Best Albums 1988

[Ceola Roefaro]

The highest-selling albums and EPs in the United States are ranked in the Billboard 200, which is published by Billboard magazine. The data are compiled by Nielsen Soundscan based on each album's weekly physical and digital sales.[1] In 1988, 11 albums advanced to the peak position of the chart.

The beginning of the year started with the continuation of Dirty Dancing but was bumped out of the number one spot by Pop singer George Michael's first solo album Faith. It had the longest run among the releases, spending 12 non-consecutive weeks in the top position. The album was also notable for reaching the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (U.S. Hot Black Singles) at number-one making it the first album by a Caucasian artist to hit the top spot on that chart, mainly due to the R&B/funk-leaning singles that were released from the album, most notably, "One More Try", "I Want Your Sex" and "Father Figure". Faith was the best-selling album of 1988 in the United States, and eventually reached Diamond certification by the RIAA. Closely behind Faith, the Dirty Dancing soundtrack spent 11 non-consecutive weeks in the top position. From its August 1987 release, it spent a total of 18 weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200 and went platinum eleven times.

Guns N' Roses' debut album, Appetite for Destruction, was their first number one album on the Billboard 200, and is one of the best selling albums in the U.S., being certified diamond (plus 18 platinum) by the RIAA.[2]

This album was a game-changer; for better or for worse. One of the first real Gangsta Rap albums, and the most successful, going multi-platinum without any radio play. It influenced and changed the direction of Hip Hop, producing countless clones for decades to come. The difference between all the clones and this album is the originality and authenticity of Straight Outta Compton; combined with the revolutionary & flawless production of Dr. Dre and the raw energy & at the time shocking lyrical imagery of Ice Cube, MC Ren & Eazy E. Super classic.

Our favorite Too Short album from his extensive discography. Already a Hip Hop veteran in 1988, Too Short came into his own on this album. Trademark explicit lyrics, with his typical laid-back flow and music to ride to. This album is one of his most consistent ones and contains a few classic tracks. A West Coast classic.

The stand-out track on this album is the classic Strong Island, but the rest of the album is worth listening to as well. Got to love that 1988 sound, when a [scratch] DJ still played an important role in a Hip Hop crew.

This Houston-based crew dropped this pretty dope album in 1988, one of the early Rap-A-Lot releases. Just straight up NYC flavored Hip Hop, none of the Gangsta Rap that would come to dominate the South soon after 1988. This is a slept on and underrated album.

1988 is widely regarded as Hip-Hop's best and most prolific year for full album releases. New acts, sounds and regions were entering the scene and Yo! MTV Raps debuted and expanded the reach of the music.

Widely regarded by many as Hip-Hop's greatest full length release, It Takes a Nation.... is Public Enemy's sophomore album. PE front man Chuck D told The Foundation that the album was largely the result of the group's disappointment with their debut album Yo! Bumrush The Show.

Follow The Leader is the follow up to Eric B & Rakim's wildly popular, successful and influential debut Paid In Full. Powered by its lead single and video "Follow The Leader", the album birthed the hits "The R", Lyrics of Fury" and "The Microphone Fiend". Follow The Leader further cemented Rakim as one of Hip-Hop's top MC's. With production by the late Paul C, The Large Professor and Rakim, Follow The Leader remains one of Eric B & Rakim's most celebrated works.

Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, Eazy E, MC Ren, Ice Cube, Eazy-E and The Arabian Prince single handedly changed the trajectory of rap as a recorded medium and put the west coast on the map with their debut, Straight Outta Compton. "Fuck The Police," "Straight Outta Compton" and "Express Yourself" helped to drive the album to great success with almost no radio play, which was a crucial part of the success of a full length album at the time.

Strong Island duo EPMD burst onto the scene with the single, "You're A Customer"/It's My Thing." Their stellar production and slow-flow delivery immediately created a demand for more music from Erick and Parrish. The lead single, "You Gots To Chill," from their debut, Strictly Business, ushered in one of '88's greatest full length releases. Songs like "Jane," "Strictly Business," "Please Listen To My Demo" and "Get Off The Bandwagon" comprised one of EPMD's best albums.

Big Daddy Kane is revered as one of the best from his era and one of the best to ever do it. Kane's singles, such as "Just Rhymin' Wit Biz," "Somethin' Funky," and "Get Into It," were followed by the groundbreaking track "Raw." These releases played a pivotal role in generating anticipation for his album "Long Live The Kane." The popularity of the music video for "Ain't No Half Steppin'" propelled the success of the full-length album, which also featured standout tracks like "Set it Off," "I'll Take You There," and "Long Live The Kane." To this day, "Long Live The Kane" stands as one of Kane's strongest projects.

Once proclaimed "kings of the 12-inch singles" by Chuck D, DJ Moe Luv, TR Love, Ced Gee, and Kool Keith experienced a run of underground singles in the mid-1980s that placed them into conversations that included the best acts of the era. "Ego Trippin'," "Funky," and "Watch Me Now" all paved the way for Ultra and their zany subject matter and dope beats courtesy of Ced Gee and Paul C. Critical Beatdown is still considered one of the genre's best releases three decades after its release. "Ease Back," "Moe Luv's Theme," "Break North," and "Critical Beatdown" all contributed to an incredible 1988 release.

The death of Boogie Down Productions' DJ Scott La Rock left the future of BDP in question, but they were able to recover and return with a sophomore album that rivaled the dopeness of their debut Criminal Minded. By All Means Necessary was an incredible release, starting with the Malcolm X-influenced album cover. "My Philosophy," the lead single and popular video created great anticipation for By All Means Necessary. "Jimmy," "Part TIme Sucker," Illegal Business" and "I'm Still Number 1" erased any doubt that BDP may have missed a step. By All Means Necessary is one of Hip-Hop's strongest sophomore albums.

The Hip-Hop world wondered what would become of The Get Fresh Crew once Slick Rick departed. 1985's "The Show"/"Ladi Dadi" set a new standard for storytelling in Hip-Hop and produced one of rap's biggest classics. After the release of "Treat Em Like A Prostitute" and "Teenage Love," it was obvious that Ricky D was able to hold his own, just as The Get Fresh Crew did with Oh My God. The Great Adventures of Slick Rick contained some of Hip-Hop's most humorous and vivid stories over production by Slick Rick, Jam Master Jay and The Bomb Squad. "Lick The Balls," "The Moment I Feared," "Children's Story" and "The Ruler's Back," solidified Rick as a master storyteller.

MC Lyte hit like a wrecking ball with "I Cram To Understand You." Hungry Hip-Hop fans demanded more from the Brooklyn wordsmith and she delivered with the first full length album by a female MC. Lyte As A Rock gave us a further dive into the world of the brash and confident MC. "Lyte As A Rock," "Paper Thin," 10% Dis and "Kickin 4 Brooklyn" alerted Hip-Hop that a new MC was on the scene. With production by King of Chill, Lyte As A Rock was an incredibly strong debut and the start of a dope discography.

Salt -N- Pepa showed with their debut that they were fully capable of holding down their core audience and achieving commercial success as well, specifically with their mega hit "Push It." Their sophomore album, A Salt With A Deadly Pepa, created with the help of super producer Hurby Luv Bug, further proved the Queens trio had mass appeal. "Shake Your Thang," Everybody Get Up," "Spinderella's Not A Fella" and "Solo Power" made for a strong follow up from Cheryl and Sandy.

Albums by Van Halen, Def Leppard, and George Michael were some of Billboard's No. 1 albums of 1988, but the most popular album at Fred's Records in St. John's area the same era was something a little more traditional.

All the Best features some of Newfoundland and Labrador's best-known, now long-established musicians: Pamela Morgan and Anita Best, Jim Payne, Tickle Harbour, Christina Smith and Jean Hewson in all their late '80s glory.

Ron Hynes recorded what has become the definitive version of The St. John's Waltz. Frank Maher and Art Stoyles brought townie accordion music to mainstream ears with their versions of Running the Goat and The Portuguese Waltzes.

Tracks from All the Best have held up to the test of time. They are still in rotation in public spaces across the province and on radio stations across the country. The album became a calling card for its featured artists, giving them enough recognition to tour internationally.

It's 1988. A gallon of gas is about 90 cents. Movie tickets average $3.50 a flick. And while you were at the movies, chances are you caught Rain Man, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Big or Beetlejuice. On television, Miami Vice was still going strong, as St. Elsewhere was ending. In August, Yo! MTV Raps debuted.

Musically, your Walkman collection of cassettes game is strong. You're holding a new album by this new Philly hip-hop duo, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, and a few new releases by The Jungle Brothers, Eric B & Rakim, and some new band called N.W.A. was about to make history. New Jack Swing was in full effect, and while you were bummed about Bobby Brown leaving New Edition, you'd wind up playing side one of his solo sophomore release, Bobby, over and over.

It seemed like college radio was the only place on the dial you were discovering new indie records like Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth, Bug by Dinosaur Jr., and Jamboree by Beat Happening, and The Pixies exploded on the scene. Two debuts came out in 1988 that couldn't be more musically different, but had long lasting influence: Living Colour's Vivid, and Tracy Chapman's self-titled debut. Rap legends Public Enemy released It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, and other albums that came out in 1988 that have stood the test of time included the debut from the super group Traveling Wilburys, Jane's Addiction's Nothing's Shocking and k.d. lang's Shadowland.

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