1989 in music

Specific locations

• 1989 in British music
• 1989 in Norwegian music

  Specific genres

• 1989 in country music
• 1989 in heavy metal music
• 1989 in hip hop music
• 1989 in Christian

  Events

• January 14 – Paul McCartney releases Снова в СССР exclusively in the USSR. Bootleg copies sell for as much as US$1,000 in the United States.
• January 23 – James Brown is sentenced in Georgia, USA, to six years in jail in connection with a police chase through two different states.
• January 27 – Michael Jackson ends the Bad World Tour in Los Angeles, USA.
• February 12
• *Roy Orbison joins Elvis Presley as the only singers to ever simultaneously have two top 5 albums on the Billboard charts.
• *Tiny Tim launches an unsuccessful campaign to be elected mayor of New York City, USA.
• February 17 – Whitesnake's David Coverdale marries Tawny Kitaen.
• March 21 – Madonna's "Like a Prayer" music video, taped in late December 1988, attracts criticism for its use of Catholic Church iconography and for the use of cross burning imagery, but also garners praise for its interpretation of discrimination, rape, and faith. Pepsi drops Madonna as a spokesperson out of fear the video will cause religious groups to boycott the company.
• April 9 – The Rolling Stones' Bill Wyman announces that he will marry 19-year-old Mandy Smith, his girlfriend for six years.
• April 12 – Michael Jackson is named "King of Pop" after receiving the Soul Train Heritage Awards.
• April 28 – Jon Bon Jovi marries his high school sweetheart Dorothea Hurley at the Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
• May 1 – California, USA jewelry store employees called the police reporting a suspicious person hanging around their store. The person turns out to be Michael Jackson shopping in disguise.
• July 9 – All four original members of The Monkees reunite in Los Angeles, USA, for a concert performance at the Universal Amphitheatre. The following day the quartet attend an induction ceremony at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where they receive a star.
• July 23 – Former Beatle Ringo Starr forms his own band named Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band.
• July 29 – The Bee Gees perform in the U.S. for the first time in 10 years as part of their One for All world tour.
• August 3 – Sergio Franchi collapses before scheduled concert; dies 9 months later of brain cancer.
• August 11-12 – The Moscow Music Peace Festival is held in the Soviet Union. The event is put together by Doc McGhee and the Make-A-Wish Foundation and headline acts include Bon Jovi, Ozzy Osbourne, Mötley Crüe, Skid Row, Cinderella, and the Scorpions.
• August 31 – The Rolling Stones open their Steel Wheels North American tour in Philadelphia, USA.
• September 9
• *The Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, designed by I. M. Pei, opens in Dallas, Texas, USA.
• *Madonna gives a risqué performance at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards. Clad in baggy black sweatpants and a black bustier, she shocks the audience by simulating masturbation. The version of the song used in the show would later serve as the opening number of 1990's "Blond Ambition World Tour".
• October 15 – Media Rings Corporation, the Japanese music, video game, and software publishing company, is founded in Akasaka.
• December 23 – Ice Cube leaves N.W.A after financial problems and several conflicts with their manager Jerry Heller and the group's founder Eazy-E. By this time, Cube has been recording his solo debut album, which will be released next year.

  Also in 1989

• Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith leaves the band and is replaced by ex-Gillan guitarist Janick Gers who had most recently worked with Bruce Dickinson on his solo project.
• Ars Musica, an annual contemporary music international festival, founded

  Bands formed

• See :Category:Musical groups established in 1989|Musical groups established in 1989

  Bands disbanded

• See :Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1989|Musical groups disestablished in 1989

  Bands reformed

• Cluster
• Luv'
• Plasmatics

  Albums released

January–March

April–June

July–September

October–December

Release date unknown

• All or Nothing – Milli Vanilli
• Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride – Electric Boys
• Blast – Holly Johnson
• City Streets – Carole King
• Cantemos Juntos – Lynda Thomas
• Michigan Rain – Gregg Alexander
• Different – Thomas Anders
• Return of the Ugly – Bad Manners
• Ghostbusters II – Various Artists
• I Can See You – Black Flag
• The Road to Hell – Chris Rea
• Live ED – Étienne Daho
• Tragedy Again – D.I.
• Rasta Souvenir – Manu Dibango
• Sumiran Karle – Swagatalakshmi Dasgupta
• Just Like Heaven – Dinosaur Jr.
• Complete Discography – Minor Threat
• All That Jazz – Ella Fitzgerald
• On Fire – Galaxie 500
• Hallelujah – Happy Mondays
• Desert Wind – Ofra Haza
• Modern – Hijokaidan
• Enter the Realm – Iced Earth
• At Peace – Jade Warrior
• Jaya – Jaya
• Christmas Is... – Johnny Maestro & the Brooklyn Bridge
• Rockland – Kim Mitchell
• Night of Rage – Kraut
• Western Shadows – Carole Laure
• Piretos tou erota – Vicky Leandros
• The Twelve Commandments of Dance – London Boys
• Godhead – Lowlife
• Powertrip – Ludichrist
• Drowning in Limbo – Lydia Lunch
• No More Blues – Susannah McCorkle
• Mother Nature's Kitchen – Kevin McDermott
• Ozma – Melvins
• Post-Mersh Vol. 3 – Minutemen
• All Aboard the Mind Train – The Modern Art
• Face of Despair – Mortal Sin
• Helter Stupid – Negativland
• Ain't Gonna Cry – Juice Newton
• Yellow Moon – The Neville Brothers
• Once We Were Scum, Now We Are God – No
• Wrong – Nomeansno
• Get Yer Jujus Out – Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey & His Inter-Reformers Band
• Sittin' Pretty – The Pastels
• Best of Ozz – Ozzy Osbourne
• A Word from the Wise – Pennywise
• Fight the Power... Live! – Public Enemy –
• Blow – Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
• The Symphony Sessions – Red Rider
• Stronger – Cliff Richard
• Something Inside So Strong – Kenny Rogers
• Hard Volume – Rollins Band
• Searchlight – Runrig
• Samiam – Samiam
• Strange Cargo – David Van Tieghem
• Avalon Sunset – Van Morrison
• Early Music – Santana
• Century Flower – Shelleyan Orphan
• When Dream and Day Unite – Dream Theater
• The Complete Sham 69 Live – Sham 69
• Cyborgs Revisited – Simply Saucer
• Tweez – Slint
• The Singular Adventures of The Style Council: Greatest Hits Vol.1 – The Style Council –
• Les Rythmes Automatiques – Telex
• Special – The Temptations
• Some Disenchanted Evening – The Verlaines
• Liberation – Bunny Wailer
• Prime 5 – Ween
• Niki Nana – Yanni
• Getahead – Curiosity Killed the Cat
• Come Together As One – Will Downing
• I Remember Mama – Shirley Caesar
• Heroes – New Jersey Mass Choir
• Brotherly Love – Daniel Winans
• Bringing It Back Home'' – The Clark Sisters

  Biggest hit singles

#	Artist	Title	Year	Country	Chart Entries
1	Madonna	Like a Prayer	1989		UK 1 – Mar 1989, US BB 1 – Mar 1989, US CashBox 1 of 1989, Sweden 1 – Mar 1989, Switzerland 1 – Mar 1989, Norway 1 – Mar 1989, Poland 1 – Apr 1989, Republic of Ireland 1 – Mar 1989, New Zealand 1 for 2 weeks Apr 1989, Australia 1 for 1 weeks Sep 1989, Netherlands 2 – Mar 1989, Austria 2 – Apr 1989, Australia 2 of 1989, Germany 2 – Mar 1989, France 4 – Mar 1989, Italy 5 of 1989, POP 5 of 1989, RYM 13 of 1989, US BB 14 of 1989, Scrobulate 33 of pop, Europe 49 of the 1980s, Germany 96 of the 1980s, OzNet 161, Rolling Stone 300, Acclaimed 629
2	The Bangles	Eternal Flame	1989		UK 1 – Feb 1989, US BB 1 – Feb 1989, Netherlands 1 – Mar 1989, Sweden 1 – Apr 1989, Norway 1 – May 1989, Australia 1 of 1989, Republic of Ireland 1 – Apr 1989, Australia 1 for 1 weeks Oct 1989, Switzerland 2 – May 1989, Austria 3 – May 1989, Germany 5 – May 1989, US CashBox 7 of 1989, France 10 – Feb 1989, US BB 11 of 1989, POP 25 of 1989, Europe 27 of the 1980s, Scrobulate 70 of 80s, RYM 73 of 1989, OzNet 141, Germany 196 of the 1980s
3	Phil Collins	Another Day in Paradise	1989		US BB 1 – Nov 1989, Sweden 1 – Nov 1989, Switzerland 1 – Nov 1989, Norway 1 – Nov 1989, Poland 1 – Nov 1989, Germany 1 – Jan 1990, Grammy in 1990, UK 2 – Nov 1989, Netherlands 2 – Oct 1989, Austria 2 – Dec 1989, Italy 3 of 1990, France 9 – Nov 1989, POP 21 of 1989, Europe 60 of the 1980s, Scrobulate 67 of ballad, RYM 133 of 1989, Germany 195 of the 1990s, OzNet 214
4	Roxette	The Look	1989		US BB 1 – Feb 1989, Sweden 1 – Jan 1989, Switzerland 1 – Apr 1989, Norway 1 – Mar 1989, Germany 1 – Apr 1989, Australia 1 for 6 weeks Nov 1989, Netherlands 2 – Mar 1989, Austria 2 – May 1989, Australia 3 of 1989, France 4 – Apr 1989, US CashBox 6 of 1989, UK 7 – Apr 1989, Poland 8 – Apr 1989, Italy 9 of 1989, US BB 21 of 1989, Germany 30 of the 1980s, POP 39 of 1989, RYM 94 of 1989, OzNet 567
5	The B-52s	Love Shack	1989		US BB 1 of 1989, Republic of Ireland 1 – Mar 1990, New Zealand 1 for 4 weeks Jan 1990, Australia 1 for 8 weeks Mar 1990, POP 1 of 1989, UK 2 – Mar 1990, KROQ 2 of 1989, US BB 3 – Sep 1989, Party 3 of 2007, France 4 – Oct 1989, Australia 16 of 1990, Netherlands 18 – Dec 1989, Sweden 20 – Mar 1990, RYM 37 of 1989, Scrobulate 61 of 80s, TheQ 238, Rolling Stone 243, RIAA 243, OzNet 311, WXPN 498, Acclaimed 662

Top hits

Published popular music

• "Kiss the Girl" m. Alan Menken, w. Howard Ashman, from The Little Mermaid
• "Part of Your World" m. Alan Menken, w. Howard Ashman, from The Little Mermaid
• "Under the Sea" m. Alan Menken, w. Howard Ashman, from The Little Mermaid
• "We Didn't Start the Fire" w.m. Billy Joel
• "You Got It" w.m. Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne & Tom Petty

  Classical music

• Elliott Carter
• *Three Occasions for Orchestra
• *Violin Concerto
• Peter Maxwell Davies – Symphony No. 4
• Anders Eliasson – Symphony No. 3, for alto saxophone and orchestra
• Einar Englund – Wind Quintet
• Karel Goeyvaerts
• *Aquarius, stage cantata, for eight sopranos and 15 instrumentalists
• *...want de tijd is nabij, for male chorus and strings
• Ingram Marshall – Sinfonia Dolce far Niente
• Toshirô Mayuzumi
• *Mukyūdō, for orchestra
• *Rokudan, for harp
• John McCabe – String Quartet No. 5
• Einojuhani Rautavaara – Piano Concerto No. 2
• Robert Simpson
• *String Quartet No. 13
• *Vortex for Brass Band
• John Tavener – The Protecting Veil
• I Nyoman Windha – Puspanjali

  Opera

• Conrad Cummings – Photo-Op
• Anthony Davis – Under the Double Moon
• Lorenzo Ferrero
• *Charlotte Corday
• *Le Bleu-blanc-rouge et le noir
• Alexander Vustin – The Devil in Love

  [Jazz]

Musical theatre

• Aspects of Love – London production
• City of Angels – Broadway production opened at the Virginia Theatre and ran for 897 performances
• Grand Hotel – Broadway production opened at the Martin Beck Theatre and ran for 1017 performances
• – Broadway revival
• Meet Me in St. Louis – Broadway production based on the 1944 film, ran for 252 performances
• Miss Saigon – London production
• Pacific Overtures – London production

  [Musical film]s

• 101-Depeche Mode
• '
• The Fabulous Baker Boys
• ChaalBaaz
• Juke-Bar
• The Little Mermaid — animated feature film
• '
• Polly
• Sons of Steel

  Births

• January 3 – Julia Nunes, American singer-songwriter
• January 4 – Labrinth, English singer-songwriter, musician, rapper and record producer
• January 7 – Wrabel, American singer-songwriter
• January 9 – Kyle Craft, American southern blues glam rock singer-songwriter and musician
• January 13 – Triinu Kivilaan, Estonian singer and model
• January 14 – Frankie Sandford, British singer-songwriter
• January 16 – Kiesza, Canadian singer-songwriter and multi instrumentalist
• January 20 – Joel Pott, English musician
• January 24
• * Calvin Goldspink, British singer
• * Trace Cyrus, American musician
• January 25 – Yasmien Kurdi, Filipina singer and actress
• January 28 – Carly Paoli, British mezzo-soprano
• February 3 – Ryne Sanborn, American actor, singer and dancer
• February 16
• * Danielle Haim, American multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter
• * Bry, Irish singer-songwriter
• February 17
• * Stacey McClean, British singer
• * Chord Overstreet, American actor, Glee cast member, singer, musician and composer
• February 22 – Anna Sundstrand, Swedish singer and model
• February 24 – Lauren Brant, South African-Australian television personality, singer-dancer and actress
• February 27 – Sam Sweeney, English folk musician
• March 1 – Sonya Kitchell, American jazz singer-songwriter
• March 9 – TaeYeon, member of South Korean pop girl group Girls' Generation
• March 11 – Shin Soohyun, member of South Korean pop boy group U-KISS
• March 21 – Rochelle Wiseman, British singer
• March 23 – Mike Will Made It, American record producer, rapper, singer and songwriter
• March 25 – Alyson Michalka, American singer-songwriter and actress
• March 30 – Eden xo, American singer-songwriter and actress
• April 8
• *Alexander DeLeon, American singer-songwriter
• * Matt Healy, British singer-songwriter, musician of The 1975
• *Hitomi Takahashi, Japanese rock singer
• April 11 – Zola Jesus, American singer/songwriter
• April 18 – Jessica, member of Girls' Generation
• April 24 – Thomas Sanders, American singer, songwriter, youtuber, playwright, scriptwriter and internet personality
• May 1 – Tim Urban, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• May 3 – Mary Lambert, American country singer/songwriter and poet
• May 5 – Chris Brown, American
• May 9 – Katy B, English singer and songwriter
• May 15 – Sunny, member of Girls' Generation
• May 24 – G-Eazy, American rapper, producer, singer
• May 28 – Asuca Hayashi, J-pop singer
• May 30 – Kevin Covais, American Idol finalist
• June 3 – Jillette Johnson, American singer/songwriter, musician
• June 9 – Chloë Agnew, Irish multi lingual singer and songwriter
• June 13 – Lisa Tucker, American singer
• June 14 – Lucy Hale, American actress and singer
• June 17 – Simone Battle, American actress, singer and dancer
• June 18 – Renee Olstead, American actress and jazz singer
• June 20
• * Benyamin Nuss, German pianist
• * Christopher Mintz-Plasse, American actor, comedian and musician
• June 27 – Kelley Jakle, American actress and singer-songwriter
• July 2 – Dev, American singer-songwriter, rapper, model, musician and radio host
• July 3 – Elle King, America singer-songwriter
• July 5 – Joseph King, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• July 11 – Hana Pestle, American singer, songwriter and record producer
• * TĀLĀ – musician, singer-songwriter, record producer
• July 13 – Sayumi Michishige, Japanese musician and longest running member of Morning Musume
• July 20 – Brooke Candy, American rapper, singer-songwriter, director, activist, and dancer
• July 21 – Jasmine Cephas Jones, American stage and screen actress-singer
• July 26 – Travis Garland, American singer and dancer
• July 31 – Alexis Knapp, American actress and singer
• August 1 – Tiffany, member of Girls' Generation
• August 2
• * Priscilla Betti, French singer
• * Jonas Blue, English DJ, record producer, songwriter and remixer
• August 4 – Jessica Mauboy, Australian singer, songwriter and actress
• August 15
• *Belinda Peregrin, Spanish Mexican singer, songwriter and actress
• *Joe Jonas, American vocalist, singer/songwriter, musician
• August 18 – Anna Akana, American actress, musician, filmmaker, author, youtuber and comedian.
• August 19 – Lil' Romeo, American entertainer
• August 21 – Hayden Panettiere, American actress, model, singer and activist
• August 23 – Lianne La Havas, British singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist
• August 30 – Bebe Rexha, American singer/songwriter, record producer
• September 1 – Bill and Tom Kaulitz of Tokio Hotel
• September 2 – Zedd, Russian-German record producer, DJ, musician, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter
• September 4 – Ryota Kohama, Japanese musician
• September 7 – Loren Allred, American musician
• September 8 – Avicii, Swedish musician, DJ, remixer and record producer
• September 10 – Sanjaya Malakar, American Idol finalist
• September 14 – Logan Henderson, Actor, singer
• September 21 – Jason Derulo, American singer/songwriter/dancer
• September 22 – HyoYeon, member of Girls' Generation
• September 24 – Kreayshawn, American rapper, creative director of OK 1984 and music video director
• October 4
• * Rich Homie Quan, American singer, songwriter and rapper
• * Tei Shi, Colombian-Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer
• October 15 – Fedez, Italian rapper and musician
• October 20 – Jess Glynne, English soul-pop singer/songwriter
• October 22 – JPEGMafia, American rapper, songwriter, and producer
• October 30 – Jay Asforis, British singer
• November 2 – Katelyn Tarver, American singer-songwriter and actress
• November 3 – Paula DeAnda, American singer-songwriter
• November 11 – Reina Tanaka, Japanese pop singer
• November 17 – Ali Tamposi, American songwriter
• November 22 – Candice Glover, American R&B singer and actress
• November 30 – Daisy Evans, British singer
• December 5 – YuRi, member of Girls' Generation
• December 12
• *Janelle Arthur, American singer
• *Marcel "Shin" Gothow of Cinema Bizarre, German drummer
• December 13 – Taylor Swift, American singer-songwriter, musician, multi instrumentalist and businesswoman, sometimes actress
• December 17 – Taylor York, American musician, songwriter and musician
• December 22 – Jordin Sparks, American Idol Season 6 winner
• December 27 – Calyssa Davidson, American violinist
• *Unknown:
• *Jihae, South Korean singer and actress
• * Miya Folick, American Musician

  Deaths

• January 12 – Chellapilla Satyam, Indian film music director, 65
• January 20 – Beatrice Lillie, Canadian actress and singer, 94
• February 5 – Joe Raposo, composer and lyricist, Bein' Green, 51
• February 6 – King Tubby Jamaican DJ and composer, father of dub reggae, 48
• February 14 – Vincent Crane, 45
• February 23 – Florencio Morales Ramos, singer and composer, 72
• March 19 – Alan Civil, horn player, 59
• March 20 – Archie Bleyer, US arranger and bandleader, 79
• April 8 – A. M. Rajah, Indian playback singer and composer, 59
• April 26 – Lucille Ball, US actress and singer, 77
• May 9 – Keith Whitley, American singer, guitarist, and producer, 34
• May 10 – Woody Shaw, jazz musician, 44
• May 15 – Johnny Green, composer, conductor and arranger, 80
• May 30 – Zinka Milanov, operatic soprano, 83
• June 2 – Guido Agosti, Italian pianist and piano teacher, 87
• June 14 – Pete de Freitas, drummer with Echo & the Bunnymen, 27
• June 22 – Henri Sauguet, composer, 88
• June 24 – Hibari Misora, Japanese enka singer, 52
• July 5 – Ernesto Halffter, Spanish composer and conductor, 84
• July 16 – Herbert von Karajan, conductor, 81
• July 21 – Mushtaq Ali Khan, Indian sitar, surbahar and pakhawaj player, 78
• August 1 – John Ogdon, pianist, 52
• August 2 – Luiz Gonzaga, Brazilian musician, 76
• August 21 – Raul Seixas, singer and songwriter, 44
• August 25 – Gunnar Berg, Danish composer
• September 7 – Mikhail Goldstein, violinist and composer, 71
• September 14 – Perez Prado, Cuban bandleader and composer, 72
• September 15 – Jan DeGaetani, mezzo-soprano, 56
• September 22 – Irving Berlin, composer, lyricist, 101
• September 24 – Jean Perrin, pianist and composer, 79
• September 30 – Virgil Thomson, composer, 92
• October 17 – Morteza Hannaneh, composer, 66
• October 19 – Alan Murphy, guitarist, member of Level 42 and Go West, 35
• October 22 – Ewan MacColl, folk singer, 74
• October 31 – Conrad Beck, Swiss composer, 88
• November 5 – Vladimir Horowitz, pianist, 86
• November 15 – Alejo Durán, composer of vallenatos, 80
• December 6
• *Billy Lyall, keyboardist of Pilot and Bay City Rollers, 46
• *Sammy Fain, US composer, 87
• December 21 – Ján Cikker, Slovak composer, 78
• December 26 – Sir Lennox Berkeley, composer, 86

  Awards

• The following artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Dion, Otis Redding, The Rolling Stones, The Temptations and Stevie Wonder
• Grammy Awards of 1989
• Country Music Association Awards
• Eurovision Song Contest 1989
• 31st Japan Record Awards

  Charts

• List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1989