Top Songs by Year

Top Songs — 1988

⭐ Appears on Top 750 Songs of All Time

▶ Spotify Playlist

In 1988, my sister started dating a guy who was obsessed with music. He was in a band, worked at a record store, and was constantly bringing new sounds into our home. I benefited tremendously from the influx. He was always making copies of CDs onto Maxell UR cassettes for her, and I was raiding them from the other side (sadly, the wretched cassette tape was the only form of media we supported in our house at the time).

Among this bounty, eventually came a copy of R.E.M.'s new album, Green — the single most influential album of my life. This was my introduction to alternative music, which would come to redefine my entire relationship with music. It wasn't an overnight transformation, mostly because of lack of access. I discovered MTV's 120 Minutes, but its midnight-to-2 a.m. Sunday night slot (technically early Monday morning) wasn't exactly ideal for a high school freshman. Plus, I was simultaneously engaged in a three-year deep dive into classic rock.

Nonetheless, slowly my tastes began to change. I discovered bands like The Red Hot Chili Peppers, They Might Be Giants, and The Violent Femmes — and with them, a new, different, more thrilling world of music.

Green might not be the best R.E.M. album ever, but it was the turning point for me. I've never formally made an all-time Top Artists list (yet), but if I did, there's a good chance R.E.M. would land at the top.

1.⭐ The Primitives — Crash
2.⭐ Morrissey — Alsatian Cousin
3.⭐ R.E.M. — You Are The Everything
4.⭐ Q Lazzarus — Goodbye Horses
5.⭐ my bloody valentine — drive it all over me
6.⭐ Galaxie 500 — Tugboat
7.⭐ Jane's Addiction — Mountain Song
8.⭐ When In Rome — The Promise
9.⭐ Morrissey — Suedehead
10.⭐ R.E.M. — Orange Crush
11.⭐ Pixies — Where Is My Mind?
12.⭐ Jane's Addiction — Summertime Rolls
13.⭐ Sonic Youth — Teen Age Riot
14.⭐ Metallica — One
15.⭐ Jane's Addiction — Jane Says
16.⭐ R.E.M. — Untitled
17.⭐ The Vaselines — Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam
18.Pixies — Bone Machine
19.The Stone Roses — Elephant Stone
20.Pixies — Gigantic
21.Mekons — Ghosts of American Astronauts
22.The Bangles,Susanna Hoffs — In Your Room
23.Erasure — A Little Respect
24.Morrissey — Hairdresser on Fire
25.Book Of Love — Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls
26.Ultra Vivid Scene — Mercy Seat
27.U2 — All I Want Is You
28.Morrissey — Everyday Is Like Sunday
29.Elton John — I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That
30.my bloody valentine — Feed Me with Your Kiss
31.They Might Be Giants — Ana Ng
32.Tracy Chapman — Fast Car
33.The Bangles,Susanna Hoffs — Eternal Flame
34.Roxette — Dangerous
35.Poison — Fallen Angel
36.Edie Brickell & New Bohemians — What I Am
37.Pet Shop Boys — Always on My Mind
38.The Parachute Men — Sometimes in Vain
39.Jane's Addiction — Ocean Size
40.Eric Carmen — Make Me Lose Control
41.Paula Abdul — Straight Up
42.The Psychedelic Furs — All That Money Wants
43.U2 — Desire
44.The Vaselines — Molly's Lips
45.The Vaselines — Dying For It
46.R.E.M. — Stand
47.U2 — Angel Of Harlem
48.Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark — Dreaming
49.Lita Ford — Kiss Me Deadly
50.The Dead Milkmen — Punk Rock Girl
51.Kate Bush — This Woman's Work
52.my bloody valentine — You Never Should
53.They Might Be Giants — Purple Toupee
54.The Jeff Healey Band — Angel Eyes
55.Poison — Every Rose Has Its Thorn
56.R.E.M. — Get Up
57.Jane's Addiction — Ted, Just Admit It...
58.my bloody valentine — Sueisfine
59.Living Colour — Cult of Personality
60.Pixies — River Euphrates
61.The House of Love — Christine
62.U2 — Heartland
63.The Church — Under the Milky Way
64.Dinosaur Jr. — Freak Scene
65.Paula Abdul — Cold Hearted
66.Traveling Wilburys — End Of The Line
67.Roxette — The Look
68.Pixies — Break My Body
69.R.E.M. — Pop Song 89
70.Siouxsie and the Banshees — The Killing Jar
71.The Wonder Stuff — A Wish Away
72.The Fall — Victoria
73.Beat Happening — Indian Summer
74.R.E.M. — Turn You Inside-Out
75.Bad Religion — What Can You Do?
76.The Go-Betweens — Streets of Your Town
77.For Against — Sabres
78.my bloody valentine — you made me realise
79.Fugazi — Waiting Room
80.The Primitives — Way Behind Me
81.Erasure — Chains of Love
82.Prince — Alphabet St.
83.Poison — Nothin' But A Good Time
84.Information Society — What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)
85.Traveling Wilburys — Handle With Care
86.Naked Raygun — Soldiers Requiem
87.Robert Palmer — Simply Irresistible
88.Joan Jett & the Blackhearts — I Hate Myself for Loving You
89.UB40 — Red Red Wine
90.Bon Jovi — I'll Be There For You