On This Day in 1989, Phil Collins Scored the Final No. 1 of the Year With a Single That Raised Awareness of Homelessness

One of the many benefits of being a famous musician is the platform it entails. Some musicians decide to utilize that platform, and others do not; to each their own. However, one musician who has utilized their platform and continues to do so is Phil Collins. Thanks to his platform, on this day, December 23, 1989, Phil Collins scored a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with his single, “Another Day In Paradise”.

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If you aren’t a music nut or a Phil Collins fan, then you just might not remember this classic. If not, we highly recommend you revisit it. Regardless, it was an enormous hit in 1989, and it wasn’t just a hit full of empty lyrics and catchy hooks. Instead, it was a socially sentimental story about homelessness and the societal juxtaposition between the homed and the homeless.

This song was not the first time Phil Collins passionately and ambitiously took on an important topic such as this one. Prior to “Another Day In Paradise”, Collins released “Long Long Way To Go”, “Man On The Corner”, and “Land Of Confusion”. Also, on …But Seriously, the album in which “Another Day In Paradise” resides, Collins didn’t just address homelessness, as he also addressed the conflict in Northern Ireland, Apartheid, and political hypocrisy. However, the single that was listened to by the most ears and felt by the most hearts was “Another Day In Paradise”.

The Timeline of Phil Collins’ No. 1 Hit

On October 23, 1989, Phil Collins released “Another Day In Paradise”. A month later, Collins dropped the full album, …But Seriously, which featured other socially focused tracks, “Colours” and “That’s Just the Way It Is”.

Following the release of “Another Day In Paradise”, this single debuted at No. 43 on the Billboard Hot 100. Roughly a month later, the single peaked at No. 1 on the chart on this day in 1989. This was the start of the single’s four-week reign at No. 1. Thus, it was the final No. 1 song of 1989, and consequently, the final No. 1 song of the 1980s.

In addition to reaching the No. 1 spot in the United States, Collins’ single also landed at No. 2 in his home country of the United Kingdom. Lastly, Collins’ album, …But Seriously, also landed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, which was also the final No. 1 album of the 1980s.

Photo by Ellen Poppinga – K & K/Redferns