A WPGC 95.5 Summer of ’88 Throwback Journey

This post and its playlists are all about a wonderful summer I spent in Washington, D.C. in 1988.

Back then I already was a passionate music junkie and music charts lover. And WPGC 95.5 was my go-to radio station in the D.C. area. They played the hottest and newest urban jams 24/7. And whenever I had access to a radio, WPGC was my choice.

So, let’s take a sound journey down memory lane and revisit the R&B and hip-hop jams that resided on Billboard’s R&B singles charts in summer of ‘88.

Please enjoy.

Greatness! Thinking of Washington, D.C. the Star-Spangled Banner is something that pops up in my mind. And with that the legendary appearance of Whitney Houston at the Super Bowl 1991 and her performance of the American national anthem. For many the best rendition of all time.

“Don’t Be Cruel” was Bobby Brown’s second #1 single on Billboard’s R&B chart (reaching the top in summer of ‘88). The song also climbed to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. Taken from his second album of the same name.

Another top act to enter the stage in 1988 was Vanessa Williams (Miss America 1984). Her debut album The Right Stuff generated four top 10 hits on Billboard’s R&B chart, with two of them climbing to #1. The lead single “The Right Stuff” was one of them.

Karyn White’s “The Way You Love Me” went straight ahead to #1 on Billboard’s R&B chart in summer of ‘88. The lead single from her debut album Karyn White also cracked the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 (topping out at #7). It was one of many hit songs produced by Babyface.

How bout taking a Washington D.C. aerial tour to discover its Top 10 places?

One of those hip-hop jams that were all over the place in summer of ‘88. Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock’s debut single “It Takes Two” even cracked the top 40 on Billboard’s Hot 100 flagship chart (topping out of #36).

One of summer of ‘88’s signature hip-hop jams. Public Enemy’s “Don’t Believe the Hype” hit #18 on Billboard’s R&B chart.

The first time James Brown hit one of Billboard’s singles charts was in spring of 1956 when “Please, Please, Please” went to #5 on the R&B chart. 32 years later he was still around and took “Static” once again to #5 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Supported by Full Force, who wrote and produced the song.

An energizing performance by Taylor Dayne of her biggest hit “Tell It to My Heart” (1988) on MTV’s short-lived show Mouth to Mouth with the Club MTV dancers in the audience.