1985 in British music
This is a summary of 1985 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
Summary
The biggest British musical event of 1985 was the Live Aid concert in London's Wembley Stadium on 13 July. Held to follow up the previous year's charity record "Do They Know It's Christmas?", the biggest-selling single ever at the time, popular acts such as The Who, U2 and Queen performed in front of an estimated audience of 1.9 billion viewers. It raised £150 million to help famine in Ethiopia, and a similar event would happen 20 years later in 2005, with Live 8.After the huge success of Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?", several more charity songs reached number 1 this year. USA for Africa, inspired by Band Aid, released "We Are the World", a song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, while David Bowie and Mick Jagger released a cover of "Dancing In The Street", the music video being premiered at Live Aid and all proceeds going to the charity. In May, a fire at a football stadium in Bradford killed 56 people, and supergroup The Crowd released a charity cover of popular football anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone" in tribute.
British rock band Dire Straits released their album Brothers in Arms in May, one of the first ever albums to be released on compact disc and the format's first million-seller. It went on to become the UK's best-selling album of the entire decade and remains one of the top ten best-selling albums of all time in the UK. Four singles were released from the album, including the UK number 4 hit and US number 1 "Money for Nothing", which referenced American music channel MTV and had a groundbreaking video featuring early computer-generated imagery. When a European version of MTV launched in 1987, it was the first video ever played on the channel.
Jennifer Rush entered the top 75 in June with the power ballad "The Power of Love", which remained in the chart for months without entering the top 40. When it finally did in September, it quickly hit number 1, where it remained for five weeks and was the biggest selling single of the year. It sold over a million copies, however it would be the last single of the decade to do so, and there would not be another million-seller until 1991.
Many songs this year competed for the Christmas number one single, and the entire top 3 from 1984 re-entered the chart this year; Paul McCartney's "We All Stand Together" at number 32, Wham!'s "Last Christmas" at number 6, and Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" at number 3. There were also attempts from Bruce Springsteen with a cover of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town", and ventriloquist Keith Harris released a cover of "White Christmas" with his green puppet Orville the Duck.
However, the Christmas number one went to Shakin' Stevens with the song "Merry Christmas Everyone". It had been intended to be released in 1984, but was kept back a year due to the Band Aid charity single. Still a widely known Christmas song in the 21st century, it re-entered the chart in Christmas 2007 on downloads alone, at number 22.
John Rutter, hitherto best known for his popular modern carols, acknowledged his classical roots with his Requiem, which was premièred in October in Sacramento, California. Less than eight months earlier, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem had its première in New York. Paul Miles-Kingston, the boy soprano who won a silver disc for his recording of the "Pie Jesu" from that work, became Head Chorister of Winchester Cathedral in the same year. The prolific Peter Maxwell Davies produced one of his most popular works, An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise, notable for featuring the bagpipes as a lead instrument. Veteran Welsh composer Daniel Jones, produced his 12th symphony, at the age of 73, whilst 80-year-old Michael Tippett began work on his last opera, New Year.
Charts
Number one singles
| Chart date | Song | Artist | Weeks |
| 5 January | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | Band Aid | 2 |
| 12 January | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | Band Aid | 2 |
| 19 January | "I Want to Know What Love Is" | Foreigner | 3 |
| 26 January | "I Want to Know What Love Is" | Foreigner | 3 |
| 2 February | "I Want to Know What Love Is" | Foreigner | 3 |
| 9 February | "I Know Him So Well" | Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson | 4 |
| 16 February | "I Know Him So Well" | Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson | 4 |
| 23 February | "I Know Him So Well" | Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson | 4 |
| 2 March | "I Know Him So Well" | Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson | 4 |
| 9 March | "You Spin Me Round " | Dead or Alive | 2 |
| 16 March | "You Spin Me Round " | Dead or Alive | 2 |
| 23 March | "Easy Lover" | Philip Bailey and Phil Collins | 4 |
| 30 March | "Easy Lover" | Philip Bailey and Phil Collins | 4 |
| 6 April | "Easy Lover" | Philip Bailey and Phil Collins | 4 |
| 13 April | "Easy Lover" | Philip Bailey and Phil Collins | 4 |
| 20 April | "We Are the World" | USA for Africa | 2 |
| 27 April | "We Are the World" | USA for Africa | 2 |
| 4 May | "Move Closer" | Phyllis Nelson | 1 |
| 11 May | "19" | Paul Hardcastle | 5 |
| 18 May | "19" | Paul Hardcastle | 5 |
| 25 May | "19" | Paul Hardcastle | 5 |
| 1 June | "19" | Paul Hardcastle | 5 |
| 8 June | "19" | Paul Hardcastle | 5 |
| 15 June | "You'll Never Walk Alone" | The Crowd | 2 |
| 22 June | "You'll Never Walk Alone" | The Crowd | 2 |
| 29 June | "Frankie" | Sister Sledge | 4 |
| 6 July | "Frankie" | Sister Sledge | 4 |
| 13 July | "Frankie" | Sister Sledge | 4 |
| 20 July | "Frankie" | Sister Sledge | 4 |
| 27 July | "There Must Be an Angel " | Eurythmics | 1 |
| 3 August | "Into the Groove" | Madonna | 4 |
| 10 August | "Into the Groove" | Madonna | 4 |
| 17 August | "Into the Groove" | Madonna | 4 |
| 24 August | "Into the Groove" | Madonna | 4 |
| 31 August | "I Got You Babe" | UB40 and Chrissie Hynde | 1 |
| 7 September | "Dancing in the Street" | David Bowie and Mick Jagger | 4 |
| 14 September | "Dancing in the Street" | David Bowie and Mick Jagger | 4 |
| 21 September | "Dancing in the Street" | David Bowie and Mick Jagger | 4 |
| 28 September | "Dancing in the Street" | David Bowie and Mick Jagger | 4 |
| 5 October | "If I Was" | Midge Ure | 1 |
| 12 October | "The Power of Love" | Jennifer Rush | 5 |
| 19 October | "The Power of Love" | Jennifer Rush | 5 |
| 26 October | "The Power of Love" | Jennifer Rush | 5 |
| 2 November | "The Power of Love" | Jennifer Rush | 5 |
| 9 November | "The Power of Love" | Jennifer Rush | 5 |
| 16 November | "A Good Heart" | Feargal Sharkey | 2 |
| 23 November | "A Good Heart" | Feargal Sharkey | 2 |
| 30 November | "I'm Your Man" | Wham! | 2 |
| 7 December | "I'm Your Man" | Wham! | 2 |
| 14 December | "Saving All My Love for You" | Whitney Houston | 2 |
| 21 December | "Saving All My Love for You" | Whitney Houston | 2 |
| 28 December | "Merry Christmas Everyone" | Shakin' Stevens | 1 |
Number one albums
| Chart date | Album | Artist | Weeks |
| 5 January | Hits 1 | Various Artists | 2 |
| 12 January | Hits 1 | Various Artists | 2 |
| 20 January | Alf | Alison Moyet | 1 |
| 27 January | Agent Provocateur | Foreigner | 3 |
| 2 February | Agent Provocateur | Foreigner | 3 |
| 9 February | Agent Provocateur | Foreigner | 3 |
| 16 February | Born in the U.S.A. | Bruce Springsteen | 1 |
| 23 February | Meat Is Murder | The Smiths | 1 |
| 2 March | No Jacket Required | Phil Collins | 5 |
| 9 March | No Jacket Required | Phil Collins | 5 |
| 16 March | No Jacket Required | Phil Collins | 5 |
| 23 March | No Jacket Required | Phil Collins | 5 |
| 30 March | No Jacket Required | Phil Collins | 5 |
| 6 April | The Secret of Association | Paul Young | 1 |
| 13 April | Hits 2 | Various Artists | 6 |
| 20 April | Hits 2 | Various Artists | 6 |
| 27 April | Hits 2 | Various Artists | 6 |
| 4 May | Hits 2 | Various Artists | 6 |
| 11 May | Hits 2 | Various Artists | 6 |
| 18 May | Hits 2 | Various Artists | 6 |
| 25 May | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 2 |
| 1 June | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 2 |
| 8 June | Our Favourite Shop | The Style Council | 1 |
| 15 June | Boys and Girls | Bryan Ferry | 2 |
| 22 June | Boys and Girls | Bryan Ferry | 2 |
| 29 June | Misplaced Childhood | Marillion | 1 |
| 6 July | Born in the U.S.A. | Bruce Springsteen | 4 |
| 13 July | Born in the U.S.A. | Bruce Springsteen | 4 |
| 20 July | Born in the U.S.A. | Bruce Springsteen | 4 |
| 27 July | Born in the U.S.A. | Bruce Springsteen | 4 |
| 3 August | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 2 |
| 10 August | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 2 |
| 17 August | Now 5 | Various Artists | 5 |
| 24 August | Now 5 | Various Artists | 5 |
| 31 August | Now 5 | Various Artists | 5 |
| 7 September | Now 5 | Various Artists | 5 |
| 14 September | Now 5 | Various Artists | 5 |
| 21 September | Like a Virgin | Madonna | 1 |
| 28 September | Hounds of Love | Kate Bush | 2 |
| 5 October | Hounds of Love | Kate Bush | 2 |
| 12 October | Like a Virgin | Madonna | 1 |
| 19 October | Hounds of Love | Kate Bush | 1 |
| 26 October | The Love Songs | George Benson | 1 |
| 2 November | Once Upon a Time | Simple Minds | 1 |
| 10 November | The Love Songs | George Benson | 1 |
| 16 November | Promise | Sade | 2 |
| 23 November | Promise | Sade | 2 |
| 30 November | The Greatest Hits of 1985 | Various Artists | 1 |
| 7 December | Now 6 | Various Artists | 2 |
| 14 December | Now 6 | Various Artists | 2 |
| 21 December | Now – The Christmas Album | Various Artists | 2 |
| 28 December | Now – The Christmas Album | Various Artists | 2 |
Year-end charts
Best-selling singles
Based on sales from 5 January to 28 December 1985.| Title | Artist | Peak position | |
| 1 | "The Power of Love" | 1 | |
| 2 | "I Know Him So Well" | and Barbara Dickson | 1 |
| 3 | "Into the Groove" | Madonna | 1 |
| 4 | "19" | 1 | |
| 5 | "Frankie" | Sister Sledge | 1 |
| 6 | "Dancing in the Street" | and Mick Jagger | 1 |
| 7 | "Move Closer" | 1 | |
| 8 | "A Good Heart" | 1 | |
| 9 | "Take On Me" | a-ha | 2 |
| 10 | "Love and Pride" | King | 2 |
| 11 | "I Want to Know What Love Is" | Foreigner | 1 |
| 12 | "Easy Lover" | and Phil Collins | 1 |
| 13 | "Axel F" | 2 | |
| 14 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | Band Aid | 1 |
| 15 | "I Got You Babe" | UB40 and Chrissie Hynde | 1 |
| 16 | "Crazy for You" | Madonna | 2 |
| 17 | "Saving All My Love for You" | 1 | |
| 18 | "Solid" | Ashford & Simpson | 3 |
| 19 | "You Spin Me Round " | Dead or Alive | 1 |
| 20 | "There Must Be an Angel " | Eurythmics | 1 |
| 21 | "I'm Your Man" | Wham! | 1 |
| 22 | "Trapped" | 3 | |
| 23 | "Cherish" | Kool & the Gang | 4 |
| 24 | "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" | Tears for Fears | 2 |
| 25 | "Merry Christmas Everyone" | 1 | |
| 26 | "You'll Never Walk Alone" | 1 | |
| 27 | "If I Was" | 1 | |
| 28 | "Nikita" | 3 | |
| 29 | "Dancing in the Dark" | 4 | |
| 30 | "1999"/"Little Red Corvette" | Prince | 2 |
| 31 | "Holding Out for a Hero" | 2 | |
| 32 | "Kayleigh" | Marillion | 2 |
| 33 | "Last Christmas"/"Everything She Wants" | Wham! | 2 |
| 34 | "A View to a Kill" | Duran Duran | 2 |
| 35 | "We Are the World" | USA for Africa | 1 |
| 36 | "Lean On Me " | Red Box | 3 |
| 37 | "Part-Time Lover" | 3 | |
| 38 | "Money for Nothing" | Dire Straits | 4 |
| 39 | "Don't Break My Heart" | UB40 | 3 |
| 40 | "We Close Our Eyes" | Go West | 5 |
| 41 | "Nightshift" | 3 | |
| 42 | "That Ole Devil Called Love" | 2 | |
| 43 | "We Don't Need Another Hero" | 3 | |
| 44 | "Tarzan Boy" | Baltimora | 3 |
| 45 | "See the Day" | 3 | |
| 46 | "Kiss Me" | 4 | |
| 47 | "I Feel Love " | Bronski Beat and Marc Almond | 3 |
| 48 | "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | 2 |
| 49 | "Suddenly" | 4 | |
| 50 | "Shout" | Tears for Fears | 4 |
Best-selling albums
Based on sales from 5 January to 28 December 1985.| Title | Artist | Peak position | |
| 1 | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 1 |
| 2 | No Jacket Required | 1 | |
| 3 | Like a Virgin | Madonna | 1 |
| 4 | Born in the U.S.A. | 1 | |
| 5 | Songs from the Big Chair | Tears for Fears | 2 |
| 6 | Now 6 | Various Artists | 1 |
| 7 | Now – The Christmas Album | Various Artists | 1 |
| 8 | Now 5 | Various Artists | 1 |
| 9 | Hits 2 | Various Artists | 1 |
| 10 | The Secret of Association | 1 | |
| 11 | Alf | 1 | |
| 12 | Hits 3 | Various Artists | 2 |
| 13 | Love Songs | 1 | |
| 14 | Hounds of Love | 1 | |
| 15 | Be Yourself Tonight | Eurythmics | 3 |
| 16 | Private Dancer | 6 | |
| 17 | Promise | Sade | 1 |
| 18 | Make It Big | Wham! | 3 |
| 19 | Diamond Life | Sade | 4 |
| 20 | Misplaced Childhood | Marillion | 1 |
| 21 | Eliminator | ZZ Top | 3 |
| 22 | The Singles Collection | Spandau Ballet | 3 |
| 23 | Boys and Girls | 1 | |
| 24 | Go West | Go West | 9 |
| 25 | Agent Provocateur | Foreigner | 1 |
| 26 | Reckless | 7 | |
| 27 | The Kenny Rogers Story | 4 | |
| 28 | Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II | 7 | |
| 29 | The Greatest Hits of 1985 | Various Artists | 1 |
| 30 | The Unforgettable Fire | U2 | 9 |
| 31 | Out Now | Various Artists | 2 |
| 32 | Hits Out of Hell | Meat Loaf | 2 |
| 33 | Welcome to the Pleasuredome | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | 5 |
| 34 | The Age of Consent | Bronski Beat | 5 |
| 35 | Under a Blood Red Sky | U2 | 11 |
| 36 | Once Upon a Time | Simple Minds | 1 |
| 37 | The Dream of the Blue Turtles | Sting | 3 |
| 38 | Madonna – The First Album | Madonna | 6 |
| 39 | Dream into Action | 2 | |
| 40 | The Love Album | Various Artists | 7 |
| 41 | The Collection | Ultravox | 2 |
| 42 | The Hits Album | Various Artists | 1 |
| 43 | Greatest Hits | Queen | 14 |
| 44 | Voices from the Holy Land | BBC Welsh Chorus with Aled Jones | 6 |
| 45 | Ice on Fire | 3 | |
| 46 | All Through the Night | 2 | |
| 47 | Now 4 | Various Artists | 2 |
| 48 | Requiem | Various Artists | 4 |
| 49 | Love Hurts | 8 | |
| 50 | Face Value | 22 |
Notes:
Classical music: new works
- Peter Maxwell Davies – An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise
- Andrew Lloyd Webber – Requiem
- John Rutter – Requiem
Film and Incidental music
- Michael Nyman - A Zed and Two Noughts directed by Peter Greenaway.
Musical films
- Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire, with Phil Daniels
Births
- 6 January - Ben Haenow, singer
- 11 January - Newton Faulkner, singer
- 2 March - Luke Pritchard, singer
- 3 April - Leona Lewis, singer
- 2 May - Lily Allen, singer, songwriter
- 21 May
- *Kano, rapper
- *Mutya Buena, singer and former member of
- 7 June - Charlie Simpson, singer and musician
- 15 June - Nadine Coyle, singer
- 5 July - Nick O'Malley, musician
- 8 July - Jamie Cook, musician
- 17 July - Tom Fletcher, singer
- 23 July - Matthew Murphy, musician
- 5 October - Nicola Roberts, singer
- 9 October - Frankmusik, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, remixer
- 10 October - Marina Diamandis, singer-songwriter
- 1 November - Dizzee Rascal, rapper
- 19 December - Lady Sovereign, singer, musician
- 23 December - Harry Judd, drummer
Deaths
- 6 February - Neil McCarthy, actor and pianist, 62
- 7 February - Matt Monro, singer, 54
- 27 February
- *J. Pat O'Malley, singer and film actor, 86
- *Ray Ellington, singer, 68
- 28 February - David Byron, singer, 38
- 19 April - Ivan Menzies, operatic baritone, 88
- 30 July - Peter Knight, conductor, arranger and composer, 68
- 11 September - William Alwyn, composer, 79
- 25 October - Gary Holton, singer-songwriter, musician and actor, 33
- 18 December - Jolyon Jackson, musician and composer, 37
- 12 December - Ian Stewart, musician, founding member and road manager for, 47
- 30 December - Bob Pearson, singer and pianist with his brother Alf, 78
Music awards
BRIT Awards
The 1985 BRIT Awards winners were:- Best British comedy recording: Neil - "Hole In My Shoe"
- Best British producer: Trevor Horn
- Best classical recording: Antonio Vivaldi's - "The Four Seasons"
- Best international artist: Prince and the Revolution
- Best soundtrack: "Purple Rain"
- British album: Sade - "Diamond Life"
- British female solo artist: Alison Moyet
- British group: Wham!
- British male solo artist: Paul Young
- British single: Frankie Goes to Hollywood - "Relax"
- British Video: Duran Duran - "The Wild Boys"
- Outstanding contribution: The Police
- Special Award: Bob Geldof and Midge Ure