1988 in music explained
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.
Specific locations
Specific genres
Events
January–March
- January 20 – The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony inducts The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Drifters, Bob Dylan and The Supremes.[1]
- January 28 – A Tampa, Florida, man files an unusual lawsuit against Mötley Crüe. Matthew John Trippe, who has a history of mental health issues and trouble with the law, claims that he was secretly hired to pose as Nikki Sixx and toured, wrote and recorded with the band for a time during 1983 and 1984.[2] Trippe drops the lawsuit in 1993.
- March 2 – The 30th Annual Grammy Awards are presented in New York, hosted by Billy Crystal. U2's The Joshua Tree wins Album of the Year, Paul Simon's "Graceland" wins Record of the Year and Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram's "Somewhere Out There" wins Song of the Year. Jody Watley wins Best New Artist.
- March 10 - Pop star Andy Gibb dies at a hospital in Oxford, England five days after his 30th birthday.
- March 26 – "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson from the Bad album tops the Billboard Hot 100. It's the first time in history a solo artist has had four Number One singles from the same album.[3]
April–June
- April 7 – Alice Cooper almost dies on stage when one of the props, the Gallows, malfunctions.[4]
- April 19 – Former rock and roll singer Sonny Bono is inaugurated as the Mayor of Palm Springs, California, USA.[5]
- April 25 – Rock supermanager Doc McGhee is sentenced to five years probation after pleading guilty to charges of drug smuggling stemming from a 1982 seizure of nearly 40,000 pounds of marijuana entering North Carolina from Colombia.[6]
- April 30 – The Eurovision Song Contest, held in the RDS Simmonscourt Pavilion, Dublin, is won by French-Canadian singer Celine Dion, representing Switzerland with the song "Ne partez pas sans moi".[7]
- May 14 – Atlantic Records stages a concert at Madison Square Garden celebrating its Fortieth birthday with performances by many of the label's greatest acts of the past. Artists include Crosby, Stills & Nash, Iron Butterfly, Ruth Brown, Foreigner and Wilson Pickett, but the most talked-about performance is by a reunited Led Zeppelin with Jason Bonham on drums.[8]
- May 27 – The Monsters of Rock Tour 1988 commences in East Troy, Wisconsin. Van Halen headlines with the other acts on the bill consisting of Metallica, Scorpions, Dokken and Kingdom Come.
- June 10 – Singing Revolution begins in Estonia.[9]
- June 18 – Depeche Mode play to a crowd of 60,000 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The concert was filmed and recorded by D. A. Pennebaker for the group's documentary-concert film and live album 101.
- June 27 – Motown Records is sold to MCA and an investment firm for $61 million.[10]
July–September
- July 2 – Michael Jackson with fifth single from Bad, "Dirty Diana", he broke the record to have five consecutive charting singles from same album at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, is the first artist and only male in history to achieve this.
- August 12 – Public Enemy garners publicity by staging a concert at Riker's Island prison for 250 inmates and 100 journalists.[11]
- September 6–9 – Elton John auctions off many items from his personal collection, including memorabilia and stage-worn clothing, at Sotheby's for a total of $8.5 million. John had been known for wearing flamboyant stage costumes during the glam rock era of the 1970s, but he increasingly abandoned them in later years.
- September 10 – Billboard magazine publishes its Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart for the first time.
- September 24 – James Brown faces a variety of charges after leading police on an interstate chase, after reportedly breaking into a seminar in an Augusta, Georgia, building he owned an office in, waving a gun and demanding to know who had used his restrooms. Earlier in the year Brown had been arrested on drug and firearms-related charges.[12]
- September 25 – The Aalto Theatre, Essen, Germany, opens with a performance of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.[13]
October–December
- October 10 – The new Cairo Opera House is inaugurated by President Hosni Mubarak and Prince Tomohito of Mikasa, brother of the Emperor of Japan. The opening ceremony includes a kabuki performance in recognition of the funds donated by Japan.[14]
- November 7 – John Fogerty wins a self-plagiarism lawsuit with Fantasy Records. The record label had contended that Fogerty's 1985 comeback hit "The Old Man Down the Road" was too similar to his 1970 Creedence Clearwater Revival song, "Run Through the Jungle".[15]
- November 12 – U2's Rattle and Hum hits the Number One spot on the U.S. charts, the first double album to do so since Bruce Springsteen's The River in 1980.[16]
- December 4 – Singer Roy Orbison gives his last concert in Akron, Ohio, USA, before his death from a heart attack.[17]
- December 28 – Madonna calls sheriff's officers to the Malibu, California home she shared with her soon-to-be ex-husband Sean Penn. Penn is rumored to have threatened to attack or kill Madonna, tied her up, and threatened to cut her hair. These rumors have been denied by both Madonna and Penn.[18]
- December 31 – The 17th annual New Year's Rockin' Eve special airs on ABC, with appearances by Natalie Cole, Taylor Dayne, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Richard Marx, Reba McEntire and Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.[19]
Also in 1988
Bands formed
- See Musical groups established in 1988
Bands disbanded
See Musical groups disestablished in 1988
Albums released
January–March
April–June
July–September
October–December
Release date unknown
Singles released in 1988
Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highest chart positionsin the charts of 1988.
| # | Artist | Title | Year | Country | Chart Entries |
|---|
| 1 | | | 1988 | | UK 1 – Sep 1988, US BB 1 – Sep 1988, Netherlands 1 – Sep 1988, Switzerland 1 – Oct 1988, Poland 1 – Sep 1988, Republic of Ireland 1 – Sep 1988, Norway 2 – Sep 1988, Italy 2 of 1988, Germany 3 – Jan 1989, Sweden 4 – Sep 1988, Austria 6 – Nov 1988, South Africa 11 of 1989, Australia 23 of 1988, US BB 26 of 1988, US CashBox 29 of 1988, POP 65 of 1988, Germany 103 of the 1980s, RYM 193 of 1988 |
| 2 | | | 1988 |  | US BB 1 – Aug 1988, Austria 1 – Nov 1988, Germany 1 – Jan 1989, Australia 1 for 7 weeks May 1989, Grammy in 1988, UK 2 – Sep 1988, Netherlands 2 – Oct 1988, Switzerland 2 – Oct 1988, Norway 5 – Oct 1988, South Africa 5 of 1989, Sweden 13 – Oct 1988, Poland 13 – Sep 1988, POP 13 of 1988, Germany 23 of the 1980s, US CashBox 28 of 1988, Scrobulate 92 of happy, RYM 94 of 1988, Italy 97 of 1989, RIAA 301 |
| 3 | | | 1987 | | UK 1 – Dec 1987 (3 weeks), Sweden 1 – Dec 1987 (8 weeks), Switzerland 1 – Jan 1988 (18 weeks), Poland 1 – Jan 1988 (20 weeks), Germany 1 – Jan 1988 (4 months), Canada RPM 1 for 2 weeks – May 1988, Europe 1 for 5 weeks – Jan 1988, Germany 1 for 6 weeks – Jan 1988, Austria 2 – Feb 1988 (5 weeks), Belgium 2 – Dec 1987 (11 weeks), Netherlands 3 – Dec 1987 (10 weeks), Norway 3 – Jan 1988 (10 weeks), US Billboard 4 – Mar 1988 (15 weeks), UK Gold (certified by BPI in Jan 1988), Germany Gold (certified by BMieV in 1988), South Africa 11 of 1988, Switzerland 15 of 1988, KROQ 18 of 1988, RYM 33 of 1987, POP 38 of 1988, Italy 58 of 1988, US Radio 69 of 1988 (peak 4 7 weeks), Germany 136 of the 1980s (peak 1 11 weeks) |
| 4 | | | 1987 | | UK 1 – Dec 1987, US BB 1 – Oct 1987, Sweden 1 – Jan 1988, Switzerland 1 – Jan 1988, Norway 1 – Jan 1988, New Zealand 1 for 4 weeks Feb 1988, Germany 4 – Jan 1988, South Africa 4 of 1988, Netherlands 7 – Jan 1988, Austria 10 – Mar 1988, Australia 10 of 1988, Poland 15 – Nov 1987, US BB 17 of 1987, Italy 31 of 1988, RYM 53 of 1987, POP 72 of 1987, Germany 344 of the 1980s |
| 5 | | | 1988 | | UK 1 – Oct 1988, Netherlands 1 – Nov 1988, Switzerland 1 – Nov 1988, Republic of Ireland 1 – Oct 1988, Scrobulate 1 of new age, Poland 2 – Dec 1988, Germany 1 – Jan 1989, Sweden 1 – Nov 1988, Norway 1 – Nov 1988, Austria 1 – Dec 1988, France 1 – Oct 1988, RYM 18 of 1988, US BB 24 – Mar 1989, POP 34 of 1989, Germany 242 of the 1980s | |
U.S. best selling singles
The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in the U.S. in 1988.
| Position | Song Title | Artist | Highest Position | weeks at #1 |
|---|
| 1 | | | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | | | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | | | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | | | 1 | 2 |
| 5 | | | 1 | 2 | |
Top selling albums of the year in the US
- George Michael – Faith
- Madonna – You Can Dance
- Michael Jackson – Bad
- Guns N' Roses – Appetite for Destruction
Top 40 Chart hit singles
The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in the U.S. in 1988.
| Song title | Artist(s) | Release date(s) | US | UK | Highest chart position | Other Chart Performance(s) |
|---|
| "1-2-3" | | | June 1988 | 3 | 9 | 3 (United States) | See chart performance entry |
| "Angel" | | | January 1988 | 3 | 69 | 3 (United States) | 2 (U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock) - 14 (Canada) |
| "Angel of Harlem" | | | December 1988 | 14 | 9 | 1 (Canada, New Zealand) | See chart performance entry |
| "Another Lover" | | | June 1988 | 13 | n/a | 13 (United States) | 10 (U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play) - 12 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100 Singles) |
| "Another Weekend" | | | May 1988 | n/a | 18 | 12 (Ireland) | 23 (U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles) - 24 (Netherlands [Dutch Single Top 100]) |
| "Any Love" | | | August 1988 | 44 | 31 | 31 (Australia) | 1 (U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles) - 12 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) |
| "Anything For You" | | | March 1988 | 1 | 10 | 1 (United States) | 1 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 2 (Netherlands [Dutch Top 40]/[Single Top 100]) - 3 (U.S. Billboard Hot Latin Songs) - 5 (Belgium) - 11 (Australia) - 19 (Ireland) |
| "Atmosphere" (re-release) | | | August 1988 | n/a | 34 | 5 (New Zealand) | n/a |
| "Blue Monday 1988" | | | April 1988 | 68 | 3 | 1 (New Zealand) | See chart performance entry |
| "Breakaway" | | | May 1988 | 60 | 89 | 1 (New Zealand) | 7 (U.S. Billboard Dance Club SOngs) - 8 (Australia) - 10 (Canada) |
| "Buffalo Stance" | | | November 1988 | 3 | 3 | 2 (Greece, Switzerland, West Germany) | See chart performance entry |
| "Cuddly Toy" | | | May 1988 | 25 | 4 | 4 (US Billboard Hot 100) | See chart performance entry |
| "I Owe You Nothing" | | | June 1988 | n/a | 1 | 1 (United Kingdom) | See chart performance entry |
| "Knocked Out" | | | May 1988 | 41 | 21 | 21 (United Kingdom) | See chart performance entry |
| "Man in the Mirror" | | | February 1988 | 1 | 21 | 1 (United States) | See chart performance entry |
| "Never Tear Us Apart" | | | August 1988 | 7 | 24 | 2 (Canada) | See chart performance entry |
| "New Sensation" | | | May 1988 | 3 | 25 | 1 (Canada) | See chart performance entry |
| "Nothin' but a Good Time" | | | April 1988 | 6 | 35 | 6 (US Billboard Hot 100) | 10 (Australia) - 19 (US Mainstream Rock [Billboard]) |
| "Simply Irresistible" | | | June 1988 | 2 | 44 | 1 (Australia) | 1 (U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks) - 2 (U.S. Cash Box) - 2 (Canada) - 6 (New Zealand) - 10 (France) - 57 (West Germany) |
| "Under the Milky Way" | | | February 1988 | 24 | 90 | 22 (Australia) | See chart performance entry | |
Other Chart hit singles
Notable singles
| Song title | Artist(s) | Release date(s) | Other Chart Performance(s) |
|---|
| "A Little Respect" | | | July 1988 | See Chart performance entry |
| "Ain't No Half-Steppin'" | | | July 1988 | 53 (US Billboard Hot Black Singles) |
| "Ana Ng" | | | April 1988 | 11 (US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks) |
| "Bring the Noise" | | | February 1988 | 56 (US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks) |
| "Carolyn's Fingers" | | | June 1988 | 2 (US Alternative Airplay (Billboard) |
|-|"
Cars and Girls" ||
Prefab Sprout || |February 1988 || 41 (Australia) - 44 (UK Singles Chart)|-|"
Children's Story" ||
Slick Rick || |April 1988 || 2 (US Billboard Hot Rap Singles) - 5 (US Billboard Hot Black Singles) - 39 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs)|-|"Coldsweat" || data-sort-value="Sugarcubes"|
The Sugarcubes || |January 1988 || 2 (UK Indie Charts) - 65 (UK Singles Chart)|-|"
Crash" || data-sort-value="Primitives"|
The Primitives || |February 1988 || See Chart performance entry|-|"
Cult of Personality" ||
Living Colour || |July 1988 || See Chart performance entry|-|"
Deanna" || data-sort-value="Cave, Nick"|
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds || |October 1988 || 4 (UK Indie Charts)|-|"
Devil Inside" ||
INXS || |February 1988 || See Chart performance entry|-|"
Dominion" || data-sort-value="Sisters of Mercy"|
The Sisters of Mercy || |February 1988 || 7 (Ireland) - 13 (UK Singles Chart) - 30 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs)|-|"
Elephant Stone" || data-sort-value="Stone Roses"|
The Stone Roses || |September 1988 || 86 (Australia) - 4 (Ireland) - 8 (UK Singles Chart)
Note: The reissue of the single charted in 1990.|-|"
Everyday Is Like Sunday" ||
Morrissey || |May 1988 || 3 (Irish Singles Chart) - 9 (UK Singles Chart) - 76 (Dutch Single Top 100)|-|"
Fast Car" ||
Tracy Chapman || |April 1988 || See Chart performance entry|-|"
Feed Me with Your Kiss" b/w "Keep the Glove" || My Bloody Valentine || |September 1988 || n/a|-|"Follow the Leader || Eric B. & Rakim || |July 1988 || 11 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs) - 16 (US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs) - 21 (UK Singles Chart) - 75 (Netherlands)|-|"
Freak Scene" b/w "Believe Me" ||
Dinosaur Jr. || |October 1988 || n/a|-|"
Gigantic" || Pixies || |August 1988 || 93 (UK Singles Chart)|-|"
I Believe In You" ||
Talk Talk || |September 1988 || 43 (New Zealand) - 65 (Netherlands [Single Top 100]) - 85 (UK Singles Chart)|-|"
If I Should Fall from Grace with God" ||
The Pogues || |January 1988 || See Chart performance entry|-|"
Into Temptation ||
Crowded House || |December 1988 || 20 (Dutch Single Top 100) - 38 (New Zealand) - 59 (Australia) - 64 (Canada)|-|"
Left to My Own Devices" || Pet Shop Boys || |November 1988 || See Chart performance entry|-|"
Lucretia My Reflection || data-sort-value="Sisters of Mercy"|
The Sisters of Mercy || |June 1988 || 20 (UK Singles Charts) - 22 (Ireland) - 30 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs)|-|"
The Mercy Seat" || data-sort-value="Cave, Nick"|
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds || |June 1988 || 3 (UK Indie Charts)|-|"
Mother" ||
Danzig || |August 1988 || See Chart performance entry|-|"
New Sensation" ||
INXS || |January 1988 || See Chart performance entry|-|"
Never Tear Us Apart" ||
INXS || |June 1988 || See Chart performance entry|-|"
Orange Crush" ||
R.E.M. || |December 1988 || See Chart performance entry|-|"
Orpheus" || data-sort-value="Sylvian, David"|
David Sylvian || |May 1988 || n/a|-|"
Reptile" || data-sort-value="Church"|
The Church || |July 1988 || 94 (Australia) - 27 (U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart)|-|"
Sidewalking" || data-sort-value="Jeus and Mary Chain"|
The Jesus and Mary Chain || |March 1988 || 20 (Irish Singles Chart) - 23 (New Zealand) - 30 (UK Singles Chart) - 95 (Europe)|-|"
Sister Madly" ||
Crowded House || |August 1988 || 26 (New Zealand) - 66 (Australia) - 92 (Canada)|-|"
South of Heaven" || Slayer || |July 1988 || n/a|-|"
Streets of Your Town" || data-sort-value="Go-Betweens"|
The Go-Betweens || |July 1988 || 30 (New Zealand) - 68 (Australia) - 80 (UK Singles Chart)|-|"
Suedehead" ||
Morrissey || |February 1988 || 2 (Irish Singles Chart) - 5 (UK Singles Chart) - 18 (Finland) - 30 (Dutch Single Top 100) - 45 (Australia)|-|"
The Evil That Men Do" ||
Iron Maiden || |August 1988 || n/a|-|"
The King of Rock 'n' Roll" ||
Prefab Sprout || |March 1988 || 6 (Ireland) - 7 (UK Singles Chart)|-|"
Teen Age Riot" b/w "
Silver Rocket"/"Kissability" || Sonic Youth || |October 1988 || 20 (U.S. Billboard Alternative Airplay)|-|"
There She Goes" ||
The La's || |November 1988 || See Chart performance entry|-|"
Trick of the Light" || data-sort-value="Triffids"|
The Triffids || |January 1988 || 73 (UK Singles Chart) - 77 (Australia)|-|"
Touch Me I'm Sick" || |
Mudhoney || |August 1988 || n/a|-|"
Under the Milky Way" || data-sort-value="Church"|
The Church || |February 1988 || See chart performance entry|-|"
Was There Anything I Could Do?" || data-sort-value="Go-Betweens"|
The Go-Betweens || |October 1988 || 16 (US Modern Rock Tracks [Billboard])|-|"
You Made Me Realise" ||
My Bloody Valentine || |August 1988 || 2 (UK Indie Chart)|}
Other Notable singles
Classical music
Opera
Jazz
See main article: 1988 in jazz.
Musical theater
Musical films
Births
- January 14
- January 16
- January 20 – Victoria Asher, American musician
-
- AGA, Hong Kong singer-songwriter
- January 24 - Jade Ewen, English actress and singer
- January 25 – Yasmien Kurdi, Filipina pop singer
- February 3 – Cho Kyu Hyun, Korean pop singer (Super Junior)[28]
- February 6 – Bailey Hanks, American actress and singer
-
- Lee Joon, South Korean idol singer (MBLAQ), dancer, actor and model[30]
- February 8 – Ao Li, Chinese operatic bass-baritone
- February 11
- Li Chun, Chinese singer
- Paul Kim, South Korean singer
- February 13 – Mike Posner, American singer-songwriter, poet, DJ and music producer
- February 17 – Rod Michael, American singer (B3)
- February 18 – Changmin ("Max"), Korean pop singer
- February 20 – Rihanna, Barbadian pop singer
- February 22 – Jay Fung, Hong Kong singer-songwriter
- February 23 – Ashley Cooper, New Zealand pop singer
- February 27 – JD Natasha, born Natasha Jeannette Dueñas, American Latin music artist
- March 6 – Agnes Carlsson, Swedish pop singer[31]
-
- Johnny Ruffo, Australian singer, songwriter, dancer, actor and television presenter (d. 2023)
- March 10 – Patrick Henry Hughes, American tenor and trumpeter
- March 15 – Lil Dicky, American comedy-rapper
- March 16 – Jhené Aiko, American singer-songwriter and rapper[32]
- March 17 – Grimes (born Claire Boucher), Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, engineer, record producer, visual artist, feminist, activist and producer (collaborator of Hana)
- March 18
- March 27 – Jessie J, English singer-songwriter[34]
- March 31 – Conrad Sewell, Australian singer-songwriter
- April 17 – Takahiro Moriuchi, Japanese singer (One Ok Rock)
- April 19 – Alfie Arcuri, Australian singer-songwriter
- April 24 – Natalie Zahra, Australian Idol contestant
- April 25 – Sara Paxton, American singer, actress
-
- Lizzo, born Melissa Jefferson, American singer-songwriter, actress, rapper and activist
- Pop Wansel, American record producer, musician and songwriter
- Michael Ray, American country music singer-songwriter
- May 5
- May 8 – Trisha Paytas, American Internet personality, actress and singer-songwriter
- May 11 – Ace Hood, American rapper[36]
- May 13 – Casey Donovan, Australian Idol winner, 2004
- May 18 – Tanner Wayne, American drummer (Underminded, Chiodos and Scary Kids Scaring Kids)
- May 19 - Matteo Milleri, American DJ and producer (Grimes)
- May 21 – Park Gyu-ri, South Korean idol singer[37]
- May 22 – Roy English, also known as Jagwar Twin, American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer
- May 24 – Billy Gilman, American country singer
- May 27 - J-Min, South Korean singer-songwriter
- June 1
- Héloïse Letissier, French singer-songwriter (Christine and the Queens)
- Nami Tamaki, Japanese singer
- June 2 – Danny Parker, American songwriter
- June 3 – Dave East, American rapper
- June 6 – Neha Kakkar, Indian pop singer
- June 7 – Michael Cera, Canadian actor, comedian, producer and singer-songwriter[38]
- June 9 – Mae Whitman, American actress, voice actress and singer[39]
- June 11 – Weyes Blood, American musician
- June 12 – Dave Melillo, American singer-songwriter
- June 14 – Kevin McHale, American actor, singer, dancer and radio personality[40]
- June 16
- June 18 – Josh Dun, American multi-instrumentalist and producer (House Of Heroes, Twenty One Pilots)r[42]
- June 20 – May J., Japanese R&B singer
- June 21 – Beatrice Egli, Swiss singer
- June 23
- June 24 – Nichkhun Horvejkul, Thai singer
- June 27 – Colin Tilley, American music video director and film maker
- June 28 – Julian Waterfall Pollack, American jazz pianist and composer
- June 29 – Martina Šindlerová, Slovak pop singer
- July 2 – Amali Ward, Australian Idol contestant
- July 7 – Kaci Brown, American pop/R&B singer
-
- Shocka, English rapper and mental health advocate
- July 11 – Natalie La Rose, Dutch singer-songwriter and dancer
- July 12 – Melissa O'Neil, Canadian Idol winner, Canadian singer and actress
- July 17 – Anderson East, American rhythm and blues singer/songwriter
- July 19 – Charlene Soraia, English singer-songwriter and mental health activist
- July 20 – Julianne Hough, American dancer, singer and actress[44]
- July 24 – Han Seung-yeon, South Korean singer and actress[45]
- July 25 – Sarah Geronimo, Filipina pop singer
- July 28 – Nick Santino, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (A Rocket to the Moon)
- July 31 – Ruston Kelly, American country singer-songwriter (Kacey Musgraves)
- August 2
- Chris Sebastian, Australian singer-songwriter (two time contestant of The Voice Australia, one time on Seal get to round 16 (2012) and won on team Kelly Rowland (2020), brother of Guy Sebastian)
- Brittany Hargest, American pop singer
- August 3 – Shelley FKA DRAM, American rapper, singer, and record producer
- August 4 – Tom Parker, English singer-songwriter (The Wanted) (d. 2022)
- August 13 – MØ, Danish singer-songwriter
- August 16 – Rumer Willis, American singer and actress
- August 18 – G-Dragon, Korean rapper, singer-songwriter and producer
- August 19 – Hoodie Allen, American rapper, singer-songwriter
- August 21
- August 23 – Alice Glass, Canadian singer-songwriter
- August 24 – Kelly Lee Owens, Welsh electronic musician
- August 25 – Alexandra Burke, English singer-songwriter and actress, X Factor winner[47]
- August 27 – Alexa Vega, American musical performer, actor and pop singer
- September 3 – Devon Welsh, Canadian singer-songwriter (Majical Cloudz, Grimes)
- September 12
- September 14 – Muni Long, American singer and songwriter
- September 16 – Teddy Geiger, American singer-songwriter
- September 19 – Reigan Derry, Australian singer-songwriter
- September 22 – Bethany Dillon, American Christian-music artist
- Sana Saeed, Indian actress
-
- Lilly Singh, Canadian vlogger, singer, rapper and artist
- September 27 – Alma, French singer-songwriter[49]
- September 30 – Jyongri, Japanese pop singer
- October 2 – Andreas Moe, Swedish singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist
- October 2 – Brittany Howard, American singer-songwriter
- October 3 – A$AP Rocky, American rapper, producer, part of the ASAP mob[50] (Rihanna}
- October 5 – Kevin Olusola, Nigerian musician, beatboxer, cellist, rapper, record producer and singer-songwriter
- October 11 – Knut Eirik Kokkin, Norwegian singer
- October 12 – Calum Scott, English singer-songwriter
- October 14
- Kobra Paige, Canadian singer and songwriter
- Pia Toscano, American singer
- Nikki Flores, American Independent pop singer, musician, songwriter and vocal producer
- A$AP Ferg, American rapper, part of the ASAP mob
- Balqees, Emirati singer
- October 28 – Jamie xx, English musician, DJ, record producer and remixer
- November 2 – Elgiazar Farashyan, Belarusian singer
- November 7 – Tinie Tempah, English rapper, singer-songwriter[53]
- November 8 – Pauli Lovejoy, English drummer, recording artist, music director and model
- November 10
- Chisaki Hama, Japanese singer
- Cazzi Opeia, Swedish DJ, producer, singer and songwriter
- Sampha, English singer-songwriter and record producer
- November 26 – Blake Harnage, American songwriter, music producer, multi-instrumentalist and composer
- November 28 – Scarlett Pomers, American singer/actress
- November 30 – Eir Aoi, Japanese singer[54]
- December 6 – Sandra Nurmsalu, Estonian musician[56]
- December 12 – Hahm Eun-jung, South Korean singer[57]
- December 14
- December 16 – Park Seo-joon, South Korean actor and singer
- December 19 – Casey Burgess, Australian singer-songwriter and actress
- December 21 – Alexa Goddard, English pop/R&B singer, YouTuber
- December 23 – Eri Kamei, Japanese pop singer
- December 25 – Marco Mengoni, Italian singer-songwriter[58]
- December 26 – Veronika Eberle, German violinist
- December 28 – Florrie, English singer-songwriter, drummer and model
- December 31 – Holly Holyoake, Welsh classical soprano singer
- Unknown – Jihae, South Korean rock singer and actress
Deaths
- January 3 – John Dopyera, stringed instrument maker, 94
- January 19 – Evgeny Mravinsky, conductor
- February 3 – Radamés Gnattali, Brazilian composer, 81
- February 9 – Kurt Herbert Adler, conductor and opera administrator
- February 14 – Frederick Loewe, composer of musicals, 86[59]
- February 16 – Jean Carignan, fiddler, 71
- February 17 – Alexander Bashlachev, Russian singer, 27 (falling from height)
- February 24 – Memphis Slim, blues musician, 72
- February 27 – Gene de Paul, pianist and composer, 68
- March 6 – Jeanne Aubert, singer and actress, 88
- March 7 – Divine, singer and drag entertainer, 42 (heart failure)[60]
- March 8 – Henryk Szeryng, violinist[61]
- March 10 – William Wordsworth, Scottish composer
- March 10 – Andy Gibb, singer, 30 (myocarditis)[62]
- March 12 – Gianna Pederzini, operatic mezzo-soprano, 88
- March 15 – Frank Perkins, American song composer
- March 20 – Gil Evans, Canadian jazz pianist, composer and bandleader
- April 3 – Kai Ewans, Danish jazz musician
- April 7 – Cesar Bresgen, Austrian composer
- April 9
- Brook Benton, 56 (complications of spinal meningitis)
- David Prater, of Sam & Dave, 50 (car accident)
- April 15 – Youri Egorov, Soviet classical pianist, 33 (complications of AIDS)
- April 20 - Frederick Sharp, English baritone, 76[63]
- April 29 – James McCracken, tenor, 61
- May 1 – Claude Demetrius, songwriter
- May 10 – Ciarán Bourke, folk musician (The Dubliners), 53 (brain damage)
- May 13 – Chet Baker, jazz musician, 58 (head injuries from fall)[64]
- May 21 – Sammy Davis Sr., vaudeville performer, 87
- May 22 – Dennis Day, US singer, 72
- May 25 – Martin Slavin, composer and music director, 66
- June 12 – Marcel Poot, Belgian composer, 87
- June 22 – Jesse Ed Davis, guitarist, 43
- July 2 – Eddie Vinson, jazz/blues musician, 70
- July 18
- July 20 – Richard Holm, German operatic tenor
- July 28 – Pete Drake, American record producer and pedal steel guitar player, 55 (emphysema)
- August – Tenor Saw, dancehall artist, 21 (road accident)
- August 8 – Félix Leclerc, folk singer, 74[66]
- August 9 – Giacinto Scelsi, composer and poet, 83[67]
- August 14
- August 19 – Sir Frederick Ashton, British choreographer, 83[69]
- August 22 – Frances James, operatic soprano, 85
- August 24
- September 17 – Hilde Gueden, operatic soprano, 71
- September 22 – Rezső Sugár, Hungarian composer, 68
- September 23 – Arwel Hughes, composer and conductor
- September 26 – Lord Melody, calypso musician, 62
- October 7 – Billy Daniels, singer, 73
- October 15 – Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji, English composer, music critic and pianist[70]
- October 18 – Sir Frederick Ashton, dancer and choreographer
- October 19 – Son House, blues musician[71]
- October 20 – Mogens Wöldike, Danish conductor
- November 8 – Warren Casey, US theatre composer, lyricist, writer, and actor, 53 (AIDS-related)
- November 13
- November 24 – Irmgard Seefried, operatic soprano, 69[73]
- November 26 – Antonio Estévez, composer
- November 30 – Charlie Rouse, saxophonist, 64
- December 2 – Tata Giacobetti, Italian singer and lyricist (Quartetto Cetra)
- December 6 – Roy Orbison, singer, 52 (heart attack)[74]
- December 16 – Sylvester, R&B singer, disco performer, 41 (complications from AIDS)
- December 21 – Paul Jeffreys, bassist (Cockney Rebel), 36 (killed in the crash of Pan Am Flight 103)
- December 25 – Evgeny Golubev, Russian composer, 78
- December 26 – Pablo Sorozábal, Spanish composer, 91[75]
- date unknown
Awards
Grammy Awards
Eurovision Song Contest
Charts
See also
- Record labels established in 1988
Notes and References
- Web site: Induction Explorer. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
- Persall . Steve . June 16, 1988 . A Pair of Sixxes? . . Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. . 528 . 30 .
- May 5, 1988 . Jackson Rules Charts . . Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. . 525 . 22 .
- Web site: SickthingsUK – The Unofficial Alice Cooper Site. www.sickthingsuk.co.uk. December 4, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20120318030447/http://www.sickthingsuk.co.uk/timelines/t-ryfay.php. March 18, 2012. dead. mdy-all.
- Web site: Niemann . Greg . 2022-10-14 . CV History: His Candidacy Was at First Considered a Joke—but Mayor Sonny Bono Helped Palm Springs Become the Place It Is Today . 2024-06-18 . Coachella Valley Independent . en-US.
- DeCurtis . Anthony . June 16, 1988 . McGhee Placed on Probation . . Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. . 528 . 29 .
- Web site: Eurovision Song Contest 1988 Eurovision Song Contest. Eurovision.tv. 2017-02-02.
- Pond . Steve . June 30, 1988 . Atlantic's Birthday Bash . . Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. . 529 . 48–50, 66 .
- Web site: 10th June 1988 – the Singing Revolution. Dorian Cope presents On This Deity. 2024-04-13.
- Ressner . Jeffrey . August 11, 1988 . Motown Records Sold . . Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. . 532 . 17 .
- December 15, 1988 . August . . Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. . 541/542 . 84 .
- Ressner . Jeffrey . November 3, 1988 . James Brown Arrested After Car Chase . . Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. . 538 . 27 .
- [:de:Dietmar N. Schmidt|Dietmar N. Schmidt]
- http://www.cairoopera.org/about.aspx About Cairo Opera House.
- Goldberg . Michael . January 12, 1989 . Fogerty Wins Unusual Self-Plagiarism Suit . . Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. . 543 . 15 .
- Ressner . Jeffrey . January 12, 1989 . Bono Less Than Boffo at Box Office . . Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. . 543 . 16 .
- News: Roy Orbison, 52, a Singer Famed For Plaintive Pop Anthems, Dies. Pareles. Jon. 1988-12-08. The New York Times. 2019-05-09. en-US. 0362-4331.
- Web site: Did Sean Penn Beat Up Madonna? An Archaeology of Hollywood's Most Explosive Rumor. Trotter. J. K.. Gawker. December 23, 2015 . en. 2019-05-09.
- Web site: Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve '89 (1988) - Overview - TCM.com. Turner Classic Movies. en. 2019-05-09.
- Dörte Schmidt, "Ruzicka, Peter", The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (London: Macmillan Publishers, 2001).
- Alan Blyth, "Davis, Sir Andrew (Frank)", The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (London: Macmillan Publishers, 2001).
- Web site: Frederik Magle – Scrapbook. magle.dk. 29 June 2012.
- Book: Dr Karen Burland. Professor Stephanie Pitts. Coughing and Clapping: Investigating Audience Experience. 28 December 2014. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.. 978-1-4724-1029-0. 35.
- Book: Martin Charles Strong. Brendon Griffin. Lights, camera, sound tracks. 2008. Canongate. 978-1-84767-003-8. 358.
- Book: Alfred Krautz. Hille Krautz. Joris Krautz. Encyclopedia of film directors in the United States of America and Europe. 1997. Saur. 978-3-598-21502-5. 188.
- Web site: Certificate of Incorporation of a Private Limited Company Female Reclining Ltd. 18 February 2021.
- Web site: Glaiza de Castro holds birthday concert. Radio Republic. January 28, 2016. October 21, 2016.
- Book: Mark Russell. K-Pop Now!: The Korean Music Revolution. 39. 29 April 2014. Tuttle Publishing. 978-1-4629-1411-1.
- Web site: 加護亜依のプロフィール . Ai Kago's profile . . ja . 2020-01-20.
- Book: Mark Russell. K-Pop Now!: The Korean Music Revolution. 64. April 29, 2014. Tuttle Publishing. 978-1-4629-1411-1.
- Web site: Agnes English biography. agnescarlsson.se. Agnes Carlsson and Roxy Recordings. 17 January 2010.
- Web site: Jhené Aiko. Grammys. 1 November 2020.
- Web site: Biografia de AGIR – Músicas gratuitas, vídeos, shows, estatísticas e fotos na Last.fm.. Last.fm. pt. 16 September 2017.
- Book: Jessie J. Nice to Meet You. 27 September 2012. Simon and Schuster. 978-1-4711-2580-5. 10.
- News: Mad about the girl . . London . 27 January 2008 . 23 April 2010 . Sylvia . Patterson. https://web.archive.org/web/20101120110927/http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/jan/27/popandrock.britawards2008. 20 November 2010. live.
- Web site: Ace Hood Celebrates His 30th Birthday With 'Trust The Process 2: Undefeated'. Marco Margaritoff. May 11, 2018. complex. 20 September 2020.
- Book: Mark Russell. K-Pop Now!: The Korean Music Revolution. 94. 29 April 2014. Tuttle Publishing. 978-1-4629-1411-1.
- Book: ((Editors of Chase's)). Chase's Calendar of Events 2020: The Ultimate Go-to Guide for Special Days, Weeks and Months. 24 September 2019. Rowman & Littlefield. 978-1-64143-316-7. 313.
- Web site: Whitman, Mae, 1988- . Library of Congress Name Authority File . 2018-07-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180716082409/http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no99026349.html . 2018-07-16 . live .
- Web site: Glee: Kevin McHale. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150108122106/http://www.wetpaint.com/glee/kevin-mchale. January 8, 2015. Wetpaint.
- Web site: Jillian Rose Banks, Born 06/16/1988 in California . . June 16, 2018.
- Web site: Happy Birthday Josh Dun!. Fueled by Ramen. June 18, 2013. June 27, 2014. May 5, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160505155913/http://www.fueledbyramen.com/news/happy-birthday-josh-dun-93901. dead.
- Book: Tulisa - The Biography. 6 August 2012. John Blake. 978-1-78219-043-1. 9.
- Book: Joel Whitburn. Joel Whitburn's Music Stars: Brief Bios of Every Recording Artist who Ever Charted. 2009. H. Leonard Corporation. 978-0-89820-176-5. 121.
- Book: Mark Russell. K-Pop Now!: The Korean Music Revolution. 94. April 29, 2014. Tuttle Publishing. 978-1-4629-1411-1.
- Book: ((Editors of Chase's)). Chase's Calendar of Events 2020: The Ultimate Go-to Guide for Special Days, Weeks and Months. 24 September 2019. Rowman & Littlefield. 978-1-64143-316-7. 421.
- Book: Alexandra Burke - A Star is Born. 15 October 2009. John Blake. 978-1-78418-520-6. 11.
- Web site: James Blake on his 23rd Birthday, Limit To Your Love. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/pH2Bw8dusHg. 2021-12-11 . live. YouTube. 26 September 2011. 18 February 2013.
- HB-Abada. Gabrielle. Eurovision 2017 : ALMA, itinéraire d'une enfant de Miami gâtée par la voix.... Le Courrier de Floride. 2 April 2017. 14 April 2017. fr. https://web.archive.org/web/20170415013425/https://courrierdefloride.com/2017/04/02/eurovision-2017-alma-itineraire-dune-enfant-de-miami-gatee-voix/. 2017-04-15. dead.
- Web site: ASAP Rocky. BBC. June 17, 2013. December 30, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111230132514/https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/soundof/2012/artists/asaprocky/#p00mbxh5. live.
- News: Rose . Lacey . O'Connell . Michael . Sandberg . Bryn Elise . Stanhope . Kate . Goldberg . Lesley . August 28, 2015 . Next Gen Fall TV: 10 Stars Poised for Breakouts . . live . December 2, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161129043945/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/next-gen-fall-tv-10-817493 . November 29, 2016.
- Web site: Conchita Wurst: Biography . 26 May 2015 . ConchitaWurst.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150525014439/http://conchitawurst.com/bio/ . 25 May 2015 .
- Web site: Tinie Tempah: Ten Facts About The 'Trampoline' Rapper. Capitalfm.com. 27 August 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923124456/http://www.capitalfm.com/artists/tinie-tempah/photos/facts/. 23 September 2015. live.
- Web site: Biography. 藍井エイル（Aoi Eir）Official Website. March 22, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130205004715/http://www.aoieir.com/bio/. February 5, 2013. live.
- News: Bonet, Kravitz Have Baby Girl 7 Lbs., Name Her Zoe. Jet. December 19, 1988. 57. Johnson Publishing Company.
- Web site: Sandra Nurmsalu. Allstarz.ee. et . 31 May 2019.
- Web site: Ham Eun-jeong (함은정, Korean actress, singer). HanCinema. en-US. 2017-11-20.
- Web site: Tutto su Marco Mengoni, una delle più belle voci del nostro pop. December 25, 2020. Notizie Musica. Lorenzo Martinotti. it. February 15, 2021.
- Book: Steven Suskin. Show Tunes, 1905-1991: The Songs, Shows, and Careers of Broadway's Major Composers : Revised and Expanded. 1992. Limelight Editions. 978-0-87910-146-6. 364.
- Book: Bernard Jay. Not Simply Divine. 10 August 1994. Simon and Schuster. 978-0-671-88467-3. 12.
- Book: Krajowa Agencja Informacyjna (Poland). Biuletyn informacyjny. 1988. 5.
- News: Gibb's Death Tied to Natural Causes . 12 March 1988 . LA Times . . 19 April 2012.
- Encyclopedia: 2002. Sharp, Frederick (Charles). Grove Music Online. . 10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.O003372. Elizabeth Forbes. Sharp, Frederick .
- Book: Jeroen de Valk. Chet Baker: His Life and Music. 2000. Berkeley Hills Books. 978-1-893163-13-3. 2.
- Book: The New York Times Biographical Service. 1988. New York Times & Arno Press. 830.
- Book: National Library of Canada. National Library News: Nouvelles de la Bibliothèque Nationale. 1988. National Library of Canada. 1.
- Book: Mark Morris. A Guide to 20th-century Composers. 1996. Methuen. 978-0-413-45601-4. 268.
- Book: Colin Larkin. The Encyclopedia of Popular Music: Brown, Marion - Dilated Peoples. 2000. MUZE. 978-0-19-531373-4. 141.
- Book: The New York Times Biographical Service. 1988. New York Times & Arno Press. 923.
- Roberge, Marc-André (2020). Opus sorabjianum: The Life and Works of Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- Book: Nick Talevski. The Encyclopedia of Rock Obituaries. 1999. Omnibus. 978-0-7119-7548-4. 195.
- Book: John Warrack. Ewan West. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Opera. 7 March 1996. Oxford University Press, USA. 978-0-19-280028-2. 136.
- Book: Paul Griffiths. The Penguin Companion to Classical Music. 2005. Penguin Group. 978-0-14-051559-6. 729.
- Book: Brock Helander. The Rockin' '60s: The People who Made the Music. 1999. Schirmer Books. 978-0-02-864873-6. 274.
- Book: Vincent J. Cincotta. Zarzuela: The Spanish Lyric Theatre : a Complete Reference. 2003. University of Wollongong Press. 978-0-86418-700-0. 85.
