Every December Billboard publishes a chart listing the top songs of the year. The number of songs listed on the chart varied in the early years before becoming a top 100 chart in 1956. Select a year to see the list of most popular hit songs.
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Play a countdown medley of the top 25 songs of the yearYou also might like the number one songs of 1986.
| Position | Artist | Song Title |
|---|---|---|
| « 1985 1986 1987 » | ||
| 1 | Dionne and Friends | That's What Friends Are For |
| 2 | Lionel Richie | Say You, Say Me |
| 3 | Klymaxx | I Miss You |
| 4 | Patti Labelle and Michael McDonald | On My Own |
| 5 | Mr. Mister | Broken Wings |
| 6 | Whitney Houston | How Will I Know |
| 7 | Eddie Murphy | Party All The Time |
| 8 | Survivor | Burning Heart |
| 9 | Mr. Mister | Kyrie |
| 10 | Robert Palmer | Addicted To Love |
| 11 | Whitney Houston | Greatest Love Of All |
| 12 | Atlantic Starr | Secret Lovers |
| 13 | Carl Anderson and Gloria Loring | Friends And Lovers |
| 14 | Peter Cetera | Glory Of Love |
| 15 | Pet Shop Boys | West End Girls |
| 16 | Billy Ocean | There'll Be Sad Songs |
| 17 | Simple Minds | Alive And Kicking |
| 18 | Heart | Never |
| 19 | Prince and The Revolution | Kiss |
| 20 | Steve Winwood | Higher Love |
| 21 | Huey Lewis and The News | Stuck With You |
| 22 | Simply Red | Holding Back The Years |
| 23 | Peter Gabriel | Sledgehammer |
| 24 | Starship | Sara |
| 25 | Human League | Human |
| 26 | Nu Shooz | I Can't Wait |
| 27 | Berlin | Take My Breath Away |
| 28 | Falco | Rock Me Amadeus |
| 29 | Madonna | Papa Don't Preach |
| 30 | Bon Jovi | You Give Love A Bad Name |
| 31 | Billy Ocean | When The Going Gets Tough |
| 32 | Janet Jackson | When I Think Of You |
| 33 | Heart | These Dreams |
| 34 | Glass Tiger | Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone) |
| 35 | Madonna | Live To Tell |
| 36 | Belinda Carlisle | Mad About You |
| 37 | Level 42 | Something About You |
| 38 | Bananarama | Venus |
| 39 | Lionel Richie | Dancing On The Ceiling |
| 40 | Miami Sound Machine | Conga |
| 41 | Cyndi Lauper | True Colors |
| 42 | Kenny Loggins | Danger Zone |
| 43 | Janet Jackson | What Have You Done For Me Lately |
| 44 | Howard Jones | No One Is To Blame |
| 45 | Sly Fox | Let's Go All The Way |
| 46 | Robert Palmer | I Didn't Mean To Turn You On |
| 47 | Miami Sound Machine | Words Get In The Way |
| 48 | Bangles | Manic Monday |
| 49 | Dire Straits | Walk Of Life |
| 50 | Boston | Amanda |
| 51 | Stacey Q | Two Of Hearts |
| 52 | Jets | Crush On You |
| 53 | Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark | If You Leave |
| 54 | Genesis | Invisible Touch |
| 55 | Sade | The Sweetest Taboo |
| 56 | INXS | What You Need |
| 57 | Stevie Nicks | Talk To Me |
| 58 | Janet Jackson | Nasty |
| 59 | Eddie Money | Take Me Home Tonight |
| 60 | Jermaine Stewart | We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off |
| 61 | Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam With Full Force | All Cried Out |
| 62 | Outfield | Your Love |
| 63 | Wham! | I'm Your Man |
| 64 | Scritti Politti | Perfect Way |
| 65 | James Brown | Living In America |
| 66 | John Cougar Mellencamp | R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. |
| 67 | El Debarge | Who's Johnny |
| 68 | Cameo | Word Up |
| 69 | Van Halen | Why Can't This Be Love |
| 70 | Mike and The Mechanics | Silent Running |
| 71 | Tina Turner | Typical Male |
| 72 | John Cougar Mellencamp | Small Town |
| 73 | Baltimora | Tarzan Boy |
| 74 | Mike and The Mechanics | All I Need Is A Miracle |
| 75 | Michael McDonald | Sweet Freedom |
| 76 | Madonna | True Blue |
| 77 | Timex Social Club | Rumors |
| 78 | Dream Academy | Life In A Northern Town |
| 79 | Miami Sound Machine | Bad Boy |
| 80 | ZZ Top | Sleeping Bag |
| 81 | Cars | Tonight She Comes |
| 82 | Rod Stewart | Love Touch |
| 83 | Sheila E. | A Love Bizarre |
| 84 | Genesis | Throwing It All Away |
| 85 | Regina | Baby Love |
| 86 | Arcadia | Election Day |
| 87 | Elton John | Nikita |
| 88 | Phil Collins | Take Me Home |
| 89 | Run-D.M.C. | Walk This Way |
| 90 | Anita Baker | Sweet Love |
| 91 | Moody Blues | Your Wildest Dreams |
| 92 | Paul McCartney | Spies Like Us |
| 93 | Starpoint | Object Of My Desire |
| 94 | Daryl Hall | Dreamtime |
| 95 | Force M.D.'s | Tender Love |
| 96 | Thompson Twins | King For A Day |
| 97 | Lionel Richie | Love Will Conquer All |
| 98 | George Michael | A Different Corner |
| 99 | Toto | I'll Be Over You |
| 100 | Stevie Wonder | Go Home |
