This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1986.
Specific locations 1986 in British music 1986 in Japanese music 1986 in Norwegian music 1986 in Scandinavian music
Specific genres 1986 in country music 1986 in heavy metal music 1986 in hip-hop 1986 in jazz 1986 in progressive rock
Events January 30 – The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, holds its first induction ceremony with many rock pioneers attending. February 25 The 28th Annual Grammy Awards are presented in Los Angeles, hosted by Kenny Rogers. Phil Collins' No Jacket Required wins Album of the Year, while USA for Africa's "We Are the World" wins both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Sade win Best New Artist. Also, Whitney Houston wins her first GRAMMY award which she won the Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female. March 8 – After almost a year, Houston's debut album topped the charts and remained for 7 weeks, followed by another on May 17. May 3 – The 31st Eurovision Song Contest, held in Bergen, Norway, is won by Belgium with the song "J'aime la vie", performed by Sandra Kim. At 13 years old, Kim is the youngest-ever Eurovision winner. May 28 – The Monkees held a press conference at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City to announce officially that they will embark on a 100-plus city tour. The tour became one of the biggest grossing tours of the year. June 10 – Bob Geldof is awarded an honorary UK knighthood in recognition of his work in organizing Live Aid and other concerts that raised millions of dollars for the starving people of Africa. June 15 The final show of the A Conspiracy of Hope benefit concert – organized by Amnesty International – took place at the Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The show was headlined by U2, Sting, and Bryan Adams, and also features Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, Joan Baez, and The Neville Brothers. Also, The Police would perform one last time on stage during the show before disbanding that same year. June 30 – Madonna releases her "True Blue" album, which tops the charts in over 28 countries and becomes the best selling album of 1986. August 9 – Queen performed the band's final concert of the Magic Tour at Knebworth Park, which would be the last performance of the band with singer Freddie Mercury and bassist John Deacon. Later Mercury would be diagnosed with AIDS in 1987, dying in 1991, and Deacon would retire from the band in 1997. September 27 – A tour bus carrying the heavy metal band Metallica crashes in Sweden, killing their influential bassist, Cliff Burton. October – Popular music magazine Q is launched in the United Kingdom. November 15 – The 15th OTI Festival, held at the Municipal Theatre in Santiago, Chile, is won by the song "", written by Vilma Planas, and performed by Dámaris Carbaugh, , and Eduardo Fabián representing the United States. November 17–18 – Billy Eckstine makes his final recordings, later released on his album Billy Eckstine Sings with Benny Carter. December 12 – The Smiths play Brixton Academy, the last gig before their dissolution. Approximate date – Axé (music) originates in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Bands formed See Musical groups established in 1986
Bands disbanded See Musical groups disestablished in 1986
Albums released January DayAlbumArtistNotes1 Atomizer Big Black - New Trails Riders in the Sky -13 Different Light The Bangles US14 Rich Mullins Rich Mullins Debut18 Made to Be Broken Soul Asylum -20 Seventh Star Black Sabbath US21 Fight to Survive White Lion Debut/Japan The Eyeball Show (Live In Japan) The Residents & Snakefinger -27 Album Public Image Ltd. - Does Humor Belong in Music? Frank Zappa Live Premonition Peter Frampton -? The Best of 10 Years – 32 Superhits Boney M. UK Gap Band 8 The Gap Band - Marilyn Martin Marilyn Martin Debut Tuff Enuff The Fabulous Thunderbirds -
February DayAlbumArtistNotes1 The Big Picture Michael W. Smith -3 Mean Business The Firm -4 Control Janet Jackson -10 Live in New York City John Lennon Live 1972 The Ultimate Sin Ozzy Osbourne UK12 Juice Oran "Juice" Jones -13 Clairvoyance Screaming Trees Debut Precious Moments Jermaine Jackson -17 The Colour of Spring Talk Talk - Fatal Portrait King Diamond - Strange Behavior Animotion -18 Lives in the Balance Jackson Browne -21 King of America Elvis Costello -24 Finyl Vinyl Rainbow Live/Studio28 Pretty In Pink Various Artists Soundtrack Greed Swans -? Cinema Nazareth - Kaleidoscope World The Chills - Samhain III: November-Coming-Fire Samhain - War Games Grave Digger -
March DayAlbumArtistNotes3 Balance of Power Electric Light Orchestra - Girls Like Me Tanya Tucker - Master of Puppets Metallica - 5 Guitar Town Steve Earle -11 Headed for the Future Neil Diamond -12Twitch Ministry -14 Rrröööaaarrr Voivod -17 Black Celebration Depeche Mode - Candy Apple Grey Hüsker Dü -19 Who's Got the 10½? Black Flag -20 Rapture Anita Baker -24 5150 Van Halen - Dirty Work The Rolling Stones - Please Pet Shop Boys Debut The Secret Value of Daydreaming Julian Lennon - Big World Joe Jackson Live27 Innocent Eyes Graham Nash - Like a Rock Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band -31 Parade Prince and the Revolution -? 9½ Weeks Various Artists Soundtrack Born Sandy Devotional The Triffids - Gut Level Music Altar Boys - Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express The Go-Betweens - Little Miss Dangerous Ted Nugent - Matt Bianco Matt Bianco - Monster Walks the Winter Lake David Thomas& The Wooden Birds - The Pack Is Back Raven - Shot in the Dark Great White -
April DayAlbumArtistNotes1 Rendez-Vous Jean Michel Jarre - From Luxury to Heartache Culture Club - Book of Love Book of Love Debut New Kids on the Block New Kids on the Block Debut7 Absolute Beginners Various Artists Soundtrack Animal Magic The Blow Monkeys - Getting the Holy Ghost Across Bill Nelson - Human Frailty Hunters & Collectors - Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire Bonnie Tyler US Turbo Judas Priest UK14 In Visible Silence Art of Noise - Victorialand Cocteau Twins -16 Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams BoDeans -18 Rembrandt Pussyhorse Butthole Surfers -21 Raised on Radio Journey - The Other Side of Life The Moody Blues - Russian Roulette Accept - Tinderbox Siouxsie and the Banshees -24 The Way It Is Bruce Hornsby & the Range Debut GTR GTR US Back in Black Whodini -28 Winner in You Patti LaBelle - Truthdare Doubledare Bronski Beat -30 The Final Frontier Keel -? Classics Live I and II Aerosmith Live Cocker Joe Cocker - Mistrial Lou Reed - Big & Beautiful Fat Boys - Cendres de Lune Mylène Farmer - Ship of Fools Tuxedomoon - Strength in Numbers 38 Special - Measure for Measure Icehouse -
May DayAlbumArtistNotes5 Poolside Nu Shooz -6 Love Zone Billy Ocean -7 Tom Cochrane & Red Rider Red Rider -12 Sleight of Hand Joan Armatrading -15 Top Gun Various Artists Soundtrack Standing on a Beach The Cure Compilation19 Animal Boy The Ramones - So Peter Gabriel - Walkabout The Fixx US23 Look What the Cat Dragged In Poison Debut Out of the Grey The Dream Syndicate -26 The Final Countdown Europe- Who Made Who AC/DC Soundtrack Home of the Brave Laurie Anderson Soundtrack27 Into the Light Chris de Burgh - Raising Hell Run-D.M.C. -? C86 Various Artists Cassette Compilation Evol Sonic Youth - Live In Brussels 02/1986 Blaine L. Reininger Live Melvins Melvins Debut/EP Moonlight Shadows The Shadows - Nightmare at Maple Cross Girlschool - Obsessed by Cruelty Sodom Debut album
June DayAlbumArtistNotes2 A Kind of Magic Queen - Intermission Dio Live Emerson, Lake & Powell Emerson, Lake & Powell - Storms of Life Randy Travis - Wonderland Erasure Debut3 Belinda Belinda Carlisle Debut5 Afternoons in Utopia Alphaville -6 Invisible Touch Genesis -9 Night Songs Cinderella Debut10 Epicus Doomicus Metallicus Candlemass Debut11 The Thin Red Line Glass Tiger -13 Criminal Tango Manfred Mann's Earth Band -16 Change of Address Krokus - The Queen Is Dead The Smiths -20 Bring on the Night Sting Live23 Bambini Forever Righeira - Every Beat of My Heart Rod Stewart - Labyrinth soundtrack David Bowie, Trevor Jones Soundtrack Solitude/Solitaire Peter Cetera -24 Time's Incinerator Soul Asylum -27 Music from the Edge of Heaven Wham! US Rage for Order Queensrÿche - This Is the Voice Agent Orange -30 True Blue Madonna - The Seer Big Country - Revenge Eurythmics - The Divine Punishment Diamanda Galás - Fight for the Rock Savatage - The Twelve Inch Mixes Spandau Ballet Compilation True Confessions Bananarama -? As Close as You Think Kevin Ayers - Back in the High Life Steve Winwood - If You Swear, You'll Catch No Fish SNFU - Floridays Jimmy Buffett - Frantic Romantic Jermaine Stewart - Daring Adventures Richard Thompson - Gift The Sisterhood - Home and Abroad The Style Council Live Let the Snakes Crinkle Their Heads to Death Felt - London 0 Hull 4 The Housemartins - Giant The Woodentops -
July DayAlbumArtistNotes7 The Final Wham! Compilation + New Songs Eat 'Em and Smile David Lee Roth Solo debut Made in U.S.A. The Beach Boys Compilation Oh, My God! Doug E. Fresh Debut Touch Me Samantha Fox Debut14 Knocked Out Loaded Bob Dylan - Communards Communards -21 Orgasmatron Motörhead - Landing on Water Neil Young -22 The Collection Amy Grant Compilation Emerald City Teena Marie - Word Up! Cameo -25 The Bridge Billy Joel - The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are 2 Live Crew - Lightning Strikes Loudness -28 Lifes Rich Pageant R.E.M. - Rat in the Kitchen UB40 - Stutter James - Flaunt It Sigue Sigue Sputnik -29 Color in Your Life Missing Persons -? QR III Quiet Riot - Destiny Chaka Khan - 54–40 54–40 - East of Midnight Gordon Lightfoot - Montana Cafe Hank Williams Jr. - No Guru, No Method, No Teacher Van Morrison - Recognize No Authority Détente Debut Should the World Fail to Fall Apart Peter Murphy - Sound of Confusion Spacemen 3 - Then & Now... The Best of The Monkees The Monkees Compilation + 3 new recordings
August DayAlbumArtistNotes1 Crowded House Crowded House Debut4 Designer Beatnik Dr Calculus -5 Dancing on the Ceiling Lionel Richie -11 Now That's What I Call Music 7 Various Artists -13 Feel My Power MC Hammer -18 ABBA Live ABBA Live Kicking Against the Pricks Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Silk & Steel Five Star - Slippery When Wet Bon Jovi - True as Steel Warlock -19 Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. Dwight Yoakam -20 Fahrenheit Toto - Fore! Huey Lewis and the News -21 Dangerous Games Alcatrazz -25 Baby, the Stars Shine Bright Everything but the Girl - The Big Lad in the Windmill It Bites Debut Graceland Paul Simon - Press to Play Paul McCartney US While the City Sleeps... George Benson -29 In the Army Now Status Quo -? The Sport of Kings Triumph - Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine Daryl Hall - Camper Van Beethoven Camper Van Beethoven - Vinnie Vincent Invasion Vinnie Vincent Invasion - High Priest of Love Zodiac Mindwarp EP In the Pines The Triffids - Nasty Nasty Black 'N Blue -
September