The news in 1988 saw Sue Lawley whilst reading the BBC news being attacked by protestors. 1988 also saw the launch of the perennial event that is Red Nose Day. The author Salman Rushdie launched his book Satanic Verses and subsequently went into hiding.
We also saw the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday concert at Wembley stadium, unfortunately Mr Mandela was still in prison at that time.
The year ended with several disasters. A 165 Oil workers were killed in a blast on the Piper Alpha platform in the North Sea. The Clapham Junction rail crash claimed 35 lives and injured 132 and the PAN AM flight 103 is blown up over lockerbie with 270 innocent victims taken.
In terms of the UK number ones, pop was making big strides and there were some notable achievements. Belinda Carlisle went top with Heaven is a place on earth and the American theme continued with Tiffany I think were alone now. The next inductee was The little actress from Neighbours Kylie Minogue who started a trend of Neighbours actors to grace the charts although not all at number one!! she went top with I should be so lucky. The boys were not to be outdone, Bros hit the top with I owe you nothing and Pet Shop Boys with Heart.
Dance was making an impact and some of those acts included a number one for S Express with S Express, the Timelords with doctorin the Tardis and Yazz and the plastic population with the feel good disco anthem The only way is up.
Reggae had a success in line of Aswad who scored there first number one with Don't turn around. In that bracket in terms of first number one Fairground Attraction went number one with there first release Perfect.
The Celtic influence was still making number one tunes. Scotland's Wet Wet Wet had a little help from my friends. The Irish had success with the haunting Orinocco Flow by Enya and U2 had there first UK number one single with Desire after many years of trying.
The UK desire for power ballads went into overdrive. Glenn Madeiros kicked the ball rolling with Nothing going to change my love for you. Phil Collins pushed it further with a groovy kind of love. The Hollies re-released He ain't heavy and two young ladies finished off the ballad section with Robin Beck First Time and Whitney Houston One moment in time. Plenty of wedding songs there for 1988!
To finish the year Cliff Richard topped the charts with the yuletide classic Mistletoe and Wine (the biggest selling single in 1988) and continuing his record of a number one in every decade since the 1950s! Absolute longevity and still going now.
Did you know?
Michael Jackson purchases a ranch in Santa Ynez, California and changes the name to Neverland.
Celine Dion wins the eurovision for Switzerland with ne partez pas sans moi.
Acid House music sweeps the UK in the second summer of love. The smiley logo is born. :-)
CD outsells vinyl for the first time.
Deaths in Music
Saw Andy Gibb the younger sibling of the BeeGees die very young. Also Divine the Singer and Drag Entertainer die before the Hairspray hit the theatres. Irish Folk Star Ciaran Bourke died after a long illness and the iconic Voice of Roy Orbison also passed away.
The album charts saw many successes. The HITS v NOW battle was fading as NOW 11,12 and 13 all tasted top table but also we saw two other compilations of Hot City Nights and Nite Flite also soar to the top.
Solo artists had great success with Terence Trent Darby the Hardline continuing. Also the Mancunian poet Morrisey went top with Viva Hate. Two Americans Prince (Lovesexy) and Tracey Chapman (Tracey Chapman) also enjoyed the fruits of the summer. Chris DeBurgh also had a spell with his Flying Colours and Cliff enjoyed a number one single and album with Private Collection ending a great year for the peter pan of pop.
British groups success was limited and the three lucky bands were Johnny Hates Jazz with Turn back the clock, Erasure The Innocents and Wet Wet Wet with the soulful Popped in and souled out.
Rock also enjoyed a renaissance amongst all the pop success. Iron Maiden thrusted there way with the Seventh son of a Seventh son. Dire straits Money for nothing made money for someone. Bon Jovi release of New Jersey also went top and U2 follow up to Joshua Tree was Rattle and Hum and this enjoyed a spell at the top to coincide with the release of the same title film.
Two artists had an album which had two separate spells at the top. First was Fleetwood Mac with Tango in the night and Kylie with The Album which went onto be the biggest selling album of 1988.
Recommended Listening/Purchasing
Viva Hate - Morrisey
Tracey Chapman - Tracey Chapman
Rattle and Hum - U2
New Jersey - Bon Jovi
Popped in and souled out - Wet Wet Wet
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