1989 Number One Songs UK
This post on 1989 number one songs UK marks the final year of the 1980s. So what did the final year of the decade have in store, before we entered the 1990s?
If you’re wondering what was the number one song in 1989 at any point throughout the year, this article is for you. This is the complete list of all the number one hits of 1989 – all 18 of them.
Pop hits of 1989 include a duet by my dream man’s former squeeze, though at time she was dating her singing partner. The duo had just missed out on being the Christmas number one. Later in the year, both individually scored 1989 number one songs too.
Several of this year’s hits were courtesy of Stock, Aitken and Waterman’s (SAW) hits factory – yeah, thanks for that. While some are catchy tunes, I find they all start to sound the same after a while.
Aged 15 in 1989, I did have a few of these albums though. One smelt strongly of patchouli. About 7 years later, during my year down under, one star of the 1989 music scene was rumoured to be living in a Bondi squat while I was also residing in Sydney.
What else is there to say about the most popular songs of 1989? There are a few that surprised me, given that I barely remember them in comparison to the hit songs of 1989 still regularly given airtime to this day.
Despite the dominance of SAW, several other acts had major success. The tracks that topped the music charts in 1989 also included a couple that had a sound I’d describe as more 90s than 80s. But then the decade of Britpop and Madchester was mere months away by this point.
Here’s the rundown – every number one song of 1989 here in the UK.
The 18 1989 number one songs in the UK
Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan – Especially For You
3 weeks at number one in January 1989
Marc Almond & Gene Pitney – Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart
4 weeks at number one in January & February 1989
Simple Minds – Belfast Child
2 weeks at number one in February & March 1989
Jason Donovan – Too Many Broken Hearts
2 weeks at number one in March 1989
Madonna – Like A Prayer
2 weeks at number one in March & April 1989
The Bangles – Eternal Flame
4 weeks at number one in April & May 1989
Kylie Minogue – Hand On Your Heart
1 week at number one in May 1989
Paul McCartney, The Christians, Holly Johnson, Gerry Marsden & SAW – Ferry ‘Cross The Mersey
3 weeks at number one in May & June 1989
Jason Donovan – Sealed With A Kiss
2 weeks at number one in June 1989
Soul II Soul – Back To Life
4 weeks at number one in June & July 1989
Sonia – You’ll Never Stop Me Loving You
2 weeks at number one in July 1989
Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers – Swing The Mood
5 weeks at number one in August & September 1989
Black Box – Ride On Time
5 weeks at number one in September & October 1989
Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers – That’s What I Like
3 weeks at number one in October & November 1989
Lisa Stansfield – All Around The World
3 weeks at number one in November 1989
New Kids On The Block – You Got It (The Right Stuff)
3 weeks at number one in November & December 1989
Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers – Let’s Party
1 week at number one in December 1989
Band Aid II – Do They Know It’s Christmas
2 weeks at number one in December 1989
What do you think of the 1989 number one songs?
So they were the top songs in 1989. I was amazed by Jive Bunny’s 3 number ones, frankly _ though there was just one hit from them. Otherwise, it was a good year for both Queen and Princess of Pop – aka Madonna and Kylie.
The Bangles did well with Eternal Flame, which I do remember well. Not least because every boy in sight fancied the pants off Susannah Hoffs! Popular music in 1989 certainly came with its share of eye candy.
Marcy x
Discover all the number one singles from the rest of the 80s here:
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