1986 in British music
This is a summary of 1986 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
Summary
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 and final number 1. 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 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 " Amarillo" topped the chart.
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. Harrison Birtwistle's innovative opera, The Mask of Orpheus, was premièred in London, 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.
Events
- January - The Adrian Boult Hall is opened at Birmingham Conservatoire by the Duchess of Gloucester.
- 15 March – "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.
- 11 April - The fastest top 10 chart music show The Chart Show debuts on television on Channel 4.
- 7 June - Queen start The Magic Tour, which becomes their final tour with all original members and also their most successful tour.
- 27 October - Michael Nyman's chamber opera The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat is premiered at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London.
Charts
Number one singles
| Chart date | Song | Artist | Weeks |
| 4 January | "Merry Christmas Everyone" | Shakin' Stevens | 1 |
| 11 January | "West End Girls" | Pet Shop Boys | 2 |
| 18 January | "West End Girls" | Pet Shop Boys | 2 |
| 25 January | "The Sun Always Shines on TV" | a-ha | 2 |
| 1 February | "The Sun Always Shines on TV" | a-ha | 2 |
| 8 February | "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going" | Billy Ocean | 4 |
| 15 February | "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going" | Billy Ocean | 4 |
| 22 February | "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going" | Billy Ocean | 4 |
| 1 March | "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going" | Billy Ocean | 4 |
| 8 March | "Chain Reaction" | Diana Ross | 3 |
| 15 March | "Chain Reaction" | Diana Ross | 3 |
| 22 March | "Chain Reaction" | Diana Ross | 3 |
| 29 March | "Living Doll" | Cliff Richard and The Young Ones | 3 |
| 5 April | "Living Doll" | Cliff Richard and The Young Ones | 3 |
| 12 April | "Living Doll" | Cliff Richard and The Young Ones | 3 |
| 19 April | "A Different Corner" | George Michael | 3 |
| 26 April | "A Different Corner" | George Michael | 3 |
| 3 May | "A Different Corner" | George Michael | 3 |
| 10 May | "Rock Me Amadeus" | Falco | 1 |
| 17 May | "The Chicken Song" | Spitting Image | 3 |
| 24 May | "The Chicken Song" | Spitting Image | 3 |
| 31 May | "The Chicken Song" | Spitting Image | 3 |
| 7 June | "Spirit in the Sky" | Doctor and the Medics | 3 |
| 14 June | "Spirit in the Sky" | Doctor and the Medics | 3 |
| 21 June | "Spirit in the Sky" | Doctor and the Medics | 3 |
| 28 June | "The Edge of Heaven" | Wham! | 2 |
| 5 July | "The Edge of Heaven" | Wham! | 2 |
| 12 July | "Papa Don't Preach" | Madonna | 3 |
| 19 July | "Papa Don't Preach" | Madonna | 3 |
| 26 July | "Papa Don't Preach" | Madonna | 3 |
| 2 August | "The Lady in Red" | Chris de Burgh | 3 |
| 9 August | "The Lady in Red" | Chris de Burgh | 3 |
| 16 August | "The Lady in Red" | Chris de Burgh | 3 |
| 23 August | "I Want to Wake Up with You" | Boris Gardiner | 3 |
| 30 August | "I Want to Wake Up with You" | Boris Gardiner | 3 |
| 6 September | "I Want to Wake Up with You" | Boris Gardiner | 3 |
| 13 September | "Don't Leave Me This Way" | The Communards | 4 |
| 20 September | "Don't Leave Me This Way" | The Communards | 4 |
| 27 September | "Don't Leave Me This Way" | The Communards | 4 |
| 4 October | "Don't Leave Me This Way" | The Communards | 4 |
| 11 October | "True Blue" | Madonna | 1 |
| 18 October | "Every Loser Wins" | Nick Berry | 3 |
| 25 October | "Every Loser Wins" | Nick Berry | 3 |
| 1 November | "Every Loser Wins" | Nick Berry | 3 |
| 8 November | "Take My Breath Away" | Berlin | 4 |
| 15 November | "Take My Breath Away" | Berlin | 4 |
| 22 November | "Take My Breath Away" | Berlin | 4 |
| 29 November | "Take My Breath Away" | Berlin | 4 |
| 6 December | "The Final Countdown" | Europe | 2 |
| 13 December | "The Final Countdown" | Europe | 2 |
| 20 December | "Caravan of Love" | The Housemartins | 1 |
| 27 December | "Reet Petite" | Jackie Wilson | 1 |
Number one albums
| Chart date | Album | Artist | Weeks |
| 4 January | Now 6 | Various Artists | 2 |
| 11 January | Now 6 | Various Artists | 2 |
| 18 January | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 10 |
| 25 January | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 10 |
| 1 February | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 10 |
| 8 February | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 10 |
| 15 February | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 10 |
| 22 February | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 10 |
| 1 March | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 10 |
| 8 March | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 10 |
| 15 March | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 10 |
| 22 March | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 10 |
| 29 March | Hits 4 | Various Artists | 4 |
| 5 April | Hits 4 | Various Artists | 4 |
| 12 April | Hits 4 | Various Artists | 4 |
| 19 April | Hits 4 | Various Artists | 4 |
| 26 April | ' | Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music | 5 |
| 3 May | ' | Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music | 5 |
| 10 May | ' | Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music | 5 |
| 17 May | ' | Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music | 5 |
| 24 May | ' | Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music | 5 |
| 31 May | So | Peter Gabriel | 2 |
| 7 June | So | Peter Gabriel | 2 |
| 14 June | A Kind of Magic | Queen | 1 |
| 21 June | Invisible Touch | Genesis | 3 |
| 28 June | Invisible Touch | Genesis | 3 |
| 5 July | Invisible Touch | Genesis | 3 |
| 12 July | True Blue | Madonna | 6 |
| 19 July | True Blue | Madonna | 6 |
| 26 July | True Blue | Madonna | 6 |
| 2 August | True Blue | Madonna | 6 |
| 9 August | True Blue | Madonna | 6 |
| 16 August | True Blue | Madonna | 6 |
| 23 August | Now 7 | Various Artists | 5 |
| 30 August | Now 7 | Various Artists | 5 |
| 6 September | Now 7 | Various Artists | 5 |
| 13 September | Now 7 | Various Artists | 5 |
| 20 September | Now 7 | Various Artists | 5 |
| 27 September | Silk and Steel | Five Star | 1 |
| 4 October | Graceland | Paul Simon | 5 |
| 11 October | Graceland | Paul Simon | 5 |
| 18 October | Graceland | Paul Simon | 5 |
| 25 October | Graceland | Paul Simon | 5 |
| 1 November | Graceland | Paul Simon | 5 |
| 8 November | ' | The Police | 2 |
| 15 November | The Police | 2 | |
| 22 November | Hits 5 | Various Artists | 2 |
| 29 November | Hits 5 | Various Artists | 2 |
| 6 December | Now 8 | Various Artists | 4 |
| 13 December | Now 8 | Various Artists | 4 |
| 20 December | Now 8 | Various Artists | 4 |
| 27 December | Now 8 | Various Artists | 4 |
Year-end charts
Best-selling singles
Based on sales from 30 December 1985 to 3 January 1987.| Title | Artist | Peak position | |
| 1 | "Don't Leave Me This Way" | The Communards | 1 |
| 2 | "Every Loser Wins" | 1 | |
| 3 | "I Want to Wake Up with You" | 1 | |
| 4 | "Living Doll" | & The Young Ones | 1 |
| 5 | "Chain Reaction" | 1 | |
| 6 | "The Lady in Red" | 1 | |
| 7 | "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" | 1 | |
| 8 | "Papa Don't Preach" | Madonna | 1 |
| 9 | "Take My Breath Away" | Berlin | 1 |
| 10 | "So Macho"/"Cruising" | Sinitta | 2 |
| 11 | "True Blue" | Madonna | 1 |
| 12 | "A Different Corner" | 1 | |
| 13 | "Rock Me Amadeus" | Falco | 1 |
| 14 | "We Don't Have to..." | 2 | |
| 15 | "Spirit in the Sky" | Doctor and the Medics | 1 |
| 16 | "The Final Countdown" | Europe | 1 |
| 17 | "Reet Petite " | 1 | |
| 18 | "Rain or Shine" | Five Star | 2 |
| 19 | "Caravan of Love" | The Housemartins | 1 |
| 20 | "The Chicken Song" | Spitting Image | 1 |
| 21 | "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." | a-ha | 1 |
| 22 | "On My Own" | and Michael McDonald | 2 |
| 23 | "Walk Like an Egyptian" | The Bangles | 3 |
| 24 | "In the Army Now" | Status Quo | 2 |
| 25 | "Lessons in Love" | Level 42 | 3 |
| 26 | "Glory of Love" | 3 | |
| 27 | "The Edge of Heaven" | Wham! | 1 |
| 28 | "Sledgehammer" | 4 | |
| 29 | "All I Ask of You" | & Sarah Brightman | 3 |
| 30 | "Touch Me " | 3 | |
| 31 | "Wonderful World" | 2 | |
| 32 | "A Kind of Magic" | Queen | 3 |
| 33 | "Holding Back the Years" | Simply Red | 2 |
| 34 | "You Keep Me Hangin' On" | 2 | |
| 35 | "Let's Go All the Way" | Sly Fox | 3 |
| 36 | "Word Up!" | Cameo | 3 |
| 37 | "Manic Monday" | The Bangles | 2 |
| 38 | "I Can't Wait" | Nu Shooz | 2 |
| 39 | "My Favourite Waste of Time" | 3 | |
| 40 | "You Can Call Me Al" | 4 | |
| 41 | "Livin' on a Prayer" | Bon Jovi | 4 |
| 42 | "Sometimes" | Erasure | 2 |
| 43 | "Showing Out " | Mel & Kim | 3 |
| 44 | " Died in Your Arms" | Cutting Crew | 4 |
| 45 | "You to Me Are Everything" | The Real Thing | 5 |
| 46 | "Happy Hour" | The Housemartins | 3 |
| 47 | "Starting Together" | 2 | |
| 48 | "Thorn in My Side" | Eurythmics | 5 |
| 49 | "Walk of Life" | Dire Straits | 2 |
| 50 | "Borderline" | Madonna | 2 |
Best-selling albums
Based on sales from 29 December 1985 to 3 January 1987.| Title | Artist | Peak position | |
| 1 | True Blue | Madonna | 1 |
| 2 | Brothers In Arms | Dire Straits | 1 |
| 3 | Now 8 | Various Artists | 1 |
| 4 | Graceland | 1 | |
| 5 | Whitney Houston | 2 | |
| 6 | Now 7 | Various Artists | 1 |
| 7 | Hunting High and Low | a-ha | 2 |
| 8 | A Kind of Magic | Queen | 1 |
| 9 | Silk & Steel | Five Star | 1 |
| 10 | Revenge | Eurythmics | 3 |
| 11 | Hits 5 | Various Artists | 1 |
| 12 | Hits 4 | Various Artists | 1 |
| 13 | The Final | Wham! | 2 |
| 14 | Invisible Touch | Genesis | 1 |
| 15 | ' | The Police | 1 |
| 16 | The Whole Story | 2 | |
| 17 | Into the Light | 2 | |
| 18 | ' | and Roxy Music | 1 |
| 19 | So | 1 | |
| 20 | Picture Book | Simply Red | 2 |
| 21 | Once Upon a Time | Simple Minds | 6 |
| 22 | No Jacket Required | 2 | |
| 23 | World Machine | Level 42 | 3 |
| 24 | Dancing on the Ceiling | 2 | |
| 25 | London 0 Hull 4 | The Housemartins | 3 |
| 26 | Slippery When Wet | Bon Jovi | 6 |
| 27 | Top Gun Original Soundtrack | Various Artists | 3 |
| 28 | Like a Virgin | Madonna | 3 |
| 29 | Fore! | Huey Lewis and the News | 8 |
| 30 | Be Yourself Tonight | Eurythmics | 3 |
| 31 | Scoundrel Days | a-ha | 2 |
| 32 | Communards | The Communards | 7 |
| 33 | Go West/Bangs & Crashes | Go West | 8 |
| 34 | Please | Pet Shop Boys | 3 |
| 35 | Greatest Hits | Queen | 17 |
| 36 | Different Light | The Bangles | 3 |
| 37 | Love Zone | 2 | |
| 38 | Live Magic | Queen | 5 |
| 39 | Riptide | 5 | |
| 40 | Island Life | 4 | |
| 41 | The Dream of the Blue Turtles | Sting | 5 |
| 42 | South Pacific | /José Carreras/Sarah Vaughan/ Mandy Patinkin/London Symphony Orchestra | 5 |
| 43 | The Broadway Album | 3 | |
| 44 | Rocky IV Original Soundtrack | Various Artists | 3 |
| 45 | Luxury of Life | Five Star | 12 |
| 46 | Suzanne Vega | 11 | |
| 47 | Hounds of Love | Kate Bush | 6 |
| 48 | Break Every Rule | 2 | |
| 49 | In the Army Now | Status Quo | 7 |
| 50 | Every Beat of My Heart | 5 |
Notes:
Classical music: new works
- Malcolm Arnold - Symphony No. 9
- Harrison Birtwistle - Earth Dances
- Arthur Butterworth - Symphony No. 4
- Andrew Downes - The Marshes of Glynn
- Alun Hoddinott - Concerto for Orchestra
- Arwel Hughes - Gloria Patri
- Daniel Jones - Cello Concerto
Opera
- Harrison Birtwistle - Yan Tan Tethera
- Michael Nyman - The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat
Musical films
- Shanghai Surprise, starring Madonna
Births
- 6 January - Alex Turner, singer, musician,,
- 21 February - Charlotte Church, singer
- 12 March - Danny Jones, singer,
- 23 April - Laura Mvula, singer
- 7 May - Matt Helders, drummer,
- 14 July - Dan Smith, singer-songwriter
- 21 July - Rebecca Ferguson, singer-songwriter
- 21 September - Faris Badwan, singer,
- 20 November — Oliver Sykes, heavy metal vocalist
Deaths
- 4 January - Phil Lynott, singer, musician,, 36
- 27 January - Ken Moule, jazz pianist, 60
- 1 February - Dick James, singer and record producer, 65
- 14 February - Edmund Rubbra, composer, 84
- 3 April - Peter Pears, operatic tenor and partner of Benjamin Britten, 75
- 25 April - Fred Hunt, jazz pianist, 62
- 3 June - Anna Neagle, actress, singer and dancer, 81
- 26 June - William Lovelock, composer, 86
- 6 November - Eddie Thompson, jazz pianist, 61
- 16 December - Maurice Handford, horn player and conductor, 57
- date unknown
- *Myers Foggin, pianist and conductor, 77
- *Mark Lubbock, conductor and composer
- *Arthur Rosebery, pianist and singer
Music awards
BRIT Awards
The 1986 BRIT Awards winners were:- Best British producer: Dave Stewart
- Best international solo artist: Bruce Springsteen
- British Album: Phil Collins - No Jacket Required
- British female solo artist: Annie Lennox
- British group: Dire Straits
- British male solo artist: Phil Collins
- British Single: Tears for Fears - "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"
- British Video: Paul Young - "Everytime You Go Away"
- Best British Newcomer: Go West
- International group: Huey Lewis and the News
- Outstanding contribution: Wham! and Elton John