These are the Top 25 albums of 1988 in Australia from the Australian Recording Industry Association

Australian Recording Industry Association

The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...

 (ARIA) End of Year Albums Chart

ARIA Charts

The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...

. These were the first End of Year album charts created by ARIA, it had started producing its own charts from mid-1988. ARIA had previously used the Kent Music Report

Kent Music Report

The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...

, known from 1987 onwards as the Australian Music Report.

#	INXS INXS INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...	1	1
2.	Dirty Dancing Dirty Dancing (soundtrack) Dirty Dancing is the original soundtrack of the 1987 film Dirty Dancing. The album became a huge commercial success in the USA. It spent 18 weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200 album sales charts and went multi-platinum. It spawned a follow-up album entitled More Dirty Dancing . Executive Produced by...	Motion Picture Soundtrack	1	8
3.	Freight Train Heart Freight Train Heart Freight Train Heart is an album by Australian rock singer Jimmy Barnes, released in late 1987 in Australia by Mushroom Records and in early 1988 in the US by Geffen. It spent 5 weeks at the top of the Australian Album charts in Dec 1987 / Jan 1988...	Jimmy Barnes Jimmy Barnes James Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at...	1	5
4.	Whenever You Need Somebody Whenever You Need Somebody (album) Whenever You Need Somebody is Rick Astley's first album released in 1987 on RCA Records. It is his best selling album and, according to his own official website, sold 15.2 million copies worldwide...	Rick Astley Rick Astley Richard Paul "Rick" Astley is an English singer-songwriter, musician, and radio personality. He is known for his 1987 song, "Never Gonna Give You Up", which was a #1 hit single in 25 countries...	1	1
5.	The Lonesome Jubilee The Lonesome Jubilee The Lonesome Jubilee is the ninth album by American singer-songwriter John Mellencamp, credited as John Cougar Mellencamp. The album was released by Mercury Records on August 24, 1987 . Four singles were released from the album, the first two in 1987 and the last two in 1988.The album was one of...	John Cougar Mellencamp	2
6.	Man of Colours Man of Colours Man Of Colours is Australian rock synthpop band Icehouse's best-selling album, which was released in September 1987 on Regular Records / Chrysalis Records. The album peaked at #1 on the Australian album charts for 11 weeks from 5 October 1987 and has sold over 700,000 copies...	Icehouse Icehouse (band) Icehouse is an Australian rock band, formed as Flowers in 1977 in Sydney. Initially known in Australia for their pub rock style, they later achieved mainstream success playing new wave and synthpop style music and attained Top Ten singles chart success in both Europe and the U.S...	1	11
7.	Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman (album) Tracy Chapman is the self-titled debut album by singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released in 1988.-History:Tracy Chapman hit #1 on both the US & UK album charts. The album was critically acclaimed and helped to launch the 1990s female singer-songwriter movement, which included artists like Tori...	Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her singles "Fast Car", "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", "Baby Can I Hold You", "Give Me One Reason" and "Telling Stories". She is a multi-platinum and four-time Grammy Award-winning artist.-Biography:Tracy Chapman was born in Cleveland,...	3
8.	Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby is Terence Trent D'Arby's debut album. It was released in July 1987 on Columbia Records, and became an instant number-one smash in the UK and spending a total of nine weeks at the top of the UK Album Chart and eventually being certified 5x...	Terence Trent D'Arby	1	5
9.	Push	Bros Bros Bros were a British band active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, consisting of twin brothers Matt Goss and Luke Goss along with Craig Logan...	4
10.	Whispering Jack Whispering Jack Whispering Jack is the twelfth studio album by Australian adult contemporary pop singer John Farnham. It was produced by Ross Fraser, and released on 20 October 1986, which peaked at #1 on the Australian Kent Music Report Album Charts...	John Farnham John Farnham John Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as...	1	25
11.	Faith Faith (George Michael album) Faith is George Michael's first solo album, released in October 1987 via Columbia Records/Epic Records. The album has won several awards including the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1989. To date, the album has sold over 25 million copies worldwide, and received diamond certification from...	George Michael George Michael George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...	3
12.	Tour of Duty	TV Soundtrack	3
13.	Age of Reason Age of Reason (album) Age of Reason is a studio album by Australian pop singer John Farnham. It was released in Australia on 25 July 1988 and debuted at No. 1 on the Australian Recording Industry Association Albums Chart in August and remained on top for eight weeks...	John Farnham John Farnham John Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as...	1	9
14.	Temple of Low Men Temple of Low Men Temple of Low Men is Crowded House's second studio album, released in 1988. The album had five singles, Sister Madly, I Feel Possessed, Into Temptation, When You Come and Better Be Home Soon.-Album:...	Crowded House Crowded House Crowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Australia and led by New Zealand singer-songwriter Neil Finn. Finn is the primary songwriter and creative director of the band, having led it through several incarnations, drawing members from New Zealand , Australia and the United States...	1	2
15.	Good Morning, Vietnam	Motion Picture Soundtrack	2
16.	Open Up and Say...Ahh! Open Up and Say...Ahh! Open Up and Say... Ahh! is the second studio album by American glam metal band Poison, released in 1988 through the Enigma label. The album, which ultimately sold eight million copies worldwide , proved to be the band's most successful release...	Poison Poison (band) Poison is an American glam metal band that achieved great success in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. To date, Poison has sold over 30 million records worldwide and have sold 15 million records in the United States alone. The band has also charted ten singles to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,...	2
17.	Kylie Kylie (album) Kylie is the debut album by Australian singer and songwriter Kylie Minogue, released by PWL on 4 July 1988. Stock, Aitken and Waterman produced and wrote eight of the ten tracks on the album....	Kylie Minogue Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...	2
18.	A Momentary Lapse of Reason A Momentary Lapse of Reason A Momentary Lapse of Reason is the thirteenth studio album by English progressive rock group Pink Floyd. It was released in the UK and US in September 1987. In 1985 guitarist David Gilmour began to assemble a group of musicians to work on his third solo album...	Pink Floyd Pink Floyd Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...	2
19.	Bonk Bonk (album) Bonk is the debut studio album by Australian rock band Big Pig. It was released in March 1988 on White Label Records. The album went gold, then platinum in Australia with three top-twenty singles . The album was released in America by A&M Records in 1988, and the music video for "Breakaway" was...	Big Pig Big Pig Big Pig were a seven-piece Australian pop/rock band that existed from 1985 to 1991.-Biography:In 1983 Australian drummer Oleh Witer, frustrated over playing in a string of unsuccessful groups, travelled from Australia to London....	5
20.	Lap of Luxury Lap of Luxury -Singles :* "The Flame/Through the Night" - #1 US, #77 UK. #2 Aus, #3 BB Mainstream Rock* "Don't Be Cruel/I Know What I Want" - #4 US, #77 UK, #8 BB Mainstream Rock, #13 Aus* "Ghost Town/Wrong Side of Love" - #33 US...	Cheap Trick Cheap Trick Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...	6
21.	Big Bad Noise Big Bad Noise Big Bad Noise is the second album by Australian rock band The Choirboys which was released in 1987. This album was produced by Peter Blyton , Brian McGee and The Choirboys...	Choirboys	11
22.	Wow!	Bananarama Bananarama Bananarama are an English female pop duo who have had success on the pop and dance charts since 1982. Rather than relying on a two part harmony, the duo generally sings in unison, as do their background vocalists. Although there have been line-up changes, the group enjoyed their most popular...	5
23.	Heavy Nova Heavy Nova (album) Heavy Nova is the tenth solo album by Robert Palmer, released in 1988. His first album for EMI Records after a 15-year association with Island Records , it followed Palmer's very popular album Riptide....	Robert Palmer	2
24.	Cloud Nine Cloud Nine (George Harrison album) -Personnel:The following personnel was credited in the liner notes.*George Harrison – vocals, guitars, keyboards, sitar*Jeff Lynne – guitars, bass, vocals, keyboards*Eric Clapton – guitar*Elton John – piano*Gary Wright – piano*Ringo Starr – drums...	George Harrison George Harrison George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...	4
25.	Wired World of Sports	The Twelfth Man The Twelfth Man The Twelfth Man is the name for a series of comedy productions by Australian satirist Billy Birmingham. Birmingham, a skilled impersonator, is generally known for parodying Australian sports commentators' voices...	1	3

Peak chart positions from 1987 and early 1988 were calculated by David Kent

David Kent (historian)

David Kent is an Australian music historian and pop-culture writer, he produced the Kent Music Report from May 1974 to 1996, it was known as the Australian Music Report from 1987. The music reports were a weekly listing of the National Top 100 chart positions of singles and albums...

 for the Kent Music Report

Kent Music Report

The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...

. Late 1988 peak chart positions are from the ARIA Charts

ARIA Charts

The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...

. Overall position on the End of Year Chart is calculated by ARIA based on the number of weeks and position that the records reach within the Top 50 albums for each week during 1988.