List of number-one R&B singles of 1986 (U.S.)

These are the Billboard magazine R&B singles chart number one hits of 1986.

See also: 1986 in music, List of number-one R&B hits (United States)

25 singles topped the chart in 1986 (with a 26th, "Don't Say No Tonight", starting its run at the top in December 1985). Reaching number one for the first time in 1986 as solo artists included Meli'sa Morgan, Janet Jackson, Stephanie Mills, Michael McDonald, El DeBarge (who previously reached number one with his former group DeBarge), Timex Social Club, Jean Carne, Shirley Jones, Gwen Guthrie, LeVert, Oran "Juice" Jones, Gregory Abbott, Melba Moore, and Bobby Brown (who reached number one beforehand with his group New Edition). Janet Jackson, Billy Ocean, and Freddie Jackson were the only artists to have multiple number one singles during the year.

Chart history[]

Janet Jackson (pictured, 2015) reached number one for the first time with "What Have You Done for Me Lately" and "Nasty".

Freddie Jackson (pictured, 2019) topped the chart twice with "A Little Bit More" and "Tasty Love".

Patti Labelle (pictured, 2010) had the R&B single of the year with the duet "On My Own".

Billy Ocean (pictured, 1988) was one of only three artists to have multiple number ones with "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" and "Love Zone".

Stephanie Mills (pictured, 2017) received her first number one hit "I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love".

Key

Indicates best-charting R&B single of 1986[1]

Issue Date	Song	Artist
January 4	"Don’t Say No Tonight"	Eugene Wilde
January 11	"Say You, Say Me"	Lionel Richie
January 18
January 25	"That's What Friends Are For"	Dionne and Friends
February 1
February 8
February 15	"Do Me, Baby"	Meli'sa Morgan
February 22
March 1
March 8	"How Will I Know"	Whitney Houston
March 15	"Your Smile"	René & Angela
March 22	"What Have You Done for Me Lately"	Janet Jackson
March 29
April 5	"Kiss"	Prince and the Revolution
April 12
April 19
April 26
May 3	"I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love"	Stephanie Mills
May 10
May 17	"On My Own"	Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald
May 24
May 31
June 7
June 14	"Nasty"	Janet Jackson
June 21
June 28	"There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)"	Billy Ocean
July 5
July 12	"Who's Johnny"	El DeBarge
July 19	"Rumors"	Timex Social Club
July 26
August 2	"Closer Than Close"	Jean Carne
August 9
August 16	"Do You Get Enough Love"	Shirley Jones
August 23
August 30	"Love Zone"	Billy Ocean
September 6	"Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent"	Gwen Guthrie
September 13	"(Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop) Goes My Mind"	LeVert
September 20	"The Rain"	Oran "Juice" Jones
September 27
October 4	"Word Up"	Cameo
October 11
October 18
October 25	"Shake You Down"	Gregory Abbott
November 1
November 8	"A Little Bit More"	Melba Moore with Freddie Jackson
November 15	"Tasty Love"	Freddie Jackson
November 22
November 29
December 6
December 13	"Love You Down"	Ready for the World
December 20
December 27	"Girlfriend"	Bobby Brown

See also[]

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1986

References[]