Singer Rick Astley
English vocalist Rick Astley (pictured in 2009) had two number ones in 1988.

Adult Contemporary is a chart published by Billboard ranking the top-performing songs in the United States in the adult contemporary music (AC) market. In 1988, 22 songs topped the chart, then published under the title Hot Adult Contemporary, based on playlists submitted by radio stations.[1]

In the year's first issue of Billboard the number one song was "Got My Mind Set on You" by George Harrison, which was in its third week at number one.[2] It held the top spot for two weeks in 1988 before being displaced by "Everywhere" by British-American rock group Fleetwood Mac. In March, actor Patrick Swayze reached number one with the song "She's Like the Wind", featuring Wendy Fraser, taken from the soundtrack of the film Dirty Dancing, in which he starred.[3] It was the second AC chart-topper from the film, following "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, which had reached number one the previous year.[4] British singer Phil Collins topped the chart with two songs from the soundtrack of the film Buster, in which he played the lead role,[5] reaching the top spot with his rendition of the 1960s song "A Groovy Kind of Love" and the original track "Two Hearts".

Gloria Estefan and her band Miami Sound Machine were the only act to have three number ones during the year, but they were the final three hits on which Miami Sound Machine received separate billing; all Estefan's subsequent hits were credited to her alone.[6] The Latin-influenced group spent a total of five weeks at number one, tying with Whitney Houston and Phil Collins for the most time spent atop the chart by an act during 1988. Collins and Houston each achieved their total with two number ones; British vocalists Rick Astley and George Michael were the only other acts with multiple chart toppers during the year. The year's longest unbroken run at number one was achieved by Peter Cetera, whose song "One Good Woman" spent four weeks in the top spot in the fall. Chicago, the group which Cetera had fronted for nearly two decades before leaving in 1985,[7] achieved its first number one since his departure when "Look Away" spent a single week in the top spot in December.[8] The final Hot Adult Contemporary number one of 1988 was "Two Hearts" by Phil Collins, which held the top spot for the last two weeks of the year.

Chart history

Singer Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine had three number ones in 1988, the most by any act.
American rock band Chicago's song "Look Away" spent one week at number one.
Singer Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston tied for the highest number of weeks at number one by an act, spending five weeks in the top spot.
British-American rock band Foreigner (vocalist Lou Gramm pictured) spent one week at number one with the song "I Don't Want to Live Without You".
Actor Patrick Swayze
Actor Patrick Swayze topped the chart with "She's Like the Wind", from the soundtrack of his film Dirty Dancing.
Key
Indicates best-performing AC song of 1988[9]


Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 2 "Got My Mind Set on You" George Harrison [2]
January 9 [10]
January 16 "Everywhere" Fleetwood Mac [11]
January 23 [12]
January 30 [13]
February 6 "Could've Been" Tiffany [14]
February 13 "Can't Stay Away from You" † Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine [15]
February 20 "Seasons Change" Exposé [16]
February 27 "She's Like the Wind" Patrick Swayze featuring Wendy Fraser [17]
March 5 [18]
March 12 "Never Gonna Give You Up" Rick Astley [19]
March 19 [20]
March 26 [21]
April 2 "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" Whitney Houston [22]
April 9 [23]
April 16 [24]
April 23 "Anything for You" Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine [25]
April 30 [26]
May 7 [27]
May 14 "I Don't Want to Live Without You" Foreigner [28]
May 21 "Shattered Dreams" Johnny Hates Jazz [29]
May 28 "One More Try" George Michael [30]
June 4 [31]
June 11 [32]
June 18 "The Valley Road" Bruce Hornsby and the Range [33]
June 25 "Make It Real" The Jets [34]
July 2 [35]
July 9 [36]
July 16 "Make Me Lose Control" Eric Carmen [37]
July 23 [38]
July 30 [39]
August 6 "Roll with It" Steve Winwood [40]
August 13 [41]
August 20 "I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That" Elton John [42]
August 27 "1-2-3" Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine [43]
September 3 "One Good Woman" Peter Cetera [44]
September 10 [45]
September 17 [46]
September 24 [47]
October 1 "It Would Take a Strong Strong Man" Rick Astley [48]
October 8 "A Groovy Kind of Love" Phil Collins [49]
October 15 [50]
October 22 [51]
October 29 "One Moment in Time" Whitney Houston [52]
November 5 [53]
November 12 "How Can I Fall?" Breathe [54]
November 19 [55]
November 26 "Kissing a Fool" George Michael [56]
December 3 "Look Away" Chicago [57]
December 10 "Giving You the Best That I Got" Anita Baker [58]
December 17 "Waiting for a Star to Fall" Boy Meets Girl [59]
December 24 "Two Hearts" Phil Collins [60]
December 31 [61]

References

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2007). Joel Whitburn Presents Billboard Top Adult Songs, 1961-2006. Record Research Incorporated. p. vi. ISBN 9780898201697.
  2. ^ a b "Adult Contemporary chart for January 2, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  3. ^ Eames, Tom (October 2, 2018). "The Story of... 'She's Like the Wind' by Patrick Swayze". Smooth Radio. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  4. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 21, 1987". Billboard. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  5. ^ Hutchinson, Tom. "Buster Review". Radio Times. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  6. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Joel Whitburn's Top Adult Contemporary, 1961-2001. Record Research Incorporated. p. 87. ISBN 9780898201499.
  7. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Peter Cetera Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  8. ^ "Chicago Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  9. ^ "Billboard Adult Contemporary Year End, 1988". Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  10. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 9, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  11. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 16, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  12. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 23, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  13. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 30, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  14. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 6, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  15. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 13, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  16. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 20, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  17. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 27, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  18. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 5, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  19. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 12, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  20. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 19, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  21. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 26, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  22. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 2, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  23. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 9, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  24. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 16, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  25. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 23, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  26. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 30, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  27. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 7, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  28. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 14, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  29. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 21, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  30. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 28, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  31. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 4, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  32. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 11, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  33. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 18, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  34. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 25, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  35. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 2, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  36. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 9, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  37. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 16, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  38. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 23, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  39. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 30, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  40. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 6, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  41. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 13, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  42. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 20, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  43. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 27, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  44. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 3, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  45. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 10, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  46. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 17, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  47. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 24, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  48. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 1, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  49. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 8, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  50. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 15, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  51. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 22, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  52. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 29, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  53. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 5, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  54. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 12, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  55. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 19, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  56. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 26, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  57. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 3, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  58. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 10, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  59. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 17, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  60. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 24, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  61. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 31, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2019.

See also