1988 in music
See also:
1987 in music,
other events of 1988,
1989 in music, 1980s in music and the list of 'years in music'
Events
- February 13 - Michael Jackson purchases a ranch in Santa Ynez, California. He calls his new home "Neverland".
- February 16 - Billy Vera receives a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame
- February 17 - A 12-year old Mötley Crüe fan in Florida is badly burned while trying to imitate a stunt in the band's "Live Wire" music video. The boy suffered burns over ten percent of his body. Mötley Crüe issued a statement saying the band's stunts should not be tried at home.
- February 24 - Alice Cooper announces that he is going to run for Governor of Arizona.
- March 10 - During a concert in Perth, Australia, George Michael thanks Tipper Gore, head of the Parents Music Resource Center, for helping the sales of his Faith album.
- March 12 - Record producer Jimmy Iovine presents the Special Olympics with a donation of $5 million, which was raised with the release of the A Very Special Christmas album.
- April to July - Suicidal Tendencies records How Will I Laugh Tomorrow If I Can't Even Smile Today?, which will be a blockbuster album on September 13
- April 19 - Sonny Bono is inaugurated as the Mayor of Palm Springs, California
- May 1 - Citing the 1st Amendment, a judge drops all charges filed against singer Billy Joel. Joel was being sued by Jack Powers for defamation following an interview with Playboy magazine in which he called Powers a "creep".
- August 28 - While traveling down the Ventura Freeway in Southern California, the motor home carrying the Charlie Daniels band bursts into flames. Daniels and his band members escape without injury.
- October 10 - Acid House: Genesis'88 stage their first illegal Acid House Party in UK
- November - The "Guess The Eddies" contest begins, inviting people to guess the identities of the six members of the rock band The Swirling Eddies.
- Compact discs outsell vinyl records for the first time.
- Former rock and roll singer Sonny Bono is elected as mayor of Palm Springs, California.
- "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" experiences a surge in popularity sparked by television commercials featuring claymation raisin figures dancing to the song. The California Raisins version of the song peaks at No. 84 on Billboard's Hot 100.
- December 31 - Acid House: Genesis & Sunrise/Back to the Future stage the biggest Acid Party in the world in a warehouse in Hackney, UK (5,000 people)
Albums released
Top hits
Published popular music
- "Kissing A Fool" w.m. George Michael
Births
Deaths
- January 21 - Evgeny Mravinsky, conductor
- February 27 - Gene De Paul, US pianist and composer
- March 8 - Henryk Szeryng, violinist
- March 10 - Andy Gibb, singer
- April 9 - Brook Benton, complications of spinal meningitis.
- April 9 - Dave Prater, of Sam & Dave, car accident
- May 22 - Dennis Day, US singer
- June 25, Hillel Slovak, Red Hot Chili Peppers, guitarist
- August 9 - Giacinto Scelsi, composer
- October 7 - Billy Daniels, US singer
- October 19, Son House, blues musician
- November 13 - Antal Doráti, conductor
- December 6, Roy Orbison, singer
Awards
