This is a summary of 1985 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
The biggest British musical event of 1985 was the Live Aid concert in London's Wembley Stadium on 13 July. Held to follow up the previous year's charity record "Do They Know It's Christmas?", the biggest-selling single ever at the time, popular acts such as The Who, U2 and Queen performed in front of an estimated audience of 1.9 billion viewers. It raised £150 million to help famine in Ethiopia, and a similar event would happen 20 years later in 2005, with Live 8.
After the huge success of Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?", several more charity songs reached number 1 this year. USA for Africa, inspired by Band Aid, released "We Are the World", a song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, while David Bowie and Mick Jagger released a cover of "Dancing in the Street", the music video being premiered at Live Aid and all proceeds going to the charity. In May, a fire at a football stadium in Bradford killed 56 people, and supergroup The Crowd released a charity cover of popular football anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone" in tribute.
British rock band Dire Straits released their album Brothers in Arms in May, one of the first ever albums to be released on compact disc and the format's first million-seller.[1] It went on to become the UK's best-selling album of the entire decade and remains one of the top ten best-selling albums of all time in the UK. Four singles were released from the album, including the UK number 4 hit and US number 1 "Money for Nothing", which referenced American music channel MTV and had a groundbreaking video featuring early computer-generated imagery. When a European version of MTV launched in 1987, it was the first video ever played on the channel.
Jennifer Rush entered the top 75 in June with the power ballad "The Power of Love", which remained in the chart for months without entering the top 40. When it finally did in September, it quickly hit number 1, where it remained for five weeks and was the biggest selling single of the year. It sold over a million copies, however it would be the last single of the decade to do so, and there would not be another million-seller until 1991.
Many songs this year competed for the Christmas number one single, and the entire top 3 from 1984 re-entered the chart this year; Paul McCartney's "We All Stand Together" at number 32, Wham!'s "Last Christmas" at number 6, and Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" at number 3. There were also attempts from Bruce Springsteen with a cover of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town", and ventriloquist Keith Harris released a cover of "White Christmas" with his green puppet Orville the Duck.
However, the Christmas number one went to Shakin' Stevens with the song "Merry Christmas Everyone". It had been intended to be released in 1984, but was kept back a year due to the Band Aid charity single. Still a widely known Christmas song in the 21st century, it re-entered the chart in Christmas 2007 on downloads alone, at number 22.
John Rutter, hitherto best known for his popular modern carols, acknowledged his classical roots with his Requiem, which was premièred in October in Sacramento, California. Less than eight months earlier, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem had its première in New York. Paul Miles-Kingston, the boy soprano who won a silver disc for his recording of the "Pie Jesu" from that work, became Head Chorister of Winchester Cathedral in the same year. The prolific Peter Maxwell Davies (who had moved to Orkney in 1971) produced one of his most popular works, An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise, notable for featuring the bagpipes as a lead instrument, as well as the Symphony No 3, which like its predecessors shows the influence of Sibelius. Veteran Welsh composer Daniel Jones, produced his 12th symphony, at the age of 73, whilst 80-year-old Michael Tippett began work on his last opera, New Year.
| Chart date (week ending) | Song | Artist(s) | Weeks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 January | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | 2 | ||
| 12 January | ||||
| 19 January | "I Want to Know What Love Is" | 3 | ||
| 26 January | ||||
| 2 February | ||||
| 9 February | "I Know Him So Well" | 4 | ||
| 16 February | ||||
| 23 February | ||||
| 2 March | ||||
| 9 March | "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" | 2 | ||
| 16 March | ||||
| 23 March | "Easy Lover" | 4 | ||
| 30 March | ||||
| 6 April | ||||
| 13 April | ||||
| 20 April | "We Are the World" | 2 | ||
| 27 April | ||||
| 4 May | "Move Closer" | 1 | ||
| 11 May | "19" | 5 | ||
| 18 May | ||||
| 25 May | ||||
| 1 June | ||||
| 8 June | ||||
| 15 June | "You'll Never Walk Alone" | 2 | ||
| 22 June | ||||
| 29 June | "Frankie" | 4 | ||
| 6 July | ||||
| 13 July | ||||
| 20 July | ||||
| 27 July | "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" | 1 | ||
| 3 August | "Into the Groove" | 4 | ||
| 10 August | ||||
| 17 August | ||||
| 24 August | ||||
| 31 August | "I Got You Babe" | 1 | ||
| 7 September | "Dancing in the Street" | 4 | ||
| 14 September | ||||
| 21 September | ||||
| 28 September | ||||
| 5 October | "If I Was" | 1 | ||
| 12 October | "The Power of Love" | 5 | ||
| 19 October | ||||
| 26 October | ||||
| 2 November | ||||
| 9 November | ||||
| 16 November | "A Good Heart" | 2 | ||
| 23 November | ||||
| 30 November | "I'm Your Man" | 2 | ||
| 7 December | ||||
| 14 December | "Saving All My Love for You" | 2 | ||
| 21 December | ||||
| 28 December | "Merry Christmas Everyone" | 1 |
| Chart date (week ending) | Album | Artist(s) | Weeks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 January | Hits 1 | Various Artists | 2 | |
| 12 January | ||||
| 19 January | Alf | 1 | ||
| 26 January | Agent Provocateur | 3 | ||
| 2 February | ||||
| 9 February | ||||
| 16 February | Born in the U.S.A. | 1 | ||
| 23 February | Meat Is Murder | 1 | ||
| 2 March | No Jacket Required | 5 | ||
| 9 March | ||||
| 16 March | ||||
| 23 March | ||||
| 30 March | ||||
| 6 April | The Secret of Association | 1 | ||
| 13 April | Hits 2 | Various Artists | 6 | |
| 20 April | ||||
| 27 April | ||||
| 4 May | ||||
| 11 May | ||||
| 18 May | ||||
| 25 May | Brothers in Arms | 2 | ||
| 1 June | ||||
| 8 June | Our Favourite Shop | 1 | ||
| 15 June | Boys and Girls | 2 | ||
| 22 June | ||||
| 29 June | Misplaced Childhood | 1 | ||
| 6 July | Born in the U.S.A. | Bruce Springsteen | 4 | |
| 13 July | ||||
| 20 July | ||||
| 27 July | ||||
| 3 August | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 2 | |
| 10 August | ||||
| 17 August | Now 5 | Various Artists | 5 | |
| 24 August | ||||
| 31 August | ||||
| 7 September | ||||
| 14 September | ||||
| 21 September | Like a Virgin | 1 | ||
| 28 September | Hounds of Love | 2 | ||
| 5 October | ||||
| 12 October | Like a Virgin | Madonna | 1 | |
| 19 October | Hounds of Love | Kate Bush | 1 | |
| 26 October | The Love Songs | 1 | ||
| 2 November | Once Upon a Time | 1 | ||
| 10 November | The Love Songs | George Benson | 1 | |
| 16 November | Promise | 2 | ||
| 23 November | ||||
| 30 November | The Greatest Hits of 1985 | Various Artists | 1 | |
| 7 December | Now 6 | 2 | ||
| 14 December | ||||
| 21 December | Now – The Christmas Album | 2 | ||
| 28 December |
Based on sales from 5 January to 28 December 1985.[4] [5]
| scope=col | scope=col | Title | scope=col | Artist | scope=col | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 1 | "The Power of Love" | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 2 | "I Know Him So Well" | and Barbara Dickson | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 3 | "Into the Groove" | Madonna | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 4 | "19" | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 5 | "Frankie" | Sister Sledge | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 6 | "Dancing in the Street" | and Mick Jagger | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 7 | "Move Closer" | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 8 | "A Good Heart" | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 9 | "Take On Me" | a-ha | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 10 | "Love & Pride" | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 11 | "I Want to Know What Love Is" | Foreigner | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 12 | "Easy Lover" | and Phil Collins | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 13 | "Axel F" | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 14 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | Band Aid | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 15 | "I Got You Babe" | UB40 and Chrissie Hynde | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 16 | "Crazy for You" | Madonna | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 17 | "Saving All My Love for You" | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 18 | "Solid" | Ashford & Simpson | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 19 | "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" | Dead or Alive | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 20 | "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" | Eurythmics | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 21 | "I'm Your Man" | Wham! | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 22 | "Trapped" | 3 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 23 | "Cherish" | Kool & the Gang | 4 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 24 | "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" | Tears for Fears | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 25 | "Merry Christmas Everyone" | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 26 | "You'll Never Walk Alone" | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 27 | "If I Was" | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 28 | "Nikita" | 3 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 29 | "Dancing in the Dark" | 4 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 30 | "1999"/"Little Red Corvette" | Prince | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 31 | "Holding Out for a Hero" | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 32 | "Kayleigh" | Marillion | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 33 | "Last Christmas"/"Everything She Wants" (Remix) | Wham! | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 34 | "A View to a Kill" | Duran Duran | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 35 | "We Are the World" | USA for Africa | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 36 | "Lean On Me (Ah-Li-Ayo)" | Red Box | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 37 | "Part-Time Lover" | 3 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 38 | "Money for Nothing" | Dire Straits | 4 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 39 | "Don't Break My Heart" | UB40 | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 40 | "We Close Our Eyes" | Go West | 5 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 41 | "Nightshift" | 3 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 42 | "That Ole Devil Called Love" | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 43 | "We Don't Need Another Hero" | 3 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 44 | "Tarzan Boy" | Baltimora | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 45 | "See the Day" | 3 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 46 | "Kiss Me" | 4 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 47 | "I Feel Love (Medley)" | Bronski Beat and Marc Almond | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 48 | "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 49 | "Suddenly" | 4 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 50 | "Shout" | Tears for Fears | 4 |
Based on sales from 5 January to 28 December 1985.[6] [7]
| scope=col | scope=col | Title | scope=col | Artist | scope=col | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 1 | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 2 | No Jacket Required | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 3 | Like a Virgin | Madonna | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 4 | Born in the U.S.A. | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 5 | Songs from the Big Chair | Tears for Fears | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 6 | Now 6 | Various Artists | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 7 | Now – The Christmas Album | Various Artists | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 8 | Now 5 | Various Artists | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 9 | Hits 2 | Various Artists | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 10 | The Secret of Association | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 11 | Alf | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 12 | Hits 3 | Various Artists | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 13 | Love Songs | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 14 | Hounds of Love | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 15 | Be Yourself Tonight | Eurythmics | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 16 | Private Dancer | 6 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 17 | Promise | Sade | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 18 | Make It Big | Wham! | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 19 | Diamond Life | Sade | 4 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 20 | Misplaced Childhood | Marillion | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 21 | Eliminator | ZZ Top | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 22 | The Singles Collection | Spandau Ballet | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 23 | Boys and Girls | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 24 | Go West | Go West | 9 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 25 | Agent Provocateur | Foreigner | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 26 | Reckless | 7 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 27 | The Kenny Rogers Story | 4 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 28 | Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II | 7 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 29 | The Greatest Hits of 1985 | Various Artists | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 30 | The Unforgettable Fire | U2 | 9 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 31 | Out Now | Various Artists | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 32 | Hits Out of Hell | Meat Loaf | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 33 | Welcome to the Pleasuredome | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | 5 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 34 | The Age of Consent | Bronski Beat | 5 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 35 | Under a Blood Red Sky | U2 | 11 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 36 | Once Upon a Time | Simple Minds | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 37 | The Dream of the Blue Turtles | Sting | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 38 | Madonna – The First Album | Madonna | 6 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 39 | Dream into Action | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 40 | The Love Album | Various Artists | 7 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 41 | The Collection | Ultravox | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 42 | The Hits Album | Various Artists | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 43 | Greatest Hits | Queen | 14 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 44 | Voices from the Holy Land | BBC Welsh Chorus with Aled Jones | 6 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 45 | Ice on Fire | 3 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 46 | All Through the Night | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 47 | Now 4 | Various Artists | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 48 | Requiem | Various Artists | 4 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 49 | Love Hurts | 8 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 50 | Face Value | 22 |
Notes:
The 1985 Brit Awards winners were: