1986 in music

See also:

Events

• January 23 - The first induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley)
• February 11 - Culture Club lead singer Boy George appears on an episode of The A-Team
• February 14 - Frank Zappa appears on an episode of the popular television series Miami Vice. Zappa portrays a crime boss named "Mr. Frankie".
• February 22 - In honor of the 20th anniversary of The Monkees premiering on television, MTV broadcasts "Pleasant Valley Sunday," a 22-hour marathon of Monkees episodes.
• March 27 - Sammy Hagar performs his first concert as the lead singer of Van Halen
• April 12 - The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle marries actor Morgan Mason
• May 5 - In New York, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Chairman Ahmet Ertegen announces that Cleveland, Ohio has been chosen as the city where the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will be built
• May 10 - Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe marries actress Heather Locklear.
• May 19 - Peter Gabriel releases So, his first album in over 4 years. The album reached number 2 on the charts and sold more than 3 million copies in the U.S. So contains the chart-topping songs Sledgehammer (#1), Big Time (top 10), and In Your Eyes (top 40). The music video for Sledgehammer won 9 MTV music awards, more than any video in history, and was ranked the #1 video of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. This album also marks Peter Gabriel's introduction into the mainstream of world music artists such as Youssou N'dour (who lent his vocals on In Your Eyes). It is interesting to note that Genesis released their hit album Invisible Touch in 1986, with Phil Collins on vocals.
• May 21 - Harrison Birtwistle's opera The Mask of Orpheus is premiered in London
• May 30 - The Monkees begin a highly successful tour of American stadiums on their 20th Anniversary Reunion Tour
• August 28 - Tina Turner receives a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
• October 20 - Duran Duran begin their career as a three piece with the release of the "Notorious" single
• Jello Biafra/Dead Kennedys taken to court by the PMRC for content in their album Frankenchrist; Biafra wins
• Cacophony forms
• The Escape Club signs a contract to EMI Records
• Public Enemy signs a contract to Def Jam Records
• Black Flag breaks up
• White Zombie begin performing
• Poison begins their recording career
• Dick Dale mounts a comeback effort
• Pixies forms
• Bolt Thrower forms
• Skid Row forms
• Slayer releases Reign in Blood, their breakthrough album, and the one that set the stage for many extreme metal bands to come.
• A (then) unknown Country singer, by the name of Garth Brooks marries his first wife, Sandy.
• The Vaselines forms
• Ernesto Bonino loses his voice after a surgical intervention
• Wham! featuring George Michael breaks up
• Metallica releases their masterpiece, Master of Puppets.
• Megadeth releases their masterpiece, Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?.