1986 in music

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
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 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
White Zombie begin performing
Poison begins their recording career
Dick Dale mounts a comeback effort
Pixies forms
Bolt Thrower forms
Skid Row forms
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.
The Vaselines forms
Ernesto Bonino loses his voice after a surgical intervention
Wham! featuring George Michael breaks up
Metallica releases their masterpiece, Master of Puppets.
Megadeth releases their masterpiece, Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?.

Albums released

ABBA Live - ABBA
Russian Roulette - Accept
Who Made Who - AC/DC
Classics Live - Aerosmith
Scoundrel Days - a-ha
Dangerous Games - Alcatrazz
American Girls - American Girls
I Against I - Bad Brains
Rapture - Anita Baker
True Confessions - Bananarama
Licensed to Ill - The Beastie Boys
Atomizer - Big Black (debut full-length)
The Seer - Big Country
Nasty, Nasty - Black N' Blue
The Sisterhood - Gift
Slippery When Wet - Bon Jovi
Third Stage - Boston
Strange Land - Box of Frogs
In America EP - Britny Fox
Truthdare Doubledare - Bronski Beat
Camper Van Beethoven - Camper Van Beethoven
Solitude/Solitaire - Peter Cetera
18 - Chicago
Dreaming In Sequence - Chrome
Night Songs - Cinderella (debut)
Tom Cochrane & Red Rider - Tom Cochrane & Red Rider
Horse Rotorvator - Coil
Constrictor - Alice Cooper
King of America - Elvis Costello
A Date With Elvis - The Cramps
Strong Persuader - Robert Cray
Crowded House - Crowded House
From Luxury to Heartache - Culture Club
Then and Now...the Best of the Monkees - The Monkees
the Singles - The Cure
Le Visage de l'Amour - Dalida
Le sixième jour - Dalida (compilation)
The Best Of Dalida - Dalida (compilation)
Hwgr Grawth-Og - Datblygu
Into The Light - Chris de Burgh
Black Celebration - Depeche Mode
Intermission EP - Dio
Velvet & Steel - Dion DiMucci
Notorious - Duran Duran
Guitar Town - Steve Earle
Emerson, Lake and Powell - Emerson, Lake and Powell
Wonderland - Erasure
The Final Countdown - Europe
August - Eric Clapton
Whispering Jack - John Farnham
Trick or Treat - Fastway
The Good Earth - The Feelies
Mean Business - The Firm
So - Peter Gabriel
The Divine Punishment - Diamanda Galás
Invisible Touch - Genesis
Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express - The Go-Betweens
The Collection - Amy Grant
Shot in the Dark - Great White
Live Like A Suicide EP - Guns N' Roses
The Way It Is - Bruce Hornsby & the Range
Somewhere in Time - Iron Maiden
Rendez-Vous - Jean-Michel Jarre
Control - Janet Jackson
Psychocandy - The Jesus and Mary Chain
Highlights of a Dangerous Life - The Johnnys
Tones - Eric Johnson
Raised On Radio - Journey
Turbo - Judas Priest
10 Kola Nuts - Mory Kante
The Final Frontier - Keel
Stand Tall - Killer Dwarfs
Thrill of a Lifetime - King Kobra
What Do You Know Deutschland? - KMFDM
Change of Address - Krokus
Alive & Screaming - Krokus
True Colors - Cyndi Lauper
Home Of The Brave - Laurie Anderson
Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares - Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares
Menace to Society - Lizzy Borden
Lightning Strikes - Loudness
Lyle Lovett - Lyle Lovett
Permanent Sleep - Lowlife
True Blue - Madonna
Trilogy - Yngwie Malmsteen
Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? - Megadeth
Master of The Metal - Messiah Prophet
Master of Puppets - Metallica
Mind's Eye - Vinnie Moore
Portfolio - The Michael Schenker Group
Orgasmatron - Motörhead
36.5 C - Miyuki Nakajima
Kicking Against the Pricks - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Your Funeral, My Trial - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Sex Mad - NoMeansNo
Little Miss Dangerous - Ted Nugent
The Ultimate Sin - Ozzy Osbourne
Parade - Prince and the Revolution
Look What the Cat Dragged In - Poison (debut)
Rage for Order - Queensrÿche
QR III - Quiet Riot
Finyl Vinyl - Rainbow
Dancing Undercover - Ratt
Paint Your Wagon - Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
They Don't Make Them Like They Used To - Kenny Rogers
Eat Em' and Smile - David Lee Roth
Want Some - Rough Cutt
Raising Hell - Run DMC
Not of This Earth - Joe Satriani
Weird Love - The Scientists
Like A Rock - Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
Graceland - Paul Simon
The Perpetual Intercourse - Skinny Puppy
Reign in Blood - Slayer
The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths
Sound Of Confusion - Spaceman 3
Live 1975-1985 - Bruce Springsteen
Better Than Heaven - Stacey Q.
Bring On The Night - Sting
The Yellow and Black Attack - Stryper
To Hell With the Devil - Stryper
True Stories - Talking Heads
Mechanical Resonance - Tesla (debut)
They Might Be Giants - They Might Be Giants (debut)
Christ Knows - Toll
Rat in the Kitchen - UB40
Storms of Life - Randy Travis
When In Rome Do As The Vandals - The Vandals
5150 - Van Halen
Another View - The Velvet Underground
Vinnie Vincent Invasion - Vinnie Vincent Invasion
Synthetic Socks - Ween
Inside the Electric Circus - W.A.S.P.
True as Steel - Warlock
White Tiger - White tiger
Back In The High Life - Steve Winwood
Skylarking - XTC
Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. - Dwight Yoakam
Zebra/3.V|3.V - Zebra
High Priest Of Love EP Zodiac Mindwarp

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
"Funkytown" - Pseudo Echo
"Glory Of Love" - Peter Cetera
"Harlem Shuffle" - Rolling Stones
"Hey, You!" - Divine
"Higher Love" - Steve Winwood
"Hip To Be Square" - Huey Lewis and 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
"Little Baby" - Divine
"Live to Tell" - Madonna
"Livin' On A Prayer"- Bon Jovi
"Living In America" - James Brown
"Locked In" - Judas Priest
"Love Touch" - Rod Stewart
"Love Walks In" - Van Halen
"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
"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
"The Final Countdown" - Europe
"The Greatest Love of All" - Whitney Houston
"The Next Time I Fall" - Peter Ceterawith 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 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 & 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