1986 in music

List of years in music (Table)
… 1976 ^. 1977 ^. 1978 ^. 1979 ^. 1980 ^. 1981 ^. 1982 … 1983 ^. 1984 ^. 1985 -1986- 1987 ^. 1988 ^. 1989 … 1990 ^. 1991 ^. 1992 ^. 1993 ^. 1994 ^. 1995 ^. 1996 …
Related time period or subjects
… 1983 ^. 1984 ^. 1985 – 1986 – 1987 ^. 1988 ^. 1989 … … 1950s ^. 1960s ^. 1970s – 1980s – 1990s ^. 2000s ^. 2010s … … 19th century – 20th century – 21st century …
Art ^. Archaeology ^. Architecture ^. Literature ^. Music ^. Science ^. more…

See also:

Musical groups established in 1986
Record labels established in 1986

Events

January 23 - The first induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley)
February 4 - Control, the debut album of Janet Jackson, who would become one of the best-selling artists of all time, was released.
February 11 - Culture Club lead singer Boy George appears on an episode of The A-Team
February 14 - Frank Zappa appears on an episode of the popular television series Miami Vice. Zappa portrays a crime boss named "Mr. Frankie".
February 21 - The Dead Kennedys play their last concert at UC Davis in Davis, California.
February 22 - 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 3 - Metallica releases their highly influential album, Master of Puppets, considered by many in the metal community to be the best metal album of all time
March 27 - Sammy Hagar performs his first concert as the lead singer of Van Halen
April 12 - The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle marries actor Morgan Mason
May 2 - Country music superstar Dolly Parton opens her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
May 5 - In New York, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Chairman Ahmet Ertegün announces that Cleveland, Ohio has been chosen as the city where the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will be built
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.
May 10 - Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe marries actress Heather Locklear.
May 19 - Peter Gabriel releases So, his first album in over 4 years. The album reached number 2 on the charts and sold more than 3 million copies in the U.S. So contains the chart-topping songs Sledgehammer (#1), Big Time (top 10), and In Your Eyes (top 40). The music video for Sledgehammer won 9 MTV Video Music Awards, more than any video in history, and was ranked the #1 video of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. This album also marks Peter Gabriel's introduction into the mainstream of world music artists such as Youssou N'dour (who lent his vocals on In Your Eyes). It is interesting to note that Genesis released their hit album Invisible Touch in 1986, with Phil Collins on vocals.
May 21 - Harrison Birtwistle's opera The Mask of Orpheus is premiered in London
May 30 - The Monkees begin a highly successful tour of American stadiums on their 20th Anniversary Reunion Tour
June 2 - June 13 - 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 US 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 27 - Black Flag play their last concert, in Detroit, Michigan.
August 28 - Tina Turner receives a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
October- The Smiths, unbeknownst to everyone at the time, 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
september 27 - a tour bus carrying the heavy metal band Metallica crashes in Sweden, killing their most influential bassist, Cliff Burton.
Jello Biafra/Dead Kennedys taken to court by the PMRC for content in their album Frankenchrist; Biafra wins
Cacophony forms
The Escape Club signs a contract to EMI Records
Public Enemy signs a contract to Def Jam Records
Black Flag breaks up
Madness breaks up
Wham! featuring George Michael breaks up
White Zombie begin performing
Poison begins their recording career
Dick Dale mounts a comeback effort
Goo Goo Dolls form
Pixies forms.
Sweet Children forms
Bolt Thrower forms
Skid Row forms
The Vaselines forms
Wet Wet Wet form
Slayer releases Reign in Blood, their breakthrough album, and the one that set the stage for many extreme metal bands to come.
A (then) unknown Country singer, by the name of Garth Brooks marries his first wife, Sandy.
Ernesto Bonino loses his voice after a surgical intervention
Megadeth releases one of their most influential and popular albums, Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?.
John Farnham releases Whispering Jack which contains the singles You're The Voice + Pressure Down

Albums released

10 Kola Nuts - Mory Kante
36.5 C - Miyuki Nakajima
5150 - Van Halen
A Date With Elvis - The Cramps
A Kind of Magic - Queen
ABBA Live - ABBA
Alive & Screamin' - Krokus
American Girls - American Girls
Another View - The Velvet Underground
Another Step - Kim Wilde
As Close As You Think - Kevin Ayers
Atomizer - Big Black
August - Eric Clapton
Back in the High Life - Steve Winwood
Balance of Power - Electric Light Orchestra
Belinda - Belinda Carlisle
Bend Sinister - The Fall
Better Than Heaven - Stacey Q
Black Celebration - Depeche Mode
Born Sandy Devotional - The Triffids
Bring On the Night - Sting
Camper Van Beethoven - Camper Van Beethoven
Cendres de Lune - Mylene Farmer
Change of Address - Krokus
Chicago 18 - Chicago
Christ Knows - Toll
Classics Live! - Aerosmith
Club Ninja - Blue Öyster Cult
Constrictor - Alice Cooper
Control - Janet Jackson
Crowded House - Crowded House
Dancing Undercover - Ratt
Dangerous Games - Alcatrazz
David Foster - David Foster
Dreaming In Sequence - Chrome
Dreamtime - The Stranglers
Eat 'Em and Smile - David Lee Roth
Emerson, Lake & Powell - Emerson, Lake & Powell
EVOL - Sonic Youth
Finyl Vinyl - Rainbow
First Release - Goo Goo Dolls
Flaunt It - Sigue Sigue Sputnik
Fore! - Huey Lewis and the News
Forever Breathes the Lonely Word - Felt
From Luxury to Heartache - Culture Club
Game Over - Nuclear Assault
Gift - The Sisterhood
Graceland - Paul Simon
Gruts - Ivor Cutler
Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. - Dwight Yoakam
Guitar Town - Steve Earle
High Priest Of Love EP - Zodiac Mindwarp
Highlights of a Dangerous Life - The Johnnys
Home Of The Brave - Laurie Anderson
Horse Rotorvator - Coil
Hot Together - Pointer Sisters
Hwgr Grawth-Og - Datblygu
I Against I - Bad Brains
In America EP - Britny Fox
In the Pines - The Triffids
In The Army Now - Status Quo
In Visible Silence - Art of Noise
Inside the Electric Circus - W.A.S.P.
Inside - Matthew Sweet
Intermission - Dio
Into The Light - Chris de Burgh
Invisible Touch - Genesis
Isyu! - Ebiet G. Ade
Keys to Imagination - Yanni
Kicking Against the Pricks - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
King of America - Elvis Costello
Knocked Out Loaded - Bob Dylan
Le Mystere 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
Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express - The Go-Betweens
Licensed to Ill - The Beastie Boys
Lifes Rich Pageant - R.E.M.
Lightning Strikes - Loudness
Like a Rock - Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
Little Miss Dangerous - Ted Nugent
Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide - Guns N' Roses
Live 1975-1985 - Bruce Springsteen
Lives in the Balance - Jackson Browne
Look What the Cat Dragged In - Poison
Love in Bright Landscapes - The Triffids
Lyle Lovett - Lyle Lovett
Master of Puppets - Metallica
Master of The Metal - Messiah Prophet
Mean Business - The Firm
Mechanical Resonance - Tesla
Menace to Society - Lizzy Borden
Mind: The Perpetual Intercourse - Skinny Puppy
Mind's Eye - Vinnie Moore
Morbid Visions - Sepultura (Debut)
Mosaic - Wang Chung
Nasty, Nasty - Black 'N Blue
Night Songs - Cinderella
No. 10, Upping St. - Big Audio Dynamite
No Guru, No Method, No Teacher - Van Morrison
Not of This Earth - Joe Satriani
Notorious - Duran Duran
November-Coming-Fire - Samhain
Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt - Die Flippers
Orgasmatron - Motörhead
Paint Your Wagon - Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
Parade - Prince and the Revolution
Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? - Megadeth
Pearls of Passion - Roxette
Permanent Sleep - Lowlife
Pleasure to Kill - Kreator
Portfolio - The Michael Schenker Group
Prince Ivor - Ivor Cutler
Psychocandy - The Jesus and Mary Chain
QR III - Quiet Riot
R-N-B Skeletons In The Closet-George Clinton
Rage for Order - Queensrÿche
Rapture - Anita Baker
Raised On Radio - Journey
Raising Hell - Run DMC
Rat in the Kitchen - UB40
Reign in Blood - Slayer
Reivax Au Bongo - Hector Zazou
Rendez-Vous - Jean Michel Jarre
Russian Roulette - Accept
Scoundrel Days - a-ha
Seventh Star - Black Sabbath
Sex Mad - NoMeansNo
Shot in the Dark - Great White
Silk And Steel - Five Star
Skylarking - XTC
Slippery When Wet - Bon Jovi
So - Peter Gabriel
Solitude/Solitaire - Peter Cetera
Somewhere in Time - Iron Maiden
Sound Of Confusion - Spaceman 3
Stand Tall - Killer Dwarfs
Staring at the Sea: the Singles - The Cure
Storms of Life - Randy Travis
Strange Land - Box of Frogs
Strong Persuader - Robert Cray
Synthetic Socks - Ween
The Best Of Dalida - Dalida
The Bridge - Billy Joel
The Collection - Amy Grant
The Divine Punishment - Diamanda Galás
Tacky Souvenirs of Pre-Revolutionary America - Culturcide
The Final Countdown - Europe
The Final Frontier - Keel
The Good Earth - The Feelies
The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths
The Rainmakers - The Rainmakers
The Seer - Big Country
The Ultimate Sin - Ozzy Osbourne
The Way It Is - Bruce Hornsby & the Range
The Yellow and Black Attack - Stryper
Then & Now... the Best of The Monkees - The Monkees
They Don't Make Them Like They Used To - Kenny Rogers
They Might Be Giants - They Might Be Giants
Third Stage - Boston
Thrill of a Lifetime - King Kobra
To Hell With the Devil - Stryper
Tom Cochrane & Red Rider - Tom Cochrane & Red Rider
Tones - Eric Johnson
Trick or Treat - Fastway
Trilogy - Yngwie Malmsteen
True as Steel - Warlock
True Blue - Madonna
True Colors - Cyndi Lauper
True Confessions - Bananarama
True Stories - Talking Heads
Truthdare Doubledare - Bronski Beat
Turbo - Judas Priest
Utter Madness - Madness
Velvet & Steel - Dion DiMucci
Vinnie Vincent Invasion - Vinnie Vincent Invasion
Want Some - Rough Cutt
Weird Love - The Scientists
What Do You Know Deutschland? - KMFDM
When In Rome Do As The Vandals - The Vandals
Whispering Jack - John Farnham
White Tiger - White Tiger
Who Made Who - AC/DC
Wonderland - Erasure
Yemenite Songs - Ofra Haza
Your Funeral, My Trial - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Zebra/3.V|3.V - Zebra
New Trails - Riders in the Sky

Bands return

The Monkees

Biggest hit singles

The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in 1986.

#	Artist	Title	Year	Chart Entries
1	Falco	Rock Me Amadeus	1986	UK 1 - Mar 1986, US BB 1 - Feb 1986, US BB 30 of 1986, US CashBox 19 of 1986, Canada 1 - Dec 1985, Holland 3 - May 1986, Sweden 1 - Aug 1985, Sweden (alt) 1 - Sep 1985, France 2 - Nov 1985, Austria 1 - May 1985, Switzerland 2 - Jun 1985, Norway 6 - Apr 1986, Germany 50 of the 1980s, Germany 1 - Jun 1985, Éire 1 - Apr 1986, New Zealand 1 for 5 weeks Mar 1986, South Africa 3 of 1986, RYM 63 of 1985, POP 29 of 1986, Scrobulate 65 of 80s, KROQ 74 of 1986
2	Berlin	Take My Breath Away	1986	UK 1 - Oct 1986, US BB 1 - Jul 1986, US BB 13 of 1992, US CashBox 21 of 1986, Holland 1 - Sep 1986, Sweden 1 - Sep 1986, Austria 4 - Nov 1986, Switzerland 2 - Oct 1986, Norway 4 - Oct 1986, Australia 6 of 1986, Germany 310 of the 1980s, Germany 3 - Sep 1986, Éire 1 - Oct 1986, Oscar in 1986, TOTP 37, RYM 16 of 1986, POP 7 of 1986, Scrobulate 80 of 80s, OzNet 251
3	The Pet Shop Boys	West End Girls	1986	UK 1 - Nov 1985, US BB 1 - Mar 1986, US BB 16 of 1986, US CashBox 2 of 1986, Holland 3 - Jan 1986, Sweden 3 - Jan 1986, France 7 - Oct 1985, Austria 5 - Feb 1986, Switzerland 2 - Jan 1986, Norway 1 - Jan 1986, Germany 232 of the 1980s, Germany 3 - Jan 1986, New Zealand 1 for 4 weeks Feb 1986, South Africa 18 of 1986, RYM 15 of 1985, POP 43 of 1986, Scrobulate 32 of 80s, WXPN 478, Acclaimed 890, KROQ 11 of 1984, OzNet 694
4	Madonna	Papa Don't Preach	1986	UK 1 - Jun 1986, US BB 1 - Jul 1986, US BB 19 of 1986, US CashBox 18 of 1986, Holland 2 - Jun 1986, Sweden 1 - Aug 1986, Austria 4 - Aug 1986, Switzerland 2 - Jul 1986, Norway 1 - Jul 1986, Australia 9 of 1986, Germany 215 of the 1980s, Germany 2 - Jul 1986, Éire 1 - Jun 1986, Australia 1 for 6 weeks Mar 1987, 37 in 2FM list, RYM 43 of 1986, POP 35 of 1986, Acclaimed 761
5	Europe	The Final Countdown	1986	UK 1 - Nov 1986, US BB 8 - Feb 1987, US BB 19 of 1987, Holland 1 - Aug 1986, Sweden 1 - May 1986, France 9 - Apr 1986, Austria 1 - Nov 1986, Switzerland 1 - Sep 1986, Norway 4 - Jul 1986, Australia 10 of 1987, Germany 90 of the 1980s, Germany 1 - Sep 1986, Éire 1 - Nov 1986, Europe 14 of the 1980s, South Africa 7 of 1987, RYM 93 of 1986, POP 29 of 1987, Scrobulate 20 of Swedish

Notable hits

"A Matter of Trust" - Billy Joel
"Addicted To Love" - Robert Palmer
"All I Need is a Miracle" - [[Mike + The Mechanics]]
"Baby Love" - Regina Richards
"Bad Boy" - Miami Sound Machine
"Breakout" - Swing Out Sister
"Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order
"Calling America" - Electric Light Orchestra
"Captain of Her Heart" - Double
"Chain Reaction" - Diana Ross
"Coming Around Again" - Carly Simon
"Conga" - Miami Sound Machine
"Dancing on the Ceiling" - Lionel Richie
"Danger Zone" - Kenny Loggins
"Dreams" - Van Halen
"Dreamtime" - Daryl Hall
"Don't Stand So Close to Me '86" - The Police
"Everybody Have Fun Tonight" - Wang Chung
"For America" - Jackson Browne
"For America" - Red Box
"Freedom Overspill" - Steve Winwood
"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 Wanna 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
"Libertine" - Mylene Farmer
"Little Baby" - Divine
"Live to Tell" - Madonna
"Living In America" - James Brown
"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 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
"Overjoyed" - Stevie Wonder
"Papa Don't Preach" - Madonna
"Parce que je ne t'aime plus" - Dalida
"Pressure Down" - John Farnham
"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
"Silent Running" - [[Mike + The Mechanics]]
"Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel
"Slice of Heaven" - Dave Dobbyn
"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
"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
"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
"Turbo Lover" - Judas Priest
"True Blue"- Madonna
"True Colors" - Cyndi Lauper
"Two Of Hearts" - Stacey Q
"Typical Male" - Tina Turner
"Venus" - Bananarama
"Walk Like an Egyptian" - The Bangles
"Walk of Life" - Dire Straits
"Walk This Way" - Run DMC featuring Aerosmith
"War" - Bruce Springsteen
"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
"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're The Voice" - John Farnham (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.

Classical music

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