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List of Billboard Modern Rock Tracks number ones of the 1980s

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introduced the chart in response to demand within the music industry for consistent information on the commercial performance of alternative music. During the decade, it was known as the Modern Rock Tracks chart and tabulated based on weighted reports from twenty-nine radio stations: eighteen
1337: 1368: 1373: 1394: 1352: 1347: 1342: 1319: 1314: 1309: 1304: 1299: 1281: 1266: 162: 1276: 1271: 891: 101:" spent the longest period atop the chart during the decade, staying at number one for eight consecutive weeks from November 1988 to January 1989. The final number one of the 1980s was " 856: 946: 1097: 296: 252: 74: 25: 1216: 901: 97:
each scored two number-one songs on the Modern Rock Tracks chart during the 1980s, the most for any artist within the decade. The R.E.M. song "
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on rock radio in the late 1980s. As less-established alternative acts were receiving minimal exposure on
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established standard-bearer commercial stations and eleven non-commercial college stations.
54: 1183: 702: 496: 189: 1176: 505: 468: 390: 89:. By the end of the decade, twenty-two songs had topped the chart. The American bands 1388: 1148: 857:"Billboard Has A New Top 10 List: 'Modern Rock' Is Meant To Chart Up-and-coming Acts" 740: 677: 627: 205: 94: 652: 646: 40: 217: 440: 399: 44: 668: 530: 777: 20: 937:"Celebrating 20 Years Of Modern-Rock Countdowns, From Siouxsie To Staind" 555: 449: 221: 69:
The Modern Rock Tracks chart debuted in the September 10, 1988, issue of
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radio stations, their labels turned to modern rock stations for airplay.
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artists on Modern Rock Tracks compared to its companion chart,
1065:. Vol. 100, no. 52. December 24, 1988. p. Y-22 352: 53:, it was created in the midst of the growing popularity of 1395:
Lists of number-one modern rock songs in the United States
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Are We Not New Wave?: Modern Pop at the Turn of the 1980s
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radio stations. Published by the music industry magazine
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was the first song to top the Modern Rock Tracks chart.
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each attained two number-one hits during the decade.
1361: 1328: 1290: 1252: 1234: 140: 992:"The B-52s Chart History (Alternative Airplay)" 224:spent seven weeks atop the chart in 1989 with " 1210: 886: 884: 43:that ranks the most-played songs on American 8: 1024:"R.E.M. Chart History (Alternative Airplay)" 73:, with the inaugural number-one song being " 1217: 1203: 1195: 231: 922: 1048: 1046: 978: 839: 19: 829: 1004:from the original on November 17, 2021 7: 900:. September 19, 1988. Archived from 1103:from the original on March 22, 2022 855:Milward, John (November 24, 1988). 949:from the original on June 16, 2013 935:Shipley, Al (September 10, 2008). 14: 1155:(1st ed.). Record Research. 1236:Hot Rock & Alternative Songs 188: 177: 137:– Return of a song to number one 572: 294: 250: 1: 1131:University of Michigan Press 817: 789: 761: 733: 711: 689: 661: 639: 611: 589: 567: 539: 517: 489: 461: 433: 411: 383: 361: 339: 311: 289: 267: 148: 1416: 719:Pictures of Matchstick Men 1330:Adult Alternative Airplay 862:The Philadelphia Inquirer 794: 766: 738: 716: 694: 666: 644: 616: 594: 544: 522: 494: 466: 438: 416: 388: 366: 344: 316: 303:Siouxsie and the Banshees 272: 259:Siouxsie and the Banshees 243: 240: 237: 234: 157: 152: 79:Siouxsie and the Banshees 59:album-oriented rock (AOR) 30:Siouxsie and the Banshees 1225:Lists of number ones on 1125:Cateforis, Theo (2011). 1085:"Top Modern Rock Tracks" 1054:"Top Modern Rock Tracks" 806:The Jesus and Mary Chain 697:Sowing the Seeds of Love 107:The Jesus and Mary Chain 1292:Mainstream Rock Airplay 105:" by the Scottish band 28:" by English rock band 897:Los Angeles Daily News 229: 77:" by the English band 33: 220: 23: 725:Camper Van Beethoven 328:The Psychedelic Furs 319:All That Money Wants 1400:1980s record charts 1254:Alternative Airplay 1244:List of number ones 1177:Alternative Airplay 241:Reached number one 37:Alternative Airplay 1182:2021-07-10 at the 686:September 16, 1989 547:Fascination Street 525:Mayor of Simpleton 308:September 24, 1988 286:September 17, 1988 281:Big Audio Dynamite 264:September 10, 1988 230: 226:Fascination Street 34: 1382: 1381: 1162:978-0-8982-0114-7 1140:978-0-4720-3470-3 822: 821: 814:December 30, 1989 758:November 11, 1989 458:February 11, 1989 380:November 26, 1988 171: 170: 87:Album Rock Tracks 55:alternative music 1407: 1219: 1212: 1205: 1196: 1166: 1144: 1113: 1112: 1110: 1108: 1102: 1089: 1081: 1075: 1074: 1072: 1070: 1058: 1050: 1041: 1040: 1038: 1036: 1020: 1014: 1013: 1011: 1009: 988: 982: 976: 959: 958: 956: 954: 932: 926: 920: 914: 913: 911: 909: 904:on March 4, 2016 888: 879: 878: 876: 874: 869:on March 3, 2016 865:. Archived from 852: 843: 837: 815: 810: 809: 808: 797:Blues from a Gun 787: 786:December 9, 1989 782: 781: 780: 759: 754: 753: 752: 731: 730:October 21, 1989 709: 708:October 14, 1989 687: 682: 681: 680: 659: 637: 632: 631: 630: 609: 603:Public Image Ltd 587: 581:Love and Rockets 565: 560: 559: 558: 537: 515: 510: 509: 508: 487: 482: 481: 480: 478:The Replacements 459: 454: 453: 452: 431: 430:January 28, 1989 409: 408:January 21, 1989 404: 403: 402: 381: 359: 358:October 22, 1988 337: 332: 331: 330: 309: 287: 275:Just Play Music! 265: 232: 192: 181: 141: 136: 123: 113:Number-one songs 103:Blues from a Gun 1415: 1414: 1410: 1409: 1408: 1406: 1405: 1404: 1385: 1384: 1383: 1378: 1374:Mainstream Rock 1357: 1324: 1286: 1248: 1230: 1223: 1184:Wayback Machine 1173: 1163: 1147: 1141: 1124: 1121: 1116: 1106: 1104: 1100: 1087: 1083: 1082: 1078: 1068: 1066: 1056: 1052: 1051: 1044: 1034: 1032: 1022: 1021: 1017: 1007: 1005: 990: 989: 985: 977: 962: 952: 950: 934: 933: 929: 921: 917: 907: 905: 890: 889: 882: 872: 870: 854: 853: 846: 838: 831: 827: 813: 804: 803: 802: 785: 776: 775: 774: 757: 748: 747: 746: 729: 707: 703:Tears for Fears 685: 676: 675: 674: 658:August 26, 1989 657: 635: 626: 625: 624: 607: 585: 563: 554: 553: 552: 535: 513: 504: 503: 502: 485: 476: 475: 474: 457: 448: 447: 446: 429: 407: 398: 397: 396: 379: 357: 336:October 1, 1988 335: 326: 325: 324: 307: 285: 263: 245: 215: 214: 213: 212: 195: 194: 193: 184: 183: 182: 167: 134: 131:number-one song 121: 115: 12: 11: 5: 1413: 1411: 1403: 1402: 1397: 1387: 1386: 1380: 1379: 1377: 1376: 1371: 1365: 1363: 1359: 1358: 1356: 1355: 1350: 1345: 1340: 1334: 1332: 1326: 1325: 1323: 1322: 1317: 1312: 1307: 1302: 1296: 1294: 1288: 1287: 1285: 1284: 1279: 1274: 1269: 1264: 1258: 1256: 1250: 1249: 1247: 1246: 1240: 1238: 1232: 1231: 1224: 1222: 1221: 1214: 1207: 1199: 1193: 1192: 1172: 1171:External links 1169: 1168: 1167: 1161: 1149:Whitburn, Joel 1145: 1139: 1120: 1117: 1115: 1114: 1076: 1042: 1015: 983: 981:, p. 248. 960: 927: 923:Cateforis 2011 915: 880: 844: 828: 826: 823: 820: 819: 816: 811: 800: 792: 791: 788: 783: 772: 769:Love and Anger 764: 763: 760: 755: 744: 736: 735: 732: 727: 722: 714: 713: 710: 705: 700: 692: 691: 688: 683: 672: 664: 663: 660: 655: 650: 642: 641: 638: 636:August 5, 1989 633: 622: 614: 613: 610: 605: 600: 592: 591: 588: 583: 578: 570: 569: 566: 561: 550: 542: 541: 538: 533: 528: 520: 519: 516: 514:March 18, 1989 511: 506:Elvis Costello 500: 492: 491: 488: 486:March 11, 1989 483: 472: 464: 463: 460: 455: 444: 436: 435: 432: 427: 422: 414: 413: 410: 405: 394: 391:Charlotte Anne 386: 385: 382: 377: 372: 364: 363: 360: 355: 350: 342: 341: 338: 333: 322: 314: 313: 310: 305: 300: 292: 291: 288: 283: 278: 270: 269: 266: 261: 256: 248: 247: 242: 239: 236: 197: 196: 187: 186: 185: 176: 175: 174: 173: 172: 169: 168: 166: 165: 160: 155: 149: 146: 145: 139: 138: 132: 119: 114: 111: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1412: 1401: 1398: 1396: 1393: 1392: 1390: 1375: 1372: 1370: 1367: 1366: 1364: 1360: 1354: 1351: 1349: 1346: 1344: 1341: 1339: 1336: 1335: 1333: 1331: 1327: 1321: 1318: 1316: 1313: 1311: 1308: 1306: 1303: 1301: 1298: 1297: 1295: 1293: 1289: 1283: 1280: 1278: 1275: 1273: 1270: 1268: 1265: 1263: 1260: 1259: 1257: 1255: 1251: 1245: 1242: 1241: 1239: 1237: 1233: 1228: 1220: 1215: 1213: 1208: 1206: 1201: 1200: 1197: 1191: 1190: 1185: 1181: 1178: 1175: 1174: 1170: 1164: 1158: 1154: 1150: 1146: 1142: 1136: 1132: 1128: 1123: 1122: 1118: 1099: 1095: 1094: 1086: 1080: 1077: 1064: 1063: 1055: 1049: 1047: 1043: 1031: 1030: 1025: 1019: 1016: 1003: 999: 998: 993: 987: 984: 980: 979:Whitburn 1996 975: 973: 971: 969: 967: 965: 961: 948: 944: 943: 938: 931: 928: 925:, p. 65. 924: 919: 916: 903: 899: 898: 893: 887: 885: 881: 868: 864: 863: 858: 851: 849: 845: 841: 840:Whitburn 1996 836: 834: 830: 824: 812: 807: 801: 798: 793: 784: 779: 773: 770: 765: 756: 751: 750:Ian McCulloch 745: 742: 741:Proud to Fall 737: 728: 726: 723: 720: 715: 706: 704: 701: 698: 693: 684: 679: 673: 670: 665: 656: 654: 651: 648: 643: 634: 629: 623: 620: 615: 608:July 29, 1989 606: 604: 601: 598: 593: 586:June 24, 1989 584: 582: 579: 576: 571: 562: 557: 551: 548: 543: 536:April 1, 1989 534: 532: 529: 526: 521: 512: 507: 501: 498: 493: 484: 479: 473: 470: 465: 456: 451: 445: 442: 437: 428: 426: 423: 420: 415: 406: 401: 395: 392: 387: 378: 376: 373: 370: 365: 356: 354: 351: 348: 343: 334: 329: 323: 320: 315: 306: 304: 301: 298: 293: 284: 282: 279: 276: 271: 262: 260: 257: 254: 249: 233: 227: 223: 219: 210: 207: 203: 200: 191: 180: 164: 161: 159: 156: 154: 151: 150: 147: 143: 142: 133: 130: 128: 120: 117: 116: 112: 110: 108: 104: 100: 96: 92: 88: 84: 80: 76: 72: 67: 64: 60: 56: 52: 51: 46: 42: 38: 31: 27: 22: 18: 16: 1261: 1226: 1187: 1152: 1126: 1119:Bibliography 1105:. Retrieved 1091: 1079: 1067:. Retrieved 1060: 1033:. Retrieved 1027: 1018: 1006:. Retrieved 995: 986: 951:. Retrieved 940: 930: 918: 906:. Retrieved 902:the original 895: 871:. Retrieved 867:the original 860: 842:, p. 8. 653:Hoodoo Gurus 647:Come Anytime 597:Disappointed 369:Orange Crush 208: 201: 126: 99:Orange Crush 70: 68: 62: 48: 41:record chart 35: 17: 15: 1369:Alternative 1229:rock charts 1153:Rock Tracks 564:May 6, 1989 469:I'll Be You 441:Dirty Blvd. 400:Julian Cope 246:number one 83:independent 45:modern rock 1389:Categories 825:References 678:The B-52's 669:Love Shack 628:The B-52's 297:Peek-a-Boo 253:Peek-a-Boo 206:The B-52's 95:The B-52's 75:Peek-a-Boo 26:Peek-a-Boo 1227:Billboard 1189:Billboard 1093:Billboard 1062:Billboard 1029:Billboard 997:Billboard 778:Kate Bush 619:Channel Z 144:Contents 127:Billboard 71:Billboard 63:Billboard 50:Billboard 1180:Archived 1151:(1996). 1098:Archived 1002:Archived 953:June 13, 947:Archived 942:Idolator 908:June 13, 873:June 13, 575:So Alive 556:The Cure 497:Veronica 450:Lou Reed 244:Weeks at 222:The Cure 209:(bottom) 129:year-end 1362:Artists 238:Artist 163:1990s → 1159:  1137:  1107:May 8, 1069:May 8, 1035:May 8, 1008:May 8, 425:R.E.M. 375:R.E.M. 347:Desire 299:" ↑ † 199:R.E.M. 91:R.E.M. 1353:2020s 1348:2010s 1343:2000s 1338:1990s 1320:2020s 1315:2010s 1310:2000s 1305:1990s 1300:1980s 1282:2020s 1277:2010s 1272:2000s 1267:1990s 1262:1980s 1101:(PDF) 1088:(PDF) 1057:(PDF) 419:Stand 235:Song 202:(top) 39:is a 1157:ISBN 1135:ISBN 1109:2020 1071:2020 1037:2020 1010:2020 955:2013 910:2013 875:2013 577:" † 255:" † 204:and 158:1989 153:1988 93:and 1186:at 531:XTC 118:Key 1391:: 1133:. 1129:. 1090:. 1059:. 1045:^ 1026:. 1000:. 994:. 963:^ 945:. 939:. 894:. 883:^ 859:. 847:^ 832:^ 818:3 799:" 790:3 771:" 762:4 743:" 734:3 721:" 712:1 699:" 690:4 671:" 662:3 649:" 640:3 621:" 612:1 599:" 590:5 568:7 549:" 540:5 527:" 518:2 499:" 490:1 471:" 462:4 443:" 434:2 421:" 412:1 393:" 384:8 371:" 362:5 353:U2 349:" 340:3 321:" 312:1 290:1 277:" 268:1 228:". 124:– 109:. 1218:e 1211:t 1204:v 1165:. 1143:. 1111:. 1073:. 1039:. 1012:. 957:. 912:. 877:. 795:" 767:" 739:" 717:" 695:" 667:" 645:" 617:" 595:" 573:" 545:" 523:" 495:" 467:" 439:" 417:" 389:" 367:" 345:" 317:" 295:" 273:" 251:" 135:↑ 122:† 24:"

Index

A black-haired woman wearing a leather jacket sings into a microphone.
Peek-a-Boo
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Alternative Airplay
record chart
modern rock
Billboard
alternative music
album-oriented rock (AOR)
Peek-a-Boo
Siouxsie and the Banshees
independent
Album Rock Tracks
R.E.M.
The B-52's
Orange Crush
Blues from a Gun
The Jesus and Mary Chain
Billboard year-end
1988
1989
1990s →
A blue-tinted photograph of musicians in front of an industrial background. From left to right: a long-haired male stands with his back to the camera playing bass guitar, a middle-aged Caucasian male sings into a microphone, a middle-aged Caucasian male plays behind a black-and-silver drum set on a riser, and a guitar player is mostly cropped from the extreme left of the photo.
A group of musicians perform on a lighted stage. From left to right: a short-haired man plays bass guitar, a blond-haired woman plays the bongos, an red-haired woman holds a microphone, and a man wearing sunglasses and a blue shirt sings into a microphone.
R.E.M.
The B-52's
On a purple-lit stage, two men play guitars while a third man sits behind a drum kit.
The Cure
Fascination Street
Peek-a-Boo

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