# Best of the Rest of the Top 40: 1989 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 4, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210 "2015-03-04T17:20:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/1 "2015-03-04T17:20:58Z")
Time to close out the '80s. This is the last really big year for #1s, and hopefully the last time I’ll have to dig deep in the chart to put 25 songs together (I went all the way to #59 for this one, the farthest I’ve had to go for any of these polls.) What’s your favorite? Previous polls: [1956](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744629) [1957](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744819) [1958](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744978) [1959](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745151) [1960](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745331) [1961](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745525) [1962](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745733) [1963](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745956) [1964](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746118) [1965](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746342) [1966](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746498) [1967](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746735) [1968](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746932) [1969](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747152) [1970](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747345) [1971](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747517) [1972](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747737) [1973](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747976) [1974](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748145) [1975](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748360) [1976](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748527) [1977](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748653) [1978](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748866) [1979](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749060) [1980](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749217) [1981](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749398) [1982](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749610) [1983](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749795) [1984](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749949) [1985](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750154) [1986](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750299) [1987](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750488) [1988](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750641) Best #1 single polls: [1955-56](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731649) [1957](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731871) [1958](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732021) [1959](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732199)[1960](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732526) [1961](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732691) [1962](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732872) [1963](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733112) [1964](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733297) [1965](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733526) [1966](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733750) [1967](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733958) [1968](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734168) [1969](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734331) [1970](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734535) [1971](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734741) [1972](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735107) [1973](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735304) [1974](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735502) [1975](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735659) [1976](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735871) [1977](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736076) [1978](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736316) [1979](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736501) [1980](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736705) [1981](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736957) [1982](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737099) [1983](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737315) [1984](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737488) [1985](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737732) [1986](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737957) [1987](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738178) [1988](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738403) [1989](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738639) [1990](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738829) [1991](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739067) [1992](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739360) [1993](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739525) [1994](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739880) [1995](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740122) [1996](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740302) [1997](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740497) [1998](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740709) [1999](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740859) [2000](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741047) [2001](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741267) [2002](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741450) [2003](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741604) [2004](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741730) [2005](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741915) [2006](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742069) [2007](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742147) [2008](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742282) [2009](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742467) [2010](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742676) [2011](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742846) [2012](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=675664) [2013](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=710843) [2014](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743899) [1950s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743046) [1960s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743240) [1970s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743399) [1980s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743597) [1990s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743803) [2000s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743981) [2010s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744176) [All-time](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744358) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/2 "2015-03-04T17:40:27Z")
For me, it’s a three-way race between: Tone-Loc - Wild Thing Young MC - Bust a Move B-52’s - Love Shack Tone-Loc because that song was _huge_ in the ATL. Young MC because I saw him perform w/in the past year and most of his set was about rapping about how people come to his concerts waiting to hear his One Big Song. Pretty funny and entertaining. B-52’s because it’s the B-52’s and I lived in Athens, GA at the time and my girlfriend (eventually wife) loved this song. Laura, this vote’s for you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/3 "2015-03-04T17:41:44Z")
This is the first year in about 10-12 where I had to look up some of the songs on YouTube. In about another decade, I’m going to have to look up pretty much _all_ the songs. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/4 "2015-03-04T17:42:51Z")
Love Shack, baby! Easiest choice I’ve had in all of these polls. ---
**Author:** ![TheInimitableMaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@TheInimitableMaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheInimitableMaven)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/5 "2015-03-04T18:04:08Z")
I could have gone for “Love Shack”, but I had to give “Armageddon It” the pity vote…my Leppard favorite, and one I’ve always felt was/is a smidge underappreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/6 "2015-03-04T18:20:15Z")
The poll has barely begun and **The B-52’s** are already running away with it. I can see why: it’s arguably the quirkiest and most fun in the (rather poor) field. I can’t bring myself to vote for it, though as I’ve never really liked it (always had the feeling they were trying too hard to be weird) and it’s going to win anyway. Now, what to choose? _Wild Thing_ is OK but no. **Bon Jovi**? Hmmm, I was a huge fan at the time of the _Slippery when Wet_ album but I was disappointed with the follow-up on which this song appeared. Well, **Neneh Cherry** - _Buffalo Stance_ it will be, then… ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/7 "2015-03-04T18:25:32Z")
Torn between Tone Loc and Young MC. Went with Young MC. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/8 "2015-03-04T18:30:28Z")
Well, I like Cher and Madonna, but these particular songs were not favorites. “Bust a Move” is cute, still like it. Def Leppard, Tears for Fears…again, not very good songs. “Love Shack” doesn’t suck one bit, though it’s been played to death. _climbs up on the B52 bandwagon_ ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/9 "2015-03-04T18:32:09Z")
“Express Yourself” gets my vote here. Runners-up include Tears for Fears, the B-52s, and Young MC. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/10 "2015-03-04T18:44:08Z")
“Love Shack” is downright annoying as the song drags on, it is a happy song and I do like the beginning “I’m heading down the Atlanta highway” line I’ll admit. I voted for the Tears for Fears song in Woodstockybird’s Alternative #1 songs of 1989. “Funky Cold Medina” was Tone Loc’s better song though similar. Young MC is good but not enough to vote. It came down to Love and Rockets or the two Madonna entries, a three way. A three way involving Madonna. Since my 1988 vote by accident went to a song I don’t like, this vote is important. Madonna’s “Express Yourself” got my vote, the video is good and Madge looks pretty fine. Plus the song has a grunt factor I like. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/11 "2015-03-04T19:32:48Z")
I voted for Madonna’s “Express Yourself” because at the time I really needed the message! I’m not as in love with “Love Shack” as so many here. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/12 "2015-03-04T19:57:12Z")
There are quite a few good choices here (along with some diarrhea like NKOTB). I’ll have to decide later. Note: I will NOT be voting for the overrated “Love Shack.” ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/13 "2015-03-04T21:13:17Z")
**Sowing the Seed of Love** was my favorite on that list. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/14 "2015-03-04T21:26:08Z")
I went with Love and Rockets. The B-52s were a close second but I loved that Love and Rockets album (tape!) when it came out. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/15 "2015-03-04T22:03:38Z")
I’m not at all surprised that _Love Shack_ is running away with this one, but I can’t stand the song…I voted for _Sowing the Seeds of Love_. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/16 "2015-03-04T23:50:07Z")
The songs are starting to move away from the 80’s sound. For me it was between _So Alive_ and _Love Shack_. Went with Love and Rockets just because of the line “her legs are strong and so so long”. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/17 "2015-03-05T01:14:37Z")
I looked at the list and knew the B-52s would take the early lead. To me \*this \*list is kind of low on good choices, then again this was one of the years I was sort of off-the-grid when it comes to charting music. I’m headed to the Love Shack … but _Express Yourself_ gets close for me. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/18 "2015-03-05T02:51:52Z")
Sorry to keep everybody in suspense. 🙂 Just like with 1989’s #1 singles poll, there were a lot of contenders for the best song according to the world-famous **Ponch8 Music Rating System**. It took me a long time to sort everything out. This vote was tighter than a Texas tick on a bull’s scrotum on the Fourth of July. In the order that they are listed above, I considered voting for “Wild Thing,” “Buffalo Stance,” “Bust a Move,” “So Alive,” and “Express Yourself.” “Sowing the Seeds of Love” and even “On Our Own” weren’t too far behind either. My vote went to “So Alive.” “Bust a Move” finished second in the **Ponch8 Music Rating System** ; “Buffalo Stance” was third; “Express Yourself” was fourth; and “Wild Thing” was fifth. All five of them easily could have won my vote in weaker years. “Waiting for a Star to Fall” finished dead-ass last. If the also-ran charts are anything like the #1 charts, I think we’re about to enter a world of pain for the next two decades now that the 80s are ending. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/19 "2015-03-05T04:45:08Z")
I was expecting _Lovesong_ by the Cure to be in this poll. Failing that, I’ll have to go for the B52s ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210/20 "2015-03-05T20:23:16Z")
> [@Weedy](#): > > I was expecting _Lovesong_ by the Cure to be in this poll. Failing that, I’ll have to go for the B52s Lovesong peaked at #2 in the weekly charts, but it only made it to #68 in the year-end chart, so alas it didn’t make the cut for this poll. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1989/714210.md?page=2)