- Jan 10 "Don't Get God Started" closes at Longacre Theater NYC after 86 performances
Event of Interest
Jan 16 George Harrison's "Got My Mind Set On You" tops the Billboard charts
George Harrison
- Jan 17 "Teddy & Alice" closes at Minskoff Theater NYC after 77 performances
Music Awards
Jan 25 15th American Music Awards: Anita Baker, Paul Simon & Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
- Jan 25 George Harrison releases "When We Was Fab"
- Jan 26 "Phantom of the Opera" opens at Majestic Theater NYC for 4,000+ performances
- Jan 28 South African Mbongeni Ngema's musical "Sarafina!" opens at Cort Theater NYC for 597 performances
Event of Interest
Feb 25 Bruce Springsteen's "Tunnel of Love" Tour begins in Worcester, Massachusetts
Bruce Springsteen
Music Awards
Mar 21 23rd Academy of Country Music Awards: Hank Williams Jr, Randy Travis, and Reba McEntire win
Hank Williams Jr
Reba McEntire
Randy Travis
Music Awards
Mar 30 2nd Soul Train Music Awards: Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston win
Michael Jackson
Whitney Houston
Academy Awards
Apr 11 60th Academy Awards: "The Last Emperor", Michael Douglas & Cher win
Michael Douglas
Cher
- Apr 14 "Mail" opens at Music Box Theater NYC for 36 performances
Music Recording
Apr 18 Barbra Streisand records "Warm All Over"
Barbra Streisand
- Apr 21 Barbra Streisand records "You'll Never Know"
Film and TV Awards
Apr 26 1st TNN Viewers choice awards-Randy Travis wins in 5 categories
Randy Travis
- Apr 28 "Chess" opens at Imperial Theater NYC for 68 performances
Event of Interest
Apr 30 33rd Eurovision Song Contest: Celine Dion for Switzerland wins singing "Ne partez pas sans moi" in Dublin
Celine Dion
- May 1 "Romance/Romance" opens at Helen Hayes Theater NYC for 297 performances
- May 8 "Oba Oba" closes at Ambassador Theater NYC after 46 performances
- May 12 "Carrie" opens at Virginia Theater NYC for 5 performances
- May 14 "Mail" closes at Music Box Theater NYC after 36 performances
- May 15 "Carrie" closes at Virginia Theater NYC after 5 performances
- May 15 "Gospel at Colonus" closes at Lunt Fontanne Theater NYC after 61 performances
- May 21 "Da'Butt" by EU hits #35
Event of Interest
May 21 "Fat" by Weird Al Yankovic hits #99
Weird Al Yankovic
- Jun 1 "Les Miserables" opens at Shubert Theatre, LA
- Jun 4 "Cabaret" closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 262 performances
- Jun 4 42nd Tony Awards: "M Butterfly" and "Phantom of the Opera" win
- Jun 6 22nd Music City News Country Awards: Randy Travis & Statler Brothers
- Jun 11 "Everything Your Heart Desires" by Daryl Hall & John Oates peaks at #3
- Jun 11 "Rooty Toot Toot" by John Cougar Mellencamp peaks at #61
- Jun 13 George Harrison releases "This is Love"
Event of Interest
Jun 14 Woman sues Chuck Berry for $5,000,000, alleges he hit her
Chuck Berry
Event of Interest
Jul 8 Stevie Wonder announces he will run for mayor of Detroit in 1992
Stevie Wonder
Georges Bizet
Album Release
Sep 19 Bon Jovi release their 4th album "New Jersey" - most top ten hits of any rock/glam metal album (5)
Richie Sambora
- Sep 20 "Loving Proof" 2nd studio album by Ricky Van Shelton is released (Billboard Song of the Year 1989)
- Oct 10 22nd Country Music Association Award: Highway 101, K. T. Oslin win
- Oct 13 Concert at Masada ends Israel's 40th-anniversary festival
- Oct 15 Amnesty International's Global Concert Tour ends in Buenos Aires
- Oct 16 "Smile Jamaica" concert for Hurricane Gilbert victims held in London
- Oct 17 Traveling Wilburys release "Volume 1", featuring the single "Handle With Care"
Event of Interest
Oct 22 Elton John sells out Madison Square Garden for a record 26th time
Elton John
- Oct 27 "Les Miserables" opens at Forrest Theatre, Philadelphia
- Nov 9 "Prince of Central Park" opens at Belasco Theater NYC for 4 performances
- Nov 20 "Les Miserables" opens a Bus & Truck tour in Tampa
- Nov 25 Chuck Berry pays $250 fine to resolve NYC assault charges
- Dec 26 "Legs Diamond" opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 64 performances