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Modern Rock gets its own chart.

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Events that shaped Alternative Rock and Modern Rock Radio during that year

Modern Rock Chart Debuts

It was the artists who DID NOT want to be "charted"! Billboard Magazine had other ideas, as it published its first Modern Rock Tracks Chart in their September 10th issue in 1988.

The chart ranked the top 30 tracks played on Modern Rock stations across the country, which also included non · commercial college rock stations, giving the "alternative" sub·genre of rock their own chart. As with other Billboard charts, this aided radio station managers and program directors to give the most airplay to the songs most popular among modern rock listeners.

The chart's first number one came from Siouxsie and the Banshees' Peek · A · Boo.

Video courtesy of YouTube

Established Bands Find Early Success On Modern Rock Chart

Although the chart didn't debut until September, the first year of Billboard's Modern Rock chart nearly seemed like a full year, as all of the number ones - 5 total - came from modern rock's established bands. The list includes Siouxsie and the Banshees, Big Audio Dynamite, the Psychedelic Furs, the now · legendary band U2, and R.E.M.

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All tracks listed on Billboard Magazine's Modern Rock Tracks chart that year.

Title Artist Peak Date Of Entry
Peek·A·Boo Siouxie And The Banshees # 1 1988-09-10
Just Play Music! Big Audio Dynamite # 1 1988-09-10
Crash The Primitives # 3 1988-09-10
Breakfast In Bed UB40 & Chrissie Hynde # 4 1988-09-10
Tumblin' Down Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers # 5 1988-09-10
Intoxication Shriekback # 6 1988-09-10
All That Money Wants The Psychedelic Furs # 1 1988-09-10
Wild Wild West The Escape Club # 3 1988-09-10
What's The Matter Here? 10,000 Maniacs # 9 1988-09-10
What's On Your Mind Information Society # 10 1988-09-10
Christine House Of Love # 8 1988-09-10
Up There Down There Patti Smith # 6 1988-09-10
High Time Icicle Works # 13 1988-09-10
Liar Liar Debbie Harry # 14 1988-09-10
Don't Go Hothouse Flowers # 7 1988-09-10
Dumb Things Paul Kelly & The Messengers # 16 1988-09-10
Motorcrash The Sugarcubes # 10 1988-09-10
Back On The Breadline Hunters & Collectors # 6 1988-09-10
Don't Walk Away Toni Childs # 17 1988-09-10
All I Wanted In Tua Nua # 17 1988-09-10
What I Am Edie Brickell & New Bohemians # 4 1988-09-10
Glad I'm Not A Kennedy Shona Laing # 14 1988-09-10
So Excited Ranking Roger # 23 1988-09-10
Talkin' About A Revolution Tracy Chapman # 24 1988-09-10
Chains Of Love Erasure # 22 1988-09-10
Crystal Palace The Bible # 26 1988-09-10
Don't Let It Break You Down Graham Parker # 27 1988-09-10
Never Tear Us Apart INXS # 28 1988-09-10
Better Be Home Soon Crowded House # 29 1988-09-10
Living For You Joan Armatrading # 30 1988-09-10
Jesus Christ U2 # 9 1988-09-17
Anchorage Michelle Shocked # 16 1988-09-17
Another Kind Of Love Hugh Cornwall # 11 1988-09-17
Shark Talk Shriekback # 19 1988-09-17
Tell That Girl To Shut Up Transvision Vamp # 9 1988-09-17
Jump In The River Sinead O'Connor # 17 1988-09-17
Other 99 Big Audio Dynamite # 13 1988-09-17
King Of Emotion Big Country # 11 1988-09-17
I've Got A Feeling The Screaming Tribesmen # 7 1988-09-17
Every Dog Has His Day Let's Active # 17 1988-09-24
Put This Love To The Test Jon Astley # 3 1988-09-24
Def Con 1 Pop Will Eat Itself # 30 1988-09-24
The Killing Jar Siouxie And The Banshees # 2 1988-10-01
Doctorin' The Tardis The Timelords # 17 1988-10-01
Slow Turning John Hiatt # 22 1988-10-01
Desire U2 # 1 1988-10-08
Jane Says Jane's Addiction # 6 1988-10-08
My Bag Lloyd Cole And The Commotions # 13 1988-10-08
Carolyn's Fingers Cocteau Twins # 2 1988-10-08
Away The Feelies # 6 1988-10-15
The Great Commandment Camouflage # 3 1988-10-22
Winning Side Oingo Boingo # 14 1988-10-22
Domino Dancing The Pet Shop Boys # 22 1988-10-22
If Love Was A Train Michelle Shocked # 20 1988-10-22
Waiting For The Great Leap Forward Billy Bragg # 20 1988-10-22
I'm Sorry Hothouse Flowers # 12 1988-10-22
In Your Room The Bangles # 5 1988-10-29
Dreamworld Midnight Oil # 16 1988-10-29
I Don't Want Your Love Duran Duran # 13 1988-10-29
I Say Nothing Voice Of The Beehive # 11 1988-11-05
Angel Of Harlem U2 # 3 1988-11-05
Ana Ng They Might Be Giants # 11 1988-11-05
Charlotte Anne Julian Cope # 1 1988-11-12
1969 The Pretenders # 21 1988-11-12
Turning The Tide Richard Thompson # 30 1988-11-12
Orange Crush R.E.M. # 1 1988-11-19
Way Behind Me The Primitives # 8 1988-11-19
I'm An Adult Now Pursuit Of Happiness # 6 1988-11-19
When Love Comes To Town U2 # 10 1988-11-19
Walk The Dinosaur Was (Not Was) # 30 1988-11-19
She's Got A New Spell Billy Bragg # 16 1988-11-26
A Little Respect Erasure # 15 1988-11-26
Be With You The Jack Rubies # 18 1988-11-26
Cruella Deville The Replacements # 11 1988-11-26
Pop Song 89 R.E.M. # 16 1988-12-03
Perfect Fairground Attraction # 23 1988-12-03
Im Nin'Alu Ofra Haza # 18 1988-12-03
Fisherman's Blues The Waterboys # 3 1988-12-10
Call Me Blue A House # 9 1988-12-10
Stand R.E.M. # 1 1988-12-10
Tears Run Rings Marc Almond # 8 1988-12-10
Kiss The Art Of Noise Featuring Tom Jones # 14 1988-12-10
Cat·House Danielle Dax # 29 1988-12-10
Moons Of Jupiter Scruffy The Cat # 23 1988-12-10
Walking Away Information Society # 15 1988-12-17
Sweet Jane Cowboy Junkies # 5 1988-12-17
(Believed You Were) Lucky 'Til Tuesday # 30 1988-12-17
Was There Anything I Could Do? The Go·Betweens # 16 1988-12-24
Teenage Riot Sonic Youth # 20 1988-12-24

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