1988 Modern Rock Year-End Chart Rankdown (finished)

[Verisimilitude]

Intoxication is better than Go Bang at least, and Tumbling Down while fine is no Tomorrow People.

I still find it funny that Skip Marley has the highest charting pop hit from a Marley relative thanks to Katy Perry.

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#85:  "Trash City" - Joe Strummer


088:  YE Rank
#09:  peak on CMJ
463:  rankdown points

Note that this song's 43 point span over #86 is the largest gap between songs outside of the Top 10 (other than the gaping hole between 99 and 100 of course). Another Top40 goes by the wayside for AI, but this one is a Top10 - ouch!


9 American Idiot

28 gonecountry
46 Alex1901

61 campbellssoup
67 singingrulebritannia
68 Geometrical
70 Juanca
73 peacebone
81 Doc Indie Party Rock
84 Mirago
89 Daryl the Beryl
89 newpower
92 wheatsquares33
97 Butterflies & Hurricanes
98 rowellfarm490


spectators:
House Lannister
Verisimilitude
@humanshazam
janinho
MoD
Red
somelikeitwhen

[House Lannister]

On Shriekback, why does it look like Paul Shaffer is jumping on the album cover?

Also, where are his shoes?

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#84:  "Don't Go" - Hothouse Flowers


048:  YE Rank
#05:  peak on Hard Report
473:  rankdown points

NewPower pleads to HhF "Don't Go!", but alas, they are gone from these rankdowns forever. Unless they mount a successful comeback record later this year or next, wouldn't that be something?. This is the first song yet to have FIVE top half rankings.


12 newpower

38 campbellssoup
40 gonecountry
43 Mirago
49 wheatsquares33

71 Alex1901
75 Daryl the Beryl
77 Doc Indie Party Rock
82 Juanca
83 Butterflies & Hurricanes
92 rowellfarm490
94 singingrulebritannia
95 American Idiot
95 peacebone
96 Geometrical


spectators:
House Lannister
Verisimilitude
@humanshazam
janinho
MoD
Red
somelikeitwhen

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#83:  "Sweet Fire Of Love" - Robbie Robertson (w/ Bono)


096:  YE Rank
#10:  peak on Hard Report
485:  rankdown points

Former The Band bandmember (guitarist/songwriter) going solo. Considering he won multiple Juno awards for this (including AotY), I'm surprised how low this came in, but maybe it can do better on the Mainstream side.  Hey, look!: for all the troubles AI has had so far, he captures the only PPPPP of the day - congrats!


30 Mirago
38 Alex1901
40 Juanca

56 wheatsquares33
58 Butterflies & Hurricanes
60 Doc Indie Party Rock
61 peacebone
73 rowellfarm490
75 singingrulebritannia
83 American Idiot
84 gonecountry
91 campbellssoup
93 Geometrical
93 newpower
95 Daryl the Beryl


spectators:
House Lannister
Verisimilitude
@humanshazam
janinho
MoD
Red
somelikeitwhen

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

up next.....the song with the FOURTH largest standard deviation...any guesses?

[newpower]

Apr 22, 2020 17:15:57 GMT -5 Butterflies & Hurricanes said:

NewPower pleads to HhF "Don't Go!", but alas, they are gone from these rankdowns forever. Unless they mount a successful comeback record later this year or next, wouldn't that be something?. This is the first song yet to have FIVE top half rankings.

I knew this was going to be bottom 20-30. I have good memories of listening to this song on the radio. I liked it then and I still like it now. Meanwhile, that horrendous cover of a classic is still in the running.

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#82:  "Wild, Wild West" - Escape Club


028:  YE Rank
#03:  peak on Billboard
274:  rankdown points
30.78: fourth largest standard deviation

Things seem to be turning around for AI as he & Wheat both get rid of their 100 here. But on the other end we lose TWO top 20s.


17 campbellssoup
18 Juanca

38 Mirago
38 newpower
41 Butterflies & Hurricanes
46 gonecountry

65 Doc Indie Party Rock
79 singingrulebritannia
90 rowellfarm490
95 Geometrical
97 Alex1901
98 peacebone
99 Daryl the Beryl
100 American Idiot
100 wheatsquares33


spectators:
House Lannister
Verisimilitude
@humanshazam
janinho
MoD
Red
somelikeitwhen

[campbellssoup]

I knew this was coming based on how this song did on the 1988 Hot 100 rankdown.

But I don't care, I will always love this song with all of its cheesiness.

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#81:  "Wheels Turning" - Woodentops


060:  YE Rank
#06:  peak on Hard Report
274:  rankdown points

Not gonna lie, I'm disappointed this one didn't land higher. I clearly remember hearing this for the first time. It was a Friday night and George Zahora was hosting his weekly alternative show on our college radio station WVUR. (the station was left-leaning pop most of the week, but would go full-time alternative the following semester). I walked into the DJ booth and heard him seque from L&R's NNTTT to this...something so different, like nothing I'd ever heard before.


24 Doc Indie Party Rock
37 Butterflies & Hurricanes
40 wheatsquares33
45 Juanca

59 Daryl the Beryl
71 peacebone
75 Geometrical
76 gonecountry
76 newpower
77 Mirago
78 singingrulebritannia
83 Alex1901
85 rowellfarm490
88 American Idiot
93 campbellssoup


spectators:
House Lannister
Verisimilitude
@humanshazam
janinho
MoD
Red
somelikeitwhen

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

that's it for today...tune in tomorrow where every song reveals a rank from the top third & most lose at least one top 20 rank. Also, we'll see the SECOND largest standard deviation, our first tie, & somebody clears their bottom 10!

[Doc Indie Party Rock]

#90: "Forgotten Song Town" - Christians
Truthfully this song falls in the WTF pile. This actually started off in my bottom 10, but kinda pushed itself out of the tank and higher once I heard other songs. 

#89: "Another Kind Of Love" - Hugh Cornwell
This song wasn't terrible, but it was pretty corny. It struck like if Hugh wanted to record a Peter Gabriel type song and video, but failed miserably during the process.

#88: "Jesus Christ" - U2
I can't recall drowning U2 in my bottom tank this hard, but what the hell was this? Oh a cover. That explains it, because I got 0% U2 vibe here.

#87: "Intoxication" - Shriekback
Much better than that other travesty. The vocals are still a harsh ride to sit through, but at least they put out their best effort with catchy uplifting music.

#86: "Tumblin Down" - Ziggy Marley
I think I stuck this one side by side with UB40? Reggae didn't do too well this year.

#85: "Trash City" - Joe Strummer
Joe's vocals didn't work for me here. Give this to Billie Joe and I might have gone top 30 with it. The music is good.

#84: "Don't Go" - Hothouse Flowers
I didn't enjoy this one as much as "I'm Sorry". I got that same Morrison vibe in the mid break.

#83: "Sweet Fire Of Love" - Robbie Robertson (w/ Bono)
I started enjoying some songs in my 60's area code. This was a first time listen as was most of this list, and for that matter most of Active sounds new to me too. I enjoyed Bono's vocals here the most, but the song itself really doesn't take you anywhere, but a slight "Where The Streets Have No Name" guitar melody.

#82: "Wild, Wild West" - Escape Club
this was a major corn fest. Not a big fan of this song, but I really really dug the percussion and bass line. It was also one of the songs I know ,and at least left some kind of impression on me.

#81: "Wheels Turning" - Woodentops
Probably not the last time where I give a first time listen the highest slot on a rank down. In all fairness it s a bigger Modern Rock arena rock sound that I can easily get into. Big drums , guitars, the works. This kinda reminded me of late 80's Adam Ant, but without his stellar vocals.

[Doc Indie Party Rock]

Apr 22, 2020 3:28:36 GMT -5 Butterflies & Hurricanes said:

Apr 21, 2020 23:55:01 GMT -5 Doc Indie Party Rock said:

Aw man I was looking forward to some reveals. I guess I'll start on the very disappointing Mainstream Rock 1988

or you could finish up your review of extras, you’re almost done

So its just those last ten? I though you had more? In that case I'll do a couple each night so I don't run out. 



Waiting For The Great Leap Forward - Billy Bragg:
Things I learned while doing this RD. I do not dig on Billy Bragg. Musically nor vocally.  He and Tracy Chapman should team up for a real coffee house wonder jam.


Walk The Dinosaur - Was (Not Was)
Failed to get that fierce Modern Rock vibe here, but that's ok because this was a hoot. I always thought this was a corny version of a good The Time song, but it was still a fun song, and that goes a long way with me. Instrumentally this is the kind of music I can get into, so I'm thinking I would have lost a top 30 song way early in this game.

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

let's continue taking a closer look at some of the songs that should've been included (& would've if i'd been able to see the charts for certain weeks earlier) in our rankdown...here's today's SPECIAL EXTRA:

"Slow Turning" - John Hiatt



Alt country was fairly popular on Alternative radio in the 80s, especially in middle of the country. Once Billboard started their Modern Rock panel, they were including more commercial stations and stations from the coasts (like KROQ & WLIR), which resulted in a slightly more pop-leaning chart, but before Billboard, many artists like Steve Earle, John Hiatt, Lyle Lovett & kd lang were showing up on the charts. Hiatt had been putting out records since 1974, but hadn't had any chart success (outside of Sweden for some weird reason) until '87s Bring The Family album. This song is the title track to his follow-up album. It reached #22 on Billboard but went all the way to #8 on the Hard Report, which is why we are featuring it here.

[rowellfarm490]

SPOILER: Click to show

{WILD WILD STATS}

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#80:  "Globe Of Frogs" - Robyn Hitchcock


116:  YE Rank (yet another song that should've been an extra instead of being included in this rankdown)
#12:  peak on CMJ
515:  rankdown points

I get to congratulate myself for the PPPPPs here!


14 singingrulebritannia

(echo in the canyon)

50 rowellfarm490
50 wheatsquares33
51 American Idiot
51 peacebone
58 Daryl the Beryl
58 Geometrical
63 gonecountry
75 Alex1901
79 newpower
80 Butterflies & Hurricanes
84 campbellssoup
93 Mirago
96 Doc Indie Party Rock
98 Juanca


spectators:
House Lannister
Verisimilitude
@humanshazam
janinho
MoD
Red
somelikeitwhen

[singingrulebritannia]

What the hell is this doing down here? This is not so much worse than all of the Hitchcock songs we've ranked so far...

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#79:  "Aches And Pains" - The Bears


071:  YE Rank
#08:  peak on Hard Report
524:  rankdown points

The most top quarter losses so far, with THREE ... and Daryl gets the PPPPP! We liked this one a bit more than guitarist Adrian Belew's solo effort in '89...but we'll have another crack at this band in '87.


23 campbellssoup
23 Doc Indie Party Rock
25 newpower


59 singingrulebritannia
60 Mirago
60 peacebone
67 gonecountry
67 Juanca
73 wheatsquares33
79 Daryl the Beryl
88 rowellfarm490
88 Butterflies & Hurricanes
89 Geometrical
92 American Idiot
98 Alex1901


spectators:
House Lannister
Verisimilitude
@humanshazam
janinho
MoD
Red
somelikeitwhen

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#78:  "King Of Emotion" - Big Country


150:  YE Rank (this song should've been an extra instead of being ranked)
#11:  peak on Billboard
528:  rankdown points

We will see much more from this band as we move back thru time in the world of Alt.


15 gonecountry
26 Doc Indie Party Rock
37 newpower

56 rowellfarm490
56 Butterflies & Hurricanes
68 Juanca
68 Mirago
69 American Idiot
73 campbellssoup
79 peacebone
82 singingrulebritannia
87 wheatsquares33
90 Alex1901
90 Geometrical
91 Daryl the Beryl


spectators:
House Lannister
Verisimilitude
@humanshazam
janinho
MoD
Red
somelikeitwhen

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#77:  "I've Got A Feeling" - Screaming Tribesmen


065:  YE Rank
#07:  peak on Billboard
538:  rankdown points

There was a major Aussie Alt invasion in the 80s w/ huge acts like INXS, Midnight Oil, Icehouse, The Church, Divinyls, Hoodoo Gurus, Hunters & Collectors, and Crowded House (they've got 1 Aussie anyway) to name just a few. This is this Aussie's band's only moment in the sun - they'd never be heard from again. Geo gets the PPPPP this time - congrats!


21 Doc Indie Party Rock

42 gonecountry
49 Alex1901
49 Daryl the Beryl
53 singingrulebritannia
53 rowellfarm490

65 newpower
68 Butterflies & Hurricanes
70 wheatsquares33
77 Geometrical
81 American Idiot
85 Juanca
87 campbellssoup
87 peacebone
90 Mirago


spectators:
House Lannister
Verisimilitude
@humanshazam
janinho
MoD
Red
somelikeitwhen

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#76:  "Sometimes" - Firehose


062:  YE Rank
#06:  peak on CMJ
543:  rankdown points

I never heard this band until the 90s. How much higher can their other song reach on this rankdown I wonder?


12 singingrulebritannia

31 wheatsquares33
39 Geometrical
39 Juanca

53 gonecountry
54 peacebone
56 Daryl the Beryl
61 Alex1901
75 Doc Indie Party Rock
84 rowellfarm490
85 newpower
89 American Idiot
97 campbellssoup
98 Butterflies & Hurricanes
99 Mirago


spectators:
House Lannister
Verisimilitude
@humanshazam
janinho
MoD
Red
somelikeitwhen

[singingrulebritannia]

Evil deeds are being committed here >:(

[Deleted]

Apr 23, 2020 17:28:22 GMT -5 Butterflies & Hurricanes said:

How much higher can their other song reach on this rankdown I wonder?

Hopefully this is foreshadowing that their other entry is going to last much longer lol, since I have it pretty high.

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#75:  "Rev It Up" - Jerry Harrison


038:  YE Rank
#04:  peak on Hard Report
544:  rankdown points

Talking Head & clubmember of Tom Tom gone solo. The groove here is insidious and irresistible (at least 5 of us think so anyway).


23 Mirago
27 Butterflies & Hurricanes
28 newpower
29 gonecountry
35 wheatsquares33

66 Juanca
73 Doc Indie Party Rock
77 Daryl the Beryl
77 rowellfarm490
82 Geometrical
85 campbellssoup
86 singingrulebritannia
92 peacebone
93 Alex1901
98 American Idiot


spectators:
House Lannister
Verisimilitude
@humanshazam
janinho
MoD
Red
somelikeitwhen

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#74:  "Birth, School, Work, Death" - Godfathers


012:  YE Rank
#01:  peak on CMJ
550:  rankdown points

This is our first second #1 song to go down. 17 more #1s to go (so many more back then compared to today's Alt chart).  edit:  forgot about "Just Play Music" - that was the 1st #1 to leave.


33 Butterflies & Hurricanes
40 peacebone
49 Doc Indie Party Rock
50 singingrulebritannia
50 Mirago

59 gonecountry
59 Juanca
64 Daryl the Beryl
66 wheatsquares33
68 American Idiot
80 Geometrical
81 rowellfarm490
82 Alex1901
90 newpower
94 campbellssoup


spectators:
House Lannister
Verisimilitude
@humanshazam
janinho
MoD
Red
somelikeitwhen

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#73:  "So Excited" - Ranking Roger


074:  YE Rank
#08:  peak on Hard Report
552:  rankdown points

The higher of the 2 solo efforts from members of the general public on this rankdown. This is pure pop bliss.


12 American Idiot
31 Butterflies & Hurricanes
36 gonecountry
41 Doc Indie Party Rock

57 Geometrical
58 newpower
63 campbellssoup
65 Alex1901
79 Juanca
79 rowellfarm490
83 Daryl the Beryl
84 peacebone
89 singingrulebritannia
91 Mirago
95 wheatsquares33


spectators:
House Lannister
Verisimilitude
@humanshazam
janinho
MoD
Red
somelikeitwhen

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

we've got a big reveal next! the SECOND biggest standard deviation ... & someone clears their bottom 10

[singingrulebritannia]

Hopefully my 91 doesn't make the top half just because of who made it

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#72:  "I Need A Man" - Eurythmics


015:  YE Rank
#01:  peak on Hard Report
569:  rankdown points
31.66: standard deviation (second highest)

Another #1 goes down...to say this song was divisive is an understatement. Congrats to Alex & Geo on clearing their bottom 10s!  Also, congrats Rowell on the latest PPPPP!


11 newpower
14 gonecountry
22 Mirago
23 Butterflies & Hurricanes
43 Doc Indie Party Rock

51 Juanca
68 Daryl the Beryl
72 rowellfarm490
81 campbellssoup
90 peacebone
91 American Idiot
91 singingrulebritannia
91 Geometrical
98 wheatsquares33
100 Alex1901


spectators:
House Lannister
Verisimilitude
@humanshazam
janinho
MoD
Red
somelikeitwhen

[singingrulebritannia]

...oh