List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 1988


The highest-selling albums and EPs in the United States are ranked in the Billboard 200, which is published by Billboard magazine. The data are compiled by Nielsen Soundscan based on each album's weekly physical and digital sales. In 1988, 11 albums advanced to the peak position of the chart.
The beginning of the year started with the continuation of Dirty Dancing but was bumped out of the number one spot by Pop singer George Michael's first solo album Faith. It had the longest run among the releases, spending 12 non-consecutive weeks in the top position. The album was also notable for entering the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums at number-one making it the first album by a Caucasian artist to hit the top spot on that chart, mainly due to the R&B/funk-leaning singles that were released from the album, most notably, "One More Try", "I Want Your Sex" and "Father Figure". Faith was the best-selling album of 1988 in the United States, and eventually reached Diamond certification by the RIAA. Closely behind Faith, the Dirty Dancing soundtrack spent 11 non-consecutive weeks in the top position. From its August 1987 release, it spent a total of 18 weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200 and went platinum eleven times.
Guns N' Roses' debut album, Appetite for Destruction, was their first number one album on the Billboard 200, and is one of the best selling albums in the U.S., being certified diamond by the RIAA.
Van Halen, Bon Jovi, and U2 garnered their second number one albums on the Billboard 200, while Tiffany, Def Leppard, Anita Baker, and Steve Winwood garnered their first.

Chart history

Issue dateAlbumArtistLabelReference
January 2Dirty DancingSoundtrackRCA Victor
January 9Dirty DancingSoundtrackRCA Victor
January 16FaithGeorge MichaelColumbia
January 23TiffanyTiffanyMCA
January 30TiffanyTiffanyMCA
February 6FaithGeorge MichaelColumbia
February 13FaithGeorge MichaelColumbia
February 20FaithGeorge MichaelColumbia
February 27FaithGeorge MichaelColumbia
March 5FaithGeorge MichaelColumbia
March 12Dirty DancingSoundtrackRCA Victor
March 19Dirty DancingSoundtrackRCA Victor
March 26Dirty DancingSoundtrackRCA Victor
April 2Dirty DancingSoundtrackRCA Victor
April 9Dirty DancingSoundtrackRCA Victor
April 16Dirty DancingSoundtrackRCA Victor
April 23Dirty DancingSoundtrackRCA Victor
April 30Dirty DancingSoundtrackRCA Victor
May 7Dirty DancingSoundtrackRCA Victor
May 14FaithGeorge MichaelColumbia
May 21FaithGeorge MichaelColumbia
May 28FaithGeorge MichaelColumbia
June 4FaithGeorge MichaelColumbia
June 11FaithGeorge MichaelColumbia
June 18FaithGeorge MichaelColumbia
June 25OU812Van HalenWarner Bros.
July 2OU812Van HalenWarner Bros.
July 9OU812Van HalenWarner Bros.
July 16OU812Van HalenWarner Bros.
July 23HysteriaDef LeppardMercury
July 30HysteriaDef LeppardMercury
August 6Appetite for DestructionGuns N' RosesGeffen
August 13HysteriaDef LeppardMercury
August 20Roll with ItSteve WinwoodVirgin
August 27Tracy ChapmanTracy ChapmanElektra
September 3HysteriaDef LeppardMercury
September 10HysteriaDef LeppardMercury
September 17HysteriaDef LeppardMercury
September 24Appetite for DestructionGuns N' RosesGeffen
October 1Appetite for DestructionGuns N' RosesGeffen
October 8Appetite for DestructionGuns N' RosesGeffen
October 15New JerseyBon JoviMercury
October 22New JerseyBon JoviMercury
October 29New JerseyBon JoviMercury
November 5New JerseyBon JoviMercury
November 12Rattle and HumU2 / SoundtrackIsland
November 19Rattle and HumU2 / SoundtrackIsland
November 26Rattle and HumU2 / SoundtrackIsland
December 3Rattle and HumU2 / SoundtrackIsland
December 10Rattle and HumU2 / SoundtrackIsland
December 17Rattle and HumU2 / SoundtrackIsland
December 24Giving You the Best That I GotAnita BakerElektra
December 31Giving You the Best That I GotAnita BakerElektra
-Giving You the Best That I GotAnita BakerElektra-
-Giving You the Best That I GotAnita BakerElektra-
-Giving You the Best That I GotAnita BakerElektra-
-Giving You the Best That I GotAnita BakerElektra-