List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1986 (U.S.)
Encyclopedia
These are the Billboard
adult contemporary chart
number-one hits of 1986.
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
adult contemporary chart
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
number-one hits of 1986.
| Issue Date | Song | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| January 4 | "Say You, Say Me Say You, Say Me "Say You, Say Me" is a Oscar winning song, written and recorded by Lionel Richie for the film White Nights, starring Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines. The single hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B singles charts in December 1985. It became Richie's ninth number one on the... " |
Lionel Richie Lionel Richie Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records... |
| January 11 | "That's What Friends Are For That's What Friends Are For "That's What Friends Are For" is a 1982 song written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager and introduced by Rod Stewart for the soundtrack of the film Night Shift.-Dionne Warwick cover:... " |
Dionne Warwick Dionne Warwick Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress and TV show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health.... , Elton John Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor... , Gladys Knight Gladys Knight Gladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author... and Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist... |
| January 18 | ||
| January 25 | "Go Home Go Home "Go Home" is a 1986 hit single released by American and Motown musician Stevie Wonder released on the Tamla label. The song showcased the narrator's plea to a young woman to go home, though the girl tries to get the narrator to stay with her. In the U.S., the song became another #1 adult... " |
Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist... |
| February 1 | "My Hometown My Hometown "My Hometown" is a single by Bruce Springsteen off his Born in the U.S.A. album, that was the record-tying seventh and last top 10 single to come from it, peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. It also topped the U.S. adult contemporary chart, making the song Springsteen's only #1... " |
Bruce Springsteen Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band... |
| February 8 | "The Sweetest Taboo The Sweetest Taboo "The Sweetest Taboo" is the lead single from the English group Sade's second studio album, Promise . While the song peaked at number 31 on the UK Singles Chart, it fared considerably better in the United States, where it reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1986, remaining in the... " |
Sade Sade (band) Sade is a British smooth jazz band that formed in 1983, named for Nigerian lead singer Sade Adu. Their music features elements of R&B, soul, jazz, and soft rock.... |
| February 15 | "How Will I Know How Will I Know "How Will I Know" is a song recorded by American recording artist Whitney Houston for her debut album, entitled Whitney Houston, which was released in February 1985. It was released by Arista Records in November that year, as the album's third single. Composed by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam,... " |
Whitney Houston Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among... |
| February 22 | "Sara" | Starship |
| March 1 | ||
| March 8 | ||
| March 15 | "These Dreams These Dreams "These Dreams" is a song by the rock band Heart released in 1986 from their 1985 self-titled album. It was the first song by the band to become a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100.-Origin of the song:... " |
Heart Heart (band) Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music... |
| March 22 | ||
| March 29 | ||
| April 5 | "Secret Lovers Secret Lovers "Secret Lovers", released in 1985, was the third single from As the Band Turns, the sixth album from R&B group, Atlantic Starr. "Secret Lovers" was Atlantic Starr's true breakthrough hit on the pop charts in both the US and UK, though the group had previously minor pop and R&B hits in both... " |
Atlantic Starr Atlantic Starr Atlantic Starr was a 1980s R&B band. Among their biggest hits were "Always" and "Secret Lovers."- History :The group was started in 1976 in White Plains, New York by trumpeter Duke Jones , drummer Porter Carroll Jr., bassist Clifford Archer, percussionist and flautist Joseph Phillips, and three... |
| April 12 | "Overjoyed Overjoyed (Stevie Wonder song) "Overjoyed" is a 1985 hit single released by American and Motown music legend Stevie Wonder on the Tamla label. The single peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1986, remaining in the Top 40 for six weeks. In addition, "Overjoyed" was a No... " |
Stevie Wonder |
| April 19 | ||
| April 26 | "Greatest Love of All Greatest Love of All "The Greatest Love of All" is a song written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed and originally recorded by George Benson for the 1977 Muhammad Ali biopic The Greatest. The song was later popularized by Whitney Houston. Creed wrote the lyrics in the midst of her struggle with breast cancer... " |
Whitney Houston |
| May 3 | ||
| May 10 | ||
| May 17 | ||
| May 24 | ||
| May 31 | "Live to Tell Live to Tell "Live to Tell" is a pop ballad by American singer-songwriter Madonna. Originally written by Patrick Leonard for the soundtrack of the film Fire with Fire, the song was shown to Madonna, who decided to use it for then-husband Sean Penn's film At Close Range... " |
Madonna Madonna (entertainer) Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983... |
| June 7 | ||
| June 14 | ||
| June 21 | "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) "There'll Be Sad Songs " is a 1986 single by Billy Ocean. The song was written and produced by Wayne Brathwaite and Barry Eastmond; Ocean was also credited as a co-writer for the song. It appears on Ocean's 1986 album Love Zone, which was released on Jive Records... " |
Billy Ocean Billy Ocean Billy Ocean is a Trinidad-born English Grammy Award winning popular music performer who had a string of rhythm and blues international pop hits in the 1970s and 1980s. He was the most popular British-based R&B singer / songwriter of the early to mid-1980s... |
| June 28 | "No One Is to Blame No One Is to Blame "No One Is to Blame" is a song by British new wave musician Howard Jones. The song, in its original version, can be found on Jones's second studio album, Dream Into Action, which was released in 1985. Following the success of the previous singles taken from the album, the original track for "No One... " |
Howard Jones Howard Jones (musician) Howard Jones is a musician, singer and songwriter. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, "Jones is an accomplished singer-songwriter who was a regular chart visitor in the mid 1980s with his brand of synthpop. Jones, who was equally popular in the U.S., appeared at Live... |
| July 5 | "Your Wildest Dreams Your Wildest Dreams "Your Wildest Dreams" is a 1986 single by the progressive rock band The Moody Blues, and it was written by the band's lead guitarist Justin Hayward. The song was first released as a single, and was later released on the Moody Blues 1986 album The Other Side of Life... " |
The Moody Blues The Moody Blues The Moody Blues are an English rock band. Among their innovations was a fusion with classical music, most notably in their 1967 album Days of Future Passed.... |
| July 12 | ||
| July 19 | "Glory of Love Glory of Love "Glory of Love" is a 1986 Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit song written by Peter Cetera, David Foster and Cetera's wife at the time, Diane Nini, and recorded by Cetera shortly after he left the band Chicago to pursue a solo career. The song was Cetera's first hit single and was included on his 1986 album,... " |
Peter Cetera Peter Cetera Peter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career... |
| July 26 | ||
| August 2 | ||
| August 9 | ||
| August 16 | ||
| August 23 | "Words Get in the Way Words Get in the Way "Words Get in the Way" was the third single released by the American band Miami Sound Machine led by Gloria Estefan on their second English language album, and ninth overall, Primitive Love... " |
Gloria Estefan Gloria Estefan Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those... and Miami Sound Machine |
| August 30 | ||
| September 6 | "Friends and Lovers Friends and Lovers (song) "Friends and Lovers" is the title of a popular song from 1986. The song was first recorded as a duet by Gloria Loring and Carl Anderson in 1985. That recording remained unreleased until the summer of 1986, when it was released shortly after a version by Juice Newton and Eddie Rabbitt hit country... " |
Gloria Loring Gloria Loring Gloria Loring is an American singer and actress.- Career :Loring began her music career at age 14, singing with a folk group known as "Those Four". Gloria Loring released her first album in 1968. It was titled "Gloria Loring, Today" on MGM Records... and Carl Anderson Carl Anderson (singer) Carl Anderson was an American singer, film and theatre actor best known for his portrayal of Judas Iscariot in the Broadway and film versions of the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.-Early life:Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Anderson was one of 12 children of... |
| September 13 | ||
| September 20 | "Stuck with You Stuck with You "Stuck with You" is the title of a hit single by Huey Lewis and the News, written by guitarist Chris Hayes and lead singer Huey Lewis, from 1986. It was the first single from the band's fourth album, Fore!. The song spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 from September 20, 1986,... " |
Huey Lewis and the News Huey Lewis and the News Huey Lewis and the News is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually scoring a total of 19 top-ten singles across the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary and Mainstream Rock charts... |
| September 27 | ||
| October 4 | ||
| October 11 | "Throwing It All Away Throwing It All Away "Throwing It All Away" is the seventh track on the 1986 album Invisible Touch by Genesis. It was issued as the second single from the album in 1986, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 22 in Britain, where it was released as the last single of the album in 1987... " |
Genesis Genesis (band) Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years... |
| October 18 | ||
| October 25 | "I'll Be Over You I'll Be over You "I'll Be over You" is a hit single by the American pop-rock band Toto. Taken as a single from their 1986 album, Fahrenheit, the song reached number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in late 1986... " |
Toto Toto (band) Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard... |
| November 1 | ||
| November 8 | "The Next Time I Fall The Next Time I Fall "The Next Time I Fall" is a 1986 Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit song written by Bobby Caldwell and Paul Gordon, recorded as a duet by Peter Cetera and Amy Grant for Cetera's 1986 album Solitude/Solitaire, and as a solo by Caldwell himself for his 1988 album Heart of Mine. The single reached number one on... " |
Peter Cetera and Amy Grant Amy Grant Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"... |
| November 15 | ||
| November 22 | "Love Will Conquer All" | Lionel Richie |
| November 29 | ||
| December 6 | "The Way It Is" | Bruce Hornsby and the Range Bruce Hornsby Bruce Randall Hornsby is an American singer, pianist, accordion player, and songwriter. Known for the spontaneity and creativity of his live performances, Hornsby draws frequently from classical, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Motown, rock, blues, and jam band musical traditions with his songwriting and... |
| December 13 | ||
| December 20 | "Love Is Forever Love Is Forever (Billy Ocean song) "Love Is Forever" is the final track from Love Zone, the 1986 album by Billy Ocean. The song was written by Ocean along with Barry Eastmond and Wayne Braithwaite and was the last of his three number ones on the Adult Contemporary chart. "Love Is Forever" spent three weeks at number one and... " |
Billy Ocean |
| December 27 | ||
See also
- 1986 in music1986 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1986.-January-June:*January 23 – The first induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame takes place...
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart