Friday June 27th, 9-10 pm GMT on Gnetradio.com, our app, and later, Mixcloud.com

1988 was a rich and eclectic year in music, bridging the synth-heavy ‘80s with the rawer textures of the ‘90s. It was a time when pop, rock, hip-hop, house, and alternative sounds all shared the spotlight. Below is a curated overview of notable albums from 1988, across various genres, which feature in this mix.

• Talk Talk – Spirit of Eden

• One of the first post-rock records. Quiet, impressionistic, deeply influential.

• Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman

     • A breakout debut. Stripped-down folk-pop and socially conscious lyrics (“Fast Car”).

• The Waterboys – Fisherman’s Blues

• A bold pivot from the “Big Music” of their earlier work to a rich blend of Celtic folk, Americana, and roots rock. A spiritual, loose, and celebratory album featuring fiddle, mandolin, and moments of sublime beauty (“And a Bang on the Ear”, “Sweet Thing”).

• R.E.M. – Green

• Their first major label album (Warner Bros.), blending jangly pop with politically charged lyrics (“Orange Crush”, “Stand”).

• Prefab Sprout – From Langley Park to Memphis

• More lush and accessible than their previous work, with hits like “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll”.

• Michelle Shocked – Short Sharp Shocked

• A powerful mix of folk, punk attitude, and Texas storytelling. Political, personal, and poetic — her breakout album, anchored by the raw and haunting “Anchorage”.

• Pixies – Surfer Rosa

• A landmark in alternative rock, produced by Steve Albini. Raw, weird, influential. (“Where Is My Mind?”)

• Guns N’ Roses – G N’ R Lies

• Acoustic and electric mix following their massive debut.

• Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

• Revolutionary in sound and message. Dense, aggressive, and politically uncompromising

• Prince – Lovesexy

• A vibrant, spiritual, genre-defying work. Conceived as a single continuous track, it ranges from funk to pop to gospel-infused rock, tackling themes of redemption and desire. Highlights include “Alphabet St.” and “Anna Stesia”.

• Enya – Watermark

• Dreamlike and ethereal, blending Celtic motifs with ambient synth layers. “Orinoco Flow” became a global hit, introducing her signature multi-tracked vocal style to the world.

• U2 – Rattle and Hum

• A sprawling mix of live tracks and studio recordings exploring American roots music.