List of UK top-ten singles in 1989
The UK Singles Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling singles of the week in the United Kingdom. Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical singles. This list shows singles that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during 1989, as well as singles which peaked in 1988 but were in the top 10 in 1989. The entry date is when the single appeared in the top 10 for the first time.
One-hundred and forty-five singles were in the top ten in 1989. Nine singles from 1988 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year. "Buffalo Stance" by Neneh Cherry, "Crackers International " by Erasure, "Good Life" by Inner City, "Especially for You" by Kylie and Jason and "Loco in Acapulco" by Four Tops were the singles from 1988 to reach their peak in 1989. Forty-seven artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1989. The Beautiful South, Guns N' Roses, Michael Ball, New Kids on the Block and Stone Roses were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1989.
The first number-one single of the year was "Especially for You" by Kylie and Jason. Overall, eighteen different singles peaked at number-one in 1989, with Jason Donovan having the most singles hit that position.
Background
Multiple entries
One-hundred and forty-five singles charted in the top 10 in 1989, with one-hundred and forty-one singles reaching their peak this year.Forty-seven artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1989. Australian singer Jason Donovan secured the record for the most top 10 hits in 1989 with six hit singles. "Too Many Broken Hearts" reached number-one, where it remained for two weeks, and a further five weeks in the top ten. Similarly "Sealed with a Kiss" had two weeks at the summit, and four weeks in the top ten in total. Donovan had a third number one single, his collaboration with Neighbours co-star Kylie Minogue, "Especially for You" taking the honours for three weeks, and staying in the top ten for 10 weeks. Other entries included "Every Day " and "When You Come Back to Me". Donovan was also a participant on the Band Aid II charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas", which was also a chart-topper in December 1989.
Alongside her guest spot on the band aid single and duet with Donovan, Kylie Minogue had three further high charting entries in her own right. "Hand on Your Heart" was a number-one hit, "Wouldn't Change a Thing" just missed out but reached number two, and "Never Too Late" was another top five single, peaking at number 4. British trio Bros had four top tens to their name in 1989, not including vocal and instrumental credit for band members Luke and Matt Goss with Band Aid II. Christmas double single "Cat Among the Pigeons"/"Silent Night" carried over to January and "Too Much", "Chocolate Box" and "Sister" were all top ten hits.
Cliff Richard and Madonna both had four top-ten entries, the latter's biggest hit being, "Like a Prayer", which topped the chart, and the former's festive hit "Mistletoe and Wine" sticking around for the early part of the year. Big Fun members Jason Herbert, Mark Gillespie and Phil Creswick, Bobby Brown, Caron Wheeler, Guns N' Roses, Holly Johnson, Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers and Soul II Soul were the other artists who all had three top 10 singles in 1989.
Lisa Stansfield was one of a number of artists with two top-ten entries, including the number-one single "All Around the World". The Beautiful South, Donna Summer, Inner City, Neneh Cherry and Tina Turner were among the other artists who had multiple top 10 entries in 1989.
Chart debuts
Fifty-eight artists achieved their first top 10 single in 1989, either as a lead or featured artist. Of these, nine went on to record another hit single that year: The Beautiful South, Big Fun, Caron Wheeler, Chris Rea, Lisa Stansfield, London Boys, Martika, Sonia and Technotronic. Guns N' Roses, Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers and Soul II Soul all had two other entries in their breakthrough year.The following table does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo single.
| Artist | Number of top 10s | First entry | Chart position | Other entries |
| Will to Power | 1 | "Baby I Love Your Way - Free Bird" | 6 | — |
| Mike and the Mechanics | 1 | "The Living Years" | 2 | — |
| Boy Meets Girl | 1 | "Waiting for a Star to Fall" | 9 | — |
| Roachford | 1 | "Cuddly Toy" | 4 | — |
| Ten City | 1 | "That's the Way Love Is" | 8 | — |
| Kym Mazelle | 1 | "Wait!" | 7 | — |
| Michael Ball | 1 | "Love Changes Everything" | 2 | — |
| Sam Brown | 1 | "Stop!" | 4 | — |
| Lananeeneenoonoo | 1 | "Help!" | 3 | — |
| Texas | 1 | "I Don't Want a Lover" | 6 | — |
| Paula Abdul | 1 | "Straight Up" | 3 | — |
| Soul II Soul | 3 | "Keep on Movin'" | 5 | "Back to Life ", "Get a Life" |
| Caron Wheeler | 2 | "Keep on Movin'" | 5 | "Back to Life " |
| Guns N' Roses | 3 | "Paradise City" | 6 | "Sweet Child o' Mine", "Patience" |
| 1 | "I'd Rather Jack" | 8 | — | |
| Kon Kan | 1 | "I Beg Your Pardon" | 5 | — |
| Pat and Mick | 1 | "I Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet" | 9 | — |
| B.B. King | 1 | "When Love Comes to Town" | 6 | — |
| MC Merlin | 1 | "Who's in the House?" | 8 | — |
| London Boys | 2 | "Requiem" | 6 | "London Nights" |
| Midnight Oil | 1 | "Beds Are Burning" | 6 | — |
| Edelweiss | 1 | "Bring Me Edelweiss" | 5 | — |
| Stock Aitken Waterman | 1 | "Ferry Cross the Mersey" | 1 | — |
| Roxette | 1 | "The Look" | 7 | — |
| Lynne Hamilton | 1 | "On the Inside" | 3 | — |
| 2 | "Song for Whoever" | 2 | "You Keep It All In" | |
| LRS | 1 | "It is Time to Get Funky" | 9 | — |
| Sonia | 2 | "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You" | 1 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" |
| Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers | 3 | "Swing the Mood" | 1 | "That's What I Like", "Let's Party" |
| Lil Louis | 1 | "French Kiss" | 2 | — |
| Martika | 2 | "Toy Soldiers" | 5 | "I Feel the Earth Move" |
| Liza Minnelli | 1 | "Losing My Mind" | 6 | — |
| Shakespears Sister | 1 | "You're History" | 7 | — |
| Big Fun | 2 | "Blame It on the Boogie" | 4 | "Can't Shake the Feeling" |
| Black Box | 1 | "Ride on Time" | 1 | — |
| Betty Boo | 1 | "Hey DJ! I Can't Dance "/"Ska Train" | 7 | — |
| Starlight | 1 | "Numero Uno" | 9 | — |
| Richard Marx | 1 | "Right Here Waiting" | 2 | — |
| Damian | 1 | "The Time Warp" | 7 | — |
| Alyson Williams | 1 | "I Need Your Lovin'" | 8 | — |
| Technotronic | 2 | "Pump Up the Jam" | 2 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" |
| Felly | 1 | "Pump Up the Jam" | 2 | — |
| Sydney Youngblood | 1 | "If Only I Could" | 3 | — |
| Rebel MC | 1 | "Street Tuff" | 3 | — |
| Double Trouble | 1 | "Street Tuff" | 3 | — |
| Fresh 4 | 1 | "Wishing on a Star" | 10 | — |
| Lizz E | 1 | "Wishing on a Star" | 10 | — |
| Lisa Stansfield | 2 | "All Around the World" | 1 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" |
| Chris Rea | 2 | "The Road to Hell " | 10 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" |
| New Kids on the Block | 1 | "You Got It " | 1 | — |
| Jeff Wayne | 1 | "The Eve of the War " | 3 | — |
| Mixmaster | 1 | "Grand Piano" | 9 | — |
| Kaoma | 1 | "Lambada" | 4 | — |
| Stone Roses | 1 | "Fools Gold"/"What the World Is Waiting For" | 8 | — |
| 808 State | 1 | "Pacific State" | 10 | — |
| Andy Stewart | 1 | "Donald Where's Your Troosers?" | 4 | — |
| Band Aid II | 1 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | 1 | — |
| Cathy Dennis | 1 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | 1 | — |
| Glen Goldsmith | 1 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | 1 | — |
;Notes
Holly Johnson scored a succession of hit singles in the line-up of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and was also part of the original Band Aid single in 1984. However, 1989's "Love Train" from his debut solo album, Blast, became his first solo top 10. Robert Howard from The Blow Monkeys duetted with solo artist Kym Mazelle on "Wait!", reaching number 8 and becoming his first single to reach the top 10 without his band.
Bobby Brown performed with the group New Edition from 1978 to 1985, notably topping the chart with "Candy Girl" in 1983. He went it alone this year with three top 10 hits, including "My Prerogative" peaking at number six. Gerry Marsden headed up Gerry and the Pacemakers and contributed to the "Ferry Cross the Mersey" charity single in 1989. Gladys Knight, formerly of Gladys Knight & The Pips, had her only top 10 solo single, the theme song to the James Bond film Licence to Kill.
Bette Midler first entered the chart as a participant on 1985's "We Are the World" in the supergroup USA for Africa. However signature song "Wind Beneath My Wings" was her first official entry on her own. Members of Black Box also charted under several other aliases in 1989, including Starlight and Mixmaster who are both credited as separate acts.
Band Aid II consisted of many artists who had previously charted as solo artists, namely Chris Rea, Cliff Richard, D Mob, Jason Donovan, Kylie Minogue, Lisa Stansfield, Sonia and Technotronic. Musicians with chart credits as part of a group included Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey and Keren Woodward, Phil Creswick, Mark Gillespie and Jason John, Luke Goss and Matt Goss, Kevin Godley, Jimmy Somerville, Andrew Banfield, Aaron Brown, David Milliner, Michael Milliner and Hamish Seelochan, Mike Stock and Matt Aitken and Graeme Clark, Tommy Cunningham, Neil Mitchell and Marti Pellow. Cathy Dennis and Glen Goldsmith both reached the top 10 for the first time with the Band Aid II record.
Songs from films
Original songs from various films entered the top 10 throughout the year. These included "Waiting for a Star to Fall", "Leave Me Alone", "Batdance", "Licence to Kill", "Wind Beneath My Wings", "On Our Own" and "You Got It ".Charity singles
A couple of songs recorded for charity reached the top 10 in 1989. The single "Ferry Cross the Mersey" saw The Christians, Gerry Marsden, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney, Stock Aitken Waterman uniting as a tribute to victims of the Hillsborough Disaster where 96 football fans ultimately lost their lives. The single was a chart-topper for 3 weeks from 20 May 1989.For the second time, a set of music stars formed the supergroup Band Aid II and released the single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" to continue support for ongoing famine in Ethiopia. The song featured artists including Kylie Minogue, Sonia, Luke and Matt Goss and Cliff Richard. It was the Christmas number-one single for 1989, topping the chart for three weeks from 23 December 1989.
Best-selling singles
had the best-selling single of the year with "Ride On Time", which spent 11 weeks in the top 10, including 6 weeks at the top spot, sold 850,000 copies and was certified platinum by the BPI. "Swing the Mood" by Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers came in second place, selling 820,000 copies and losing out by 30,000 sales. The Bangles' "Eternal Flame", "Too Many Broken Hearts" from Jason Donovan and "Back to Life " by Soul II Soul featuring Caron Wheeler made up the top five. Singles by Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers, Marc Almond featuring Gene Pitney, Technotronic featuring Felly, Band Aid II and Kylie Minogue were also in the top ten best-selling singles of the year.Top-ten singles
;KeyEntries by artist
The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 1989, including singles that reached their peak in 1988. The figures include both main artists and featured artists, while appearances on ensemble charity records are also counted for each artist.| Entries | Artist | Country of origin | Weeks | Singles |
| 6 | Jason Donovan | 25 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "Especially for You", "Every Day ", "Sealed with a Kiss", "Too Many Broken Hearts", "When You Come Back to Me" | |
| 5 | Kylie Minogue | 20 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "Especially for You", "Hand on Your Heart", "Never Too Late", "Wouldn't Change a Thing" | |
| 5 | Luke Goss | 8 | "Cat Among the Pigeons/"Silent Night", "Chocolate Box", "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "Sister", "Too Much" | |
| 5 | Matt Goss | 8 | "Cat Among the Pigeons/"Silent Night", "Chocolate Box", "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "Sister", "Too Much" | |
| 4 | Bros | 6 | "Cat Among the Pigeons/"Silent Night", "Chocolate Box", "Sister", "Too Much" | |
| 4 | Cliff Richard | 9 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "I Just Don't Have the Heart", "Mistletoe and Wine", "The Best of Me" | |
| 4 | Holly Johnson | 14 | "Americanos", "Ferry Cross the Mersey", "Love Train" | |
| 4 | Madonna | 16 | "Cherish", "Dear Jessie", "Express Yourself", "Like a Prayer" | |
| 3 | Bobby Brown | 11 | "Every Little Step", "My Prerogative", "On Our Own" | |
| 3 | Guns N' Roses | 7 | "Paradise City", "Patience", "Sweet Child o' Mine" | |
| 3 | Jason John | 9 | "Blame It on the Boogie", "Can't Shake the Feeling", "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | |
| 3 | Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers | 17 | "Let's Party", "Swing the Mood", "That's What I Like" | |
| 3 | Mark Gillespie | 9 | "Blame It on the Boogie", "Can't Shake the Feeling", "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | |
| 3 | Phil Creswick | 9 | "Blame It on the Boogie", "Can't Shake the Feeling", "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | |
| 3 | Soul II Soul | 15 | "Back to Life ", "Get a Life", "Keep on Movin'" | |
| 2 | Beatmasters | 4 | "Hey DJ! I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playing"/"Ska Train", "Who's in the House?" | |
| 2 | Big Fun | 7 | "Blame It on the Boogie", "Can't Shake the Feeling" | |
| 2 | The Beautiful South | 8 | "Song for Whoever", "You Keep It All In" | |
| 2 | Caron Wheeler | 11 | "Back to Life ", "Keep on Movin'" | |
| 2 | Chaka Khan | 8 | "Ain't Nobody ", "I'm Every Woman " | |
| 2 | Chris Rea | 3 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "The Road to Hell " | |
| 2 | D Mob | 3 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "It is Time to Get Funky" | |
| 2 | Donna Summer | 9 | "I Don't Wanna Get Hurt", "This Time I Know It's for Real" | |
| 2 | Erasure | 8 | "Crackers International ", "Drama!" | |
| 2 | Fine Young Cannibals | 8 | "Good Thing", "She Drives Me Crazy" | |
| 2 | Gloria Estefan | / | 10 | "Can't Stay Away from You", "Don't Wanna Lose You" |
| 2 | Graeme Clark | 4 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "Sweet Surrender" | |
| 2 | Inner City | 4 | "Ain't Nobody Better", "Good Life" | |
| 2 | Keren Woodward | 7 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "Help!" | |
| 2 | Lisa Stansfield | 8 | "All Around the World", "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | |
| 2 | Living in a Box | 5 | "Blow the House Down", "Room in Your Heart" | |
| 2 | London Boys | 10 | "London Nights", "Requiem" | |
| 2 | Martika | 11 | "I Feel the Earth Move", "Toy Soldiers" | |
| 2 | Marti Pellow | 4 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "Sweet Surrender" | |
| 2 | Matt Aitken | 6 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "Ferry Cross the Mersey" | |
| 2 | Mike Stock | 6 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "Ferry Cross the Mersey" | |
| 2 | Morrissey | 3 | "Interesting Drug", "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" | |
| 2 | Neil Mitchell | 4 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "Sweet Surrender" | |
| 2 | Neneh Cherry | 8 | "Buffalo Stance", "Manchild" | |
| 2 | Queen | 4 | "Breakthru", "I Want It All" | |
| 2 | Sara Dallin | 7 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "Help!" | |
| 2 | Siobhan Fahey | 7 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "Help!" | |
| 2 | Sonia | 8 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You" | |
| 2 | Technotronic | 8 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "Pump Up the Jam" | |
| 2 | Tina Turner | 7 | "I Don't Wanna Lose You", "The Best" | |
| 2 | Tommy Cunningham | 4 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?", "Sweet Surrender" | |
| 2 | U2 | 4 | "All I Want Is You", "When Love Comes to Town" |