In 1989 I was 15 years old and still into rap music. My favorite band was the Beastie Boys but I also loved Public Enemy. However, in 1990 I started to love The Tragically Hip and the other members of our high school’s “Big 3”: The Cult and Lenny Kravitz. The transition from rap to rock was a smooth one, as for a good year or two I loved both music types. I even made mixed tapes that rotated – one rock song, one rap song.
Weird, right?
So while 1989 was a year in which I didn’t yet know the Hip, Cult, or Kravitz as well as I would later – it is a year in which a lot of their great songs were released. So they appear on this list. But I did know the Beasties, and Paul’s Boutique was an immediate favorite.
In terms of the sheer number of good songs and great songs released, 1989 turned out to be my second favorite year behind 1994.
’89 was the year in which James Brown was sentenced to six years in jail (related to a police chase through two states), and Rolling Stones’ bassist Bill Wyman, who somehow got away with dating a 13-year-old girl, married her when she was 18 years of age. How did society let this happen without batting an eye? This was also the year where the Catholic Church was up in arms over Madonna’s video “Like a Prayer” and Pepsi dropped her as a spokesperson. So…they whine about the burning cross imagery, but say nothing about a 47-year-old dating a 13-year-old. Gotta love religion.
Unlike most rankings, I haven’t been simply tossing these up in a numerical order. Because I know better than anybody that on some days, some songs kick more ass than other songs. A song that is ranked 14th today could very well rank 1st tomorrow, if it suddenly comes on the radio during the perfect moment and I start singing along. You understand. So I group them instead of presenting a hard-and-fast order:
Awesome
Great
Solid
Not Bad
…with inter-group splitting.
First, some videos of the best from that year…
35. Great Songs from 1989
Pictures of Matchstick Men – Camper Van Beethoven
Back To Life (However Do You Want Me) – Soul II Soul
Rooms On Fire – Stevie Nicks
Shadrach – Beastie Boys
I was a huge Beasties fan in their days and absolutely loved Paul’s Boutique when it came out. And so did my circle of friends. Recently, I discovered that this album actually bombed (per their 2019 documentary) and only later gained the acclaim it deserved. Well, I loved it right from the get-go.
Runnin’ Down A Dream – Tom Petty
Fire Woman – The Cult
Fight the Power – Public Enemy
Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos – Public Enemy
One of the most underrated rap songs in history. Chuck D a true master of his craft.
I Wish It Would Rain Down – Phil Collins
When the Weight Comes Down – The Tragically Hip
38 Years Old – The Tragically Hip
Head Like A Hole – Nine Inch Nails
Girl You Know It’s True – Milli Vanilli
Don’t get me started on these guys and the Grammys…
Blame It On The Rain – Milli Vanilli
I mean…I really loved this album back when I was 15 and 16. The songs were super-catchy. And to have four songs that are this good coming from the same album – and a debut album no less – deserves a ton of credit. Just don’t get me started on the Grammys…
Baby Don’t Forget My Number – Milli Vanilli
Alright, fine. I’ll go there. So the duo were lip-syncing the music. They were the faces in front of the singing. Who cares? I think they embarrassed the experts by pulling the wool over their eyes for so long, that the industry leaders shot back by revoking their Grammy wins. Crybabies! The Grammy was won by the singers that sang the songs on this album. So sure, take the award from the lip-sync frontmen… but give it to the actual vocalists! Why should they be punished? They sang great tunes! Makes no sense to me and it smacks of Big Wigs who were ‘slighted’ and ’embarrassed’ and had to power-trip their way back to respectability.
Don’t Know Much – Linda Ronstadt
Alright, we’re gonna slow things down…
Freedom Train – Lenny Kravitz
One of my favorite albums of all time is Let Love Rule. In fact, gun to my head, I’d put this one second behind… (see below)…
Hard Sun – Indio
Alright, I admit I like this one better after Eddie Vedder did his version. But the point is – I do like it better now…
Volare – Gipsy Kings
Sweet Jane – Cowboy Junkies
Beautiful, haunting cover a Lou Reed classic…
The Sounds of Science – Beastie Boys
Johnny Ryall – Beastie Boys
Love In An Elevator – Aerosmith
Janie’s Got A Gun – Aerosmith
3-Minute Rule – Beastie Boys
High Plains Drifter – Beastie Boys
I’m On My Way – The Proclaimers
The Way You Do The Things You Do – UB40
I Won’t Back Down – Tom Petty
In this video, Ringo Starr plays the drums and Jeff Lynne (ELO) and George Harrison are the backups/guitars.
Free Fallin’ – Tom Petty
Sweet Soul Sister – The Cult
Listen To Your Heart – Roxette
About A Girl – Nirvana
This song was popularized after it was the first song on the MTV Unplugged album. But it was released on their first album Bleach, the version I use here. The album cost about $600 to produce. They got the title from a public service campaign in San Francisco that urged intravenous drug users to “Bleach Your Works,” meaning to clean their needles with bleach so they would not spread the AIDS virus. At one point, Cobain wanted to call the album “Too Many Humans.”
Blues for Sister Someone – Lenny Kravitz
All the Things I Wasn’t – Grapes of Wrath
I’m just sorry that music fans in the United States don’t know this band.
13 Truly Awesome Songs released in 1989
Opiated – The Tragically Hip
Second behind… this one. (Just finishing off the above statement about Let Love Rule). This Hip album, their first full album after their self-titled EP, was called Up To Here. Top to bottom it is a fantastic rock album and it is my favorite of all time – and has been since I bought it.
Trickle Down – The Tragically Hip
I Build This Garden for Us – Lenny Kravitz
Baby Have Some Faith – 54-40
My favorite song by the Canadian band 54-40
Boots or Hearts – The Tragically Hip
Blow at High Dough – The Tragically Hip
Girl I’m Gonna Miss You – Milli Vanilli
Don’t even get me started on- wait, I did that joke already. One of the best slow songs out there. And the singers get no credit for this?
Rosemary – Lenny Kravitz
Does Anybody Out There Even Care – Lenny Kravitz
Let Love Rule – Lenny Kravitz
Epic – Faith No More
What It Takes – Aerosmith
New Orleans Is Sinking – The Tragically Hip
The above songs are put together in a YouTube playlist that you can find here.
Follow me on Spotify here, and check out some of my playlists…
Here is my full list of quality songs released in 1989
| Awesome – 1 | What It Takes | – | Aerosmith |
| Awesome – 1 | Epic | – | Faith No More |
| Awesome – 1 | Let Love Rule | – | Lenny Kravitz |
| Awesome – 1 | Does Anybody Out There Even Care | – | Lenny Kravitz |
| Awesome – 1 | Rosemary | – | Lenny Kravitz |
| Awesome – 1 | Girl I’m Gonna Miss You | – | Milli Vanilli |
| Awesome – 1 | Blow at High Dough | – | The Tragically Hip |
| Awesome – 1 | New Orleans Is Sinking | – | The Tragically Hip |
| Awesome – 1 | Boots or Hearts | – | The Tragically Hip |
| Awesome – 1 | Baby Have Some Faith | – | 54-40 |
| Awesome – 11 | I Build This Garden for Us | – | Lenny Kravitz |
| Awesome – 11 | Trickle Down | – | The Tragically Hip |
| Awesome – 11 | Opiated | – | The Tragically Hip |
| Great – 14 | All the Things I Wasn’t | – | Grapes of Wrath |
| Great – 14 | Blues for Sister Someone | – | Lenny Kravitz |
| Great – 14 | About A Girl | – | Nirvana |
| Great – 14 | Listen To Your Heart | – | Roxette |
| Great – 14 | Sweet Soul Sister | – | The Cult |
| Great – 14 | Free Fallin’ | – | Tom Petty |
| Great – 14 | I Won’t Back Down | – | Tom Petty |
| Great – 14 | The Way You Do The Things You Do | – | UB40 |
| Great – 14 | I’m On My Way | – | The Proclaimers |
| Great – 14 | High Plains Drifter | – | Beastie Boys |
| Great – 14 | 3-Minute Rule | – | Beastie Boys |
| Great – 14 | Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos | – | Public Enemy |
| Great – 26 | Janie’s Got A Gun | – | Aerosmith |
| Great – 26 | Love In An Elevator | – | Aerosmith |
| Great – 26 | Johnny Ryall | – | Beastie Boys |
| Great – 26 | The Sounds of Science | – | Beastie Boys |
| Great – 26 | Sweet Jane | – | Cowboy Junkies |
| Great – 26 | Volare | – | Gipsy Kings |
| Great – 26 | Hard Sun | – | Indio |
| Great – 26 | Freedom Train | – | Lenny Kravitz |
| Great – 26 | Don’t Know Much | – | Linda Ronstadt |
| Great – 26 | Baby Don’t Forget My Number | – | Milli Vanilli |
| Great – 26 | Blame It On The Rain | – | Milli Vanilli |
| Great – 26 | Girl You Know It’s True | – | Milli Vanilli |
| Great – 26 | Head Like A Hole | – | Nine Inch Nails |
| Great – 26 | 38 Years Old | – | The Tragically Hip |
| Great – 26 | When the Weight Comes Down | – | The Tragically Hip |
| Great – 26 | I Wish It Would Rain Down | – | Phil Collins |
| Great – 26 | Fight The Power | – | Public Enemy |
| Great – 26 | Fire Woman | – | The Cult |
| Great – 26 | Runnin’ Down A Dream | – | Tom Petty |
| Great – 26 | Shadrach | – | Beastie Boys |
| Great – 26 | Rooms On Fire | – | Stevie Nicks |
| Great – 26 | Back To Life (However Do You Want Me) | – | Soul II Soul |
| Great- 26 | Pictures Of Matchstick Men | – | Camper Van Beethoven |
| Solid – 49 | It’s Funky Enough | – | The D.O.C. |
| Solid – 49 | Egg Man | – | Beastie Boys |
| Solid – 49 | Hey Ladies | – | Beastie Boys |
| Solid – 48 | Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun | – | Beastie Boys |
| Solid – 48 | Shake Your Rump | – | Beastie Boys |
| Solid – 48 | Misguided Angel | – | Cowboy Junkies |
| Solid – 48 | Buddy | – | De La Soul |
| Solid – 48 | The Heart Of The Matter | – | Don Henley |
| Solid – 48 | Good Thing | – | Fine Young Cannibals |
| Solid – 48 | She Drives Me Crazy | – | Fine Young Cannibals |
| Solid – 48 | Mr. Cab Driver | – | Lenny Kravitz |
| Solid – 48 | Sittin’ on Top of the World | – | Lenny Kravitz |
| Solid – 48 | Like A Prayer | – | Madonna |
| Solid – 48 | Rockin’ In The Free World | – | Neil Young |
| Solid – 48 | Another Midnight | – | The Tragically Hip |
| Solid – 48 | Batdance | – | Prince |
| Solid – 48 | I Want It All | – | Queen |
| Solid – 48 | Higher Ground | – | Red Hot Chili Peppers |
| Solid – 48 | Good Times | – | Tom Cochrane |
| Solid – 48 | Black Velvet | – | Alannah Myles |
| Solid – 48 | Poison | – | Alice Cooper |
| Solid – 48 | Car Thief | – | Beastie Boys |
| Solid – 48 | What Comes Around | – | Beastie Boys |
| Solid – 48 | We Didn’t Start The Fire | – | Billy Joel |
| Solid – 48 | Just A Friend | – | Biz Markie |
| Solid – 48 | Rockland Wonderland | – | Kim Mitchell |
| Solid – 48 | Empty Hands | – | Lenny Kravitz |
| Solid – 48 | I’ll Believe in You (Or I’ll Be Leaving You) | – | The Tragically Hip |
| Solid – 48 | She Didn’t Know | – | The Tragically Hip |
| Solid – 48 | Everytime You Go | – | The Tragically Hip |
| Solid – 48 | Here Comes Your Man | – | Pixies |
| Solid – 48 | Night of the Living Baseheads | – | Public Enemy |
| Solid – 48 | Get Up | – | R.E.M. |
| Solid – 48 | Big League | – | Tom Cochrane |
| Solid – 48 | Principal’s Office | – | Young MC |
| Solid – 48 | Smoke | – | Crash Vegas |
| Solid – 49 | B-Boy Bouillabaisse | – | Beastie Boys |
| Solid – 49 | Toy Soldiers | – | Martika |
| Solid – 49 | One | – | Bee Gees |
| Solid – 49 | Move This | – | Technotronic |
| Solid – 89 | When I’m With You | – | Sheriff |
| Solid – 89 | Miss You | – | 54-40 |
| Solid – 89 | Love Is | – | Alannah Myles |
| Solid – 89 | Why’d You Lie | – | Colin James |
| Solid – 89 | The End Of The Innocence | – | Don Henley |
| Solid – 89 | Sacrifice | – | Elton John |
| Solid – 89 | Still Lovin’ You | – | Honeymoon Suite |
| Solid – 89 | Rock’n Roll Duty | – | Kim Mitchell |
| Solid – 89 | Express Yourself | – | Madonna |
| Solid – 89 | Dr. Feelgood | – | Mötley Crüe |
| Solid – 89 | Kickstart My Heart | – | Mötley Crüe |
| Solid – 89 | Another Day in Paradise | – | Phil Collins |
| Solid – 89 | Bring the Noise | – | Public Enemy |
| Solid – 89 | Don’t Believe the Hype | – | Public Enemy |
| Solid – 89 | She’s So Young | – | Pursuit of Happiness |
| Solid – 89 | Sowing the Seeds of Love | – | Tears for Fears |
| Solid – 89 | The Best | – | Tina Turner |
| Solid – 89 | Victory Day | – | Tom Cochrane |
| Solid – 89 | Heaven | – | Warrant |
| Solid – 89 | Bust A Move | – | Young MC |
| Solid – 89 | So Alive | – | Love and Rockets |
| Solid – 89 | Love Shack | – | The B-52s |
| Solid – 89 | Keep on Movin’ | – | Soul II Soul |
| Solid – 89 | Love Song | – | Tesla |
| Solid – 89 | Terrible Lie | – | Nine Inch Nails |
| Solid – 89 | Last Worthless Evening | – | Don Henley |
| Solid – 89 | Once Bitten Twice Shy | – | Great White |
| Not Bad – 116 | Me Myself And I | – | De La Soul |
| Not Bad – 116 | New York Minute | – | Don Henley |
| Not Bad – 116 | Trista Pena | – | Gipsy Kings |
| Not Bad – 116 | Everlasting Love | – | Howard Jones |
| Not Bad – 116 | Fear | – | Lenny Kravitz |
| Not Bad – 116 | Buffalo Stance | – | Neneh Cherry |
| Not Bad – 116 | Right Here Waiting | – | Richard Marx |
| Not Bad – 116 | 18 And Life | – | Skid Row |
| Not Bad – 116 | Pump Up The Jam | – | Technotronic |
| Not Bad – 116 | Edie (Ciao Baby) | – | The Cult |
| Not Bad – 116 | When I See You Smile | – | Bad English |
| Not Bad – 116 | How Long | – | Blue Rodeo |
| Not Bad – 116 | Wicked Game | – | Chris Isaak |
| Not Bad – 116 | Eye Know | – | De La Soul |
| Not Bad – 116 | Say No Go | – | De La Soul |
| Not Bad – 116 | The Magic Number | – | De La Soul |
| Not Bad – 116 | Rhythm Nation | – | Janet Jackson |
| Not Bad – 116 | I Beg Your Pardon | – | Kon Kan |
| Not Bad – 116 | My Precious Love | – | Lenny Kravitz |
| Not Bad – 116 | Oh, Father | – | Madonna |
| Not Bad – 116 | Something Happened On The Way To Heaven | – | Phil Collins |
| Not Bad – 116 | Monkey Gone To Heaven | – | Pixies |
| Not Bad – 116 | So Hard | – | Sass Jordan |
| Not Bad – 116 | I Remember You | – | Skid Row |
| Not Bad – 116 | Lovesong | – | The Cure |
| Not Bad – 116 | Dressed For Success | – | Roxette |
| Not Bad – 116 | If You Don’t Know Me By Now | – | Simply Red |
| Not Bad – 116 | I Go to Extremes | – | Billy Joel |
| Not Bad – 116 | Escapade | – | Janet Jackson |
| Not Bad – 145 | Me So Horny | – | The 2 Live Crew |
| Not Bad – 145 | On Our Own | – | Bobby Brown |
| Not Bad – 145 | Born to Be My Baby | – | Bon Jovi |
| Not Bad – 145 | If a Tree Falls | – | Bruce Cockburn |
| Not Bad – 145 | If I Could Turn Back Time | – | Cher |
| Not Bad – 145 | Cherish | – | Madonna |
| Not Bad – 145 | How Am I Supposed to Live Without You | – | Michael Bolton |
| Not Bad – 145 | When I’m Back On My Feet Again | – | Michael Bolton |
| Not Bad – 145 | Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away) | – | Mötley Crüe |
| Not Bad – 145 | Hangin’ Tough | – | New Kids on the Block |
| Not Bad – 145 | My Brave Face | – | Paul McCartney |
| Not Bad – 145 | You Got It | – | Roy Orbison |
| Not Bad – 145 | Woman In Chains | – | Tears for Fears |
| Not Bad – 145 | American Horse | – | The Cult |
| Not Bad – 145 | Almost Hear You Sigh | – | The Rolling Stones |
| Not Bad – 145 | A Girl Like You | – | The Smithereens |
| Not Bad – 145 | Satisfied | – | Richard Marx |
| Not Bad – 145 | Miss You Much | – | Janet Jackson |
| Not Bad – 145 | The Doctor | – | The Doobie Brothers |
| Not Bad – 145 | Pop Singer | – | John Mellencamp |
| Not Bad – 145 | No Myth | – | Michael Penn |
| Not Bad – 145 | Show Don’t Tell | – | Rush |
| Not Bad – 145 | Down Boys | – | Warrant |
| Not Bad – 145 | I Drove All Night | – | Cyndi Lauper |
| Not Bad – 145 | Mixed Emotions | – | The Rolling Stones |
| Not Bad – 145 | Waiting For A Star To Fall | – | Boy Meets Girl |
| Not Bad – 145 | Soldier of Love | – | Donny Osmond |
| Not Bad – 145 | My Heart Can’t Tell Me No | – | Rod Stewart |
| Not Bad – 145 | Rock Wit’cha | – | Bobby Brown |
| Not Bad – 145 | Ladies First | – | Queen Latifah |
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