1986 in music
| Years in music: | 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 |
| Centuries: | 19th Century · 20th century · 21st century |
| Decades: | 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s |
| Years: | 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 |
See also:
Contents |
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 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 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 Ertegun 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 Statium 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 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
- 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
- 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
- Metallica releases their highly influential album, Master of Puppets.
- Megadeth releases one of their most influential and popular albums, Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?.
Albums released
- 10 Kola Nuts - Mory Kante
- 36.5 C - Miyuki Nakajima
- 5150 - Van Halen
- A Date With Elvis - The Cramps
- ABBA Live - ABBA
- Alive & Screaming - Krokus
- American Girls - American Girls
- Another View - The Velvet Underground
- Atomizer - Big Black
- August - Eric Clapton
- Back in the High Life - Steve Winwood
- Balance of Power - Electric Light Orchestra
- Belinda - Belinda Carlisle
- Better Than Heaven - Stacey Q
- Black Celebration - Depeche Mode
- 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 (band)
- 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
- Eat 'Em and Smile - David Lee Roth
- Emerson, Lake & Powell - Emerson, Lake & Powell
- Finyl Vinyl - Rainbow
- Flaunt It - Sigue Sigue Sputnik
- From Luxury to Heartache - Culture Club
- Game Over - Nuclear Assault
- Gift - The Sisterhood
- Graceland - Paul Simon
- 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
- Hwgr Grawth-Og - Datblygu
- I Against I - Bad Brains
- In America EP - Britny Fox
- Inside the Electric Circus - W.A.S.P.
- Inside - Matthew Sweet
- Intermission EP - 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
- Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares - Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares
- Le Visage de l'Amour - Dalida
- Le sixième jour - Dalida
- 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
- Look What the Cat Dragged In - Poison
- 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
- Nasty, Nasty - Black N' Blue
- Night Songs - Cinderella
- No. 10, Upping St. - Big Audio Dynamite
- Not of This Earth - Joe Satriani
- Notorious - Duran Duran
- November-Coming-Fire - Samhain
- Orgasmatron - Motörhead
- Paint Your Wagon - Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
- Parade - Prince and the Revolution
- Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? - Megadeth
- Permanent Sleep - Lowlife
- Pleasure to Kill - Kreator
- Portfolio - The Michael Schenker Group
- Psychocandy - The Jesus and Mary Chain
- QR III - Quiet Riot
- 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
- 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 Collection - Amy Grant
- The Divine Punishment - Diamanda Galás
- 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 and 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
Bands return
Top hits
- "A Matter of Trust" - Billy Joel
- "Addicted To Love" - Robert Palmer
- "All I Need is a Miracle" - Mike + The Mechanics
- "Breakout" - Swing Out Sister
- "Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order
- "Captain of Her Heart" - Double
- "Dancing on the Ceiling" - Lionel Richie
- "Danger Zone" - Kenny Loggins
- "Dreams" - Van Halen
- "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86" - The Police
- "Freedom Overspill" - Steve Winwood
- "French Kissin' In The USA" - Debbie Harry
- "Glory Of Love" - Peter Cetera
- "Harlem Shuffle" - Rolling Stones
- "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
- "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
- "Mad About You" - Belinda Carlisle
- "Manic Monday" - The Bangles
- "Modern Woman" - Billy Joel
- "Mountains" - Prince
- "Move Away" - Culture Club
- "My Hometown" - Bruce Springsteen
- "Nasty" - Janet Jackson
- "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
- "Papa Don't Preach" - Madonna
- "Parce que je ne t'aime plus" - Dalida
- "Pressure Down" - John Farnham
- "Real Wild Child (Wild One)" - Iggy Pop
- "Rock Me Amadeus" - Falco
- "Rough Boy" - ZZ Top
- "Ruthless People" - Mick Jagger
- "Sara" - Starship
- "Silent Running" - Mike + The Mechanics
- "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel
- "Sometimes" - Erasure
- "Stay For Awhile" - Amy Grant
- "Stimulation - Wa Wa Nee
- "Stuck With You" - Huey Lewis & the News
- "Sweet Freedom" - Michael McDonald
- "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
- "Venus" - Bananarama
- "Walk Like an Egyptian" - The Bangles
- "Walk of Life" - Dire Straits
- "War" - Bruce Springsteen
- "West End Girls" - Pet Shop Boys
- "What Have You Done For Me Lately" - Janet Jackson
- "When I Think of You" - Janet Jackson
- "Why Can't This Be Love" - Van Halen
- "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
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
Opera
- Rudolf Brucci - Gilgamesh
- Lee Hoiby - The Tempest
- Gian-Carlo Menotti - Goya
- Michael Nyman - The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat
Musical theater
- 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
- Sweet Charity Broadway revival
Musical films
Musical television
Music festivals
- Inaugural Festival International de Louisiane
Births
- February 2 - Blaine Larsen, US country singer
- February 19 - Maria Mena, singer
- February 21 - Charlotte Church, singer
- March 3 - Stacie Orrico, singer
- March 15 - Adrianne Leon, actress and singer
- March 22 - Amy Studt, singer, songwriter and musician
- May 30 - Claudia Beni, singer
- June 28 - Kellie Pickler, American singer
- September 12 - Emmy Rossum, actress and singer
- November 5 - BoA, singer
Deaths
- January 4 - Phil Lynott, rock musician
- January 8 - Pierre Fournier, cellist
- February 2 - Francisco Mignone, composer
- February 14 - Edmund Rubbra, composer
- March 4
- Richard Manuel, The Band, suicide
- Howard Greenfield, songwriter
- March 11 - Sonny Terry, blues musician
- March 21 - Raymond Burke, jazz clarinetist
- March 22 - Mark Dinning, US singer
- March 30 - James Cagney, US actor, singer and dancer
- March 31 - O'Kelly Isley, the Isley Brothers
- April 3 - Peter Pears, opera singer and partner of Benjamin Britten
- April 13 - Dorothy Ashby, jazz harpist and composer
- 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
- 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 Bardos, composer and conductor
- November 22 - Scatman Crothers, singer, dancer and musician
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.
Grammy Awards
Country Music Association Awards
Eurovision Song Contest
Charts
List of No. 1 Hits
KROQ
- KROQ Top 106.7 Countdown of 1986
External charts
Categories
1986 in music
