1989 in music
See also: 1988 in music, other events of 1989, 1990 in music and the list of 'years in music'.
Events
- January 14 - Paul McCartney releases Back In The U.S.S.R. exclusively in Russia. Bootleg copies sell for as much as $1,000 in the United States
- January 23 - James Brown is sentenced in Georgia to 6 years in jail in connection with a police chase through two different states
- January - Phil Keaggy and Randy Stonehill form the "Keaggy/Stonehill Band" for a one time tour that pays tribute to 1960s artists like The Beatles. Tim Chandler plays bass for the band and David Raven plays drums.
- February 12 - Tiny Tim launches an unsuccessful campaign to be the mayor of New York City.
- February 17 - Whitesnake's David Coverdale marries Tawny Kitaen
- March 6 - Smokey Robinson's autobiography Inside My Life is published
- April 9 - The Rolling Stones' Bill Wyman announces that he's getting married to 19 year old Mandy Smith, whom he has dated for 6 years
- Better Than Ezra's career begins
- The Black Crowes' career begins
- Blues Traveler's career begins
- Kid Rock's career begins
- Queen Latifah's career begins
- Marilyn Manson's career begins
- The Chemical Brothers' career begins
- Milli Vanilli's career begins
- P. Diddy's career begins
- Barenaked Ladies forms
- Green Day forms
- Monster Magnet forms
- Presidents of the United States of America forms
- 311 forms
- Tool forms
- Jane's Addiction's first album, Nothing's Shocking, was nominated for a Grammy award
- Tony Kanal and Adrian Young joins No Doubt
- The Plasmatics reunite
- Dio recorded Lock Up the Wolves
- Face To Face records their first demos
Albums Released
- Penikufesin EP - Anthrax
- Y Kant Tori Read - Tori Amos
- No Control - Bad Religion
- Paul's Boutique - The Beastie Boys
- Surprise - Better Than Ezra
- Killin' Time - Clint Black
- Key Lime Pie - Camper Van Beethoven
- Steady On - Shawn Colvin
- Spike - Elvis Costello
- Sonic Temple - The Cult
- Lucifuge - Danzig
- Just Like Heaven - Dinosaur Jr.
- 3 Feet High and Rising - De La Soul
- Oh Mercy - Bob Dylan
- Copperhead Road - Steve Earle
- The Raw and the Cooked - Fine Young Cannibals
- Passion: Music for The Last Temptation of Christ - Peter Gabriel
- This album is regarded as a landmark in the popularization of world music
- 1,000 Hours - Green Day
- G.N.R. Lies - Guns 'n Roses
- Healer - John Lee Hooker
- Heart Shaped World - Chris Isaak
- Rhythm Nation 1814 - Janet Jackson
- Nothing's Shocking - Jane's Addiction
- Rock Island - Jethro Tull
- Sleeping with the Past - Elton John
- Powertrip - Ludichrist
- Like a Prayer - Madonna
- Oddyssey - Yngwie J. Malmsteen
- Girl You Know It's True - Milli Vanilli
- The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste - Ministry
- Straight Outta Compton - N.W.A.
- Yellow Moon - The Neville Brothers
- Pretty Hate Machine - Nine Inch Nails
- Mystery Girl - Roy Orbison
- Ram It Down - Judas Priest
- Nick of Time - Bonnie Raitt
- New York - Lou Reed
- The Offspring - The Offspring
- Doolittle - Pixies
- Fight The Power...Live - Public Enemy
- All Hail the Queen - Queen Latifah
- Mother's Milk - Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Flying in a Blue Dream - Joe Satriani
- Blood, Sweat & No Tears - Sick of it All
- Calm Dip And The Other Delights - Soul Asylum
- Hang Time - Soul Asylum
- In Step - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
- The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
- Full Moon Fever - Tom Petty
- Prime 5 - Ween
Top Hits
- "Heavy Metal" - Judas Priest
- "Monsters Of Rock" - Judas Priest
- "Killin' Time" - Clint Black
- "When I See You Smile" - Bad English
- "Batdance" - Prince
- "Blame It on the Rain" - Milli Vanilli
- "Like a Prayer" - Madonna
- "Lost in Your Eyes" - Debbie Gibson
- "Straight Up" - Paula Abdul
- "Right Here Waiting" - Richard Marx
- "Miss You Much" - Janet Jackson
- "Another Day in Paradise" - Phil Collins
- "Veronica" - Elvis Costello
- "Eyes Of A Stranger" - Queensryche
- "Love Shack"- The B-52's
- "Cartoon" - Soul Asylum
- "Open Letter (To A Landlord)" - Living Colour
- "Sometime To Return" - Soul Asylum
- "We Didn't Start The Fire" - Billy Joel
- "You Got It" - Roy Orbison
- "She Drives Me Crazy" - Fine Young Cannibals
- "If I Could Turn Back Time" - Cher
- "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry
Births
Deaths
- November 5 - Vladimir Horowitz, pianist
Awards
- The following artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Dion, Otis Redding, The Rolling Stones, The Temptations and Stevie Wonder