# List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 1988

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. 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.
Van Halen, Bon Jovi, and U2 each garnered their second number-one albums on the Billboard 200, while Tiffany, Def Leppard, Anita Baker, and Steve Winwood garnered their first.

## Chart history

Key :
| † | Indicates best performing album of 1988 |
| Issue date | Album | Artist(s) | Label |
| January 2 | Dirty Dancing | Soundtrack | RCA |
| January 9 | Dirty Dancing | Soundtrack | RCA |
| January 16 | Faith † | George Michael | Columbia/Epic |
| January 23 | Tiffany | Tiffany | MCA |
| January 30 | Tiffany | Tiffany | MCA |
| February 6 | Faith † | George Michael | Columbia/Epic |
| February 13 | Faith † | George Michael | Columbia/Epic |
| February 20 | Faith † | George Michael | Columbia/Epic |
| February 27 | Faith † | George Michael | Columbia/Epic |
| March 5 | Faith † | George Michael | Columbia/Epic |
| March 12 | Dirty Dancing | Soundtrack | RCA |
| March 19 | Dirty Dancing | Soundtrack | RCA |
| March 26 | Dirty Dancing | Soundtrack | RCA |
| April 2 | Dirty Dancing | Soundtrack | RCA |
| April 9 | Dirty Dancing | Soundtrack | RCA |
| April 16 | Dirty Dancing | Soundtrack | RCA |
| April 23 | Dirty Dancing | Soundtrack | RCA |
| April 30 | Dirty Dancing | Soundtrack | RCA |
| May 7 | Dirty Dancing | Soundtrack | RCA |
| May 14 | Faith † | George Michael | Columbia/Epic |
| May 21 | Faith † | George Michael | Columbia/Epic |
| May 28 | Faith † | George Michael | Columbia/Epic |
| June 4 | Faith † | George Michael | Columbia/Epic |
| June 11 | Faith † | George Michael | Columbia/Epic |
| June 18 | Faith † | George Michael | Columbia/Epic |
| June 25 | OU812 | Van Halen | Warner Bros. |
| July 2 | OU812 | Van Halen | Warner Bros. |
| July 9 | OU812 | Van Halen | Warner Bros. |
| July 16 | OU812 | Van Halen | Warner Bros. |
| July 23 | Hysteria | Def Leppard | Mercury |
| July 30 | Hysteria | Def Leppard | Mercury |
| August 6 | Appetite for Destruction | Guns N' Roses | Geffen |
| August 13 | Hysteria | Def Leppard | Mercury |
| August 20 | Roll with It | Steve Winwood | Virgin |
| August 27 | Tracy Chapman | Tracy Chapman | Elektra |
| September 3 | Hysteria | Def Leppard | Mercury |
| September 10 | Hysteria | Def Leppard | Mercury |
| September 17 | Hysteria | Def Leppard | Mercury |
| September 24 | Appetite for Destruction | Guns N' Roses | Geffen |
| October 1 | Appetite for Destruction | Guns N' Roses | Geffen |
| October 8 | Appetite for Destruction | Guns N' Roses | Geffen |
| October 15 | New Jersey | Bon Jovi | Mercury |
| October 22 | New Jersey | Bon Jovi | Mercury |
| October 29 | New Jersey | Bon Jovi | Mercury |
| November 5 | New Jersey | Bon Jovi | Mercury |
| November 12 | Rattle and Hum | U2 / Soundtrack | Island |
| November 19 | Rattle and Hum | U2 / Soundtrack | Island |
| November 26 | Rattle and Hum | U2 / Soundtrack | Island |
| December 3 | Rattle and Hum | U2 / Soundtrack | Island |
| December 10 | Rattle and Hum | U2 / Soundtrack | Island |
| December 17 | Rattle and Hum | U2 / Soundtrack | Island |
| December 24 | Giving You the Best That I Got | Anita Baker | Elektra |
| December 31 | Giving You the Best That I Got | Anita Baker | Elektra |