Every #1 Song of 1989: The Final Countdown of the ’80s
1989 was the year pop exploded. Hair metal met its match, new jack swing broke through, and teen queens ruled the airwaves. As Gen X got older (and cooler), the charts reflected a mix of bubblegum, heartbreak, and attitude. Here’s every Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit from 1989, in order, with the kind of commentary that only someone raised on cassette singles and Columbia House could truly appreciate.
📅 January 7–14
“Every Rose Has Its Thorn” – Poison
Because even dudes in makeup have feelings. This power ballad practically defined glam metal’s softer side, complete with shirtless brooding in a hayfield.
📅 January 21
“My Prerogative” – Bobby Brown
Attitude. Swagger. Leather jackets. Bobby B took control with this absolute banger, birthing new jack swing and giving Gen X a phrase we’d be yelling for decades.
📅 January 28
“Two Hearts” – Phil Collins
Phil gives us cheerful Motown-inspired pop from the Buster soundtrack. It’s bouncy, sweet, and pure radio comfort food.
📅 February 4
“When I’m with You” – Sheriff
A Canadian one-hit wonder that quietly climbed the charts years after release. Perfect for slow dancing at junior prom… or crying in your Camaro.
📅 February 11
“Straight Up” – Paula Abdul
Dance floor domination. Paula showed she had the chops (and the choreography) to match her funky, funky beats. Gen X was officially obsessed.
📅 March 4
“Lost in Your Eyes” – Debbie Gibson
Teen love, piano ballads, and mall fashion dreams. Debbie was the queen of wholesome heartbreak, and this was her prom season anthem.
📅 April 1
“The Look” – Roxette
Swedish pop-rock that smacked you right in the eyeliner. With crunchy guitars and catchy sass, this was a new sound for a new Gen X mood.
📅 April 8
“She Drives Me Crazy” – Fine Young Cannibals
That snare crack? Iconic. This weirdly catchy tune made alternative feel cool for everyone, even if you had no idea what Roland Gift was singing.
📅 April 22
“Like a Prayer” – Madonna
Controversial, powerful, and impossible to ignore. Madonna danced on the line between church and MTV—and we couldn’t look away.
📅 May 6
“I’ll Be There for You” – Bon Jovi
Back with another lighters-up anthem. Big vocals. Big hair. Even bigger heartbreak. Jersey never sounded so emotional.
📅 May 13
“Forever Your Girl” – Paula Abdul
Paula doubled down on the charm and conquered the charts again. This one was all about loyalty, love, and the choreography in our heads.
📅 June 3
“Rock On” – Michael Damian
Soap star + David Essex cover = unexpected hit. It was moody, mysterious, and weirdly magnetic—like a goth prom slow dance.
📅 June 10
“Wind Beneath My Wings” – Bette Midler
A tearjerker from Beaches that destroyed every mom emotionally in 1989. Gen X cried too—we just did it silently with a Walkman.
📅 June 24
“Satisfied” – Richard Marx
Peak mullet power. Richard was riding high off ’88 and came back with a rock-driven love anthem that sounded great in a Pontiac Fiero.
📅 July 1
“Baby Don’t Forget My Number” – Milli Vanilli
Catchy as hell. Too bad it was lip-synced. At the time, though, we were dancing our pegged jeans off to it.
📅 July 15
“If You Don’t Know Me by Now” – Simply Red
Blue-eyed soul with a velvet punch. This remake gave breakup sadness a classy accent and a slow sway rhythm you couldn’t ignore.
📅 July 22
“Toy Soldiers” – Martika
A haunting anti-drug ballad disguised as a pop song. The playground metaphor hit hard, and so did the vocals. A Gen X deep cut classic.
📅 July 29
“Batdance” – Prince
Part funk, part chaos, all Batman. Prince made a track with movie dialogue samples, sound effects, and no chorus—and still made it #1.
📅 August 5
“Right Here Waiting” – Richard Marx
Long distance never hurt so good. Gen X cried in bedrooms coast to coast to this piano ballad masterpiece. No shame.
📅 August 26
“Cold Hearted” – Paula Abdul
The video alone deserves a place in the pop culture hall of fame. This was peak Paula—funky, fierce, and fully choreographed.
📅 September 9
“Don’t Wanna Lose You” – Gloria Estefan
A Latin-tinged love song with smooth vocals and mature heartbreak. Gloria gave us elegance, and Gen X gave her repeat plays.
📅 September 16
“Girl I’m Gonna Miss You” – Milli Vanilli
Before the fall, they were untouchable. Another sugar-sweet ballad that melted the airwaves… even if it wasn’t actually sung by them.
📅 September 30
“Cherish” – Madonna
Madonna switches gears with beachy romance and vintage vibes. A lighter follow-up to Like a Prayer, but no less unforgettable.
📅 October 21
“Miss You Much” – Janet Jackson
Rhythm Nation had arrived. Janet’s fierce choreography and bass-heavy beats kicked off a run of absolute dominance.
📅 November 4
“Listen to Your Heart” – Roxette
Another Roxette epic, this time full ballad mode. Love, pain, and Swedish power vocals—perfect for late-night angst on FM radio.
📅 November 25
“Blame It on the Rain” – Milli Vanilli
Their final #1 before the fall. At the time, this moody jam was all over the radio and cassette decks. We had no idea the sky was about to fall.
📅 December 9
“We Didn’t Start the Fire” – Billy Joel
A rapid-fire history lesson disguised as a pop song. Everyone tried to memorize it. Few succeeded. Still iconic.
📅 December 16
“Another Day in Paradise” – Phil Collins
Phil closed out the decade with a sobering message about homelessness, wrapped in smooth synths and gated drums. Moody, meaningful, and very 1989.
1989 was the perfect sendoff to the ’80s. Teen idols, power ballads, cultural commentary, and the dawn of Janet and Paula’s reign. Gen X had grown up a bit—but we still had big hair, big emotions, and an even bigger love for the music that defined us.