On this day in 1987: Michael Jackson started a six-week run at #1 on the U.S. album chart with ‘Bad’. Released nearly five years after Jackson’s previous studio album, ‘Thriller’, ‘Bad’ produced five U.S. #1s, “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You”, “Bad”, “The Way You Make Me Feel”, “Man in the Mirror” and “Dirty Diana”, the first album to do so.

Also on this day in 1987: Whitney Houston started a two week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘Didn’t We Almost Have It All’.

The song is off her second studio album, ‘Whitney’. The song was written by Michael Masser and Will Jennings and produced by Masser. Initially, Houston’s cover version of The Isley Brothers’ “For The Love Of You” was intended to be released as the second single from the album. However, the record label decided to release “Didn’t We Almost Have It All” instead as all of Houston’s singles had to be original material at this point of her career. The song was released on August 13, 1987 by Arista records.

“Didn’t We Almost Have It All” received positive reviews from music critics, who praised it lyrics, production, and Houston’s vocal performance. It became Houston’s fifth consecutive chart topper on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, staying there for two weeks and also reached the top 10 in various countries. A live performance from her September 2, 1987 concert in Saratoga Spring, New York was used as the official video and played on MTV, VH1 and BET. 

Here’s a look at the Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day in 1987:

1 2 DIDN’T WE ALMOST HAVE IT ALL –•– Whitney Houston (Arista)-9 (1) (1 Week at #1)
2 4 HERE I GO AGAIN –•– Whitesnake (Geffen)-13 (2)
3 1 I JUST CAN’T STOP LOVING YOU –•– Michael Jackson & Siedah Garrett (Epic)-8 (1)
4 8 I HEARD A RUMOUR –•– Bananarama (London)-11 (4)
5 9 LOST IN EMOTION –•– Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam (Columbia)-9 (5)
6 5 WHEN SMOKEY SINGS –•– ABC (Mercury)-13 (5)
7 11 CARRIE –•– Europe (Epic)-9 (7)
8 3 LA BAMBA –•– Los Lobos (Slash)-14 (1)
9 10 TOUCH OF GREY –•– Grateful Dead (Arista)-10 (9)
10 15 U GOT THE LOOK –•– Prince with Sheena Easton (Paisley Park)-9 (10)

11 6 DOING IT ALL FOR MY BABY –•– Huey Lewis & The News (Chrysalis)-11 (6)
12 12 WIPE OUT –•– Fat Boys & Beach Boys (Tin Pan Apple)-12 (12)
13 18 WHO WILL YOU RUN TO –•– Heart (Capitol)-7 (13)
14 19 PAPER IN FIRE –•– John Cougar Mellencamp (Mercury)-7 (14)
15 7 CAN’T WE TRY –•– Dan Hill & Vonda Shepard (Columbia)-17 (6)
16 17 ONE HEARTBEAT –•– Smokey Robinson (Motown)-11 (16)
17 22 CASANOVA –•– Levert (Atlantic)-7 (17)
18 14 I NEED LOVE –•– L.L. Cool J. (Def Jam)-9 (14)
19 21 JUMP START –•– Natalie Cole (Manhattan)-10 (19)
20 16 WHO FOUND WHO –•– Jellybean Featuring Elisa Fiorillo (Chrysalis)-12 (16)