER – ROD STEWART
193. IF YOU DON’T KNOW ME BY NOW – SIMPLY RED
194. THE END OF INNOCENSE – DON HENLEY
195. HUNGRY – WINGER
196. THAT’S WHEN I THINK OF YOU – 1927
197. 500 MILES – HOOTERS
198. GOT IT MADE – CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG
199. BIRTHDAY SUIT – JOHNNY KEMP
200. CHIP AWAY THE STONE – AEROSMITH