Billboard 1988: The Rankdown (Winner Revealed)

[singingrulebritannia]

I love a sugary pop song every once in a while but "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" is soooo sweet and simplistic I feel uncomfortable listening to it. It's like it was made for a kindergarten sing-along

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

why is Whitney still standing?!?!

[Unhinged]

#6

So Emotional

Whitney Houston

Total Points: 2336

Billboard Hot 100: 1⁽¹⁾

Billboard Top 100 of 1988: 6

From: Whitney

This was released as the 3^rd single from her sophomore release Whitney. It hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 the week ending January 9, 1988 becoming her 6^th consecutive No. 1. It was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, who also wrote Madonna's "Like a Virgin," Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors," Heart's "Alone," and The Bangles "Eternal Flame," all of which were No. 1 hits in the US.

It lands at the same position on both the Billboard list and the rankdown list.

Az Paynter loses his No. 1 and for the first time we see a song that did not place below No. 60 on any of your lists exit the rankdown...

🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 5
Butterflies & Hurricanes  - 43
craziaskowboi - 20
mamooshka - 4
campbellssoup - 32
gonecountry - 60
newpower  - 16
tallen2001  - 4
singingrulebritannia - 34
God - 31
@crapkuki23 - 22
astorknight - 36
Alex1901 - 34
Doc Indie Party Rock  - 60
Mic Technique - 39
Sambalada - 18
narp - 31
Az Paynter - 1
rgreen0625 - 41
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 54
Cody Wants Out...  - 17
peacebone - 29
Mirago - 40
rowellfarm490  - 27
Red - 41
Ky - 8
Glove Slap  - 10
@antigonerising  - 18 
Zeebz - 3
Juanca - 16
Unhinged - 7

[singingrulebritannia]

Dec 4, 2018 9:59:27 GMT -5 Butterflies & Hurricanes said:

why is Whitney still standing?!?!

Well, there you have it lol

[Glove Slap]

Same placement as HWIK for '86 and IWDWS in '87.

666, looks like all that Gospel training had its price...

[Juanca]

Dec 4, 2018 5:59:05 GMT -5 craziaskowboi said:

"Just Like Heaven" - The Cure
(#40 - January 9, 1988)




Three more...

YESSS!!!
A hit back home, although not as big as Why Can’t I be you. However, with time it has earned much more recurrent AirPlay than Why. It was a runner-up in my personal chart, and with time it’s also become one of my favorite Cure songs. The music, melody, vocals are all haunting and work in unison to take you to a dreamy musical journey. Great 80s tune!

[Unhinged]

#5

Fast Car

Tracy Chapman

Total Points: 2358

Billboard Hot 100: 6

Billboard Top 100 of 1988: 76

From: Tracy Chapman

It was her performance of this song at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute that propelled it to the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked the week ending August 27, 1988 at No. 6. It received 2 Grammy Award nominations for Record of the Year and Song of the Year and would remain her highest charting single in the US until 1996 when she took "Give Me One Reason" to No. 3.

This received 6 No. 1 placements 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 , singingrulebritannia , astorknight , rgreen0625 , rowellfarm490 and Ky ), more than any other...

🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾  - 1 
Butterflies & Hurricanes - 3
craziaskowboi - 48
mamooshka - 50
campbellssoup - 44
gonecountry - 4
newpower - 53
tallen2001 - 12
singingrulebritannia - 1
God - 42
@crapkuki23 - 7
astorknight - 1
Alex1901 - 20
Doc Indie Party Rock - 99
Mic Technique - 28
Sambalada - 2
narp - 19
Az Paynter - 6
rgreen0625 - 1
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 87
Cody Wants Out... - 47
peacebone - 6
Mirago - 19
rowellfarm490 - 1
Red - 7
Ky - 1
Glove Slap - 31
@antigonerising - 79
Zeebz - 8
Juanca - 32
Unhinged - 14

[Glove Slap]

Mar 26, 2018 14:32:51 GMT -5 Glove Slap said:

Mar 26, 2018 13:53:50 GMT -5 @antigonerising said:

I have never and will never be a fan of Tracy Chapman. Fast Car was aiight but Give Me One Reason was the most annoying "you don't love yourself" s**t. Hated that song. Don't like the tone of her voice. Do not use.

Back to the Axis of Evil pits of hell I go.

I will always associate her with that episode of The Office where they're doing a raffle for Springsteen tickets and Darryl is being interviewed, and he says something along the lines of "Michael gave me a playlist of his ten favorite Springsteen songs. Three were from Huey Lewis & The News and one was Tracy Chapman 'Fast Car'."

[peacebone]

Nov 21, 2018 18:53:12 GMT -5 peacebone said:

1. What songs do you expect to see in the top 5?
"Faith", "Need You Tonight", "Father Figure", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Fast Car"

Just going to note that I correctly predicted this top 5

(I also predicted it in the order they'd go out from #1-5, and I'm 1/1 so far on that note)

[singingrulebritannia]

Dec 4, 2018 10:27:23 GMT -5 Unhinged said:

This received 6 No. 1 placements 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 , singingrulebritannia , astorknight , rgreen0625 , rowellfarm490 and Ky ), more than any other...

My creeeeeeeeeew
We did it we strong-armed this song to the top 5

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

Dec 4, 2018 10:27:23 GMT -5 Unhinged said:

#5

Fast Car

Tracy Chapman

Doc Indie Party Rock - 99
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 87
@antigonerising - 79

all your tanking couldn't stop this from reaching the Top 5!

never expected it to win anyway

[Unhinged]

#4

Faith

George Michael

Total Points: 2456

Billboard Hot 100: 1⁽⁴⁾

Billboard Top 100 of 1988: 1

From: Faith

 Billboards No. 1 song of 1988 was released in October of 1987, reaching the top of the Billboard Hot 100 by December 12^th where it would remain for 4 consecutive weeks. It was written, arranged, and produced by Michael and incorporates the famous "Bo Diddley" beat.

mamooshka and Sambalada now say good-bye to their No. 1's...

🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 2
Butterflies & Hurricanes - 28
craziaskowboi - 89
mamooshka - 1
campbellssoup - 33
gonecountry - 31
newpower - 11
tallen2001 - 28
singingrulebritannia - 22
God - 22
@crapkuki23 - 9
astorknight - 9
Alex1901 - 85
Doc Indie Party Rock - 10
Mic Technique - 7
Sambalada - 1
narp - 2
Az Paynter - 4
rgreen0625 - 28
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 64
Cody Wants Out... - 2
peacebone - 16
Mirago - 24
rowellfarm490 - 17
Red - 13
Ky - 29
Glove Slap - 11
@antigonerising - 41
Zeebz - 17
Juanca - 13
Unhinged - 6

[peacebone]

well s**t I thought this was a lock to win, I'm glad Father Figure is higher though.

I'm down to my 1, 11, and 25...I think I know which song I'd like to see score the win.

[Glove Slap]

Oh very pleasant surprise for this to be out here.

My top 3 is the top 3 :kii: .

[Alex1901]

Ayyyy finally!!! I mean it's not that bad of a song, but it's not top 5 worthy at all. 

1,5 and 13

[Juanca]

Dec 4, 2018 9:58:31 GMT -5 singingrulebritannia said:

I love a sugary pop song every once in a while but "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" is soooo sweet and simplistic I feel uncomfortable listening to it. It's like it was made for a kindergarten sing-along

That’s interesting :)
Of course all of us have our own different perceptions of the same song, and I’m all with you on the extra sweetness of the song—but I never saw it as simplistic.
I thought that the use of children vocals was a deliberate effort to hone in the message of the lyrics, but the good thing for me is that the song construction resembles more a rock pop song than a ballad. Not only the beat but also the instruments. It wasn’t a song built around a Casio organ that would sound like Greatest Love of All on a cheese indigestion, or a subdued ‘let’s look at the stars and sing Kumbaya’ style of Toy Soldier or Hands to heaven. Even though it started as an acapella (brave), the music then takes you on a journey on its own, with dynamic bass, guitars and drums that keeps you involved. Specially after the third chorus, when the musical bridge appears and the kid voices are surrounded by pop-rock music, then the bridge comes back with slightly less music, then the drums section come back before taking the notes up a notch for the last part of the song.
So yeah, I don’t see this as anything more simplistic than most of the remaining songs in the top 10 (eg Fast car, Faith, Need you tonight, Way you make me feel), although they may have other qualities (eg being much less sweet ).
Just my opinion :)

[Juanca]

Dec 4, 2018 8:53:26 GMT -5 Unhinged said:

#9

Shattered Dreams

Johnny Hates Jazz

Total Points: 2263

Billboard Hot 100: 2⁽³⁾

Billboard Top 100 of 1988: 26

From: Turn Back the Clock

Spending 3 non-consecutive weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 (a rare feat in the late 80's) this was released in the UK in March of 1987 but did not make its way across the Atlantic until a full year later. Its music video was directed by David Fincher and was shot entirely in black and white.

🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 and I score perfect ranks with this leaving...

🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 73
Butterflies & Hurricanes - 13
craziaskowboi - 21
mamooshka - 35
campbellssoup - 18
gonecountry - 23
newpower - 5
tallen2001 - 13
singingrulebritannia - 17
God - 32
@crapkuki23 - 38
astorknight - 4
Alex1901 - 15
Doc Indie Party Rock  - 22
Mic Technique - 31
Sambalada - 84
narp - 10
Az Paynter - 18
rgreen0625 - 27
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 9
Cody Wants Out...  - 19
peacebone - 2
Mirago - 35
rowellfarm490  - 21
Red - 20
Ky - 22
Glove Slap  - 17
@antigonerising  - 7
Zeebz - 82
Juanca - 36
Unhinged - 9

Curious tidbit. Back home this song gained even more popularity because it was presented as the theme song to the popular TV series ‘Beauty and the beast’. It was played in all commercials for that TV series and with the opening credits of the series.

[Deleted]

Dec 4, 2018 10:37:46 GMT -5 Butterflies & Hurricanes said:

Dec 4, 2018 10:27:23 GMT -5 Unhinged said:

#5

Fast Car

Tracy Chapman

Doc Indie Party Rock - 99
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 87
@antigonerising - 79

all your tanking couldn't stop this from reaching the Top 5!

never expected it to win anyway

I don't consider #79 a tank lol, certainly not an intentional one. If I truly hated it that much, I would have had it bottom 10.

[Unhinged]

#3

The Way You Make Me Feel

Michael Jackson

Total Points: 2479

Billboard Hot 100: 1⁽¹⁾

Billboard Top 100 of 1988: 35

From: Bad

"The Way You Make Me Feel" was released in early November of 1987 as the 3^rd single from Bad, reaching its peak of No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week ending January 23, 1988. 

It also topped the Hot Black Singles and Hot Dance Club Play charts.

I lose my No. 1 and Glove Slap and Cody Wants Out... join me in my misery. Also handing out 4 perfect ranks with this leaving...

🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 6
Butterflies & Hurricanes - 22
craziaskowboi - 12
mamooshka - 3
campbellssoup - 29
gonecountry - 62
newpower - 3
tallen2001 - 16
singingrulebritannia - 16
God  - 23 
@crapkuki23 - 3
astorknight - 24
Alex1901 - 13
Doc Indie Party Rock - 66
Mic Technique - 60
Sambalada - 7
narp - 16
Az Paynter - 16
rgreen0625 - 3
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 59
Cody Wants Out... - 1
peacebone - 25
Mirago - 10
rowellfarm490 - 6
Red - 10
Ky - 45
Glove Slap  - 1
@antigonerising  - 29
Zeebz - 19
Juanca  - 47
Unhinged - 1

[Glove Slap]

Unfortunate this couldn't take the top spot, but I can't really complain since I had the remaining two right behind.

My favorite Bad single has shifted a few times, but in recent years this one has moved out forward. There's a pacing of its groove that really makes it unique, both among his catalog and most popular music overall.

[Unhinged]

The Top 2

So here we are again at the final two of a Billboard 80's rankdown.

I figured INXS would end here, either in the top or runner up spot and I was hoping to see MJ (of course), but I'm so glad George Michael was able to sneak in as 1988 really was his year.

Sort of crazy that the lead singers on the Top 3 songs have all left us: RIP Michael Jackson, George Michael and Michael Hutchence.

I'd like to say that it was a close race but the winner absolutely took this rankdown with a nearly 200 point lead...the biggest since Prince owned 1984 with "When Doves Cry."

So here it is...

#2

Father Figure

George Michael

Total Points: 2572

Billboard Hot 100: 1⁽²⁾

Billboard Top 100 of 1988: 27

From: Faith

This stunning single was released in late December of 1987 while he was still at No. 1 with "Faith." It would reach the summit of the Billboard Hot 100 the week ending February 27, 1988 where it remained for 2 weeks. In addition, it managed Top 40 peaks in 20 countries.

18 Top 10's fall with this leaving and Glove Slap finally grabs a perfect rank after many attempts...

🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 17
Butterflies & Hurricanes - 16
craziaskowboi - 36
mamooshka - 17
campbellssoup - 53
gonecountry - 74
newpower - 9
tallen2001 - 85
singingrulebritannia - 8
God - 5
@crapkuki23 - 8
astorknight - 13
Alex1901 - 5
Doc Indie Party Rock - 20
Mic Technique - 5
Sambalada - 5
narp - 68
Az Paynter - 8
rgreen0625 - 6
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 10
Cody Wants Out... - 7
peacebone - 11
Mirago - 6
rowellfarm490 - 7
Red - 6
Ky - 11
Glove Slap - 2
@antigonerising - 3
Zeebz - 10
Juanca - 18
Unhinged - 10

#1

Need You Tonight

INXS

Total Points: 2726

Billboard Hot 100: 1⁽¹⁾

Billboard Top 100 of 1988: 2

From: Kick

Billboard's No. 2 song of the year is this rankdowns No. 1 and was issued as the lead single from the groups album Kick. It peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week ending January 30, 1988 (kicking "The Way You Make Me Feel" from the top) becoming the groups only No. 1 in the US.

This placed inside the Top 55 on every list (the only song to do so) and congratulations go to Butterflies & Hurricanes , Alex1901 and peacebone on your p-p-p-p-p-perfect ranks!

🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾  - 28
Butterflies & Hurricanes - 1
craziaskowboi - 19
mamooshka - 6
campbellssoup - 4
gonecountry - 6
newpower - 6
tallen2001 - 52
singingrulebritannia - 21
God - 2
@crapkuki23 - 10
astorknight - 3
Alex1901 - 1
Doc Indie Party Rock  - 38
Mic Technique - 12
Sambalada - 25
narp - 12
Az Paynter - 31
rgreen0625  - 5 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 15
Cody Wants Out...  - 9
peacebone - 1
Mirago - 4
rowellfarm490   - 2
Red - 5
Ky - 50
Glove Slap   - 3
@antigonerising  - 9
Zeebz - 2
Juanca - 19
Unhinged - 4

That's it folks!

Hope you enjoyed the rankdown!

Thanks for participating and for all the wonderful conversation that took place about this awesome year in music!

Moving along to the Billboard 1989 Rankdown and submissions are now due December 15^th!

Stay tuned for the soon to be launched Billboard 1980 Rankdown as well.

Sorry for not tagging those that wished to be tagged as observers, I suck...=P

The Billboard 1988 Rankdown

Need You Tonight - INXS
Father Figure - George Michael
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
Faith - George Michael
Fast Car - Tracy Chapman
So Emotional - Whitney Houston
Man In The Mirror - Michael Jackson
What Have I Done To Deserve This? - Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield
Shattered Dreams - Johnny Hates Jazz
Heaven Is A Place On Earth - Belinda Carlisle
Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
New Sensation - INXS
Dirty Diana - Michael Jackson
Always On My Mind - Pet Shop Boys
Tell It To My Heart - Taylor Dayne
Never Tear Us Apart - INXS
What's On Your Mind - Information Society
Valerie - Steve Winwood
Devil Inside - INXS
One More Try - George Michael
Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leppard
Wishing Well - Terence Trent d'Arby
Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley
Don't You Want Me - Jody Watley
Hazy Shade Of Winter - Bangles
Monkey - George Michael
Electric Blue - Icehouse
Sign Your Name - Terence Trent d'Arby
Love Bites - Def Leppard

Don't Be Cruel - Bobby Brown
I Found Someone - Cher
I Hate Myself For Loving You - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Kissing A Fool - George Michael
Is This Love - Whitesnake
Got My Mind Set On You - George Harrison
Girlfriend - Pebbles
Hungry Eyes - Eric Carmen
I Get Weak - Belinda Carlisle
Catch Me (I'm Falling) - Pretty Poison
The Flame - Cheap Trick
Seasons Change - Expose
Roll With It - Steve Winwood
If It Isn't Love - New Edition
Mercedes Boy - Pebbles
Nite And Day - Al B. Sure!
Candle In The Wind - Elton John
Simply Irresistible - Robert Palmer
Prove Your Love - Taylor Dayne
I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That - Elton John
Everything Your Heart Desires - Daryl Hall & John Oates
Piano In The Dark - Brenda Russell
Cherry Bomb - John Cougar Mellencamp
Don't Shed A Tear - Paul Carrack
Together Forever - Rick Astley
Should've Known Better - Richard Marx
Endless Summer Nights - Richard Marx
Pink Cadillac - Natalie Cole
Angel - Aerosmith
Say You Will - Foreigner
Wild, Wild West - Escape Club
The Loco-Motion - Kylie Minogue
We'll Be Together - Sting
1-2-3 - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
I Want Her - Keith Sweat
Red Red Wine - UB40
Bad Medicine - Bon Jovi
Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car - Billy Ocean
Where Do Broken Hearts Go - Whitney Houston
Out Of The Blue - Debbie Gibson
Kokomo - Beach Boys
Foolish Beat - Debbie Gibson
The Valley Road - Bruce Hornsby & The Range
Shake Your Love - Debbie Gibson
Don't You Know What The Night Can Do - Steve Winwood
Can't Stay Away From You - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
Anything For You - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
One Moment In Time - Whitney Houston
Hands To Heaven - Breathe
Perfect World - Huey Lewis & The News
I Want To Be Your Man - Roger
She's Like The Wind - Patrick Swayze
Nothin' But A Good Time - Poison
Rocket 2 U - Jets
When It's Love - Van Halen
Naughty Girls (Need Love Too) - Samantha Fox
Don't Be Cruel - Cheap Trick
Make Me Lose Control - Eric Carmen
I'll Always Love You - Taylor Dayne
I Don't Want To Live Without You - Foreigner
Hold On To The Nights - Richard Marx
A Groovy Kind Of Love - Phil Collins
Make It Real - Jets
Just Like Paradise - David Lee Roth
I Still Believe - Brenda K. Starr
Don't Worry, Be Happy - Bobby McFerrin
One Good Woman - Peter Cetera
Wait - White Lion
Could've Been - Tiffany
I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love - Chicago

[Deleted]

#3 vs. #9. Not bad, considering how I limped into the final stretch.

MITM at #30 seems about right, but I am not really sure why I ranked TWYMMF #29. That's what I get for doing this at the last minute, pretty sure I would have raised that to a top 15 spot at a minimum had I given myself time to review my list once or twice before submitting.

[Deleted]

! A somewhat surprising but very pleasing conclusion

Thanks for hosting, Unhinged!

[Red]

Dec 4, 2018 1:40:11 GMT -5 Doc Indie Party Rock said:

LOL! "Sweet Child o' Mine" was not a ballad. It wasn't even a Powerballad. It was hair metal at its best. "Patience" was a ballad. and not a very good one.

That's my favorite GNR song in '89...though I suspect I will be alone there.

So. Many. Missed. Perfect. Rankings.

No complaints about the top two, as they were my two highest remaining going into the top ten. I expected "Father Figure" to finish higher than "Faith", given that it won the George Michael rankdown. Wasn't expecting INXS to run away with #1, as I expected it to be much closer between the top two, but I expected "Need You Tonight" to be in the whereabouts, at least.

Unhinged, you continue to knock these out of the park. Now, to focus on finishing '89...

[Glove Slap]

Wow Az Paynter, what happened to Aussie pride? :sip2:

[newpower]

Great Top 10. Thanks Unhinged for hosting another excellent rankdown. Looking forward to 1989

[tallen2001]

I’m looking forward to the 1989 rankdown considering I like more songs from that year.

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

great job Unhinged!  a good representation of the year & worthy champ

[🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲]

Dec 4, 2018 4:20:11 GMT -5 craziaskowboi said:

Nov 29, 2018 11:20:01 GMT -5 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 said:

Such a shame! I really love his music! I'm just glad it made it this far. He's such an underrated artist!

I empathize. Virtually my entire top 10 got killt in the middle of this rankdown, including this song. :(

Mines too.

[Juanca]

Dec 4, 2018 12:52:10 GMT -5 Red said:

Dec 4, 2018 1:40:11 GMT -5 Doc Indie Party Rock said:

LOL! "Sweet Child o' Mine" was not a ballad. It wasn't even a Powerballad. It was hair metal at its best. "Patience" was a ballad. and not a very good one.

That's my favorite GNR song in '89...though I suspect I will be alone there.

So. Many. Missed. Perfect. Rankings.

No complaints about the top two, as they were my two highest remaining going into the top ten. I expected "Father Figure" to finish higher than "Faith", given that it won the George Michael rankdown. Wasn't expecting INXS to run away with #1, as I expected it to be much closer between the top two, but I expected "Need You Tonight" to be in the whereabouts, at least.

Unhinged, you continue to knock these out of the park. Now, to focus on finishing '89...

Hey, you won’t be alone :) Count me in as one of Patience supporters as well. It was a personal chart-topper and a song I still have a soft spot for -although I prefer a version that cuts the last minute of adlibs...