40 31 ETERNAL FLAME –•– The Bangles – 15 (1)
Susannah Hoffs & Co.'s chart-topping pop ballad on its final stop before leaving the top 40. It had a great run and with good reason: It's one damn touching tender love song.
39 40 DOWNTOWN –•– One 2 Many – 8 (39)
The only Hot 100 entry from this obscure Scandinavian trio which spent a short three weeks in the top 40 with this danceable pop tune with a nice lush piano intro. I very much enjoy it.
38 41 LITTLE JACKIE WANTS TO BE A STAR –•– Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam – 5 (38)
Two #1's in '87 with "Head to Toe" and "Lost in Emotion", but they were never able to reach those same heights afterward. Decent freestyle, but not nearly as good as those two aforementioned hits.
37 43 MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY –•– Natalie Cole – 5 (37)
Her next-to-last top 40 entry before the magic of technology allowed her to duet with her late father on "Unforgettable" two years later for her final hit. Great R&B ballad here.
36 42 POP SINGER –•– John Cougar Mellencamp – 3 (36)
"Never wanted to be no pop singer..." With these lyrics Mellencamp officially shed his "Johnny Cougar" past and reminded the music industry that he was his own man, and it translated into a very solid rock hit. 8/10
35 28 GIRL YOU KNOW IT’S TRUE –•– Milli Vanilli – 19 (2)
Rob and Fab's first big hit before they were exposed as phonies a year later, but did they still enjoy being stars for the moment?
34 23 ROCKET –•– Def Leppard – 11 (12)
"Rocket! Yeah! Satellite of love!" Lep's final "Hysteria" single and a stone cold Sludge classic.
33 36 I ONLY WANNA BE WITH YOU –•– Samantha Fox – 9 (33)
Samantha covering Dusty Springfield for her final top 40. It's no "Touch Me", "I Wanna Have Some Fun", or "Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)", but it's danceable enough.
32 39 SATISFIED –•– Richard Marx – 2 (32)
First single from his second album and a great slice of adult contemporary pop rock. He's really groovin' on this one.
31 29 A SHOULDER TO CRY ON –•– Tommy Page – 14 (29)
Teen pop artist who would hit the top of the charts a year later with "I'll Be Your Everything", but he had a couple of other minor hits, too, such as this more mild-mannered ballad. Average/fair.
30 33 VOICES OF BABYLON –•– The Outfield – 8 (30)
Title track from their 1989 album and probably my second favorite hit from these guys after "Your Love". Depending on my mood I sometimes actually prefer it to "Your Love". A definite 10/10 lite-AOR pop rock track.
29 34 CRY –•– Waterfront – 6 (29)
One-hit-wonder sophisti-pop duo with a mildy decent tune that actually squeaked into the top ten. A couple of questionable lyrics about a sixteen-year old, but still listenable.
28 21 THE LOOK –•– Roxette – 14 (1)
Per and Marie's first hit on its way down from #1. Like pretty much every single one of their hits, I can't say enough good things about this one. Crank it now and pay tribute to the greatness that is the late Marie Fredrikssen!
27 26 SEVENTEEN –•– Winger – 12 (26)
Lyrically creepy and problematic in these days of retrospect, but maybe only slightly less so when you realize 17 is technically within the age of consent in a lot of places? Regardless, it's a Sludge classic from Kip and the boys.
26 16 SINCERELY YOURS –•– Sweet Sensation & Romeo J.D – 15 (14)
Freestyle, and well done. Must've been something in the water in Miami back then because a lot this stuff is pretty good.
25 30 THROUGH THE STORM –•– Aretha Franklin & Elton John – 5 (25)
Not as good as her George Michael duet from two years prior, but she and Sir Elton do a decent enough job here.
24 27 WHERE ARE YOU NOW? –•– Synch – 24 (24)
Technically this is a Jimmy Harnen solo hit, but it's credited to his old band Synch which recorded this one back in '86 before it got re-recorded for Harnen's '89 album. REO Speedwagon-style AOR ballad, and a very good one at that.
23 32 BUFFALO STANCE –•– Neneh Cherry – 7 (23)
This one was a huge R&B dancefloor hit, but she never really had much success post-'89, did she? I enjoy this one somewhat.
22 11 HEAVEN HELP ME –•– Deon Estus – 12 (5)
George Michael/Wham!'s session bassist goes solo for his only Hot 100 entry, but a banger of a track it is--sounds almost new jack swing-ish. Very good/Excellent.
21 9 ROOM TO MOVE –•– Animotion – 13 (9)
They kind of had a revolving door of members post-"Obsession", and so here we have Richard Marx's then-wife Cynthia Rhodes replacing Astrid Plane and duetting with ex-Device singer Paul Engemann on the group's second-biggest hit. 8/10 for some fun dance pop.
20 25 CLOSE MY EYES FOREVER –•– Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne – 11 (20)
Speaking of duets, Lita and Ozzy's is up next and on its way up to top ten. That whole '88 album from Lita is a Sludge classic, IMO.
19 10 SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY –•– Fine Young Cannibals – 16 (1)
Another one of those ubiquitously catchy and somewhat overplayed earworms you can't get out of your head, but it's a new wave classic.
18 24 EVERLASTING LOVE –•– Howard Jones – 9 (18)
His second #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart after "No One Is to Blame", but it stopped just short of top ten on the Hot 100, peaking at #12. Shame, because it's my favorite of his hits.
17 4 FUNKY COLD MEDIA –•– Tone Loc – 11 (3)
Two huge booty-shaking rap hits (the first ever two rap hits to break a million copies sold, in fact). And then? Nada. But we'll always have this and "Wild Thing" to thank him for.
16 22 I’LL BE LOVING YOU (FOREVER) –•– New Kids On The Block – 7 (16)
Sappy boy band pop ballad, and their first #1. This one's definitely for the girls to fawn over, but it's surprisingly listenable.
15 20 EVERY LITTLE STEP –•– Bobby Brown – 8 (15)
Time for some new jack swing! Crank this one now and dance! Ya know it!
14 15 IKO IKO –•– The Belle Stars – 11 (14)
Originally recorded in the 1950's as "Jock-A-Mo" by some obscure blues singer with a few covers done by other artists, but it was the Belle Stars' '83 version that became the most successful, but only after being featured on the "Rain Man" movie soundtrack five years later. Danceable and fun.
13 13 CULT OF PERSONALITY –•– Living Colour – 10 (13)
Of course, us wrasslin' fans hear this one these days and immediately think of CM Punk, but it was a damn funky hard rock classic long before the Phil Brooks connection. Great classic video, too.
12 12 THINKING OF YOU –•– Sa-Fire – 15 (12)
Tearjerker freestyle ballad and her only top 40 hit. Very good/excellent.
11 17 ELECTRIC YOUTH –•– Debbie Gibson – 7 (11)
The title track from her '89 album fell just a spot short of top ten, but it's still very good even if it is just standard teen idol dance pop.
10 19 WIND BENEATH MY WINGS –•– Bette Midler – 11 (10)
Speaking of tearjerkers a couple of songs ago, better grab some hankies for this one. Bette's iconic "Beaches" soundtrack hit cracks the top ten on its way up to #1. Hey, Sludge: did you ever know that you're my hero?
9 18 PATIENCE –•– Guns N’ Roses – 6 (9)
Time to whistle and strum with Axl up next. G'n'R were untouchably good at the moment, and it shows here.
8 14 ROCK ON –•– Michael Damian – 9 (8)
David Essex took it to top five in the early 70's, but soap star Michael Damian took it all the way to #1. Both versions are very solid.
7 6 SECOND CHANCE –•– .38 Special – 14 (6)
You'd think "Hold On Loosely" or "Caught Up in You" were the bigger hits, but nope, post-Don Barnes .38 Special spawned the group's biggest single in the form of--you guessed it--a ballad. Southern-fried AOR at its best.
6 7 AFTER ALL –•– Cher & Peter Cetera – 10 (6)
Some good tender love duets in the 80's, and Peter Cetera was responsible for a few of 'em, this one included. 7/10
5 8 SOLDIER OF LOVE –•– Donny Osmond – 8 (5)
Bet the music industry had "Donny Osmond comeback" nowhere near their bingo cards for '89, yet here he is after a long chart absence, and with a huge dance hit that eclipsed much of his 70's solo stuff. Great song, IMO.
4 5 FOREVER YOUR GIRL –•– Paula Abdul – 10 (4)
And dance hits a-plenty there were on this countdown, including Paula's second chart-topper/title track. Just remember!
3 3 REAL LOVE –•– Jody Watley – 9 (3)
Her second biggest hit after "Looking For a New Love". Solid dancefloor R&B.
2 1 LIKE A PRAYER –•– Madonna – 9 (1)
Classic video, controversial burning crosses, killer gospel chorus. It's all just Madonna doing Madonna things and coming up with another classic dance hit.
1 2 I’LL BE THERE FOR YOU –•– Bon Jovi – 11 (1)
The Jove's fourth chart-topper in its lone week at #1. Say what you want about it, but it's a classic hair ballad.
