KZOU in Little Rock started as KLAZ in the early ’70’s, doing progressive rock until 1978, when it switched to a Top 40 station. They adopted the KZOU (The Zoo) call letters in 1986, and in 1991 were sold and changed formats to Hot Adult Contemporary and their call letters to KURB, "B-98.5," which they remain to this day. Here’s their Top Ten from 1987.
| # | Song/Artist | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Let’s Wait Awhile Janet Jackson |
From Janet’s third studio album, 1986’s *Control*. This was critically well-received for its sweetness and for its message, encouraging abstinence in the face of the AIDS crisis at the time. It reached #2 on the Hot 100 and the Adult Contemporary charts and topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Sungs chart. It reached #11 in Canada (#3 on the Canadian AC chart) and #3 in the UK. |
| 9 | Livin’ On A Prayer Bon Jovi |
Bon Jovi’s second #1 single from 1986’s Slippery When Wet, it benefitted from the video being in heavy rotation on MTV. It alo reached #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart, #1 in Canada, and #4 in the UK. |
| 8 | Talk To Me Chico DeBarge |
A younger brother of the Motown family act DeBarge, this is from his eponymous 1986 album. The song reached #7 on the R&B chart and #21 on the Hot 100. |
| 7 | Brand New Lover Dead Or Alive |
This was the lead single off of Dead or Alive’s third album, Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know. It reached #1 on the US Hot Dance Club Plays chart and #2 on the Japanese Singles chart. |
| 6 | Candy Cameo |
The second single from Cameo’s 1986 album Word Up! reached #1 on the R&B chart and #10 on the Dance chart. |
| 5 | Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now Starship |
A song by Diane Warren and Albert Hammond (“It Never Rains In Southern California”), this was used as the theme song for the 1987 movie Mannequin with Andrew McCarthy and Kim Cattrall. From Starship’s second album, 1987’s No Protection, it topped the charts in the US, Canada, the UK, and Ireland. |
| 4 | Stop To Love Luther Vandross |
The first single from his 1986 album Give Me The Reason, it became his first #1 single on the R&B chart since “Never Too Much” in 1981. It also peaked at #15 on the Hot 100. |
| 3 | Respect Yourself Bruce Willis |
Having conquered television, Bruce tried his hand at singing. With June Pointer’s help, “Respect Yourself” rose to #5 on the Hot 100 and #8 in Canada. |
| 2 | The Final Countdown Europe |
Joey Tempest of the Swedish rock band Europe based this on a keyboard riff and David Bowie’s “Space Oddity.” It was the title track on Europe’s third album, and was a #1 hit in 25 countries. In the US, it reached #8 on the Hot 100 and #18 on the Hot Album Tracks chart. |
| 1 | You’ve Got It All The Jets |
A Tongan family band from Minneapolis, The Jets were discoveed by Don Powell, who earlier had managed Stevie Wonder and David Bowie. Nationally, the song reached #3 on the Hot 100, #2 on the R&B chart, and #1 on the A.dult Contemporary chart |
And that’s Top Ten Tuesday for February 23, 2021.
how fun! i recall
many of these hit songs playing
LikeLike
Glad you enjoyed this!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great playlist to do my doodling by today, John! 🙂
LikeLike
Glad you like it!
LikeLike
Bon Jovi … he was the first to perform at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands, and I was there. Great concert.
LikeLike
There are a lot of acts who are very popular and successful that I’m aware of but never really got into that much, and Bon Jovi is one of them. Still, I hear them on the radio or while I’m streaming along and like what I hear. That’s the beauty of popular music, at least prior to about 1995. Now, one group pretty much sounds like the next…
LikeLike
I liked Bon Jovi, otherwise the others not so much!
LikeLike
I. Not much into Janet Jackson but starship and Europe are fun songs that bring back memories. Oh, I remember this Bruce Willis song…meh.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bruce Willis was really out of his league doing this. You have to give him points for enthusiasm, but still… I like Janet Jackson and think this was one of the prettier songs she did, but I can’t sit and listen to her for hours like some people.
LikeLike
On the “hit” or “miss” meter, this was a “miss,” then? This was about par for the mid-’80’s.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Seems the music during that time was lackluster.
LikeLike
Compared to the early ’80’s, it certainly was…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I remember Starship and Bon Jovi. I liked those, but they weren’t enough to keep me from changing to the country station. By 1988, I’d switched for good.
LikeLike
By the late ’80’s I was listening to a lot of jazz myself…
LikeLiked by 1 person