Editing 1985 in music

{{Short description|none}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2019}}
{{YYYY music|1985}}
{{Year nav topic5|1985|music|radio|television|film}}

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1985.

==Specific locations==
*[[1985 in British music]]
*[[1985 in Norwegian music]]

==Specific genres==
*[[1985 in country music]]
*[[1985 in heavy metal music]]
*[[1985 in hip-hop|1985 in hip hop music]]
*[[1985 in jazz]]

==Events==
===January–March===
*[[January 1]] – The newest music video channel, [[VH1|VH-1]], begins broadcasting on American cable. It is aimed at an older demographic than its sister station, [[MTV]]. The first video played is [[Marvin Gaye]]'s rendition of "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]".<ref>{{cite book|author=Mitchell E. Shapiro|title=Cable Television Prime Time Programming, 1990–2010|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A3UwxekfBf4C&pg=PA217|date=10 January 2014|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-9258-9|pages=217}}</ref>
*[[January 11]]
**One of the biggest music festivals in the world begins in [[Rio de Janeiro]], Brazil. [[Rock in Rio]] had an audience of 1.5 million people, and featured [[Iron Maiden]], [[Nina Hagen]], [[The B52's]], [[Go Go's]], [[Queen (band)|Queen]], [[Rod Stewart]], [[James Taylor]] and [[AC/DC]], along with Brazilian artists such as [[Gilberto Gil]], [[Elba Ramalho]], [[Barão Vermelho]] and [[Paralamas do Sucesso]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Dave DiMartino|title=Music in the 20th Century (3 Vol Set)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sB4GDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA536|date=15 April 2016|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-46430-3|pages=536}}</ref>
**[[Willie Dixon]] sues [[Led Zeppelin]] over the song "[[Whole Lotta Love]]", on the grounds that it contains too many similarities to his own song "You Need Love". The lawsuit is settled out of court.{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}}
*[[January 28]] – Various artists, under the group name [[USA For Africa]], including [[Ray Charles]], [[Bob Dylan]], [[Michael Jackson]], [[Billy Joel]], [[Cyndi Lauper]], [[Steve Perry]], [[Kenny Loggins]], [[Willie Nelson]], [[Lionel Richie]], [[Smokey Robinson]], [[Kenny Rogers]], [[Diana Ross]], [[Paul Simon]], [[Bruce Springsteen]], [[Huey Lewis]], [[Tina Turner]], [[Sheila E.]], [[Harry Belafonte]], [[Lindsey Buckingham]], [[Kim Carnes]], [[Dionne Warwick]], [[Waylon Jennings]], [[Bob Geldof]] and [[Stevie Wonder]], record the song "[[We Are the World]]", written by Jackson and Ritchie.
*[[February]] – Just months after the [[compact disc]] release of his sixteenth and most recent studio album, ''[[Tonight (David Bowie album)|Tonight]]'', and nearly two years after the initial CD release of its predecessor, ''[[Let's Dance (David Bowie album)|Let's Dance]]'', [[RCA Records]] reissues [[David Bowie]]'s previous fourteen studio albums plus four [[greatest hits album]]s on the format. Consequently, Bowie becomes the first major artist to have his entire catalog converted to CD.
*[[February 14]]
**[[Whitney Houston]] releases her [[Whitney Houston (album)|debut album]].
*[[February 22]]
**The "[[One Night with Blue Note]]" concert, celebrating the relaunch of [[Blue Note Records]] and featuring over 30 jazz greats, is held at [[The Town Hall (New York City)|The Town Hall]] in New York. [[Freddie Hubbard]], [[Herbie Hancock]], [[Jack DeJohnette]], [[McCoy Tyner]] and [[Grover Washington, Jr.]] are just a few of the performers.
*[[February 26]] – The [[27th Annual Grammy Awards]] are presented in [[Los Angeles]], hosted by [[John Denver]]. [[Lionel Richie]]'s ''[[Can't Slow Down (Lionel Richie album)|Can't Slow Down]]'' wins [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]], while [[Tina Turner]]'s "[[What's Love Got to Do with It (song)|What's Love Got to Do with It]]" wins both [[Record of the Year]] and [[Grammy Award for Song of the Year|Song of the Year]]. [[Cyndi Lauper]] wins [[Best New Artist]].
*[[March 9]] – [[Tears for Fears]] album ''[[Songs from the Big Chair]]'' debuts at number two on the UK Albums Chart. Enjoying massive sales, it spends 29 consecutive weeks on the top 10 and remain on the chart for another 50 weeks until September 1986.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/25022/tears-for-fears/ |title=Tears for Fears |publisher=Official Charts}}</ref>
*[[March 27]] – The South African Broadcasting Corporation bans [[Stevie Wonder]]'s music in response to Wonder dedicating the [[Academy Awards|Oscar]] he had won the night before to [[Nelson Mandela]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F00E4DD1438F934A15750C0A963948260 |title=Stevie Wonder Music Banned in South Africa |agency=Associated Press |date=March 27, 1985 |work=The New York Times |access-date=July 15, 2008}}</ref>
*[[March 28]] – A wax likeness of [[Michael Jackson]] is unveiled at [[Madame Tussaud's]] in London, UK.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mj-in-the-early-80s.com/1985.htm |title=Michael Jackson, 1985  |year=2005 |publisher=Michael Jackson in the Early 1980s|access-date=July 15, 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080613235221/http://www.mj-in-the-early-80s.com/1985.htm| archive-date=June 13, 2008| url-status= dead}}</ref>

===April–June===
*[[April 1]] – After months of squabbling, [[David Lee Roth]] leaves [[Van Halen]] to begin a solo career.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.geocities.com/dan_halen27/history/roth_era.html |title=Chronology |date=n.d. |last=Dan Halen |access-date=July 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091024114004/http://geocities.com/dan_halen27/history/roth_era.html |archive-date=October 24, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*[[April 7]] – [[Wham!]] becomes the first Western pop group to perform in China when they play a concert in [[Beijing]]'s [[Workers Stadium]] during an historic 10-day visit.
*[[April 10]] – [[Madonna]] begins her very first tour, [[The Virgin Tour]] (named after her ''[[Like a Virgin (album)|Like a Virgin]]'' album) in [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], USA.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimatemadonna.com/the_virgin_tour/ |title=The Virgin Tour |last=Madonnatribe |date=n.d. |access-date=July 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080714062616/http://www.ultimatemadonna.com/the_virgin_tour/ |archive-date=July 14, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*[[April 20]] – [[Tears for Fears]] single "[[Everybody Wants to Rule the World]]" becomes their highest-charting single in the UK as it reach number two on the singles chart, held off the top position for two consecutive weeks by "[[We are the World]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19850421/7501/ |title=Official Singles Chart Top 100 21 April 1985 – 27 April 1985 |publisher=Official Charts}}</ref>
*May – Russian singer [[Valery Leontiev]] starts his 10-date tour "Alone with all" and it becomes an instant hit. Queues for tickets blocked the traffic on a few central streets of [[Leningrad]].
*[[May 4]] – With "[[La det swinge]]" by [[Bobbysocks!]], Norway scores its first win at the [[Eurovision Song Contest]], in Gothenburg, Sweden.
*[[May 13]] – [[Dire Straits]] release their fifth studio album, [[Brothers in Arms (album)|''Brothers in Arms'']]. The album becomes highly successful in part because of its unusually high sound quality, the result of it being recorded entirely [[Digital recording|digitally]] as opposed to with standard [[Analog recording|analog]] [[magnetic tape]]. The album additionally serves as a [[killer app]] for the [[compact disc]] format, becoming the first album to sell more copies on CD than on [[phonograph record]], and goes on to become the highest selling album of the 1980s in the UK.
*[[June 11]] – [[Madonna]] ends [[The Virgin Tour]] at [[Madison Square Garden]] in New York, USA.

===July–September===
*[[July 13]] – The [[Live Aid]] concert takes place in [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], London, UK, and [[JFK Stadium]] in [[Philadelphia]], USA. The headlining acts at the latter venue included a [[Led Zeppelin]] reunion, the first since their 1980 disbandment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.herald.co.uk/local_info/live_aid.html#prog |title=Live Aid Programme |last=mdh |year=1995 |access-date=July 15, 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080607124201/http://www.herald.co.uk/local_info/live_aid.html| archive-date=June 7, 2008| url-status= live}}</ref> The former venue, however, becomes the more notable of the two over the years, in part due to the high acclaim of [[Queen (band)|Queen]]'s performance of "[[Radio Ga Ga]]", which serves as the band's comeback in the United Kingdom (Queen would still remain a pariah in the United States in the wake of ''[[Hot Space]]'' until after [[Freddie Mercury]]'s death six years later). With a little help from the British [[Concorde]] jet, singer [[Phil Collins]] manages to perform at both venues. This would be the last time [[Duran Duran]] would perform together with the original line up until they reunited to record their 2004 album [[Astronaut (Duran Duran album)|Astronaut]]. On this day they would also have the number 1 song on the US Billboard charts with their [[James Bond]] theme to the film ''[[A View to a Kill]]''.
*[[September 6]] – [[Michael Jackson]] purchases the publishing rights for most of [[the Beatles]]' music for $47 million, much to the dismay of [[Paul McCartney]], against whom he is bidding.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mjcafe.net/the%20legend%20speeches%20&%20faq/b4.htm |title=When did Michael buy the Beatles' songs? |year=2008 |last=MJ Cafe |access-date=July 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080601020857/http://www.mjcafe.net/the%20legend%20speeches%20%26%20faq/b4.htm |archive-date=June 1, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*[[September 19]] – The [[Parents Music Resource Center]]'s (P.M.R.C.) [[United States Senate]] hearing on rock censorship begin in Washington, D.C. [[Heavy metal music|Heavy metal]] singer [[Dee Snider]] of [[Twisted Sister]], rock star [[Frank Zappa]] and [[Country music|country]] singer [[John Denver]] testify against the P.M.R.C.
*[[September 22]] 
**The [[Farm Aid]] concert is held in [[Champaign, Illinois]], USA.
**[[Massimo Bogianckino]], general manager of the [[Paris Opera]] and former head of both the [[Maggio Musicale Fiorentino]] and [[La Scala]], is elected mayor of [[Florence]].<ref>Peter Nichols, "Opera Head to be Mayor of Florence", ''The Times'' issue 62252 (September 25, 1985): 8H.</ref>

===October–December===
*[[October 26]] – "[[Saving All My Love for You]]" by [[Whitney Houston]] tops the [[Billboard Hot 100]]. It was [[Whitney Houston|her]] first of 7 consecutive number-one singles through [[1988 in music|1988]].
*[[December 5]] – The first fully [[Digital audio|digital]] [[reggae]] single, [[Wayne Smith (musician)|Wayne Smith]]'s "(Under Me) [[Sleng Teng]]", is recorded at [[Prince Jammy]]'s studio; it is the beginning of [[ragga]] style reggae.<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC – Radio 1Xtra – Black History – 1985|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/blackhistory/years/1985|access-date=2021-08-22|website=BBC Radio 1Xtra|language=en-GB}}</ref>
*[[December 23]] – Two young fans of [[Judas Priest]] in [[Sparks, Nevada]] shoot themselves, one fatally, after listening to the band's records. A lawsuit is brought against the group in 1986 claiming that they were compelled by [[backmasking|backwards]] subliminal messages hidden in their music.
*[[December 31]] – The fourteenth annual [[New Year's Rockin' Eve]] special is aired on ABC television, with appearances by [[Four Tops]], [[The Judds]], [[Barry Manilow]], [[The Motels]], [[Tears for Fears]] and [[The Temptations]].

===Also in 1985===
*Several hundreds of thousands of US dollars in publishing royalties are released to the surviving members, and families of the deceased members, of the British music group, [[Badfinger]]. Two band members, [[Pete Ham]] and Tom Evans, previously committed suicide due to financial problems.{{Citation needed|date=April 2008}}
*''[[Metal Edge]]'' magazine is launched.
*[[Roger Waters]] announces his intention to leave [[Pink Floyd]]; describing the band as "a spent force creatively", he would spend the next two years in a legal battle with his now-former bandmates over the rights to the "Pink Floyd" name and other associated assets.

==Bands formed==
*''See [[:Category:Musical groups established in 1985|Musical groups established in 1985]]''

==Bands disbanded==
*''See [[:Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1985|Musical groups disestablished in 1985]]''

==Albums released==
===January===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Day
!Album
!Artist
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |10
| ''[[Silvertone (album)|Silvertone]]'' || [[Chris Isaak]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |14
| ''[[New Day Rising]]'' || [[Hüsker Dü]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |15
| ''[[Centerfield (album)|Centerfield]]'' || [[John Fogerty]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Nightshift (album)|Nightshift]]'' || [[Commodores]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="3" align="center" |21
| ''[[King of Rock]]'' || [[Run-DMC|Run-D.M.C.]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Real Love (Dolly Parton album)|Real Love]]'' || [[Dolly Parton]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Thunder in the East (album)|Thunder in the East]]'' || [[Loudness (band)|Loudness]] || Japan
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |24
| ''[[Finder of Lost Loves (album)|Finder of Lost Loves]]'' || [[Dionne Warwick]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |25
| ''[[Maverick (George Thorogood and the Destroyers album)|Maverick]]'' || [[George Thorogood and the Destroyers]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |28
| ''[[Crazy from the Heat]]'' || [[David Lee Roth]] || Covers EP
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |29
| ''[[Stella (album)|Stella]]'' || [[Yello]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="7" align="center" |?
| ''[[40-Hour Week]]'' || [[Alabama (American band)|Alabama]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Bring Me the Head of Yuri Gagarin]]'' || [[Hawkwind]] || Live 1973
|-
| ''[[Night Rocker]]'' || [[David Hasselhoff]] ||-
|-
| ''[[One Clear Moment]]'' || [[Linda Thompson (singer)|Linda Thompson]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Strange Animal]]'' || [[Lawrence Gowan|Gowan]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Tales of the New West]]'' || [[The Beat Farmers]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Warming Up to the Ice Age]]'' || [[John Hiatt]] ||-
|-
|}

=== February ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Day
!Album
!Artist
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |4
| ''[[Secret Secrets]]'' || [[Joan Armatrading]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="3" align="center" |11
| ''[[Meat Is Murder]]'' || [[The Smiths]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Night Time (album)|Night Time]]'' || [[Killing Joke]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Firm (album)|The Firm]]'' || [[The Firm (rock band)|The Firm]] || Debut
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |12
| ''[[Vision Quest (film)#Soundtrack|Vision Quest]]'' || Various Artists || Soundtrack
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |14
| ''[[Rhythm of the Night (album)|Rhythm of the Night]]'' || [[DeBarge]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Whitney Houston (album)|Whitney Houston]]'' || [[Whitney Houston]] || Debut
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |15
|''[[Vulture Culture]]'' || [[Alan Parsons Project]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |18
| ''[[No Jacket Required]]'' || [[Phil Collins]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |19
| ''[[The Breakfast Club (soundtrack)|The Breakfast Club]]'' || Various Artists || Soundtrack
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |25
| ''[[Songs from the Big Chair]]'' || [[Tears for Fears]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |26
| ''[[Disturbing the Peace (album)|Disturbing the Peace]]'' || [[Alcatrazz]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |28
| ''[[Ready to Strike]]'' || [[King Kobra]] ||Debut
|-
| rowspan="5" align="center" |?
| ''[[Armed and Dangerous (EP)|Armed and Dangerous]]'' || [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]] || EP
|-
| ''[[Beyond Appearances]]'' || [[Santana (band)|Santana]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Heads and Hearts]]'' || [[The Sound (band)]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Love Bomb (The Tubes album)|Love Bomb]]'' || [[The Tubes]] ||-
|-
| ''[[VU (album)|VU]]'' || [[The Velvet Underground]] || Outtakes compilation
|-
|}

=== March ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Day
!Album
!Artist
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="3" align="center" |4
| ''[[Aikea-Guinea]]'' || [[Cocteau Twins]] || EP
|-
| ''[[Metal Heart]]'' || [[Accept (band)|Accept]] ||-
|-
| ''[[She's the Boss]]'' || [[Mick Jagger]] ||US Release Feb. 19, 1985
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |8
| ''[[Mars Needs Guitars!]]'' || [[Hoodoo Gurus]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Night I Fell in Love (album)|The Night I Fell in Love]]'' || [[Luther Vandross]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="3"  align="center" |11
| ''[[Behind the Sun (Eric Clapton album)|Behind the Sun]]'' || [[Eric Clapton]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Dream into Action]]'' || [[Howard Jones (British musician)|Howard Jones]] ||-
|-
| ''[[First and Last and Always]]'' || [[The Sisters of Mercy]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |15
| ''[[Everybody's Crazy]]'' || [[Michael Bolton]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |18
| ''[[Birdy (Peter Gabriel album)|Birdy]]'' || [[Peter Gabriel]] || Soundtrack
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |21
| ''[[Up on the Sun]]'' || [[Meat Puppets]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |22
| ''[[Katrina and the Waves (album)|Katrina and the Waves]]'' || [[Katrina and the Waves]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Scream for Help (album)|Scream for Help]]'' || [[John Paul Jones (musician)|John Paul Jones]] || Soundtrack
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |25
| ''[[The Power Station (album)|The Power Station]]'' || [[The Power Station (band)|The Power Station]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Secret of Association]]'' || [[Paul Young]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |26
| ''[[Southern Accents]]'' || [[Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Right to Rock]]'' || [[Keel (band)|Keel]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |27
| ''{{proper name|[[7800° Fahrenheit]]}}'' || [[Bon Jovi]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Tao (album)|Tao]]'' || [[Rick Springfield]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |29
| ''[[Bad Moon Rising (album)|Bad Moon Rising]]'' || [[Sonic Youth]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Rogues Gallery]]'' || [[Slade]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="3" align="center" |?
| ''[[Equator (Uriah Heep album)|Equator]]'' || [[Uriah Heep (band)|Uriah Heep]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Lost & Found (Jason & the Scorchers album)|Lost & Found]]'' || [[Jason & the Scorchers]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Vox Humana (Kenny Loggins album)|Vox Humana]]'' || [[Kenny Loggins]] ||-
|}

=== April ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Day
!Album
!Artist
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |1
| ''[[We Are the World (album)|We Are the World]]'' || [[USA for Africa]] and Various Artists ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |8
| ''[[Hell Awaits]]'' || [[Slayer]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="3" align="center" |15
| ''[[As the Band Turns]]'' || [[Atlantic Starr]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Horror Epics]]'' || [[The Exploited]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Love Not Money]]'' || [[Everything but the Girl]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |22
| ''[[Around the World in a Day]]'' || [[Prince (musician)|Prince]] [[The Revolution (band)|and the Revolution]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Backwaxed]]'' || [[Anvil (band)|Anvil]] || Compilation
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |23
| ''[[Two Hearts (Men at Work album)|Two Hearts]]'' || [[Men at Work]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |25
| ''[[Bonded by Blood]]'' || [[Exodus (band)|Exodus]] || Debut
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |29
| ''[[Be Yourself Tonight]]'' || [[Eurythmics]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Mr. Bad Guy]]'' || [[Freddie Mercury]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="3" align="center" |?
| ''[[Across a Crowded Room]]'' || [[Richard Thompson (musician)|Richard Thompson]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Nature of the Beast (album)|Nature of the Beast]]'' || [[Maureen Steele]] || Debut
|-
| ''[[Only the Strong (Thor album)|Only the Strong]]'' || [[Thor (band)|Thor]] ||-
|-
|}

=== May ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Day
!Album
!Artist
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |1
| ''[[Suzanne Vega (album)|Suzanne Vega]]'' || [[Suzanne Vega]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |3
| ''[[Youthquake (album)|Youthquake]]'' || [[Dead or Alive (band)|Dead or Alive]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |6
| ''[[Nervous Night (album)|Nervous Night]]'' || [[The Hooters]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="3" align="center" |13
| ''[[Brother Where You Bound]]'' || [[Supertramp]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Low-Life]]'' || [[New Order (band)|New Order]] ||-
|-
| ''[[On a Storyteller's Night]]'' || [[Magnum (band)|Magnum]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |15
| ''[[Soldiers Under Command]]'' || [[Stryper]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Unguarded (Amy Grant album)|Unguarded]]'' || [[Amy Grant]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |17
| ''[[Brothers in Arms (album)|Brothers in Arms]]'' || [[Dire Straits]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="5" align="center" |20
| ''[[7 Wishes (Night Ranger album)|7 Wishes]]'' || [[Night Ranger]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Power of the Night]]'' || [[Savatage]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Shaken 'n' Stirred]]'' || [[Robert Plant]] ||-
|-
| ''[[What Does Anything Mean? Basically]]'' || [[The Chameleons]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Wide Awake in America]]'' || [[U2]] || EP
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |21
| ''[[Glow (Rick James album)|Glow]]'' || [[Rick James]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Confessor (album)|The Confessor]]'' || [[Joe Walsh]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |27
| ''[[The Return......]]'' || [[Bathory (band)|Bathory]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |29
| ''[[Hellbound (Warlock album)|Hellbound]]'' || [[Warlock (band)|Warlock]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |30
| ''[[Fear No Evil (Grim Reaper album)|Fear No Evil]]'' || [[Grim Reaper (band)|Grim Reaper]] ||US
|-
| rowspan="8" align="center" |?
| ''[[Gravity (Kenny G album)|Gravity]]'' || [[Kenny G]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Le Parc (album)|Le Parc]]'' || [[Tangerine Dream]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Loose Nut]]'' || [[Black Flag (band)|Black Flag]] ||-
|-
| ''[[More Places Forever]]'' || [[David Thomas (musician)|David Thomas]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Music for "The Knee Plays"]]'' || [[David Byrne]] || Soundtrack
|-
| ''[[Space Ritual#Volume 2|Space Ritual]]'' || [[Hawkwind]] || Live 1972
|-
| ''[[The Ballad of Sally Rose]]'' || [[Emmylou Harris]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Theodore and Friends]]'' || [[The Adventures]] ||-
|-
|}

=== June ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Day
!Album
!Artist
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |1
| ''[[The Fat Boys Are Back]]'' || [[The Fat Boys]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Hunting High and Low]]'' || [[a-ha]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |3
| ''[[Boys and Girls (album)|Boys and Girls]]'' || [[Bryan Ferry]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Firstborn Is Dead]]'' || [[Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |6
| ''[[Long Way to Heaven]]'' || [[Helix (band)|Helix]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |8
| ''[[Our Favourite Shop]]'' || [[The Style Council]] || titled ''Internationalists'' in US
|-
| rowspan="5" align="center" |10
| ''[[Cupid & Psyche 85]]'' || [[Scritti Politti]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Empire Burlesque]]'' || [[Bob Dylan]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Fables of the Reconstruction]]'' || [[R.E.M.]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Little Creatures]]'' || [[Talking Heads]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Beach Boys (album)|The Beach Boys]]'' || [[The Beach Boys]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |12
| ''[[Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!]]'' || [[Megadeth]] || Debut
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |13
| ''[[Invasion of Your Privacy]]'' || [[Ratt]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |14
|''[[Boy in the Box (album)|Boy in the Box]]'' || [[Corey Hart (singer)|Corey Hart]] ||-
|-
| ''[[World Wide Live]]'' || [[Scorpions (band)|Scorpions]] || Live
|-
| rowspan="4" align="center" |17
| ''[[Crush (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark album)|Crush]]'' || [[Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Misplaced Childhood]]'' || [[Marillion]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Single Life]]'' || [[Cameo (band)|Cameo]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Dream of the Blue Turtles]]'' || [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] || Solo Debut
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |18
| ''[[Dare to Be Stupid]]'' || [["Weird Al" Yankovic]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |20
| ''[[Welcome to the Real World (Mr. Mister album)|Welcome to the Real World]]'' || [[Mr. Mister]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="3" align="center" |21
| ''[[Despite Straight Lines]]'' || [[Marilyn (musician)|Marilyn]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Heart (Heart album)|Heart]]'' || [[Heart (band)|Heart]] || First album for [[Capitol Records|Capitol]]
|-
| ''[[Theatre of Pain]]'' || [[Mötley Crüe]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |24
|''[[Open Fire (Y&T album)|Open Fire]]'' || [[Y&T]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |27
| ''Call of the Wild'' || [[Lee Aaron]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="4" align="center" |?
| ''[[Big Lizard in My Backyard]]'' || [[The Dead Milkmen]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Rites of Spring (album)|Rites of Spring]]'' || [[Rites of Spring]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Spoiled Girl]]'' || [[Carly Simon]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Steve McQueen (album)|Steve McQueen]]'' || [[Prefab Sprout]] || US title: ''Two Wheels Good''
|}

=== July ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Day
!Album
!Artist
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="5" align="center" |1
| ''[[Clan of Xymox (album)|Clan of Xymox]]'' || [[Clan of Xymox]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Extractions (album)|Extractions]]'' || [[Dif Juz]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Fly on the Wall (AC/DC album)|Fly on the Wall]]'' || [[AC/DC]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Greatest Hits Volume I & II]]'' || [[Billy Joel]] || Compilation
|-
| ''[[Return to Waterloo]]'' || [[Ray Davies]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |3
| ''[[Patti (album)|Patti]]'' || [[Patti LaBelle]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |8
| ''[[Back to the Future (soundtrack)|Back to the Future]]'' || Various Artists || Soundtrack
|-
| ''[[Flash (Jeff Beck album)|Flash]]'' || [[Jeff Beck]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |9
| ''[[Who's Zoomin' Who?]]'' || [[Aretha Franklin]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |12
| ''[[Love You to Pieces]]'' || [[Lizzy Borden (band)|Lizzy Borden]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |22
| ''[[Luxury of Life]]'' || [[Five Star]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Standing on the Edge (Cheap Trick album)|Standing on the Edge]]'' || [[Cheap Trick]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |26
| ''[[Hybrid (Michael Brook album)|Hybrid]]'' || [[Michael Brook]] with [[Brian Eno]] and [[Daniel Lanois]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Mask of Smiles]]'' || [[John Waite]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |29
| ''[[Profiles (Nick Mason and Rick Fenn album)|Profiles]]'' || [[Nick Mason]] and [[Rick Fenn]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="8" align="center" |?
| ''[[Ain't Love Grand!]]'' || [[X (American band)|X]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Contact (Pointer Sisters album)|Contact]]'' || [[Pointer Sisters]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Hold Me (Laura Branigan album)|Hold Me]]'' || [[Laura Branigan]] ||-
|-
| ''[[In Concert (1985 America album)|In Concert]]'' || [[America (band)|America]] || Live
|-
| ''[[Phantasmagoria (The Damned album)|Phantasmagoria]]'' || [[The Damned (band)|The Damned]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Salad Days (EP)|Salad Days]]'' || [[Minor Threat]] || EP
|-
| ''[[St. Elmo's Fire (film)|St. Elmo's Fire]]'' || Various Artists || Soundtrack
|-
| ''The Fire Still Burns'' || [[Russ Ballard]] ||-
|}

=== August ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Day
!Album
!Artist
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |5
| ''Now That's What I Call Music 5'' || Various Artists || Compilation
|-
| ''[[Rum Sodomy & the Lash]]'' || [[The Pogues]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |8
| ''[[Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force]]'' || [[Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Midnite Dynamite]]'' || [[Kix (band)|Kix]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |12
| ''[[Old Ways]]'' || [[Neil Young]] ||-
|- 
| ''[[Sacred Heart (Dio album)|Sacred Heart]]'' || [[Dio (band)|Dio]] ||-
|-
| rowspan=2 align="center" |16
| ''[[Freaky Styley]]'' || [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]] ||-
|-
| ''[[I Am the Night (album)|I Am the Night]]'' || [[Pantera]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="3" align="center" |19
| ''[[Marching Out]]'' || [[Yngwie Malmsteen]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Scarecrow (John Mellencamp album)|Scarecrow]]'' || [[John Cougar Mellencamp]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Family (The Family album)|The Family]]'' || [[The Family (band)|The Family]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |26
| ''[[Romance 1600]]'' || [[Sheila E.]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |30
| ''[[The Head on the Door]]'' || [[The Cure]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="7" align="center" |?
| ''[[Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti]]'' || [[Squeeze (band)|Squeeze]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Lovin' Every Minute of It]]'' || [[Loverboy]] ||-
|-
| ''[[No Lookin' Back]]'' || [[Michael McDonald (singer)|Michael McDonald]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Primitive Love]]'' || [[Miami Sound Machine]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Screamin' 'n' Bleedin']]'' || [[Angel Witch]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Rose of England (album)|The Rose of England]]'' || [[Nick Lowe]] ||-
|-
| ''[[World Service (Spear of Destiny album)|World Service]]'' || [[Spear of Destiny (band)|Spear of Destiny]] ||-
|-
|}

=== September ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Day
!Album
!Artist
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |2
| ''[[Innocence Is No Excuse]]'' || [[Saxon (band)|Saxon]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Run for Cover (Gary Moore album)|Run for Cover]]'' || [[Gary Moore]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |4
| ''[[Living in the Background (album)|Living in the Background]]'' || [[Baltimora]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |9
| ''[[A Cappella (Todd Rundgren album)|A Cappella]]'' || [[Todd Rundgren]] ||-
|-
| ''[[You're Under Arrest (Miles Davis album)|You're Under Arrest]]'' || [[Miles Davis]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |12
| ''[[Knee Deep in the Hoopla]]'' || [[Starship (band)|Starship]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |13
| ''[[In Square Circle]]'' || [[Stevie Wonder]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="5" align="center" |16
| ''[[Alabama Christmas]]'' || [[Alabama (American band)|Alabama]] || Christmas
|-
| ''[[Asylum (Kiss album)|Asylum]]'' || [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Hounds of Love]]'' || [[Kate Bush]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Fury (album)|The Fury]]'' || [[Gary Numan]] ||-
|-
| ''[[This Is the Sea]]'' || [[The Waterboys]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |17
| ''[[Here's to Future Days]]'' || [[Thompson Twins]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Ready for the World (Ready for the World album)|Ready for the World]]'' || [[Ready for the World]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |20
| ''[[Ignite the Seven Cannons]]'' || [[Felt (band)|Felt]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="3" align="center" |23
| ''[[In Mysterious Ways]]'' || [[John Foxx]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Wishing Chair (album)|The Wishing Chair]]'' || [[10,000 Maniacs]] ||-
|-
| ''[[This Nation's Saving Grace]]'' || [[The Fall (band)|The Fall]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |24
| ''[[Eaten Alive (album)|Eaten Alive]]'' || [[Diana Ross]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="5" align="center" |30
| ''[[Crazy Peoples Right to Speak]]'' || [[Kajagoogoo|Kaja]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Mad Not Mad]]'' || [[Madness (band)|Madness]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Rain Dogs]]'' || [[Tom Waits]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Soul to Soul (album)|Soul to Soul]]'' || [[Stevie Ray Vaughan]] ||-
|-
| ''[[To Live and Die in L.A. (soundtrack)|To Live and Die in L.A.]]'' || [[Wang Chung (band)|Wang Chung]] || Soundtrack
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center" |?
| ''Alibi'' || [[Adrian Vandenberg|Vandenberg]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Don't Stand Me Down]]'' || [[Dexys Midnight Runners]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Flip Your Wig]]'' || [[Hüsker Dü]] ||-
|-
| ''[[How Could It Be]]'' || [[Eddie Murphy]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Process of Weeding Out]]'' || [[Black Flag (band)|Black Flag]] || EP
|-
| ''[[Under a Raging Moon (album)|Under a Raging Moon]]'' || [[Roger Daltrey]] ||-
|}

=== October ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Day
!Album
!Artist
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |4
| ''[[How to Be a ... Zillionaire!]]'' || [[ABC (band)|ABC]] ||-
|-
| ''Giants'' EP || [[The Bolshoi]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |7
| ''[[The Gift (Midge Ure album)|The Gift]]'' || [[Midge Ure]] || solo debut
|-
| rowspan="4" align="center" |11
| ''[[Believe You Me]]'' || [[Blancmange (band)|Blancmange]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Picture Book (Simply Red album)|Picture Book]]'' || [[Simply Red]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Power Windows (album)|Power Windows]]'' || [[Rush (band)|Rush]] || Canada
|- 
| ''[[Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven]]'' || [[Love and Rockets (band)|Love and Rockets]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center" |14
| ''[[Falco 3]]'' || [[Falco (musician)|Falco]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Listen Like Thieves]]'' || [[INXS]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Live After Death]]'' || [[Iron Maiden]] || Live
|-
| ''[[The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord (album)|The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord]]'' || [[Cabaret Voltaire (band)|Cabaret Voltaire]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Jets (album)|The Jets]]'' || [[The Jets (Minnesota band)|The Jets]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Singles 81→85]]'' || [[Depeche Mode]] || Compilation
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |15
| ''[[Blue (Double album)|Blue]]'' || [[Double (band)|Double]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Feel the Fire (Overkill album)|Feel the Fire]]'' || [[Overkill (band)|Overkill]] || Debut
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |16
| ''[[Seven Churches (album)|Seven Churches]]'' || [[Possessed (band)|Possessed]] || Debut
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |17
| ''The Blasting Concept Vol. 2'' || Various Artists ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |18
| ''[[Love (The Cult album)|Love]]'' || [[The Cult]] ||-
|-
| ''[[World Machine]]'' || [[Level 42]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |21
| ''[[Mike + The Mechanics (1985 album)|Mike + The Mechanics]]'' || [[Mike and the Mechanics|Mike + the Mechanics]] || Debut
|-
| ''[[Once Upon a Time (Simple Minds album)|Once Upon a Time]]'' || [[Simple Minds]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |22
| ''[[Twitch (Aldo Nova album)|Twitch]]'' || [[Aldo Nova]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |24
| ''[[Don't Stop Rappin']]'' || [[Too Short]] || LP, Debut
|-
| ''[[Krush Groove]]'' || Various Artists || Soundtrack
|-
| rowspan="3" align="center" |25
| ''[[Greatest Hits (The Cars album)|Greatest Hits]]'' || [[The Cars]] || Compilation
|-
| ''[[Sun City (album)|Sun City]]'' || [[Artists United Against Apartheid]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Last Command (album)|The Last Command]]'' || [[W.A.S.P. (band)|W.A.S.P.]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="3" align="center" |28
| ''[[Afterburner (ZZ Top album)|Afterburner]]'' || [[ZZ Top]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Dead Man's Party (album)|Dead Man's Party]]'' || [[Oingo Boingo]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Slave to the Rhythm (album)|Slave to the Rhythm]]'' || [[Grace Jones]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |30
| ''[[Spreading the Disease]]'' || [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="18" align="center" |?
| ''[[America (Kurtis Blow album)|America]]'' || [[Kurtis Blow]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Cream Corn from the Socket of Davis]]'' || [[Butthole Surfers]] || UK; EP
|-
| ''[[Dog Eat Dog (Joni Mitchell album)|Dog Eat Dog]]'' || [[Joni Mitchell]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Endless Pain]]'' || [[Kreator]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Eye Dance]]'' || [[Boney M.]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Frankenchrist]]'' || [[Dead Kennedys]] ||-
|-
| ''[[High Priority]]'' || [[Cherrelle]] ||-
|-
| ''[[In My Head (album)|In My Head]]'' || [[Black Flag (band)|Black Flag]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Jane Wiedlin (album)|Jane Wiedlin]]'' || [[Jane Wiedlin]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Me and the Boys (album)|Me and the Boys]]'' || [[Charlie Daniels]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Movin' (Jennifer Rush album)|Movin']]'' || [[Jennifer Rush]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Original Masters]]'' || [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]] || UK; Compilation
|-
| ''[[Soul Kiss]]'' || [[Olivia Newton-John]] ||-
|-
| ''[[That's Why I'm Here]]'' || [[James Taylor]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Spectre Within]]'' || [[Fates Warning]] ||-
|-
| ''[[This Is Big Audio Dynamite]]'' || [[Big Audio Dynamite]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Tim (The Replacements album)|Tim]]'' || [[The Replacements (band)|The Replacements]] ||-
|-
| ''[[To Mega Therion (album)|To Mega Therion]]'' || [[Celtic Frost]] ||-
|-
|}

=== November ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Day
!Album
!Artist
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="10" align="center" |4
| ''[[Cut the Crap]]'' || [[The Clash]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Delirious Nomad]]'' || [[Armored Saint]] ||-
|-
|- ''[[Done with Mirrors]]'' || [[Aerosmith]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Down for the Count]]'' || [[Y&T]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Hawkwind Anthology]]'' || [[Hawkwind]] || Compilation
|-
| ''[[Ice on Fire]]'' || [[Elton John]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Misdemeanor (UFO album)|Misdemeanor]]'' || [[UFO (band)|UFO]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Promise (Sade album)|Promise]]'' || [[Sade Adu|Sade]] || UK
|-
| ''[[Riptide (album)|Riptide]]'' || [[Robert Palmer]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Singles Collection (Spandau Ballet album)|The Singles Collection]]'' || [[Spandau Ballet]] || Compilation
|-
| ''[[The Broadway Album]]'' || [[Barbra Streisand]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |7
| ''[[9012Live: The Solos]]'' || [[Yes (band)|Yes]] || US/Live
|-
| ''[[Biograph (album)|Biograph]]'' || [[Bob Dylan]] || Box Set
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |8
| ''[[All for Love (New Edition album)|All for Love]]'' || [[New Edition]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="5" align="center" |11
| ''[[Bitter Sweet (King album)|Bitter Sweet]]'' || [[King (new wave band)|King]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Catching Up with Depeche Mode]]'' || [[Depeche Mode]] || US; Compilation
|-
| ''[[Songs to Learn & Sing]]'' || [[Echo & the Bunnymen]] || Compilation
|-
| ''[[The Chronicle of the Black Sword]]'' || [[Hawkwind]] ||-
|-
| ''[[White City: A Novel]]'' || [[Pete Townshend]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |12
| ''[[Play Deep]]'' || [[The Outfield]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |13
| ''[[Seven the Hard Way]]'' || [[Pat Benatar]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Folksinger (album)|Folksinger]]'' || [[Phranc]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |15
| ''[[Tiny Dynamine]]'' || [[Cocteau Twins]] || EP
|-
| rowspan="8" align="center" |18
| ''[[3 Ships]]'' || [[Jon Anderson]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Crackers: The Christmas Party Album]]'' || [[Slade]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Psychocandy]]'' || [[The Jesus and Mary Chain]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Radio (LL Cool J album)|Radio]]'' || [[LL Cool J]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Rock a Little]]'' || [[Stevie Nicks]] ||-
|-
| ''[[So Red the Rose]]'' || [[Arcadia (band)|Arcadia]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Starpeace]]'' || [[Yoko Ono]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Walls of Jericho (album)|Walls of Jericho]]'' || [[Helloween]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |21
| ''[[Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention]]'' || [[Frank Zappa]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |22
| ''[[Come Out and Play (Twisted Sister album)|Come Out and Play]]'' || [[Twisted Sister]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Easy Pieces]]'' || [[Lloyd Cole and the Commotions]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="3" align="center" |25
| ''[[Astra (album)|Astra]]'' || [[Asia (band)|Asia]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Friends (Dionne Warwick album)|Friends]]'' || [[Dionne Warwick]] ||-
|-
| ''Now That's What I Call Music 6'' || Various Artists || Compilation
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |26
| ''[[Pack Up the Plantation: Live!]]'' || [[Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers]] || Live
|-
| ''[[Species Deceases]]'' || [[Midnight Oil]] || EP
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |29
| ''[[Echoes in a Shallow Bay]]'' || [[Cocteau Twins]] || EP
|-
|  rowspan="1" align="center" |30
| ''[[We Care a Lot]]'' || [[Faith No More]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="9" align="center" |?
| ''[[Carnivore (Carnivore album)|Carnivore]]'' || [[Carnivore (band)|Carnivore]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Double Trouble Live]]'' || [[Molly Hatchet]] || Live
|-
| ''[[Heyday (The Church album)|Heyday]]'' || [[The Church (band)|The Church]] ||-
|-
| ''Night of the Crime'' || [[Icon (band)|Icon]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Raging Violence]]'' || [[Hirax]] ||-
|- 
| ''[[Stereotomy]]'' || [[The Alan Parsons Project]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Dream Academy (album)|The Dream Academy]]'' || [[The Dream Academy]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Wrestling Album]]'' || [[World Wrestling Federation]] || Soundtrack
|- 
| ''[[Who's Missing (album)|Who's Missing]]'' || [[The Who]] || Compilation
|-
|}

=== December ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Day
!Album
!Artist
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="3" align="center" |9
| ''[[Club Ninja]]'' || [[Blue Öyster Cult]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Fine Young Cannibals (album)|Fine Young Cannibals]]'' || [[Fine Young Cannibals]] ||-
|-
| ''[[The Long Play]]'' || [[Sandra (singer)|Sandra]] ||-
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |16
| ''[[Fight to Survive]]'' || [[White Lion]] || Debut/Japan
|-
| rowspan="1" align="center" |31
| ''[[A Classic Case]]'' || [[London Symphony Orchestra]] || music of [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]]
|-
| rowspan="5" align="center" |?
| ''[[10 from 6]]'' || [[Bad Company]] || Compilation
|-
| ''[[3-Way Tie (For Last)]]'' || [[Minutemen (band)|Minutemen]] ||-
|-
| ''Friends'' || [[Dionne Warwick]] ||-
|-
| ''[[Geek!]]'' || [[My Bloody Valentine (band)|My Bloody Valentine]] || EP
|-
| ''[[Island Life]]'' || [[Grace Jones]] || Compilation
|}

===Release date unknown===
{{div col}}
*''[[...Undone]]'' – [[The Lucy Show]]
*''[[2WO]]'' – [[Strange Advance]]
*''[[7 Day Weekend (album)|7 Day Weekend]]'' – [[The Comsat Angels]]
*''[[A View to a Kill (soundtrack)|A View to a Kill: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]]'' – John Barry
*''Alan Merrill'' – [[Alan Merrill]]
*''[[Alternating Currents (album)|Alternating Currents]]'' – [[Spyro Gyra]]
*''[[Ancient Artifacts]]'' – [[D.I. (band)|D.I.]]
*''[[Another Place (Hiroshima album)|Another Place]]'' – [[Hiroshima]]
*''[[Another World (The Roches album)|Another World]]'' – [[The Roches]]
*''[[Back in the DHSS]]'' – [[Half Man Half Biscuit]]
*''[[Baggariddim]]'' – [[UB40]]
*''[[Beat Happening (album)|Beat Happening]]'' – [[Beat Happening]]
*''[[Beat the System (album)|Beat the System]]'' – [[Petra]]
*''[[Begegnungen II]]'' – [[Brian Eno|Eno]] [[Dieter Moebius|Moebius]] [[Roedelius]] [[Conny Plank|Plank]]
*''[[Behaviour (Saga album)|Behaviour]]'' – [[Saga (band)|Saga]]
*''The Best of Elvy Sukaeish'' – [[Elvy Sukaesih]]
*''[[Better_Off_Dead_(film)#Soundtrack|Better Off Dead: Original A&M Soundcrack]]'' – Various Artists
*''[[Between Heaven 'n Hell]]'' – [[Resurrection Band]]
*''[[The Big Prize]]'' – [[Honeymoon Suite]]
*''[[Bites (album)|Bites]]'' – [[Skinny Puppy]]
*''Bo Diddley & Co. – Live'' – [[Bo Diddley]]
*''[[Branded and Exiled]]'' – [[Running Wild (band)|Running Wild]]
*''[[Change No Change]]'' – [[Elliot Easton]]
*''Christmas Time'' – [[Chris Stamey]]
*''[[Cock Robin (album)|Cock Robin]]'' – [[Cock Robin (band)|Cock Robin]]
*''[[Color of Success]]'' – [[Morris Day]]
*''Commander Sozo and the Charge of the Light Brigade'' – [[DeGarmo and Key]]
*''[[Company of Justice]]'' – [[Play Dead (band)|Play Dead]]
*''[[Copacabana: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Album]]'' – [[Barry Manilow]]
*''[[Cuori agitati]]'' – [[Eros Ramazzotti]]
*''[[A Diamond Hidden in the Mouth of a Corpse]]'' – [[Giorno Poetry Systems]]
*''[[Dinosaur (Dinosaur Jr. album)|Dinosaur]]'' – [[Dinosaur Jr.]]
*''[[Do You (album)|Do You]]'' – [[Sheena Easton]]
*''Downtown'' – [[Marshall Crenshaw]]
*''[[Dream Come True (A Flock of Seagulls album)|Dream Come True]]'' – [[A Flock of Seagulls]]
*''[[Every Turn of the World]]'' – [[Christopher Cross]]
*''[[False Accusations]]'' – [[The Robert Cray Band]]
*''[[Fear and Whiskey]]'' – [[Mekons]]
*''[[Feargal Sharkey (album)|Feargal Sharkey]]'' – [[Feargal Sharkey]] (solo debut)
*''[[Flame (Real Life album)|Flame]]'' – [[Real Life (band)|Real Life]]
*''[[Flaunt the Imperfection]]'' – [[China Crisis]]
*''[[For the Working Class Man]]'' – [[Jimmy Barnes]]
*''Forever Running'' – [[B-Movie (band)|B-Movie]]
*''Futile Combat'' – [[Skeletal Family]]
*''[[Go West (Go West album)|Go West]]'' – [[Go West (band)|Go West]]
*''[[The Goonies: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]]'' – Various Artists
*''Have Yourself Committed'' – [[Bryan Duncan]]
*''[[The Heart of the Matter (Kenny Rogers album)|The Heart of the Matter]]'' – [[Kenny Rogers]]
*''Hero'' – [[Clarence Clemons]]
*''[[The History Mix Volume 1]]'' – [[Godley & Creme]]
*''[[Hotline (White Heart album)|Hotline]]'' – [[White Heart]]
*''[[I Don't Want to Grow Up]]'' – [[Descendents]]
*''Immigrant'' – [[Gene Loves Jezebel]]
*''In the House'' – [[Images in Vogue]]
*''[[Into the Fire Live]]'' – [[Play Dead (band)|Play Dead]]
*''[[Just Like Real Life]]'' – [[Prodigal (band)|Prodigal]]
*''Kingdom in the Streets'' – [[Dion DiMucci]]
*''Life'' – [[Gladys Knight & the Pips]]
*''Little Baggariddim EP''  – [[UB40]]
*''[[Live in Carré]]'' – [[The Dubliners]]
*''[[Looking at You (album)|Looking at You]]'' – [[Chaz Jankel]]
*''[[Love Beyond Reason]]'' – [[Randy Stonehill]]
*''[[Love Hurts (Elaine Paige album)|Love Hurts]]'' – [[Elaine Paige]]
*''Machine Age Voodoo'' – [[SPK (band)|SPK]]
*''[[Manilow (album)|Manilow]]'' – [[Barry Manilow]]
*''[[Mayhem (Toyah album)|Mayhem]]'' – [[Toyah (band)|Toyah]] (compilation)
*''[[Mental Notes (Bad Manners album)|Mental Notes]]'' – [[Bad Manners]]
*''[[Minx (Toyah album)|Minx]]'' – [[Toyah Willcox]] (solo debut)
*''[[Mistral gagnant]]'' – [[Renaud]]
*''[[Mud Will Be Flung Tonight]]'' – [[Bette Midler]]
*''[[Mystery (RAH Band album)|Mystery]]'' – [[RAH Band]]
*''[[No Muss...No Fuss]]'' – [[Donnie Iris]]
*''[[Now – The Christmas Album]]'' – Various Artists
*''Off the Board'' – [[Ludichrist]]
*''[[Oil & Gold]]'' – [[Shriekback]]
*''Old Flame'' – [[Juice Newton]]
*''[[Old Land]]'' – [[Cluster (band)|Cluster]] & [[Brian Eno]]
*''[[On the Fritz]]'' – [[Steve Taylor]]
*''[[One for the Road (April Wine album)|One for the Road]]'' – [[April Wine]]
*''[[Only Four You]]'' – [[Mary Jane Girls]]
*''[[Our Garden Needs Its Flowers]]'' – Jess Sah Bi and [[Peter One]]
*''[[Partners, Brothers and Friends (album)|Partners, Brothers and Friends]]'' – [[Nitty Gritty Dirt Band]]
*''[[Promesas]]'' – [[José José]]
*''[[Rescue You]]'' – [[Joe Lynn Turner]]
*''[[Resistance (Burning Spear album)|Resistance]]'' – [[Burning Spear]]
*''[[Rhythm Romance]]'' – [[The Romantics]]
*''[[Romance (David Cassidy album)|Romance]]'' – [[David Cassidy]]
*''Say You Love Me'' – [[Jennifer Holliday]]
*''[[A Secret Wish]]'' – [[Propaganda (band)|Propaganda]]
*''[[A Sense of Wonder]]'' – [[Van Morrison]]
*''[[Shamrock Diaries]]'' – [[Chris Rea]]
*''[[Skin Dive]]'' – [[Michael Franks (musician)|Michael Franks]]
*''So Many Rivers'' – [[Bobby Womack]]
*''[[Some of My Best Jokes Are Friends]]'' – [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]]
*''[[Some People (Belouis Some album)|Some People]]'' – [[Belouis Some]]
*''[[Stages (Triumph album)|Stages]]'' – [[Triumph (band)|Triumph]]
*''[[Stay Hard]]'' – [[Raven (band)|Raven]]
*''[[Steady Nerves]]'' – [[Graham Parker]] and The Shot
*''Syirin Farthat'' – [[Elvy Sukaesih]]
*''[[Talk about the Weather]]'' – [[Red Lorry Yellow Lorry]]
*''[[Telephone Free Landslide Victory]]'' – [[Camper Van Beethoven]]
*''[[Through a Window]]'' – [[Patrick Sky]]
*''[[Thursday Afternoon]]'' – [[Brian Eno]]
*''[[The UB40 File]]'' – [[UB40]]
*''[[Under Lock and Key]]'' – [[Dokken]]
*''U.T.F.O.'' – [[UTFO]]
*''[[Vassar Clements, John Hartford, Dave Holland]]'' – [[Vassar Clements]], [[John Hartford]], [[Dave Holland (bassist)|Dave Holland]]
*''[[Voices Carry (album)|Voices Carry]]'' – [['til Tuesday]]
*''[[What a Life! (album)|What a Life!]]'' – [[Divinyls]]
*''[[Whatever Happened to Jugula?]]'' – [[Roy Harper (singer)|Roy Harper]]
*''Without Love'' – [[Black N' Blue]]
*''[[Wonderful (Circle Jerks album)|Wonderful]]'' – [[Circle Jerks]]
*''Zaman'' – [[Ebiet G. Ade]]
{{div col end}}

==Biggest hit singles==
The following songs achieved the highest in the charts of 1985.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tsort.info/music/yr1985.htm|title=Songs from the Year 1985|last=Hawtin|first=Steve|year=2007|publisher=Steve Hawtin/TsorT|access-date=April 13, 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080403002755/http://tsort.info/music/yr1985.htm| archive-date=April 3, 2008| url-status= live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
|-
! <big>#</big>
! <big>Artist</big>
! <big>Title</big>
! Year
! Country
! Chart Entries
|-
| 1  || [[USA for Africa]] || "[[We Are the World]]" || 1985 || {{Flagicon|US}} || UK 1 - Apr 1985 (10 weeks), US Billboard 1 - Mar 1985 (18 weeks), US CashBox 1 of 1985, Canada 1 - Apr 1985 (8 weeks), Holland 1 - Mar 1985 (16 weeks), Sweden 1 - Mar 1985 (7 weeks), Sweden (alt) 1 - Apr 1985 (22 weeks), Brazil 1 of 1985, Switzerland 1 - Apr 1985 (26 weeks), Norway 1 - Mar 1985 (17 weeks), Poland 1 - Mar 1983 (17 weeks), Belgium 1 - Mar 1985 (18 weeks), Australia 1 of 1985, Italy 1 of 1985, Italy 1 for 11 weeks - Apr 1985, Eire 1 for 4 weeks - Apr 1985, Canada RPM 1 for 3 weeks - May 1985, New Zealand 1 for 7 weeks - Apr 1985, Australia 1 for 9 weeks - Apr 1985, Springbok 1 - May 1985 (23 weeks), Europe 1 for 9 weeks - Apr 1985, Grammy in 1985, US 4 X Platinum (certified by RIAA in Apr 1985), Austria 2 - Apr 1985 (5 months), Germany 2 - Apr 1985 (3 months), ODK Germany 2 - Apr 1985 (21 weeks) (7 weeks in top 10), MTV Video of the year 1985 (Nominated), Switzerland 4 of 1985, US Radio 6 of 1985 (peak 1 9 weeks), South Africa 8 of 1985, ARC 13 of 1985 (peak 1 12 weeks), US BB 20 of 1985, Canada 23 of 1985, nuTsie 37 of 1980s, POP 71 of 1985, DMDB 86 (1985), RIAA 121, France (InfoDisc) 131 of the 1980s (peak 1, 25 weeks, 965k sales estimated, 1985), Germany 263 of the 1980s (peak 2 10 weeks), OzNet 418, Acclaimed 1371 (1985), UK Silver (certified by BPI in Apr 1985), Global 4 (20 M sold) - 1985
|-
| 2 || [[a-ha]] || "[[Take On Me]]" || 1984 || {{Flagicon|Norway}} || US Billboard 1 - Jul 1985 (26 weeks), Canada 1 - Aug 1985 (11 weeks), Holland 1 - Oct 1985 (12 weeks), Sweden (alt) 1 - Oct 1985 (11 weeks), France 1 - May 1985 (3 weeks), Switzerland 1 - Nov 1985 (14 weeks), Norway 1 - Nov 1984 (29 weeks), Poland 1 - Dec 1985 (24 weeks), Belgium 1 - Nov 1985 (14 weeks), Italy 1 for 4 weeks - Jan 1986, Germany 1 - Jan 1986 (4 months), ODK Germany 1 - Oct 1985 (21 weeks) (5 weeks at number 1) (12 weeks in top 10), Australia 1 for 2 weeks - Nov 1985, Europe 1 for 9 weeks - Nov 1985, Germany 1 for 5 weeks - Nov 1985, Scrobulate 1 of 80s, UK 2 - Sep 1985 (19 weeks), MTV Video of the year 1986 (Nominated), Sweden 4 - Aug 1985 (6 weeks), Austria 4 - Dec 1985 (3 months), UK Gold (certified by BPI in Nov 1985), Germany Gold (certified by BMieV in 1985), Italy 7 of 1986, Springbok 7 - Dec 1985 (12 weeks), KROQ 7 of 1985, US BB 10 of 1985, Australia 12 of 1985, US CashBox 15 of 1985, Brazil 18 of 1985, ARC 20 of 1985 (peak 1 14 weeks), Europe 20 of the 1980s (1985), US Radio 21 of 1985 (peak 1 10 weeks), Canada 29 of 1985, POP 31 of 1985, Vinyl Surrender 71 (1985), Germany 81 of the 1980s (peak 1 13 weeks), UK Songs 2013-23 peak 85 - Nov 2023 (1 week), nuTsie 93 of 1980s, France (InfoDisc) 235 of the 1980s (peak 2, 29 weeks, 736k sales estimated, 1985), UKMIX 514, OzNet 795, Acclaimed 2396 (1985), RYM 8 of 1984, NY Daily Love list 66, Global 33 (5 M sold) - 1985, Party 133 of 2007
|-
| 3  || [[Foreigner (band)|Foreigner]] || "[[I Want to Know What Love Is]]" || 1984 || {{Flagicon|UK}} {{Flagicon|US}} || UK 1 - Dec 1984 (17 weeks), US Billboard 1 - Dec 1984 (20 weeks), Canada 1 - Dec 1984 (18 weeks), Sweden 1 - Dec 1984 (9 weeks), Sweden (alt) 1 - Dec 1984 (19 weeks), Norway 1 - Jan 1985 (16 weeks), Poland 1 - Mar 1983 (22 weeks), Eire 1 for 2 weeks - Jan 1985, Canada RPM 1 for 3 weeks - Feb 1985, New Zealand 1 for 3 weeks - Feb 1985, Australia 1 for 5 weeks - Feb 1985, Switzerland 2 - Jan 1985 (17 weeks), Springbok 2 - Feb 1985 (17 weeks), ARC 3 of 1985 (peak 1 16 weeks), ODK Germany 3 - Dec 1984 (22 weeks) (8 weeks in top 10), Canada 3 of 1985, US BB 4 of 1985, US Radio 4 of 1985 (peak 1 11 weeks), Germany 4 - Jan 1985 (4 months), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Mar 1985), UK Gold (certified by BPI in Jan 1985), Australia 5 of 1985, Holland 6 - Dec 1984 (15 weeks), Austria 7 - Feb 1985 (4 months), Belgium 7 - Dec 1984 (14 weeks), US CashBox 8 of 1985, Brazil 12 of 1985, Switzerland 12 of 1985, South Africa 12 of 1985, POP 17 of 1985, Europe 38 of the 1980s (1984), Holland free40 74 of 1985, OzNet 180, Germany 255 of the 1980s (peak 3 12 weeks), Rolling Stone 476, Acclaimed 659 (1984), UKMIX 876, RYM 186 of 1984
|-
| 4  || [[Tears for Fears]] || "[[Shout (Tears for Fears song)|Shout]]" || 1984 ||{{Flagicon|UK}} || US BB 1 – Jun 1985, Canada 1 – Feb 1985, Netherlands 1 – Jan 1985, Switzerland 1 – Feb 1985, Germany 1 – Jan 1985, New Zealand 1 for 3 weeks Mar 1985, Australia 1 for 1 weeks Nov 1985, France 3 – Dec 1984, Poland 3 – Mar 1985, UK 4 – Dec 1984, Sweden 5 – Dec 1984, Norway 5 – Mar 1985, KROQ 5 of 1985, Austria 6 – Mar 1985, US CashBox 13 of 1985, Australia 14 of 1985, Sweden (alt) 16 – Feb 1985, South Africa 16 of 1985, Italy 20 of 1985, RYM 27 of 1984, Scrobulate 36 of 80s, Germany 104 of the 1980s, Acclaimed 974
|-
| 5  || [[Lionel Richie]] || "[[Say You, Say Me]]" || 1985 || {{Flagicon|US}} || US Billboard 1 - Nov 1985 (19 weeks), Canada 1 - Nov 1985 (11 weeks), Switzerland 1 - Dec 1985 (16 weeks), Norway 1 - Nov 1985 (15 weeks), Canada RPM 1 for 4 weeks - Dec 1985, Springbok 1 - Nov 1985 (26 weeks), South Africa 1 of 1986, Oscar in 1985 (film ' '), Golden Globe in 1985 (film 'White Nights'), US BB 2 of 1986, Holland 2 - Nov 1985 (13 weeks), Sweden 2 - Nov 1985 (6 weeks), Belgium 2 - Nov 1985 (15 weeks), US Radio 3 of 1985 (peak 1 11 weeks), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Jan 1986), Sweden (alt) 6 - Nov 1985 (5 weeks), Austria 6 - Jan 1986 (4 months), Poland 7 - Nov 1985 (6 weeks), UK 8 - Nov 1985 (13 weeks), Switzerland 8 of 1986, ARC 9 of 1985 (peak 1 14 weeks), ODK Germany 12 - Dec 1985 (19 weeks), Germany 14 - Jan 1986 (3 months), Brazil 15 of 1986, US CashBox 23 of 1986, Italy 28 of 1986, POP 33 of 1985, Canada 40 of 1986, Billboard 50th song 74, 55th Billboard 100 84 (1985), Billboard100 89
|}

==Top 40 Chart hit singles==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%;"
! <big>Song title</big> 
! <big>Artist(s)</big> 
! <big>Release date(s)</big> 
! <big>[[Billboard Hot 100|US]]</big>
! <big>[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]</big>
! <big>Highest chart position</big>
! <big>Other Chart Performance(s)</big>
|-
|| "[[19 (song)|19]]" || [[Paul Hardcastle]] || {{Date table sorting|041985}}|April 1985 || 15 || 1 || [[19 (song)#Charts and certifications|(12 countries)]] || [[19 (song)#Charts and certifications|See chart performance entry]]
|-
|| "[[Alive and Kicking (song)|Alive and Kicking]]" || [[Simple Minds]] || {{Date table sorting|091985}}|September 1985 || 3 || 7 || 1 (Italy) ||[[Alive and Kicking (song)#Charts and certifications|See chart performance entry]]
|-
|| "[[All I Need (Jack Wagner song)|All I Need]]" || [[Jack Wagner (actor)|Jack Wagner]] || {{Date table sorting|011985}}|January 1985 || 2 || n/a || 2 (United States) || 1 (Canada RPM Adult Contemporary) – 1 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) – 2 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) – 3 (Canada) – 93 (Australia)
|-
|| "[[And We Danced (The Hooters song)|And We Danced]]" || [[The Hooters]] || {{Date table sorting|081985}}|August 1985 || 21 || n/a || 6 (Australia) || 9 (New Zealand) – 72 (West Germany)
|-
|| "[[Angel (Madonna song)|Angel]]" || [[Madonna]] || {{Date table sorting|041985}}|April 1985 || 5 || 5 || 1 (Australia) || [[Angel (Madonna song)#Charts|See chart performance entry]]
|}

===Other Chart hit singles===
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|

*"[[A View to a Kill (song)|A View to a Kill]]" – [[Duran Duran]]
*"[[Better Be Good To Me]]" (1984) – [[Tina Turner]]
*"[[Body and Soul (1930 song)|Body & Soul]]" – [[Mai Tai (band)|Mai Tai]]
*"Body Rock" (1984) – [[Maria Vidal]] 
*"[[Born in the U.S.A. (song)|Born in the U.S.A.]]" (1984) – [[Bruce Springsteen]] (released in 1984)
*"[[The Boy with the Thorn in His Side]]" – [[The Smiths]]
*"[[The Boys of Summer (song)|The Boys of Summer]]" (1984) – [[Don Henley]]
*"[[Broken Wings (Mr. Mister song)|Broken Wings]]" – [[Mr. Mister]]
*"[[Brothers in Arms (song)|Brothers in Arms]]" – [[Dire Straits]]
*"[[Borderline (Madonna song)|Borderline]]" (1983) – [[Madonna]] (UK release)
*"[[Call Me (Go West song)|Call Me]]" – [[Go West (band)|Go West]]
*"[[Cannonball (Supertramp song)|Cannonball]]" – [[Supertramp]]
*"[[Can't Fight This Feeling]]" (1984) – [[REO Speedwagon]] 
*"[[Careless Whisper]]" (1984) – [[Wham!]]
*"[[Centerfield (song)|Centerfield]]" – [[John Fogerty]]
*"[[Baby, Come to Me (Patti Austin and James Ingram song)|C'était mon ami]]" – [[Dalida]]
*"[[Chain Reaction (Diana Ross song)|Chain Reaction]]" – [[Diana Ross]]
*"[[Change Your Mind (Sharpe & Numan song)|Change Your Mind]]" – [[Sharpe & Numan]]
*"[[Cheri, Cheri Lady]]" – [[Modern Talking]]
*"[[Cherish (Kool & the Gang song)|Cherish]]" – [[Kool & the Gang]]
*"[[Close to Me (The Cure song)|Close to Me]]" – [[The Cure]]
*"[[Cloudbusting]]" – [[Kate Bush]]
*"Color My Love" – [[Fun Fun]] (Released in 1984)
*"[[Could It Be I'm Falling in Love]]" – [[David Grant (singer)|David Grant]] and [[Jaki Graham]]
*"[[Crazy for You (Madonna song)|Crazy for You]]" – [[Madonna]]
*"[[Dancing in the Street]]" – [[David Bowie]] and [[Mick Jagger]]
*"[[Devuélveme a mi chica]]" – [[Hombres G]]
*"[[Dirty Old Town]]" – [[The Pogues]]
*"[[Don't Come Around Here No More]]" – [[Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers]]
*"[[Don't You (Forget About Me)]]" – [[Simple Minds]]
*"[[Dress You Up]]" – [[Madonna]]
*"[[Duel (Propaganda song)|Duel]]" – [[Propaganda (band)|Propaganda]]
*"[[Eaten Alive (song)|Eaten Alive]]" – [[Diana Ross]]
*"[[E=MC<sup>2</sup> (song)|E=MC<sup>2</sup>]]" – [[Big Audio Dynamite]]
*"[[Election Day]]" – [[Arcadia (band)|Arcadia]]
*"[[Éthiopie]]" – Chanteurs sans Frontières
*"[[Everybody Wants to Rule the World]]" (1984) – [[Tears for Fears]]
*"[[Everything She Wants]]" (1984) – [[Wham!]]
*"[[Everytime You Go Away]]" – [[Paul Young]]
*"Faron Young" – [[Prefab Sprout]]
*"[[Find a Way (Amy Grant song)|Find A Way]]" – [[Amy Grant]]
*"[[Fortress Around Your Heart]]" – [[Sting (musician)|Sting]]
*"[[Frankie (Sister Sledge song)|Frankie]]" – [[Sister Sledge]]
*"Freak A Ristic" – [[Atlantic Starr]]
*"Freaks Come Out at Night" (1984) – [[Whodini]] 
*"[[Fresh (Kool & the Gang song)|Fresh]]" (1984) – [[Kool & the Gang]] 
*"[[Freeway of Love]]" – [[Aretha Franklin]]
*"Gambler" – [[Madonna]]
*"[[Get It On (T. Rex song)#The Power Station version|Get It On]]" – [[The Power Station (band)|The Power Station]]
*"[[Gimme, Gimme, Gimme (Narada Michael Walden song)|Gimme, Gimme, Gimme]]" – [[Narada Michael Walden]] and [[Patti Austin]]
*"[[Glory Days (Bruce Springsteen song)|Glory Days]]" (1984) – [[Bruce Springsteen]]
*"[[Goodbye Is Forever]]" – [[Arcadia (band)|Arcadia]]
*"[[The Goonies 'R' Good Enough]]" – [[Cyndi Lauper]]
*"(Gotta Be) Wrong Way To Love" – [[Dynamic Hepnotics]]
*"[[Head over Heels (Tears for Fears song)|Head Over Heels]]" (1984) – [[Tears for Fears]]
*"Heart User" – [[Cliff Richard]]
*"[[The Heat Is On (Glenn Frey song)|The Heat Is On]]" – [[Glenn Frey]]
*"[[Heaven (Bryan Adams song)|Heaven]]" – [[Bryan Adams]]
*"History" – [[Mai Tai (music group)|Mai Tai]]
*"[[Hold Me (Menudo song)|Hold Me]]" – [[Menudo (band)|Menudo]]
*"[[Holding Back The Years]]" – [[Simply Red]] (charted in 1986 in the U.S.)
*"[[Home Sweet Home (Mötley Crüe song)|Home Sweet Home]]" – [[Mötley Crüe]]
*"[[Hounds of Love (song)|Hounds of Love]]" – [[Kate Bush]]
*"[[How Soon Is Now?]]" – [[The Smiths]] (originally released in 1984 as a [[B-side]])
*"[[How Will I Know]]" – [[Whitney Houston]]
*"[[Hurt (Roy Hamilton song)|Hurt]]" – [[Juice Newton]]
*"[[I Don't Think I'm Ready for You]]" – [[Anne Murray]]
*"[[I Miss You (Klymaxx song)|I Miss You]]" – [[Klymaxx]]
*"[[I Want to Know What Love Is]]" (1984) – [[Foreigner (band)|Foreigner]]
*"[[I Was Born to Love You (song)|I Was Born to Love You]]" – [[Freddie Mercury]]
*"[[If Ever You're in My Arms Again]]" – [[Peabo Bryson]]
*"[[If You Love Somebody Set Them Free]]" – [[Sting (musician)|Sting]]
*"[[(I'll Never Be) Maria Magdalena]]" – [[Sandra (singer)|Sandra]]
*"[[I'm On Fire]]" (1984) – [[Bruce Springsteen]]
*"[[In Between Days]]" – [[The Cure]]
*"[[In My House]]" – [[Mary Jane Girls]]
*"[[In the Heat of the Night (Sandra song)|In The Heat Of The Night]]" – [[Sandra (singer)|Sandra]]
*"[[Innocent (Alexander O'Neal song)|Innocent]]" – [[Alexander O'Neal]]
*"[[Into the Groove]]" – [[Madonna]]
*"[[Invincible (Pat Benatar song)|Invincible]]" – [[Pat Benatar]]
*"[[It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)]]" – [[Eurythmics]]
*"[[Je te donne (Jean-Jacques Goldman song)|Je te donne]]" – [[Jean-Jacques Goldman]] and Michael Jones
*"[[Johnny Come Home]]" – [[Fine Young Cannibals]]
*"[[Johnny, Johnny]]" – [[Jeanne Mas]]
*"[[Just Like Honey]]" – [[The Jesus and Mary Chain]]
*"[[Kayleigh]]" – [[Marillion]]
*"[[Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)]]" – [[INXS]]
*"[[Lay Your Hands on Me (Thompson Twins song)|Lay Your Hands on Me]]" – [[Thompson Twins]]
*"Le temps d'aimer" – [[Dalida]]
*"Le Vénitien de Levallois" – [[Dalida]]
*"Lean on Me (ah-li-ayo)" – [[Red Box (band)|Red Box]]
*"[[Let's Go Crazy]]/Take Me With U" – [[Prince (artist)|Prince and the Revolution]] (released in 1984)
*"[[Listen Like Thieves]]" – [[INXS]]
*"[[Life in a Northern Town]]" – [[The Dream Academy]]
*"Live Is Life" – [[Opus (Austrian band)|Opus]]
*"Living on My Own" – [[Freddie Mercury]]
*"[[Love Like Blood (song)|Love Like Blood]]" – [[Killing Joke]]
*"[[Lovergirl]]" – [[Teena Marie]]
*"[[Lover Why]]" – [[Century (French band)|Century]]
*"[[Loverboy (Billy Ocean song)|Loverboy]]" – [[Billy Ocean]]
*"[[Lovin' Every Minute of It]]" – [[Loverboy]]
*"[[Madhouse (song)|Madhouse]]" – [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]]
*"[[Manhattan Project (song)|Manhattan Project]]" – [[Rush (band)|Rush]]
*"[[Marcia baila]]" – [[Rita Mitsouko]]
*"[[Material Girl]]" – [[Madonna]]
*"[[Miami Vice Theme]]" – [[Jan Hammer]]
*"[[Merry Christmas Everyone]]" – [[Shakin' Stevens]]
*"[[Method of Modern Love]]" – [[Hall & Oates]] (released in 1984)
*"[[Money Changes Everything]]" – [[Cyndi Lauper]]
*"[[Money for Nothing (song)|Money for Nothing]]" – [[Dire Straits]]
*"[[Mothers Talk]]" – [[Tears For Fears]] (released in 1984)
*"[[Move Closer]]" – [[Phyllis Nelson]]
*"[[Mystic Rhythms]]" – [[Rush (band)|Rush]]
*"[[Neutron Dance]]" – [[The Pointer Sisters]] (released in 1984)
*"[[Never (Heart song)|Never]]" – [[Heart (band)|Heart]]
*"[[Never Surrender (Corey Hart song)|Never Surrender]]" – [[Corey Hart (singer)|Corey Hart]]
*"[[A New England]]" – [[Kirsty MacColl]]
*"Ni tú ni nadie" – [[Alaska (singer)|Alaska y Dinarama]]
*"[[Nightshift (song)|Nightshift]]" – [[The Commodores]]
*"[[Nikita (song)|Nikita]]" – [[Elton John]]
*"[[Obsession (Animotion song)|Obsession]]" – [[Animotion]]
*"[[Oh Sheila]]" – [[Ready for the World]]
*"[[The Old Man Down The Road]]" – [[John Fogerty]]
*"[[One More Night (Phil Collins song)|One More Night]]" – [[Phil Collins]]
*"[[One Night in Bangkok]]" – [[Murray Head]]
*"[[One Of The Living]]" – [[Tina Turner]]
*"[[One Vision]]" – [[Queen (band)|Queen]]
*"[[Only the Young (Journey song)|Only the Young]]" (recorded 1983) – [[Journey (band)|Journey]]
*"[[Out of Mind, Out of Sight (song)|Out Of Mind Out Of Sight]]" – [[Models (band)|Models]]
*"[[Part-Time Lover]]" – [[Stevie Wonder]]
*"[[Party All the Time]]" – [[Eddie Murphy]]
*"[[Point of No Return (Exposé song)|Point of No Return]]" – [[Exposé (band)|Exposé]]
*"[[The Power of Love (Huey Lewis and the News song)|The Power of Love]]" – [[Huey Lewis and the News]]
*"[[Private Dancer (Tina Turner song)|Private Dancer]]" – [[Tina Turner]]
*"[[Rage to Love]]" – [[Kim Wilde]]
*"[[Raspberry Beret]]" – [[Prince (artist)|Prince and the Revolution]]
*"Reviens-moi" – [[Dalida]]
*"[[Running Up that Hill]]" – [[Kate Bush]]
*"[[Russians (song)|Russians]]" – [[Sting (musician)|Sting]]
*"[[Samurai]]" – [[Michael Cretu]]
*"[[Saving All My Love for You]]" – [[Whitney Houston]]
*"[[Say I'm Your Number One]]" – [[Desiree Heslop|Princess]]
*"[[Say You, Say Me]]" – [[Lionel Richie]]
*"[[Secret Lovers]]" – [[Atlantic Starr]]
*"[[See the Day]]" – [[Dee C. Lee]]
*"[[Separate Lives]]" – [[Phil Collins]] with [[Marilyn Martin]]
*"[[Shake the Disease]]" – [[Depeche Mode]]
*"[[Shout (Tears for Fears song)|Shout]]" – [[Tears for Fears]]
*"[[So Far Away (Dire Straits song)|So Far Away]]" – [[Dire Straits]]
*"[[So in Love (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)|So In Love]]" – [[Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark]]
*"[[Some Heads Are Gonna Roll]]" (1984) – [[Judas Priest]]
*"[[Some Like It Hot (song)|Some Like It Hot]]" – [[The Power Station (band)|The Power Station]]
*"[[Somebody (Bryan Adams song)|Somebody]]" (1984) – [[Bryan Adams]]
*"[[Something About You (Level 42 song)|Something About You]]" – [[Level 42]] (charted in 1986 in the U.S.)
*"[[Square Rooms]]" – [[Al Corley]]
*"[[St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)]]" – [[John Parr]]
*"[[Suddenly (Billy Ocean song)|Suddenly]]" – [[Billy Ocean]]
*"[[Summer of '69]]" (1984) – [[Bryan Adams]]
*"[[The Sun Always Shines on TV]]" – [[a-ha]]
*"[[The Super Bowl Shuffle]]" – [[1985 Chicago Bears]]
*"[[Sussudio]]" – [[Phil Collins]]
*"[[Take On Me]]" (1985 version) – [[a-ha]] 
*"[[Tarzan Boy]]" – [[Baltimora]]
*"[[That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore]]" – [[The Smiths]]
*"[[That's What Friends Are For]]" – [[Dionne Warwick]] (duets with [[Elton John]], [[Gladys Knight]] & [[Stevie Wonder]]) (#1 in Australia, UK, PQ)
*"[[There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)]]" – [[Eurythmics]] feat. [[Stevie Wonder]]
*"[[Things Can Only Get Better (Howard Jones song)|Things Can Only Get Better]]" – [[Howard Jones (British musician)|Howard Jones]]
*"[[This Is England (song)|This Is England]]" – [[The Clash]]
*"[[Listen Like Thieves|This Time]]" – [[INXS]]
*"[[Time Don't Run Out on Me]]" – [[Anne Murray]]
*"[[Too Late For Goodbyes]]" – [[Julian Lennon]]
*"[[Venezia (song)|Venezia]]" – [[Hombres G]]
*"[[Walk of Life]]" – [[Dire Straits]]
*"[[Walls Come Tumbling Down]]" – [[The Style Council]]
*"[[We Are the World]]" – [[USA for Africa]]
*"[[We Built This City]]" – [[Starship (band)|Starship]]
*"[[We Belong]]" – [[Pat Benatar]] (released in 1984)
*"[[We Close Our Eyes]]" – [[Go West (band)|Go West]]
*"[[We Don't Need Another Hero]]" – [[Tina Turner]]
*"[[West End Girls]]" (second release) – [[Pet Shop Boys]]
*"[[What You Need (INXS song)|What You Need]]" – INXS
*"[[Who's Zoomin' Who?]]" – [[Aretha Franklin]]
*"The Whole Of The Moon" – [[The Waterboys]]
*"[[Working Class Man]]" – [[Jimmy Barnes]]
*"[[Would I Lie to You? (Eurythmics song)|Would I Lie To You?]]" – [[Eurythmics]]
*"[[Wrap Her Up]]" – [[Elton John]]
*"[[You Belong to the City]]" – [[Glenn Frey]]
*"[[You Give Good Love]]" – [[Whitney Houston]]
*"[[You Make Me Want to Make You Mine]]" – [[Juice Newton]]
*"[[You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)]]" – [[Dead or Alive (band)|Dead or Alive]]
*"[[Your Personal Touch]]" – [[Evelyn "Champagne" King]]
*"[[You're My Heart, You're My Soul]]" – [[Modern Talking]]
*"[[You're Only Human (Second Wind)]]" – [[Billy Joel]]
*"[[You're the Inspiration]]" – [[Chicago (band)|Chicago]] (released in 1984)
}}

==Notable singles==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%;"
! <big>Song title</big> 
! <big>Artist(s)</big> 
! <big>Release date(s)</big> 
! <big>Other Chart Performance(s)</big>

|-
| "[[Love Like Blood (song)|Love Like Blood]]" || [[Killing Joke]] || {{Date table sorting|091985}}|September 1985 || [[Love Like Blood (song)#Charts|See chart performance entry]]
|-
| "[[The Boy with the Thorn in His Side]]" || data-sort-value="Smiths"|[[The Smiths]] || {{Date table sorting|091985}}|September 1985 || 15 (Ireland) – 23 (UK Singles Chart)
|-
| "[[You Don't Miss Your Water#The Triffids' version|You Don't Miss Your Water]]" || data-sort-value="Triffids"|[[The Triffids]] || {{Date table sorting|081985}}|August 1985 || n/a
|-
|"[[King of Rock (song)| King of Rock]]" || |[[Run-DMC]] || {{Date table sorting|011985}}|January 1985 || 8 (US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles) – 14 (US Billboard Hot Black Singles) – 40 (US Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles) – 80 (UK Singles Charts)
|-
|"[[Makes No Sense at All]]" || [[Hüsker Dü]] || {{Date table sorting|081985}}|August 1985 || 2 (UK Indie Chart)
|-
|"[[Oh Yeah (Yello song)|Oh Yeah]]" || [[Yello]] || {{Date table sorting|071985}}|July 1985 || 8 (Australia) – 36 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs) – 47 (Germany) – 51 (US Billboard Hot 100 Charts)
|-
|"[[Vicious Games]]" || [[Yello]] || {{Date table sorting|021985}}|February 1985 || 5 (Switzerland) – 8 (US Billboard Dance Club Singles) – 15 (Germany) – 60 (Australia)
|}

===Other Notable singles===
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
*"[[Man Overboard (Do-Re-Mi song)|Man Overboard]]" – [[Do-Re-Mi (band)|Do-Re-Mi]]
*"Yummer Yummer Man" – [[Danielle Dax]]
}}

==Classical music==
*[[John Adams (composer)|John Adams]]
**''[[The Chairman Dances]]''
**''[[Harmonielehre]]''
*[[Kalevi Aho]]
**Oboe Sonata
**''Solo II,'' for piano
*[[Pierre Boulez]]
**''[[Dialogue de l'ombre double]]'' for clarinet and electronics
**''Memoriale (... explosante fixe... Originel)'' for flute and ensemble
*[[Mario Davidovsky]] – Capriccio for two pianos
*[[Peter Maxwell Davies]] – ''[[An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise]]''
*[[James Dillon (composer)|James Dillon]] – ''Windows and Canopies'', small orchestra (20 players)
*[[Henri Dutilleux]] – ''L'arbre des Songes'' (violin concerto)
*[[Roland Dyens]] – Tango en Skaï, for guitar
*[[Morton Feldman]]
**''Coptic Light'', for orchestra
**''For Bunita Marcus'', for piano
**''Violin and String Quartet''
**''Piano and String Quartet''
*[[Brian Ferneyhough]] – ''[[Etudes Transcendantales]]'' for soprano and chamber ensemble
*[[Lorenzo Ferrero]]
**''Canzoni d'amore'' (song cycle)
**''Empty Stage''
**''My Rock''
*[[Beat Furrer]] – String Quartet No. 1
*[[Karel Goeyvaerts]]
**''[[Aquarius (opera)#Other works of the Aquarius project|Pas à pas]]'', for solo piano
**''[[Aquarius (opera)#Other works of the Aquarius project|Les Voix de Verseau]]'', for soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano
*[[Henryk Górecki]]
**''O Domina Nostra'', Op. 55, soprano and organ
**''Five Marian Songs'', Op. 54, chorus a cappella
*[[Gérard Grisey]] – ''Les espaces acoustiques'' – VI – ''Epilogue'', for 4 solo horns and large orchestra
*[[Jacques Hétu]] – ''Missa pro trecentisimo anno''
*[[Hans Werner Henze]] – ''Selbst- und Zwiegespräche''
*[[Heinz Holliger]] – ''Präludium, Arioso and Passacaglia'', for two guitars
*Nicholas Jackson – Organ Sonata
*[[Tristan Keuris]]
**String Quartet No. 2
**Variations for Strings
**Aria for flute and piano
*[[György Ligeti]] – [[Études (Ligeti)|Études pour piano, Book 1]], six etudes
*[[Andrew Lloyd Webber]] – [[Requiem (Lloyd Webber)|Requiem]]
*[[Witold Lutosławski]] – ''Chain 2'' for violin and orchestra
*[[Tristan Murail]] – ''Time and Again'', for orchestra
*[[Arvo Pärt]] – [[Stabat Mater (Pärt)|Stabat Mater]] for 3 voices and string trio
*[[Einojuhani Rautavaara]] – Symphony No. 5 ''Monologue with Angels''
*[[John Rutter]] – [[Requiem (Rutter)|Requiem]]
*[[Giacinto Scelsi]] – String Quartet No. 5
*[[Alfred Schnittke]]
**Concerto for mixed chorus
**[[Concerto Grosso No. 3 (Schnittke)|Concerto Grosso No. 3]] for two violins, harpsichord, celesta, piano and 14 strings
**String Trio
**[[Viola Concerto (Schnittke)|Concerto for viola and orchestra]]
*[[Salvatore Sciarrino]]
**''Allegoria della notte,'' symphonic work
**''Canzona di ringraziamento'' 
**''Lo spazio inverso'' 
*[[Isabel Soveral]] – ''Fragmentos''
*[[Karlheinz Stockhausen]] – ''[[Montag aus Licht#Scene 1: Botschaft|Ave]]'', for basset horn and alto flute
*[[Tōru Takemitsu]] – ''Dream/Window'', for orchestra
*[[Joan Tower]] – Piano Concerto
*[[Manfred Trojahn]]
**Requiem
**Symphony No. 3
*[[Erkki-Sven Tüür]] – String Quartet ''"In memoriam [[Urmas Kibuspuu]]"''
*[[Robert Ward (composer)|Robert Ward]] – ''Raleigh Divertimento''

==Opera==
*[[Dominick Argento]] – ''Casanova's Homecoming''
*[[Lorenzo Ferrero]]
**''[[Mare nostro (opera)|Mare nostro]]''
**''Night''
*[[Philip Glass]] and [[Robert Moran (composer)|Robert Moran]] – ''[[The Juniper Tree (opera)|The Juniper Tree]]''
*[[Hans Werner Henze]] – ''[[The English Cat]]'' (first English language production)
*[[Dorothy Rudd Moore]] – ''Frederick Douglass''
*[[Salvatore Sciarrino]] – ''La perfezione di uno spirito sottile''

==Ballet==
*[[Lorenzo Ferrero]]
**''Lotus Eaters''
**'' The Miracle''

==Jazz==
{{Main|1985 in jazz}}

==Musical theater==
* ''[[Big River (musical)|Big River]]'' – Broadway production opened at the [[Eugene O'Neill Theatre]] and ran for 1005 performances
* ''[[Dames at Sea]]'' – [[off Broadway]] revival
* ''[[The King and I]]'' ([[Richard Rodgers|Rodgers]] & [[Oscar Hammerstein II|Hammerstein]]) – Broadway revival
* ''[[Leader of the Pack (musical)|Leader of the Pack]]'' – Broadway production opened at the [[Ambassador Theatre (New York City)|Ambassador Theatre]] and ran for 120 performances
* ''[[Me and My Girl]]'' ([[Noel Gay]]) – London revival
* ''[[Les Misérables (musical)|Les Misérables]]'' – London production opened in October and has been continuously running since, becoming the longest running musical in [[West End theatre|West End]] history.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Simonson|first1=Robert|title="One Day More": A History of Les Misérables |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/one-day-more-a-history-of-les-miserables-com-216309|website=Playbill |date=23 March 2014|publisher=23 March 2014|access-date = 5 July 2020 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705160959/https://www.playbill.com/article/one-day-more-a-history-of-les-miserables-com-216309|archive-date=5 July 2020}}</ref>
* ''[[Drood|The Mystery of Edwin Drood]]'' – Broadway production opened at the [[Imperial Theatre]] and ran for 108 performances
* ''[[Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (musical)|Seven Brides for Seven Brothers]]'' ([[Saul Chaplin]], [[Gene de Paul]] and [[Johnny Mercer]]) – London production
* ''[[Singin' in the Rain (musical)|Singin' in the Rain]]'' – Broadway production (based on 1952 film of the same name)
* ''[[Song and Dance]]'' – Broadway production opened at the [[Royale Theatre]] and ran for 474 performances

==Musical films==
* ''[[A Chorus Line (film)|A Chorus Line]]''
* ''[[Alag Alag]]''<ref>{{cite book|last=Agnihotri|first=Ram Awatar|title=Artistes and their films of modern Hindi cinema: cultural and sociopolitical impact on society, 1931–1991|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jv5kAAAAMAAJ|year=1992|publisher=Commonwealth Publishers|isbn=978-81-7169-183-8|page=92}}</ref> 
* ''[[Donga (film)|Donga]]''
* ''[[Hum Dono (1985 film)|Hum Dono]]''
* ''[[Kathodu Kathoram]]''
* ''[[Krush Groove]]''
* ''[[Nana (1985 film)|Naná]]''<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jarochos.net/jportal/cine-mexicano/nana-irma-serrano-190054/ |title=Portal del Cine Mexicano: Naná |access-date=2012-10-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127075512/http://www.jarochos.net/jportal/cine-mexicano/nana-irma-serrano-190054/ |archive-date=2012-01-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* ''[[Rappin']]''
* ''[[That's Dancing!]]''

==Births==
*[[January 2]] – [[Luis Beza]], American trumpet player ([[Suburban Legends]])
*[[January 3]] – [[Justin Paul]], American singer, composer and lyricist ([[Pasek and Paul]] )
*[[January 6]] – [[Amalie Bruun]], Danish multi instrumentalist, singer and actress. 
*[[January 8]] – [[Rachael Lampa]],  American contemporary Christian singer, songwriter and record producer. 
*[[January 16]] – [[Gintaras Janusevicius]], Lithuanian classical pianist
*[[January 18]] – [[Simone Simons]], Dutch symphonic metal singer/songwriter
*[[January 22]] – [[Orianthi]], Australian musician, singer and songwriter 
*[[January 28]] 
** [[András Kállay-Saunders]], Hungarian-born American recording artist, songwriter and record producer
** [[J. Cole]], German-American hip hop recording artist and record producer<ref>{{cite web|author=Fitzgerald, Trent|url=http://popcrush.com/j-cole-celebrates-27th-birthday/|title=J. Cole Celebrates His 27th Birthday In New York City|publisher=[[PopCrush]]|date=January 27, 2012|access-date=March 5, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304195840/http://popcrush.com/j-cole-celebrates-27th-birthday/|archive-date=March 4, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[January 29]]
** [[Mikey Hachey]], American bass player 
** [[Giovanna Fletcher]], British author, stage actress, singer, and internet personality  (wife of Tom Fletcher of Mcfly, sister in law of [[Carrie Hope Fletcher]])
*[[January 31]] – [[Kalomira]], American-Greek singer
*[[February 1]] – [[Shellback (record producer)]], Swedish record producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist
*[[February 5]] – [[Lindsey Cardinale]], American singer
*[[February 8]] – [[Jeremy Davis]], American bass player and songwriter ([[Paramore]])
*[[February 11]] – [[William Beckett (singer)|William Beckett]], American singer-songwriter and guitarist ([[The Academy Is...]])
*[[February 14]] – [[Havana Brown (musician)|Havana Brown]], Australian DJ, recording artist, record producer and dancer
*[[February 17]] – [[Anne Curtis]], Filipina actress, recording artist, entertainer, sister of [[Jasmine Curtis-Smith]], and married to Erwan Heussaff, brother of [[Solenn Heussaff]]
*[[February 19]] – [[Haylie Duff]], American actress, singer-songwriter, television host, writer and fashion designer (sister of [[Hilary Duff]]) 
*[[February 20]] – [[Yulia Volkova]], Russian singer, ([[t.A.T.u.]])
*[[February 27]] – [[Heléne Yorke]], Canadian-American actress, writer, singer, and dancer. 
*[[February 28]] – [[Fefe Dobson]], Canadian songwriter
*[[March 4]] – [[Scott Michael Foster]], American actor and singer (Crazy Ex Girlfriend) 
*[[March 8]] – [[Ewa Sonnet]], Polish model and singer<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.fakt.pl/Sonnet-Ewa,alejagwiazd,778.html | title=Profil gwiazdy: Ewa Sonnet | work=Fakt.pl | publisher=Ringier Axel Springer Polska | access-date=17 August 2012 | language=pl | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729193642/http://www.fakt.pl/Sonnet-Ewa,alejagwiazd,778.html | archive-date=29 July 2012 }}</ref>
*[[March 12]] – [[Stromae]], Belgian musician, rapper, singer and songwriter
*[[March 25]] – [[Carmen Rasmusen]], Canadian-American singer
*[[March 29]] 
** [[Mirusia Louwerse]], Dutch-Australian lyric soprano
** [[Emil Nava]], British music video director 
*[[April 3]] – [[Leona Lewis]],   British singer, songwriter, actress, model and activist.<ref>{{cite book|author=<!--Not stated-->|title=Chase's Calendar of Events 2020: The Ultimate Go-to Guide for Special Days, Weeks and Months|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6dKpDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA207|date=24 September 2019|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-1-64143-316-7|pages=207}}</ref>
*[[April 7]] – [[Saad Lamjarred]], Moroccan singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, dancer, record producer and actor
*[[April 9]]
** [[Tim Bendzko]], German singer-songwriter
** [[Tomohisa Yamashita]], Japanese singer and actor
**[[Senidah]], Slovenian singer-songwriter
*[[April 13]] – [[Ty Dolla Sign]], American singer, songwriter, rapper and record producer.
*[[April 20]] – [[Jadyn Douglas]], Puerto Rican-American singer-songwriter and actress
*[[April 24]] – [[Courtnee Draper]], American actress and singer 
*[[April 25]] – [[Morgan Evans (singer)|Morgan Evans]], Australian country music singer and songwriter ([[Kelsea Ballerini]]) 
*[[May 2]] – [[Lily Allen]], [[People of England|English]] [[singer-songwriter]]<ref>{{cite book|author=Martin Howden|title=Lily Allen – Living Dangerously|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qzitDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT5|date=4 August 2008|publisher=John Blake|isbn=978-1-78418-478-0|pages=5}}</ref>
*[[May 3]] – [[Louis Cato]], American drummer, bassist, guitarist, singer, and composer
*[[May 4]] 
**[[Jidenna]], Nigerian-American rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer
** [[Jme]], British grime MC, songwriter, record producer and DJ 
**[[Anthony Fedorov]], American singer 
*[[May 7]] – [[J Balvin]],  Colombian reggaeton singer<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/06/arts/music/j-balvin-energia-interview.html |title=J Balvin Is a Man With a Mission: Making Reggaeton Global |last=Coscarelli |first=Joe |date=July 5, 2016 |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 30, 2018}}</ref> 
*[[May 10]] – [[Ashley Poole]], American singer ([[Dream (American group)|Dream]])
*[[May 11]] – [[Matt Giraud]], American singer-songwriter and pianist
*[[May 17]] – [[Derek Hough]], American Latin and ballroom dancer, choreographer, actor and singer<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/derek-hough-290607|title=Derek Hough|magazine=[[TV Guide]]|access-date=January 13, 2015|archive-date= February 29, 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160229144631/http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/derek-hough/290607|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[May 18]] – [[Francesca Battistelli]], American singer, CCM
*[[May 21]] – [[Kano (British musician)|Kano]], British rapper, songwriter
*[[May 22]] – [[Vangie Tang]], Hong Kong singer
* [[May 28]] 
** [[Colbie Caillat]], American singer/songwriter/musician
** [[Carey Mulligan]], English actress and singer<ref>{{cite book|author=<!--Not stated-->|title=Chase's Calendar of Events 2020: The Ultimate Go-to Guide for Special Days, Weeks and Months|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6dKpDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA296|date=24 September 2019|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-1-64143-316-7|pages=296}}</ref> 
*[[May 30]]
** [[Clarence Clarity]], English singer, songwriter, producer, and musician
** [[Katie Stelmanis]], Canadian musician and producer 
*[[June 9]] – Benj Pasek, American singer-songwriter and composer ([[Pasek and Paul]]) 
*[[June 12]] – [[Phil Lam]], Canadian-born Hong Kong singer-songwriter
*[[June 15]] – [[Nadine Coyle]], Irish pop singer-songwriter, actress and model ([[Girls Aloud]])
*[[June 17]] – [[Andrea Demirović]], Montenegrin pop singer
*[[June 18]] – [[Jimmie Allen]], American singer
*[[June 20]] – [[Caroline Polachek]], American musician, singer-songwriter, activist and record producer known as the vocalist for Chairlift 
*[[June 21]]
** [[Kris Allen]], American singer
** [[Lana Del Rey]], American singer-songwriter, director, model, poet and activist<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Hiatt|first1=Brian|title=Lana Del Rey – The Saddest, Baddest Diva in Rock|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=July 18, 2014|issue=1212|page=44}}</ref> 
*[[June 22]] – [[Scott MacIntyre]], American singer-songwriter and pianist
*[[June 23]] – [[Kavka Shishido]], Japanese drummer and vocalist
*[[June 24]] – [[Aste (rapper)|Aste]], Finnish rapper
*[[June 30]] 
** [[K.Flay]], born Kristine Flaherty, American singer-songwriter and rapper 
** [[Hugh Sheridan]], Australian actor, singer, musician, activist and television presenter
*[[July 2]] 
** [[Ashley Tisdale]], American singer, actress, producer, songwriter and YouTuber ([[High School Musical]], [[Phineas and Ferb]], [[Vanessa Hudgens]])  
** [[Zach Dawes]], American musician, producer, engineer, and technician (Frequently works with: [[Lana Del Rey]], [[Sharon Van Etten]]) 
* [[July 4]]
** [[Mariana Rios]], Brazilian actress and singer
** [[Lartiste]], Moroccan-French singer and rapper
*[[July 5]] – [[Alle Farben]], German DJ and producer
*[[July 6]]
**[[Diamond Rings (musician)|Diamond Rings]], Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer ([[Matters (band)|Matters]])
**[[D. Woods]], American singer, dancer and actress ([[Danity Kane]])
*[[July 9]] – [[Lee Hee-ah]], South Korean handicapped pianist{{cn|date=December 2024}}
*[[July 10]] – [[Emily King]], American singer-songwriter
*[[July 11]] – [[Tobias Jesso Jr.]], Canadian musician 
*[[July 12]] – [[Luiz Ejlli]], Albanian singer
*[[July 15]] – [[Nathaniel Willemse]], South African-born Australian singer and songwriter 
*[[July 17]] 
** [[Tom Fletcher]] British singer/songwriter/musician (member of [[McFLY]], brother of [[Carrie Hope Fletcher]])<ref>{{cite book|author=Graham Betts|title=Complete UK Hit Albums, 1956–2005|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ewdCAQAAIAAJ|year=2005|publisher=Collins|isbn=978-0-00-720532-5|page=250}}</ref>
** [[Taylor Goldsmith]],  American singer-songwriter and guitarist, (lead singer and chief songwriter of the American folk rock band [[Dawes (band)|Dawes]]) ([[Mandy Moore]]) 
*[[July 18]] – [[Hopsin]], American rapper, producer and actor
*[[July 19]] – [[Amy Pearson]], English singer-songwriter
*[[July 20]] – [[Solenn Heussaff]], Filipina singer, entertainer, and sister-in-law of [[Anne Curtis]]
*[[July 24]] – [[Grace Petrie]], English folk singer-songwriter and guitarist 
*[[July 31]] 
** [[Alissa White-Gluz]], Canadian singer-songwriter ([[The Agonist]], [[Arch Enemy]])  
** [[Allie X]], Canadian singer-songwriter 
*[[August 1]] – [[Dina (musician)|Dina]], Norwegian singer
*[[August 2]] – [[Britt Nicole]],  American vocalist, songwriter and recording artist. 
*[[August 3]]
**[[Holly Blake-Arnstein]], American singer ([[Dream (American group)|Dream]])
**[[Brent Kutzle]] ([[OneRepublic]]) American Musician 
*[[August 4]]
** [[Crystal Bowersox]], American singer
** [[Kina Grannis]], American singer-songwriter, guitarist and YouTuber 
*[[August 5]] – [[Annalisa]], Italian singer-songwriter and musician
*[[August 6]] – [[Amy Kuney]], known professionally as AMES, is an American singer, songwriter, and musician
*[[August 9]] – [[Anna Kendrick]], American actress/singer
*[[August 11]] – [[Asher Roth]], American Rapper
*[[August 13]] – [[Lacey Brown]], American singer-songwriter
*[[August 15]]
** [[Nipsey Hussle]], American rapper, singer and businessman (d. 2019) 
** [[Emily Kinney]], American actress, singer, and songwriter<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/emily-kinney-521291/bio/|title=Emily Kinney |department=Biography|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|website=[[TV Guide]] |publisher=CBS Interactive|access-date=June 5, 2015}}</ref>
*[[August 16]] 
** [[Cristin Milioti]], American actress, singer and musician<ref>Kaufman, Joanne (May 3, 2012). "A Cultural Conversation With Cristin Milioti: There Once Was a Girl", ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', p. D4.</ref> 
** [[Taylor Goldsmith]], American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer (Member of band [[Dawes (band)|Dawes]], Husband and musical collaborator of [[Mandy Moore]]) 
** [[Arden Cho]], American actress, singer and model
*[[August 19]] – [[Christina Perri]], American singer/songwriter/musician
*[[August 25]] – [[Andien]], Indonesian jazz singer
*[[August 27]] – [[Hannah Peel]], Northern Ireland composer
*[[August 29]] – [[Achilles Liarmakopoulos]], Greek trombonist ([[Canadian Brass]])
*[[August 31]] – [[Sarah Jones (drummer)|Sarah Jones]], English musician and drummer
*[[September 1]] – [[Camile Velasco]], Filipino-American singer
*[[September 4]] – [[Sukrit Wisetkaew]], Thai actor and singer<ref name="life">[http://writer.dek-d.com/Love-Letter/story/view.php?id=309668 Bie life pocket book] {{in lang|th}}</ref> 
*[[September 18]] – [[Megan Joy]], American singer
*[[September 23]] – [[Diana Ortiz]], American singer ([[Dream (American group)|Dream]])
*[[September 24]] – [[Paige Miles]], American singer
*[[September 26]] – [[M. Pokora]], French pop, crunk, R&B singer and musician  (Christina Millian) 
*[[September 28]] – [[Alina Ibragimova]], Russian British violinist
*[[October 1]]  – [[Porcelain Black]], American industrial indie pop singer-songwriter
*[[October 2]] – [[Vogue Williams]], Irish DJ, radio host, model and dancer 
*[[October 5]] – [[Nicola Roberts]], English recording artist, fashion designer and songwriter
*[[October 8]] 
** [[Bruno Mars]], American singer-songwriter and dancer<ref>{{cite book|title=Bruno Mars – Emily Herbert|last=Herbert|first=Emily|year=2014|isbn=9781783230501|publisher=[[Omnibus Press]]}}</ref>
** [[Elliphant]], Swedish singer-songwriter and rapper
*[[October 10]] – [[Marina Diamandis]], Welsh singer/songwriter
*[[October 18]] – [[Andrew Garcia]], American singer
*[[October 22]] – [[Zac Hanson]], American singer-songwriter ([[Hanson (band)|Hanson]])
*[[October 23]] 
** [[Miguel (singer)|Miguel]], American singer-songwriter, producer
** [[Lachlan Gillespie]], Australian singer, musician, and actor 
*[[October 25]] 
** [[Ciara]], American singer, actress and dancer
** [[Ayahi Takagaki]], Japanese voice actress and singer  
** [[Vlad Topalov]], Russian singer and dancer 
*[[October 26]] – [[Soko (singer)|Soko]], French singer-songwriter, musician and actress.
*[[October 28]]
** [[Anthony Fantano]], American music critic and YouTuber (Cal Chuchesta)
** [[Tina Guo]], Chinese-American cellist and erhuist
*[[October 29]] – [[Ximena Sariñana]], Mexican singer-songwriter and actress
*[[November 4]] – [[Vanessa Struhler]], German singer-songwriter 
*[[November 5]] – [[Kate DeAraugo]], Australian singer-songwriter, ''Australian Idol 3'' winner
*[[November 11]] – [[Jessica Sierra]], American singer
*[[November 15]] – [[Nick Fradiani]], American singer
*[[November 19]] – [[Ricki-Lee Coulter]], New Zealand-born Australian singer-songwriter, ''Australian Idol'' contestant
*[[November 21]]
** [[Carly Rae Jepsen]], Canadian singer, songwriter and musician
** [[Ruelle (singer)|Ruelle]], American EDM pop singer/songwriter
*[[November 22]] – [[Austin Brown]], American producer, singer, songwriter and musician
*[[November 23]] – [[Troy Ave]], American rapper
*[[November 28]] – [[Magdi Rúzsa]], Hungarian singer
*[[December 1]] – [[Janelle Monae]], American recording artist, record producer, singer-songwriter, model, actor, businesswomen and activist
* [[December 3]] – [[Amanda Seyfried]], American singer, musical star, actor
* [[December 10]]
** [[Raven-Symoné]], American actress and singer<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/raven-symon%C3%A9/bio/284654 | title=Raven-Symoné | work=[[TV Guide]] | access-date=October 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015224620/http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/raven-symon%C3%A9/bio/284654|archive-date=October 15, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
**[[Grace Chatto]], English musician and singer, member of [[Clean Bandit]]
*[[December 12]] – [[Erika Van Pelt]], American singer
*[[December 17]] – [[Jeremy McKinnon]], American singer, record producer and songwriter ([[A Day to Remember]])
*[[December 22]] – [[Kae Tempest]], English poet, spoken-word artist, rapper and playwright
*[[December 23]] 
** [[Arcángel]], American rapper, singer and songwriter
** [[Dev Hynes]], British singer, songwriter, composer, producer and author
*[[December 23]] – [[Harry Judd]], British pop drummer ([[McFly]]) 
*[[December 29]] – [[Alexa Ray Joel]], American singer-songwriter and pianist

==Deaths==
*[[January 3]] – [[Lucien Cailliet]], clarinetist, conductor, arranger and composer, 87
*[[January 4]] – [[Lovro von Matačić]], Croatian conductor, 85
*[[January 10]] – [[Anton Karas]], [[Austrians|Austrian]] [[zither]] player and composer, 78
*[[January 25]] – [[Paul Smith (film and television composer)|Paul Smith]], American film and television composer, 78
*[[January 30]] – [[Ivar Haglund]], folk singer and restaurateur, 79 (heart attack)
*[[February 7]] – [[Matt Monro]], English singer, 54 (liver cancer)
*[[February 11]] – [[Heinz Eric Roemheld]], American composer, 83
*[[February 12]] – [[Leslie Sarony]], English singer, comedian and songwriter, 87
*[[February 18]]
**<!--February 18-->[[Willy Alberti]], Dutch singer, 58 (liver cancer)
**<!--February 18-->[[Gábor Darvas]], composer and [[musicologist]], 74
*[[February 22]] – Delores Marie "D'Marie" Warren, founding member of [[Alton McClain & Destiny]], 32 (car crash)
**<!--February 22-->[[Efrem Zimbalist]], violinist, 94
*[[February 28]] – [[David Byron]], vocalist of [[Uriah Heep (band)|Uriah Heep]], 38 (alcohol-related)
*[[March 1]] – [[Eugene List]], American classical pianist, 66
*[[March 16]] – [[Roger Sessions]], American composer, 88
*[[March 23]] – [[Zoot Sims]], jazz saxophonist, 59
*[[March 31]] – [[Jeanine Deckers]], known as [[The Singing Nun]], 51 (suicide)
*[[May 2]] 
**[[Bridget D'Oyly Carte]], opera impresario, 77
**[[Leonard Falcone]], baritone/[[euphonium]] virtuosos and director of bands at [[Michigan State University Spartan Marching Band|Michigan State]], 86
*[[May 8]] – [[Karl Marx (composer)|Karl Marx]], composer and conductor, 87
*[[May 12]] – [[Rodolfo Arizaga]], Argentinian composer
*[[May 19]] – [[Hilding Rosenberg]], composer, 92
*[[July 23]] – [[Kay Kyser]], US [[bandleader]], 80
*[[July 30]] – [[Peter Knight (composer)|Peter Knight]], conductor, arranger and composer, 68
*[[August 11]] – [[Nick Ceroli]], jazz drummer, 45
*[[August 12]] – [[Kyu Sakamoto]], Japanese singer, 43 (plane crash)
*[[August 13]] – Jimmy Stokley [[Exile (American band)|(Exile)]], American singer, 41
*[[August 24]] – [[Paul Creston]], American composer, 78
*[[September 6]] – [[Little Brother Montgomery]], [[jazz]] and [[blues]] pianist and singer, 79<ref>{{cite book| first1= Bob| last1= Eagle| first2= Eric S.| last2= LeBlanc| year= 2013| title= Blues: A Regional Experience| publisher= Praeger | location= Santa Barbara, California| pages=106–107 | isbn= 978-0313344237}}</ref>
*[[September 8]] – [[Frederick May (composer)|Frederick May]], Irish composer, 74
*[[September 11]] – [[William Alwyn]], English composer, 79
*[[September 13]] – [[Winifred Cecil]], American operatic soprano, 78<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia|date=2002|entry=Cecil, Winifred  |encyclopedia=Grove Music Online|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |doi=10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.O009914|author=Philip L. Miller}}</ref>
*[[September 18]] – [[Ed Lewis (musician)|Ed Lewis]], jazz trumpeter, 76
*[[September 19]] – [[Rockdrigo González]], folk & rock singer-songwriter, 34 ([[1985 Mexico City earthquake]])
*[[October 6]]
**[[Lola Gjoka]], Albanian pianist, 75
**[[Nelson Riddle]], American conductor, composer and [[arranger]], 64
*[[October 11]] – [[Tex Williams]], American [[Country music|country]] singer, 68
*[[October 12]] – [[Ricky Wilson (American musician)|Ricky Wilson]], American guitarist ([[The B-52's]]), 32 (AIDS Related) 
*[[October 14]] – [[Emil Gilels]], Soviet pianist, 68
*[[October 18]] – [[Stefan Askenase]], Polish-born Belgian pianist, 94
*[[October 20]] – [[Boris Lisanevich]], dancer, 80
*[[October 22]] – [[Viorica Ursuleac]], Romanian operatic soprano, 91
*[[November 15]] – [[Seán Ryan (Irish fiddler)|Seán Ryan]], Irish fiddler and whistler
*[[November 18]] – [[Stephan Henrik Barratt-Due]], Norwegian violinist and music teacher, 66
*[[November 24]] – [[Big Joe Turner]], blues singer, 74
*[[December 12]] – [[Ian Stewart (musician)|Ian Stewart]] ([[The Rolling Stones]]), 42 (heart attack)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.out-take.co.uk/ot/ray_connelly.php |title=Stu |last=Ray Connelly |year=2003 |publisher=Out-Take Limited |access-date=July 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080222190116/http://www.out-take.co.uk/ot/ray_connelly.php |archive-date=February 22, 2008 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>
*[[December 22]] – [[D. Boon]], lead singer of [[Minutemen (band)|Minutemen]], 27 (car accident)
*[[December 30]] – [[Bob Pearson]], pianist and singer (Bob and Alf Pearson), 78
*[[December 31]] – [[Ricky Nelson]], singer, former [[teen idol]], 45 (plane crash)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockhall.com/inductees/ricky-nelson|title=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Ricky Nelson|year=1987|publisher=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|access-date=July 15, 2008}}</ref>

==Awards==
*[[Eurovision Song Contest 1985]]
*[[27th Annual Grammy Awards]]
*[[1985 Country Music Association Awards]]
*[[27th Japan Record Awards]]

==Charts==
* [[List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1985]]
* [[1985 in British music#Charts]]
* [[List of Oricon number-one singles of 1985]]

===US Top 100 Hits of 1985===
{{main|Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1985}}

==See also==
* [[:Category:Record labels established in 1985|Record labels established in 1985]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1985 In Music}}
[[Category:1985 in music| ]]
[[Category:20th century in music]]
[[Category:Music by year]]