By location |
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By genre |
By topic |
List of years in music |
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(table) |
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1985.
Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
10 | Silvertone | Chris Isaak | - |
14 | New Day Rising | Hüsker Dü | - |
15 | Centerfield | John Fogerty | - |
Nightshift | Commodores | - | |
21 | King of Rock | Run-D.M.C. | - |
Real Love | Dolly Parton | - | |
Thunder in the East | Loudness | Japan | |
24 | Finder of Lost Loves | Dionne Warwick | - |
25 | Maverick | George Thorogood and the Destroyers | - |
28 | Crazy from the Heat | David Lee Roth | Covers EP |
29 | Stella | Yello | - |
? | 40-Hour Week | Alabama | - |
Bring Me the Head of Yuri Gagarin | Hawkwind | Live 1973 | |
Night Rocker | David Hasselhoff | - | |
One Clear Moment | Linda Thompson | - | |
Strange Animal | Gowan | - | |
Tales of the New West | The Beat Farmers | - | |
Warming Up to the Ice Age | John Hiatt | - | |
Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2 | VU | The Velvet Underground | - |
4 | Secret Secrets | Joan Armatrading | - |
11 | Meat Is Murder | The Smiths | - |
The Firm | The Firm | Debut | |
12 | Vision Quest | Various Artists | Soundtrack |
14 | Rhythm of the Night | DeBarge | - |
Whitney Houston | Whitney Houston | Debut | |
15 | Vulture Culture | Alan Parsons Project | - |
18 | No Jacket Required | Phil Collins | - |
19 | The Breakfast Club | Various Artists | Soundtrack |
25 | Songs from the Big Chair | Tears for Fears | - |
Night Time | Killing Joke | - | |
26 | Disturbing the Peace | Alcatrazz | - |
28 | Ready to Strike | King Kobra | Debut |
? | Armed and Dangerous | Anthrax | EP |
Beyond Appearances | Santana | - | |
Heads and Hearts | The Sound (band) | - | |
Love Bomb | The Tubes | - | |
Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
4 | Aikea-Guinea | Cocteau Twins | EP |
Metal Heart | Accept | - | |
She's the Boss | Mick Jagger | US Release Feb. 19, 1985 | |
8 | Mars Needs Guitars! | Hoodoo Gurus | - |
The Night I Fell in Love | Luther Vandross | - | |
11 | Behind the Sun | Eric Clapton | - |
Dream into Action | Howard Jones | - | |
First and Last and Always | The Sisters of Mercy | - | |
15 | Everybody's Crazy | Michael Bolton | - |
18 | Birdy | Peter Gabriel | Soundtrack |
21 | Up on the Sun | Meat Puppets | - |
22 | Katrina and the Waves | Katrina and the Waves | - |
Scream for Help | John Paul Jones | Soundtrack | |
25 | The Power Station | The Power Station | - |
The Secret of Association | Paul Young | - | |
26 | Southern Accents | Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers | - |
The Right to Rock | Keel | - | |
27 | 7800° Fahrenheit | Bon Jovi | - |
Tao | Rick Springfield | - | |
29 | Bad Moon Rising | Sonic Youth | - |
Rogues Gallery | Slade | - | |
? | Equator | Uriah Heep | - |
Lost & Found | Jason & the Scorchers | - | |
Vox Humana | Kenny Loggins | - |
Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1 | We Are the World | USA for Africa and Various Artists | - |
8 | Hell Awaits | Slayer | - |
15 | As the Band Turns | Atlantic Starr | - |
Horror Epics | The Exploited | - | |
Love Not Money | Everything but the Girl | - | |
22 | Around the World in a Day | Prince and the Revolution | - |
Backwaxed | Anvil | Compilation | |
23 | Two Hearts | Men at Work | - |
25 | Bonded by Blood | Exodus | Debut |
29 | Be Yourself Tonight | Eurythmics | - |
Mr. Bad Guy | Freddie Mercury | - | |
? | Across a Crowded Room | Richard Thompson | - |
Nature of the Beast | Maureen Steele | Debut | |
Only the Strong | Thor | - | |
Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Clan of Xymox | Clan of Xymox | - |
Extractions | Dif Juz | - | |
Fly on the Wall | AC/DC | - | |
Greatest Hits Volume I & II | Billy Joel | Compilation | |
Return to Waterloo | Ray Davies | - | |
3 | Patti | Patti LaBelle | - |
8 | Back to the Future | Various Artists | Soundtrack |
Flash | Jeff Beck | - | |
9 | Who's Zoomin' Who? | Aretha Franklin | - |
12 | Love You to Pieces | Lizzy Borden | - |
15 | Phantasmagoria | The Damned | - |
22 | Luxury of Life | Five Star | - |
Standing on the Edge | Cheap Trick | - | |
26 | Hybrid | Michael Brook with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois | - |
Mask of Smiles | John Waite | - | |
29 | Profiles | Nick Mason and Rick Fenn | - |
? | Ain't Love Grand! | X | - |
Contact | Pointer Sisters | - | |
Hold Me | Laura Branigan | - | |
In Concert | America | Live | |
Salad Days | Minor Threat | EP | |
St. Elmo's Fire | Various Artists | Soundtrack | |
The Fire Still Burns | Russ Ballard | - |
Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
5 | Now That's What I Call Music 5 | Various Artists | Compilation |
Rum Sodomy & the Lash | The Pogues | - | |
8 | Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force | Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam | - |
Midnite Dynamite | Kix | - | |
12 | Old Ways | Neil Young | - |
Sacred Heart | Dio | - | |
16 | Freaky Styley | Red Hot Chili Peppers | - |
I Am the Night | Pantera | - | |
19 | Marching Out | Yngwie Malmsteen | - |
Scarecrow | John Cougar Mellencamp | - | |
The Family | The Family | - | |
26 | Romance 1600 | Sheila E. | - |
30 | The Head on the Door | The Cure | - |
? | Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti | Squeeze | - |
Lovin' Every Minute of It | Loverboy | - | |
No Lookin' Back | Michael McDonald | - | |
Primitive Love | Miami Sound Machine | - | |
Screamin' 'n' Bleedin' | Angel Witch | - | |
The Rose of England | Nick Lowe | - | |
World Service | Spear of Destiny | - | |
Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
9 | Club Ninja | Blue Öyster Cult | - |
Fine Young Cannibals | Fine Young Cannibals | - | |
The Long Play | Sandra | - | |
16 | Fight to Survive | White Lion | Debut/Japan |
31 | A Classic Case | London Symphony Orchestra | music of Jethro Tull |
? | Stereotomy | The Alan Parsons Project | - |
10 from 6 | Bad Company | Compilation | |
3-Way Tie (For Last) | Minutemen | - | |
Friends | Dionne Warwick | - | |
Geek! | My Bloody Valentine | EP | |
Island Life | Grace Jones | Compilation |
The following songs achieved the highest in the charts of 1985. [14]
# | Artist | Title | Year | Country | Chart Entries |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | USA for Africa | "We Are the World" | 1985 | ![]() | UK 1 - Apr 1985 (10 weeks), US Billboard 1 - Mar 1985 (18 weeks), US CashBox 1 of 1985, Canada 1 - Apr 1985 (8 weeks), Holland 1 - Mar 1985 (16 weeks), Sweden 1 - Mar 1985 (7 weeks), Sweden (alt) 1 - Apr 1985 (22 weeks), Brazil 1 of 1985, Switzerland 1 - Apr 1985 (26 weeks), Norway 1 - Mar 1985 (17 weeks), Poland 1 - Mar 1983 (17 weeks), Belgium 1 - Mar 1985 (18 weeks), Australia 1 of 1985, Italy 1 of 1985, Italy 1 for 11 weeks - Apr 1985, Eire 1 for 4 weeks - Apr 1985, Canada RPM 1 for 3 weeks - May 1985, New Zealand 1 for 7 weeks - Apr 1985, Australia 1 for 9 weeks - Apr 1985, Springbok 1 - May 1985 (23 weeks), Europe 1 for 9 weeks - Apr 1985, Grammy in 1985, US 4 X Platinum (certified by RIAA in Apr 1985), Austria 2 - Apr 1985 (5 months), Germany 2 - Apr 1985 (3 months), ODK Germany 2 - Apr 1985 (21 weeks) (7 weeks in top 10), MTV Video of the year 1985 (Nominated), Switzerland 4 of 1985, US Radio 6 of 1985 (peak 1 9 weeks), South Africa 8 of 1985, ARC 13 of 1985 (peak 1 12 weeks), US BB 20 of 1985, Canada 23 of 1985, nuTsie 37 of 1980s, POP 71 of 1985, DMDB 86 (1985), RIAA 121, France (InfoDisc) 131 of the 1980s (peak 1, 25 weeks, 965k sales estimated, 1985), Germany 263 of the 1980s (peak 2 10 weeks), OzNet 418, Acclaimed 1371 (1985), UK Silver (certified by BPI in Apr 1985), Global 4 (20 M sold) - 1985 |
2 | a-ha | "Take On Me" | 1984 | ![]() | US Billboard 1 - Jul 1985 (26 weeks), Canada 1 - Aug 1985 (11 weeks), Holland 1 - Oct 1985 (12 weeks), Sweden (alt) 1 - Oct 1985 (11 weeks), France 1 - May 1985 (3 weeks), Switzerland 1 - Nov 1985 (14 weeks), Norway 1 - Nov 1984 (29 weeks), Poland 1 - Dec 1985 (24 weeks), Belgium 1 - Nov 1985 (14 weeks), Italy 1 for 4 weeks - Jan 1986, Germany 1 - Jan 1986 (4 months), ODK Germany 1 - Oct 1985 (21 weeks) (5 weeks at number 1) (12 weeks in top 10), Australia 1 for 2 weeks - Nov 1985, Europe 1 for 9 weeks - Nov 1985, Germany 1 for 5 weeks - Nov 1985, Scrobulate 1 of 80s, UK 2 - Sep 1985 (19 weeks), MTV Video of the year 1986 (Nominated), Sweden 4 - Aug 1985 (6 weeks), Austria 4 - Dec 1985 (3 months), UK Gold (certified by BPI in Nov 1985), Germany Gold (certified by BMieV in 1985), Italy 7 of 1986, Springbok 7 - Dec 1985 (12 weeks), KROQ 7 of 1985, US BB 10 of 1985, Australia 12 of 1985, US CashBox 15 of 1985, Brazil 18 of 1985, ARC 20 of 1985 (peak 1 14 weeks), Europe 20 of the 1980s (1985), US Radio 21 of 1985 (peak 1 10 weeks), Canada 29 of 1985, POP 31 of 1985, Vinyl Surrender 71 (1985), Germany 81 of the 1980s (peak 1 13 weeks), UK Songs 2013-23 peak 85 - Nov 2023 (1 week), nuTsie 93 of 1980s, France (InfoDisc) 235 of the 1980s (peak 2, 29 weeks, 736k sales estimated, 1985), UKMIX 514, OzNet 795, Acclaimed 2396 (1985), RYM 8 of 1984, NY Daily Love list 66, Global 33 (5 M sold) - 1985, Party 133 of 2007 |
3 | Foreigner | "I Want to Know What Love Is" | 1984 | ![]() ![]() | UK 1 - Dec 1984 (17 weeks), US Billboard 1 - Dec 1984 (20 weeks), Canada 1 - Dec 1984 (18 weeks), Sweden 1 - Dec 1984 (9 weeks), Sweden (alt) 1 - Dec 1984 (19 weeks), Norway 1 - Jan 1985 (16 weeks), Poland 1 - Mar 1983 (22 weeks), Eire 1 for 2 weeks - Jan 1985, Canada RPM 1 for 3 weeks - Feb 1985, New Zealand 1 for 3 weeks - Feb 1985, Australia 1 for 5 weeks - Feb 1985, Switzerland 2 - Jan 1985 (17 weeks), Springbok 2 - Feb 1985 (17 weeks), ARC 3 of 1985 (peak 1 16 weeks), ODK Germany 3 - Dec 1984 (22 weeks) (8 weeks in top 10), Canada 3 of 1985, US BB 4 of 1985, US Radio 4 of 1985 (peak 1 11 weeks), Germany 4 - Jan 1985 (4 months), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Mar 1985), UK Gold (certified by BPI in Jan 1985), Australia 5 of 1985, Holland 6 - Dec 1984 (15 weeks), Austria 7 - Feb 1985 (4 months), Belgium 7 - Dec 1984 (14 weeks), US CashBox 8 of 1985, Brazil 12 of 1985, Switzerland 12 of 1985, South Africa 12 of 1985, POP 17 of 1985, Europe 38 of the 1980s (1984), Holland free40 74 of 1985, OzNet 180, Germany 255 of the 1980s (peak 3 12 weeks), Rolling Stone 476, Acclaimed 659 (1984), UKMIX 876, RYM 186 of 1984 |
4 | Tears for Fears | "Shout" | 1984 | ![]() | US BB 1 – Jun 1985, Canada 1 – Feb 1985, Netherlands 1 – Jan 1985, Switzerland 1 – Feb 1985, Germany 1 – Jan 1985, New Zealand 1 for 3 weeks Mar 1985, Australia 1 for 1 weeks Nov 1985, France 3 – Dec 1984, Poland 3 – Mar 1985, UK 4 – Dec 1984, Sweden 5 – Dec 1984, Norway 5 – Mar 1985, KROQ 5 of 1985, Austria 6 – Mar 1985, US CashBox 13 of 1985, Australia 14 of 1985, Sweden (alt) 16 – Feb 1985, South Africa 16 of 1985, Italy 20 of 1985, RYM 27 of 1984, Scrobulate 36 of 80s, Germany 104 of the 1980s, Acclaimed 974 |
5 | Lionel Richie | "Say You, Say Me" | 1985 | ![]() | US Billboard 1 - Nov 1985 (19 weeks), Canada 1 - Nov 1985 (11 weeks), Switzerland 1 - Dec 1985 (16 weeks), Norway 1 - Nov 1985 (15 weeks), Canada RPM 1 for 4 weeks - Dec 1985, Springbok 1 - Nov 1985 (26 weeks), South Africa 1 of 1986, Oscar in 1985 (film ' '), Golden Globe in 1985 (film 'White Nights'), US BB 2 of 1986, Holland 2 - Nov 1985 (13 weeks), Sweden 2 - Nov 1985 (6 weeks), Belgium 2 - Nov 1985 (15 weeks), US Radio 3 of 1985 (peak 1 11 weeks), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Jan 1986), Sweden (alt) 6 - Nov 1985 (5 weeks), Austria 6 - Jan 1986 (4 months), Poland 7 - Nov 1985 (6 weeks), UK 8 - Nov 1985 (13 weeks), Switzerland 8 of 1986, ARC 9 of 1985 (peak 1 14 weeks), ODK Germany 12 - Dec 1985 (19 weeks), Germany 14 - Jan 1986 (3 months), Brazil 15 of 1986, US CashBox 23 of 1986, Italy 28 of 1986, POP 33 of 1985, Canada 40 of 1986, Billboard 50th song 74, 55th Billboard 100 84 (1985), Billboard100 89 |
Song title | Artist(s) | Release date(s) | US | UK | Highest chart position | Other Chart Performance(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
"19" | Paul Hardcastle | April 1985 | 15 | 1 | (12 countries) | See chart performance entry |
"Alive and Kicking" | Simple Minds | September 1985 | 3 | 7 | 1 (Italy) | See chart performance entry |
"All I Need" | Jack Wagner | January 1985 | 2 | n/a | 2 (United States) | 1 (Canada RPM Adult Contemporary) – 1 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) – 2 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) – 3 (Canada) – 93 (Australia) |
"And We Danced" | The Hooters | August 1985 | 21 | n/a | 6 (Australia) | 9 (New Zealand) – 72 (West Germany) |
"Angel" | Madonna | April 1985 | 5 | 5 | 1 (Australia) | See chart performance entry |
Song title | Artist(s) | Release date(s) | Other Chart Performance(s) |
---|---|---|---|
"Love Like Blood" | Killing Joke | September 1985 | See chart performance entry |
"The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" | The Smiths | September 1985 | 15 (Ireland) – 23 (UK Singles Chart) |
"You Don't Miss Your Water" | The Triffids | August 1985 | n/a |
" King of Rock" | Run-DMC | January 1985 | 8 (US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles) – 14 (US Billboard Hot Black Singles) – 40 (US Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles) – 80 (UK Singles Charts) |
"Makes No Sense at All" | Hüsker Dü | August 1985 | 2 (UK Indie Chart) |
"Oh Yeah" | Yello | July 1985 | 8 (Australia) – 36 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs) – 47 (Germany) – 51 (US Billboard Hot 100 Charts) |
"Vicious Games" | Yello | February 1985 | 5 (Switzerland) – 8 (US Billboard Dance Club Singles) – 15 (Germany) – 60 (Australia) |