March 1986 — mid decade blahs

It’s early 1986, and it’s hard to draw a lot of conclusions since the charts are a reasonable mix of rock, dance, pop, and adult contemporary, with a touch of jazz.  It’s a lull in hard rock, country is long gone.  The slow songs are really slow (Sara), and the upbeat are really so.

Whitney is storming the charts with her first album full of hits, as is Gloria Estefan as well as inxs.  Sophisti-pop has established a foothold with Sade and dream academy in the top 10.  Middle of the road pop is doing fine with billy ocean and mr. Mister.  Quite a few notable one hit wonders...dream academy, Charlie Sexton, Baltimora, Faldo, Robert tapper, Marilyn Martin, sly fox, 

 Some veterans are running out of steam...ELO most notably, while the breakthrough 2nd life for heart is about to lead to their first #1.

But overall, I get bored just reading this chart!  Not that I hated every song, but especially the big hits are rather bland, if not deadly slow -- Mr Mister, Starship, Heart, Loverboy, Dionne and Friends, Elton John...  Throw in sophisticated, but slow records, and ZZZZZZ

To liven things up, we have the biggest hit (though last ever) by James Brown, who had enormous numbers of hits, but mostly in the 20's to 30's on the chart...debuting Falco...

Favorite:  Aretha Franklin!


1 2 KYRIE –•– Mr. Mister – 11 (1)
2 1 HOW WILL I KNOW –•– Whitney Houston – 13 (1)
3 4 SARA –•– Starship – 10 (3)
4 5 LIVING IN AMERICA –•– James Brown – 13 (4)
5 6 THE SWEETEST TABOO –•– Sade – 15 (5)
6 3 WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING –•– Billy Ocean – 14 (2)
7 7 LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN –•– Dream Academy – 14 (7)
8 8 SILENT RUNNING –•– Mike + The Mechanics – 15 (8)
9 11 SECRET LOVER –•– Atlantic Starr – 10 (9)
10 14 THESE DREAMS –•– Heart – 7 (10)

11 12 A LOVE BIZARRE –•– Sheila E – 16 (11)
12 17 KING FOR A DAY –•– Thompson Twins – 7 (12)
13 16 TARZAN BOY –•– Baltimora – 20 (13)
14 9 BURNING HEART –•– Survivor – 18 (2)
15 15 CONGA –•– Miami Sound Machine – 20 (10)
16 19 RUSSIANS –•– Sting – 7 (16)
17 26 R.O.C.K. IN THE U.S.A. –•– John Cougar Mellencamp – 5 (17)
18 18 DAY BY DAY –•– The Hooters – 12 (18)
19 22 NIKITA –•– Elton John – 7 (19)
20 10 THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR –•– Dionne & Friends – 17 (1)

21 24 SANCTIFY YOURSELF –•– Simple Minds – 6 (21)
22 23 STAGES –•– ZZ Top – 7 (22)
23 28 WHAT YOU NEED –•– INXS – 7 (23)
24 13 I’M YOUR MAN –•– Wham! – 14 (3)
25 27 THIS COULD BE THE NIGHT –•– Loverboy – 7 (25)
26 29 BEATS SO LONELY –•– Charlie Sexton – 12 (26)
27 33 (HOW TO BE A) MILLIONAIRE –•– ABC – 7 (27)
28 21 DIGITAL DISPLAY –•– Ready For The World – 13 (21)
29 40 ROCK ME AMADEUS –•– Falco – 4 (29)
30 35 LET’S GO ALL THE WAY –•– Sly Fox – 10 (30)

31 34 ANOTHER NIGHT –•– Aretha Franklin – 7 (31)
32 20 THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON T.V. –•– A-Ha – 14 (20)
33 39 MANIC MONDAY –•– The Bangles – 6 (33)
34 38 NIGHT MOVES –•– Marilyn Martin – 7 (34)
35 25 HE’LL NEVER LOVE YOU (LIKE I DO) –•– Freddie Jackson – 12 (25)
36 43 GOODBYE IS FOREVER –•– Arcadia – 5 (36)
37 46 NEEDLES AND PINS –•– Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers & Stevie Nicks – 5 (37)
38 44 NO EASY WAY OUT –•– Robert Tepper – 6 (38)
39 47 TENDER LOVE –•– Force MD’s – 5 (39)
40 50 CALLING AMERICA –•– Electric Light Orchestra – 5 (40)