See also: 1987 in music, other events of 1988, 1989 in music and the list of 'years in music'.
Events
- February 13 - Michael Jackson purchases a ranch in Santa Ynez, California. He calls his new home "Neverland".
- February 16 - Billy Vera receives a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame
- February 17 - A 12-year old Motley Crue fan in Florida is badly burned while trying to imitate a stunt in the band's "Live Wire" music video. The boy suffered burns over ten percent of his body. Motley Crue issued a statement saying the band's stunts should not be tried at home.
- February 24 - Alice Cooper announces that he is going to run for Governor of Arizona.
- March 10 - During a concert in Perth, Australia, George Michael thanks Tipper Gore, head of the Parents Music Resource Center, for helping the sales of his Faith album.
- March 12 - Record producer Jimmy Iovine presents the Special Olympics with a donation of $5 million, which was raised with the release of the A Very Special Christmas album.
- April to July - Suicidal Tendencies records How Will I Laugh Tomorrow If I Can't Even Smile Today?, which will be a blockbuster album on September 13
- April 19 - Sonny Bono is inaugurated as the Mayor of Palm Springs, California
- May 1 - Citing the 1st Amendment, a judge drops all charges filed against singer Billy Joel. Joel was being sued by Jack Powers for defamation following an interview with Playboy magazine in which he called Powers a "creep".
- November - The "Guess The Eddies" contest begins, inviting people to guess the identities of the six members of the rock band The Swirling Eddies.
- Compact discs outsell vinyl records for the first time.
- Former rock and roll singer Sonny Bono is elected as mayor of Palm Springs, California.
- "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" experiences a surge in popularity sparked by television commercials featuring claymation raisin figures dancing to the song. The California Raisins version of the song peaks at No. 84 on Billboard's Hot 100.
- Nirvana's career begins
- Phish's career begins
- Morrissey begins solo career;
- The Offspring begins their recording career
- Baha Men forms
- After 7 forms
- Blues Traveler forms
- Cypress Hill forms
- Guttermouth forms
- Jesus Jones forms
- No Doubt forms
- Warrior Soul forms
- The Cars break up
Albums Released
- Traveling Wilburys, Volume I - Traveling Wilburys
- Y Kant Tori Read - Tori Amos (debut)
- State Of Euphoria - Anthrax
- Suffer - Bad Religion
- Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart - Camper Van Beethoven
- New Jersey - Bon Jovi
- Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman
- 19 - Chicago
- I'm Your Man - Leonard Cohen
- The Trinity Sessions - The Cowboy Junkies
- Dangerous Age - Bad Company
- Bug - Dinosaur Jr.
- Copperhead Road - Steve Earle
- Self-Titled - Fugazi (debut EP)
- Gipsy Kings - Gipsy Kings
- The Sweet Children - Green Day
- Nothing's Shocking - Jane's Addiction
- 20 Years of Jethro Tull - Jethro Tull
- Reg Strikes Back - Elton John
- Greatest Hits (1977-1987) - Journey
- Ram It Down - Judas Priest
- Straight Out The Jungle - The Jungle Brothers
- Shadowland - k.d. lang
- Vivid - Living Colour
- Pontiac - Lyle Lovett
- So Far So Good... So what? - Megadeth
- And Justice For All - Metallica
- Time Odyssey - Vinnie Moore
- Isn't Anything - My Bloody Valentine
- Land of Dreams - Randy Newman
- The Lion and the Cobra - Sinead O'Connor
- The Indescribable Wow - Sam Phillips
- Surfer Rosa - Pixies
- Lovesexy - Prince
- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back - Public Enemy
- Operation: Mindcrime - Queensryche
- Green - R.E.M.
- Abbey Road EP - The Red Hot Chili Peppers
- The Uplift Mofo Partyplan - The Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Talk Is Cheap - Keith Richards
- Sick Of It All - Sick of it All
- Out Of Order - Rod Stewart
- How Will I Laugh Tomorrow If I Can't Even Smile Today? - Suicidal Tendencies
- Daydream Nation - Sonic Youth
- Toots in Memphis - Toots
- Junekbox - Jamaaladeen Tacuma
- The Live Brain Wedgie/WAD - Ween
- Lucinda Williams - Lucinda Williams
- Roll With It - Steve Winwood
- Rattle And Hum - U2
Top Hits
- "Kokomo" - The Beach Boys
- "Don't Worry, Be Happy" - Bobby McFerrin
- "Man in the Mirror" - Michael Jackson
- "Get Outta My Dreams (Get Into My Car)" - Billy Ocean
- "Anything for You" - Gloria Estefan
- "Every Rose Has It's Thorn" - Poison
- "Never Gonna Give You Up" - Rick Astley
- "Look Away" - Chicago
- "Ram It Down" - Judas Priest
- "Blood Red Skies" - Judas Priest
- "One More Time" - George Michael
- "Roll With It" - Steve Winwood
- "Sweet Child O' Mine" -Guns N' Roses
- "Mountain Song" - Jane's Addiction
- "Trip At The Brain" - Suicidal Tendencies
- "Got My Mind Set On You" - George Harrison
- "1-2-3" - Gloria Estefan & the Miami Sound Machine
- "Forever Young" - Rod Stewart
Births
- August 27 - Alexa Vega, Spy Kids as Carmen Cortez and song for "Isle Of Dreams"
Deaths
- March 10, Andy Gibb, The Bee Gees, disco musician
- April 9 - Brook Benton, complications of spinal meningitis.
- April 9 - Dave Prater, of Sam & Dave, car accident
- June 25, Hillel Slovak, Red Hot Chili Peppers, guitarist
- October 19, Son House, blues musician
- December 6, Roy Orbison, singer
Awards
- The following artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Drifters, Bob Dylan, and The Supremes