During the last few decades, it’s become rare for veteran rock artists to top the Billboard Hot 100. From the 1960s until 1990, though, rock singers and bands regularly reached No. 1 on the chart multiple times each year.
Videos by American Songwriter
The last year that saw a significant number of rock acts with chart-topping singles in the U.S. was 1989. Here’s a look at four veteran rockers that conquered the Hot 100 as the 1980s came to a close:
“Every Rose Has Its Thorn” – Poison
Glam-metal band Poison released a hugely popular debut album, Look What The Cat Dragged In, in 1986. The group only built on that popularity with its 1988 follow-up, Open Up And Say… Ahh!
Poison’s sophomore studio effort featured its one and only Hot 100 chart-topper, the power ballad “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.” The song first hit No. 1 on December 24, 1988, and remained in the top spot for three weeks, including the first week of 1989.
“Every Rose Has Its Thorn” was co-written by Poison’s four members—frontman Bret Michaels, lead guitarist C.C. DeVille, drummer Rikki Rockett, and bassist Bobby Dall.
“Two Hearts” – Phil Collins
Phil Collins came to fame in the 1970s as Genesis’ drummer, then began pulling double duty for the band when he became its frontman after founding lead singer Peter Gabriel left the group in 1975.
In the early 1980s, Collins launched what quickly became a hugely successful solo career, while remaining a member of Genesis. Phil was among the best-selling artists of the decade, with multiple No. 1 hits on the Hot 100.
On January 21, 1989, Collins scored his sixth career chart-topping solo single with “Two Hearts.” The Motown-inspired pop-soul gem appeared on the soundtrack of the 1988 crime comedy film Buster, which starred Phil as the lead character.
“Two Hearts” was co-written by Collins and Lamont Dozier, of the hit-making Motown production and songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland. The song spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100.
Meanwhile, on December 23, 1989, Collins’ song “Another Day In Paradise” became his second single to top the Hot 100 that year. “Another Day In Paradise” was Phil’s seventh song overall to hit No. 1 on the chart, and his last to date. It spent four weeks atop the tally.
“I’ll Be There For You” – Bon Jovi
In 1988, Bon Jovi released its fourth studio album, New Jersey, which became the hair-metal band’s second consecutive studio effort to top the Billboard 200.
New Jersey’s lead single, “Bad Medicine,” was a No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 for two weeks in November 1988. The power ballad “I’ll Be There For You,” the third single released from the album also reached the top of the chart on May 13, 1989.
“I’ll Be There For You” was co-written by frontman Jon Bon Jovi and guitarist Richie Sambora.
“We Didn’t Start The Fire” – Billy Joel
For Billy Joel, the 1980s were his most prolific and commercially successful period of his career. In October 1989, Joel released his chart-topping 11th studio album, Storm Front.
The album was preceded by the lead single “We Didn’t Start The Fire.” The inventive and catchy song featured rapid-fire lyrics that listed more than 100 significant cultural, political, and scientific events that occurred between 1949, the year Joel was born, and 1989.
The single topped the Hot 100 on December 9 and spent two weeks at No. 1 on the chart. It’s Joel’s last No. 1 Hot 100 hit to date.
Other Rock Artists Who Had No. 1 Hits in 1989
A couple of other veteran rock acts released singles that topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1989. Mike + The Mechanics, the band led by founding Genesis guitarist/bassist Mike Rutherford, had a chart-topping with “The Living Years” in March.
In addition, the supergroup Bad English reached No. 1 for two weeks in November with “When I See You Smile.” The band featured Journey members Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain. It also featured former Babys frontman John Waite, bassist Ricky Phillips, and future Journey drummer Deen Castronovo. Cain also played in The Babys before he joined Journey, while Phillips later was a member of Styx.
(Photo by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images; Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images)
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.