1987 in music

none August 2011 1987 1987 music radio television film This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1987. Specific locations 1987 in British music 1987 in Japanese music 1987 in Norwegian music 1987 in Scandinavian music 1987 in South Korean music Specific genres 1987 in country music 1987 in heavy metal music 1987 in hip-hop music 1987 in jazz 1987 in progressive rock Events December 2014 January–February January 3 – Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the United States.Joan Potter Constance Claytor African-American firsts : famous, little-known and unsung triumphs of Blacks in America Pinto Press 1994 9780963247612 215 The other inductees this year consist of The Coasters, Eddie Cochran, Bo Diddley, Marvin Gaye, Bill Haley, Clyde McPhatter, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Smokey Robinson and Jackie Wilson. January 5 – Elton John, after several months of voice problems, undergoes throat surgery in an Australian hospital. The outcome would hinder his voice permanently and he would soon start singing in a deep register. January 16 – Beastie Boys become the first act to be censored by American Bandstand.March 2026 January 24 – Steve "Silk" Hurley's innovative "Jack Your Body" becomes the first house music record to top the UK singles chart. February 6 – Sonny Bono announces his candidacy for mayor of Palm Springs, California. February 14 Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" reaches #1 in the USA. It would be 1987's biggest hit song worldwide. Los Angeles radio station KMET signs off after nineteen years on the air. The station had been a pioneer of underground progressive rock programming. February 15 – Video Hits premieres on Australian television. February 24 – The 29th Annual Grammy Awards are presented in Los Angeles, hosted by Billy Crystal. Paul Simon's Graceland wins Album of the Year, Steve Winwood's "Higher Love" wins Record of the Year and Dionne Warwick's cover of "That's What Friends Are For", featuring Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder, wins Song of the Year. Bruce Hornsby & the Range win Best New Artist. February 26 – The first four Beatles albums, Please Please Me, With the Beatles, A Hard Day's Night and Beatles for Sale are released on compact disc. Capitol Records decides to release the original UK mixes of the Beatles albums, which means that the first four CDs are released in mono. This marks the first time that many of these mono mixes are available in the US. March–April March 9 U2 releases The Joshua Tree, an album that launches them into superstar status in the music world. The album would sell over 14 million copies worldwide in 1987 alone and would win the Grammy for "Album of the Year" (at the 1988 ceremony). U2 have two #1 hit songs from this album on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts. Carole King is inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York City. The career that would end in an infamous appearance at The Brit awards and the burning of a million pounds began in Britain, as The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu release their debut single, "All You Need Is Love". March 13 Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In the US, Bryan Adams' "Heat of the Night" becomes the first single to be commercially released on cassette. Cassette singles become known as cassingles. March 27 – Inspired by The Beatles' 1969 rooftop concert, U2 shoots a music video for the song "Where the Streets Have No Name" on a rooftop in Los Angeles. April 23 — Carole King sues the owner of her record company, Lou Adler, claiming that she is owed more than $400,000 in royalties. King also asks for rights to her old recordings. May–August May 9 – Ireland's Johnny Logan wins the Eurovision Song Contest, held in Brussels, Belgium, with the song "Hold Me Now", making him the first artist to win the contest twice. The song tops the charts in Ireland, and peaks at No. 2 in the UK.Eurovision Song Contest 1987 Eurovision Song Contest 1987 Eurovision Song Contest Eurovision Song Contest RTBF / EBU 9 May 1987 June 14 – Madonna starts her Who's That Girl Tour in Osaka, Japan. June 27 – Whitney Houston's second album Whitney becomes the first album by a female artist to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200. July 4 Kylie Minogue's recording career begins with the release of her cover version of the Little Eva hit The Loco-Motion; the single spends seven weeks at number one in her native Australia and leads to a contract with UK-based record producers Stock Aitken Waterman. The first joint rock concert between the United States and the Soviet Union is held in Moscow to promote peace. The Doobie Brothers, James Taylor, Santana and Bonnie Raitt share the bill with Soviet rock group Autograph. July 21 – American rock group Guns N' Roses release Appetite for Destruction which, after initial slow sales, will become the best-selling debut album of all time, with more than 18 million copies sold in the US alone to date. August 1 Dave Stewart of Eurythmics and Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama are married in Normandy, France. MTV Europe is launched. The first video played is "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits. August 3 – Def Leppard releases Hysteria, the longest rock album ever released as a single LP or cassette. August 5 – The 1st Teens' Music Festival is held in Japan.https://www.yamaha-mf.or.jp/history/e-history/tmf/teens87.html Teens Music Festival '87 Yamaha 16 March 2026 August 19 – Rita Lee starts her Tour 87/88 in Vitória, Brazil.https://acervo.folha.com.br/digital/leitor.do?numero=10002&keyword=Lee%2CRita&anchor=4302365&origem=busca&originURL=&maxTouch=0&pd=07de221d6209cc5c2e73ab8053efdac5 Rita, figurinos bregas e 'revival' leve Folha de S.Paulo 1987-09-26 2026-05-23 pt-br subscription August 27 – The Jello Biafra criminal trial is dismissed after ending in a hung jury in Los Angeles court. Biafra and his manager had been charged with distributing harmful material to minors due to a poster included in the Dead Kennedys' Frankenchrist album of a painting depicting rows of sexual organs. August 31 – Michael Jackson releases Bad, his first studio album since Thriller, the best-selling album of all time. The album would produce five number one singles in the US, a record which has not been broken. September–October September 3 – Fugazi plays their first live show (as a three-piece; Guy Picciotto had not joined the band yet) at the Wilson Center in Washington DC. September 6 – Madonna ends her Who's That Girl Tour in Florence, Italy. September 7 – Pink Floyd release A Momentary Lapse of Reason, their first album after the departure of, and legal battle with, bassist Roger Waters. The subsequent tour grossed around $135 million worldwide, a sum that was only equaled by the earnings of Michael Jackson and U2 combined. September 11 – Reggae musician Peter Tosh is murdered during a robbery in his home. September 12 – Michael Jackson starts the Bad World Tour, supporting his Bad album. September 15–October 4 – Johnny Hallyday performs at the Accor Arena for the first time. September 25 – CBS launches an American version of the long-running UK television show Top of the Pops. It lasts one year. October 4 – Electronic data gathering completely replaces the old sales diary technique in compiling the UK singles and albums chart. The publication day of new charts is moved from Tuesday to Sunday. October 8 – Chuck Berry receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. October 19 – Mötley Crüe release the song "You're All I Need" as a single. MTV refuse to play its video because of the level of violence. October 24 – The 16th OTI Festival, held at the Teatro São Luiz in Lisbon, Portugal, is won by the son "es La felicidad está en un rincón de tu corazón no", written by Luis Gerardo Tovar and Arnoldo Nali, and performed by Alfredo Alejandro representing Venezuela. October 30 – George Michael releases his first solo studio album, Faith, which would win the Grammy Award for album of the year and sell 11 million copies in the USA alone. October 31 – The Zorros headline on Halloween for the last-ever show at the Crystal Ballroom, Melbourne's premier Punk/New Wave venue. The Crystal Ballroom has seen almost ten years of intense musical evolution. The venue has chandeliers, stained glass windows, paisley wallpaper and a tiled foyer. November–December November 2 – Dokken released Back for the Attack. November 13 – Sonny and Cher reunite for a performance on Late Night with David Letterman. November 18 – CBS Records is sold to the Sony Corporation in a deal worth about $2 billion; the company was renamed Sony Music Entertainment in 1991. November 19 – Cher returns to the music after five years of absence - time that she took to dedicate herself to the filmmaking business - with the lead single of her second self-titled album (and eighteenth overall), "I Found Someone", which peaked at number five in UK and number ten in US. November 24 – ABC airs Rolling Stone Magazine's 20 Years of Rock 'n' Roll television special, chronicling the music and the people of the past twenty years to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Rolling Stone magazine. The special includes new interviews as well as vintage performance footage of many rock legends such as Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Sex Pistols, Bruce Springsteen and many more. December 16 – John Mellencamp performs two free shows in the small town of Chillicothe, Ohio after one-fifth of the population signs a petition asking him to play. December 23 Nikki Sixx of the rock band Mötley Crüe suffers a heroin overdose, but is revived shortly thereafter. Roger Waters finalizes his departure from British progressive rock band Pink Floyd, after a two-year-long legal dispute over the rights to the band's name and assets.https://ultimateclassicrock.com/pink-floyd-finalizes-breakup/ How Roger Waters' Split From Pink Floyd Was Eventually Finalized Jeff Giles Ultimate Classic Rock December 23, 2015 December 31 – The sixteenth annual New Year's Rockin' Eve special airs on ABC, with appearances by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, Los Lobos, Barry Manilow, Restless Heart and The Temptations. Also in 1987 Andreas Kisser replaces Jairo Guedes in Sepultura. Prince cancels The Black Album just before its release. It becomes officially available in 1994. Naxos Records is established as a budget classical music CD label by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong. Bands formed See Musical groups established in 1987 Bands disbanded See Musical groups disestablished in 1987 Bands reformed Blue Öyster Cult The Doobie Brothers Lynyrd Skynyrd Prism Albums released January–March DateAlbumArtistNotes JANUARY12 The House of Blue Light Deep Purple -14 Don't Disturb This Groove The System -16 Carne Humana Zero -19 By the Light of the Moon Los Lobos - Warehouse: Songs and Stories Hüsker Dü double album20 Echelons For Against - The Return of Bruno Bruce Willis Debut21 Ana Ana -29 Ready or Not Lou Gramm Solo Debut? Blame the Messenger David Thomas& The Wooden Birds - The First Chapter The Mission Compilation Gaudi The Alan Parsons Project - I Hear You Rockin' Dave Edmunds Live Up for a Bit with The Pastels The Pastels - Best of the West Riders in the Sky Compilation FEBRUARY9 Life as We Know It REO Speedwagon -10 Yo! Bum Rush the Show Public Enemy -13 All in the Name of Love Atlantic Starr - Pictures in the Sky Rich Mullins -17 Fighting the World Manowar - Lee Aaron Lee Aaron -18 Maggots: The Record Wendy O. Williams and Plasmatics -23 Jody Watley Jody Watley - The World Won't Listen The Smiths Compilation24 Sheila E. Sheila E. -? The Cost of Loving The Style Council UK Freedom Santana - Life Time Rollins Band Debut Midnight to Midnight The Psychedelic Furs - Starting Up Roy Wood -MARCH2 Wild Frontier Gary Moore - Boi-ngo Oingo Boingo - Exposure Exposé - Saint Julian Julian Cope - Through the Looking Glass Siouxsie and the Banshees - Trio Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton -3 Criminal Minded Boogie Down Productions Debut Private Revolution World Party Debut9 The Joshua Tree U2 - Men and Women Simply Red -16 Running in the Family Level 42 - Whitesnake (1987) Whitesnake US Among the Living Anthrax - Smooth Sailin' The Isley Brothers -23 Big Life Night Ranger - Now That's What I Call Music 9 (UK series) Various Artists Compilation28 Even If and Especially When Screaming Trees -30 Sign o' the Times Prince double album Into the Fire Bryan Adams - The Circus Erasure UK Louder Than Bombs The Smiths US, compilation31 At My Window Townes Van Zandt -? Breakfast Club Breakfast Club - Come as You Are Peter Wolf - If You Want to Defeat Your Enemy Sing His Song The Icicle Works - Locust Abortion Technician Butthole Surfers - Official Version Front 242 - Taking Over Overkill - April–June DateAlbumArtistNotes APRIL1 Solitude Standing Suzanne Vega -2 Incognito Céline Dion -6 Electric The Cult - Close to the Bone Thompson Twins - Meet Danny Wilson Danny Wilson - Raindancing Alison Moyet -7 Rock the House DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince -8 Spanish Fly Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam -11 Angel with a Lariat k.d. lang and the Reclines -13 F.L.M. Mel and Kim - Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town Johnny Cash - Tango in the Night Fleetwood Mac - Tell No Tales TNT -15 Death Before Dishonour The Exploited -16 Tribute Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads Live 198121 Never Let Me Down David Bowie - The Legacy Testament -23 Introduce Yourself Faith No More - The Ultra-Violence Death Angel -24 Join the Army Suicidal Tendencies -27 Dead Letter Office R.E.M. Compilation Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Living in a Box Living in a Box - This Is the Story The Proclaimers Debut You Boyz Make Big Noize Slade -? Coming Around Again Carly Simon - The Ideal Copy Wire - Life's a Bitch Raven - One Voice Barbra Streisand Live Out & Intake Hawkwind Compilation Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) Happy Mondays - Uptown The Neville Brothers - Will Power Joe Jackson - The Young Gods The Young Gods - MAY1 Never Mind the Ballots Chumbawamba - Raintown Deacon Blue debut4 Always & Forever Randy Travis - Dawnrazor Fields of the Nephilim debut8 Red Hot Rhythm & Blues Diana Ross -11 It's Better to Travel Swing Out Sister - Under the Sign of the Black Mark Bathory -12 Flerte Fatal Rita Lee & Roberto de Carvalho -15 Bad Animals Heart - Jane's Addiction Jane's Addiction Live Richard Marx Richard Marx -18 Beverly Hills Cop II Various Artists Soundtrack Exit 0 Steve Earle -20 Girls, Girls, Girls Mötley Crüe - Open Sesame Whodini -21 Proud of the Country Travis Tritt -22 Dana Dane with Fame Dana Dane - Headache Big Black EP23 Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I Helloween -25 Scream Bloody Gore Death -26 Live in the City of Light Simple Minds Live Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me The Cure Double album29 Bigger and Deffer LL Cool J - Bring the Family John Hiatt -? Blow Your Cool! Hoodoo Gurus - Chayanne Chayanne - Diminuendo Lowlife - Greatest Hits Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel Compilation In Dreams: The Greatest Hits Roy Orbison Compilation JUNE1 Whitney Whitney Houston - Priest...Live! Judas Priest Live Into the Pandemonium Celtic Frost - R.I.P. Coroner Debut15 Radio K.A.O.S. Roger Waters - Abigail King Diamond - Sold Boy George Solo Debut First Hand Steven Curtis Chapman -22 Clutching at Straws Marillion - Pride White Lion - Strength of Steel Anvil -23 Bangin' The Outfield - I Never Said Goodbye Sammy Hagar original title was Sammy Hagar25 Cleanse Fold and Manipulate Skinny Puppy -26 King's Record Shop Rosanne Cash -29 Pop Goes the World Men Without Hats -30 La Bamba Los Lobos et al. Soundtrack Life Neil Young & Crazy Horse -? Keel Keel - Wild in the Streets Helix - Contagious Y&T - 1987 (What the Fuck Is Going On?) The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu recalled over copyright violation claim Dry As a Bone Green River Extended play Female Trouble Nona Hendryx - Let It Loose Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine - Pleased to Meet Me The Replacements - Sister Sonic Youth - Tallulah The Go-Betweens - July–September DateAlbumArtistNotes JULY1 Scum Napalm Death - Neo Geo Ryuichi Sakamoto -3 Love Is for Suckers Twisted Sister -6 No Protection Starship - Echo & the Bunnymen Echo & the Bunnymen - In the Dark Grateful Dead - Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Elton John Live7 Angel Band Emmylou Harris - Buster Poindexter Buster Poindexter - The Camera Never Lies Michael Franks - Faster Pussycat Faster Pussycat - Frehley's Comet Ace Frehley - Hold On Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Paid in Full Eric B. & Rakim - Touch Laura Branigan -13 Introducing the Hardline According to... Terence Trent D'Arby UK15 Double Fun Fun Fun - Soy Como Quiero Ser Luis Miguel -20 Born to Mack Too Short Debut21 Appetite for Destruction Guns N' Roses Debut Dangerous Attraction Lion - Love Me Like You Used To Tanya Tucker - Who's That Girl Madonna et al. Soundtrack27 Surveillance Triumph - Within the Realm of a Dying Sun Dead Can Dance - In My Tribe 10,000 Maniacs -29 Hearsay Alexander O'Neal -30 Reservations for Two Dionne Warwick -? Missing Links The Monkees Compilation Once Bitten Great White - One Way Home The Hooters - Plays the Devil's Music Lubricated Goat Debut The Poison Boyfriend Momus - Recently Joan Baez - Strange Weather Marianne Faithfull - AUGUST3 Hysteria Def Leppard - Dream Evil Dio -4 Dirty Dancing Various Artists Soundtrack7 Hurricane Eyes Loudness Japan10 Between the Lines Five Star -14 Crushin' Fat Boys -17 Substance 1987 New Order Compilation Rock 'n' Roll Motörhead - Franks Wild Years Tom Waits -18 Out of the Blue Debbie Gibson -19Yo Te Avise Los Fabulosos Cadillacs -21 The $5.98 E.P. - Garage Days Re-Revisited Metallica Covers EP24 The Lonesome Jubilee John Mellencamp - Wendy and Lisa Wendy & Lisa -25 Permanent Vacation Aerosmith - Door to Door The Cars -31 Bad Michael Jackson - Darklands The Jesus and Mary Chain - Move Somethin' 2 Live Crew -? Deathcrush Mayhem Debut/EP Sentimental Hygiene Warren Zevon - Diesel and Dust Midnight Oil - Hearsay Alexander O'Neal - Psonic Psunspot The Dukes of Stratosphear Pseudonym of XTC SEPTEMBER1 Document R.E.M. - Sandbox Guided by Voices -5 Whitecross Whitecross Debut7 A Momentary Lapse of Reason Pink Floyd - Actually Pet Shop Boys - Babylon and On Squeeze - Crest of a Knave Jethro Tull - The Last One to Know Reba McEntire -8 Hold Your Fire Rush - Go On... Mr. Mister -9 Earth, Sun, Moon Love and Rockets -10 Songs About Fucking Big Black Final album11 Together Again The Temptations -14 Always Guaranteed Cliff Richard - Bridge of Spies T'Pau - Dancing with Strangers Chris Rea - Happy? Public Image Ltd - Primitive Cool Mick Jagger -15 All Systems Go Donna Summer - Babylon and On Squeeze - Halfway to Sanity Ramones - Tiffany Tiffany -16 Visual Lies Lizzy Borden -17 London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. II Frank Zappa -18 Wonderful Life Black -21 Crazy Nights Kiss - E.S.P. Bee Gees - Man of Colours Icehouse Australia Piledriver: The Wrestling Album 2 World Wrestling Federation Soundtrack22 The Hunger Michael Bolton -24 The Right Night & Barry White Barry White -28 Big Generator Yes - Islands Mike Oldfield - Come On Pilgrim Pixies Debut/EP Hall of the Mountain King Savatage - Music for the Masses Depeche Mode - Popped In Souled Out Wet Wet Wet UK Strangeways, Here We Come The Smiths -29 The Uplift Mofo Party Plan Red Hot Chili Peppers - Triumph and Agony Warlock Final album? Raising Fear Armored Saint - Rock You to Hell Grim Reaper Final album Vital Idol Billy Idol US/Remix Just Us Alabama - Neighbors The Reels - The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death Housemartins - The Perfect Prescription Spacemen 3 - Poetic Champions Compose Van Morrison - Wildside Loverboy - Wow! Bananarama - October–December Date Album Artist Notes OCTOBER5 Tunnel of Love Bruce Springsteen - The Lion and the Cobra Sinéad O'Connor - Heaven on Earth Belinda Carlisle - Red The Communards - Sonic Flower Groove Primal Scream Debut7 Pleasures of the Flesh Exodus -9 Unchain My Heart Joe Cocker -12 Alphabet City ABC UK Kick INXS - George Best The Wedding Present - Perfect Timing McAuley Schenker Group Debut A Very Special Christmas Various Artists Christmas15 Surfing with the Alien Joe Satriani -16 ...Nothing Like the Sun Sting - Masque Manfred Mann's Earth Band - 1987: The JAMs 45 Edits Justified Ancients of Mu-Mu Re-release of 1987 without the uncleared samples17 Mother Juno The Gun Club -19 Children of God Swans - Secrets of the Beehive David Sylvian -20 Escape from Noise Negativland -23 Free as a Bird Supertramp -26 Best Shots Pat Benatar Greatest Hits Box Frenzy Pop Will Eat Itself - Live at Wembley Meat Loaf UK; Live Mainstream Lloyd Cole and the Commotions - Midnight To Dawn Geisha - Remembrance Days The Dream Academy -27 Huevos Meat Puppets - Robbie Robertson Robbie Robertson -29 Got Any Gum? Joe Walsh -30 Faith George Michael - Schizophrenia Sepultura - Touch the World Earth, Wind & Fire -? Screaming Life Soundgarden EP Raise Your Fist and Yell Alice Cooper - Blues for Salvador Carlos Santana - The Christians The Christians - Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll Chuck Berry Soundtrack Outside Looking In BoDeans - NOVEMBER2 All the Best! Paul McCartney Compilation Cloud Nine George Harrison - Bête Noire Bryan Ferry - Back for the Attack Dokken - Don't Let's Start They Might Be Giants EP You're Under Arrest Serge Gainsbourg -3 How Ya Like Me Now Kool Moe Dee -4 If'n Firehose - Master-Dik Sonic Youth EP Rhyme Pays Ice-T -6 Control: The Remixes Janet Jackson Remix Characters Stevie Wonder - Less than Zero Various Artists Soundtrack N.W.A. and the Posse N.W.A Compilation9 Nightfall Candlemass - Calm Before the Storm Venom - Savage Eurythmics -10 Cher Cher - Hot August Night II Neil Diamond Live13 Floodland The Sisters of Mercy -16 New Traditional Alan Jackson - Whenever You Need Somebody Rick Astley -17 You Can Dance Madonna Remix23 Ecstasy My Bloody Valentine Mini Album Now That's What I Call Music 10 (UK series) Various Artists Compilation24 Canciones de Mi Padre Linda Ronstadt - Make It Last Forever Keith Sweat -27 Live... in the Raw W.A.S.P. Live? Calenture The Triffids - The Eternal Idol Black Sabbath - Love Aztec Camera - The Princess Bride Mark Knopfler Soundtrack Swing Street Barry Manilow - DECEMBER1 Love for What It Is Anita Pointer - Persecution Mania Sodom -7 Inside Information Foreigner -8 I'm the Man Anthrax EP14 You're Living All Over Me Dinosaur Jr. -? The Initial Command Front Line Assembly Debut The Old Masters Box Frank Zappa Box Set One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism Aretha Franklin Live Sinitta! Sinitta UK Thunder Up The Sound Final Album Release date unknown 2X4 – Guadalcanal Diary 25 Years Celebration – The Dubliners The 77s – The 77s Akwaba Beach – Mory Kanté All Our Love - Gladys Knight & the Pips Annual Waltz – John Hartford Babble – That Petrol Emotion Back Again in the DHSS - Half Man Half Biscuit Ballot Result – Minutemen Between Two Worlds – Patrick O'Hearn Bennett/Berlin – Tony Bennett Bird Dog – The Verlaines The Blanton-Webster Years – Duke Ellington Brave Words – The Chills Brenda K. Starr – Brenda K. Starr Casque Colonial - Golden Sounds Catui - Catui The Chipmunk Adventure: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - The Chipmunks and The Chipettes The Cowboy Way – Riders in the Sky D & K – DeGarmo and Key Daddy's Highway – The Bats Dawn – Current 93 Desire – Toyah Drive by Shooting (EP) – Henry Rollins Emergency Broadcast – White Heart Exiles – Dan Fogelberg Eye of the Hurricane – The Alarm Frozen Ghost – Frozen Ghost Fünf auf der nach oben offenen Richterskala – Einstürzende Neubauten Gluey Porch Treatments – Melvins Green Eggs and Crack – Too Much Joy Hai Hai – Roger Hodgson Hold to a Dream - New Grass Revival Hot Animal Machine – Henry Rollins Huevos – Meat Puppets Hot Number – The Fabulous Thunderbirds I Predict 1990 – Steve Taylor If I Were Your Woman – Stephanie Mills I Remember Blind Joe Death – John Fahey Irène Schweizer & Louis Moholo – Irène Schweizer and Louis Moholo The Killer Inside Me – Green on Red Law of the Fish – The Radiators Little Baby Buntin' – Killdozer Live and Loud!! – Sham 69 – Live Live, Love, Larf & Loaf – French Frith Kaiser Thompson Lone Star State of Mind – Nanci Griffith Menjaring Matahari – Ebiet G. Ade Nicely, Nicely – Blake Babies Night Mood: The Music of Ivan Lins – Mark Murphy No Pain for Cakes – The Lounge Lizards One Thousand Years of Trouble – Age of Chance Out of Silence – Yanni Pain of Mind - Neurosis Players – Too Short Poem of the River – Felt The Royal Treatment – Billy Joe Royal Saddle Pals – Riders in the Sky Safety In Numbers – David Van Tieghem See How We Are – X Shaka Zulu – Ladysmith Black Mambazo Silence – Stephan Eicher Songs from the Stage and Screen – Michael Crawford The Sound of Music – The dB's Soy Así – José José Speed Metal Symphony – Cacophony Stinkfist – Clint Ruin and Lydia Lunch Strange Cargo – William Orbit Taj - Taj Mahal This Means War! – Petra Too Late To Cry – Alison Krauss The Tribe – Bernie Taupin Trouble Over Here - Trouble Funk VI – Circle Jerks The Walking – Jane Siberry Wasted...Again – Black Flag Wildest Dreams – Saga Young and Free – Rock Goddess Biggest hit singles The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1987. # Artist Title Year Country Chart Entries 1 Whitney Houston I Wanna Dance with Somebody Who Loves Me 1987 US UK 1 - May 1987 (16 weeks), US Billboard 1 - May 1987 (18 weeks), US Radio 1 of 1987 (peak 1 11 weeks), Holland 1 - May 1987 (13 weeks), Switzerland 1 - May 1987 (17 weeks), Norway 1 - May 1987 (11 weeks), Belgium 1 - May 1987 (13 weeks), Italy 1 for 1 week - Jun 1987, Germany 1 - May 1987 (5 months), ODK Germany 1 - May 1987 (21 weeks) (5 weeks at number 1) (12 weeks in top 10), Canada RPM 1 for 1 week - Jun 1987, New Zealand 1 for 4 weeks - Jun 1987, Australia 1 for 5 weeks - Jun 1987, Springbok 1 - Jun 1987 (24 weeks), Europe 1 for 8 weeks - Jun 1987, Germany 1 for 5 weeks - Jun 1987, US CashBox 2 of 1987, Sweden 2 - May 1987 (5 weeks), Canada 2 of 1987, US Platinum (certified by RIAA in Feb 1989), Austria 3 - Jun 1987 (5 months), Switzerland 3 of 1987, US BB 4 of 1987, Poland 4 - Jun 1987 (19 weeks), South Africa 4 of 1987, UK Gold (certified by BPI in Aug 1987), ARC 10 of 1987 (peak 1 14 weeks), France 10 - Jun 1987 (1 week), Italy 10 of 1987, Australia 11 of 1987, POP 22 of 1987, Brazil 38 of 1987, Germany 67 of the 1980s (peak 1 15 weeks), UK Songs 2013-23 peak 70 - Jan 2022 (5 weeks), nuTsie 83 of 1980s, UKMIX 627, UK most streamed for 1987 2 Rick Astley Never Gonna Give You Up 1987 UK UK 1 - Aug 1987 (24 weeks), US Billboard 1 - Dec 1987 (24 weeks), Holland 1 - Sep 1987 (13 weeks), France 1 - Aug 1987 (3 weeks), Norway 1 - Oct 1987 (10 weeks), Belgium 1 - Sep 1987 (12 weeks), Germany 1 - Sep 1987 (4 months), ODK Germany 1 - Sep 1987 (21 weeks) (3 weeks at number 1) (9 weeks in top 10), Canada RPM 1 for 3 weeks - Mar 1988, New Zealand 1 for 1 week - Feb 1988, Australia 1 for 7 weeks - Nov 1987, Springbok 1 - Oct 1987 (29 weeks), Germany 1 for 3 weeks - Oct 1987, South Africa 1 of 1988, Brit best song 1988, US CashBox 2 of 1988, Switzerland 2 - Sep 1987 (17 weeks), Canada 2 of 1988, US Radio 3 of 1988 (peak 1 10 weeks), Sweden 3 - Sep 1987 (6 weeks), US BB 4 of 1988, Austria 4 - Nov 1987 (5 months), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Feb 1989), UK Gold (certified by BPI in Sep 1987), Germany Gold (certified by BMieV in 1987), Australia 5 of 1988, ARC 11 of 1988 (peak 1 14 weeks), Italy 13 of 1987, Switzerland 20 of 1987, Brazil 31 of 1988, POP 61 of 1988, Germany 140 of the 1980s (peak 1 14 weeks), UKMIX 213, OzNet 765, Guardian Pop 72 3 Los Lobos La Bamba 1987 US UK 1 - Jul 1987 (11 weeks), US Billboard 1 - Jun 1987 (21 weeks), Switzerland 1 - Aug 1987 (24 weeks), Italy 1 of 1987, Italy 1 for 10 weeks - Nov 1987, Eire 1 for 2 weeks - Jul 1987, Canada RPM 1 for 7 weeks - Aug 1987, Canada 1 of 1987, New Zealand 1 for 7 weeks - Aug 1987, Australia 1 for 7 weeks - Sep 1987, Springbok 1 - Sep 1987 (24 weeks), Holland 2 - Aug 1987 (11 weeks), Belgium 2 - Aug 1987 (10 weeks), Australia 2 of 1987, Grammy in 1987 (Nominated), Austria 4 - Oct 1987 (5 months), Switzerland 4 of 1987, Norway 4 - Aug 1987 (9 weeks), ODK Germany 7 - Aug 1987 (17 weeks) (5 weeks in top 10), ARC 8 of 1987 (peak 1 13 weeks), POP 8 of 1987, US Radio 9 of 1987 (peak 1 9 weeks), Germany 9 - Aug 1987 (3 months), US BB 11 of 1987, US CashBox 11 of 1987, Sweden 12 - Aug 1987 (1 week), Poland 17 - Sep 1987 (3 weeks), South Africa 17 of 1987, Brazil 27 of 1987, Scrobulate 75 of Latin, KROQ 81 of 1987, Holland free40 97 of 1987, France (InfoDisc) 102 of the 1980s (peak 1, 25 weeks, 934k sales estimated, 1987), Acclaimed 2050 (1987), RYM 116 of 1987, Party 227 of 1999 4 George Michael Faith 1987 UK US Billboard 1 - Oct 1987 (20 weeks), US BB 1 of 1988, Holland 1 - Oct 1987 (14 weeks), Belgium 1 - Oct 1987 (14 weeks), Italy 1 for 2 weeks - Nov 1987, Canada RPM 1 for 4 weeks - Dec 1987, New Zealand 1 for 4 weeks - Dec 1987, Australia 1 for 1 week - Jan 1988, Europe 1 for 4 weeks - Dec 1987, Top Song of 1988 of the Billboard 50th list, UK 2 - Oct 1987 (12 weeks), Norway 3 - Nov 1987 (10 weeks), Springbok 3 - Dec 1987 (19 weeks), Austria 4 - Dec 1987 (4 months), Switzerland 4 - Nov 1987 (13 weeks), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Nov 1989), ARC 5 of 1987 (peak 1 14 weeks), Sweden 5 - Oct 1987 (7 weeks), ODK Germany 5 - Nov 1987 (15 weeks) (5 weeks in top 10), US Radio 6 of 1987 (peak 1 10 weeks), Italy 7 of 1987, Germany 8 - Nov 1987 (2 months), POP 11 of 1987, Poland 13 - Dec 1987 (6 weeks), Australia 16 of 1988, Canada 33 of 1988, Brazil 38 of 1988, US Songs 2014-23 peak 47 - Jan 2017 (1 week), nuTsie 53 of 1980s, UK Songs 2013-23 peak 64 - Jan 2017 (2 weeks), Scrobulate 68 of fun, RIAA 322, OzNet 450, Acclaimed 529 (1987), RYM 126 of 1987 5 U2 With or Without You 1987 Ireland US Billboard 1 - Mar 1987 (18 weeks), ARC 1 of 1987 (peak 1 13 weeks), Poland 1 - Mar 1987 (25 weeks), Eire 1 for 2 weeks - Mar 1987, Canada RPM 1 for 1 week - May 1987, Europe 1 for 2 weeks - May 1987, Holland 2 - Mar 1987 (12 weeks), MTV Video of the year 1987 (Nominated), UK 4 - Mar 1987 (24 weeks), Belgium 4 - Apr 1987 (9 weeks), Sweden 5 - Apr 1987 (7 weeks), Brazil 5 of 1987, Europe 5 of the 1980s (1987), US Radio 7 of 1987 (peak 1 10 weeks), Germany 7 - Apr 1987 (4 months), ODK Germany 7 - Apr 1987 (19 weeks) (7 weeks in top 10), KROQ 9 of 1987, Switzerland 10 - Apr 1987 (11 weeks), POP 10 of 1987, Springbok 11 - Jun 1987 (7 weeks), US CashBox 12 of 1987, Canada 14 of 1987, Poland 14 of all time, US BB 15 of 1987, Austria 15 - Jun 1987 (4 months), nuTsie 15 of 1980s, Belgium 24 of all time, Holland free40 35 of 1987, OzNet 44, TheQ 47, Vinyl Surrender 83 (1987), Scrobulate 93 of rock, WXPN 116, Rolling Stone 131, Acclaimed 309 (1987), RYM 6 of 1987, NY Daily Love list 68, Party 168 of 2007 Top 40 Chart hit singles Song title Artist(s) Release date(s) US UK Highest chart position Other Chart Performance(s)"Alone" Heart May 1987 1 3 1 (Canada, United States) See chart performance entry "Always" Atlantic Starr May 1987 1 3 1 (Canada, United States) 1 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 1 (U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs) - 1 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 2 (Canada Adult Contemporary) - 6 (South Africa) - 7 (New Zealand) - 66 (Australia)"Always on My Mind" Pet Shop Boys November 1987 4 1 1 (8 countries) See chart performance entry "Animal" Def Leppard May 1987 19 6 3 (Ireland) See chart performance entry "Another Step (Closer to You)" Kim Wilde & Junior March 1987 n/a 6 6 (United Kingdom) 88 (Australia) - 95 (Netherlands [Single Top 100]) "Anyone Can Do the Heartbreak" Anne Murray September 1987 27 n/a 27 (United States) 4 (Canada Adult Contemporary) "Are You Still in Love with Me" Anne Murray May 1987 n/a n/a n/a 8 (Canada Adult Contemporary) - 10 (Canada Country Tracks) - 20 (U.S. Hot Country Songs) - 33 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) "At This Moment" Billy Vera and the Beaters January 1987 1 97 1 (Canada, United States) See chart performance entry Other Chart hit singles 30em "¿A quién le importa?" – Alaska y Dinarama "Alone" - Heart "Angel" – Angela Winbush (U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles) "Back in the High Life Again" (1986) – Steve Winwood "Bad" – Michael Jackson "Barcelona" – Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé "Beds Are Burning" – Midnight Oil "Behind the Wheel" – Depeche Mode "Bella Vita" – David et Jonathan "Big Love" – Fleetwood Mac "Big Time" (1986) – Peter Gabriel "Boy Blue" (1986) – Cyndi Lauper "Breakout" (1986) – Swing Out Sister "Burning Like a Flame" – Dokken "Can't Stay Away From You" - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine "Can't We Try" – Dan Hill (duet with Vonda Shepard) "Can'tcha Say (You Believe in Me)" – Boston "Catch Me (I'm Falling)" – Pretty Poison "Causing a Commotion" – Madonna "C'est l'amour" – Léopold Nord & Vous "C'est la ouate" – Caroline Loeb "C'est la Vie" – Robbie Nevil "Change of Heart" (1986) – Cyndi Lauper "Cherry Bomb" – John Cougar Mellencamp "China in Your Hand" – T'Pau (UK) "Come Go with Me" – Exposé (released in 1986) "Control" – Janet Jackson (released in 1986) "Crazy Crazy Nights" – Kiss "Criticize" – Alexander O'Neal "Cross My Broken Heart" – The Jets "Debo Hacerlo" – Juan Gabriel "Diamonds" – Herb Alpert "Didn't We Almost Have It All" – Whitney Houston "Do It Properly" – Adonis "Doin'It All for My Baby" - Huey Lewis and the News "Don't Dream It's Over" – Crowded House "Don't Disturb This Groove" – The System "Don't Mean Nothing" – Richard Marx "Don't Shed a Tear" – Paul Carrack "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" – Aerosmith "Dream Warriors" – Dokken "Electric Blue" – Icehouse "Electrica Salsa" – OFF "Ella elle l'a" – France Gall "Étienne" – Guesch Patti "Everlasting Love" – Sandra "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" (1986) – Wang Chung "Everywhere" – Fleetwood Mac "Fairytale of New York" – The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl (UK) "Faith" – George Michael "Fake" – Alexander O'NealHearsay Fake was R&B big hit in 1987. Retrieved 23 July 2022 "Force Ten" – Rush "Funkytown" – Pseudo Echo (released in 1986) "The Game" – Echo & the Bunnymen "Got My Mind Set On You" George Harrison "Get Lucky" – Jermaine Stewart "Hazy Shade of Winter" – The Bangles "Head to Toe" – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam "Heart and Soul" – T'Pau "Heartbreak Beat" – The Psychedelic Furs "Heat of the Night" – Bryan Adams "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" – Belinda Carlisle "Here I Go Again" – Whitesnake "Hey Matthew" – Karel Fialka (India) "Hold Me Now" – Johnny Logan "Hysteria" – Def Leppard "I Found Someone" – Cher "I Get Weak" (1986) – Belinda Carlisle "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" – Michael Jackson and Siedah Garrett "(I Just) Died in Your Arms" – Cutting Crew "I Knew You Were Waiting for Me" – Aretha Franklin and George Michael "I Know What I Like" - Huey Lewis and the News "I Need Love" – LL Cool J "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" – U2 "I Think We're Alone Now" – Tiffany "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" – Whitney Houston "I Want You So Bad" – Heart "I Want Your Sex" (1986) – George Michael "Im Nin'Alu" – Ofra Haza "In Too Deep (1986) – Genesis "The Irish Rover" – The Pogues & The Dubliners (Ireland) "Is This Love" – Whitesnake "It's Not Over 'Til It's Over" - Starship "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" – R.E.M. "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes "Jacob's Ladder" (1986) – Huey Lewis and the News "Je ne veux pas" – Céline Dion (Canada) "Joe le taxi" – Vanessa Paradis "Just Gets Better With Time" – The WhispersApril 2020 If it's a significant song, but not significant enough to have a Wikipedia article, then it needs a reliable source stating that it was a significant song of 1987 "Just to See Her" – Smokey Robinson "Kolé séré" – Jocelyne Béroard & Philippe Lavil "Kiss Him Goodbye" – The Nylons "Là-bas" – Jean-Jacques Goldman and Sirima "La Bamba" – Los Lobos "The Lady in Red" – Chris DeBurgh "Land Of Confusion" - Genesis "Lean on Me" – Club Nouveau "Let's Go!" (1986) – Wang Chung "Let Me Be the One" – Exposé "Let's Wait Awhile" – Janet Jackson "Lies" – Jonathan Butler "Lips Like Sugar" – Echo & the Bunnymen "Little Lies" – Fleetwood Mac "Livin' on a Prayer" – Bon Jovi (released in 1986) "Lo Mejor de Tu Vida" – Julio Iglesias "Looking for a New Love" – Jody Watley "Lost in Emotion" – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam "Love Bites" – Def Leppard (charted in 1988) "Love Will Find a Way" – Yes "Love You Down" – Ready for the World "Luka" – Suzanne Vega "Mandolin Rain" (1986) – Bruce Hornsby and The Range "Midnight Blue" – Lou Gramm "Midnight Man" – Sandra "Mony Mony" – Billy Idol "Move Out" – Nancy MartinezApril 2020 If it's a significant song, but not significant enough to have a Wikipedia article, then it needs a reliable source stating that it was a significant song of 1987 "My Arms Keep Missing You" – Rick Astley "Need You Tonight" – INXS "Never Gonna Give You Up" – Rick Astley "Never Let Me Down Again" – Depeche Mode "Never Say Goodbye" (1986) – Bon Jovi "New Sensation" – INXS "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You" – Glenn Medeiros (USA release) "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" – Starship "One Heartbeat" – Smokey Robinson "The One I love" – R.E.M. "Only in My Dreams" – Debbie Gibson "Open Your Heart" – Madonna (released in 1986) "Out of the Blue" – Debbie Gibson "Paper in Fire" – John Cougar Mellencamp "People Are Strange" – Echo & the Bunnymen "The Pleasure Principle" (1986) – Janet Jackson "Point of No Return" – Exposé "Pour Some Sugar on Me" – Def Leppard "The Power of Love" – Laura Branigan "Pump Up The Volume" – MARRS "Rag Doll" – Aerosmith "Rent" – Pet Shop Boys "Respect Yourself" – Bruce Willis "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You" – Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine "Rhythm of Love" – Yes "Rock Steady" – The Whispers "Rocket" – Def Leppard "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" – Mel & Kim "Sans contrefaçon" – Mylène Farmer "Say It Again" – Jermaine Stewart "Say You Really Want Me" – Kim Wilde "Seven Wonders" - Fleetwood Mac "Shakedown" – Bob Seger "Should've Known Better" - Richard Marx "Sign o' the Times" – Prince "Skin Trade" - Duran Duran "So Emotional" – Whitney Houston "(Something Inside) So Strong" – Labi Siffre (UK) "Something So Strong" – Crowded House "Somewhere Out There" – Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram "Songbird" – Kenny G "Star Trekkin" – The Firm "Stone Love" – Kool & the Gang "Strangelove" – Depeche Mode "Strap Me In" - The Cars "Surrender" (1986) – Swing Out Sister "Sweet Child o' Mine" – Guns N' Roses (charted in 1988) "There's The Girl" – Heart "Throwing It All Away" – Genesis "Time Stand Still" – Rush "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" – Genesis "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)" – Samantha Fox "Touch of Grey" – Grateful Dead "Tristana" – Mylène Farmer "Tunnel Of Love" - Bruce Springsteen "Twilight World" – Swing Out Sister "Twistin'The Night Away" - Rod Stewart "U Got the Look" – Prince and Sheena Easton "Une autre histoire" – Gérard Blanc "Valerie" (1982) – Steve Winwood "Wait" – White Lion "Walking Down Your Street" – The Bangles "Walking in the Air (Theme from 'The Snowman')" – The Shadows "Wanted Dead or Alive" (1986) – Bon Jovi "War" – Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band "The Way It Is" – Bruce Hornsby and the Range "We Connect" – Stacey Q. "Welcome to the Jungle" – Guns N' Roses "What You Get Is What You See" – Tina Turner "What's Going On" – Cyndi Lauper "Whenever You Need Somebody" – Rick Astley "Where the Streets Have No Name" – U2 "Who Will You Run To" - Heart "Who's That Girl" – Madonna "Why Can't I Be You?" – The Cure "With or Without You" – U2 "Wonderful Life" – Black "Y Tú También Llorarás" – José Luis Rodríguez "El Puma" "Yaka dansé" – Raft "You Are The Girl" - The Cars "You Keep Me Hanging On" – Kim Wilde "You're the Voice" – John Farnham Notable singles Song title Artist(s) Release date(s) Other Chart Performance(s)"Alex Chilton" The Replacements June 1987 n/a"April Skies" The Jesus and Mary Chain July 1987 6 (Ireland) - 8 (UK Singles Chart) - 16 (New Zealand) - 44 (Europe)"Beds Are Burning" Midnight Oil August 1987 See chart performance entry"Behind the Wheel" Depeche Mode December 1987 See chart performance entry"Birthday" (Icelandic) The Sugarcubes August 1987 n/a English version would chart the following year"Bury Me Deep in Love" The Triffids October 1987 48 (Australia)"Don't Let's Start" They Might Be Giants November 1987 94 (Australia)"Fairytale of New York" The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl November 1987 1 (Ireland) - 2 (UK Singles Chart)"Just Like Heaven" The Cure October 1987 See chart performance entry"Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me" The Smiths December 1987 2 (UK Indie Singles Chart) - 17 (New Zealand) - 30 (UK Singles Chart)"Mandinka" Sinéad O'Connor December 1987 See chart performance entry"My Island Home" Warumpi Band January 1987 67 (Australia)"Never Let Me Down Again" Depeche Mode August 1987 See chart performance entry"Paid in Full" Eric B. & Rakim October 1987 See chart performance entry"The One I Love" R.E.M. August 1987 See chart performance entry"True Faith" New Order July 1987 See chart performance entry"What's My Scene?" Hoodoo Gurus March 1987 3 (Australia) - 35 (New Zealand) Other Notable singles 30em "Adultery" - Do-Re-Mi "Bye Bye Pride" - The Go-Betweens "Good Times" - Hoodoo Gurus "Little Fury Things" - Dinosaur Jr. "Pega rapaz" - Rita Lee & Roberto de Carvalho "The Prettiest Girl in the World" b/w "If That's What Love Is" - T.V. Personalities "Right Here" - The Go-Betweens "Shine On" - The House of Love "There's Too Many Irons in the Fire" - Cardiacs Published popular music "Last Midnight" w.m. Stephen Sondheim "Children Will Listen" w.m. Stephen Sondheim "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You" w.m. Gloria Estefan & E. E. Garcia "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" w.m. Franke Previte, Donald Markowitz & John DeNicola Classical music Pascal Bentoiu – Symphony No. 8 ("Imagini"), Op. 30 John Cage – As Slow as Possible Mario Davidovsky – Quartet for flute, violin, viola and violoncello James Dillon - Helle Nacht, large orchestra (90 players) Joël-François Durand – Lichtung Petr Eben – Job, for organ Philip Feeney – Mémoire imaginaire (ballet) Morton Feldman Samuel Beckett, Words and Music, for 2 flutes, vibraphone, piano, violin, viola, and cello For Samuel Beckett, for 23 instruments Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello Brian Ferneyhough - Third String Quartet Lorenzo Ferrero Ostinato Non parto, non resto Malcolm Forsyth – Songs from the Qu'appelle Valley Karel Goeyvaerts – Aanloop en kreet (Run and Cry), for symphony orchestra and chorus Henryk Górecki - Totus Tuus, Op. 60 Sofia Gubaidulina String Quartet No. 2 String Quartet No. 3 Toshio Hosokawa - Ferne Landschaft I György Kurtág Kafka-Fragmente for soprano and violin Requiem for a Friend to Poems by Rimma Dalos Helmut Lachenmann - Staub for orchestra Francisco Llácer Pla – Ricercare Concertante Philippe Manoury - Jupiter for flute and live electronics, op. 15a Nicholas Maw – Odyssey Conlon Nancarrow - String Quartet #3 Luigi Nono 1° Caminantes.....Ayacucho, for alto, flute, small and large chorus, organ, orchestra and live electronics 2° No hay caminos, hay que caminar.....Andrej Tarkowskij, for seven ensembles Post-prae-ludium No. 1 per Donau, for tuba and live electronics Découvrir la subversion. Hommage à Edmond Jabès, for alto, narrator, flute, tuba, French horn and live electronics Per Nørgård - Violin Concerto No. 1 Helle Nacht Henri Pousseur – Traverser la forêt Wolfgang Rihm Klangbeschreibung I Klangbeschreibung II Klangbeschreibung III Kaija Saariaho - Nymphéa, for string quartet and electronics Somei Satoh - Stabat Mater Ahmed Adnan Saygun – Cello Concerto Byambasuren Sharav – Symphony No. 2 Juan Maria Solare – Doce variaciones 1987 (for piano) Toru Takemitsu All in Twilight I Hear the Water Dreaming Signals from Heaven Joan Tower – Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman No. 1 Galina Ustvolskaya - Symphony No. 4 - Prayer, for contralto, piano, trumpet and tam-tam Kevin Volans - String Quartet No. 2 Hunting: Gathering Iannis Xenakis Ata, for orchestra À r. (Hommage à Ravel), for piano Jalons, for piccolo, oboe, bass clarinet, doublebass clarinet, contrabassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, harp, string quintet Kassandra, for baritone/psalterion and percussion XAS, for saxophone quartet Taurhiphanie, 2-track Tracées, for orchestra Opera John Adams – Nixon in China Holmes Ann October 18, 1987 Nixon in China/HGO presents world premiere of unusual opera Zest 15 Houston Chronicle https://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1987_496934 https://web.archive.org/web/20121020162449/http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1987_496934 2012-10-20 March 28, 2011 Friedrich Cerha – Der Rattenfänger (The Pied Piper) Michael Nyman – Vital Statistics Judith Weir – A Night at the Chinese Opera, 8 July, Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, England Jazz 1987 in jazz Musical theater Abyssinia, with music by Ted Kociolek and lyrics by James Racheff – Off-Broadway production at the CSC Repertory Theater Up on the Roof by Simon Moore and Jane Prowse—Portsmouth, UK production Roza, with music by Gilbert Bécaud and lyrics and book by Julian More based on Romain Gary's novel La vie devant soi – Broadway production opened at the Royale Theatre and closed after only 10 days Anything Goes – Broadway revival Bless the Bride – West End revival Cabaret (Kander and Ebb) – Broadway revival Dreamgirls – Broadway revival Into the Woods – Broadway production opened at the Martin Beck Theatre and ran for 765 performances Les Misérables – Broadway production opened at The Broadway Theatre and ran for a total of 6680 performances, the second-longest run of any Broadway musical after Cats Oil City Symphony – off-Broadway production ran for 626 performances Stardust musical by Mitchell Parish opens at Biltmore Theater NYC for 102 performances Starlight Express (Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe) – Broadway production opened at the Gershwin Theatre and ran for 761 performances Musical films Aria Dirty Dancing Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll Hearts of Fire La Bamba Mr. India Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare Sign o' the Times Testimony Births January 2 – Syesha Mercado, American singer and actress January 7 – Sirusho, Armenian singer January 9 – Paolo Nutini, British singer January 12 Naya Rivera, American actress and singer (d. 2020) Sunday (Jin Bo-ra), Korean pop singer (TSZX The Grace) January 16 – Jake Epstein, Canadian actor and singer January 18 – Stefan Filipović, Montenegrin pop singer January 19 – Rahma Riad, Iraqi singer January 22 – Angel Olsen, American folk and indie rock singer January 27 Katy Rose, American singer-songwriter, producer, musician and actress Ashley Grace, American singer-songwriter (Ha*Ash) January 31 – Marcus Mumford, British singer-songwriter, musician and producer February 1 – Heather Morris, American actress, dancer, singer and model February 2 Heather Bright, American pop singer-songwriter, DJ and record producer Victoria Song, Chinese pop singer (f(x)) February 3 – Elvana Gjata, Albanian singer February 5 – Darren Criss, American actor and singer-songwriter February 6 – DJ Raiden, Korean DJ and producer February 7 Kerli, Estonian singer-songwriter Monika Brodka, Polish singer February 10 Choi Si Won, Korean actor and pop singer Poli Genova, Bulgarian singer and TV presenter February 12 O'Ryan (Browner), American R&B singer Titanic Sinclair, American director, producer, singer-songwriter and internet personality February 17 – Lee Bo-ram, K-pop singer (SeeYa) February 23 – Ab-Soul, American rapper (Black Hippy) February 24 – Kim Kyu-jong, Korean pop singer (SS501) February 25 – Eva Avila, Canadian singer-songwriter February 27 – Cory Henry, American jazz organist, pianist, gospel musician, and producer (Snarky Puppy) March 1 – Kesha, American singer-songwriter, author, activist, musician March 2 – Ken Hung, Hong Kong singer and actor March 4 – Aja Volkman, American singer-songwriter and musician. March 8 - Tobe Nwigwe, American rapper, singer and actor March 9 – Bow Wow, American hip-hop artist, actor March 10 Emeli Sandé, Scottish singer-songwriter Mod Sun, American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and rapper (Four Letter Lie and Scary Kids Scaring Kids; working with Avril Lavigne (dated), Travis Barker, Bella Thorn, Tana Mongeau, Dove Cameron, Megan Fox and Becky G, blackbear) March 12 – Hiroomi Tosaka, Japanese singer March 20 – Jonas Rivanno, Indonesian actor, model and singer March 25 – Jason Castro, American singer March 26 – YUI, Japanese pop singer March 27 – Polina Gagarina, Russian singer-songwriter, actress and model March 31 – Jeff Montalvo (Seven Lions), American electronic music producer April 3 – Park Jung-min, Korean pop singer (SS501) Rachel Bloom, American actress, comedian, singer, writer, producer, songwriter and mental health activist April 9 Jesse McCartney, American singer-songwriter, musician, voice actor and actor Jazmine Sullivan, American singer April 10 – Hayley Westenra, New Zealand soprano singer April 11 Lights, Canadian singer-songwriter Joss Stone, English soul singer-songwriter April 12 – Brendon Urie, American vocalist and musician April 15 – Iyaz, British Virgin Islands singer April 17 – Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, Canadian actress, disc jockey, singer and television host April 18 – Samantha Jade, Australian singer and actress April 20 − Anna Rossinelli, Swiss singer-songwriter April 21 − Anastasia Prikhodko, Ukrainian folk rock and traditional pop singer April 24 Jessica Pratt, American singer-songwriter Sharon Doorson, Dutch singer-songwriter (Twenty 4 Seven) April 30 – Nikki Webster, Australian pop singer/businesswoman/actress May 2 – Nana Kitade, Japanese singer May 4 – Anjeza Shahini, Albanian singer May 6 Moon Geun-young, South Korean actress Meek Mill, American rapper May 7 – Asami Konno, Japanese singer May 13 Hunter Parrish, American actor and singer Candice King, American actress and singer Charlotte Wessels, Dutch singer-songwriter (Delain, Phantasma, Kamelot) May 15 Ammo, American record producer and songwriter Jennylyn Mercado, Filipina actress, singer, television personality May 16 – Can Bonomo, Turkish-Jewish singer May 17 – DJ Akademiks, Jamaican-American blogger who covers hip-hop May 18 – Luisana Lopilato, Argentine actress, singer and model (Michael Buble) May 21 – Hit-Boy, American record producer, rapper and singer-songwriter May 24 – Jimena Barón, Argentine actress and singer May 29 – Ak'Sent, American rapper May 30 – Joyce Cheng, Hong Kong singer and actress June 2 – Matthew Koma, American songwriter-singer, DJ and record producer (married to Hilary Duff) June 8 – Ty Segall, American multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and record producer June 10 – Dotter, Swedish singer-songwriter June 12 – Ryu Deok-hwan, South Korean actor June 16 Diana DeGarmo, singer, American Idol contestant Ali Stroker, American musician, singer, actress and advocate June 17 – Kendrick Lamar, American rapper and songwriter (Black Hippy) June 17 – Nozomi Tsuji, Japanese singer (Morning Musume) June 19 – Miho Fukuhara, Japanese singer and actress (Sweetbox) June 21 Khatia Buniatishvili, Georgian pianist Kim Ryeowook, Korean pop singer (Super Junior) June 22 – Oh Yeon-seo, South Korean singer and actress (Luv) June 23 Jacob Lusk, American singer Caitlin Rose, American country singer June 27 – Tomoya Kanki, Japanese musician (One Ok Rock) July 1 – Yoga Lin, Taiwanese pop singer, One Million Star, Season 1 winner July 4 – Jah Prayzah, Zimbabwean musician July 6 – Kate Nash, English pop singer-songwriter and musician July 9 – Rebecca Sugar, American animator, director, screenwriter, producer and songwriter July 10 - Buck Meek, American Musician and member of Big Thief, (works with and was married to Adrianne Lenker) July 11 – Shigeaki Kato, Japanese singer and actor (NEWS and K.K.Kity) July 13 – Eva Rivas, Russian-Armenian singer July 14 Drew Fortier, American musician, songwriter, filmmaker and actor Dan Reynolds, American singer-songwriter, activist (Imagine Dragons and Egyptian) Peter Vives, Spanish actor, singer and classical pianist July 17 Chloe Lowery, American singer-songwriter Jeremih, American recording artist and producer July 19 – Nicola Benedetti, Scottish violinist July 23 – Felipe Dylon, Brazilian singer July 25 Alan Dawa Dolma (better known as "Alan"), Chinese singer Jax Jones, English singer, producer and DJ Gor Sujyan, Armenian rock singer, lead singer of Dorians Mitchell Burgzorg, Dutch footballer and rapper July 26 – Evelina Sašenko-Statulevičienė, Lithuanian jazz singer of Polish-Ukrainian descent July 28 Sevak Khanagyan, Russian-Armenian singer John Stevens, American singer July 29 - Illangelo, Canadian record producer, songwriter, musician and mixing engineer (The Weeknd, Grimes) July 30 – Elise Estrada, Canadian singer August 2 Nayer, American pop singer Jessie Daniels, American actress, songwriter and musician August 3 – Kim Hyung-jun, South Korean singer and DJ August 6 – Aditya Narayan, Bollywood actor and singer August 6 – Sezairi Sezali, Singaporean musician and singer-songwriter August 9 – Noonie Boa, Swedish singer-songwriter and record producer August 19 John Ryan, also known as John the Blind and JRY, American singer-songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist (Niall Horan, Sabrina Carpenter, One Direction, De;ta Goodrem) Anaïs Lameche, Swedish singer (Play) August 21 – Kim Kibum, Korean actor and pop singer August 24 – Daichi Miura, Japanese singer-songwriter, dancer and choreographer August 26 – Gin Lee, Malaysian singer based in Hong Kong September 1 Dann Hume, New Zealand musician, music producer, mix engineer and songwriter (Amy Shark) Sevdaliza, Irish Dutch singer-songwriter and record producer September 2 Audrey Tait, Scottish drummer (Franz Ferdinand, Hector Bizerk) Spencer Smith, American musician, songwriter and talent agent (Panic! at the Disco) September 6 – Ramiele Malubay, Filipino-American singer September 7 – Evan Rachel Wood, American singer and actress September 8 – Wiz Khalifa, American rapper and singer September 9 – Afrojack, Dutch DJ, record producer and remixer September 13 – Snoh Aalegra, Swedish singer based in Los Angeles September 16 – Sarah Hay, American ballerina and actress September 18 – Luísa Sobral, Portuguese singer and songwriterhttps://www.freshsoundrecords.com/13564-luisa-sobral-albums Luisa Sobral Fresh Sound Records 17 January 2026 September 19 – Sam Ellis, Canadian singwriter and record producer September 21 – Elly, Japanese dancer, rapper, choreographer (Sandaime J Soul Brothers) September 22 – Tom Felton, English actor and musician September 23 – Skylar Astin, American actor and singer September 26 – Rosie Munter, Swedish vocalist and dancer September 28 Hilary Duff, American singer-songwriter, author and actress (married to Matthew Koma, sister of Haylie Duff, Sutton Foster) Chloë Hanslip, English violinist September 29 – Gryffin, American musician, DJ, record producer. September 30 – Aida Garifullina, Russian soprano October 3 Starley, Australian singer-songwriter Kaci Battaglia, American singer, songwriter and dancer Zuleyka Rivera, Puerto Rivan actress, television host, dancer, model and beauty queen October 7 – Lauren Mayberry, Scottish singer-songwriter, writer and journalist (Chvrches) October 17 – Stephanie (Kim Bo-kyung), American-born Korean pop singer (TSZX The Grace) October 18 – Zac Efron, American actor, dancer, singer, musical star October 23 – Faye, Swedish singer, songwriter and model (Play) October 28 – Frank Ocean, American singer-songwriter October 29 – Tove Lo, Swedish singer-songwriter, dancer and activist October 29 – Makoto Ogawa, Japanese singer and actress (Morning Musume) November 3 – Courtney Barnett, Australian singer-songwriter/musician November 4 Tim Douwsma, Dutch singer T.O.P, Korean rapper November 5 – Kevin Jonas, American musician (Jonas Brothers) November 9 – Zahara, South African Afro-soul singer-songwriter (d. 2023) November 10 – Charles Hamilton, American rapper and producer November 12 – Jamison Ross, American drummer and vocalist November 20 – Siouxsie Medley, American musician (Dead Sara) November 24 – Sermstyle, English singer-songwriter, remixer, record producer and DJ November 25 – Dolla, American rapper November 26 – Kat DeLuna, American singer-songwriter and dancer November 29 – Cashmere Cat, Norwegian DJ, record producer, musician and turntablist (Ariana Grande) November 30 – Dougie Poynter, English pop-rock bass guitarist (McFly) December 1 – Vance Joy, Australian musician December 2 – Teairra Mari, American R&B singer-songwriter, dancer, model and actress December 7 – Aaron Carter, American pop singer and rapper (d. 2022) December 14 - Alex Gaskarth, English-born American singers-songwriter December 15 - Lady Leshurr, British hip-hop grime dancehall rapper, singer-songwriter and producer December 18 – Ayaka, Japanese pop singer December 20 – Barrie-James O'Neill, Scottish singer-songwriter, working with Lana Del Rey December 22 – Lisa Andreas, English-Cypriot singer December 25 – Julian Lage, American guitarist and composer December 27 – Yui Okada, Japanese pop singer Unknown: Fabiana Palladino, English singer-songwriter and musician Deaths January 6 – Jaidev, Bollywood composer, 67Jay Robert Nash The Motion Picture Guide 1988 Annual: The Films of 1987 https://books.google.com/books?id=o9JyjQP3504C 1 April 1997 Cinebooks 978-0-933997-16-5 371 January 10 – Marion Hutton, singer and actress, 67Roger D. Kinkle Leading musical performers (popular music and jazz) 1900-1950: 2150 biographies updated to 1996 with additions and corrections https://books.google.com/books?id=t4o4AQAAIAAJ 1997 Windmill Publications 159 January 15 – Ray Bolger, Wizard of Oz actor, 83 (cancer)Anthony Slide The Encyclopedia of Vaudeville https://books.google.com/books?id=Hu3nNSmRjZ0C&pg=PA57 12 March 2012 Univ. Press of Mississippi 978-1-61703-250-9 57 January 30 – Harold Loeffelmacher, musician and bandleader (Six Fat Dutchmen), 81 February 2 Spike Hughes, jazz double bass player, composer and journalist, 78Colin Larkin The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz https://books.google.com/books?id=pJo7AQAAIAAJ 2004 Virgin 978-1-85227-183-1 429 Alfred Lion, record executive and co-founder of Blue Note Records, 78Richard Cook Blue Note Records: The Biography https://books.google.com/books?id=DWowaH3y3lgC&pg=PA216 2004 Justin, Charles & Co. 978-1-932112-27-6 216 February 4 – Liberace, US pianist, 67 (AIDS-related)Wisconsin Magazine of History https://books.google.com/books?id=MfLftJ3s8UEC 2008 State Historical Society of Wisconsin 27 February 8 – Tony Destra, glam metal drummer, 32 (car accident) February 18 – Dmitri Kabalevsky, composer February 23 – Zeca Afonso, folk musician, 57Year Book Covering the Year ... https://books.google.com/books?id=S34xAQAAIAAJ 1987 Crowell-Collier Educational Corporation 413 March 3 – Danny Kaye, actor, singer, dancer and comedian, 76 March 6 – Eddie Durham, jazz musician, 80 March 7 – Evelyn Dove, singer, 85 March 15 – Don Gant, singer/songwriter, record producer, 44 (complications following boating accident) March 18 – Elizabeth Poston, composer, 82 March 20 – Rita Streich, coloratura soprano, 66 March 21 Dean Paul Martin, singer and actor, 35 (plane crash) Robert Preston, actor and singer, 68 March 28 – Maria von Trapp, subject of The Sound of Music, 82 March 29 – Felix Prohaska, conductor April 2 – Buddy Rich, American jazz drummer, 69 (brain tumor) April 7 – Carlton Barrett, Jamaican reggae drummer (The Wailers), 36 (murdered) April 8 – Anni Frind, German lyric soprano, 87https://www.nytimes.com/1987/04/11/obituaries/anni-frind-soprano-is-dead-performed-in-20-s-and-30-s.html Anni Frind, Soprano, Is Dead; Performed in 20's and 30's 1987-04-11 The New York Times 2017-10-19 en-US 0362-4331 November 5, 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20171105103035/http://www.nytimes.com/1987/04/11/obituaries/anni-frind-soprano-is-dead-performed-in-20-s-and-30-s.html live April 14 – Karl Höller, German composer, 79 May 2 – Larry Clinton, US bandleader and songwriter, 75 May 3 – Dalida, singer, actress and Miss Egypt 1954, 54 (suicide)Dalida's Official Website, Biography https://web.archive.org/web/20110719173039/http://www.dalida.com/biographies/angleterre.htm July 19, 2011 , retrieved December 29, 2009Dalida https://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/05/obituaries/dalida.html The New York Times May 5, 1987 December 29, 2009 May 4 – Paul Butterfield, blues vocalist and harmonica player, 44 (drug overdose) May 5 – Allen Jones, record producer (heart attack)Bar-Kays: Bio. Accessed 22 July 2014 May 13 Signe Amundsen, operatic soprano, 87 Ismael Rivera, salsa composer and singer, 55 (heart attack) May 14 – Rita Hayworth, dancer and film star, 68 May 24 – Hermione Gingold, actress and singer May 26 – Robert Wilkins, blues guitarist and singer, 91 May 29 – Phyllis Tate, avant-garde composer, 76 June 3 – Andrés Segovia, guitar virtuoso, 94 June 18 – Kid Thomas Valentine, jazz trumpeter & bandleader, 91 June 21 – Abram Chasins, pianist and composer, 84 June 22 Fred Astaire, dancer, actor and singer, 88 Frank Rehak, jazz trombonist June 25 – Boudleaux Bryant, Hall of Fame songwriter, 67 June 26 Henk Badings, composer, 80 Gábor Rejtő, cellist, 70 July 1 – Snakefinger, guitarist, 38 (heart attack) July 7 Tibor Frešo, composer, 69 Germaine Thyssens-Valentin, pianist, 85 July 10 – John Hammond, producer and musician, 76 July 15 – Pete King, drummer (After The Fire, BAP), 28 (testicular cancer) July 25 – Alex Sadkin, saxophonist and record producer, 37 or 38 (motor accident) July 26 – Joe Liggins, R&B, jazz and blues pianist, 72 July 30 – Ramón González Barrón, composer and choral conductor, 89 August 2 – David Martin, bassist (Sam the Sham), 50 (heart attack) August 12 – Sally Long, Ziegfeld Follies star, 85 August 14 – Vincent Persichetti, composer, 72 August 27 Bruce Holder, violinist, conductor and composer, 82 Scott La Rock, hip-hop DJ and producer, 25 (shot) September 3 – Morton Feldman, composer, 51 (pancreatic cancer) September 11 – Peter Tosh, reggae musician, 42 (shot and killed in a house invasion/robbery) September 21 – Jaco Pastorius, jazz bassist, 35 (brain damage resulting from fight) September 23 – Bob Fosse, dancer, choreographer and director of musicals, 60 (heart attack) September 29 – Sebastian Peschko, pianist, 77 October 3 – Hans Gál, composer, 97 October 13 – Kishore Kumar, singer, actor, filmmaker, writer, musician and composer, 58 October 14 – Rodolfo Halffter, composer, 86 October 19 – Jacqueline du Pré, English cellist, 42 (multiple sclerosis) October 28 – Woody Herman, US jazz clarinetist and bandleader, 74 November 12 – Cornelis Vreeswijk, Swedish singer-songwriter, 50 (liver cancer) November 16 – Zubir Said, composer, 80 November 22 – Verna Arvey, librettist and pianist November 23 – Joseph Beer, composer, 79 December 5 – Pappy Daily, country music entrepreneur and record producer, 85 December 8 – Annelies Kupper, operatic soprano, 81 December 10 – Jascha Heifetz, violinist December 12 – Clifton Chenier, zydeco singer and accordionist, 62 December 18 – Conny Plank, record producer, 47 December 21 – John Spence, ska musician, 18 (suicide) December 22 – Luca Prodan, rock musician, 34 (cirrhosis of the liver) Unknown – Emani Sankara Sastry, veena player and composer, 65 Awards The following artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: The Coasters, Eddie Cochran, Bo Diddley, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Bill Haley, B. B. King, Clyde McPhatter, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Smokey Robinson, Big Joe Turner, Muddy Waters, and Jackie Wilson Grammy Awards Grammy Awards of 1987 Country Music Association Awards 1987 Country Music Association Awards Eurovision Song Contest Eurovision Song Contest 1987 Glenn Gould Prize R. Murray Schafer (laureate) Charts List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1987 1987 in British music#Charts List of Oricon number-one singles of 1987 See also Record labels established in 1987 References Category:20th century in music Category:Music by year