1986 in music: Difference between revisions
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*''[[Charlotte for Ever]]'' - [[Charlotte Gainsbourg]] |
*''[[Charlotte for Ever]]'' - [[Charlotte Gainsbourg]] |
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*''[[Chronicle, Vol. 2]]'' - [[Creedence Clearwater Revival]] - Compilation |
*''[[Chronicle, Vol. 2]]'' - [[Creedence Clearwater Revival]] - Compilation |
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*''[[Darkness Descends]]'' - [[ |
*''[[Darkness Descends]]'' - [[Dark Angel]] |
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*''A Date With Elvis'' - [[The Cramps]] |
*''A Date With Elvis'' - [[The Cramps]] |
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*''The Divine Punishment'' - [[Diamanda Galás]] |
*''The Divine Punishment'' - [[Diamanda Galás]] |
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Revision as of 20:58, 30 March 2009
 | The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. |
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1986.
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| +... |
Events
- January 23 - The first induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame takes place. The first artists to be honoured are Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley.
- February 21 - The Dead Kennedys play their last concert at UC Davis in Davis, California, USA.
- February 23 - In honor of the 20th anniversary of The Monkees premiering on television, MTV broadcasts Pleasant Valley Sunday, a 22-hour marathon of Monkees episodes.
- March 15 - "Heartbeat '86", a charity concert for the Birmingham Children's Hospital, is held at the NEC. Performers include Roy Wood, UB40, The Moody Blues, Electric Light Orchestra and Robert Plant. George Harrison makes a surprise appearance playing Johnny B. Goode with everyone at the end of the show.
- March 27 - Sammy Hagar performs his first concert as the lead singer of Van Halen.
- April 12 - Former Go's-Go's singer Belinda Carlisle marries actor Morgan Mason.
- May 2 - Country music superstar Dolly Parton opens her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, USA.
- May 5 - In New York, USA, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame chairman Ahmet Ertegün announces that Cleveland, Ohio has been chosen as the city where the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will be built
- May 10 - Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe marries actress Heather Locklear.
- May 25 - Norwegian band a-ha wins a record-breaking eight awards at the MTV Video Music Awards show.
- May 30 - The Monkees begin a highly successful tour of American stadiums on their 20th Anniversary Reunion Tour
- June 4 - 15 - U2, Sting, Joan Baez, Jackson Browne, Lou Reed, Peter Gabriel, the Neville Brothers, and Bryan Adams stage the A Conspiracy of Hope Tour in the United States on behalf of Amnesty International, playing five cities on the tour. The final show at New Jersey's Giants Stadium is televised live, and the above-mentioned performers are joined by Joni Mitchell, Howard Jones, Yoko Ono, Third World, and Carlos Santana, as well as the other members of The Police.
- June 6 - After 29 years, CHUM (AM) in Toronto, Canada drops its legendary Top 40 format in favor of gold-based adult contemporary music. Additionally, the final CHUM Chart is published (with Madonna's "Live To Tell" the final number one song).
- June 27 - Black Flag play their last concert, in Detroit, Michigan, USA.
- August 28 - Tina Turner receives a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
- September 27 - A tour bus carrying the heavy metal band Metallica crashes in Sweden, killing their most influential bassist, Cliff Burton.
- October - The Smiths play their final gig as a five-piece.
- October 20 - Duran Duran begin their career as a three piece with the release of the "Notorious" single.
- Jello Biafra/Dead Kennedys taken to court by the PMRC for content in their album Frankenchrist; Biafra wins.
- Black Flag breaks up.
- Madness breaks up.
- Prince and the Revolution breaks up.
- Wham! breaks up.
- The Boomtown Rats breaks up.
- Garth Brooks marries his first wife, Sandy.
- Italian singer Ernesto Bonino loses his voice after a surgical intervention.
- Alice Cooper returns to the mainstream after a two year hiatus. The Nightmare Returns Tour goes on to become one of the best selling tours of 1986.
Bands formed
Albums released
January
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Made to Be Broken | Soul Asylum | - |
| 27 | Does Humor Belong in Music? | Frank Zappa | Live |
| 28 | Seventh Star | Black Sabbath | - |
| - | Balance of Power | Electric Light Orchestra | Germany |
| War Games | Grave Digger | - |
February
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Mean Business | The Firm | - |
| Album | Public Image Ltd. | - | |
| 6 | The Blind Leading the Naked | Violent Femmes | - |
| 10 | Live in New York City | John Lennon | Live 1972 |
| The Ultimate Sin | Ozzy Osbourne | - | |
| 13 | Precious Moments | Jermaine Jackson | - |
| 14 | The Big Prize | Honeymoon Suite | - |
| The Knife Feels Like Justice | Brian Setzer | - | |
| 17 | Fatal Portrait | King Diamond | - |
| 18 | Lives in the Balance | Jackson Browne | - |
| 20 | The Colour of Spring | Talk Talk | - |
| 21 | King of America | Elvis Costello | - |
| - | Control | Janet Jackson | - |
| Finyl Vinyl | Rainbow | Live + B-Sides | |
| Marilyn Martin | Marilyn Martin | - | |
| Pretty In Pink | Various Artists | Soundtrack | |
| The Thin Red Line | Glass Tiger | - | |
| Tuff Enuff | The Fabulous Thunderbirds | - |
March
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Master of Puppets | Metallica | - |
| 14 | Rrröööaaarrr | Voivod | - |
| 17 | Black Celebration | Depeche Mode | - |
| 24 | Dirty Work | The Rolling Stones | - |
| 5150 | Van Halen | - | |
| Please | Pet Shop Boys | - | |
| 25 | Big World | Joe Jackson | Live |
| 30 | Beyond the Gates | Possessed | - |
| 31 | From Luxury to Heartache | Culture Club | - |
| Parade | Prince and the Revolution | - | |
| Turbo | Judas Priest | - | |
| - | Born Sandy Devotional | The Triffids | - |
| Candy Apple Grey | Hüsker Dü | - | |
| Cocker | Joe Cocker | - | |
| Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. | Dwight Yoakam | - | |
| Little Miss Dangerous | Ted Nugent | - | |
| 9½ Weeks | Various Artists | Soundtrack | |
| The Pack Is Back | Raven | - | |
| Rapture | Anita Baker | - | |
| Twitch | Ministry | - | |
| Who's Got the 10½? | Black Flag | - |
April
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Absolute Beginners | Various Artists | Soundtrack |
| Animal Magic | The Blow Monkeys | - | |
| 15 | Love Zone | Billy Ocean | - |
| 18 | Rembrandt Pussyhorse | Butthole Surfers | - |
| 21 | Russian Roulette | Accept | - |
| Tinderbox | Siouxsie & the Banshees | - | |
| 30 | The Final Frontier | Keel | - |
| - | Cendres de Lune | Mylène Farmer | - |
| Change of Address | Krokus | - | |
| Classics Live! | Aerosmith | Live | |
| GTR | GTR | - | |
| Home of the Brave | Laurie Anderson | Soundtrack | |
| In Visible Silence | Art of Noise | - | |
| Like a Rock | Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band | - | |
| Mistrial | Lou Reed | - | |
| On the Beach | Chris Rea | - | |
| Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire | Bonnie Tyler | - | |
| Strength in Numbers | 38 Special | - |
May
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Home and Abroad | The Style Council | Live |
| 6 | Standing on a Beach | The Cure | Compilation |
| 7 | Top Gun | Various Artists | Soundtrack |
| 16 | Look What the Cat Dragged In | Poison | - |
| 19 | So | Peter Gabriel | - |
| 20 | Who Made Who | AC/DC | Soundtrack |
| 27 | Emotional | Jeffrey Osborne | - |
| Raised on Radio | Journey | - | |
| 29 | Into the Light | Chris de Burgh | - |
| 30 | Animal Boy | The Ramones | - |
| - | Between the Earth & Sky | Luba | - |
| Emerson, Lake & Powell | Emerson, Lake & Powell | - | |
| EVOL | Sonic Youth | - | |
| Fight for the Rock | Savatage | - | |
| The Final Countdown | Europe | - | |
| Frontal Assault | Angel Witch | - | |
| The Other Side of Life | The Moody Blues | - | |
| Poolside | Nu Shooz | - | |
| R&B Skeletons in the Closet | George Clinton | - | |
| Shakin' Like a Human Being | Kim Mitchell | - | |
| Walkabout | The Fixx | - |
June
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | A Kind of Magic | Queen | - |
| The Way It Is | Bruce Hornsby & the Range | - | |
| Wonderland | Erasure | - | |
| 5 | Afternoons in Utopia | Alphaville | - |
| 6 | Storms of Life | Randy Travis | - |
| 9 | Invisible Touch | Genesis | - |
| 10 | Epicus Doomicus Metallicus | Candlemass | - |
| 16 | The Queen Is Dead | The Smiths | - |
| 24 | Time's Incinerator | Soul Asylum | - |
| 27 | Rage for Order | Queensrÿche | - |
| 30 | The Seer | Big Country | - |
| True Blue | Madonna | - | |
| The Twelve Inch Mixes | Spandau Ballet | Compilation | |
| - | As Close As You Think | Kevin Ayers | - |
| Back in the High Life | Steve Winwood | - | |
| Belinda | Belinda Carlisle | - | |
| Bring On the Night | Sting | - | |
| Crowded House | Crowded House | - | |
| David Foster | David Foster | - | |
| Emerald City | Teena Marie | - | |
| Gift | The Sisterhood | - | |
| Intermission | Dio | Live | |
| Night Songs | Cinderella | - | |
| Solitude/Solitaire | Peter Cetera | - | |
| Then & Now... The Best of The Monkees | The Monkees | Compilation + 3 new recordings | |
| Tom Cochrane & Red Rider | Red Rider | - |
July
August
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Vinnie Vincent Invasion | Vinnie Vincent Invasion | - |
| 9 | Orgasmatron | Motörhead | - |
| 12 | Graceland | Paul Simon | - |
| 18 | ABBA Live | ABBA | Live |
| Kicking Against the Pricks | Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds | - | |
| Silk and Steel | Five Star | - | |
| Slippery When Wet | Bon Jovi | - | |
| True as Steel | Warlock | - | |
| - | Camper Van Beethoven | Camper Van Beethoven | - |
| Can't Hold Back | Eddie Money | - | |
| Duotones | Kenny G | - | |
| Fahrenheit | Toto | - | |
| High Priest of Love | Zodiac Mindwarp | EP | |
| In the Pines | The Triffids | - | |
| In the Army Now | Status Quo | - | |
| Now That's What I Call Music 7 | Various Artists | - | |
| Shot in the Dark | Great White | - |
September
October
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Scoundrel Days | a-ha | - |
| 7 | Reign In Blood | Slayer | - |
| True Stories | Talking Heads | - | |
| 14 | Mosaic | Wang Chung | - |
| 17 | Better Than Heaven | Stacy Q | - |
| 20 | Liverpool | Frankie Goes To Hollywood | - |
| 21 | Polka Party! | "Weird Al" Yankovic | - |
| 23 | Blah Blah Blah | Iggy Pop | - |
| 24 | To Hell with the Devil | Stryper | - |
| 27 | Skylarking | XTC | - |
| 31 | Pearls of Passion | Roxette | - |
| - | Alive & Screamin' | Krokus | Live |
| The Curse | Omen | - | |
| The Doctor | Cheap Trick | - | |
| Dreamtime | The Stranglers | - | |
| Fame and Fortune | Bad Company | - | |
| Nasty Nasty | Black 'N Blue | - | |
| No. 10, Upping St. | Big Audio Dynamite | - | |
| Power | Kansas | - | |
| Repossessed | Kris Kristofferson | - | |
| Shake You Down | Gregory Abbott | - | |
| Welcome Home | 'Til Tuesday | - | |
| Whiplash Smile | Billy Idol | - |
November
December
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Live Magic | Queen | Live |
| 5 | Anything | The Damned | - |
| 8 | Mechanical Resonance | Tesla | - |
| 16 | Electric Café | Kraftwerk | - |
| Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide | Guns N' Roses | Live EP | |
| - | Chris Isaak | Chris Isaak | - |
| Eine Kleine Nachtmusik | Venom | Live |
Unknown release date
- American Girls - American Girls
- BTO's Greatest - Bachman-Turner Overdrive
- Charlotte for Ever - Charlotte Gainsbourg
- Chronicle, Vol. 2 - Creedence Clearwater Revival - Compilation
- Darkness Descends - Dark Angel
- A Date With Elvis - The Cramps
- The Divine Punishment - Diamanda Galás
- Dreaming in Sequence - Chrome
- Forever Breathes the Lonely Word - Felt
- Good Earth - The Feelies
- Gruts - Ivor Cutler
- Guitar Town - Steve Earle
- Hand to Mouth - General Public
- Hey... Bo Diddley in Concert - Bo Diddley with Mainsqueeze
- Highlights of a Dangerous Life - The Johnnys
- Horse Rotorvator - Coil
- Hot, Cool & Vicious - Salt-N-Pepa
- Hwgr Grawth-Og - Datblygu
- In America EP - Britny Fox
- Inside - Matthew Sweet
- Isyu! - Ebiet G. Ade
- Keys to Imagination - Yanni
- Kings of Punk - Poison Idea
- Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares
- Le Visage de l'Amour - Dalida
- Le sixième Jour - Dalida
- Let the Snakes Crinkle Their Heads to Death - Felt
- Letters Home - News from Babel
- Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express - The Go-Betweens
- Love in Bright Landscapes - The Triffids
- Mad (EP) - Raven
- Master of the Metal - Messiah Prophet
- Mind's Eye - Vinnie Moore
- Minuteflag - Minutemen/Black Flag
- Nerve War - Front Line Assembly
- New Kids on the Block - New Kids on the Block
- Not of This Earth - Joe Satriani
- November-Coming-Fire - Samhain
- Paint Your Wagon - Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
- Permanent Sleep - Lowlife
- Pleasure to Kill - Kreator
- Prince Ivor - Ivor Cutler
- The Rainmakers - The Rainmakers
- Reivax Au Bongo - Hector Zazou
- Rendez-Vous - Jean Michel Jarre
- Sex Mad - NoMeansNo
- Sound of Confusion - Spacemen 3
- Tacky Souvenirs of Pre-Revolutionary America - Culturcide
- Thrill of a Lifetime - King Kobra
- Tones - Eric Johnson
- Total Terror - Front Line Assembly
- Truthdare Doubledare - Bronski Beat
- The Age of Quarrel - Cro-Mags
- Velvet & Steel - Dion DiMucci
- Walking Through Fire - April Wine
- Wants You - Rough Cutt
- The Wedge - Pallas
- Weird Love - The Scientists
- What Do You Know Deutschland? - KMFDM
- Whispering Jack - John Farnham
- Yemenite Songs - Ofra Haza
- 3.V - Zebra
- New Trails - Riders in the Sky
Bands return
Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1986.
| # | Artist | Title | Year | Country | Chart Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Falco | Rock Me Amadeus | 1986 |  |
UK 1 - Mar 1986, US BB 1 - Feb 1986, Canada 1 - Dec 1985, Sweden 1 - Aug 1985, Sweden (alt) 1 - Sep 1985, Austria 1 - May 1985, Germany 1 - Jun 1985, Éire 1 - Apr 1986, New Zealand 1 for 5 weeks Mar 1986, France 2 - Nov 1985, Switzerland 2 - Jun 1985, Holland 3 - May 1986, South Africa 3 of 1986, Norway 6 - Apr 1986, Italy 18 of 1985, US CashBox 19 of 1986, Poland 24 - Jun 1985, POP 29 of 1986, US BB 30 of 1986, Germany 50 of the 1980s, RYM 63 of 1985, Scrobulate 65 of 80s, KROQ 74 of 1986 |
| 2 | Madonna | Papa Don't Preach | 1986 |  |
UK 1 - Jun 1986, US BB 1 - Jul 1986, Sweden 1 - Aug 1986, Norway 1 - Jul 1986, Italy 1 of 1986, Éire 1 - Jun 1986, Australia 1 for 6 weeks Mar 1987, Holland 2 - Jun 1986, Switzerland 2 - Jul 1986, Poland 2 - Aug 1986, Germany 2 - Jul 1986, Austria 4 - Aug 1986, Australia 9 of 1986, US CashBox 18 of 1986, US BB 19 of 1986, POP 35 of 1986, 37 in 2FM list, RYM 43 of 1986, Germany 215 of the 1980s, Acclaimed 761 |
| 3 | Europe | The Final Countdown | 1986 |  |
UK 1 - Nov 1986, Holland 1 - Aug 1986, Sweden 1 - May 1986, Austria 1 - Nov 1986, Switzerland 1 - Sep 1986, Poland 1 - Nov 1986, Germany 1 - Sep 1986, Éire 1 - Nov 1986, Italy 2 of 1987, Norway 4 - Jul 1986, South Africa 7 of 1987, US BB 8 - Feb 1987, France 9 - Apr 1986, Australia 10 of 1987, Europe 14 of the 1980s, US BB 19 of 1987, Scrobulate 20 of Swedish, POP 29 of 1987, Germany 90 of the 1980s, RYM 93 of 1986 |
| 4 | Berlin | Take My Breath Away | 1986 | |
UK 1 - Oct 1986, US BB 1 - Jul 1986, Holland 1 - Sep 1986, Sweden 1 - Sep 1986, Éire 1 - Oct 1986, Oscar in 1986, Switzerland 2 - Oct 1986, Germany 3 - Sep 1986, Austria 4 - Nov 1986, Norway 4 - Oct 1986, Poland 4 - Nov 1986, Australia 6 of 1986, POP 7 of 1986, US BB 13 of 1992, RYM 16 of 1986, US CashBox 21 of 1986, Italy 37 of 1986, TOTP 37, Scrobulate 80 of 80s, OzNet 251, Germany 310 of the 1980s |
| 5 | The Pet Shop Boys | West End Girls | 1986 |  |
UK 1 - Nov 1985, US BB 1 - Mar 1986, Norway 1 - Jan 1986, New Zealand 1 for 4 weeks Feb 1986, US CashBox 2 of 1986, Switzerland 2 - Jan 1986, Holland 3 - Jan 1986, Sweden 3 - Jan 1986, Germany 3 - Jan 1986, Austria 5 - Feb 1986, France 7 - Oct 1985, KROQ 11 of 1984, Poland 14 - Jan 1986, RYM 15 of 1985, US BB 16 of 1986, South Africa 18 of 1986, Scrobulate 32 of 80s, POP 43 of 1986, Germany 232 of the 1980s, WXPN 478, OzNet 694, Acclaimed 890 |
Notable hits
- "A Kind Of Magic" - Queen
- "A Matter of Trust" - Billy Joel
- "Addicted To Love" - Robert Palmer
- "All I Need is a Miracle" - Mike + The Mechanics
- "All The Things She Said" - Simple Minds
- "Amanda" - Boston
- "Baby Love" - Regina Richards
- "Bad Boy" - Miami Sound Machine
- "Best of Both Worlds" - Van Halen
- "Breakout" - Swing Out Sister
- "Bigmouth Strikes Again"- The Smiths
- "Big Time" - Peter Gabriel
- "Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order
- "Calling America" - Electric Light Orchestra
- "Capitaine abandonné" - Gold
- "Captain of Her Heart" - Double
- "Chain Reaction" - Diana Ross
- "Coming Around Again" - Carly Simon
- "Conga" - Miami Sound Machine
- "Crush On You" - The Jets
- "Dancing on the Ceiling" - Lionel Richie
- "Danger Zone" - Kenny Loggins
- "Dreams" - Van Halen
- "Dreamtime" - Daryl Hall
- "Don't Dream It's Over" - Crowded House
- "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86" - The Police
- "En Rouge et Noir" - Jeanne Mas
- "Ève lève-toi" - Julie Pietri
- "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" - Wang Chung
- "Flash" - Princess Stéphanie of Monaco
- "For America" - Jackson Browne
- "For America" - Red Box
- "Freedom Overspill" - Steve Winwood
- "Friends and Lovers" - Gloria Loring and Carl Anderson
- also recorded as "Both to Each Other" by country music artists Juice Newton and Eddie Rabbitt
- "French Kissin' In The USA" - Debbie Harry
- "Glory Of Love" - Peter Cetera
- "Go Home" - Stevie Wonder
- "Harlem Shuffle" - Rolling Stones
- "Heartbeat" - Don Johnson
- "Hey, You!" - Divine
- "He's Back (The Man Behind The Mask)" - Alice Cooper
- "Higher Love" - Steve Winwood
- "Hip to Be Square" - Huey Lewis & The News
- "Holding Back the Years" - Simply Red
- "Holding Out For A Hero" - Bonnie Tyler
- "How Will I Know" - Whitney Houston
- "Hymn To Her" - The Pretenders
- "I Want to Wake Up with You" - Boris Gardiner
- "Is It a Crime?" - Sade
- "Jumpin' Jack Flash" - Aretha Franklin
- "Kiss" - Prince and the Revolution
- "Kyrie" - Mr. Mister
- "Invisible Touch" - Genesis
- "If She Knew What She Wants" - The Bangles
- "Lady In Red" - Chris de Burgh
- "Le Sixième Jour" - Dalida
- "Les Bêtises" - Sabine Paturel
- "Les Démons de minuit" - Images
- "Libertine" - Mylène Farmer
- "Little Baby" - Divine
- "Live to Tell" - Madonna
- "Living In America" - James Brown
- "Livin' On a Prayer - Bon Jovi
- "Locked In" - Judas Priest
- "Love Touch" - Rod Stewart
- "Love Walks In" - Van Halen
- "Lessons in Love" - Level 42
- "Mad About You" - Belinda Carlisle
- "Manic Monday" - The Bangles
- "Missionary Man" - Eurythmics
- "Modern Woman" - Billy Joel
- "Mountains" - Prince
- "Move Away" - Culture Club
- "My Hometown" - Bruce Springsteen
- "Nasty" - Janet Jackson
- "Never As Good As the First Time" - Sade
- "No Lies" - Noiseworks
- "No One Is To Blame" - Howard Jones
- "No More I Love You's" - The Lover Speaks
- "Notorious" - Duran Duran
- "On My Own" - Patti Labelle & Michael McDonald
- "Open Your Heart" - Madonna
- "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" - Pet Shop Boys
- "Ouragan" - Princess Stéphanie of Monaco
- "Overjoyed" - Stevie Wonder
- "Papa Don't Preach" - Madonna
- "Parce que je ne t'aime plus" - Dalida
- "Pressure Down" - John Farnham
- "Private Number" - The Jets
- "A Question of Lust" - Depeche Mode
- "A Question of Time" - Depeche Mode
- "Real Wild Child (Wild One)" - Iggy Pop
- Rain or Shine - Five Star
- "Rock Me Amadeus" - Falco
- "Rough Boy" - ZZ Top
- "Ruthless People" - Mick Jagger
- "Sara" - Starship
- "Something So Strong" - Crowded House
- "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" - Elton John (released in 1984)
- "Silent Running" - Mike + The Mechanics (released in 1985)
- "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel
- "Slice of Heaven" - Dave Dobbyn
- "Small Town" - John Cougar Mellencamp
- "Sometimes" - Erasure
- "Somewhere" - Barbra Streisand
- "Stay For Awhile" - Amy Grant
- "Stimulation" - Wa Wa Nee
- "Stripped" - Depeche Mode
- "Stuck with You" - Huey Lewis & The News
- "The Sun Always Shines On TV" - a-ha
- "Sweet Freedom" - Michael McDonald
- "The Sweetest Taboo" - Sade
- "System Addict" - Five Star
- "Take Me Home" - Phil Collins
- "Take My Breath Away" - Berlin
- "Taken In" - Mike + The Mechanics
- "That Was Then, This Is Now" - The Monkees
- "That's What Friends Are For" - Dionne Warwick (duets with Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder)
- "Teenage Frankenstein" - Alice Cooper
- "The Final Countdown" - Europe
- "The Greatest Love of All" - Whitney Houston
- "The Next Time I Fall" - Peter Cetera and Amy Grant
- "The Way It Is" - Bruce Hornsby and the Range
- "(There's Gonna Be) A Showdown" - The Johnnys
- "Throw Your Arms Around Me" - Hunters + Collectors
- "Throwing It All Away" - Genesis
- "Thorn in My Side" - Eurythmics
- "Turbo Lover" - Judas Priest
- "True Blue"- Madonna
- "True Colors" - Cyndi Lauper
- "Too Low For Zero" - Elton John (UK & Europe only, released in 1985)
- "Two Of Hearts" - Stacey Q
- "Typical Male" - Tina Turner
- "Venus" - Bananarama
- "Walk Like an Egyptian" - The Bangles (released in 1985)
- "Walk of Life" - Dire Straits
- "Walk This Way" - Run DMC featuring Aerosmith
- "Wanted Dead or Alive" - Bon Jovi
- "War" - Bruce Springsteen
- "We Built This City" - Starship
- "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off (To Have a Good Time)" - Jermaine Stewart
- "West End Girls" - Pet Shop Boys
- "What Have You Done for Me Lately" - Janet Jackson
- "What You Get Is What You See" - Tina Turner
- "What You Need" - INXS
- "When I Think of You" - Janet Jackson
- "Why Can't This Be Love" - Van Halen
- "Word Up"- Cameo
- "Words Get In The Way" - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
- "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)" - Beastie Boys
- "You Give Love a Bad Name" - Bon Jovi
- "You Got It All" - The Jets
- "You're The Voice" - John Farnham (Released in 1985) in Australia & UK, Canada; not released in the US until 1990)
Published popular music
- "All I Ask Of You" w.m. Andrew Lloyd Webber
- "Crush On You" w.m. Jerry Knight & Aaron Zigman
- "The Lady In Red" w.m. Chris de Burgh
- "True Colors" Cyndi Lauper
- Montego Bay Amazulu - a minor hit in the U.S. in September.
- Elliott Carter - String Quartet No.4
- George Crumb - An Idyll for the Misbegotten (Images III) for amplified flute and percussion (three players).
- George Crumb - Federico's Little Songs for Children for soprano, flute/piccolo/alto flute/bass flute, and harp
- Mario Davidovsky - Salvos for flute, clarinet, harp, percussion, violin and cello
- Ludovico Einaudi - Movimento
- Peter Eötvös - Chinese Opera
- Krzysztof Penderecki - The Song of Cherubin
- Paul Schoenfield - Café Music for Piano Trio
- Harrison Birtwistle's opera The Mask of Orpheus is premiered in London, UK on 21 May.
- Rudolf Brucci - Gilgamesh
- Lee Hoiby - The Tempest
- Gian-Carlo Menotti - Goya
- Michael Nyman - The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat
- La Cage aux Folles London production
- Charlie Girl London revival
- Chess London production
- Me and My Girl Broadway production
- The Phantom Of The Opera London production
- Time (musical), London production (featuring actor Laurence Olivier in hologram form)
- Sweet Charity Broadway revival
Musical television
- Inaugural Festival International de Louisiane
Births
- January 6 - Alex Turner, singer and guitarist Arctic Monkeys
- January 26 - Matt Heafy, singer, and guitarist (Trivium)
- February 2 - Blaine Larsen, US country singer
- February 19 - Maria Mena, singer
- February 21 - Charlotte Church, singer
- March 3 - Stacie Orrico, singer
- March 12 - Danny Jones, singer and guitarist, McFLY
- March 15 - Adrianne Leon, actress and singer
- March 22 - Amy Studt, singer, songwriter and musician
- May 13 - Robert Pattinson, actor
- May 30 - Claudia Beni, singer
- June 28 - Kellie Pickler, American Idol singer
- July 2 - Lindsey Lohan, actress, singer
- September 12 - Emmy Rossum, actress and singer
- November 5 - BoA, singer
Deaths
- January 4 - Phil Lynott, bassist/singer and co-founder of Thin Lizzy, 36 (heart failure & pneumonia)
- January 6 - Joe Farrell, jazz saxophonist, 48 (bone cancer)
- January 8 - Pierre Fournier, cellist
- February 2 - Francisco Mignone, composer
- February 14 - Edmund Rubbra, composer
- March 4
- Richard Manuel, The Band, 42 (suicide)
- Howard Greenfield, songwriter, 49 (AIDS)
- March 11 - Sonny Terry, blues musician
- March 21 - Raymond Burke, jazz clarinetist
- March 22 - Mark Dinning, US singer, 52 (heart attack)
- March 30 - James Cagney, US actor, singer and dancer
- March 31 - O'Kelly Isley of the Isley Brothers, 48 (heart attack)
- April 3 - Peter Pears, opera singer and partner of Benjamin Britten
- April 13 - Dorothy Ashby, jazz harpist and composer, 53 (cancer)
- April 19
- Dag Wirén, composer
- Estelle Yancey, blues singer
- June 3 - Anna Neagle, actress and singer
- June 13 - Benny Goodman, bandleader
- June 16 - Maurice Duruflé, composer
- June 17 - Kate Smith, singer
- July 3 - Rudy Vallee, singer
- July 31 - Teddy Wilson, jazz pianist
- September 27 - Cliff Burton, Metallica (tour bus accident)
- September 28 - Robert Helpmann, dancer
- October 16 - Arthur Grumiaux, violinist
- November 1 - Sippie Wallace, blues singer
- November 3 - Eddie Davis, saxophonist
- November 18 - Lajos Bárdos, composer and conductor
- November 22 - Scatman Crothers, singer, dancer and musician
- December 10 - Kate Wolf, folk singer and songwriter, 44 (leukemia)
Awards
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened; the following artists were the first inductees: Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and record producer Sam Phillips.