ARIA Charts Throwback: 24 July 1988

Want to be certain? Check out the Top Ten for 30 years ago!

The middle of 1988 saw Aussie domination at the top of both ARIA Charts with local acts holding the top spots on the Albums and Singles charts throughout most of July and August.

On the Singles Chart, some of the biggest hits of the era were making their presence felt.

10. Chantoozies - Wanna Be Up

The second and final Top Ten entry for Melbourne pop group came when ‘Wanna Be Up’ peaked at #6 for two weeks in mid-1988. The eight-piece had first tasted charted success with ‘Witch Queen’ (#4 Apr. ’87). Their final chart appearance came with a cover of Stephen Stills’ ‘Love The One You’re With’ (#21 May ’91).

9. Natalie Cole - Pink Cadillac

Written by Bruce Springsteen and originally released as the b-side to ‘Dancing In The Dark’ (#5 Sept. ’84), ‘Pink Cadillac’ gave American R&B star Natalie Cole her first Top Ten single on the ARIA Charts when it peaked at #6 for two weeks in June/July 1988. Cole would score her only other Top Ten with the virtual duet with her late father Nat King Cole, ‘Unforgettable’ (#2 Aug. ’91).

8. Tracy Chapman - Fast Car

American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman’s debut single became her first Top Ten when it peaked at #4 in July 1988. ‘Fast Car’ reappeared on the chart in 2015/16 when it was covered by both Jonas Blue (#1 Feb. ’16) and Tobtok (#19 Jan. ’16). Tracy Chapman scored her highest peak with ‘Give Me One Reason’ (#3 Feb. ’96).

7. Underworld - Underneath The Radar

With their debut single, British electronic band Underworld took out their only entry in the ARIA Top Ten. During the 90s, the group would undergo several line-up and stylistic changes before scoring another hit with the techno track ‘Born Slippy .NUXX’ (#20 Jan. ’97).

6. Bananarama - I Want You Back

‘I Want You Back’ became the second Top Ten hit from Bananarama’s fourth album Wow (#1 Jun. ’88) when it peaked at #3 in June 1988. The album’s first hit came from ‘Love In The First Degree’ (#5 May ’88). The single’s version of the song and the video was the first to Bananarama release to feature new member Jacquie O’Sullivan.

5. Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World

Originally released by Louis Armstrong in 1967, ‘What A Wonderful World’ found a second life in 1988 with its inclusion on the soundtrack to Good Morning Vietnam (#1 Jun. ’88). It spent one week at #1 in July 1988, 28 spots below its original peak in Australia when released in the 1960s.

4. Cheap Trick - The Flame

American rock band Cheap Trick picked up their only #1 to date on the ARIA Singles Chart when ‘The Flame’ spent four straight weeks at the top of the chart in June 1988. Released as the first single from the band’s tenth studio album, Lap Of Luxury (#14 Sept. ’88), the track was also Cheap Trick’s first #1 single in the US and Canada.

3. John Farnham - Age Of Reason

John Farnham scored his second #1 on the ARIA Singles Chart when the title track to Age Of Reason (#1 Jul. ’88) held the top spot for four straight weeks in July/August 1988. The album also spawned the Top Ten hit ‘Two Strong Hearts’ (#6 Oct. ’88)

2. Crowded House - Better Be Home Soon

‘Better Be Home Soon’ became Crowded House’s biggest hit on the ARIA Singles Chart when it peaked at #2 for four weeks during July/August 1988. Among the four ARIAs won by the group in 1989, they took out the Song Of The Year award for the track, their second timing winning in that category.

1. Kylie Minogue - Got To Be Certain

Kylie Minogue’s third consecutive #1 on the ARIA Singles Chart came when her third single, ‘Got To Be Certain’, spent three straight weeks at the top of the charts in July 1988. The second single from Minogue’s debut album, Kylie (#2 Jul. ‘88), ‘Got To Be Certain’ debuted at #1 and went on to spend a total of nine weeks in the top ten  and 14 weeks in the top 50.