1988 Alternative Top 20 Points

[DuckHead]

Don't take this chart too seriously, as it doesn't cover much of the year. The Alternative chart began in September of 1988, so this is really a list of the top songs of September-December 1988. Interestingly, the # 1 song of the year was also the very first weekly # 1. Since it was # 1 on the first chart, chances are that it would have accumulated even more points had the chart began earlier.

(Points/Weeks/Peak)

Alternative Radio Top 20 Top Songs of 1988

1. Peek-A-Boo- Siouxsie & The Banshees (199/13/1)
2. The Great Commandment- Camouflage (188/12/3)
3. Desire- U2 (184/11/1)
4. What I Am- Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians (173/16/4)
5. The Killing Jar- Siouxsie & The Banshees (172/14/2)
6. All That Money Wants- Psychedelic Furs (158/9/1)
7. Orange Crush- R.E.M. (151/8/1)
8. Carolyn's Fingers- Cocteau Twins
9. Angel Of Harlem- U2 (137/12/3)
10. Put This Love To The Test- Jon Astley (128/10/3)
11. In Your Room- Bangles (126/10/5)
12. Just Play Music!- Big Audio Dynamite (109/7/1)
13. Back On The Breadline- Hunters & Collectors (109/10/6)
14. Crash- Primitives (99/6/3)
15. Wild Wild West- Escape Club (96/6/3)
16. Away- Feelies (92/9/6)
17. Up There Down There- Patti Smith (73/7/6)
18. Don't Go- Hothouse Flowers (68/8/7)
19. I've Got A Feeling- Screaming Tribesmen (54/10/7)
20. Breakfast In Bed- UB40 (53/4/4)
21. Intoxication- Shriekback (52/5/6)
22. Christine- House Of Love (51/5/8)
23. Way Behind Me- Primitives (49/5/8)
24. Another Kind Of Love- Hugh Cornwell (48/8/11)
25. Jane Says- Jane's Addiction (44/5/6)

You can view the "complete" chart at my website: www.popradiotop20.com/Alt-1988-Yearly-Chart.htm

A couple of notes: In the early charts, songs would have bizarre chart runs. It was very common for a song to debut at, say, # 12, then drop to something like # 16, then rocket up to # 6. Also, the # 2 song of the year, "The Great Commandment", might have taken the # 1 of the year position if it hadn't dropped out from # 5. An even steeper fall befell "Orange Crush", which dropped out from # 2! On Billboard's chart, it fell 2-26.

[The Human Strobe]

For future reference, Hunters are actually Hunters and Collectors. A very influencial band in the 80s that were huge in Australia.

[DuckHead]

Leo said:

For future reference, Hunters are actually Hunters and Collectors.  A very influencial band in the 80s that were huge in Australia.

Thanks for the correction.

[tobedawg]

Some exciting Classic Tracks on this Chart!!
Even some Pop Crossover acts like The Escape Club and Edie Brickell and New Bohemians..

Awesome chart!

[Troy]

I've been doing quite a bit of research on pre-Billboard alternative charts from a trade magazine called "The Hard Report" which ranked the Top20 alternative tracks & Top 50 played alternative albums each week.  Below is a result of my research.  I have "completed" the list of top 1988 alternative songs by starting with the Billboard list (9/10/1988 thru 12/31/1988) and then adding the songs from the Hard Report (1/1/1988 thru 6/24/1988).  I have indicated the source of each song by placing a "B" or "H" (EDIT: or "C" for CMJ) next to the song.  As some of the issues of the Hard Report are missing, it is possible that the peak on the Hard Report songs was actually higher than indicated.  And of course it is possible that some songs were missed altogether due to the missing issues.  I have ranked these songs by "known" peak, then source (giving advantage to songs that charted on Billboard), then alphabetically by Artist and Song.

Interestingly, I could only find 2 songs that overlapped between June on the Hard Report & September on Billboard.  Those are:  "Chains Of Love" - Erasure, and "So Excited" - Ranking Roger.  Here is the complete list for 1988

EDIT:  Thanks to Verisimilitude & his research into R&R/CMJ charts i was able to add an additional 17 songs to this list...i also upgraded the peak position for many songs.  So now, I am ranking the songs thusly:
a) by "known" peak
b) by weeks at #1
c) by source (giving advantage to songs that charted on Billboard, then Hard Report, then CMJ)
d) then alphabetically by artist & song...here are the results using this new updated criteria:


YERank-Peak-Source-Song-Artist-weeks@#1
01 - 1 B - Orange Crush - REM 8
02 - 1 B - Desire - U2 5
03 - 1 B - Peek-A-Boo - Siouxsie & Banshees 5
04 - 1 H - (Nothing But) Flowers - Talking Heads 5
05 - 1 C - Birthday - Sugarcubes 4
06 - 1 B - All That Money Wants - Psychedelic Furs 3
07 - 1 H - Under The Millky Way - Church 3
08 - 1 H - All Night Long - Peter Murphy 3
09 - 1 H - No New Tale To Tell - Love & Rockets 2
10 - 1 H - Beds Are Burning - Midnight Oil 2
11 - 1 H - Tomorrow People - Ziggy Marley 2
12 - 1 C - Eye Of Fatima - Camper Van Beethoven 2
13 - 1 C - Birth School Work Death - Godfathers 2
14 - 1 C - Fast Car - Tracy Chapman 2
15 - 1 B - Just Play Music - Big Audio Dynamite 1
16 - 1 H - I Need A Man - Eurythmics 1
17 - 1 H - Get Started, Start A Fire - Graham Parker 1
18 - 1 H - Suedehead - Morrissey 1
19 - 1 H - Balloon Man - Robyn Hitchcock 1
20 - 1 H - Mandinka - Sinead O'Connor 1
21 - 2 B - Carolyn's Fingers - Cocteau Twins
22 - 2 B - Killing Jar - Siouxsie & Banshees
23 - 2 H - Hazy Shade Of Winter - Bangles
24 - 2 C - Sidewalking - Jesus & Mary Chain
25 - 2 C - Only A Memory - Smithereens
26 - 2 C - Love Will Tear Us Apart - Swans
27 - 2 C - Airhead - Thomas Dolby
28 - 3 B - Great Commandment - Camouflage
29 - 3 B - Wild Wild West - Escape Club
30 - 3 B - Put This Love To The Test - Jon Astley
31 - 3 B - Crash - Primitives
32 - 3 B - Angel Of Harlem - U2
33 - 3 H - Postcards From Paradise - Flesh For Lulu
34 - 3 C - Christine - House Of Love
35 - 3 C - Inside Out - Mighty Lemon Drops
36 - 3 C - People Have The Power - Patti Smith
37 - 4 B - What I Am - Edie Brickell
38 - 4 B - Breakfast In Bed - UB40
39 - 4 H - Rev It Up - Jerry Harrison
40 - 5 B - In Your Room - Bangles
41 - 5 B - Tumblin Down - Ziggy Marley
42 - 5 H - She's Having A Baby - Dave Wakeling
43 - 5 H - Bed Bugs & Ballyhou - Echo & Bunnymen
44 - 5 H - Tower Of Strength - Mission UK
45 - 5 H - This Corrosion - Sisters Of Mercy
46 - 5 H - Peace In Our Time - Sun & The Moon
47 - 5 H - Killer Moon - T-Bone Burnett
48 - 5 C - Chains Of Love - Erasure
49 - 5 C - Mirror People - Love & Rockets
50 - 5 C - Sometime To Return - Soul Asylum
51 - 5 C - Talkin Bout A Revolution - Tracy Chapman
52 - 6 B - Away - Feelies
53 - 6 B - Back On The Breadline - Hunters & Collectors
54 - 6 B - Jane Says - Jane's Addiction
55 - 6 B - Up There Down There - Patti Smith
56 - 6 B - Intoxication - Shriekback
57 - 6 H - Wheels Turning - Woodentops
58 - 6 C - Sometimes - Firehose
59 - 6 C - Don't Go - Hothouse Flowers
60 - 6 C - Devil Inside - INXS
61 - 6 C - Kidney Bingos - Wire
62 - 7 B - I've Got A Feeling - Screaming Tribesmen
63 - 7 H - Breakaway - Big Pig
64 - 7 C - For The Singer Of REM - Firehose
65 - 7 C - Cold Metal - Iggy Pop
66 - 8 B - Way Behind Me - Primitives
67 - 8 H - Aches & Pains - Bears
68 - 8 H - Dominion - Sisters Of Mercy
69 - 8 H - Rev Jack & His Roamin Cadillac Church - Timbuk 3
70 - 8 C - Jump In The River - Sinead O'Connor
71 - 9 B - What's The Matter Here? - 10,000 Maniacs
72 - 9 B - Tell That Girl To Shut Up - Transvision Vamp
73 - 9 B - Jesus Christ - U2
74 - 9 H - Kiss And Tell - Bryan Ferry
75 - 9 H - Forgotten Town - Christians
76 - 9 C - Just Too Bloody Stupid - Close Lobsters
77 - 9 C - Trash City - Joe Strummer
78 - 9 C - Soviet Snow - Shona Laing
79 - 9 C - Silk Skin Paws - Wire
80 - 10 B - What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy) - Information Society
81 - 10 B - Motorcrash - Sugarcubes
82 - 10 B - When Love Comes To Town - U2
83 - 10 H - Reptile - Church
84 - 10 H - Route 66 - Depeche Mode
85 - 10 H - Golden Calf - Prefab Sprout
86 - 10 H - Sweet Fire Of Love - Robbie Robertson
87 - 10 H - Be Still My Beating Heart - Sting
88 - 10 H - Maybe It Won't Last - Woodentops
89 - 10 C - Crystal Palace - Bible
90 - 10 C - Other 99 - Big Audio Dynamite
91 - 10 C - Victoria - Fall
92 - 10 C - Paradise - Meat Puppets
93 - 10 C - Where Is My Mind? - Pixies
94 - 10 C - When The End Comes Before - Rave-Ups
95 - 10 C - Heaven Knows - Robert Plant
96 - 11 B - King Of Emotion - Big Country
97 - 11 B - Another Kind Of Love - Hugh Cornwell
98 - 11 B - Ana Ng - They Might Be Giants
99 - 11 B - I Say Nothing - Voice Of The Beehive
100 - 11 C - Help Save The Youth Of America - Billy Bragg
101 - 11 C - Pleasure - Railway Children
102 - 11 C - Go Bang - Shriekback
103 - 11 C - I Want Your Hands (On Me) - Sinead O'Connor
104 - 11 C - Don't Let's Start - They Might Be Giants
105 - 12 B - I'm Sorry - Hothouse Flowers
106 - 12 H - So Excited - Ranking Roger
107 - 12 C - Globe Of Frogs - Robyn Hitchcock
108 - 12 C - Coldsweat - Sugarcubes
109 - 13 B - I Don't Want Your Love - Duran Duran
110 - 13 B - High Time - Icicle Works
111 - 13 B - My Bag - Lloyd Cole
112 - 13 H - Hot Hot Hot - Cure
113 - 13 H - New Sensation - INXS
114 - 13 H - Touched By The Hand Of God - New Order
115 - 13 H - Dreaming - OMD
116 - 13 H - Indigo Eyes - Peter Murphy
117 - 13 H - King Of Rock N Roll - Prefab Sprout
118 - 13 H - House We Used To Live In - Smithereens
119 - 13 H - Underneath The Radar - Underworld
120 - 13 C - Blind - Talking Heads
121 - 13 C - Stop This Car - Woodentops
122 - 14 B - Kiss - Art Of Noise
123 - 14 B - Liar, Liar - Debbie Harry
124 - 14 B - Winning Side - Oingo Boingo
125 - 14 B - (Glad I'm) Not A Kennedy - Shona Laing
126 - 14 H - Baby's Got Rockets - Dancing Hoods
127 - 14 H - Hey Cecelie - E*I*E*I*O
128 - 14 H - 40 Years - House Of Freaks
129 - 14 H - Fall Down (Like The Rain) - Mighty Lemon Drops
130 - 14 H - Lovers Jamboree - Nick Lowe
131 - 14 H - I Think She Likes Me - Treat Her Right
132 - 14 H - Young Manhood - Wild Swans
133 - 14 C - Better Be Home Soon - Crowded House
134 - 14 C - Simply Irresistible - Robert Palmer
135 - 14 C - Beat On The Brat - Sonic Youth
136 - 15 B - Walking Away - Information Society
137 - 15 H - Talk About Love - O Positive
138 - 15 H - Flesh Number One (Beatle Dennis) - Robyn Hitchcock
139 - 15 C - Dumb Things - Paul Kelly
140 - 15 C - Troy - Sinead O'Connor
141 - 16 B - She's Got A New Spell - Billy Bragg
142 - 16 B - Anchorage - Michelle Shocked
143 - 16 B - Dream World - Midnight Oil
144 - 16 B - Pop Song 89 - REM
145 - 16 H - I Love The Things You Do To Me - Balaam & The Angel
146 - 16 H - All Day & All Of The Night - Stranglers
147 - 17 B - All I Wanted - In Tua Nua
148 - 17 B - Every Dog Has Its Day - Let's Active
149 - 17 B - Doctorin The Tardis - Timelords
150 - 17 B - Don't Walk Away - Toni Childs
151 - 17 H - Judas Kiss - Del Lords
152 - 17 C - Just Like Paradise - David Lee Roth
153 - 17 C - Dead Heart - Midnight Oil
154 - 17 C - Blind Hearts - Xymox
155 - 18 B - Be With You - Jack Rubies
156 - 18 B - Im Nin Alu - Ofra Haza
157 - 18 H - Lie Detector - Screaming Blue Messiahs
158 - 18 H - Everything's Gonna Turn Out Great - Young Fresh Fellows
159 - 18 C - Disco Dancer - Devo
160 - 19 B - Shark Walk - Shriekback
161 - 19 H - Down In The Trenches - Broadcasters
162 - 19 C - What Is There To Smile About? - Close Lobsters
163 - 19 C - Soldier's Requiem - Naked Raygun
164 - 20 B - Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards - Billy Bragg
165 - 20 B - If Love Was A Train - Michelle Shocked
166 - 20 H - Thousands Are Sailing - Pogues
167 - 20 H - River - Throwing Muses
168 - 20 C - Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
169 - 21 B - 1969 - Pretenders
170 - 22 B - Slow Turning - John Hiatt
171 - 22 B - Domino Dancing - Pet Shop Boys
172 - 23 B - Perfect - Fairground Attraction
173 - 27 B - Don't Let It Break You Down - Graham Parker
174 - 28 B - Never Tear Us Apart - INXS
175 - 30 B - Living For You - Joan Armatrading
176 - 30 B - Def Con One - Pop Will Eat Itself
177 - 30 B - Turning Of The Tide - Richard Thompson
178 - 30 B - (Believed You Were) Lucky - Til Tuesday
179 - 30 B - Walk The Dinosaur - Was (Not Was)

[newpower]

What a wonderful list! So much variety. Thanks for taking the time!

[Pipa]

Yes! I always wanted a complete 1988 charting Alt list. I love this stuff, even if it's from before I was born.

[Verisimilitude]

Thank you so much for this. I have such a kinship for this year, as I was born this year & I love how primitive & obscure the alternative scene was, with only college/alternative radio & 120 Minutes being the best form of exposure in America at the time.

[Doc Indie Party Rock]

My favorite song on that list is "I Don't Want Your Love" by Duran Duran and it's not even one of my favorites from them. The rest would look something like this.

1. Duran Duran - I Don't Want Your Love
2. U2 - Desire
3. OMD - Dreaming
4. Information Society - What's On Your Mind
5. Erasure - Chains Of Love
6. Information Society - Walking Away
7. INXS - Devil Inside
8. Siouxsie & Banshees - Peek-A-Boo
9. U2 - Angel Of Harlem
10. Pet Shop Boys - Domino Dancing

Can't say I recall the rest. I was way into hair metal those years.

[Red]

My ranking senses are tingling.

("Dead Heart" by Midnight Oil would be my #11, if I had to guess. Maybe "Chains of Love" or "Angel of Harlem".)

10) Siouxsie and the Banshees - The Killing Jar
9) INXS - New Sensation
8) The Primitives - Crash
7) Midnight Oil - Dreamworld
6) The Bangles - Hazy Shade of Winter
5) Siouxsie and the Banshees - Peek-A-Boo
4) U2 - Desire
3) R.E.M. - Orange Crush
2) The Sisters of Mercy - This Corrosion
1) Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning

[Verisimilitude]

Reviving this excellent thread, I just discovered that Radio & Records magazine posted CMJ's Top 20 New Music chart in their magazine, which was a chart derived from tracks supplied by a panel of college and commercial radio stations reporting to CMJ New Music Report.

I'll post some charts here in between the gap of The Hard Report's charts & Billboard's debut. It looks like they were bi-weekly.

July 1, 1988:

LW TW

1 1 TRACY CHAPMAN /Fast Car (Elektra)
2 2 JESUS & MARY CHAIN /Sidewalking (Reprise)
5 3 CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN /Eye Of Fatima (Pt. I) (Virgin)
4 4 THOMAS DOLBY /Airhead (EMI- Manhattan)
12 5 SUGARCUBES /Birthday ( Elektra)
19 6 GRAHAM PARKER/Get Started... (RCA)
3 7 ZIGGY MARLEY.../Tomorrow People (Virgin)
- 8 SUN & THE MOON /Peace In Our Time (Geffen)
18 9 TRACY CHAPMAN/Talkin' Bout... (Elektra)
15 10 RAVE -UPS/When The End Comes Before (Epic)
6 11 SOUL ASYLUM /Sometime To Return (Twin Tone /A &M)
9 12 JOE STRUMMER/Trash City (Epic)
7 13 PETER MURPHY /All Night Long (Beggars Banquet/RCA)
20 14 CHURCH /Reptile (Arista)
- 15 WIRE /Silk Skin Paws (Enigma)
- 16 WIRE /Kidney Bingos (Enigma)
- 17 SHONA LAING /Soviet Snow (M)
- 18 PATTI SMITH /People Have The Power (Arista)
- 19 ERASURE /Chains Of Love (Sire /Reprise)
17 20 MIDNIGHT OIL/The Dead Heart (Columbia)

July 15, 1988:

LW TW

3 1 C. VAN BEETHOVEN /Eye Of Fatima... (Virgin)
5 2 SUGARCUBES /Birthday (Elektra)
- 3 SWANS /Love Will Tear Us Apart (Caroline)
1 4 TRACY CHAPMAN /Fast Car (Elektra)
9 5 TRACY CHAPMAN/Talkin' Bout... ( Elektra)
16 6 WIRE /Kidney Bingos (Enigma)
2 7 JESUS & MARY CHAIN /Sidewalking (Reprise)
4 8 THOMAS DOLBY /Airhead (EMI- Manhattan)
17 9 SHONA LAING /Soviet Snow (M)
11 10 SOUL ASYLUM /Sometime To Return (Twin Tone /A &M)
19 11 ERASURE /Chains Of Love (Sire /Reprise)
15 12 WIRE /Silk Skin Paws (Enigma)
7 13 ZIGGY MARLEY.../Tomorrow People (Virgin)
- 14 ROBERT PALMER /Simply Irresistible (EMI- Manhattan)
15 PATTI SMITH /People Have The Power (Arista)
8 16 SUN & THE MOON /Peace In Our Time (Geffen)
6 17 GRAHAM PARKER /Get Started... (RCA)
- 18 DEVO /Disco Dancer (Enigma)
10 19 RAVE- UPS /When The End Comes Before (Epic)
- 20 RAILWAY CHILDREN /A Pleasure (Virgin)

July 29:

LW TW

2 1 SUGARCUBES /Birthday (Elektra)
3 2 SWANS /Love Will Tear Us Apart (Caroline)
1 3 CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN /Eye Of Fatima (Pt. I) (Virgin)
15 4 PATTI SMITH /People Have The Power (Arista)
11 5 ERASURE /Chains Of Love (Sire /Reprise)
5 6 TRACY CHAPMAN/Talkin' Bout... (Elektra)
- 7 IGGY POP /Cold Metal (A &M)
6 8 WIRE /Kidney Bingos (Enigma)
12 9 WIRE /Silk Skin Paws (Enigma)
4 10 TRACY CHAPMAN /Fast Car (Elektra)
20 11 RAILWAY CHILDREN /A Pleasure (Virgin)
9 12 SHONA LAING /Soviet Snow (TVT)
- 13 HOUSE OF LOVE /Christine (Creation /Relativity)
14 14 ROBERT PALMER /Simply Irresistible (EMI- Manhattan)
- 15 BIBLE /Crystal Palace (Chrysalis)
- 16 SHRIEKBACK/Intoxication (Island)
7 17 JESUS & MARY CHAIN /Sidewalking (Reprise)
16 18 SUN & THE MOON /Peace In Our Time (Geffen)
10 19 SOUL ASYLUM /Sometime To Return (Twin Tone /A &M)
- 20 RANKING ROGER /So Excited (IRS /MCA)

August 12th:

LW TW
1 1 SUGARCUBES /Birthday (Elektra)
2 2 SWANS /Love Will Tear Us Apart (Caroline)
4 3 PATTI SMITH /People Have The Power (Arista)
13 4 HOUSE OF LOVE /Christine (Creation /Relativity)
- 5 SIOUXSIE & BANSHEES /Peek -A -Boo (Geffen)
9 6 WIRE /Kidney Bingos (Enigma)
3 7 CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN /Eye Of Fatima (Pt. I) (Virgin)
7 8 IGGY POP /Cold Metal (A &M)
5 9 ERASURE /Chains Of Love (Sire /Reprise)
6 10 TRACY CHAPMAN/Talkin' Bout... (Elektra)
- 11 SHRIEKBACK /Go Bang (Island)
16 12 SHRIEKBACK/Intoxication (Island)
20 13 RANKING ROGER /So Excited (IRS /MCA)
15 14 BIBLE /Crystal Palace (Chrysalis)
- 15 PAUL KELLY & MESSENGERS /Dumb Things (A &M)
14 16 ROBERT PALMER /Simply Irresistible (EMI- Manhattan)
11 17 RAILWAY CHILDREN /A Pleasure (Virgin)
10 18 TRACY CHAPMAN /Fast Car ( Elektra)
- 19 BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE /Just Play Music (Columbia)
- 20 PRIMITIVES /Crash (RCA)

August 26th:

LW TW

5 1 SIOUXSIE & BANSHEES /Peek -A -Boo (Geffen)
19 2 BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE /Just Play Music (Columbia)
4 3 HOUSE OF LOVE /Christine (Creation /Relativity)
3 4 PATTI SMITH /People Have The Power (Arista)
20 5 PRIMITIVES /Crash (RCA)
1 6 SUGARCUBES /Birthday (Elektra)
8 7 IGGY POP /Cold Metal (A &M)
10 8 TRACY CHAPMAN/Talkin' Bout... (Elektra)
2 9 SWANS /Love Will Tear Us Apart (Caroline)
14 10 BIBLE /Crystal Palace (Chrysalis)
6 11 WIRE /Silk Skin Paws (Enigma)
12 SUGARCUBES /Coldsweat (Elektra)
7 13 CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN /Eye Of Fatima (Pt. I) (Virgin)
- 14 CROWDED HOUSE /Better Be Home Soon (Capitol)
15 15 PAUL KELLY & MESSENGERS /Dumb Things (A &M)
12 16 SHRIEKBACK /Intoxication (Island)
13 17 RANKING ROGER /So Excited (IRS /MCA)
11 18 SHRIEKBACK /Go Bang (Island)
- 19 MIDNIGHT OIL/The Dead Heart (Columbia)
- 20 HOTHOUSE FLOWERS /Don't Go (London /PG)

[Verisimilitude]

And the rest of the earlier 1988 charts:

January 29 (first chart R&R published):

LW TW

1 1 LOVE & ROCKETS /No New Tale... (Big Time /RCA)
4 2 ALARM /Rain In The Summertime (IRS /MCA)
7 3 SINEAD O'CONNOR /Mandinka (Chrysalis)
3 4 SCREAMING BLUE MESSIAHS /...Flintstone (Elektra)
10 5 R.E.M. /Its The End Of The World As We Know It (IRS /MCA)
18 6 EURYTHMICS /I Need A Man (RCA)
- 7 INXS /Devil Inside (Atlantic)
14 8 SISTERS OF MERCY/This Corrosion (Elektra)
5 9 LOVE & ROCKETS /Mirror People (Big Time /RCA)
17 10 MEAT PUPPETS /Paradise (SST)
- 11 ROBYN HITCHCOCK & EGYPTIANS /Balloon Man (A &M)
12 THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS /Don't Let's Start (Bar None)
2 13 INXS /Need You Tonight (Atlantic)
8 14 PUBLIC IMAGE LTD. /Seattle (Virgin)
- 15 SINEAD O'CONNOR/Troy (Chrysalis)
- 16 BRYAN FERRY /Kiss & Tell (Reprise)
- 17 DAVID LEE ROTH /Just Like Paradise (WB)
13 18 DAVID SYLVIAN /Orpheus (Virgin)
9 19 PUBLIC IMAGE LTD. /Body (Virgin)
12 20 FLESH FOR LULU /Postcards From Paradise (BB /Capitol)

February 12:

LW TW

- 1 GODFATHERS/Birth, School, Work, Death (Epic)
11 2 ROBYN HITCHCOCK & EGYPTIANS/Balloon Man (A&M)
3 3 SINEAD O'CONNOR/Mandinka (Chrysalis)
- 4 MIDNIGHT OIL/Beds Are Burning (Columbia)
8 5 SISTERS 01F MERCY/This Corrosion (Elektra)
- 6 FIREHOSE/Sometimes (SST)
7 7 INXS/Devil Inside (Atlantic)
1 8 LOVE & ROCKETS/No New Tale To Tell (Big Time/RCA)
4 9 SCREAMING BLUE MESSIAHS/...Flintstone (Elektra)
5 10 R.E.M./Its The End Of The World As We Know It (IRS/MCA)
9 11 LOVE & ROCKETS/Mirror People (Big Time/RCA)
6 12 EURYTHMICS/I Need A Man (RCA)
2 13 ALARM/Rain In The Summertime (IRS/MCA)
- 14 FIREHOSE/For The Singer Of REM (SST)
20 15 FLESH FOR LULU/Postcards From Paradise (BB/Capitol)
12 16 THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS/Don't Let's Start (Bar None)
- 17 JERRY HAFRISON/Rev It Up (Sire/WB)
17 18 DAVID LEE ROTH/Just Like Paradise (WB)
10 19 MEAT PUPPETS/Paradise (SST)
18 20 DAVID SYLVIAN/Orpheus (Virgin)

February 26:

LW TW

4 1 MIDNIGHT OIL/Beds Are Burning (Columbia)
2 2 ROBYN HITCHCOCK & EGYPTIANS /Balloon Man (A &M)
1 3 GODFATHERS /Birth, School, Work, Death (Epic)
- 4 CHURCH /Under The Milky Way (Arista)
3 5 SINEAD O'CONNOR /Mandinka (Chrysalis)
7 6 INXS /Devil Inside (Atlantic)
6 7 FIREHOSE /Sometimes (SST)
5 8 SISTERS OF MERCY/This Corrosion (Elektra)
14 9 FIREHOSE /For The Singer Of REM (SST)
8 10 LOVE & ROCKETS /No New Tale To Tell (Big Time /RCA)
16 11 THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS /Don't Let's Start (Bar None)
- 12 ROBYN HITCHCOCK & EGYPTIANS /Globe Of Frogs (A &M)
17 13 JERRY HARRISON /Rev It Up (Sire /WB)
13 14 ALARM /Rain In The Summertime (IRS /MCA)
15 15 FLESH FOR LULU /Postcards From Paradise (BB /Capitol)
12 16 EURYTHMICS /I Need A Man (RCA)
- 17 XYMOX /Blind Hearts (4AD -UK import)
9 18 SCREAMING BLUE MESSIAHS /... Flintstone (Elektra)
10 19 R.E.M. /Its The End Of The World As We Know It (IRS /MCA)
- 20 ECHO & BUNNYMEN /Bedbugs & Ballyhoo (Sire /WB)

March 11:

LW TW

3 1 GODFATHERS /Birth, School, Work, Death (Epic)
2 2 ROBYN HITCHCOCK & EGYPTIANS /Balloon Man (A &M)
1 3 MIDNIGHT OIL/Beds Are Burning (Columbia)
4 4 CHURCH /Under The Milky Way (Arista)
5 5 SINEAD O'CONNOR /Mandinka (Chrysalis)
6 6 INXS/Devil Inside (Atlantic)
9 7 FIREHOSE /For The Singer Of REM (SST)
7 8 FIREHOSE /Sometimes (SST)
8 9 SISTERS OF MERCY/This Corrosion (Elektra)
13 10 JERRY HARRISON /Rev It Up (Sire /WB)
19 11 R.E.M. /Its The End Of The World As We Know It (IRS /MCA)
- 12 DAVE WAKELING /She's Having A Baby (IRS /MCA)
10 13 LOVE & ROCKETS /No New Tale To Tell (Big Time /RCA)
- 14 SISTERS OF MERCY /Dominion /Mother Russia (Elektra)
11 15 THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS /Don't Let's Start (Bar None)
- 16 T BONE BURNETT/The Killer Moon (Columbia)
20 17 ECHO & BUNNYMEN /Bedbugs & Ballyhoo (Sire/WB)
- 18 SONIC YOUTH /Beat On The Brat (SST)
17 19 XYMOX/Blind Hearts (4AD -UK import)
- 20 MIGHTY LEMON DROPS /Inside Out (Sire /Reprise)

March 25:

LW 1W

3 1 MIDNIGHT OIL/Beds Are Burning (Columbia)
1 2 GODFATHERS /Birth, School, Work, Death (Epic)
4 3 CHURCH /Under The Milky Way (Arista)
2 4 ROBYN HITCHCOCK & EGYPTIANS /Balloon Man (A &M)
20 5 MIGHTY LEMON DROPS /Inside Out (Sire /Reprise)
5 6 SINEAD O'CONNOR /Mandinka (Chrysalis)
10 7 JERRY HARRISON /Rev It Up (Sire /WB)
6 8 INXS /Devil Inside (Atlantic)
9 CLOSE LOBSTERS /Just Too Bloody Stupid (Enigma)
- 10 ROBERT PLANT /Heaven Knows (Es Paranza /Atlantic)
- 11 TALKING HEADS /(Nothing But) Flowers (Fly /Sire)
7 12 FIREHOSE /For The Singer Of REM (SST)
15 13 THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS /Don't Let's Start (Bar None)
18 14 SONIC YOUTH /Beat On The Brat (SST)
- 15 WOODENTOPS /Maybe It Won't Last (Columbia)
- 16 NEW ORDER/Touched By The Hand Of... (Qwest/WB; Giant)
- 17 MORRISSEY /Suedehead (Sire /Reprise)
9 18 SISTERS OF MERCY/This Corrosion (Elektra)
17 19 ECHO & BUNNYMEN /Bedbugs & Ballyhoo ( Sire/WB)
- 20 BIG PIG /Breakaway (A &M)

April 8:

LW TW

1 1 MIDNIGHT OIL /Beds Are Burning (Columbia)
17 2 MORRISSEY /Suedehead (Sire /Reprise)
5 3 MIGHTY LEMON DROPS /Inside Out (Sire /Reprise)
11 4 TALKING HEADS /(Nothing But) Flowers (Fly /Sire)
3 5 CHURCH /Under The Milky Way (Arista)
2 6 GODFATHERS /Birth, School, Work, Death (Epic)
4 7 ROBYN HITCHCOCK & EGYPTIANS /Balloon Man (A &M)
- 8 WIRE /Kidney Bingos (Restless /Enigma)
- 9 SMITHEREENS /Only A Memory (Enigma /Capitol)
15 10 WOODENTOPS /Maybe It Won't Last (Columbia)
7 11 JERRY HARRISON /Rev It Up (Sire/WB)
6 12 SINEAD O'CONNOR /Mandinka (Chrysalis)
16 13 NEW ORDER/Touched By The Hand... (Qwest /WB; Giant)
- 14 FALL Victoria (Beggars Banquet /RCA)
- 15 MISSION UK/Tower Of Strength (Mercury /PG)
19 16 ECHO & BUNNYMEN /Bedbugs & Ballyhoo (Sire /WB)
9 17 CLOSE LOBSTERS /Just Too Bloody Stupid (Enigma)
- 18 BALAAM & THE ANGEL/I Love The Things You... (Virgin)
- 19 MIDNIGHT OIL/Dreamworld (Columbia)
14 20 SONIC YOUTH /Beat On The Brat (SST)

April 22:

2 1 MORRISSEY /Suedehead (Sire /Reprise)
1 2 MIDNIGHT OIL/Beds Are Burning (Columbia)
4 3 TALKING HEADS /(Nothing But) Flowers (Fly /Sire)
5 4 CHURCH /Under The Milky Way (Arista)
9 5 SMITHEREENS /Only A Memory (Enigma /Capitol)
3 6 MIGHTY LEMON DROPS /Inside Out (Sire /Reprise)
8 7 WIRE /Kidney Bingos (Restless /Enigma)
6 8 GODFATHERS /Birth, School, Work, Death (Epic)
7 9 ROBYN HITCHCOCK & EGYPTIANS /Balloon Man (A &M)
15 10 MISSION UK/Tower Of Strength (Mercury /PG)
10 11 WOODENTOPS /Maybe It Won't Last (Columbia)
14 12 FALL Victoria (Beggars Banquet /RCA)
- 13 BIG PIG /Breakaway (A &M)
12 14 SINEAD O'CONNOR /Mandinka (Chrysalis)
- 15 FIREHOSE /Sometimes (SST)
11 16 JERRY HARRISON /Rev It Up (Sire /WB)
17 17 CLOSE LOBSTERS /Just Too Bloody Stupid (Enigma)
13 18 NEW ORDER/Touched By The Hand... (Quest /WB; Giant)
19 19 MIDNIGHT OIL/Dreamworld (Columbia)
- 20 STRANGLERS /All Day & All Of The Night (Epic)

May 6:

LW TW

1 1 MORRISSEY /Suedehead (Sire /Reprise)
5 2 SMITHEREENS /Only A Memory (Enigma /Capitol)
3 3 TALKING HEADS /(Nothing But) Flowers (Fly /Sire)
2 4 MIDNIGHT OIL/Beds Are Burning (Columbia)
6 5 MIGHTY LEMON DROPS /Inside Out (Sire /Reprise)
4 6 CHURCH /Under The Milky Way (Arista)
7 7 WIRE /Kidney Bingos (Restless /Enigma)
- 8 ZIGGY MARLEY.../Tomorrow People (Virgin)
9 9 ROBYN HITCHCOCK & EGYPTIANS /Balloon Man (A &M)
12 10 FALLNictoria (Beggars Banquet /RCA)
8 11 GODFATHERS /Birth, School, Work, Death (Epic)
- 12 BEARS /Aches & Pains (PMRC /MCA)
10 13 MISSION UK/Tower Of Strength (Mercury /PG)
- 14 WOODENTOPS /Stop This Car (Columbia)
- 15 PETER MURPHY /All Night Long (Beggars Banquet /RCA)
13 16 BIG PIG /Breakaway (A &M)
- 17 BILLY BRAGG /Help Save The Youth Of... (Elektra)
15 18 FIREHOSE /Sometimes (SST)
11 19 WOODENTOPS /Maybe It Won't Last (Columbia)
- 20 CHURCH /Reptile (Arista)

May 20:

8 1 ZIGGY MARLEY.../Tomorrow People (Virgin)
1 2 MORRISSEY /Suedehead (Sire /Reprise)
- 3 JESUS & MARY CHAIN /Sidewalking (Reprise)
2 4 SMITHEREENS /Only A Memory (Enigma /Capitol)
- 5 TRACY CHAPMAN /Fast Car (Elektra)
- 6 SOUL ASYLUM /Sometime To Return (Twin Tone /A &M)
5 7 MIGHTY LEMON DROPS /Inside Out (Sire /Reprise)
6 8 CHURCH /Under The Milky Way (Arista)
- 9 THOMAS DOLBY /Airhead (EMI- Manhattan)
3 10 TALKING HEADS /(Nothing But) Flowers (Fly /Sire)
- 11 S. O'CONNOR f /MC LYTE /I Want Your (Hands...) (Chrysalis)
15 12 PETER MURPHY /All Night Long (Beggars Bqt.)
14 13 WOODENTOPS /Stop This Car (Columbia)
4 14 MIDNIGHT OIL /Beds Are Burning (Columbia)
17 15 BILLY BRAGG /Help Save The Youth Of America (Elektra)
- 16 PIXIES /Where Is My Mind (4AD /Rough Trade)
- 17 TIMBUK 3 /Reverend Jack... (IRS /MCA)
- 12 18 BEARS /Aches & Pains (PMRC /MCA)
10 19 FALLNictoria (Beggars Banquet /RCA)
13 20 MISSION UK/Tower Of Strength (Mercury /PG)

June 3:

1 1 ZIGGY MARLEY.../Tomorrow People (Virgin)
9 2 THOMAS DOLBY /Airhead (EMI- Manhattan)
5 3 TRACY CHAPMAN /Fast Car (Elektra)
3 4 JESUS & MARY CHAIN /Sidewalking (Reprise)
6 5 SOUL ASYLUM /Sometime To Return (Twin Tone /A &M)
12 6 PETER MURPHY /All Night Long (Beggars Banquet /RCA)
4 7 SMITHEREENS /Only A Memory (Enigma /Capitol)
2 8 MORRISSEY /Suedehead (Sire /Reprise)
8 9 CHURCH /Under The Milky Way (Arista)
18 10 BEARS /Aches & Pains (PMRC /MCA)
15 11 BILLY BRAGG /Help Save The Youth Of America (Elektra)
14 12 MIDNIGHT OIL/Beds Are Burning (Columbia)
10 13 TALKING HEADS /(Nothing But) Flowers (Fly- Sire /WB)
17 14 TIMBUK 3 /Reverend Jack... (IRS /MCA)
16 15 PIXIES /Where Is My Mind (4AD /Rough Trade)
11 16 S. O'CONNOR f /MC LYTE /I Want Your... (Chrysalis)
7 17 MIGHTY LEMON DROPS /Inside Out (Sire /Reprise)
19 18 FALL Victoria (Beggars Banquet /RCA)
- 19 NAKED RAYGUN /Soldier's Requiem (Caroline)
- 20 JOE STRUMMER/Trash City (Epic)

June 17:

3 1 TRACY CHAPMAN /Fast Car (Elektra)
4 2 JESUS & MARY CHAIN /Sidewalking (Reprise)
1 3 ZIGGY MARLEY.../Tomorrow People (Virgin)
2 4 THOMAS DOLBY /Airhead (EMI- Manhattan)
- 5 CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN /Eye Of Fatima (Pt. I) (Virgin)
5 6 SOUL ASYLUM /Sometime To Return (Twin Tone /A &M)
6 7 PETER MURPHY /All Night Long (Beggars Banquet /RCA)
14 8 TIMBUK 3 /Reverend Jack... (IRS /MCA)
20 9 JOE STRUMMER/Trash City (Epic)
15 10 PIXIES /Where Is My Mind (4AD /Rough Trade)
7 11 SMITHEREENS /Only A Memory (Enigma /Capitol)
- 12 SUGARCUBES /Birthday (Elektra)
- 13 TALKING HEADS /Blind (Fly- Sire /WB)
8 14 MORRISSEY /Suedehead (Sire /Reprise)
- 15 RAVE -UPS /When The End Comes Before (Epic)
17 16 MIGHTY LEMON DROPS /Inside Out (Sire /Reprise)
- 17 MIDNIGHT OIL/The Dead Heart (Columbia)
- 18 TRACY CHAPMAN/Talkin' Bout A Revolution (Elektra)
- 19 GRAHAM PARKER /Get Started... (RCA)
20 CHURCH /Reptile (Arista)

[peacebone]

Not sure how I passed over this thread before. The first 5 years of the Alt/Modern Rock charts were an absolute goldmine.

My Top 20 ranking of the list Troy posted:
1. The Church - Under the Milky Way
2. Cocteau Twins - Carolyn's Fingers
3. They Might Be Giants - Ana Ng
4. The Sugarcubes - Birthday
5. They Might Be Giants - Don't Let's Start (weird to see both this and Ana Ng, considering this came out in '86 on a different album from Ana Ng)
6. The House of Love - Christine
7. The Jesus and Mary Chain - Sidewalking
8. The Primitives - Crash
9. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Peek-a-Boo
10. The Sisters of Mercy - Dominion
11. REM - Pop Song 89
12. The Church - Reptile
13. Love and Rockets - No New Tale to Tell
14. Peter Murphy - All Night Long
15. New Order - Touched By the Hand of God
16. Morrissey - Suedehead
17. The Sisters of Mercy - This Corrosion
18. Jane's Addiction - Jane Says
19. The Mission - Tower of Strength
20. The Smiths - Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before

[Green Baron]

Swans sighting

[Verisimilitude]

My calculation of all the 1988 Alternative #1's using CMJ, The Hard Report, and Billboard:

1/15: Mandinka - Sinead O'Connor
1/22: I Need A Man - Eurythmics
1/29: No New Tale To Tell - Love & Rockets (2 weeks)
2/12: Balloon Man - Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians
2/19: Beds Are Burning - Midnight Oil (2 weeks)
3/04: Under The Milky Way - The Church (3 weeks)
3/25: (Nothing But) Flowers - Talking Heads (4 weeks)
4/22: Suedehead - Morrissey (2 weeks)
5/06: Tomorrow People - Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers (2 weeks)
5/20: All Night Long - Peter Murphy (4 weeks)
6/17: Get Started, Start A Fire - Graham Parker
6/24: Fast Car - Tracy Chapman (3 weeks)
7/15: Eye Of Fatima (Part I) - Camper Van Beethoven (2 weeks)
7/29: Just Play Music - Big Audio Dynamite (5 weeks - Billboard & The Hard Report combined)
8/19: Peek-A-Boo - Siouxsie & The Banshees (4 weeks - The Hard Report & Billboard combined)
10/1: All That Money Wants - Psychedelic Furs (3 weeks)
10/22: Desire - U2 (5 weeks)
11/26: Orange Crush - R.E.M. (8 weeks)

[Doc Indie Party Rock]

17 DAVID LEE ROTH /Just Like Paradise (WB)

I love this one. I didn't know it charted on Alt? I never heard of Firehose. I know Firehouse.

[Troy]

Verisimilitude peacebone Doc Indie Party Rock (& everyone else who is interested)

just wanted to let everyone know that my Year End Rankings (posted way up above) have now been modified to include the new CMJ/R&R data provided by Verisimilitude

[Verisimilitude]

Much appreciated! These CMJ charts will do until more '88 issues of The Hard Report are available on the American Radio History site.

[Verisimilitude]

Breaking: American Radio History has now added more issues of The Hard Report magazine for 1987 and 1988!

Chart weeks we now know the true weekly alternative radio #1's:

07/29: Just Play Music - Big Audio Dynamite
08/05: Just Play Music - Big Audio Dynamite
08/12: Just Play Music - Big Audio Dynamite
08/19: Just Play Music - Big Audio Dynamite
08/26: Peek-A-Boo - Siouxsie And The Banshees
09/02: Peek-A-Boo - Siouxsie And The Banshees

This means Peek-A-Boo now has just 4 weeks at #1 with Just Play Music with at least 5.

www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Hard_Report.htm

The Hard Report's Top 20 Alternative Radio Airplay Chart the week before the first Billboard chart:

Alternative Tracks September 2, 1988:

1 1 SIOUXSIE/BANSHEES "Peek A Boo"
2 2 B.A.D "Just Play Music!"
3 3 THE PRIMITIVES "Crash"
6 4 PSYCHEDELIC FURS "All That Money Wants"
5 5 UB40 "Breakfast In Bed"
7 6 HOT/ FLOWERS "Don't Go"
4 7 IN TUA NUA "All I Wanted"
11 8 HUNT./COLLECTORS "Breadline"
9 9 DEBBIE HARRY 'Liar Liar"
15 10 SHRIEKBACK 'Intoxication'
10 11 SUGARCUBES 'Coldsweat"
12 12 HOUSE OF LOVE 'Christine'
18 13 MICHELLE SHOCKED 'Anchorage"
19 14 LET'S ACTIVE 'Every Dog..."
8 15 CROWDED HOUSE "Better Be Home Soon"
13 16 RECK. SLEEPERS "If We Never..."
20 17 EDIE BRICKELL "What I Am"
14 18 PAUL KELLY "Dumb Things"
D 19 BUCKWHEAT ZYD "Why Does Love..."
D 20 SINEAD O'CONNOR .. "Jump In The River"

[Troy]

hey guys, thanks for the heads-up! by the way, you should come over the GAMES area where we are doing a rankdown for all of 1988 Alt right now

click here to join in on the fun of the 1988 Modern Rock rankdown

... of course i didn't have the advantage of the newly discovered issues of Hard Report, but i think i've covered most all of the songs with significant airplay the best i could with what was available to me before tonight

[Verisimilitude]

CMJ Top 40 Radio Cuts Chart, July 1st

7/1 6/17

1 1 TRACY CHAPMAN "Fast Car" (Elektra)
2 2 JESUS AND MARY CHAIN "Sidewaiking" (Warner Bros.)
3 5 CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN "Eye Of Fatima (Pt. 1)" (Virgin)
4 4 THOMAS DOLBY "Airhead" (EMI-Manhattan)
5 12 SUGARCUBES "Birthday" (Elektra)
6 19 GRAHAM PARKER "Get Started, Start A Fire" (RCA)
7 3 ZIGGY MARLEY & THE MELODY MAKERS "Tomorrow People" (Virgin)
8 24 THE SUN AND THE MOON "Peace In Our Time" (Geffen)
9 18 TRACY CHAPMAN "Talkin' Bout A Revolution" (Elektra)
10 15 RAVE-UPS "When The End Comes Before" (Epic)
11 6 SOUL ASYLUM "Sometime To Return" (A&M)
12 9 JOE STRUMMER "Trash City" (Epic)
13 7 PETER MURPHY All Night Long" (Beggars Banquet)
14 20 THE CHURCH "Reptile" (Arista)
15 WIRE "Silk Skin Paws" (Enigma)
16 25 WIRE "Kidney Bingos" (Enigma)
17 35 SHONA LAING "Soviet Snow" (TVT)
18 PATTI SMITH "People Have The Power" (Arista)
19 ERASURE "Chains Of Love" (Sire-Reprise)
20 17 MIDNIGHT OIL "Dead Heart" (Columbia)
21 21 THE CHURCH "Under The Milky Way" (Arista)
22 30 SMITHEREENS "House We Used To Live In" (Enigma/Capitol)
23 SWANS "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Caroline)
24 10 PIXIES "Where Is My Mind" (4AD-Rough Trade)
25 R MIDNIGHT OIL "Beds Are Burning" (Columbia)
26 8 TIMBUK 3 "Rev. Jack & His Roamin' Cadillac Church" (I.R.S.)
27 BOB DYLAN "Silvio" (Columbia)
28 DEVO "Disco Dancer" (Enigma)
29 CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN "One Of These Days" (Virgin)
30 13 TALKING HEADS "Blind" (Sire- WB)
31 28 NAKED RAYGUN "Soldier's Requiem" (Caroline)
32 23 STUMP "Charlton Heston" (Chrysalis)
33 R MORRISSEY "Everyday is Like Sunday" (Sire-Reprise)
34 SUGARCUBES "Deus" (Elektra)
35 40 BEARS "Aches And Pains" (Primitive Man)
36 11 SMITHEREENS "Only A Memory" (Enigma/Capitol)
37 33 TIMBUK 3 "Sample The Dog" (I.R.S.)
38 27 LIVING COLOUR "Middle Man" (Epic)
39 37 MIGHTY LEMON DROPS "Fall Down (Like The Rain)" (Sire-Reprise)
40 VELVET ELVIS "When It Comes" (Enigma)

www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Tip-Sheets/CMJ/1988/CMJ-New-Music-Report-1988-07-01.pdf

Interesting, so this means that R&R had it listed a week earlier in their issue dates.