List of number-one country singles of 1988 (U.S.)

These are the U.S. number-one country songs of 1988

1988 in country music

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1988.-Events:* May 21 — Country music stars highlight a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York. Featured: Alabama, The Judds, George Strait and Randy Travis.-No dates:...

, per the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

Hot Country Songs

Hot Country Songs

Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...

chart.

Issue date	Title	Artist
January 2	Somewhere Tonight Somewhere Tonight "Somewhere Tonight" is the title of a song written by Rodney Crowell and Harlan Howard and recorded by Highway 101. "Somewhere Tonight" was Highway 101's third country hit and the first of four number ones on the country chart. The single went to Number One on Hot Country Singles, spending two...	Highway 101 Highway 101 Highway 101 is an American country music band founded by Paulette Carlson , Jack Daniels , Curtis Stone and Scott "Cactus" Moser . With Carlson as lead vocalist, the band recorded three albums for Warner Bros. Records Nashville and charted ten consecutive Top Ten hits on the Hot Country Songs...
January 9	I Can't Get Close Enough I Can't Get Close Enough "I Can't Get Close Enough" is a 1987 single by Exile. "I Can't Get Close Enough" was written by then-lead singer J.P. Pennington and bass player Sonny LeMaire and was Exile's tenth and final number one country hit. The single went to number for one week and spent a total of fourteen weeks on the...	Exile Exile (American band) Exile, originally known as The Exiles, is an American band founded in Richmond, Kentucky by J.P. Pennington. They started by playing local clubs which led to touring with Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars opening shows and providing backup for major rock artists of the period.Their name was shortened...
January 16	One Friend One Friend "One Friend" was a single released from Dan Seals' hits compilation The Best in 1987. It peaked at #1, becoming his seventh straight number-one single...	Dan Seals Dan Seals Danny Wayland "Dan" Seals was an American musician. The younger brother of Seals & Crofts member Jim Seals, he first gained fame as the "England Dan" half of the soft rock duo England Dan and John Ford Coley, which charted nine pop and adult contemporary singles between 1976 and 1980, including...
January 23	Where Do the Nights Go Where Do the Nights Go "Where Do the Nights Go" is a 1987 single written by Mike Reid and Rory Michael Bourke and recorded by Ronnie Milsap. "Where Do the Nights Go" was Ronnie Milsap's thirty-third number one on the country chart. The single went to number one for one week and spent thirteen weeks on the country chart...	Ronnie Milsap Ronnie Milsap Ronnie Lee Milsap is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country’s most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s...
January 30	Goin' Gone Goin' Gone "Goin' Gone" is a 1987 single written by Pat Alger, Bill Dale, and Fred Koller and recorded by Kathy Mattea. "Goin' Gone" was Kathy Mattea's ninth country hit and the first of four number one country singles. The single went to number one for one week and spent fifteen weeks on the country...	Kathy Mattea Kathy Mattea Kathleen Alice "Kathy" Mattea is an American country music and bluegrass performer who often brings folk, Celtic and traditional country sounds to her music. Active since 1983 as a recording artist, she has recorded seventeen albums and has charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot...
February 6	Wheels Wheels (Restless Heart song) "Wheels" is the title of a song written by Dave Loggins and recorded by American country music band Restless Heart. It was released in October 1987 as the fourth and final single from the album, Wheels. The song was Restless Heart's fourth number one country single...	Restless Heart Restless Heart Restless Heart is an American country music band established in 1984. The band's original members were John Dittrich , Paul Gregg , Dave Innis , Greg Jennings , and Verlon Thompson...
February 13	Tennessee Flat Top Box Tennessee Flat Top Box "Tennessee Flat Top Box" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Johnny Cash. It was released as a single in late 1961, reaching 11 on the Billboard country singles charts and 84 on the pop charts...	Rosanne Cash Rosanne Cash Rosanne Cash is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of the late country music singer Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin....
February 20	Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star "Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star" is a 1987 single by Merle Haggard, who co-wrote the song with Freddy Powers. "Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star" was the last of Merle Haggard's thirty-four number one singles as a solo artist. The single went to number one for one week and spent fifteen weeks on the...	Merle Haggard Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
February 27	I Won't Take Less Than Your Love I Won't Take Less Than Your Love "I Won't Take Less Than Your Love" is a 1987 single by Tanya Tucker with Paul Davis & Paul Overstreet. The single went to number one for one week and spent fifteen weeks on the country chart....	Tanya Tucker Tanya Tucker Tanya Denise Tucker is a female American country music artist who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13... , Paul Davis Paul Davis (singer) Paul Lavon Davis was an American singer and songwriter, best known for his radio hits and solo career which started worldwide in 1970. His career encompassed soul, country and pop music... and Paul Overstreet Paul Overstreet Paul Lester Overstreet is an American country music singer and songwriter. He recorded 10 studio albums between 1982 and 2005, and charted 16 singles on the Billboard country charts, including two #1 hits...
March 5	Face to Face Face to Face (Alabama song) "Face to Face" is a 1987 single by Alabama, written by lead singer Randy Owen. "Face to Face" featured K.T. Oslin on guest vocals and was Alabama's twenty-second number one on the country chart. The single went to number one for one week and spent fifteen weeks on the country chart.-Chart...	Alabama Alabama (band) Alabama is a country music and southern rock band from Fort Payne, Alabama, United States. The band was founded in 1969 by Randy Owen and his cousin Teddy Gentry , soon joined by Jeff Cook...
March 12	Too Gone Too Long Too Gone Too Long "Too Gone Too Long" is a song by En Vogue, released as the final single from their third album, EV3. The song was written by famed writer Diane Warren who has written mega hits like "Un-Break My Heart" and "Because You Loved Me"...	Randy Travis Randy Travis Randy Travis is an American country music singer and actor. Since 1985, he has recorded 20 studio albums and charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 22 of which were number one hits...
March 19	Life Turned Her That Way Life Turned Her That Way "Life Turned Her That Way" is the title of a song written by Harlan Howard and first recorded by American Country Music artist Little Jimmy Dickens in 1965. Mel Tillis would record it in 1967 and release it as a single. Ricky Van Shelton would also later record it and release it as a single. It was...	Ricky Van Shelton Ricky Van Shelton Ricky Van Shelton is a currently retired American country music artist. Active between 1986 and 2006, he has charted more than twenty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
March 26	Turn It Loose Turn It Loose "Turn it Loose" is the title of a song written by Craig Bickhardt, Don Schlitz, and Brent Maher and recorded by American country music duo The Judds. The song was The Judds' eleventh number one country single. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of twelve weeks on the...	The Judds The Judds The Judds were an American country music duo composed of Naomi Judd and her daughter, Wynonna Judd. Signed to RCA Records in 1983, the duo released six studio albums between then and 1991. One of the most successful acts in country music history, The Judds won five Grammy Awards for Best Country...
April 2	Love Will Find Its Way to You	Reba McEntire Reba McEntire Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
April 9	Famous Last Words of a Fool Famous Last Words of a Fool "Famous Last Words of a Fool" is the title of a single released by country singer George Strait in 1988. It was the first single from his eighth studio album, If You Ain't Lovin', You Ain't Livin....	George Strait George Strait George Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...
April 16	I Wanna Dance with You I Wanna Dance with You (song) "I Wanna Dance with You" is the title track of Eddie Rabbitt's 1988 album. "I Wanna Dance with You" was written by Eddie Rabbitt and Junior Walker was Eddie Rabbitt's thirteenth number one country single as a solo artist. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of fourteen...	Eddie Rabbitt Eddie Rabbitt Edward Thomas "Eddie" Rabbitt was an American singer-songwriter and musician. His career began as a songwriter in the late 1960s, springboarding to a recording career after composing hits such as "Kentucky Rain" for Elvis Presley in 1970 and "Pure Love" for Ronnie Milsap in 1974...
April 23	I'll Always Come Back I'll Always Come Back "I'll Always Come Back" is a 1988 single written and recorded by K.T. Oslin. "I'll Always Come Back" was K.T. Oslin's second number one on the country chart. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of thirteen weeks on the country chart....	K. T. Oslin
April 30	It's Such a Small World It's Such a Small World "It's Such a Small World" is a duet by American country music artists Rodney Crowell and Rosanne Cash, released in January 1988. "It's Such a Small World" was the lead-off single to Crowell's Diamonds and Dirt album, which charted five No...	Rodney Crowell Rodney Crowell Rodney Crowell is a Grammy Award-winning musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music.... with Rosanne Cash
May 7	Cry, Cry, Cry	Highway 101
May 14	I'm Gonna Get You I'm Gonna Get You "I Gonna Get You" is a song written by Dennis Linde. It was first recorded by Billy Swan, whose version was released as a single in 1987 and went to #63 on the U.S. country singles charts....	Eddy Raven Eddy Raven Edward Garvin Futch is an American country music artist known professionally as Eddy Raven. Known for his Cajun-influenced country music, Raven has been a recording artist since 1962...
May 21	Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" is a country song by Kathy Mattea from her 1987 album, Untasted Honey. The song was released as a single and hit number one on both the US and Canadian Country charts in 1988. The song is about a truck driver called Charlie who is retiring after 30 years to spend...	Kathy Mattea
May 28		Kathy Mattea
June 4	What She Is (Is a Woman in Love) What She Is (Is a Woman in Love) "What She Is " is the title of a song written by Bob McDill and Paul Harrison and recorded by American country music artist Earl Thomas Conley. It was released in February 1988 as the lead single from the album, The Heart of It All. The song was Earl Thomas Conley's fourteenth number one on the...	Earl Thomas Conley Earl Thomas Conley Earl Thomas Conley is an American country music singer-songwriter. Between 1980 and 2003, he recorded ten studio albums, including seven for the RCA Records label. In the 1980s and into the 1990s, Conley also charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which...
June 11	I Told You So I Told You So (Randy Travis song) Carrie Underwood released a cover version of the song on her 2007 album Carnival Ride. It was the fifth and final single released from the album. Her version of the song was featured on the album Now That's What I Call Country Volume 2...	Randy Travis
June 18		Randy Travis
June 25	He's Back and I'm Blue He's Back and I'm Blue "He's Back and I'm Blue" is a 1988 single written by Robert Anderson and Michael Woody and recorded by The Desert Rose Band. "He's Back and I'm Blue" was the fourth country hit for The Desert Rose Band and the first of two number ones for the group. The single went to number one for one week and...	The Desert Rose Band
July 2	If It Don't Come Easy If It Don't Come Easy "If It Don't Come Easy" is a 1988 single written by Dave Gibson and Craig Karp and recorded by Tanya Tucker. "If It Don't Come Easy" was Tanya Tucker's ninth number one on the country chart. The single went to number one for one week and spent fourteen weeks on the country chart.-Chart performance:...	Tanya Tucker
July 9	Fallin' Again Fallin' Again "Fallin' Again" is a song recorded by the country music group Alabama. It was the third and final single to their 1987 album Just Us. It was a number-one hit in both the United States and Canada.-Single and album versions:...	Alabama
July 16	If You Change Your Mind If You Change Your Mind "If You Change Your Mind" is a 1988 single by Rosanne Cash, who co-wrote the song with Hank DeVito. "If You Change Your Mind" was Rosanne Cash's ninth number one on the country chart. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of fifteen weeks on the country chart.-Chart...	Rosanne Cash
July 23	Set 'Em Up Joe Set 'Em Up Joe "Set 'Em Up Joe" is a 1988 single by Vern Gosdin, who co-wrote the song with Dean Dillon, Hank Cochran, and Buddy Cannon. "Set 'Em Up Joe" was a tribute song to Ernest Tubb and was Vern Gosdin's second number one on the country chart. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total...	Vern Gosdin Vern Gosdin Vern Gosdin was an American country music singer. He idolized The Louvin Brothers and The Blue Sky Boys as a young man and sang in a gospel quartet called The Gosdin Brothers. An inheritor of the soulful honky tonk style of Lefty Frizzell and Merle Haggard, Gosdin was nicknamed "The Voice" by his...
July 30	Don't We All Have the Right Don't We All Have the Right "Don't We All Have the Right" is a song written and recorded by Roger Miller in 1970 and featured on his album, Trip in the Country, released as a double A-side with "South." It was later recorded by Ricky Van Shelton...	Ricky Van Shelton
August 6	Baby Blue Baby Blue (George Strait song) "Baby Blue" is the title of a song written by Aaron Baker and recorded by American country music artist George Strait. It was released in April 1988 as the second single from his 1988 album If You Ain't Lovin', You Ain't Livin'. It was a number-one hit in the United States, while it peaked at #3...	George Strait
August 13	Don't Close Your Eyes Don't Close Your Eyes (song) "Don't Close Your Eyes" is a song recorded by country music artist Keith Whitley. It is the third single released from his 1987 album of the same name. It peaked at number-one in the United States, and #2 in Canada. Additionally, it was Billboard's number-one country single of the year 1988...	Keith Whitley Keith Whitley Jackie Keith Whitley , known professionally as Keith Whitley, was an American country music singer. Whitley's brief career in mainstream country music lasted from 1984 until his death in 1989, but he continues to influence an entire generation of singers and songwriters...
August 20	Bluest Eyes in Texas The Bluest Eyes in Texas "The Bluest Eyes in Texas" is the title of a song written by Tim DuBois, Dave Robbins and Van Stephenson, and recorded by American country music group, Restless Heart. It was released in May 1988 as the lead single from their album Big Dreams in a Small Town. It hit #1 on Billboard's Hot Country...	Restless Heart
August 27	The Wanderer The Wanderer (Dion song) "The Wanderer" is a song written by Ernie Maresca and originally recorded by Dion. The song, with a 12-bar blues-base verse and an eight-bar bridge, tells the story of a travelling man and his many loves...	Eddie Rabbitt
September 3	I Couldn't Leave You If I Tried I Couldn't Leave You If I Tried "I Couldn't Leave You If I Tried" is a 1988 single written and performed by Rodney Crowell. "I Couldn't Leave You If I Tried" was a track of off Rodney Crowell's "Diamonds & Dirt" album and was the first of his four number one country singles...	Rodney Crowell
September 10	(Do You Love Me) Just Say Yes (Do You Love Me) Just Say Yes " Just Say Yes" is the title of a song written by Bob DiPiero, John Scott Sherrill, and Dennis Robbins and recorded by Highway 101. " Just Say Yes" was Highway 101's third number one on the country chart. The song spent one week at that position and twenty weeks on the chart...	Highway 101
September 17	Joe Knows How to Live Joe Knows How to Live "Joe Knows How to Live" is a 1988 single written by Troy Seals, Max D. Barnes, and Graham Lyle and recorded by Eddy Raven. "Joe Knows How to Live" was Eddy Raven's fourth number one on the country chart...	Eddy Raven
September 24	Addicted	Dan Seals
October 1	We Believe in Happy Endings We Believe in Happy Endings "We Believe in Happy Endings" is the title of a song written by Bob McDill and recorded by American country music artist Earl Thomas Conley with Emmylou Harris as a duet. It was released in June 1988 as the second single from the album, The Heart of It All. The song was the only collaboration of...	Earl Thomas Conley with Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
October 8	Honky Tonk Moon Honky Tonk Moon "Honky Tonk Moon" is the title of a song written by Dennis O'Rourke and recorded by American country music artist Randy Travis. It was the lead off single released from his album, Old 8x10. It became his seventh and fifth consecutive #1 hit in the United States. It peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot...	Randy Travis
October 15	Streets of Bakersfield Streets of Bakersfield "Streets of Bakersfield" is a 1973 song written by Homer Joy and popularized by Buck Owens.-Cover versions:*In 1988, the song was recorded by country music artist Dwight Yoakam with his hero Buck Owens and was the lead-off single to his 1988 album Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room...	Dwight Yoakam Dwight Yoakam Dwight David Yoakam is an American singer-songwriter, actor and film director, most famous for his pioneering country music... with Buck Owens Buck Owens Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos...
October 22	Strong Enough to Bend Strong Enough to Bend (song) "Strong Enough to Bend" is the title track to a 1988 album by Tanya Tucker. "Strong Enough to Bend" was written by Beth Nielsen Chapman and Don Schlitz and was Tanya Tucker's ninth number one on the country chart as a solo artist. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of...	Tanya Tucker
October 29	Gonna Take a Lot of River	The Oak Ridge Boys The Oak Ridge Boys The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet.The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in southern gospel during the 1950s...
November 5	Darlene Darlene (T. Graham Brown song) "Darlene is a 1988 single written by Mike Geiger, Woody Mullis, and Ricky Ray Rector and recorded by T. Graham Brown. "Darlene" was T. Graham Brown's third and final number one on the country chart. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of fourteen weeks on the country...	T. Graham Brown T. Graham Brown Anthony "T." Graham Brown is an American country music artist. Active since 1986, Brown has recorded a total of thirteen studio albums, and has charted more than twenty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
November 12	Runaway Train Runaway Train (Rosanne Cash song) "Runaway Train" is a 1988 single written by John Stewart and recorded by Rosanne Cash. "Runaway Train" was Rosanne Cash's ninth number one on the country chart as a solo artist...	Rosanne Cash
November 19	I'll Leave This World Loving You I'll Leave This World Loving You "I'll Leave This World Loving You" is a country music song written by Wayne Kemp and Mack Vickery. Kemp released it in 1980 on the Mercury Records label.The song was later covered by Ricky Van Shelton in 1988...	Ricky Van Shelton
November 26		Ricky Van Shelton
December 3	I Know How He Feels I Know How He Feels "I Know How He Feels" is a 1988 single written by Rick Bowles and Will Robinson and recorded by Reba McEntire. "I Know How He Feels" was Reba McEntire's eleventh number one country hit. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of fourteen weeks on the country chart.-Chart...	Reba McEntire
December 10	If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't Livin') If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't Livin') "If You Ain't Lovin' " the title of a song written by Tommy Collins and originally recorded by country music artist Faron Young...	George Strait
December 17	A Tender Lie A Tender Lie "A Tender Lie" is the title of a song written by Randy Sharp and recorded by American country music band Restless Heart. It was released in September 1988 as the second single from the album, Big Dreams in a Small Town. The song was the sixth and final number one on the country chart, and was also...	Restless Heart
December 24	When You Say Nothing at All When You Say Nothing at All "When You Say Nothing at All" is the debut solo single by Irish singer-songwriter Ronan Keating. The song was recorded in 1999 for the soundtrack of the film Notting Hill. It also appeared on Keating's debut solo album, Ronan. The song was released on July 26, 1999 in the United Kingdom. It peaked...	Keith Whitley
December 31		Keith Whitley

See also