1989

It was a year that ended the 80's and rolled into the 90's. It was the year that the music world changed forever...

It was a year that pop music ruled. Here's a review of the Billboard chart from 1989...

1. Look Away - Chicago
2. My Prerogative - Bobby Brown
3. Every Rose Has It's Thorn - Poison
4. Straight Up - Paula Abdul
5. Miss You Much - Janet Jackson
6. Cold Hearted - Paula Abdul
7. Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler
8. Girl You Know It's True - Milli Vanilli
9. Baby I Love Your Way / Freebird Medley - Will to Power
10. Giving You The Best... - Anita Baker

Now, the album "Forever Your Girl" by Paula Abdul was released in 1988, as was Bobby Brown's "Don't Be Cruel" and Poison's "Open Up and Say...Ahh". But that is not the point I'm making...

You may ask yourself, what is the point you are making?

The late 80's and early 90's were a haven for singles. No, not unmarried people, but for radio songs. How did this lead to the music world changing forever? Well, talented and gifted musicians created some really great music that the music industry couldn't put on the radio, dubbing it Alternative music. Now, there was already a bustling underground "Alternative Music" scene in the 80's but you can't look past 1989 when writing the history of music. Here's a little bit of what I'm talking about...

Nirvana released the first 'album' with "Bleach."
Red Hot Chili Peppers released "Mother's Milk."
The Cure released "Disintegration."
Faith No More released "The Real Thing."
Guns N Roses released a stripped down "G'NR Lies."
A little unknown band thought they would mix country with folk and rock and the Jayhawks released "Blue Earth" many consider it the birth of alt-country.
Nine Inch Nails released "Pretty Hate Machine."
They Might Be Giants released "Lincoln"

I'd like to be able to say that I knew what was going on in 89, but I didn't. I had some Faith No More because it was like nothing I'd ever heard. I was big into U2 by 89 and was still collecting the singles they were releasing from Rattle and Hum. But remember, this was before downloading music, CD's were just starting to catch on, 970 the Beat (not FM 107.5!!) hadn't launched yet to give these people their shot at being heard.

Bob Dylan responded to the Pop Music boom by releasing "Oh Mercy" produced by Daniel Lanois who released "Acadie." Tom Petty released "Full Moon Fever," Don Henley released "The End of the Innocence."