1987 Billboard Number One Hits: Every Hot 100 Chart-Topper

The 1987 Billboard Number One Hits list captured late-1980s pop at full volume: arena rock, dance-pop, adult-contemporary ballads, movie soundtrack hits, R&B, teen pop, and the rise of several artists who would remain major names into the 1990s. The Bangles opened the year with Walk Like an Egyptian, Bon Jovi ruled winter with Livin’ on a Prayer, Whitney Houston and Madonna kept stacking No. 1s, U2 broke through twice, and George Michael closed the year with Faith.

This page follows the Billboard Hot 100 issue dates for 1987, shown here as reader-friendly weekly date ranges. Because Billboard chart weeks can cross calendar years, this list begins with The Bangles’ late-1986 carryover and continues into early 1988 with George Michael’s Faith.

The Billboard Hot 100 ranks the most popular songs in the United States using radio airplay and sales. These are official Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs, not pop-only, rock-only, airplay-only, R&B-only, adult-contemporary-only, or “that was definitely playing in every mall food court” rankings.

1987 Billboard Number One Hits by Week

December 21, 1986 – January 10, 1987: Walk Like an Egyptian – The Bangles
January 11 – January 17, 1987: Shake You Down – Gregory Abbott
January 18 – January 31, 1987: At This Moment – Billy Vera and the Beaters
February 1 – February 7, 1987: Open Your Heart – Madonna
February 8 – March 7, 1987: Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
March 8 – March 14, 1987: Jacob’s Ladder – Huey Lewis and the News
March 15 – March 28, 1987: Lean on Me – Club Nouveau
March 29 – April 11, 1987: Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now – Starship
April 12 – April 25, 1987: I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) – Aretha Franklin & George Michael
April 26 – May 9, 1987: (I Just) Died in Your Arms – Cutting Crew
May 10 – May 30, 1987: With or Without You – U2
May 31 – June 6, 1987: You Keep Me Hangin’ On – Kim Wilde
June 7 – June 13, 1987: Always – Atlantic Starr
June 14 – June 20, 1987: Head to Toe – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
June 21 – July 4, 1987: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) – Whitney Houston
July 5 – July 25, 1987: Alone – Heart
July 26 – August 1, 1987: Shakedown – Bob Seger
August 2 – August 15, 1987: I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – U2
August 16 – August 22, 1987: Who’s That Girl – Madonna
August 23 – September 12, 1987: La Bamba – Los Lobos
September 13 – September 19, 1987: I Just Can’t Stop Loving You – Michael Jackson with Siedah Garrett
September 20 – October 3, 1987: Didn’t We Almost Have It All – Whitney Houston
October 4 – October 10, 1987: Here I Go Again – Whitesnake
October 11 – October 17, 1987: Lost in Emotion – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
October 18 – October 31, 1987: Bad – Michael Jackson
November 1 – November 14, 1987: I Think We’re Alone Now – Tiffany
November 15 – November 21, 1987: Mony Mony – Billy Idol
November 22 – November 28, 1987: (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
November 29 – December 5, 1987: Heaven Is a Place on Earth – Belinda Carlisle
December 6, 1987 – January 2, 1988: Faith – George Michael

Song-by-Song Notes on the 1987 Billboard No. 1 Hits

Walk Like an Egyptian – The Bangles

The Bangles opened the 1987 Billboard Hot 100 calendar with Walk Like an Egyptian, a late-1986 carryover that stayed at No. 1 into January. Its playful rhythm, unusual title, and instantly recognizable video helped make it one of the decade’s most memorable pop-rock hits.

Billboard ranked Walk Like an Egyptian as the top Hot 100 song of 1987. That is a fun chart wrinkle, because most of its weekly No. 1 run actually started before 1987 did. The Bangles walked in from 1986 and still owned the year-end crown.

Shake You Down – Gregory Abbott

Gregory Abbott reached No. 1 with Shake You Down, a smooth R&B ballad that crossed strongly to pop radio. The song’s relaxed groove and romantic tone made it a natural fit for early-1987 adult-pop and R&B audiences.

Its one-week run gave Abbott his signature hit and one of the year’s softest landings at the top of the chart.

At This Moment – Billy Vera and the Beaters

Billy Vera and the Beaters reached No. 1 with At This Moment, a song originally released in 1981 before gaining new life through its use on the TV series Family Ties. That exposure helped turn an older recording into a major 1987 hit.

Its two-week run is a classic example of television giving a song a second chance. Alex P. Keaton did not just help ratings; he helped the Hot 100 too.

Open Your Heart – Madonna

Madonna reached No. 1 with Open Your Heart, another major single from True Blue. The song’s bright pop production and memorable video kept Madonna’s mid-1980s chart momentum going strong.

Its one-week run made it her fifth Hot 100 No. 1. By early 1987, Madonna was less a chart visitor and more a recurring appointment.

Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi spent four weeks at No. 1 with Livin’ on a Prayer, one of the defining arena-rock songs of the 1980s. The song’s talk box guitar, dramatic key change, and Tommy-and-Gina storyline helped turn it into a generational sing-along.

It was the longest uninterrupted No. 1 run of the 1987 chart year. It also proved that a chorus could practically come with its own raised fist.

Jacob’s Ladder – Huey Lewis and the News

Huey Lewis and the News reached No. 1 with Jacob’s Ladder, a song written by Bruce Hornsby and John Hornsby. The band’s version turned it into a polished pop-rock hit during their strong mid-1980s run.

Its one-week stay at No. 1 gave Huey Lewis and the News another chart-topper after the enormous success of the Sports and Fore! eras.

Lean on Me – Club Nouveau

Club Nouveau topped the Hot 100 with Lean on Me, a modernized cover of Bill Withers’ 1972 classic. The group’s version used a more contemporary R&B and dance-pop arrangement while keeping the song’s communal message intact.

Its two-week run made Lean on Me one of the rare songs to reach No. 1 in two different versions by different artists.

Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now – Starship

Starship reached No. 1 with Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now, a Diane Warren and Albert Hammond-written power ballad from the film Mannequin. The song’s movie connection and giant chorus helped make it one of the year’s signature adult-pop hits.

Its two-week run was peak 1987 soundtrack energy: big vocals, big feelings, and a mall mannequin somehow involved.

I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) – Aretha Franklin & George Michael

Aretha Franklin and George Michael reached No. 1 with I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me). The duet paired one of soul music’s greatest voices with one of pop’s biggest rising solo stars.

Its two-week run gave Franklin her second Hot 100 No. 1 and gave George Michael a major pre-Faith chart moment. Not a bad warm-up before he took over 1988.

(I Just) Died in Your Arms – Cutting Crew

Cutting Crew reached No. 1 with (I Just) Died in Your Arms, a dramatic British pop-rock ballad. The song’s emotional chorus and polished production made it one of the year’s biggest international crossover hits.

Its two-week run gave the band its only Hot 100 chart-topper and one of the most recognizable titles of the decade.

With or Without You – U2

U2 earned its first Hot 100 No. 1 with With or Without You, the lead single from The Joshua Tree. The song’s slow build, atmospheric guitar, and emotional tension helped move the band from major rock act to full American pop-chart force.

Its three-week run was one of 1987’s biggest rock milestones. U2 did not just cross over; they arrived with echo, mood, and a bassline that refused to hurry.

You Keep Me Hangin’ On – Kim Wilde

Kim Wilde reached No. 1 with her synth-pop cover of The Supremes’ You Keep Me Hangin’ On. The song had already topped the Hot 100 for The Supremes in 1966, making Wilde’s version another successful reinvention of a Motown classic.

Its one-week run gave Wilde her biggest U.S. hit and showed how 1960s soul material could be reshaped for 1980s pop radio.

Always – Atlantic Starr

Atlantic Starr reached No. 1 with Always, a romantic R&B ballad that became one of the year’s most enduring slow songs. Its wedding-ready tone and smooth vocal arrangement helped it cross over to pop audiences.

Its one-week run was modest, but its reception as a love song standard lasted much longer.

Head to Toe – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam

Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam reached No. 1 with Head to Toe, a bright freestyle and dance-pop hit produced by Full Force. The song’s playful groove and strong hook made it one of the year’s standout pop-R&B crossovers.

Its one-week run was the group’s first Hot 100 chart-topper, with another coming later in the year.

I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) – Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston spent two weeks at No. 1 with I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me), the lead single from her album Whitney. The song’s bright dance-pop production and powerhouse vocal made it one of her signature upbeat hits.

It opened the Whitney era in spectacular fashion and continued her remarkable No. 1 streak. Sometimes the request is simple: dance, love, repeat.

Alone – Heart

Heart spent three weeks at No. 1 with Alone, one of the biggest power ballads of the year. Ann Wilson’s vocal performance helped turn the song into one of the band’s defining late-career hits.

Its long run showed how strongly 1980s rock ballads could cross over to mainstream pop radio. The song did not whisper its feelings; it launched them from a cliff.

Shakedown – Bob Seger

Bob Seger reached No. 1 with Shakedown, from the film Beverly Hills Cop II. The song gave Seger his only Hot 100 No. 1 and brought him into the soundtrack-driven pop world of the late 1980s.

Its one-week run was a movie-song win and a career milestone for a longtime rock favorite.

I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – U2

U2 returned to No. 1 with I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, another major single from The Joshua Tree. The song’s gospel influence, spiritual longing, and expansive sound helped deepen the album’s American impact.

Its two-week run gave U2 two No. 1 songs in the same year, confirming The Joshua Tree as one of 1987’s defining albums.

Who’s That Girl – Madonna

Madonna reached No. 1 with Who’s That Girl, the title song from her 1987 film and soundtrack project. The song continued her run of mid-1980s chart-toppers with a Latin-flavored pop feel.

Its one-week run gave Madonna another Hot 100 No. 1 during a year when soundtrack singles were everywhere.

La Bamba – Los Lobos

Los Lobos spent three weeks at No. 1 with La Bamba, from the Ritchie Valens biopic of the same name. Their version revived Valens’ rock-and-roll classic for a new generation and became one of 1987’s biggest soundtrack hits.

The song’s success brought Spanish-language rock and Chicano music history into the Hot 100 spotlight. It was a cover, a film tie-in, and a cultural bridge all at once.

I Just Can’t Stop Loving You – Michael Jackson with Siedah Garrett

Michael Jackson launched the Bad era with I Just Can’t Stop Loving You, a duet with Siedah Garrett. The ballad gave Jackson another No. 1 before the album’s harder-edged title track followed.

Its one-week run was the first of two Jackson No. 1 songs in 1987, with more from Bad arriving in 1988.

Didn’t We Almost Have It All – Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston returned to No. 1 with Didn’t We Almost Have It All, a dramatic ballad from Whitney. The song continued her streak of consecutive No. 1 singles and showed her command of full-scale pop balladry.

Its two-week run kept Houston’s second album firmly in the Hot 100 spotlight.

Here I Go Again – Whitesnake

Whitesnake reached No. 1 with Here I Go Again, a re-recorded version of a song first released earlier in the decade. The 1987 version became a major glam-metal and hard-rock crossover hit.

Its one-week run gave the band its only Hot 100 chart-topper. The song had already existed, but 1987 gave it the hair, video, and radio power it needed.

Lost in Emotion – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam

Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam scored their second No. 1 of 1987 with Lost in Emotion. The song mixed freestyle-pop, R&B, and a playful retro girl-group feel.

Its one-week run confirmed that the group’s year was not built on Head to Toe alone. They had range, hooks, and Full Force production working hard behind the scenes.

Bad – Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson reached No. 1 with Bad, the title track from his 1987 album. The song’s aggressive pop-funk sound and Martin Scorsese-directed short film helped turn it into a major pop-culture event.

Its two-week run showed Jackson entering a new era with a tougher image, even if the choreography remained impossibly precise.

I Think We’re Alone Now – Tiffany

Tiffany reached No. 1 with I Think We’re Alone Now, a cover of Tommy James and the Shondells’ 1967 hit. The song’s success was closely tied to her mall-tour promotion, one of the most memorable teen-pop marketing stories of the decade.

Its two-week run made Tiffany one of 1987’s biggest young pop stars. The mall was not just for Orange Julius anymore; it was a launchpad.

Mony Mony – Billy Idol

Billy Idol topped the Hot 100 with his live version of Mony Mony, another song originally associated with Tommy James and the Shondells. Idol’s high-energy performance turned the 1960s hit into an arena-ready 1980s party record.

Its one-week run made for a funny chart pairing: Tiffany’s Tommy James cover was followed immediately by Billy Idol’s Tommy James cover. The 1960s were apparently having a very loud reunion.

(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes

Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes reached No. 1 with (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life, the signature song from Dirty Dancing. The duet became one of the most famous movie ballads of the decade.

Its one-week run was brief, but its cultural life was huge. Any song tied to “the lift” has a built-in second career at weddings and talent shows.

Heaven Is a Place on Earth – Belinda Carlisle

Belinda Carlisle earned her first solo Hot 100 No. 1 with Heaven Is a Place on Earth. The song’s huge chorus and polished pop-rock production helped move the former Go-Go’s singer into full solo pop success.

Its one-week run gave Carlisle one of the defining late-1980s pop anthems.

Faith – George Michael

George Michael closed the 1987 Billboard Hot 100 year with Faith, which carried into January 1988. The song’s rockabilly guitar, spare arrangement, and stylish video helped establish Michael’s solo identity after Wham!

Faith spent four total weeks at No. 1 across 1987 and 1988 and became Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 song of 1988. It was the start of one of the strongest solo-pop runs of the late 1980s.

Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Stories of 1987

Walk Like an Egyptian Was Billboard’s Year-End No. 1

The Bangles’ Walk Like an Egyptian was Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 song of 1987. Its weekly No. 1 run began in late 1986, but its overall chart performance made it the year’s top single.

U2 Had Its First Two Hot 100 No. 1 Songs

U2 reached No. 1 twice in 1987 with With or Without You and I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. Both came from The Joshua Tree, the album that pushed the band into American pop superstardom.

Whitney Houston’s No. 1 Streak Continued

Whitney Houston reached No. 1 with I Wanna Dance with Somebody and Didn’t We Almost Have It All. Her streak would continue into 1988, when Where Do Broken Hearts Go made her the first artist with seven consecutive Hot 100 No. 1 singles.

Soundtrack Singles Were Everywhere

Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now, Shakedown, Who’s That Girl, La Bamba, and (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life all had major film connections. In 1987, the movie theater and the Hot 100 were very much on speaking terms.

George Michael Was Setting Up 1988

George Michael appeared on two 1987 No. 1 songs: I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) with Aretha Franklin and his own Faith. That closing run led directly into his huge 1988 chart year.

1987 Billboard Number One Hits Trivia

Walk Like an Egyptian by The Bangles was Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 song of 1987.
Livin’ on a Prayer and Faith each spent four total weeks at No. 1 tied to the 1987 chart year, though Faith carried into 1988.
U2 scored its first two Hot 100 No. 1 singles in 1987.
At This Moment became a No. 1 hit years after its original release because of its use on Family Ties.
Lean on Me became a No. 1 hit in versions by both Bill Withers and Club Nouveau.
La Bamba brought Ritchie Valens’ song back to No. 1 through the Los Lobos version from the film La Bamba.
I Think We’re Alone Now and Mony Mony were both covers of songs first made famous by Tommy James and the Shondells.
(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life became the signature song from Dirty Dancing.
Faith closed 1987 and carried into the 1988 Billboard chart year.

Why the 1987 Billboard Number One Hits Matter

The 1987 Billboard Number One Hits list shows the late 1980s in full crossover mode. Rock bands, R&B singers, teen-pop stars, dance acts, movie soundtrack songs, and veteran artists all reached the top of the Hot 100.

The year also set up several major stories for the next few years. U2 became a true American chart force, Whitney Houston’s consecutive-No. 1 streak kept growing, George Michael’s solo career was about to explode, and Michael Jackson launched the Bad era.

For chart fans, 1987 was a year of huge choruses, giant videos, big hair, big movie tie-ins, and enough soundtrack ballads to make every prom committee feel seen.