1988 in music

1988 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.
Specific locations
1988 in British music
1988 in Norwegian music
Specific genres
1988 in country music
1988 in heavy metal music
1988 in hip hop music
1988 in jazz
Events
January–March
January 3 – The Cinemax television special Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night, recorded on September 30, 1987, at the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, USA, is broadcast.
January 20 – The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony inducts The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Drifters, Bob Dylan and The Supremes.
January 28 – A Tampa, Florida, man files an unusual lawsuit against Mötley Crüe. Matthew John Trippe, who has a history of mental health issues and trouble with the law, claims that he was secretly hired to pose as Nikki Sixx and toured, wrote and recorded with the band for a time during 1983 and 1984. Trippe drops the lawsuit in 1993.
February 8 – Kenney Jones would last perform as the drummer for The Who at the British Phonographic Industry awards ceremony, where the band received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
March 2 – The 30th Annual Grammy Awards are presented in New York, hosted by Billy Crystal. U2's The Joshua Tree wins Album of the Year, Paul Simon's "Graceland" wins Record of the Year and Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram's "Somewhere Out There" wins Song of the Year. Jody Watley wins Best New Artist.
March 10 - Pop star Andy Gibb dies at a hospital in Oxford, England five days after his 30th birthday.
March 26 – "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson from the Bad album tops the Billboard Hot 100. It's the first time in history a solo artist has had four Number One singles from the same album.
April–June
April 7 – Alice Cooper almost dies on stage when one of the props, the Gallows, malfunctions.
April 19 – Former rock and roll singer Sonny Bono is inaugurated as the Mayor of Palm Springs, California, USA.
April 23 - Whitney Houston's "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" top the Billboard Hot 100 and became Houston's 7th consecutive number-one single surpassing the record of The Beatles and Bee Gees which have 6.
April 25 – Rock supermanager Doc McGhee is sentenced to five years probation after pleading guilty to charges of drug smuggling stemming from a 1982 seizure of nearly 40,000 pounds of marijuana entering North Carolina from Colombia.
April 30 – The Eurovision Song Contest, held in the RDS Simmonscourt Pavilion, Dublin, is won by French-Canadian singer Celine Dion, representing Switzerland with the song "Ne partez pas sans moi".
May 14 – Atlantic Records stages a concert at Madison Square Garden celebrating its Fortieth birthday with performances by many of the label's greatest acts of the past. Artists include Crosby, Stills & Nash, Iron Butterfly, Ruth Brown, Foreigner and Wilson Pickett, but the most talked-about performance is by a reunited Led Zeppelin with Jason Bonham on drums.
May 27 – The Monsters of Rock Tour 1988 commences in East Troy, Wisconsin. Van Halen headlines with the other acts on the bill consisting of Metallica, Scorpions, Dokken and Kingdom Come.
June 18 – Depeche Mode play to a crowd of 60,000 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The concert was filmed and recorded by D. A. Pennebaker for the group's documentary-concert film and live album 101.
June 27 – Motown Records is sold to MCA and an investment firm for $61 million.
July–September
July 2 – Michael Jackson with fifth single from Bad, "Dirty Diana", he broke the record to have five consecutive charting singles from same album at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, is the first artist and only male in history to achieve this.
August 12 – Public Enemy garners publicity by staging a concert at Riker's Island prison for 250 inmates and 100 journalists.
September 6–9 – Elton John auctions off many items from his personal collection, including memorabilia and stage-worn clothing, at Sotheby's for a total of $8.5 million. John had been known for wearing flamboyant stage costumes during the glam rock era of the 1970s, but he increasingly abandoned them in later years.
September 10 – Billboard magazine publishes its Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart for the first time.
September 24 – James Brown faces a variety of charges after leading police on an interstate chase, after reportedly breaking into a seminar in an Augusta, Georgia, building he owned an office in, waving a gun and demanding to know who had used his restrooms. Earlier in the year Brown had been arrested on drug and firearms-related charges.
September 25 – The Aalto Theatre, Essen, Germany, opens with a performance of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.
October–December
October 10 – The new Cairo Opera House is inaugurated by President Hosni Mubarak and Prince Tomohito of Mikasa, brother of the Emperor of Japan. The opening ceremony includes a kabuki performance in recognition of the funds donated by Japan.
November 7 – John Fogerty wins a self-plagiarism lawsuit with Fantasy Records. The record label had contended that Fogerty's 1985 comeback hit "The Old Man Down the Road" was too similar to his 1970 Creedence Clearwater Revival song, "Run Through the Jungle".
November 12 – U2's Rattle and Hum hits the Number One spot on the U.S. charts, the first double album to do so since Bruce Springsteen's The River in 1980.
December 4 – Singer Roy Orbison gives his last concert in Akron, Ohio, USA, before his death from a heart attack.
December 28 – Madonna calls sheriff's officers to the Malibu, California home she shared with her soon-to-be ex-husband Sean Penn. Penn is rumored to have threatened to attack or kill Madonna, tied her up, and threatened to cut her hair. These rumors have been denied by both Madonna and Penn.
December 31 – The 17th annual New Year's Rockin' Eve special airs on ABC, with appearances by Natalie Cole, Taylor Dayne, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Richard Marx, Reba McEntire and Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
Also in 1988
Peter Ruzicka becomes director of the Hamburg State Opera and State Philharmonic Orchestra.
Andrew Davis begins a term as chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and is appointed musical director of Glyndebourne Festival Opera, effective with the 1989 season.
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" experiences a surge in popularity in the USA sparked by television commercials featuring claymation raisin figures dancing to the song. The California Raisins version of the song peaks at number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Bands formed
See Musical groups established in 1988
Bands disbanded
See Musical groups disestablished in 1988
Albums released
January–March
April–June
July–September
October–December
Release date unknown
The Acapella Project – Glad
Atomic Arena – Barren Cross
Born 2 B Blue – Steve Miller
Can't Buy a Miracle – Randy Stonehill
The Chess Box – Chuck Berry (compilation)
Colin James – Colin James
Come out Fighting – Greg X. Volz
Don't Forget the Struggle, Don't Forget the Streets – Warzone
The Dubliner's Dublin – The Dubliners
English Rebel Songs 1381-1984 – Chumbawamba
Flowers in the Rain (album) – Mad at the World
Go Off! – Cacophony
Godflesh – Godflesh (EP)
Greg Howe – Greg Howe
Hallowed Ground – Skin Yard
Home Is Where the Heart Is – David Grisman
The House of Love – The House of Love
Human Sacrifice – Vengeance Rising
I Crush Bozo - Happy Flowers
I Used to Be an Animal – Eric Burdon
In Heat – Black 'N Blue
Irish Heartbeat – Van Morrison & The Chieftains
It Won't Be Long – Shout
King Kobra III – King Kobra
Let's Spin! – The Swirling Eddies
Little Love Affairs – Nanci Griffith
Live – Bad Brains
The Live Brain Wedgie/WAD – Ween
Live to Die – Bride
Lovely – The Primitives
Lucinda Williams – Lucinda Williams
Mistress Music – Burning Spear
My Gift to You – Alexander O'Neal
No Man's Land – Various Artists
Nothing Exceeds Like Excess – Raven
Nothing Wrong – Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
On Fire! – Petra
Perpetual Burn – Jason Becker
Phil Keaggy and Sunday's Child – Phil Keaggy
A Place to Stand – Geoff Moore + The Distance
Prostitute – Toyah
Radio Free Albemuth – Stuart Hamm
Read All About It – Newsboys
Reel Life – Boy Meets Girl
Remote – Hue & Cry
Rock in a Hard Place – Bloodgood
Rough Night in Jericho – Dreams So Real
The Rumour – Olivia Newton-John
Savvy Show Stoppers – Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet
Shadowland – k.d. lang
Shake Sugaree - Taj Mahal
Silence Screams - REZ
Soliloquy for Lilith – Nurse With Wound
Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films – Various Artists
STP Not LSD – Angry Samoans
Streets of This Town – Steve Forbert
Swastikas for Noddy – Current 93
Time Odyssey – Vinnie Moore
Today – Galaxie 500
Tommy Page – Tommy Page
Too Late for Living – Saint
Tough Love – Idle Cure
Volunteer – Sham 69
The Walking – Jane Siberry
What Up, Dog? – Was (Not Was)
The Winter of '88 – Johnny Winter
Workin' Band – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Yeah, Whatever – Moev
Singles released in 1988
Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highest chart positions
in the charts of 1988.
U.S. best selling singles
The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in the U.S. in 1988.
Top selling albums of the year in the US
George Michael – Faith
Madonna – You Can Dance
Michael Jackson – Bad
Guns N' Roses – Appetite for Destruction
Top 40 Chart hit singles
The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in the U.S. in 1988.
Other Chart hit singles
Notable singles
Other Notable singles
Classical music
Gerald Barry – Cheveux-de-frise
Luciano Berio – Sequenza XI
George Crumb – Zeitgeist (Tableaux Vivants) for two amplified pianos
Mario Davidovsky – Synchronisms No. 9 for violin and tape
Joël-François Durand – Die innere Grenze for string sextet
Lorenzo Ferrero – La cena delle beffe (incidental music)
Michael Finnissy – Red Earth for orchestra
Henryk Górecki – String Quartet No. 1, "Already it is Dusk"
Stephen Hartke – Pacific Rim Overture
Vagn Holmboe – Symphony No. 12, M. 338
Wojciech Kilar – Choralvorspiel (Choral Prelude) for chamber string orchestra
Witold Lutosławski – Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
Frederik Magle – We Are Afraid (Vi er bange), cantata for choir and chamber orchestra
Carin Malmlöf-Forssling – String Quartet No. 1, "Silverkvartetten"
António Chagas Rosa – Piano Sonata
Kaija Saariaho – Petals for cello and electronics
Bogusław Schaeffer – Concerto for Piano Duet and Orchestra
Alfred Schnittke
Concerto for Piano four hands and Orchestra
Piano Quartet
Symphony No. 5 (Concerto Grosso No. 4)
Klingende Buchstaben
Peter Sculthorpe – Kakadu
Philip Sparke – Concerto Grosso
Bent Sørensen
Angels' Music for string quartet
Camelot by Night for bass flute and guitar
La Notte for piano and orchestra
Tōru Takemitsu – Tree Line for chamber orchestra
John Tavener – The Akathist of Thanksgiving
Takashi Yoshimatsu – Concerto for Bassoon "Unicorn Circuit"
Opera
Philip Glass – 1000 Airplanes on the Roof
Karlheinz Stockhausen – Montag aus Licht (La Scala, Milan, May 7)
Jazz
Musical theater
Bitter Sweet (Noël Coward) – London revival
Chess (Tim Rice, Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus) – Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre and closed after 65 performances
The Phantom of the Opera (Andrew Lloyd Webber) – Broadway production opened at the Majestic Theatre, and has the longest continuous run in Broadway history, with over 10,000 performances to date
Sarafina – Broadway production opened at the Cort Theatre and ran for 597 performances
Musical films
Bird
Bridge
The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years
Daisy
Dhwani
Imagine: John Lennon
La Bailanta
Moonwalker
Rattle and Hum
Satisfaction
Tapeheads
Tougher Than Leather
Births
January 14
Mikalah Gordon, American Idol contestant
Jordy, French singer
January 15
Jessica Poland, American singer-songwriter
Skrillex, American musician and DJ
January 16
FKA Twigs, born Tahliah Barnett, English singer English singer, songwriter, dancer, advocate and actress.
Catherine Gonzaga (or Alex Gonzaga), Filipina singer
January 20 - Victoria Asher, An American musician.
January 21
Glaiza de Castro, Filipino actress and singer
AGA, Hong Kong singer-songwriter
January 25 – Yasmien Kurdi, Filipina pop singer
February 3 – Cho Kyu Hyun, Korean pop singer (Super Junior)
February 6 – Bailey Hanks, American actress and singer
February 7
Ai Kago, Japanese pop singer
Lee Joon, South Korean idol singer (MBLAQ), dancer, actor and model
February 8 – Ao Li, Chinese operatic bass-baritone
February 11 – Li Chun, Chinese singer
February 13 – Mike Posner, American singer-songwriter, poet, DJ and music producer
February 17 – Rod Michael, American singer (B3)
February 18 – Changmin ("Max"), Korean pop singer
February 22 – Jay Fung, Hong Kong singer-songwriter
February 23 – Ashley Cooper, New Zealand pop singer
February 27 – JD Natasha, born Natasha Jeannette Dueñas, American Latin music artist
February 28
Milly Edwards, Australian Idol contestant
Markéta Irglová, Czech songwriter
March 2
James Arthur, English singer-songwriter
Kate Alexa, Australian pop rock singer
Esther Povitsky, American actress, singer, comedian, writer and producer
Nadine Samonte, German pop singer
March 6 – Agnes Carlsson, Swedish pop singer
March 8 – Benny Blanco, American record producer, songwriter, musician
March 10 – Patrick Henry Hughes, American tenor and trumpeter
March 15 – Lil Dicky, American comedy-rapper
March 16 – Jhené Aiko, American singer-songwriter and rapper
March 17 – Grimes (born Claire Boucher), Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, engineer, record producer, visual artist, feminist, activist and producer (collaborator of Hana)
March 18
Agir, Portuguese singer and composer
Soukaina Boukries, Moroccan singer
March 25
Big Sean, American rapper
Ryan Lewis, American musician
March 27 – Jessie J, English singer-songwriter
March 31 – Conrad Sewell, Australian singer/songwriter
April 17 – Takahiro Moriuchi, Japanese singer (One Ok Rock)
April 19 – Alfie Arcuri, Australian singer-songwriter
April 24 – Natalie Zahra, Australian Idol contestant
April 25 – Sara Paxton, American singer/actress
April 27
Alfred Hui, Hong Kong singer
Lizzo, born Melissa Jefferson, American singer-songwriter, actress, rapper and activist
Pop Wansel, American record producer, musician and songwriter
April 29
Younha, Japanese and Korean pop singer
Michael Ray, American country music singer-songwriter
May 5
Adele, English singer-songwriter
Brooke Hogan, American actress, singer-songwriter and wrestler
Skye Sweetnam, Canadian singer-songwriter, actress and music video director (Sumo Cyco)
May 8 – Trisha Paytas, American Internet personality, actress and singer-songwriter
May 11 – Ace Hood, American rapper
May 13 – Casey Donovan, Australian Idol winner, 2004
May 18 – Tanner Wayne, American drummer (Underminded, Chiodos and Scary Kids Scaring Kids)
May 21 – Park Gyu-ri, South Korean idol singer
May 22 – Roy English, also known as Jagwar Twin, American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer
May 24 – Billy Gilman, American country singer
June 1
Héloïse Letissier, French singer-songwriter (Christine and the Queens)
Nami Tamaki, Japanese singer
June 2 - Danny Parker (songwriter), American songwriter
June 3 – Dave East, American rapper
June 6 – Neha Kakkar, Indian pop singer
June 7 – Michael Cera, Canadian actor, comedian, producer and singer-songwriter
June 9 – Mae Whitman, American actress, voice actress and singer
June 11 – Weyes Blood, American musician
June 12 – Dave Melillo, American singer-songwriter
June 14 – Kevin McHale, American actor, singer, dancer and radio personality
June 16
Banks, American singer-songwriter
Keshia Chanté, Canadian urban singer
June 18 – Josh Dun, American multi instrumentalist and producer (House Of Heroes, Twenty One Pilots)r
June 20 – May J., Japanese R&B singer
June 21 – Beatrice Egli, Swiss singer
June 22
Miliyah Kato, Japanese R&B singer
Vicky Psarakis, a Greek American vocalist-singer-songwriter, lead singer of The Agonist
June 23
Isabella Leong, Hong Kong singer, actress and model
Jasmine Kara, Swedish singer-songwriter
June 24 – Nichkhun Horvejkul, Thai singer
June 27 – Colin Tilley, American music video director and film maker
June 28 – Julian Waterfall Pollack, American jazz pianist and composer
June 29 – Martina Šindlerová, Slovak pop singer
July 2 – Amali Ward, Australian Idol contestant
July 6
Katy Tiz, British singer
Brittany Underwood, American actress and singer
July 7 – Kaci Brown, American pop/R&B singer
July 8
Reinaldo Zavarce, Venezuelan actor and singer
Shocka, a rapper and mental health advocate from Tottenham, London.
July 11 – Natalie La Rose, Dutch singer-songwriter and dancer
July 12 – Melissa O'Neil, Canadian Idol winner, Canadian singer and actress
July 13
Tulisa Contostavlos, British singer-songwriter and member of N-Dubz
Colton Haynes, American actor, model and singer
Mitch Rowland, Harry Styles based, American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (married to Sarah Jones)
July 17 – Anderson East, American rhythm and blues singer/songwriter
July 19 - Charlene Soraia, English singer-songwriter and mental health activist
July 20 – Julianne Hough, American dancer, singer and actress
July 24 – Han Seung-yeon, South Korean singer and actress
July 25 – Sarah Geronimo, Filipina pop singer
July 28 – Nick Santino, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (A Rocket to the Moon)
July 31 – Ruston Kelly, American country singer-songwriter (Kacey Musgrave's)
August 2 –
Chris Sebastian, Australian singer-songwriter (two time contestant of The Voice Australia, one time on Seal get to round 16 (2012) and won on team Kelly Rowland (2020), brother of Guy Sebastian)
Brittany Hargest, American pop singer
August 3 - Shelley FKA DRAM, American rapper, singer, and record producer
August 4 – Tom Parker, English singer-songwriter (The Wanted)
August 13 – MØ, Danish singer-songwriter
August 16 – Rumer Willis, American singer and actress
August 18 – G-Dragon, Korean rapper, singer-songwriter and producer
August 19 – Hoodie Allen, American rapper, singer-songwriter
August 21 – Kacey Musgraves, American country singer-songwriter
August 23 – Alice Glass, Canadian singer-songwriter
August 24 - Kelly Lee Owens, Welsh electronic musician
August 25 – Alexandra Burke, English singer-songwriter and actress, X Factor winner
August 26
Erik Hassle, Swedish pop singer-songwriter
Evan Ross, American actor and musician (Diana Ross, Ashlee Simpson)
August 27 – Alexa Vega, American musical performer, actor and pop singer
September 3 – Devon Welsh Canadian singer-songwriter (Majical Cloudz, Grimes)
September 6
Max George, British singer-songwriter and actor
Gustav Schäfer, German rock drummer (Tokio Hotel)
September 12
Amanda Jenssen, Swedish singer
Matt Martians, American record producer
September 14 - Muni Long, American singer and songwriter.[
September 16 – Teddy Geiger, American singer-songwriter
September 19 – Reigan Derry, Australian singer-songwriter
September 22 – Bethany Dillon, American Christian-music artist
September 26
James Blake, English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer (Jameela Jamil, Theresa Waymen)
Lilly Singh, Canadian vlogger, singer, rapper and artist
September 27 – Alma, French singer-songwriter
September 28
Esmée Denters, Dutch singer and YouTuber
Hana Mae Lee, American actress, model, singer and fashion designer (Pitch Perfect)
September 30 – Jyongri, Japanese pop singer
October 2 – Andreas Moe, Swedish singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist
October 3 – A$AP Rocky, American rapper, producer, part of the ASAP mob (Rihanna}
October 4
Jessica Benson, American R&B singer
Melissa Benoist, American actress and singer
October 5 – Kevin Olusola, Nigerian musician, beatboxer, cellist, rapper, record producer and singer-songwriter
October 11 – Knut Eirik Kokkin, Norwegian singer
October 12 – Calum Scott, British singer-songwriter
October 14 - Kobra Paige, Canadian singer and songwriter
October 17
Dami Im, Korean-born Australian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist
Nikki Flores, American Independent pop singer, musician, songwriter and vocal producer
October 20
Risa Niigaki, Japanese pop singer
A$AP Ferg, American rapper, part of the ASAP mob
Balqees, Emirati singer
October 23 – Caleigh Peters, American pop singer
October 28 – Jamie xx, English musician, DJ, record producer and remixer
November 2 – Elgiazar Farashyan, Belarusian singer
November 6
Emma Stone, American actress, musical star and singer
Conchita Wurst, Austrian singer, Eurovision Song Contest 2014 winner
November 7 – Tinie Tempah, English rapper, singer-songwriter
November 8 - Pauli Lovejoy, UK born drummer, recording artist, music director and model.
November 10
Chisaki Hama, Japanese singer
Cazzi Opeia, Swedish DJ, producer, singer and songwriter.
November 16
Siva Kaneswaran, British singer, model, actor and songwriter
Sampha, British singer-songwriter and record producer
November 26 - Blake Harnage, American songwriter, music producer, multi-instrumentalist and composer.
November 28 – Scarlett Pomers, American singer/actress
November 30 – Eir Aoi, Japanese singer
December 1
Tyler Joseph, American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and rapper (Twenty One Pilots)
Zoë Kravitz, American actress, singer and model (lolawolf)
December 6 – Sandra Nurmsalu, Estonian musician
December 7
Emily Browning, Australian actress and singer (Sucker Punch, God Help The Girl, Plush)
Toru Yamashita, Japanese singer (One Ok Rock)
Benjamin Clementine, English-born singer-songwriter
December 12 – Hahm Eun-jung, South Korean singer
December 14
Awkwafina, American rapper, comedienne, actor
Vanessa Hudgens, American actor, singer, dancer
December 16 – Park Seo-joon, South Korean actor and singer
December 19 – Casey Burgess, Australian singer-songwriter and actress
December 21 – Alexa Goddard, English pop and R&B singer, YouTuber
December 23 – Eri Kamei, Japanese pop singer
December 25 – Marco Mengoni, Italian singer-songwriter
December 26 – Veronika Eberle, German violinist
December 27
Hayley Williams, American singer-songwriter, musician, businesswoman and activist (Paramore)
Lou Yixiao, Chinese singer
December 28 – Florrie, English singer-songwriter, drummer and model
December 30 – James Hall, British singer-songwriter
December 31 – Holly Holyoake, Welsh classical soprano singer
Unknown – Jihae, South Korean rock singer and actress
Deaths
January 3 – John Dopyera, stringed instrument maker, 94
January 19 – Evgeny Mravinsky, conductor
February 3 – Radamés Gnattali, Brazilian composer, 81
February 9 – Kurt Herbert Adler, conductor and opera administrator
February 14 – Frederick Loewe, composer of musicals, 86
February 16 – Jean Carignan, fiddler, 71
February 17 – Alexander Bashlachev, Russian singer, 27 (falling from height)
February 24 – Memphis Slim, blues musician, 72
February 27 – Gene de Paul, pianist and composer, 68
March 6 – Jeanne Aubert, singer and actress, 88
March 7 – Divine, singer and drag entertainer, 42 (heart failure)
March 8 – Henryk Szeryng, violinist
March 10 – William Wordsworth, Scottish composer
March 10 – Andy Gibb, singer, 30 (myocarditis)
March 12 – Gianna Pederzini, operatic mezzo-soprano, 88
March 15 – Frank Perkins, American song composer
March 20 – Gil Evans, Canadian jazz pianist, composer and bandleader
April 3 – Kai Ewans, Danish jazz musician
April 7 – Cesar Bresgen, Austrian composer
April 9
Brook Benton, 56 (complications of spinal meningitis)
David Prater, of Sam & Dave, 50 (car accident)
April 15 – Youri Egorov, Soviet classical pianist, 33 (complications of AIDS)
April 29 – James McCracken, tenor, 61
May 1 – Claude Demetrius, songwriter
May 10 – Ciarán Bourke, folk musician (The Dubliners), 53 (brain damage)
May 13 – Chet Baker, jazz musician, 58 (head injuries from fall)
May 21 – Sammy Davis Sr., vaudeville performer, 87
May 22 – Dennis Day, US singer, 72
May 25 – Martin Slavin, composer and music director, 66
June 12 – Marcel Poot, Belgian composer, 87
June 22 – Jesse Ed Davis, guitarist, 43
June 25
Hillel Slovak, Red Hot Chili Peppers, guitarist, 26 (speedball overdose)
Jimmy Soul, American singer, 45 (heart attack)
July 2 – Eddie Vinson, jazz/blues musician, 70
July 18
Joly Braga Santos, Portuguese composer and conductor, 64
Nico, German singer, 49 (brain haemorrhage)
July 20 – Richard Holm, German operatic tenor
July 28 – Pete Drake, American record producer and pedal steel guitar player, 55 (emphysema)
August – Tenor Saw, dancehall artist, 21 (road accident)
August 8 – Félix Leclerc, folk singer, 74
August 9 – Giacinto Scelsi, composer and poet, 83
August 14
Roy Buchanan, American guitarist, 48 (suicide)
Robert Calvert, South African writer, poet, and musician, 43 (heart attack)
August 19 – Sir Frederick Ashton, British choreographer, 83
August 22 – Frances James, operatic soprano, 85
August 24
Kenneth Leighton, English composer
Nat Stuckey, American country singer
September 17 – Hilde Gueden, operatic soprano, 71
September 22 – Rezső Sugár, Hungarian composer, 68
September 23 – Arwel Hughes, composer and conductor
September 26 – Lord Melody, calypso musician, 62
October 7 – Billy Daniels, singer, 73
October 15 – Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji, English composer, music critic and pianist
October 18 – Sir Frederick Ashton, dancer and choreographer
October 19 – Son House, blues musician
October 20 – Mogens Wöldike, Danish conductor
November 8 – Warren Casey, US theatre composer, lyricist, writer, and actor, 53 (AIDS-related)
November 13
Antal Doráti, conductor, 82
Jaromír Vejvoda, Czech composer, 86
November 24 – Irmgard Seefried, operatic soprano, 69
November 26 – Antonio Estévez, composer
November 30 – Charlie Rouse, saxophonist, 64
December 2 – Tata Giacobetti, Italian singer and lyricist (Quartetto Cetra)
December 6 – Roy Orbison, singer, 52 (heart attack)
December 16 – Sylvester, R&B singer, disco performer, 41 (complications from AIDS)
December 21 – Paul Jeffreys, bassist (Cockney Rebel), 36 (killed in the crash of Pan Am Flight 103)
December 25 – Evgeny Golubev, Russian composer, 78
December 26 – Pablo Sorozábal, Spanish composer, 91
date unknown
Kenneth Morris, gospel composer and publisher, 71
Håkan Parkman, Swedish composer, arranger and choral director, 33 (drowned)
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.
Grammy Awards
Grammy Awards of 1988
Country Music Association Awards
1988 Country Music Association Awards
Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1988
Charts
List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1988 (U.S.)
See also
Record labels established in 1988
References
20th century in music
Music by year