The 25 best albums of 1986

16 February 2024, 19:00

Radio X takes a trip through the year of Bizarre Love Triangle, Sledgehammer, Kiss, You Can Call Me Al and Bigmouth Strikes Again.

By Radio X

@RadioX

1. Public Image Ltd - Album: release date 3rd February 1986

   John Lydon's post-Sex Pistols project released their fifth LP, which was called Album, Cassette or Compact Disc, depending on which format you bought. The big hit from the record was Rise.

   

2. Talk Talk - The Colour Of Spring: release date 17th February 1986

   The enormously influential band released their third album, featuring Life's What You Make It and Give It Up.

   

3. The Bangles - Different Light: release date 3rd March 1986

   The all-female LA band's debut album included the single Manic Monday (written by Prince), and the hits If She Knew What She Wants and Walk Like An Egyptian.

   

4. Metallica - Master Of Puppets: release date 3rd March 1986

   The metal titans released their third album and the last to feature their original bassist Cliff Burton, who died later that year.

   

5. Depeche Mode - Black Celebration: release date 17th March 1986

   The Basildon synth quartet released their fifth album, which included the tracks Stripped, A Question Of Lust and A Question Of Time.

   

6. Pet Shop Boys - Please: release date 24th March 1986

   The duo of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe issued their debut, which included Suburbia, Love Comes Quickly, Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money) and the No 1 single West End Girls.

   

7. Prince & The Revolution - Parade: release date 31st March 1986

   Technically the soundtrack to the film Under The Cherry Moon, Parade included Mountains, Girls & Boys, Anotherloverholeinyohead and the monster hit Kiss.

   

8. Siouxsie & The Banshees - Tinderbox: release date 14th April 1986

   The Queen Of Goth and her post-punk pioneers released their seventh album, which featured the hit Cities In Dust and Candyman.

   

9. Run DMC - Raisin' Hell: release date 27th May 1986

   The hip hop legends released their third album this year, which included the classic collaboration with Aerosmith, Walk This Way, plus My Adidas and It's Tricky.

   

10. Peter Gabriel - So: release date 19th May 1986

    Gabriel's fifth solo album was his first to feature an actual title (his first four were all untitled!) and was a huge hit, spawning the singles Don't Give Up, Big Time and the classic Sledgehammer.

    

11. Queen - A Kind Of Magic: release date 2nd June 1986

    The band's twelfth album was their first post-Live Aid outing and included the hit title track, One Vision, Friends Will Be Friends and Who Wants To Live Forever (written for the soundtrack to the movie Highlander).

    

12. Genesis - Invisible Touch: release date 9th June 1986

    The prog rock pioneers' thirteenth album was their poppiest yet, and included the singles In Too Deep, Tonight Tonight Tonight and Land Of Confusion.

    

13. The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead: release date 16th June 1986

    After a long wait, the band's third album was finally released in June 1986 and is regarded as their masterpiece. Tracks include There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Bigmouth Strikes Again and The Boy With The Thorn In His Side.

    

14. The Housemartins - London 0, Hull 4: release date 27th June 1986

    One of the most memorable hits of the year was Happy Hour, taken from the Hull band's debut album, which also included Flag Day and Think For A Minute. Some of the band later went on to form The Beautiful South.

    

15. Eurythmics - Revenge: release date 30th June 1986

    Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart's fifth album included the hits When Tomorrow Comes, Thorn In My Side and The Miracle Of Love.

    

16. Madonna - True Blue: release date 30th June 1986

    The follow-up to the monster hit Like A Virgin included the singles Live To Tell, Papa Don't Preach, Open Your Heart and La Isla Bonita.

    

17. The Communards - Communards: release date 14th July 1986

    The debut album from the duo of Richard Coles and Jimmy Somerville included the No 1 hit Don't Leave Me This Way plus You Are My World and So Cold The Night.

    

18. R.E.M. - Lifes Rich Pageant: release date 18th August 1986 (UK release)

    No apostrophe in the "Lifes", bad R.E.M. The band's fourth album included the tracks Begin The Begin and Fall On Me.

    

19. Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet: release date 18th August 1986

    The New Jersey rock band's third album was a huge worldwide hit and included the tunes Wanted Dead Or Alive, You Give Love A Bad Name and Livin' On A Prayer.

    

20. Paul Simon - Graceland: release date 1st September 1986 (UK release)

    Simon's adaptation of South African street music was controversial, but a huge hit and a commercial comeback for the songwriter. Singles included Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes, The Boy In The Bubble and You Can Call Me Al.

    

21. Billy Bragg - Talking With The Taxman About Poetry: released 22nd September 1986

    Billy's third album included the singles Greetings To The New Brunette and Levi Stubbs' Tears.

    

22. New Order - Brotherhood: release date 29th September 1986

    The iconic Manchester band released their fourth album in '86, which featured the huge tune Bizarre Love Triangle.

    

23. The Pretenders - Get Close: release date 20th October 1986

    The fourth studio album from Chrissie Hynde and co included the singles Don't Get Me Wrong, My Baby and Hymn To Her.

    

24. Beastie Boys - Licensed To Ill: release date 3rd November 1986 (UK release)

    The debut album from the rap trio featured (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party), No Sleep Til Brooklyn and Brass Monkey.

    

25. Kraftwerk - Electric Café: released 10th November 1986

    The German techno pioneers released their ninth album after a delay of five years since Computer World and an unreleased LP called Techno Pop. The delay was down to Ralf Hutter having a serious cycling accident and was to be the group's last album of original material until Tour De France Soundtracks in 2003. Singles were The Telephone Call and Musique Non-Stop.