1988 in music

• 1988 in British music
• 1988 in Norwegian music

• 1988 in country music
• 1988 in heavy metal music
• 1988 in hip hop music
• 1988 in jazz

• See Musical groups established in 1988

See Musical groups disestablished in 1988

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1988.

#	Artist	Title	Year	Country	Chart Entries
1	Phil Collins	A Groovy Kind of Love	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	Bobby McFerrin	Don't Worry Be Happy	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	Pet Shop Boys	Always On My Mind	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	Belinda Carlisle	Heaven is a Place On Earth	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	Rick Astley	Take Me To Your Heart	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

1. George Michael – Faith
2. Madonna – You Can Dance
3. Michael Jackson – Bad
4. Guns N' Roses – Appetite for Destruction

• Gerald Barry – Cheveux-de-frise
• Luciano Berio – Sequenza XI
• George Crumb – Zeitgeist (Tableaux Vivants) for two amplified pianos
• Mario Davidovsky – Synchronisms No. 9 for violin and tape
• Joël-François Durand – Die innere Grenze for string sextet
• Lorenzo Ferrero – La cena delle beffe (incidental music)
• Michael Finnissy – Red Earth for orchestra
• Henryk Górecki – String Quartet No. 1, "Already it is Dusk"
• Stephen Hartke – Pacific Rim Overture
• Vagn Holmboe – Symphony No. 12, M. 338
• Wojciech Kilar – Choralvorspiel (Choral Prelude) for chamber string orchestra
• Witold Lutosławski – Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
• Frederik Magle – We Are Afraid (Vi er bange), cantata for choir and chamber orchestra[20]
• Carin Malmlöf-Forssling – String Quartet No. 1, "Silverkvartetten"
• António Chagas Rosa – Piano Sonata
• Kaija Saariaho – Petals for cello and electronics
• Bogusław Schaeffer – Concerto for Piano Duet and Orchestra
• Alfred Schnittke
  • Concerto for Piano four hands and Orchestra
  • Piano Quartet
  • Symphony No. 5 (Concerto Grosso No. 4)
  • Klingende Buchstaben
• Peter Sculthorpe – Kakadu
• Philip Sparke – Concerto Grosso
• Bent Sørensen
  • Angels' Music for string quartet
  • Camelot by Night for bass flute and guitar
  • La Notte for piano and orchestra
• Tōru Takemitsu – Tree Line for chamber orchestra
• John Tavener – The Akathist of Thanksgiving
• Takashi Yoshimatsu – Concerto for Bassoon "Unicorn Circuit"

• Bitter Sweet (Noël Coward) – London revival
• Chess (Tim Rice, Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus) – Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre and closed after 65 performances
• The Phantom of the Opera (Andrew Lloyd Webber) – Broadway production opened at the Majestic Theatre, and has the longest continuous run in Broadway history, with over 10,000 performances to date
• Sarafina – Broadway production opened at the Cort Theatre and ran for 597 performances

• Bird
• Bridge
• The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years
• Daisy
• Dhwani
• Imagine: John Lennon
• La Bailanta
• Moonwalker
• Rattle and Hum[21]
• Satisfaction
• Tapeheads[22]
• Tougher Than Leather[23]

• January 14
  • Mikalah Gordon, American Idol contestant
  • Jordy, French singer
• January 15
  • Jessica Poland, American singer-songwriter
  • Skrillex, American musician and DJ
• January 16
  • FKA Twigs, born Tahliah Barnett, English singer[24]
  • Catherine Gonzaga (or Alex Gonzaga), Filipina singer
• January 20 - Victoria Asher, An American musician.
• January 21 – Glaiza de Castro, Filipino actress and singer[25]
• January 25 – Yasmien Kurdi, Filipina pop singer
• February 3 – Cho Kyu Hyun, Korean pop singer (Super Junior)[26]
• February 6 – Bailey Hanks, American actress and singer
• February 7
  • Ai Kago, Japanese pop singer[27]
  • Lee Joon, South Korean idol singer (MBLAQ), dancer, actor and model[28]
• February 8 – Ao Li, Chinese operatic bass-baritone
• February 11 – Li Chun, Chinese 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 23 – Ashley Cooper, New Zealand pop singer
• February 27 – JD Natasha, born Natasha Jeannette Dueñas, American Latin music artist
• February 28
  • Milly Edwards, Australian Idol contestant
  • Markéta Irglová, Czech songwriter
• March 2
  • James Arthur, English singer-songwriter
  • Kate Alexa, Australian pop rock singer
  • Esther Povitsky, American actress, singer, comedian, writer and producer
  • Nadine Samonte, German pop singer
• March 6 – Agnes Carlsson, Swedish pop singer[29]
• March 8 – Benny Blanco, American record producer, songwriter, musician
• 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[30]
• March 17 – Grimes (born Claire Boucher), Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, engineer, record producer, visual artist, feminist, activist and producer (collaborator of Hana)
• March 18
  • Agir, Portuguese singer and composer[31]
  • Soukaina Boukries, Moroccan singer
• March 25
  • Big Sean, American rapper
  • Ryan Lewis, American musician
• March 27 – Jessie J, English singer-songwriter[32]
• March 31 – Conrad Sewell, Australian singer/songwriter
• April 19 – Alfie Arcuri, Australian singer-songwriter
• April 24 – Natalie Zahra, Australian Idol contestant
• April 25 – Sara Paxton, American singer/actress
• April 27
  • Alfred Hui, Hong Kong singer
  • Lizzo, born Melissa Jefferson, American singer-songwriter, actress, rapper and activist
  • Pop Wansel, American record producer, musician and songwriter
• April 29
  • Younha, Japanese and Korean pop singer
  • Michael Ray, American country music singer-songwriter
• May 5
  • Adele, English singer-songwriter[33]
  • Brooke Hogan, American actress, singer-songwriter and wrestler
  • Skye Sweetnam, Canadian singer-songwriter, actress and music video director (Sumo Cyco)
• May 8 – Trisha Paytas, American Internet personality, actress and singer-songwriter
• May 11 – Ace Hood, American rapper[34]
• May 13 – Casey Donovan, Australian Idol winner, 2004
• May 18 – Tanner Wayne, American drummer (Underminded, Chiodos and Scary Kids Scaring Kids)
• May 21 – Park Gyu-ri, South Korean idol singer[35]
• May 22 – Roy English, also known as Jagwar Twin, American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer
• May 24 – Billy Gilman, American country singer
• June 1
  • Héloïse Letissier, French singer-songwriter (Christine and the Queens)
  • Nami Tamaki, Japanese singer
• June 3 – Dave East, American rapper
• June 6 – Neha Kakkar, Indian pop singer
• June 7 – Michael Cera, Canadian actor, comedian, producer and singer-songwriter[36]
• June 9 – Mae Whitman, American actress, voice actress and singer[37]
• June 11 – Weyes Blood, American musician
• June 12 – Dave Melillo, American singer-songwriter
• June 14 – Kevin McHale, American actor, singer, dancer and radio personality[38]
• June 16
  • Banks, American singer-songwriter[39]
  • Keshia Chanté, Canadian urban singer
• June 18 – Josh Dun, American multi instrumentalist and producer (House Of Heroes, Twenty One Pilots)r[40]
• June 20 – May J., Japanese R&B singer
• June 22
  • Miliyah Kato, Japanese R&B singer
  • Vicky Psarakis, a Greek American vocalist-singer-songwriter, lead singer of The Agonist
• June 23
  • Isabella Leong, Hong Kong singer, actress and model
  • Jasmine Kara, Swedish singer-songwriter
• 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 6
  • Katy Tiz, British singer
  • Brittany Underwood, American actress and singer
• July 7 – Kaci Brown, American pop/R&B singer
• July 8 – Reinaldo Zavarce, Venezuelan actor and singer
• July 11 – Natalie La Rose, Dutch singer-songwriter and dancer
• July 12 – Melissa O'Neil, Canadian Idol winner, Canadian singer and actress
• July 13
  • Tulisa Contostavlos, British singer-songwriter and member of N-Dubz[41]
  • Colton Haynes, American actor, model and singer
• July 17 – Anderson East, American rhythm and blues singer/songwriter
• July 20 – Julianne Hough, American dancer, singer and actress[42]
• July 24 – Han Seung-yeon, South Korean singer and actress[43]
• 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 Musgrave's)
• August 2 – Brittany Hargest, American pop singer
• August 4 – Tom Parker, English singer-songwriter (The Wanted)
• 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 – Kacey Musgraves, American country singer-songwriter[44]
• 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[45]
• August 26
  • Erik Hassle, Swedish pop singer-songwriter
  • Evan Ross, American actor and musician (Diana Ross, Ashlee Simpson)
• August 27 – Alexa Vega, American musical performer, actor and pop singer
• September 3 – Devon Welsh Canadian singer-songwriter (Majical Cloudz, Grimes)
• September 6
  • Max George, British singer-songwriter and actor
  • Gustav Schäfer, German rock drummer (Tokio Hotel)
• September 12
  • Amanda Jenssen, Swedish singer
  • Matt Martians, American record producer
• 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
• September 26
  • James Blake, English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer (Jameela Jamil, Theresa Waymen)[46]
  • Lilly Singh, Canadian vlogger, singer, rapper and artist
• September 27 – Alma, French singer-songwriter[47]
• September 28
  • Esmée Denters, Dutch singer and YouTuber
  • Hana Mae Lee, American actress, model, singer and fashion designer (Pitch Perfect)
• September 30 – Jyongri, Japanese pop singer
• October 2 – Andreas Moe, Swedish singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist
• October 3 – A$AP Rocky, American rapper, producer, part of the ASAP mob[48] (Rihanna}
• October 4
  • Jessica Benson, American R&B singer
  • Melissa Benoist, American actress and singer[49]
• October 5 – Kevin Olusola, Nigerian musician, beatboxer, cellist, rapper, record producer and singer-songwriter
• October 11 – Knut Eirik Kokkin, Norwegian singer
• October 12 – Calum Scott, British singer-songwriter
• October 14 - Kobra Paige, Canadian singer and songwriter
• October 17
  • Dami Im, Korean-born Australian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist
  • Nikki Flores, American Independent pop singer, musician, songwriter and vocal producer
• October 20
  • Risa Niigaki, Japanese pop singer
  • A$AP Ferg, American rapper, part of the ASAP mob
• October 23 – Caleigh Peters, American pop singer
• October 28 – Jamie xx, English musician, DJ, record producer and remixer
• November 2 – Elgiazar Farashyan, Belarusian singer
• November 6
  • Emma Stone, American actress, musical star and singer
  • Conchita Wurst, Austrian singer, Eurovision Song Contest 2014 winner[50]
• November 7 – Tinie Tempah, English rapper, singer-songwriter[51]
• November 10 – Chisaki Hama, Japanese singer
• November 16
  • Siva Kaneswaran, British singer, model, actor and songwriter
  • Sampha, British singer-songwriter and record producer
• November 28 – Scarlett Pomers, American singer/actress
• November 30 – Eir Aoi, Japanese singer[52]
• December 1
  • Tyler Joseph, American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and rapper (Twenty One Pilots)
  • Zoë Kravitz, American actress, singer and model (lolawolf)[53]
• December 6 – Sandra Nurmsalu, Estonian musician[54]
• December 7
  • Emily Browning, Australian actress and singer (Sucker Punch, God Help The Girl, Plush)
• December 12 – Hahm Eun-jung, South Korean singer[55]
• December 14
  • Awkwafina, American rapper, comedienne, actor
  • Vanessa Hudgens, American actor, singer, dancer
• 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 and R&B singer, YouTuber
• December 23 – Eri Kamei, Japanese pop singer
• December 25 – Marco Mengoni, Italian singer-songwriter[56]
• December 26 – Veronika Eberle, German violinist
• December 27
  • Hayley Williams, American singer-songwriter, musician, businesswoman and activist (Paramore)
  • Lou Yixiao, Chinese singer
• December 28 – Florrie, English singer-songwriter, drummer and model
• December 30 – James Hall, British singer-songwriter
• December 31 – Holly Holyoake, Welsh classical soprano singer
• Unknown – Jihae, South Korean rock singer and actress

• 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[57]
• 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)[58]
• March 8 – Henryk Szeryng, violinist[59]
• March 10 – William Wordsworth, Scottish composer
• March 10 – Andy Gibb, singer, 30 (myocarditis)[60]
• 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 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)[61]
• 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
• June 25
  • Hillel Slovak, Red Hot Chili Peppers, guitarist, 26 (speedball overdose)
  • Jimmy Soul, American singer, 45 (heart attack)
• July 2 – Eddie Vinson, jazz/blues musician, 70
• July 18
  • Joly Braga Santos, Portuguese composer and conductor, 64
  • Nico, German singer, 49 (brain haemorrhage)[62]
• July 27
• July 20 – Richard Holm, German operatic tenor
• August – Tenor Saw, dancehall artist, 21 (road accident)
• August 8 – Félix Leclerc, folk singer, 74[63]
• August 9 – Giacinto Scelsi, composer and poet, 83[64]
• August 14
  • Roy Buchanan, American guitarist, 48 (suicide)
  • Robert Calvert, South African writer, poet, and musician, 43 (shot)[65]
• August 19 – Sir Frederick Ashton, British choreographer, 83[66]
• August 22 – Frances James, operatic soprano, 85
• August 24
  • Kenneth Leighton, English composer
  • Nat Stuckey, American country singer
• 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[67]
• October 18 – Sir Frederick Ashton, dancer and choreographer
• October 19 – Son House, blues musician[68]
• October 20 – Mogens Wöldike, Danish conductor
• November 8 – Warren Casey, US theatre composer, lyricist, writer, and actor, 53 (AIDS-related)
• November 13
  • Antal Doráti, conductor, 82[69]
  • Jaromír Vejvoda, Czech composer, 86
• November 24 – Irmgard Seefried, operatic soprano, 69[70]
• 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)[71]
• 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[72]
• date unknown
  • Kenneth Morris, gospel composer and publisher, 71
  • Håkan Parkman, Swedish composer, arranger and choral director, 33 (drowned)

• The following artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Drifters, Bob Dylan, and The Supremes.

• List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1988 (U.S.)

• Record labels established in 1988