| The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1987 |
| TOP 50 BLACK CONTEMPORARY SINGLES (As published in the December 26, 1987, issue) |
| POS | TITLE – Artist (Label) |
| 1 | BAD – Michael Jackson (Epic) |
| 2 | ALWAYS – Atlantic Starr (Warner Bros.) |
| 3 | LOOKING FOR A NEW LOVE – Jody Watley (MCA) |
| 4 | CANDY – Cameo (Atlanta Artists) |
| 5 | CASANOVA – Levert (Atlantic) |
| 6 | LOVE IS A HOUSE – Force M.D.’s (Tommy Boy) |
| 7 | TASTY LOVE – Freddie Jackson (Capitol) |
| 8 | FALLING – Melba Moore (Capitol) |
| 9 | THERE’S NOTHING BETTER THAN LOVE – Luther Vandross (with Gregory Hines) (Epic) |
| 10 | DIAMONDS – Herb Alpert (A&M) |
| 11 | I FEEL GOOD ALL OVER – Stephanie Mills (MCA) |
| 12 | DON’T DISTURB THIS GROOVE – The System (Atlantic) |
| 13 | DIDN’T WE ALMOST HAVE IT ALL – Whitney Houston (Arista) |
| 14 | I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY (Who Loves Me) – Whitney Houston (Arista) |
| 15 | SIGN ‘O’ THE TIMES – Prince (Paisley Park) |
| 16 | WHY YOU TREAT ME SO BAD – Club Nouveau (Warner Bros./King Jay) |
| 17 | (You’re Puttin’) A RUSH ON ME – Stephanie Mills (MCA) |
| 18 | ROCK STEADY – The Whispers (Solar) |
| 19 | JUST TO SEE HER – Smokey Robinson (Motown) |
| 20 | ONE HEARTBEAT – Smokey Robinson (Motown) |
| 21 | STILL A THRILL – Jody Watley (MCA) |
| 22 | SHOW ME THE WAY – Regina Belle (Columbia) |
| 23 | HAPPY – Surface (Columbia) |
| 24 | FAKE – Alexander O’Neal (Tabu) |
| 25 | I JUST CAN’T STOP LOVING YOU – Michael Jackson with Siedah Garrett (Epic) |
| 26 | WE’VE ONLY JUST BEGUN (The Romance Is Not Over) – Glenn Jones (Jive) |
| 27 | SMOOTH SAILIN’ TONIGHT – The Isley Brothers (Warner Bros.) |
| 28 | BACK AND FORTH – Cameo (Atlanta Artists) |
| 29 | SLOW DOWN – Loose Ends (MCA/Virgin) |
| 30 | THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE – Janet Jackson (A&M) |
| 31 | HEAD TO TOE – Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam (Columbia) |
| 32 | LOVIN’ YOU – The O’Jays (Philadelphia Int’l) |
| 33 | DON’T YOU WANT ME – Jody Watley (MCA) |
| 34 | JUMP START – Natalie Cole (Manhattan) |
| 35 | AS WE LAY – Shirley Murdock (Elektra) |
| 36 | JIMMY LEE – Aretha Franklin (Arista) |
| 37 | YOU GOT IT ALL – The Jets (MCA) |
| 38 | KEEP YOUR EYE ON ME – Herb Alpert (A&M) |
| 39 | I’M BAD – L. L. Cool J (Def Jam/Columbia) |
| 40 | LEAN ON ME – Club Nouveau (Warner Bros./King Jay) |
| 41 | I NEED LOVE – L. L. Cool J (Def Jam/Columbia) |
| 42 | NO ONE IN THE WORLD – Anita Baker (Elektra) |
| 43 | JAM TONIGHT – Freddie Jackson (Capitol) |
| 44 | I DON’T WANT TO LOSE YOUR LOVE – Freddie Jackson (Capitol) |
| 45 | LET’S WAIT AWHILE – Janet Jackson (A&M) |
| 46 | STOP TO LOVE – Luther Vandross (Epic) |
| 47 | JUST CALL – Sherrick (Warner Bros.) |
| 48 | STONE LOVE – Kool & The Gang (Mercury) |
| 49 | WHY SHOULD I CRY? – Nona Hendryx (EMI America) |
| 50 | I’M IN LOVE – Lillo Thomas (Capitol) |