Mike Schmidt passed Mickey Mantle on the home run list, Mike Tyson hired an advisor named Donald Trump, and Radio Shack announced their speedy new Tandy 1000 SL computer with the massive 360 kb hard drive! The same time all of that happened, these were MGK’s Top 10 Rock Albums on July 6, 1988.

• 10. Whitesnake - Whitesnake

  Kicking things off is the seventh studio album by David Coverdale’s post-Deep Purple band, Whitesnake. It was the band’s breakthrough, and it was still rocking the top 10 over 15 months after it first came out. Whitesnake is #10.

• 9. Tunnel Of Love - Bruce Springsteen

  While this was billed as a solo Bruce Springsteen album, with Bruce playing on most of it himself, three of his E Street bandmates DO play on this track, taken from the #9 rock album on July 6, 1988, Tunnel Of Love.

• 8. A Momentary Lapse Of Reason - Pink Floyd

  Roger Waters and David Gilmour were still suing each other over the rights to use the Pink Floyd name, when the band’s thirteenth album was released, sans Waters. Gilmour would later say that A Momentary Lapse Of Reason was a tough one to make without Waters’ presence but, nonetheless, it peaked at #3 and has sold over 4 million copies.  On the countdown this week, it’s #8.

• 7. Permanent Vacation - Aerosmith

  With guidance from their A&R man John Kalodner John Kalodner, production tweaking from Bruce Fairburn, and a host of outside writers to punch up their songs, Aerosmith scored big time with Permanent Vacation, peaking here at #7 on July 6, 1988.

• 6. Kick - INXS

  It’s hard to believe that Atlantic Records, the U.S. record label of INXS, rejected this album when the band presented it to them, saying it was too “dance-y” and would alienate their audience.  After the band’s manager leaked copies of this song to some radio stations and it caught on, Atlantic finally released Kick, and it was the band’s biggest seller.  It’s #6 on this week’s Thursday Top 10 Countdown.

• 5. Now And Zen - Robert Plant

  While this next track may be a rocking effort by Robert Plant, it’s one of the earliest rock recordings to feature sampling, albeit by his previous band, Led Zeppelin. Jimmy Page is also featured on live guitar, on “Tall Cool One.” It’s off of Plant’s fourth solo album, and the #5 rock album on the countdown, Now And Zen.

• 4. Appetite For Destruction - Guns 'N Roses

  On its way to becoming the best selling debut album of all time, Appetite For Destruction by Guns ‘n Roses was still firmly rooted in the top 5, almost a year after it came out.  On July 6, 1988, it was #4.

• 3. Open Up And Say Ahh - Poison

  Kiss’ Paul Stanley was supposed to produce the second album by Poison, but his schedule got in the way.  Instead, veteran hard rock producer Tom Werman was brought in to make the band’s biggest album, Open Up And Say Ahh.  It’s the #3 rock album on our countdown this week.

• 2. Hysteria - Def Leppard

  Def Leppard’s long-awaited follow-up to Pyromania did not disappoint.  It was filled with great songs and top notch playing and production, even outsold Pyromania, becoming Def Leppard’s biggest album. Eleven months after it hit the stores, Hysteria was still gong strong at #2 on July 6, 1988.

• 1. OU812 - Van Halen

  Topping the chart this week is the eighth studio album by one of the biggest rock bands in all of classic rock.  They had no sooner finished their tour, then they went into their custom built studio and made what would be their second chart topper in a row..something they weren’t able to do with their founding lead singer. #1 on July 6, 1988 was OU812 by Van Halen.

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