1986 in music
See also: 1985 in music, other events of 1986, 1987 in music, 1980s in music and the list of 'years 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 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 5 - In New York, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Chairman Ahmet Ertegen 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
- 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
- Pixies begin performing
- Poison begins their recording career
- Dick Dale mounts a comeback effort
- Pixies 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.
- The Vaselines forms
Classical music
- Ludovico Einaudi - Movimento
- Gian-Carlo Menotti - Goya
- Krzysztof Penderecki - The Song of Cherubin
Albums released
- Russian Roulette - Accept
- Who Made Who - AC/DC
- Classics Live - Aerosmith
- Dangerous Games - Alcatrazz
- American Girls - American Girls
- I Against I - Bad Brains
- Rapture - Anita Baker
- Licensed to Ill - The Beastie Boys
- Nasty, Nasty - Black N' Blue
- Slippery When Wet - Bon Jovi
- Third Stage - Boston
- Strange Land - Box of Frogs
- In America EP - Britny Fox
- 18 - Chicago
- Night Songs - Cinderella (debut)
- Constrictor - Alice Cooper
- King of America - Elvis Costello
- Strong Persuader - Robert Cray
- Crowded House - Crowded House
- Staring at the Sea: the Singles - The Cure
- Hwgr Grawth-Og - Datblygu
- Into The Light - Chris De Burgh
- Black Celebration - Depeche Mode
- Intermission EP - Dio
- Guitar Town - Steve Earle
- Emerson, Lake and Powell - Emerson, Lake and Powell
- The FinaL Countdown - Europe
- August - Eric Clapton
- Trick or Treat - Fastway
- Mean Business - The Firm
- So - Peter Gabriel
- 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
- Control - Janet Jackson
- Psycho Candy - Jesus & Mary Chain
- Tones - Eric Johnson
- Raised On Radio - Journey
- Turbo - Judas Priest
- The Final Frontier - Keel
- Stand Tall - Killer Dwarfs
- Thrill of a Lifetime - King Kobra
- Change of Address - Krokus
- Alive & Screaming - Krokus
- Menace to Society - Lizzy Borden
- Lightning Strikes - Loudness
- Lyle Lovett - Lyle Lovett
- Trilogy - Yngwie Malmsteen
- True Blue - Madonna
- 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
- Kicking Against the Pricks - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
- Your Funeral, My Trial - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
- Little Miss Dangerous - Ted Nugent
- The Ultimate Sin - Ozzy Osbourne
- Parade - Prince
- Look What the Cat Dragged In - Poison (debut)
- Rage for Order - Queensryche
- QR III - Quiet Riot
- Finyl Vinyl - Rainbow
- Dancing Undercover - Ratt
- Eat Em' and Smile - David Lee Roth
- Want Some - Rough Cutt
- Raising Hell - Run DMC
- Not of This Earth - Joe Satriani
- Like A Rock - Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
- Graceland - Paul Simon
- Reign in Blood - Slayer
- The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths
- Live 1975-1985 - Bruce Springsteen
- The Yellow and Black Attack - Stryper
- To Hell With the Devil - Stryper
- Mechanical Resonance - Tesla (debut)
- They Might Be Giants - They Might Be Giants (debut)
- Storms of Life - Randy Travis
- When In Rome Do As The Vandals - The Vandals
- 5150 - Van Halen
- 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
- 3.V - Zebra
- High Priest Of Love EP Zodiac Mindwarp
Best singles
- "Take My Breath Away" - Berlin
- "Glory Of Love" - Peter Cetera
- "You Give Love A Bad Name" - Bon Jovi
- "That's What Friends Are For" - Dionne Warwick
- "Sara" - Starship
- "Addicted To Love" - Robert Palmer
- "Stuck With You" - Huey Lewis & the News
- "How Will I Know" - Whitney Houston
- "When I Think of You" - Janet Jackson
- "West End Girls" - Pet Shop Boys
- "Live To Tell" - Madonna
- "Holding Back The Years" - Simply Red
- "Papa Don't Preach" - Madonna
- "Rock Me Amadeus" - Falco
- "On My Own" - Patti Labelle & Michael McDonald
- "Kyrie" - Mr. Mister
- "Kiss" - Prince
- "Greatest Love in the World" - Whitney Houston
- "Manic Monday" - The Bangles
- "Locked In" - Judas Priest
- "Turbo Lover" - Judas Priest
- "Love Walks In" - Van Halen
- "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel
- "Invisible Touch" - Genesis
- "Addicted To Love" - Robert Palmer
- "Living In America" - James Brown
- "Lady In Red" - Chris De Burgh
- "Holding Out For A Hero" - Bonnie Tyler
- "My Hometown" - Bruce Springsteen
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 DeBurgh
- La Cage Aux Folles London production
- Charlie Girl London revival
- Chess London production
- Me and My Girl Broadway production
- The Phantom Of The Opera London production
- Sweet Charity Broadway revival
Musical television
- February 21 - Charlotte Church,singer
Deaths
- March 4 - Richard Manuel, The Band, suicide
- March 31 - O'Kelly Isley, the Isley Brothers
- June 17 - Kate Smith, singer
- July 3 - Rudy Vallee
- September 27 - Cliff Burton, Metallica, tour bus accident
Awards
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened; the following artists were the first inductees: Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and record producer Sam Phillips.