The highest-selling albums and EPs in the United States are ranked in the Billboard 200, which is published by Billboard magazine. The data are compiled by Nielsen Soundscan based on each album's weekly physical and digital sales.[1] In 1988, 11 albums advanced to the peak position of the chart.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/George_Michael.jpeg/220px-George_Michael.jpeg)
The beginning of the year started with the continuation of Dirty Dancing but was bumped out of the number one spot by Pop singer George Michael's first solo album Faith. It had the longest run among the releases, spending 12 non-consecutive weeks in the top position. The album was also notable for reaching the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (U.S. Hot Black Singles) at number-one making it the first album by a Caucasian artist to hit the top spot on that chart, mainly due to the R&B/funk-leaning singles that were released from the album, most notably, "One More Try", "I Want Your Sex" and "Father Figure". Faith was the best-selling album of 1988 in the United States, and eventually reached Diamond certification by the RIAA. Closely behind Faith, the Dirty Dancing soundtrack spent 11 non-consecutive weeks in the top position. From its August 1987 release, it spent a total of 18 weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200 and went platinum eleven times.
Guns N' Roses' debut album, Appetite for Destruction, was their first number one album on the Billboard 200, and is one of the best selling albums in the U.S., being certified diamond (plus 18× platinum) by the RIAA.[2]
Van Halen, Bon Jovi, and U2 each garnered their second number-one albums on the Billboard 200, while Tiffany, Def Leppard, Anita Baker, and Steve Winwood garnered their first.
Chart history
edit† | Indicates best performing album of 1988 |
Issue date | Album | Artist(s) | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
January 2 | Dirty Dancing | Soundtrack | RCA | [3] |
January 9 | [4] | |||
January 16 | Faith | George Michael | Columbia/Epic | [5] |
January 23 | Tiffany | Tiffany | MCA | [6] |
January 30 | [7] | |||
February 6 | Faith | George Michael | Columbia/Epic | [8] |
February 13 | [9] | |||
February 20 | [10] | |||
February 27 | [11] | |||
March 5 | [12] | |||
March 12 | Dirty Dancing | Soundtrack | RCA | [13] |
March 19 | [14] | |||
March 26 | [15] | |||
April 2 | [16] | |||
April 9 | [17] | |||
April 16 | [18] | |||
April 23 | [19] | |||
April 30 | [20] | |||
May 7 | [21] | |||
May 14 | Faith | George Michael | Columbia/Epic | [22] |
May 21 | [23] | |||
May 28 | [24] | |||
June 4 | [25] | |||
June 11 | [26] | |||
June 18 | [27] | |||
June 25 | OU812 | Van Halen | Warner Bros. | [28] |
July 2 | [29] | |||
July 9 | [30] | |||
July 16 | [31] | |||
July 23 | Hysteria | Def Leppard | Mercury | [32] |
July 30 | [33] | |||
August 6 | Appetite for Destruction | Guns N' Roses | Geffen | [34] |
August 13 | Hysteria | Def Leppard | Mercury | [35] |
August 20 | Roll with It | Steve Winwood | Virgin | [36] |
August 27 | Tracy Chapman | Tracy Chapman | Elektra | [37] |
September 3 | Hysteria | Def Leppard | Mercury | [38] |
September 10 | [39] | |||
September 17 | [40] | |||
September 24 | Appetite for Destruction | Guns N' Roses | Geffen | [41] |
October 1 | [42] | |||
October 8 | [43] | |||
October 15 | New Jersey | Bon Jovi | Mercury | [44] |
October 22 | [45] | |||
October 29 | [46] | |||
November 5 | [47] | |||
November 12 | Rattle and Hum | U2 / Soundtrack | Island | [48] |
November 19 | [49] | |||
November 26 | [50] | |||
December 3 | [51] | |||
December 10 | [52] | |||
December 17 | [53] | |||
December 24 | Giving You the Best That I Got | Anita Baker | Elektra | [54] |
December 31 | [55] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Billboard Methodology". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Archived from the original on 2008-07-31. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
- ^ "Search Results". Recording Industry Association of America. 2010-03-05. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
- ^ "January 2, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "January 9, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "January 16, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "January 23, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "January 30, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "February 6, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "February 13, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "February 20, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "February 27, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "March 5, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "March 12, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "March 19, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "March 26, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "April 2, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "April 9, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "April 16, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "April 23, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "April 30, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "May 7, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "May 14, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "May 21, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "May 28, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "June 4, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "June 11, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "June 18, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "June 25, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "July 2, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "July 9, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "July 16, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "July 23, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "July 30, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "August 6, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "August 13, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "August 20, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "August 27, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "September 3, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "September 10, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "September 17, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "September 24, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "October 1, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "October 8, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "October 15, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "October 22, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "October 29, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "November 5, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "November 12, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "November 19, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "November 26, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "December 3, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "December 10, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "December 17, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "December 24, 1988". Billboard 200.
- ^ "December 31, 1988". Billboard 200.