Billboard’s “The Hot 100” #1 Singles of 1989 – RANKED

Every year, songs shoot to the top of the charts, either for just one week, or for multiple weeks in a row. In a series of posts, we’re going to rank Billboard’s “The Hot 100” number one singles for each year of the 1980s and 1990s. Today, we’re looking at the year 1989.

Note: “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” by Poison started the year at number one, but it had previously also reached number one in 1988, and as is our rule, we will not include it here, since it was already included in our list for 1988.

As always, these lists are subjective, we’re not claiming to be the definitive ranking here. We’re not that important, but you are, so we hope seeing the below songs conjures up a friendly memory or two.

But first, to get you in the mood for the year 1989…

In March, the Exxon Valdez ran aground in Alaska’s Prince William Sound, spilling around 11 million gallons of crude oil into the ocean, and over 1000 miles of coastline were impacted.
In April, the Game Boy was officially released in Japan — it came to the Americas a few months later.
From April through June, students led demonstrations in Tiananmen Square in China, known as the Tiananmen Square protests, which led to many killings, with death toll estimates ranging from several hundred to several thousand.
The Berlin Wall was officially dismantled on November 9 when the head of the East German Communist Party announced that citizens of the German Democratic Republic could cross the border whenever they pleased.
The Cold War officially ended in December when US President George Bush met with Soviet Union president Mikhail Gorbachev at the Malta Summit.

In March, the Exxon Valdez ran aground in Alaska’s Prince William Sound, spilling around 11 million gallons of crude oil into the ocean, and over 1000 miles of coastline were impacted.
In April, the Game Boy was officially released in Japan — it came to the Americas a few months later.
From April through June, students led demonstrations in Tiananmen Square in China, known as the Tiananmen Square protests, which led to many killings, with death toll estimates ranging from several hundred to several thousand.
The Berlin Wall was officially dismantled on November 9 when the head of the East German Communist Party announced that citizens of the German Democratic Republic could cross the border whenever they pleased.
The Cold War officially ended in December when US President George Bush met with Soviet Union president Mikhail Gorbachev at the Malta Summit.

32. New Kids on the Block - I’ll Be Loving You (Forever)

This song was the group’s first single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and the lead vocals were sung by Jordan Knight.

31. Milli Vanilli - Girl I’m Gonna Miss You

This infamous lip-synching duo had three hits reach the #1 spot in the Hot 100, and this was just one of the three, though none of them are their most famous song, “Girl You Know It’s True.”

30. Michael Damian - Rock On

This single is a cover of the 1973 original by David Essex, and was also covered again in 2005 by Def Leppard.

29. Sheriff - When I’m With You

This song was originally released in 1983, but was only a minor hit at the time, but when a radio station in Minneapolis started playing it in late 1988, others picked it up and it was re-released, leading to a number one spot on the Hot 100.

28. Prince - Batdance

From the soundtrack for the film Batman, the song was a last minute replacement for a brooding track called “Dancing with the Devil” that was never released.

27. Milli Vanilli - Baby Don’t Forget My Number

This song was the first out of the three on this list from Milli Vanilli to make it to the number one spot on the Hot 100 chart, and was eventually certified Gold.

26. Debbie Gibson - Lost in Your Eyes

This single, which Gibson originally wrote in 1987, was her most successful on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, remaining at number one for three weeks.

25. Martika - Toy Soldiers

Martika wrote this song, inspired by a friend who was battling a cocaine addiction — she later stated the friend was able to overcome the addiction.

24. Mike and the Mechanics - The Living Years

This song addresses a son’s regret over unresolved conflict with his now-deceased father, and was inspired by one of the writers’ own experiences. It was nominated for four Grammy awards, including Song and Record of the Year.

23. Richard Marx - Satisfied

This song was the lead single from Marx’s highly anticipated second album — it debuted at #39 and climbed up to #1 over several weeks.

22. Milli Vanilli - Blame It on the Rain

Along with “Baby Don’t Forget My Number” above, Weird Al parodied this song in his “The Plumbing Song,” which was released in 1992.

21. New Kids on the Block - Hangin’ Tough

One of NKOTB’s most recognizable hits, the remixed version of the song is commonly used on Greatest Hits albums and features a guitar solo and heavier instrumentation.

20. Bad English - When I See You Smile

Written by Diane Warren, this power ballad was the band’s only US number one hit — it stayed at number one for two weeks.

19. Bon Jovi - I’ll Be There For You

This song is considered one of Bon Jovi’s signature songs, and became their fourth and final number one single (at least as of early 2021!).

18. Gloria Estefan - Don’t Wanna Lose You

This song earned Estefan a Grammy nomination, and she performed the song live at the Awards show in 1990. She also recorded a Spanish version of the song called “Si Voy a Perderte.”

17. Fine Young Cannibals - Good Thing

This song made its first appearance in the film Tin Men, in which FYC appeared as a nightclub band, performing this song along with three others.

16. Bobby Brown - My Prerogative

While recording his second album, Brown felt something was missing and decided to go to New York City, where he ended up recording this song, which is a response to all those who had criticized him for leaving New Edition.

15. Bette Midler - Wind Beneath My Wings

Though this song is famous for being in the movie Beaches, it’s actually a cover of a 1982 version by Kamahl, and was covered by many other people in the ’80s as well.

14. Paula Abdul - Forever Your Girl

David Fincher directed the music video for this song, which featured a young Elijah Wood playing a corporate executive.

13. Roxette - The Look

Per Gessle, one half of of the Swedish duo, stated that he wrote the song while learning to program a synthesizer, and that the sixteenth-note rhythm was inspired by ZZ Top.

12. Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy

Apparently, lead singer Roland Gift first tried recording the song in his regular voice, but no one liked it, so he revamped the lyrics and tried it in a falsetto style, and everyone loved it.

11. Phil Collins - Two Hearts

From the soundtrack for the film Buster, which Collins also starred in, this song won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song.

10. Janet Jackson - Miss You Much

The lead single off Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814 album, the song spent four weeks at number one, making it the longest-running number one single of the year.

9. Simply Red - If You Don’t Know Me By Now

Originally released in 1972 by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Patti LaBelle also made the song part of her concert repertoire in 1982.

8. Paula Abdul - Cold Hearted

David Fincher also directed the music video for this song, and the inspiration for the video came from Bob Fosse’s choreography in the film All That Jazz.

7. The Bangles - Eternal Flame

This song was inspired by the eternal flame at Elvis Presley’s gravesite, though the day the band visited his grave, the flame was actually not lit because it was raining.

6. Roxette - Listen To Your Heart

Gessle called this song their Big Bad Ballad — they specifically wrote this song to try to recreate the overblown American FM-rock sound. Guess it was a success!

5. Paula Abdul - Straight Up

The music video for this song garnered Abdul four MTV Video Music Awards — Abdul did the choreography herself, and it was also directed by David Fincher.

4. Billy Joel - We Didn’t Start the Fire

Joel references over 100 different headline events between 1949 (the year of Joel’s birth) and 1989 in this song, which was nominated for a Grammy for Record of the Year.

3. Richard Marx - Right Here Waiting

Marx wrote this song for his future wife as a love letter — and he wrote it in barely 20 minutes. He never intended it to be released publicly, but it ended up being his best-selling hit.

2. Phil Collins - Another Day in Paradise

Collins wrote this song about homelessness, and it ended up winning him a Grammy for Record of the Year, and was also nominated for multiple other awards.

1. Madonna - Like a Prayer

The music video caused a lot of drama thanks to its religious imagery, including stigmata, burning crosses, and Madonna kissing a saint — the Vatican even condemned the video.