1985 in British music

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1980s in music in the UK
Events
1985 in music
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  • List of albums released
List of years in British music

This is a summary of 1985 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.

Summary[]

The biggest British musical event of 1985 was the Live Aid concert in London's Wembley Stadium on 13 July. Held to follow up the previous year's charity record "Do They Know It's Christmas?", the biggest-selling single ever at the time, popular acts such as The Who, U2 and Queen performed in front of an estimated audience of 1.9 billion viewers. It raised £150 million to help famine in Ethiopia, and a similar event would happen 20 years later in 2005, with Live 8.

After the huge success of Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?", several more charity songs reached number 1 this year. USA for Africa, inspired by Band Aid, released "We Are the World", a song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, while David Bowie and Mick Jagger released a cover of "Dancing in the Street", the music video being premiered at Live Aid and all proceeds going to the charity. In May, a fire at a football stadium in Bradford killed 56 people, and supergroup The Crowd released a charity cover of popular football anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone" in tribute.

British rock band Dire Straits released their album Brothers in Arms in May, one of the first ever albums to be released on compact disc and the format's first million-seller.[1] It went on to become the UK's best-selling album of the entire decade and remains one of the top ten best-selling albums of all time in the UK. Four singles were released from the album, including the UK number 4 hit and US number 1 "Money for Nothing", which referenced American music channel MTV and had a groundbreaking video featuring early computer-generated imagery. When a European version of MTV launched in 1987, it was the first video ever played on the channel.

Jennifer Rush entered the top 75 in June with the power ballad "The Power of Love", which remained in the chart for months without entering the top 40. When it finally did in September, it quickly hit number 1, where it remained for five weeks and was the biggest selling single of the year. It sold over a million copies, however it would be the last single of the decade to do so, and there would not be another million-seller until 1991.

Many songs this year competed for the Christmas number one single, and the entire top 3 from 1984 re-entered the chart this year; Paul McCartney's "We All Stand Together" at number 32, Wham!'s "Last Christmas" at number 6, and Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" at number 3. There were also attempts from Bruce Springsteen with a cover of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town", and ventriloquist Keith Harris released a cover of "White Christmas" with his green puppet Orville the Duck.

However, the Christmas number one went to Shakin' Stevens with the song "Merry Christmas Everyone". It had been intended to be released in 1984, but was kept back a year due to the Band Aid charity single. Still a widely known Christmas song in the 21st century, it re-entered the chart in Christmas 2007 on downloads alone, at number 22.

John Rutter, hitherto best known for his popular modern carols, acknowledged his classical roots with his Requiem, which was premièred in October in Sacramento, California. Less than eight months earlier, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem had its première in New York. Paul Miles-Kingston, the boy soprano who won a silver disc for his recording of the "Pie Jesu" from that work, became Head Chorister of Winchester Cathedral in the same year. The prolific Peter Maxwell Davies (who had moved to Orkney in 1971) produced one of his most popular works, An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise, notable for featuring the bagpipes as a lead instrument. Veteran Welsh composer Daniel Jones, produced his 12th symphony, at the age of 73, whilst 80-year-old Michael Tippett began work on his last opera, New Year.

Charts[]

Number one singles[]

[2]

Chart date
(week ending)		 Song Artist(s) Weeks
5 January "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Band Aid 2
12 January
19 January "I Want to Know What Love Is" Foreigner 3
26 January
2 February
9 February "I Know Him So Well" Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson 4
16 February
23 February
2 March
9 March "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" Dead or Alive 2
16 March
23 March "Easy Lover" Philip Bailey and Phil Collins 4
30 March
6 April
13 April
20 April "We Are the World" USA for Africa 2
27 April
4 May "Move Closer" Phyllis Nelson 1
11 May "19" Paul Hardcastle 5
18 May
25 May
1 June
8 June
15 June "You'll Never Walk Alone" The Crowd 2
22 June
29 June "Frankie" Sister Sledge 4
6 July
13 July
20 July
27 July "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" Eurythmics 1
3 August "Into the Groove" Madonna 4
10 August
17 August
24 August
31 August "I Got You Babe" UB40 and Chrissie Hynde 1
7 September "Dancing in the Street" David Bowie and Mick Jagger 4
14 September
21 September
28 September
5 October "If I Was" Midge Ure 1
12 October "The Power of Love" Jennifer Rush 5
19 October
26 October
2 November
9 November
16 November "A Good Heart" Feargal Sharkey 2
23 November
30 November "I'm Your Man" Wham! 2
7 December
14 December "Saving All My Love for You" Whitney Houston 2
21 December
28 December "Merry Christmas Everyone" Shakin' Stevens 1

Number one albums[]

[3]

Chart date
(week ending)		 Album Artist(s) Weeks
5 January Hits 1 Various Artists 2
12 January
20 January Alf Alison Moyet 1
27 January Agent Provocateur Foreigner 3
2 February
9 February
16 February Born in the U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen 1
23 February Meat Is Murder The Smiths 1
2 March No Jacket Required Phil Collins 5
9 March
16 March
23 March
30 March
6 April The Secret of Association Paul Young 1
13 April Hits 2 Various Artists 6
20 April
27 April
4 May
11 May
18 May
25 May Brothers in Arms Dire Straits 2
1 June
8 June Our Favourite Shop The Style Council 1
15 June Boys and Girls Bryan Ferry 2
22 June
29 June Misplaced Childhood Marillion 1
6 July Born in the U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen 4
13 July
20 July
27 July
3 August Brothers in Arms Dire Straits 2
10 August
17 August Now 5 Various Artists 5
24 August
31 August
7 September
14 September
21 September Like a Virgin Madonna 1
28 September Hounds of Love Kate Bush 2
5 October
12 October Like a Virgin Madonna 1
19 October Hounds of Love Kate Bush 1
26 October The Love Songs George Benson 1
2 November Once Upon a Time Simple Minds 1
10 November The Love Songs George Benson 1
16 November Promise Sade 2
23 November
30 November The Greatest Hits of 1985 Various Artists 1
7 December Now 6 2
14 December
21 December Now – The Christmas Album 2
28 December

Year-end charts[]

Best-selling singles[]

Based on sales from 5 January to 28 December 1985.[4][5]

No. Title Artist Peak
position
1 "The Power of Love" Jennifer Rush 1
2 "I Know Him So Well" Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson 1
3 "Into the Groove" Madonna 1
4 "19" Paul Hardcastle 1
5 "Frankie" Sister Sledge 1
6 "Dancing in the Street" David Bowie and Mick Jagger 1
7 "Move Closer" Phyllis Nelson 1
8 "A Good Heart" Feargal Sharkey 1
9 "Take On Me" a-ha 2
10 "Love and Pride" King 2
11 "I Want to Know What Love Is" Foreigner 1
12 "Easy Lover" Philip Bailey and Phil Collins 1
13 "Axel F" Harold Faltermeyer 2
14 "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Band Aid 1
15 "I Got You Babe" UB40 and Chrissie Hynde 1
16 "Crazy for You" Madonna 2
17 "Saving All My Love for You" Whitney Houston 1
18 "Solid" Ashford & Simpson 3
19 "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" Dead or Alive 1
20 "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" Eurythmics 1
21 "I'm Your Man" Wham! 1
22 "Trapped" Colonel Abrams 3
23 "Cherish" Kool & the Gang 4
24 "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" Tears for Fears 2
25 "Merry Christmas Everyone" Shakin' Stevens 1
26 "You'll Never Walk Alone" The Crowd 1
27 "If I Was" Midge Ure 1
28 "Nikita" Elton John 3
29 "Dancing in the Dark" Bruce Springsteen 4
30 "1999"/"Little Red Corvette" Prince 2
31 "Holding Out for a Hero" Bonnie Tyler 2
32 "Kayleigh" Marillion 2
33 "Last Christmas"/"Everything She Wants" (Remix) Wham! 2
34 "A View to a Kill" Duran Duran 2
35 "We Are the World" USA for Africa 1
36 "Lean On Me (Ah-Li-Ayo)" Red Box 3
37 "Part-Time Lover" Stevie Wonder 3
38 "Money for Nothing" Dire Straits 4
39 "Don't Break My Heart" UB40 3
40 "We Close Our Eyes" Go West 5
41 "Nightshift" The Commodores 3
42 "That Ole Devil Called Love" Alison Moyet 2
43 "We Don't Need Another Hero" Tina Turner 3
44 "Tarzan Boy" Baltimora 3
45 "See the Day" Dee C. Lee 3
46 "Kiss Me" Stephen 'Tin Tin' Duffy 4
47 "I Feel Love (Medley)" Bronski Beat and Marc Almond 3
48 "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" Frankie Goes to Hollywood 2
49 "Suddenly" Billy Ocean 4
50 "Shout" Tears for Fears 4

Best-selling albums[]

Based on sales from 5 January to 28 December 1985.[6][7]

No. Title Artist Peak
position
1 Brothers in Arms Dire Straits 1
2 No Jacket Required Phil Collins 1
3 Like a Virgin Madonna 1
4 Born in the U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen 1
5 Songs from the Big Chair Tears for Fears 2
6 Now 6 Various Artists 1
7 Now – The Christmas Album Various Artists 1
8 Now 5 Various Artists 1
9 Hits 2 Various Artists 1
10 The Secret of Association Paul Young 1
11 Alf Alison Moyet 1
12 Hits 3 Various Artists 2
13 Love Songs George Benson 1
14 Hounds of Love Kate Bush 1
15 Be Yourself Tonight Eurythmics 3
16 Private Dancer Tina Turner 6
17 Promise Sade 1
18 Make It Big Wham! 3[a]
19 Diamond Life Sade 4[b]
20 Misplaced Childhood Marillion 1
21 Eliminator ZZ Top 3
22 The Singles Collection Spandau Ballet 3
23 Boys and Girls Bryan Ferry 1
24 Go West Go West 9[c]
25 Agent Provocateur Foreigner 1
26 Reckless Bryan Adams 7
27 The Kenny Rogers Story Kenny Rogers 4
28 Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II Billy Joel 7
29 The Greatest Hits of 1985 Various Artists 1
30 The Unforgettable Fire U2 9[d]
31 Out Now Various Artists 2
32 Hits Out of Hell Meat Loaf 2
33 Welcome to the Pleasuredome Frankie Goes to Hollywood 5[e]
34 The Age of Consent Bronski Beat 5[f]
35 Under a Blood Red Sky U2 11[g]
36 Once Upon a Time Simple Minds 1
37 The Dream of the Blue Turtles Sting 3
38 Madonna – The First Album Madonna 6
39 Dream into Action Howard Jones 2
40 The Love Album Various Artists 7
41 The Collection Ultravox 2
42 The Hits Album Various Artists 1
43 Greatest Hits Queen 14[h]
44 Voices from the Holy Land BBC Welsh Chorus with Aled Jones 6
45 Ice on Fire Elton John 3
46 All Through the Night Aled Jones 2
47 Now 4 Various Artists 2
48 Requiem Various Artists 4
49 Love Hurts Elaine Paige 8
50 Face Value Phil Collins 22[i]

Notes:

  1. ^ Reached number 1 in 1984
  2. ^ Reached number 2 in 1984
  3. ^ Reached number 8 in 1986
  4. ^ Reached number 1 in 1984
  5. ^ Reached number 1 in 1984
  6. ^ Reached number 4 in 1984
  7. ^ Reached number 2 in 1983
  8. ^ Reached number 1 in 1981
  9. ^ Reached number 1 in 1981

Classical music: new works[]

Film and Incidental music[]

  • Michael Nyman - A Zed and Two Noughts directed by Peter Greenaway.

Musical films[]

Births[]

  • 6 January - Ben Haenow, singer
  • 11 January - Newton Faulkner, singer
  • 2 March - Luke Pritchard, singer (The Kooks)
  • 4 February - Bashy, recording artist and actor
  • 3 April - Leona Lewis, singer
  • 2 May - Lily Allen, singer, songwriter
  • 21 May
    • Kano, rapper
    • Mutya Buena, singer and former member of (Sugababes)
  • 7 June - Charlie Simpson, singer and musician (Busted, Fightstar)
  • 15 June - Nadine Coyle, singer (Girls Aloud)
  • 5 July - Nick O'Malley, musician (Arctic Monkeys)
  • 8 July - Jamie Cook, musician (Arctic Monkeys)
  • 17 July - Tom Fletcher, singer (McFly)
  • 23 July - Matthew Murphy, musician (The Wombats)
  • 5 October - Nicola Roberts, singer (Girls Aloud)
  • 9 October - Frankmusik, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, remixer
  • 10 October - Marina Diamandis, singer-songwriter (Marina and the Diamonds)
  • 1 November - Dizzee Rascal, rapper
  • 19 December - Lady Sovereign, singer, musician
  • 23 December - Harry Judd, drummer (McFly)

Deaths[]

  • 6 February - Neil McCarthy, actor and pianist, 62 (motor neurone disease)[8]
  • 7 February - Matt Monro, singer, 54
  • 27 February
  • 28 February - David Byron, singer (Uriah Heep), 38 (alcohol-related)
  • 19 April - Ivan Menzies, operatic baritone, 88
  • 30 July - Peter Knight, conductor, arranger and composer, 68
  • 11 September - William Alwyn, composer, 79
  • 25 October - Gary Holton, singer-songwriter, musician and actor, 33 (alcohol and drug overdose)
  • 18 December - Jolyon Jackson, musician and composer, 37 (Hodgkins' disease)
  • 12 December - Ian Stewart, musician, founding member and road manager for (The Rolling Stones), 47 (heart attack)[9]
  • 30 December - Bob Pearson, singer and pianist with his brother Alf (half of Bob and Alf Pearson), 78

Music awards[]

Brit Awards[]

The 1985 Brit Awards winners were:

  • Best British comedy recording: Neil (also known as Nigel Planer) - "Hole In My Shoe"
  • Best British producer: Trevor Horn
  • Best classical recording: Antonio Vivaldi's - "The Four Seasons"
  • Best international artist: Prince and the Revolution
  • Best soundtrack: "Purple Rain"
  • British album: Sade - "Diamond Life"
  • British female solo artist: Alison Moyet
  • British group: Wham!
  • British male solo artist: Paul Young
  • British single: Frankie Goes to Hollywood - "Relax"
  • British Video: Duran Duran - "The Wild Boys"
  • Outstanding contribution: The Police
  • Special Award: Bob Geldof and Midge Ure

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Marshall, Lee (2015). The International Recording Industries. Routledge. ISBN 978-1138822856.
  2. ^ "1985 The Number One Singles". Official Charts Company.
  3. ^ "1985 The Number One Albums". Official Charts Company.
  4. ^ "Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. 18 January 1986. p. 10.
  5. ^ Scaping, Peter, ed. (1986). "Top 100 singles: 1985". BPI Year Book 1986 (8th ed.). British Phonographic Industry. pp. 48–49. ISBN 0-906154-07-3.
  6. ^ "Top 100 Albums". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. 18 January 1986. p. 11.
  7. ^ Scaping (1986). "Top 100 Albums: 1985". pp. 50–51.
  8. ^ "McCARTHY, Neil". BFI Film & TV Database. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  9. ^ "Retrieved 6 February 2007". Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 16 April 2013.

External links[]

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