Every #1 Song of 1986: Shoulder Pads, Synths & Soundtracks
If 1985 was when Gen X music hit peak hair and emotion, then 1986 was the year it fully embraced the drama. This was the year of movie soundtracks, slow burns, and songs that made you feel like the main character—even if you were just staring out a rainy school bus window.
📅 January 4
“Say You, Say Me” – Lionel Richie
Lionel opened the year like he closed the last one—with a soft-spoken ballad that sneak-attacks you with a tempo change halfway through. A perfect slow-dance jam if you were emotionally recovering from your 8th grade breakup.
📅 January 11–18
“That’s What Friends Are For” – Dionne & Friends (Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder)
The ultimate power collab for a good cause (AIDS research). Sweet, soulful, and somehow made you feel like you should call your best friend and hug your mom. Also proof that Stevie’s harmonica solos could save lives.
📅 January 25
“That’s What Friends Are For” (continued) – Still Friends
Yep, they stuck around. The most heartfelt track of early ‘86.
📅 February 1–8
“That’s What Friends Are For” (still not done) – Yep, still Friends
Apparently, friendship lasts forever.
📅 February 15–March 1
“How Will I Know” – Whitney Houston
Bubblegum meets powerhouse vocals. Whitney’s breakout into upbeat pop territory was filled with neon lights, teased hair, and that infectious “uh-oh” hook. A roller rink staple.
📅 March 8
“Kyrie” – Mr. Mister
If you had a denim jacket and deep thoughts, this was your anthem. Mysterious lyrics, soaring vocals, and a chorus that sounded like a medieval prayer-meets-tour bus anthem.
📅 March 15–22
“These Dreams” – Heart
Heart pivoted from rock goddesses to dreamy ballad queens, and it worked. Sung by Nancy Wilson (not Ann), this was about falling asleep and never waking up—aka high school geometry class.
📅 March 29
“Rock Me Amadeus” – Falco
The weirdest, most glorious moment of the year. A German-language rap-opera hybrid about Mozart. Yes, really. And somehow, it ruled the charts. Thank you, MTV.
📅 April 5
“Rock Me Amadeus” (continued) – Falco still rocking
Because one week wasn’t enough for this bizarre masterpiece.
📅 April 12
“Kiss” – Prince & The Revolution
Minimalist funk. Maximum sex appeal. With just a guitar, a drum machine, and Prince’s falsetto, this track melted radios. Also made millions of parents very uncomfortable.
📅 April 19
“Kiss” (continued) – Prince, still sexy
Still too hot to handle. And still no one could kiss like Prince.
📅 April 26
“Addicted to Love” – Robert Palmer
Slick suit. Emotionless model band. Those guitar licks. The most iconic music video of the decade—and a song that made your uncle air-guitar like a maniac at weddings.
📅 May 3
“West End Girls” – Pet Shop Boys
Synth-pop meets spoken-word brooding. Cool, detached, and British AF. Felt like the soundtrack to walking home alone in the rain while wearing a trench coat you stole from your dad.
📅 May 10–17
“Greatest Love of All” – Whitney Houston
The self-empowerment anthem to end all anthems. Played at every graduation, pageant, and living room concert. Whitney delivered vocals so massive, even your boombox got goosebumps.
📅 May 24–June 14
“Live to Tell” – Madonna
Moody. Slow. Devastating. Gone were the lace gloves—this was a darker Madonna, and she came with secrets. The kind of song you played alone in your room while contemplating deep emotional betrayal (real or imagined).
📅 June 21
“On My Own” – Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald
Two vocal powerhouses, one song about lonely breakups. Somehow, they didn’t even record it in the same studio—which only made the distance more poetic. Every divorced Gen X parent had this on cassette.
📅 June 28
“There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)” – Billy Ocean
And this was one of them. Billy Ocean gave us a song about sad songs that was itself a sad song. A total inception of heartbreak, perfect for slow dancing with no one at your 7th grade dance.
📅 July 5
“Holding Back the Years” – Simply Red
Red hair, blue eyes, and major emotion. Mick Hucknall gave us the adult-sounding ballad we didn’t know we needed at 13. Total rainy day headphone vibes.
📅 July 12
“Invisible Touch” – Genesis
Phil Collins again! This one’s punchy, bright, and has that “I’m doing a fast walk down the hallway in a blazer” energy. Possibly the most upbeat song ever written about emotional manipulation.
📅 July 19–26
“Sledgehammer” – Peter Gabriel
Another bizarre, beautiful video and funky as hell. It was like Prince, David Byrne, and a fever dream combined. That stop-motion claymation video still lives rent-free in your brain.
📅 August 2–9
“Glory of Love” – Peter Cetera
The soundtrack to every imaginary karate match and romantic montage. If you didn’t dramatically sing this while looking out a car window, were you even alive in ‘86?
📅 August 16
“Papa Don’t Preach” – Madonna
Scandalous! Pregnant teen, Catholic guilt, catchy chorus. Madonna kept pushing buttons and topping charts. Danny Aiello even played her dad in the video—pure MTV gold.
📅 August 23
“Higher Love” – Steve Winwood
Spiritual and synthy. Steve got a little help from Chaka Khan (those backing vocals!) and made a track that felt like going to church in leg warmers.
📅 August 30
“Venus” – Bananarama
She’s got it! Bananarama turned this cover into a dance-pop anthem, backed by glam guitars and big 80s hair. The soundtrack to mall makeovers everywhere.
📅 September 6
“Take My Breath Away” – Berlin
The Top Gun power ballad to end all power ballads. Slow motion jet planes. Sunglasses. Longing stares. This song made every Gen Xer want to fall in love with a pilot.
📅 September 13
“Stuck with You” – Huey Lewis & The News
A catchy bop about being kinda annoyed but still in love. Huey managed to make passive-aggressive romance sound like a beach vacation.
📅 October 4
“When I Think of You” – Janet Jackson
Miss Jackson if you’re nasty. Janet hit her stride with this bubbly dance jam, showing she wasn’t just Michael’s little sister anymore—she was a force.
📅 October 11
“True Colors” – Cyndi Lauper
Raw, honest, and stripped-down. Cyndi swapped wild fashion for heartfelt vulnerability—and made everyone cry in the process. Cue tissues.
📅 October 18
“True Colors” (continued)
Still crying.
📅 October 25
“Amanda” – Boston
Boston returns! Out of nowhere, this soaring rock ballad topped the charts and sounded like the musical version of a windswept American flag. Arena rock’s last hurrah.
📅 November 1–8
“Human” – The Human League
Cold synths + warm vocals = an apology song that still feels futuristic. “I’m only human, born to make mistakes” became every teen’s go-to excuse that year.
📅 November 15
“Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” – oh wait—just kidding
(You thought! But no—wrong year. Just wanted to see if you’re paying attention.)
📅 November 22–29
“You Give Love a Bad Name” – Bon Jovi
Hair metal goes mainstream. This one launched 1,000 air guitars and teased bangs. You couldn’t walk through a food court without hearing someone scream “Shot through the heart!”
📅 December 6–13
“The Next Time I Fall” – Peter Cetera & Amy Grant
Soft rock royalty. This duet played in every Hallmark store and every sensitive guy’s mixtape. Sweet, safe, and surprisingly charming.
📅 December 20–27
“Walk Like an Egyptian” – The Bangles
Weird, wonderful, and totally unforgettable. Sideways hand dancing was a legit trend. Also: possibly the most fun chorus to shout in a minivan full of friends.
1986 was the year of emotional extremes: soaring ballads, funky anthems, weird international bangers, and Prince just… being Prince. The music was dramatic, stylish, and so very Gen X. We were angsty, romantic, moody, and ready to take on the world—with bangs and Walkmans leading the way.