Billboard Hot 100 — September 24, 1988
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week of September 24, 1988. "Don't Worry, Be Happy (From "Cocktail")" by Bobby McFerrin climbed from #4 to take over the #1 spot from "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses, which had held it for 2 weeks, on its way to 2 weeks on top. 8 songs entered the chart this week; the highest new entry was "Bad Medicine" by Bon Jovi at #43, which would go on to peak at #1. The biggest climber was "A Word In Spanish" by Elton John, up 20 places from #86 to #66.
Chart highlights
- At #1: "Don't Worry, Be Happy (From "Cocktail")" by Bobby McFerrin — 1 week at the top so far, 9 weeks on the chart since debuting July 30, 1988.
- New in the top 10: "One Good Woman" by Peter Cetera (up from #11 to #7); "Don't Be Cruel" by Cheap Trick (up from #15 to #10).
- Biggest fall: "I Don't Want To Be A Hero" by Johnny Hates Jazz, down 29 places from #47 to #76.
- Longest run on this week's chart: "I Still Believe" by Brenda K. Starr, 26 weeks and counting (peak #13).
- Gone from the chart: "Do You Love Me" by The Contours after 34 weeks (peak #3).
TW = this week, LW = last week (NEW = first week on the chart), Peak = highest position reached up to this week, Wks = weeks on the chart up to this week.
| TW | LW | Peak | Wks | Song / Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 1 | 9 | Don't Worry, Be Happy (From "Cocktail") Bobby McFerrin |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 | Sweet Child O' Mine Guns N' Roses |
| 3 | 5 | 3 | 16 | I'll Always Love You Taylor Dayne |
| 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | Simply Irresistible Robert Palmer |
| 5 | 9 | 5 | 7 | Love Bites Def Leppard |
| 6 | 3 | 3 | 11 | Perfect World Huey Lewis & The News |
| 7 | 11 | 7 | 10 | One Good Woman Peter Cetera |
| 8 | 7 | 7 | 13 | If It Isn't Love New Edition |
| 9 | 8 | 8 | 12 | Nobody's Fool (Theme From "Caddyshack II") Kenny Loggins |
| 10 | 15 | 10 | 9 | Don't Be Cruel Cheap Trick |
| 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | It Would Take A Strong Strong Man Rick Astley |
| 12 | 14 | 12 | 14 | I Hate Myself For Loving You Joan Jett & the Blackhearts |
| 13 | 19 | 13 | 22 | Red Red Wine UB40 |
| 14 | 18 | 14 | 14 | Please Don't Go Girl New Kids On The Block |
| 15 | 17 | 15 | 9 | A Nightmare On My Street D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince |
| 16 | 6 | 5 | 13 | When It's Love Van Halen |
| 17 | 22 | 17 | 11 | What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy) Information Society |
| 18 | 21 | 18 | 9 | Fallen Angel Poison |
| 19 | 20 | 19 | 10 | Don't Be Cruel Bobby Brown |
| 20 | 27 | 20 | 6 | Don't You Know What The Night Can Do? Steve Winwood |
| 21 | 31 | 21 | 4 | Groovy Kind Of Love Phil Collins |
| 22 | 26 | 22 | 8 | Staying Together Debbie Gibson |
| 23 | 28 | 23 | 6 | True Love Glenn Frey |
| 24 | 30 | 24 | 8 | Forever Young Rod Stewart |
| 25 | 13 | 1 | 12 | Monkey George Michael |
| 26 | 29 | 26 | 8 | What You See Is What You Get Brenda K. Starr |
| 27 | 32 | 27 | 9 | Chains Of Love Erasure |
| 28 | 33 | 28 | 7 | Never Tear Us Apart INXS |
| 29 | 16 | 6 | 17 | Fast Car Tracy Chapman |
| 30 | 12 | 11 | 10 | Another Part Of Me Michael Jackson |
| 31 | 36 | 31 | 6 | Wild, Wild West The Escape Club |
| 32 | 40 | 32 | 5 | The Loco-Motion Kylie Minogue |
| 33 | 23 | 3 | 17 | I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love Chicago |
| 34 | 24 | 2 | 15 | I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That Elton John |
| 35 | 42 | 35 | 3 | One Moment In Time Whitney Houston |
| 36 | 25 | 20 | 14 | Here With Me REO Speedwagon |
| 37 | 46 | 37 | 7 | Superstitious Europe |
| 38 | 35 | 2 | 24 | Hands To Heaven Breathe |
| 39 | 44 | 39 | 10 | Time And Tide Basia |
| 40 | 58 | 40 | 4 | Kokomo (From"Cocktail" ) The Beach Boys |
| 41 | 49 | 41 | 6 | Indestructible Four Tops |
| 42 | 52 | 42 | 6 | Another Lover Giant Steps |
| 43 | NEW | 43 | 1 | Bad Medicine Bon Jovi |
| 44 | 56 | 44 | 4 | Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone) Cinderella |
| 45 | 50 | 45 | 8 | Off On Your Own (Girl) Al B. Sure! |
| 46 | 59 | 46 | 3 | How Can I Fall? Breathe |
| 47 | 55 | 47 | 6 | It Takes Two Rob Base & D.J. E-Z Rock |
| 48 | 34 | 19 | 13 | All Fired Up Pat Benatar |
| 49 | 48 | 43 | 12 | Spring Love (Come Back To Me) Stevie B |
| 50 | 64 | 50 | 3 | Dance Little Sister Terence Trent D'Arby |
| 51 | 37 | 3 | 17 | 1-2-3 Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine |
| 52 | 39 | 1 | 16 | Roll With It Steve Winwood |
| 53 | 65 | 53 | 6 | She's On The Left Jeffrey Osborne |
| 54 | 43 | 4 | 18 | Sign Your Name Terence Trent D'Arby |
| 55 | 53 | 53 | 8 | The Dead Heart Midnight Oil |
| 56 | 45 | 1 | 19 | Hold On To The Nights Richard Marx |
| 57 | 41 | 3 | 19 | Make Me Lose Control Eric Carmen |
| 58 | 70 | 58 | 4 | Inside A Dream Jane Wiedlin |
| 59 | 71 | 59 | 4 | The Promise When In Rome |
| 60 | 54 | 54 | 7 | Jackie Blue Zone U.K. |
| 61 | 75 | 61 | 3 | Waiting For A Star To Fall Boy Meets Girl |
| 62 | 61 | 61 | 10 | Nice 'N' Slow Freddie Jackson |
| 63 | 38 | 9 | 13 | Love Will Save The Day Whitney Houston |
| 64 | 78 | 64 | 3 | Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley Will To Power |
| 65 | 69 | 65 | 5 | Powerful Stuff (From "Cocktail") The Fabulous Thunderbirds |
| 66 | 86 | 66 | 2 | A Word In Spanish Elton John |
| 67 | 51 | 35 | 10 | Look Out Any Window Bruce Hornsby & The Range |
| 68 | 74 | 68 | 7 | Long And Lasting Love (Once In A Lifetime) Glenn Medeiros |
| 69 | 81 | 69 | 9 | Strangelove Depeche Mode |
| 70 | 79 | 70 | 4 | Heart Don't Fail Me Now Holly Knight |
| 71 | 60 | 31 | 16 | Sayin' Sorry (Don't Make It Right) Denise Lopez |
| 72 | 62 | 2 | 23 | Pour Some Sugar On Me Def Leppard |
| 73 | 84 | 73 | 2 | You Came Kim Wilde |
| 74 | 57 | 50 | 11 | Summergirls Dino |
| 75 | 66 | 10 | 20 | Just Got Paid Johnny Kemp |
| 76 | 47 | 31 | 12 | I Don't Want To Be A Hero Johnny Hates Jazz |
| 77 | NEW | 77 | 1 | Look Away Chicago |
| 78 | 72 | 59 | 10 | Make It Last Forever Keith Sweat (Duet With Jacci McGhee) |
| 79 | 68 | 17 | 17 | Rag Doll Aerosmith |
| 80 | 67 | 55 | 10 | Inside Outside The Cover Girls |
| 81 | 73 | 1 | 25 | The Flame Cheap Trick |
| 82 | 96 | 82 | 2 | Edge Of A Broken Heart Vixen |
| 83 | 83 | 83 | 4 | What's The Matter Here? 10,000 Maniacs |
| 84 | 76 | 12 | 19 | Parents Just Don't Understand D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince |
| 85 | NEW | 85 | 1 | Giving You The Best That I Got Anita Baker |
| 86 | 63 | 62 | 6 | The Rumour Olivia Newton-John |
| 87 | 77 | 72 | 7 | Don't Walk Away Toni Childs |
| 88 | NEW | 88 | 1 | Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark The Robert Cray Band |
| 89 | 92 | 89 | 2 | Never Let You Go Sweet Sensation |
| 90 | 98 | 90 | 2 | Way Out J.J. Fad |
| 91 | 97 | 91 | 3 | Button Off My Shirt Paul Carrack |
| 92 | 93 | 16 | 15 | The Twist Fat Boys |
| 93 | 85 | 85 | 2 | Hands On The Radio Henry Lee Summer |
| 94 | NEW | 94 | 1 | Cars With The Boom L'Trimm |
| 95 | NEW | 95 | 1 | I'm Not Your Man Tommy Conwell And The Young Rumblers |
| 96 | 80 | 44 | 10 | The Right Stuff Vanessa Williams |
| 97 | 91 | 13 | 26 | I Still Believe Brenda K. Starr |
| 98 | NEW | 98 | 1 | I Can't Wait Deniece Williams |
| 99 | NEW | 99 | 1 | Boy, I've Been Told SaFire |
| 100 | 90 | 90 | 4 | Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls Book Of Love |
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