June 1989 -- Slow awful songs with some upbeat winners

Wow -- what a bad run the charts were in as the decade closed.  When Donny Osmond can hit #2 on the charts, and you can't even tell it's him singing, you know it's bad.  Ditto with celebrities (Michael Damien), re-releases (Benny Mardones, Real Life), bite-the-hand-that-feed-you (John Mellencamp), and copycats (Warrant).  Or not one but all sorts of artists from the 60's & 70s (McCartney, Natalie Cole, Doobie Brothers, Tom Petty, Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks, Osmond, Donna Summer), most on a last gasp.

Big Hair rock wasn't having a great week, despite lots of entries (GnR, Bon Jovi, Great White, Warrant, Cinderella)...again, all out-charted by Donny Osmond. 

It's not like there was nothing new -- this was after all the year that Bobby Brown, Milli Vanilli, Paula Abdul, and New Kids on the Block all debuted to 5+ hit singles apiece from their first albums, but this week, these were not the best songs by the new artists.  Plus it was also the year of the painful slow (Bette Midler, Simply Red, Damien, NKOTB...) 

And it's not like it was a wasteland -- just the sheer number of bland to bad's is in particular relief to the good ones:

Favorites:  Expose, Nenah Cherry, GnR, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna (all 4-star).  Honors to the only 5-star...Donna Summer with a dated production, terrible video, but great singing.  It's her last top 10.

1 2 I’LL BE LOVING YOU (FOREVER) –•– New Kids On The Block – 12 (1)
2 1 WIND BENEATH MY WINGS –•– Bette Midler – 16 (1)
3 3 EVERY LITTLE STEP –•– Bobby Brown – 13 (3)
4 7 SATISFIED –•– Richard Marx – 7 (4)
5 5 BUFFALO STANCE –•– Neneh Cherry – 12 (5)
6 12 BABY DON’T FORGET MY NUMBER –•– Milli Vanilli – 8 (6)
7 15 GOOD THING –•– Fine Young Cannibals – 7 (7)
8 9 CLOSE MY EYES FOREVER –•– Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne – 16 (8)
9 14 THIS TIME I KNOW IT’S FOR REAL –•– Donna Summer – 9 (9)
10 13 CRY –•– Waterfront – 11 (10)

11 4 ROCK ON –•– Michael Damian – 14 (1)
12 18 MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY –•– Natalie Cole – 10 (12)
13 20 I DROVE ALL NIGHT –•– Cyndi Lauper – 7 (13)
14 6 PATIENCE –•– Guns N’ Roses – 11 (4)
15 17 POP SINGER –•– John Cougar Mellencamp – 8 (15)
16 10 WHERE ARE YOU NOW? –•– Synch – 29 (10)
17 23 IF YOU DON’T KNOW ME BY NOW –•– Simply Red – 7 (17)
18 21 I WON’T BACK DOWN –•– Tom Petty – 8 (18)
19 8 SOLDIER OF LOVE –•– Donny Osmond – 13 (2)
20 11 FOREVER YOUR GIRL –•– Paula Abdul – 15 (1)

21 22 COMING HOME –•– Cinderella – 11 (21)
22 27 WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW –•– Expose – 5 (22)
23 24 VERONICA –•– Elvis Costello – 9 (23)
24 32 EXPRESS YOURSELF –•– Madonna – 3 (24)
25 29 THE DOCTOR –•– The Doobie Brothers – 5 (25)
26 33 TOY SOLDIERS –•– Martika – 5 (26)
27 28 INTO THE NIGHT –•– Benny Mardones – 27 (11)
28 25 CUDDLY TOY (FEEL FOR ME) –•– Roachford – 10 (25)
29 31 ROOMS ON FIRE –•– Stevie Nicks – 7 (29)
30 35 CRAZY ABOUT HER –•– Rod Stewart – 6 (30)

31 34 BE WITH YOU –•– The Bangles – 7 (31)
32 19 REAL LOVE –•– Jody Watley – 14 (2)
33 16 EVERLASTING LOVE –•– Howard Jones – 14 (12)
34 37 WHO DO YOU GIVE YOUR LOVE TO? –•– Michael Morales – 8 (34)
35 43 SO ALIVE –•– Love And Rockets – 5 (35)
36 45 MY BRAVE FACE –•– Paul McCartney – 4 (36)
37 44 LAY YOUR HANDS ON ME –•– Bon Jovi – 3 (37)
38 40 SEND ME AN ANGEL ’89 –•– Real Life – 25 (29)
39 39 DOWN BOYS –•– Warrant – 8 (39)
40 48 ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY –•– Great White – 6 (40)