This was probably the year that decent number 1 songs were hardest to find. Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list of number 1 tracks. It’s all those songs that did not go on from number 2 to number 1 matched against the songs that stopped them from getting there.
Consequently, Marc Almond and Gene Pitney get a pass, as do Simple Minds, The Bangles, The Hillsborough charity collective, Soul II Soul and Lisa Stansfield. As for Aussies and Bunnies, it’s just, “No!”
| Song at Number 2 | Week Ending | Song at Number 1 |
| Erasure – Crackers International EP | 7 Jan 1989 | Kylie & Jason – Especially For You |
| 14 Jan 1989 | ||
| 21 Jan 1989 | ||
| Mike & The Mechanics – The Living Years | 28 Jan 1989 | Marc Almond feat. Gene Pitney – Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart |
| 4 Feb 1989 | ||
| 11 Feb 1989 | ||
| Michael Ball – Love Changes Everything | 25 Feb 1989 | Simple Minds – Belfast Child |
| Michael Jackson – Leave Me Alone | 4 Mar 1989 | |
| Michael Ball – Love Changes Everything | 11 Mar 1989 | Jason Donovan – Too Many Broken Hearts |
| Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me By Now | 15 Apr 1989 | The Bangles – Eternal Flame |
| 22 Apr 1989 | ||
| Natalie Cole – Miss You Like Crazy | 3 Jun 1989 | Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney, Gerry Marsden & Stock Aitken Waterman – Ferry ‘Cross The Mersey |
| Cliff Richard – The Best Of Me | 10 Jun 1989 | Jason Donovan – Sealed With A Kiss |
| 17 Jun 1989 | ||
| Prince – Batdance | 1 Jul 1989 | Soul II Soul feat. Caron Wheeler – Back To Life (However Do You Want Me) |
| Beautiful South – Song For Whoever | 8 Jul 1989 | |
| London Boys – London Nights | 22 Jul 1989 | Sonia – You’ll Never Stop Me From Loving You |
| Bros – Too Much | 29 Jul 1989 | |
| Kylie Minogue – Wouldn’t Change A Thing | 5 Aug 1989 | Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers – Swing The Mood |
| 12 Aug 1989 | ||
| Lil’ Louis – French Kiss | 19 Aug 1989 | |
| Alice Cooper – Poison | 26 Aug 1989 | |
| Jason Donovan – Every Day (I Love You More) | 16 Sep 1989 | Black Box – Ride On Time |
| Richard Marx – Right Here Waiting | 23 Sep 1989 | |
| 30 Sep 1989 | ||
| Technotronic featuring Felly – Pump Up The Jam | 7 Oct 1989 | |
| 14 Oct 1989 | ||
| Milli Vanilli – Girl I’m Gonna Miss You | 28 Oct 1989 | Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers – That’s What I Like |
| 4 Nov 1989 | ||
| 11 Nov 1989 | Lisa Stansfield – All Around The World | |
| Phil Collins – Another Day In Paradise | 18 Nov 1989 | |
| Linda Ronstadt featuring Aaron Neville – Don’t Know Much | 2 Dec 1989 | New Kids On The Block – You Got It (The Right Stuff) |
| 9 Dec 1989 | ||
| Jason Donovan – When You Come Back To Me | 16 Dec 1989 | Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers – Let’s Party |