Euro-Disco and Paula Abdul arrive the year the Cold War ends, Teen Pop peaks, Arsenio debuts on late night and some of Boomerdom’s biggest latter-day stars score their final big hits. Milli Vanilli’s lip-syncing shocks pop culture more than Madonna’s blasphemy or 2 Live Crew’s obscenity, Janet Jackson scores the first of seven top 5’s from her new album, and Billboard‘s top 3 songs of the year are all from… 1988?

#1 Song of the Year   The top song according to our Chartcrush ranking of all Hot100 songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year

Artists of the Year   The top three artists based on all charted songs during the calendar year

1. New Kids on the Block
2. Bobby Brown
3. Paula Abdul

Artist with Most Charting Songs   Artist(s) with the most Hot100 charting songs during the year (song count in parentheses)

• New Kids on the Block (6)

Average #1 Artist Age   The average of how old artists who scored #1 Hot100 hits during the year were when their songs first reached #1

• 28.8 years

#1 Songs   List of Hot100 #1 songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year, and (in parentheses), the month the song first hit #1 and the total number of weeks it was #1

1. Phil Collins – Two Hearts (January, 2 wks)
2. Sheriff – When I’m with You (February, 1 wk)
3. Paula Abdul – Straight Up (February, 3 wks)
4. Debbie Gibson – Lost in Your Eyes (March, 3 wks)
5. Mike + The Mechanics – The Living Years (March, 1 wk)
6. Bangles – Eternal Flame (April, 1 wk)
7. Roxette – The Look (April, 1 wk)
8. Fine Young Cannibals – She Drives Me Crazy (April, 1 wk)
9. Madonna – Like a Prayer (April, 3 wks)
10. Bon Jovi – I’ll Be There for You (May, 1 wk)
11. Paula Abdul – Forever Your Girl (May, 2 wks)
12. Michael Damian – Rock On (June, 1 wk)
13. Bette Midler – Wind Beneath My Wings (June, 1 wk)
14. New Kids on the Block – I’ll Be Loving You (Forever) (June, 1 wk)
15. Richard Marx – Satisfied (June, 1 wk)
16. Milli Vanilli – Baby Don’t Forget My Number (July, 1 wk)
17. Fine Young Cannibals – Good Thing (July, 1 wk)
18. Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me by Now (July, 1 wk)
19. Martika – Toy Soldiers (July, 2 wks)
20. Prince – Batdance (August, 1 wk)
21. Richard Marx – Right Here Waiting (August, 3 wks)
22. Paula Abdul – Cold Hearted (September, 1 wk)
23. New Kids on the Block – Hangin’ Tough (September, 1 wk)
24. Gloria Estefan – Don’t Wanna Lose You (September, 1 wk)
25. Milli Vanilli – Girl I’m Gonna Miss You (September, 2 wks)
26. Janet Jackson – Miss You Much (October, 4 wks)
27. Roxette – Listen to Your Heart (November, 1 wk)
28. Bad English – When I See You Smile (November, 2 wks)
29. Milli Vanilli – Blame It on the Rain (November, 2 wks)
30. Billy Joel – We Didn’t Start the Fire (December, 2 wks)
31. Phil Collins – Another Day in Paradise (December, 4 wks)