On this day in 1989: Billy Joel went to #1 on the U.S. album chart with his 11th studio release ‘Storm Front’. It was Billy’s 3rd album to reach #1 in the U.S. The album featured one of Joel’s three #1 hits, ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’, a fast-paced song, mentioning some of the major historical events that took place in his lifetime, and ‘Leningrad’, Joel’s take on the end of the Cold War. “I Go To Extremes”, a song describing the ups and downs of his emotional life, charted at #6. Other songs from the album that charted on the Billboard Hot 100 were “And So It Goes” (#37), “The Downeaster Alexa”(#57), and “That’s Not Her Style” (#77). The album was nominated for five Grammy Awards. The album’s cover depicts the maritime storm warning flag indicating wind forces 10–12, the highest intensity on the Beaufort Scale.

Here’s what was happening on the U.S. singles chart on this day back in 1989: (Billy Joel was starting his second of two weeks at #1 with “We Didn’t Start the Fire”)

1 1 WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE –•– Billy Joel – 10 (1)
2 2 ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE –•– Phil Collins – 7 (2)
3 5 DON’T KNOW MUCH –•– Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville – 12 (3)
4 6 BACK TO LIFE –•– Soul II Soul Featuring Caron Wheeler – 13 (4)
5 8 WITH EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART –•– Taylor Dayne – 9 (5)
6 3 BLAME IT ON THE RAIN –•– Milli Vanilli – 11 (1)
7 10 PUMP UP THE JAM –•– Technotronic Featuring Felly – 10 (7)
8 13 RHYTHM NATION –•– Janet Jackson – 6 (8)
9 14 LIVING IN SIN –•– Bon Jovi – 11 (9)
10 17 JUST LIKE JESSE JAMES –•– Cher – 9 (10)

11 12 DON’T CLOSE YOUR EYES –•– Kix – 15 (11)
12 4 (IT’S JUST) THE WAY THAT YOU LOVE ME –•– Paula Abdul – 18 (3)
13 22 THIS ONE’S FOR THE CHILDREN –•– New Kids On The Block – 6 (13)
14 7 ANGELIA –•– Richard Marx – 11 (4)
15 18 EVERYTHING –•– Jody Watley – 10 (15)
16 26 HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU Michael Bolton – 8 (16)
17 9 LOVE SHACK –•– The B-52’s – 16 (3)
18 11 LEAVE A LIGHT ON –•– Belinda Carlisle – 12 (11)
19 23 SWING THE MOOD –•– Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers – 8 (19)
20 20 LOVE SONG –•– Tesla – 12 (20)