1988 in music

See also: 1987 in music, other events of 1988, 1989 in music, 1980s in music and the list of 'years in music'

Table of contents

1 Events
2 Albums released
3 Top hits
4 Published popular music
5 Musical theater
6 Births
7 Deaths
8 Awards

8.1 Grammy Awards
8.2 Country Music Association Awards
8.3 Eurovision Song Contest

Events

February 13 - Michael Jackson purchases a ranch in Santa Ynez, California. He calls his new home "Neverland".
February 16 - Billy Vera receives a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame
February 17 - A 12-year old M�tley Cr�e fan in Florida is badly burned while trying to imitate a stunt in the band's "Live Wire" music video. The boy suffered burns over ten percent of his body. M�tley Cr�e issued a statement saying the band's stunts should not be tried at home.
February 24 - Alice Cooper announces that he is going to run for Governor of Arizona.
March 10 - During a concert in Perth, Australia, George Michael thanks Tipper Gore, head of the Parents Music Resource Center, for helping the sales of his Faith album.
March 12 - Record producer Jimmy Iovine presents the Special Olympics with a donation of $5 million, which was raised with the release of the A Very Special Christmas album.
April to July - Suicidal Tendencies records How Will I Laugh Tomorrow If I Can't Even Smile Today, which will be a blockbuster album on September 13
April 19 - Sonny Bono is inaugurated as the Mayor of Palm Springs, California
May 1 - Citing the 1st Amendment, a judge drops all charges filed against singer Billy Joel. Joel was being sued by Jack Powers for defamation following an interview with Playboy magazine in which he called Powers a "creep".
November - The "Guess The Eddies" contest begins, inviting people to guess the identities of the six members of the rock band The Swirling Eddies.
Compact discs outsell vinyl records for the first time.
Former rock and roll singer Sonny Bono is elected as mayor of Palm Springs, California.
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" experiences a surge in popularity sparked by television commercials featuring claymation raisin figures dancing to the song. The California Raisins version of the song peaks at No. 84 on Billboard's Hot 100.
Nirvana's career begins
Phish's career begins
Morrissey begins solo career;
The Offspring begins their recording career
Baha Men forms
After 7 forms
Blues Traveler forms
Cypress Hill forms
Guttermouth forms
Jesus Jones forms
No Doubt forms
Radiohead forms (as On A Friday)
Warrior Soul forms
The Cars break up

Albums released

Traveling Wilburys, Volume I - Traveling Wilburys
Y Kant Tori Read - Tori Amos (debut)
State Of Euphoria - Anthrax
Suffer - Bad Religion
Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart - Camper Van Beethoven
New Jersey - Bon Jovi
Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman
19 - Chicago
I'm Your Man - Leonard Cohen
The Trinity Sessions - The Cowboy Junkies
Dangerous Age - Bad Company
Bug - Dinosaur Jr
Copperhead Road - Steve Earle
Self-Titled - Fugazi (debut EP)
Gipsy Kings - Gipsy Kings
The Sweet Children - Green Day
Racing after Midnight - Honeymoon Suite
Nothing's Shocking - Jane's Addiction
20 Years of Jethro Tull - Jethro Tull
Reg Strikes Back - Elton John
Greatest Hits (1977-1987) - Journey
Ram It Down - Judas Priest
Straight Out The Jungle - The Jungle Brothers
Shadowland - k.d. lang
Vivid - Living Colour
Pontiac - Lyle Lovett
So Far So Good... So what - Megadeth
And Justice For All - Metallica
Time Odyssey - Vinnie Moore
Isn't Anything - My Bloody Valentine
Land of Dreams - Randy Newman
The Lion and the Cobra - Sinead O'Connor
Outrider - Jimmy Page
The Indescribable Wow - Sam Phillips
Surfer Rosa - Pixies
Lovesexy - Prince
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back - Public Enemy
Operation: Mindcrime - Queensryche
Green - R.E.M
Abbey Road EP - The Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Uplift Mofo Partyplan - The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Talk Is Cheap - Keith Richards
Sick Of It All - Sick of it All
Out Of Order - Rod Stewart
How Will I Laugh Tomorrow If I Can't Even Smile Today - Suicidal Tendencies
Daydream Nation - Sonic Youth
Toots in Memphis - Toots
Junekbox - Jamaaladeen Tacuma
The Live Brain Wedgie/WAD - Ween
Lucinda Williams - Lucinda Williams
Roll With It - Steve Winwood
Rattle and Hum - U2

Top hits

"Kokomo" - The Beach Boys
"Don't Worry, Be Happy" - Bobby McFerrin
"Man in the Mirror" - Michael Jackson
"Get Outta My Dreams (Get Into My Car)" - Billy Ocean
"Anything for You" - Gloria Estefan
"Every Rose Has It's Thorn" - Poison
"Never Gonna Give You Up" - Rick Astley
"Look Away" - Chicago
"Ram It Down" - Judas Priest
"Blood Red Skies" - Judas Priest
"One More Time" - George Michael
"Roll With It" - Steve Winwood
"Sweet Child O' Mine" -Guns N' Roses
"Mountain Song" - Jane's Addiction
"Trip At The Brain" - Suicidal Tendencies
"Got My Mind Set On You" - George Harrison
"1-2-3" - Gloria Estefan & the Miami Sound Machine
"Forever Young" - Rod Stewart

Published popular music

"Kissing A Fool" w.m. George Michael

Musical theater

Bitter Sweet London revival

Chess Broadway production
The Phantom of the Opera Broadway production
Sarafina Broadway production

Births

August 27 - Alexa Vega, Spy Kids as Carmen Cortez and song for "Isle Of Dreams"

Deaths

March 10, Andy Gibb, The Bee Gees, disco musician
April 9 - Brook Benton, complications of spinal meningitis.
April 9 - Dave Prater, of Sam & Dave, car accident
June 25, Hillel Slovak, Red Hot Chili Peppers, guitarist
October 19, Son House, blues musician
December 6, Roy Orbison, singer

Awards

The following artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Drifters, Bob Dylan, and The Supremes