100 Greatest Songs From 1989
Criteria: Songs listed are from Rock 'n' Roll and related sub-genres. Rankings are based on initial and lasting popularity and on acclaim received from critics and musicians.
Note: Yearly song lists go by earliest 'release date' (Single, Album, or Country of first release). Not necessarily the year a song peaked in the U.S. charts.
Note: Yearly song lists go by earliest 'release date' (Single, Album, or Country of first release). Not necessarily the year a song peaked in the U.S. charts.
1. Fight the Power
Public Enemy
2. Like a Prayer
Madonna
3. Free Fallin'
Tom Petty
4. The Humpty Dance
Digital Underground
5. Pump Up the Jam
Technotronic (feat. Felly)
6. Love Shack
B-52s
7. Back to Life
Soul II Soul (feat. Caron Wheeler)
8. Bust a Move
Young MC
9. All Around the World
Lisa Stansfield
10. The Power
Snap!
11. Me, Myself, and I
De La Soul
12. Wicked Game
Chris Isaak
13. Rhythm Nation
Janet Jackson
14. Express Yourself
Madonna
15. Epic
Faith No More
16. Personal Jesus
Depeche Mode
17. Black Velvet
Alannah Myles
18. Love Will Never Do (Without You)
Janet Jackson
19. This Time I Know It's for Real
Donna Summer
20. Funky Cold Medina
Tone-Loc
21. Don't Wanna Fall in Love
Jane Child
22. Love Will Lead You Back
Taylor Dayne
23. Here and Now
Luther Vandross
24. I Won't Back Down
Tom Petty
25. If You Don't Know Me By Now
Simply Red
26. Rockin' In the Free World
Neil Young
27. Fools Gold
Stone Roses
28. Head Like a Hole
Nine Inch Nails
29. Another Day in Paradise
Phil Collins
30. Miss You Much
Janet Jackson
31. Right Here Waiting
Richard Marx
32. Roam
B-52s
33. Ride on Time
Black Box
34. We Didn't Start the Fire
Billy Joel
35. Janie's Got a Gun
Aerosmith
36. Just a Friend
Biz Markie
37. Monkey Gone to Heaven
Pixies
38. Lovesong
The Cure
39. Electric Boogie ('89 version)
Marcia Griffiths
40. Keep On Movin'
Soul II Soul
41. On Our Own
Bobby Brown
42. Whip Appeal
Babyface
43. Dr. Feelgood
Mötley Crüe
44. Black Cat
Janet Jackson
45. Two To Make It Right
Seduction
46. Move This
Technotronic (feat. Ya Kid K)
47. Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Great White
48. No More Lies
Michel'le
49. Shower Me With Your Love
Surface
50. Me So Horny
2 Live Crew
51. Escapade
Janet Jackson
52. 18 and Life
Skid Row
53. Real Love
Jody Watley
54. I Drove All Night
Cyndi Lauper
55. 911 Is a Joke
Public Enemy
56. Youth Gone Wild
Skid Row
57. Love Song
Tesla
58. Miss You Like Crazy
Natalie Cole
59. Something Happened On the Way To Heaven
Phil Collins
60. I Wanna Be Rich
Calloway
61. If I Could Turn Back Time
Cher
62. About a Girl
Nirvana
63. I'm Free
Soup Dragons
64. I Want It All
Queen
65. Lullaby
Cure
66. Alright
Janet Jackson
67. Hey Ladies
Beastie Boys
68. Ladies First
Queen Latifah & Monie Love
69. Birdhouse In Your Soul
They Might Be Giants
70. Stop the Violence Movement
Self Destruction
71. Jingling Baby
LL Cool J
72. She Bangs the Drums
Stone Roses
73. The Best
Tina Turner
74. French Kiss
Lil' Louis
75. Higher Ground
Red Hot Chili Peppers
76. Come Back to Me
Janet Jackson
77. You Got It
Roy Orbison
78. Poison
Alice Cooper
79. Here Comes Your Man
Pixies
80. I Go to Extremes
Billy Joel
81. Love in an Elevator
Aerosmith
82. Kickstart My Heart
Mötley Crüe
83. Everything
Jody Watley
84. Everlasting Love
Howard Jones
85. Pictures of You
The Cure
86. The Dance
Garth Brooks
87. Dirty Cash (Money Talks)
The Adventures of Stevie V
88. C'mon and Get My Love
D Mob (feat. Cathy Dennis)
89. Blame It On the Rain
Milli Vanilli
90. Don't Know Much
Linda Ronstadt (feat. Aaron Neville)
91. People Hold On
Coldcut (feat. Lisa Stansfield)
92. It's No Crime
Babyface
93. How Am I Supposed To Live Without You?
Michael Bolton
94. All My Life
Linda Ronstadt (feat. Aaron Neville)
95. It's Funky Enough
The D.O.C.
96. Falling
Julee Cruise
97. I Get the Job Done
Big Daddy Kane
98. When I See You Smile
Bad English
99. Forever
KISS
100. Get Up! (Before the Night Is Over)
Technotronic (feat. Ya Kid K)
Public Enemy
2. Like a Prayer
Madonna
3. Free Fallin'
Tom Petty
4. The Humpty Dance
Digital Underground
5. Pump Up the Jam
Technotronic (feat. Felly)
6. Love Shack
B-52s
7. Back to Life
Soul II Soul (feat. Caron Wheeler)
8. Bust a Move
Young MC
9. All Around the World
Lisa Stansfield
10. The Power
Snap!
11. Me, Myself, and I
De La Soul
12. Wicked Game
Chris Isaak
13. Rhythm Nation
Janet Jackson
14. Express Yourself
Madonna
15. Epic
Faith No More
16. Personal Jesus
Depeche Mode
17. Black Velvet
Alannah Myles
18. Love Will Never Do (Without You)
Janet Jackson
19. This Time I Know It's for Real
Donna Summer
20. Funky Cold Medina
Tone-Loc
21. Don't Wanna Fall in Love
Jane Child
22. Love Will Lead You Back
Taylor Dayne
23. Here and Now
Luther Vandross
24. I Won't Back Down
Tom Petty
25. If You Don't Know Me By Now
Simply Red
26. Rockin' In the Free World
Neil Young
27. Fools Gold
Stone Roses
28. Head Like a Hole
Nine Inch Nails
29. Another Day in Paradise
Phil Collins
30. Miss You Much
Janet Jackson
31. Right Here Waiting
Richard Marx
32. Roam
B-52s
33. Ride on Time
Black Box
34. We Didn't Start the Fire
Billy Joel
35. Janie's Got a Gun
Aerosmith
36. Just a Friend
Biz Markie
37. Monkey Gone to Heaven
Pixies
38. Lovesong
The Cure
39. Electric Boogie ('89 version)
Marcia Griffiths
40. Keep On Movin'
Soul II Soul
41. On Our Own
Bobby Brown
42. Whip Appeal
Babyface
43. Dr. Feelgood
Mötley Crüe
44. Black Cat
Janet Jackson
45. Two To Make It Right
Seduction
46. Move This
Technotronic (feat. Ya Kid K)
47. Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Great White
48. No More Lies
Michel'le
49. Shower Me With Your Love
Surface
50. Me So Horny
2 Live Crew
51. Escapade
Janet Jackson
52. 18 and Life
Skid Row
53. Real Love
Jody Watley
54. I Drove All Night
Cyndi Lauper
55. 911 Is a Joke
Public Enemy
56. Youth Gone Wild
Skid Row
57. Love Song
Tesla
58. Miss You Like Crazy
Natalie Cole
59. Something Happened On the Way To Heaven
Phil Collins
60. I Wanna Be Rich
Calloway
61. If I Could Turn Back Time
Cher
62. About a Girl
Nirvana
63. I'm Free
Soup Dragons
64. I Want It All
Queen
65. Lullaby
Cure
66. Alright
Janet Jackson
67. Hey Ladies
Beastie Boys
68. Ladies First
Queen Latifah & Monie Love
69. Birdhouse In Your Soul
They Might Be Giants
70. Stop the Violence Movement
Self Destruction
71. Jingling Baby
LL Cool J
72. She Bangs the Drums
Stone Roses
73. The Best
Tina Turner
74. French Kiss
Lil' Louis
75. Higher Ground
Red Hot Chili Peppers
76. Come Back to Me
Janet Jackson
77. You Got It
Roy Orbison
78. Poison
Alice Cooper
79. Here Comes Your Man
Pixies
80. I Go to Extremes
Billy Joel
81. Love in an Elevator
Aerosmith
82. Kickstart My Heart
Mötley Crüe
83. Everything
Jody Watley
84. Everlasting Love
Howard Jones
85. Pictures of You
The Cure
86. The Dance
Garth Brooks
87. Dirty Cash (Money Talks)
The Adventures of Stevie V
88. C'mon and Get My Love
D Mob (feat. Cathy Dennis)
89. Blame It On the Rain
Milli Vanilli
90. Don't Know Much
Linda Ronstadt (feat. Aaron Neville)
91. People Hold On
Coldcut (feat. Lisa Stansfield)
92. It's No Crime
Babyface
93. How Am I Supposed To Live Without You?
Michael Bolton
94. All My Life
Linda Ronstadt (feat. Aaron Neville)
95. It's Funky Enough
The D.O.C.
96. Falling
Julee Cruise
97. I Get the Job Done
Big Daddy Kane
98. When I See You Smile
Bad English
99. Forever
KISS
100. Get Up! (Before the Night Is Over)
Technotronic (feat. Ya Kid K)
20 more worth mentioning.
101. Rock and a Hard Place
Rolling Stones
102. Welcome to the Terrordome
Public Enemy
103. Pacific State
808 State
104. Kiss This Thing Goodbye
Del Amitri
105. I'll Be You
Replacements
106. Fire Woman
Cult
107. I Remember You
Skid Row
108. What It Takes
Aerosmith
109. Girls Nite Ou
Tyler Collins
110. Debaser
Pixies
111. Chime
Orbital
112. Have I Told You Lately?
Van Morrison
113. I Wish It Would Rain Down
Phil Collins
114. Batdance
Prince
115. Veronica
Elvis Costello
116. We Got Our Own Thang
Heavy D & The Boyz
117. Cuts You Up
Peter Murphy
118. Belfast Child
Simple Minds
119. Head On
Jesus & Mary Chain
120. So Alive
Love & Rockets
Rolling Stones
102. Welcome to the Terrordome
Public Enemy
103. Pacific State
808 State
104. Kiss This Thing Goodbye
Del Amitri
105. I'll Be You
Replacements
106. Fire Woman
Cult
107. I Remember You
Skid Row
108. What It Takes
Aerosmith
109. Girls Nite Ou
Tyler Collins
110. Debaser
Pixies
111. Chime
Orbital
112. Have I Told You Lately?
Van Morrison
113. I Wish It Would Rain Down
Phil Collins
114. Batdance
Prince
115. Veronica
Elvis Costello
116. We Got Our Own Thang
Heavy D & The Boyz
117. Cuts You Up
Peter Murphy
118. Belfast Child
Simple Minds
119. Head On
Jesus & Mary Chain
120. So Alive
Love & Rockets
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1989
An unheralded great record from 1989
Jeff's choice:
* Yo Mister
Patti LaBelle
Lew's choice:
* The Road To Hell (Part Two)
Chris Rea
Bruce's choice:
* Charlene
Carl Perkins
Ryan's choice:
* Drifting, Falling
The Ocean Blue
Brett's choice:
* Slaughtered, Gutted, And Heartbroken
Squeeze
Jeff's choice:
* Yo Mister
Patti LaBelle
Lew's choice:
* The Road To Hell (Part Two)
Chris Rea
Bruce's choice:
* Charlene
Carl Perkins
Ryan's choice:
* Drifting, Falling
The Ocean Blue
Brett's choice:
* Slaughtered, Gutted, And Heartbroken
Squeeze
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Edited By: Jeff B.
Last Updated: 2018-05-15
Last Updated: 2018-05-15