Welcome back as we continue this week’s Top 40 countdown! If you missed the previous songs, you can go back and check out Songs 40-31 and
Songs 30-21. A lot of times, this is the part of the countdown I love because there are great songs that may not have landed in the Top 10, which means that they don’t get much airplay on the ’80s radio stations and shows. This countdown does not disappoint.
If you’d like to listen to the song, you can click on the song title to get the YouTube video and click on the album cover to get the song on Amazon.
Now, let’s Return to the week ending November 8, 1986, and continue the countdown!
20. “I Am By Your Side” by Corey Hart
19. “When I Think of You” by Janet Jackson
18. “The Way It Is” by Bruce Hornsby & The Range
17. “All Cried Out” by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam With Full Force
16. “Emotion in Motion” by Ric Ocasek
15. “Hip to be Square” by Huey Lewis & The News
14. “Love Will Conquer All” by Lionel Richie
13. “I’ll Be Over You” by Toto
12. “The Next Time I Fall” by Peter Cetera & Amy Grant
11. “Sweet Love” by Anita Baker
That wraps things up for today. As the numbers get smaller, the hits get bigger! So, come back tomorrow, and see what the Top 10 hits of the week are from this week in 1986.
We begin today’s list with the second single released from Billy Joel’s album, The Bridge, which happens to be my favorite Billy Joel album. This is a fun video featuring several cameos, including Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and Joel’s then wife Christie Brinkley who is holding their baby daughter Alexa. The song would peak at #10.
Yet another smash hit by Genesis. This was the second single released from the classic Invisible Touch album. This song would reach #4 on the Hot 100 chart, and #1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart.
There were a lot of big fads in the ’80s. Yesterday, I had mentioned our love of ’50s and ’60s culture. There was also a big wave of Australia that hit the U.S. And of course, we had famous actors trying their hand in singing. Most were successful. There was Bruce Willis, Eddie Murphy, Jack Wagner, and of course Miami Vice’s Don Johnson. This was a huge hit for Johnson, hitting the Top 10, landing at #5.
I fell in love with this Canadian rock band in 1983 when I saw them perform at the US Festival. This would turn out to be one of my favorite songs by them. It was their most successful single in the U.S. landing at #27.
I don’t remember this song at all. Yet, it was a #20 hit, and came off of Steve Winwood’s huge album, Back in the High Life. It was the second single released from the album, right between “
Here’s another song I never heard of! What’s going on?!? Just kidding. If you have never heard of this song, you must have lived under a rock. This was the third single released off of the Bangles Different Light album. It as released in September 1986, and would hit number in December for four weeks, going into 1987. It would be the #1 song from 1987. This is the first song by an all-female group playing their own instruments to top the Billboard singles chart.
Three years after Frontiers, Journey finally released a new studio album, called Raised On Radio. Steve Smith was replaced on drums by Larry Londin, and this is the only Journey album without bassist Ross Valory. As anybody who has watched American Idol knows, Randy Jackson played bass for Journey, and he won’t let you forget it. Even though Journey was a mess at this point, I still loved this album. This was the third single released, and it peaked at #17.
This is a fun song by the British new wave group. It has become Wang Chung’s signature song. It would reach #2 on the chart, being held out of the top spot by “Walk Like an Egyptian”.
This was Billy Idol’s lead single from his Whiplash Smile album. This was originally a soul ballad from 1968, by William Bell, called “
I got so tired of both “Satisfaction” and “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” by The Rolling Stones that if I hear either of them ever again, it would be too soon. However, Aretha makes this song so awesome! I cannot get enough of anything by Aretha Franklin. This song is perfect for her. It also features Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards on guitars, and Aretha on paino. This version of the song was used for the Whoopi Goldberg film Jumpin’ Jack Flash.
We begin the countdown with Gregory Abbott’s debut into the Top 40. This lead single from Abbott’s debut album Shake You Down was his biggest hit, and would go on to hit the top of the charts. Gregory Abbott is still out there releasing music – most recently, 2019’s “
This was from Jones’ third studio album One to One. It didn’t hit the Top 40 in the U.K., peaking at #43. However on this chart, it would peak all the way up to #17.
This is one of my all-time favorite Talking Heads songs. Released as the lead single from their seventh studio album True Stories, it would peak at #25. The video is also a lot of fun, and won “Best Group Video” at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1987.
This song would eventually peak at #10. The Pretenders were in a major transitional period at this point. This was the first single off of the Get Close album. A few years earlier, original members James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon died of drug overdoses. During the recording of this album, Chrissie Hynde found that Martin Chambers’ drumming had deteriorated, still struggling after losing his 2 best friends. So Hynde let him go, leaving her as the only original Pretenders member. The album turned out to be a success. Chambers reunited with The Pretenders for their 1994 album Last of the Independents (which produced the smash single “
This is easily my favorite Peter Gabriel tune. It would only peak at #26 on this chart, but was a #1 hit on the Mainstream Rock chart. This came of Gabriel’s smash album So. However, it will forever be linked with the iconic scene in the 1989 movie, Say Anything…, as John Cusack’s Lloyd Dobler is holding a boombox, over his head, with this song blaring outside of Diane Court’s (Ione Skye) bedroom.
This classic by the Canadian rock group, Glass Tiger, was starting to drop out of the countdown, falling from 28 to 35. But, it was a smash hit in Canada and in the U.S., hitting #1 and #2, respectively. And yes, that is fellow Canadian Bryan Adams on backing vocals.
This song by the English electronic band was climbing up the charts this week. It would go on to peak at #19 in the US, #11 in the UK, and it would break into the Top 10 in several other countries.
Yes, ‘Til Tuesday had other songs besides “
Here is another song on the way out of the countdown, dropping from 23 to 32 this week. But not before becoming a huge hit, peaking at #3, and becoming one of the highest selling singles of 1986. The song was ranked number twenty-seven in VH1’s 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the ’80s.
This 1961 Ben E. King hit song was re-released to coincide with the classic 1986 movie of the same name. It peaked at #4 in 1961 and peaked at #9 in 1986. In the ’80s, there was a lot of ’50s and ’60s nostalgia in movies, television, and music. There were many ’60s covers in the ’80s. And there were several re-releases, including this one.
Ah, the good ole days of the Cold War. Too bad those days are over, right? Right? Well, maybe we’ll get a Nikita ’18 update version this year.
This is one of the most iconic music videos ever. The five models in the video are Julie Pankhurst (keyboard), Patty Kelly (guitar), Mak Gilchrist (bass guitar), Julia Bolino (guitar), and Kathy Davies (drums). Andy Taylor of Duran Duran (and a bandmate of Palmer’s from The Power Station) provides lead guitar.
This very cool song was the only Top 40 hit for Sly Fox, making them a one-hit wonder.
This worldwide smash hit was The Bangles’ first hit single. It was originally intended for the group Apollonia 6 in 1984. And yes, that means it was written by Prince.
This was the first Top 10 hit for INXS in the U.S. At the Countdown Music and Video Awards for 1985, in Australia, this won for Best Video.
This was the first Heart single on which Nancy Wilson performed lead vocals instead of Ann. It would also be Heart’s first number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
This was was Atlantic Starr’s true breakthrough hit on the pop charts in both the US and UK.
I still remember listening to the radio while playing a computer game, when the DJ said that they were going to play the new Prince song, “Kiss”, for the first time. It was exciting for me to be able to catch the debut of a song on the radio. I’ve been a fan of this song ever since.
This is a fun rocker by Mellencamp, who had quite a good run of hit songs throughout the ’80s.
And we have arrived at the #1 song of the week! Of course, it’s a song that will be stuck in your head the rest of the day. While Falco was wildly popular in Germany, his native Austria, and much of Europe, this was his only #1 hit in both the U.S. and U.K. With “Rock Me Amadeus”, Falco became the first German-speaking artist to be credited with a number-one single in all mainstream US pop singles charts: the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100 Singles. Prior to Falco, “99 Luftballons” by Nena got to number one on Cashbox, but peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.
If I were king for just one day, I would make sure this song gets played just as much as “Hold Me Now”.
This is the second song, on this countdown, with this name. This is defintely the superiour song. I love Stevie Nicks, and this is one of my favorites by her.
I didn’t realize that ELO was still around at this point. This would be their last U.S. hit, peaking right here at #18. I like this one.
Here is another pleasant surprise for me! And you would never know that this was a 16 year old that recorded this!
This was our introduction to the Van Hagar years. Great way to start them!
Awesome 80s power ballad. It was the band’s second number-one hit after the song “We Built This City”.
This cover of the 1963 Bob & Earl song would go on to be a #5 hit. The animation, in the video, was directed by John Kricfalusi, who would go on to create The Ren & Stimpy Show.
Another awesome power ballad. They don’t make ’em like they used to.
Classic ’80s tune that became a #q hit in both the U.S. and U.K.
Very cool R&B song just before New Jack Swing music became big.
I prefer Stevie Wonder’s music from the ’70s, but this is a pretty song. Love his voice!
This is one of my favorite Bob Seger songs. This is one of those misunderstood songs. It is not a patriotic song. It is about cocaine abuse. In an 
A great song from one of my favorite soundtracks – Rocky IV. And you know it’s good because it was featured in a Rocky training montage in the film.
I’m not the biggest Dire Straits fan, so I wouldn’t mind if this song moved so far away from me.
On the other hand, I loved Whitney. She could do no wrong with me in the ’80s. I wish that she did know that crack is indeed wack. One of our great artists gone way too soon.
Mr. Mister’s follow-up to the smash hit, “Broken Wings”, was another #1 smash hit. They did have two other U.S. top 40 hits after this, but nobody remembers those.
I don’t remember this song. Not one of my favorite Jermaine tunes, but it’s OK.
The Outfield has other great songs that rarely get played. However, despite the fact that I’ve heard this song a few million times in my life, I still love it.
If only this song was also featured in a John Hughes film like their other hit song.
I loved Janet Jackson. But, whenever I hear this song, this is the first thing that comes to mind [keep in mind that this is Eddie Murphy. So if you’re listening at work, make sure your headphones don’t pop out]:
This cover of George Benson’s 1977 hit enters the Top 40 this week. This would be one of many iconic Whitney songs.
Time to hit the dance floor!
Level 42 had about 42 top 40 hits in the U.K. OK, I may be exaggerating a bit. They actually had 20, but 42 would have been cooler. However, in the U.S., they only had 2 hits in the U.S., with this being the first. Maybe we’ll catch more Level 42 songs when we head back to the U.K.
This song, from the soundtrack of 9 1/2 Weeks, which starred Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke, was John Taylor’s first solo singing performance during Duran Duran’s hiatus.
I had never heard this song. It is a pretty good rocker. And it could be just as appropriate today as it was 32 years ago.
Iconic ’80s tune from an iconic ’80s movie – Pretty in Pink.
Here is another music discovery for me. I’m loving this R&B hit!
This was Miami Sound Machine and Gloria Estefan’s second English language hit, after “Conga”. This was the beginning of a long string of hits for Gloria Estefan.
Totally forgot about this one, from the Austrian group, Opus! na na na-na-na
Is it me, or does it seem like every released Phil Collins tune – either solo, or with Genesis – was iconic?
.jpg)
.jpg)
Return to the 80s 