This is a summary of 1986 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
The first number 1 single of 1986 was the breakthrough hit for London synthpop duo the Pet Shop Boys. Their song "West End Girls" had climbed the charts during late 1985 and reached number 1 for two weeks in January. They would have three more top 20 hits this year as well as two top 20 albums, and were still reaching the top 10 in 2006, twenty years later. Another popular synthpop duo this year were Erasure, with their song "Sometimes" reaching number two in the autumn; this success would be followed by many more hits throughout the decade.
After four successful years, the band Wham! split up in the spring. Made up of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, they finished with a farewell concert at Wembley Stadium, a greatest hits album The Final which reached number 2, and the single "The Edge of Heaven", their fourth number one, and their last until "Last Christmas" finally reached No. 1 in 2021. George Michael also reached number 1 this year with a solo release, A Different Corner, and went on to have a highly successful solo career.
The formation of the charity Comic Relief provided an unusual song from Cliff Richard, a singer with several huge hits in the 1950s and '60s. He teamed up with the cast of the popular sitcom The Young Ones (itself named after a Richard song) for a new version of his 1959 single "Living Doll", half sung by Richard and half shouted by the Young Ones cast. With proceeds going to the charity, it reached number one for three weeks and was Richard's first number 1 of the decade. Another novelty number one was "The Chicken Song", sung by the cast of satirical puppet show Spitting Image. With lyrics such as "Hold a chicken in the air, stick a deckchair up your nose" it was intended as a parody of novelty holiday songs which were popular at the time, and also topped the chart for three weeks.
American singer Madonna had the biggest-selling album of the year with "True Blue". All singles released from it made the top five, including the number 1s "Papa Don't Preach", "True Blue", and "La Isla Bonita" which topped the chart the year after. The biggest-selling single of the year went to The Communards, with a hi-NRG cover of the disco song "Don't Leave Me This Way". The band included singer Jimmy Somerville who had previously enjoyed success with Bronski Beat, and later started a solo career.
The Christmas number one single was something of a surprise, a re-issue of Jackie Wilson's 1957 single "Reet Petite". Wilson had died in 1984, but the song been re-issued after being used in a television advert for Levi's, with a new video made of a Claymation version of Wilson. Having first been released 29 years earlier, it broke the record for the longest time between a single being released and it hitting number 1, a record that would last until 2005 when Tony Christie's 1971 song "(Is This the Way to) Amarillo" topped the chart.
Birtwistle's opera The Mask of Orpheus, including electronic music realised by Barry Anderson and a libretto by Peter Zinovieff, was staged in London by English National Opera to great critical acclaim. Michael Nyman also came up with a new opera, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, a chamber work with a minimalist score. The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment was founded in London by a group of period music enthusiasts, going on to become one of the UK's leading orchestras.
| Chart date (week ending) | Song | Artist(s) | Weeks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 January | "Merry Christmas Everyone" | 1 | ||
| 11 January | "West End Girls" | 2 | ||
| 18 January | ||||
| 25 January | "The Sun Always Shines on TV" | 2 | ||
| 1 February | ||||
| 8 February | "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going" | 4 | ||
| 15 February | ||||
| 22 February | ||||
| 1 March | ||||
| 8 March | "Chain Reaction" | 3 | ||
| 15 March | ||||
| 22 March | ||||
| 29 March | "Living Doll" | 3 | ||
| 5 April | ||||
| 12 April | ||||
| 19 April | "A Different Corner" | 3 | ||
| 26 April | ||||
| 3 May | ||||
| 10 May | "Rock Me Amadeus" | 1 | ||
| 17 May | "The Chicken Song" | 3 | ||
| 24 May | ||||
| 31 May | ||||
| 7 June | "Spirit in the Sky" | 3 | ||
| 14 June | ||||
| 21 June | ||||
| 28 June | "The Edge of Heaven" | 2 | ||
| 5 July | ||||
| 12 July | "Papa Don't Preach" | 3 | ||
| 19 July | ||||
| 26 July | ||||
| 2 August | "The Lady in Red" | 3 | ||
| 9 August | ||||
| 16 August | ||||
| 23 August | "I Want to Wake Up with You" | 3 | ||
| 30 August | ||||
| 6 September | ||||
| 13 September | "Don't Leave Me This Way" | 4 | ||
| 20 September | ||||
| 27 September | ||||
| 4 October | ||||
| 11 October | "True Blue" | Madonna | 1 | |
| 18 October | "Every Loser Wins" | 3 | ||
| 25 October | ||||
| 1 November | ||||
| 8 November | "Take My Breath Away" | 4 | ||
| 15 November | ||||
| 22 November | ||||
| 29 November | ||||
| 6 December | "The Final Countdown" | 2 | ||
| 13 December | ||||
| 20 December | "Caravan of Love" | 1 | ||
| 27 December | "Reet Petite" | 1 |
| Chart date (week ending) | Album | Artist(s) | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 January | Now 6 | Various Artists | 2 |
| 11 January | |||
| 18 January | Brothers in Arms | 10 | |
| 25 January | |||
| 1 February | |||
| 8 February | |||
| 15 February | |||
| 22 February | |||
| 1 March | |||
| 8 March | |||
| 15 March | |||
| 22 March | |||
| 29 March | Hits 4 | Various Artists | 4 |
| 5 April | |||
| 12 April | |||
| 19 April | |||
| 26 April | 5 | ||
| 3 May | |||
| 10 May | |||
| 17 May | |||
| 24 May | |||
| 31 May | So | 2 | |
| 7 June | |||
| 14 June | A Kind of Magic | 1 | |
| 21 June | Invisible Touch | 3 | |
| 28 June | |||
| 5 July | |||
| 12 July | True Blue | 6 | |
| 19 July | |||
| 26 July | |||
| 2 August | |||
| 9 August | |||
| 16 August | |||
| 23 August | Now 7 | Various Artists | 5 |
| 30 August | |||
| 6 September | |||
| 13 September | |||
| 20 September | |||
| 27 September | Silk & Steel | 1 | |
| 4 October | Graceland | 5 | |
| 11 October | |||
| 18 October | |||
| 25 October | |||
| 1 November | |||
| 8 November | 2 | ||
| 15 November | |||
| 22 November | Hits 5 | Various Artists | 2 |
| 29 November | |||
| 6 December | Now 8 | 4 | |
| 13 December | |||
| 20 December | |||
| 27 December |
Based on sales from 30 December 1985 to 3 January 1987.[5]
| scope=col | scope=col | Title | scope=col | Artist | scope=col | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 1 | "Don't Leave Me This Way" | The Communards | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 2 | "Every Loser Wins" | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 3 | "I Want to Wake Up with You" | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 4 | "Living Doll" | & The Young Ones | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 5 | "Chain Reaction" | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 6 | "The Lady in Red" | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 7 | "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 8 | "Papa Don't Preach" | Madonna | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 9 | "Take My Breath Away" (Love Theme from Top Gun) | Berlin | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 10 | "So Macho"/"Cruising" | Sinitta | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 11 | "True Blue" | Madonna | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 12 | "A Different Corner" | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 13 | "Rock Me Amadeus" | Falco | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 14 | "We Don't Have to..." | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 15 | "Spirit in the Sky" | Doctor and the Medics | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 16 | "The Final Countdown" | Europe | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 17 | "Reet Petite (The Sweetest Girl in Town)" | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 18 | "Rain or Shine" | Five Star | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 19 | "Caravan of Love" | The Housemartins | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 20 | "The Chicken Song" | Spitting Image | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 21 | "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." | a-ha | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 22 | "On My Own" | and Michael McDonald | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 23 | "Walk Like an Egyptian" | The Bangles | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 24 | "In the Army Now" | Status Quo | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 25 | "Lessons in Love" | Level 42 | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 26 | "Glory of Love" | 3 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 27 | "The Edge of Heaven" | Wham! | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 28 | "Sledgehammer" | 4 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 29 | "All I Ask of You" | & Sarah Brightman | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 30 | "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)" | 3 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 31 | "Wonderful World" | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 32 | "A Kind of Magic" | Queen | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 33 | "Holding Back the Years" | Simply Red | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 34 | "You Keep Me Hangin' On" | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 35 | "Let's Go All the Way" | Sly Fox | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 36 | "Word Up!" | Cameo | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 37 | "Manic Monday" | The Bangles | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 38 | "I Can't Wait" | Nu Shooz | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 39 | "My Favourite Waste of Time" | 3 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 40 | "You Can Call Me Al" | 4 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 41 | "Livin' on a Prayer" | Bon Jovi | 4 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 42 | "Sometimes" | Erasure | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 43 | "Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend)" | Mel & Kim | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 44 | "(I Just) Died in Your Arms" | Cutting Crew | 4 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 45 | "You to Me Are Everything" (remix) | The Real Thing | 5 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 46 | "Happy Hour" | The Housemartins | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 47 | "Starting Together" | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 48 | "Thorn in My Side" | Eurythmics | 5 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 49 | "Walk of Life" | Dire Straits | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 50 | "Borderline" | Madonna | 2 |
Based on sales from 29 December 1985 to 3 January 1987.[6]
| scope=col | scope=col | Title | scope=col | Artist | scope=col | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 1 | True Blue | Madonna | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 2 | Brothers In Arms | Dire Straits | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 3 | Now 8 | Various Artists | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 4 | Graceland | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 5 | Whitney Houston | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 6 | Now 7 | Various Artists | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 7 | Hunting High and Low | a-ha | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 8 | A Kind of Magic | Queen | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 9 | Silk & Steel | Five Star | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 10 | Revenge | Eurythmics | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 11 | Hits 5 | Various Artists | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 12 | Hits 4 | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 13 | The Final | Wham! | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 14 | Invisible Touch | Genesis | 1 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 15 | The Police | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 16 | The Whole Story | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 17 | Into the Light | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 18 | and Roxy Music | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 19 | So | 1 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 20 | Picture Book | Simply Red | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 21 | Once Upon a Time | Simple Minds | 6 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 22 | No Jacket Required | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 23 | World Machine | Level 42 | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 24 | Dancing on the Ceiling | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 25 | London 0 Hull 4 | The Housemartins | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 26 | Slippery When Wet | Bon Jovi | 6 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 27 | Top Gun Original Soundtrack | Various Artists | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 28 | Like a Virgin | Madonna | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 29 | Fore! | 8 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 30 | Be Yourself Tonight | Eurythmics | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 31 | Scoundrel Days | a-ha | 2 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 32 | Communards | The Communards | 7 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 33 | Go West/Bangs & Crashes | Go West | 8 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 34 | Please | Pet Shop Boys | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 35 | Greatest Hits | Queen | 17 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 36 | Different Light | The Bangles | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 37 | Love Zone | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 38 | Live Magic | Queen | 5 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 39 | Riptide | 5 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 40 | Island Life | 4 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 41 | The Dream of the Blue Turtles | Sting | 5 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 42 | South Pacific | /José Carreras/Sarah Vaughan/ Mandy Patinkin/London Symphony Orchestra | 5 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 43 | The Broadway Album | 3 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 44 | Rocky IV Original Soundtrack | Various Artists | 3 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 45 | Luxury of Life | Five Star | 12 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 46 | Suzanne Vega | 11 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 47 | Hounds of Love | Kate Bush | 6 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 48 | Break Every Rule | 2 | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 49 | In the Army Now | Status Quo | 7 | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 50 | Every Beat of My Heart | 5 |
Notes:
The 1986 BRIT Awards winners were: