1985 in music
From Freepedia
See also: 1984 in music, other events of 1985, 1986 in music, 1980s in music and the list of 'years in music'
Contents |
Events
- January 28 - Various artists, including Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Willie Nelson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner and Stevie Wonder, record the song "We Are The World".
- February 21 - Whitney Houston releases her first album.
- March 3 - A wax likeness of Michael Jackson is unveiled at London's Madame Tussaud's wax museum.
- April 1 - David Lee Roth "Officially" leaves Van Halen to begin a solo career. Although...Both sides (Roth & the rest of Van Halen) had been talking about it since 1985 began.
- July 13 - Live Aid concert in Wembley and Philadelphia.
- August 1 - Michael Jackson purchases the publishing rights for most of the Beatles' music for US$47 million, much to the dismay of Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.
- August 16 - On her 27th anniversary, Madonna marries actor Sean Penn. They will divorce in 1989.
- September 19 - the P.M.R.C's infamous "senate hearing on rock censorship" was held on this day in Washington D.C. Heavy metal singer Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, rock star Frank Zappa and country singer John Denver testified against the P.M.R.C.
- September 22 - Farm Aid concert in Champaign, Illinois.
- December 5 - The first fully digital reggae single, Wayne Smith's "(Under Me) Sleng Teng", is recorded at Prince Jammy's studio; it is the beginning of ragga style reggae.
- Eric B. & Rakim meet and begin making music together
- The former Beatles producer George Martin works with Country music legend, Kenny Rogers on the album 'The Heart Of The Matter,' which tops the Billboard album charts in the USA and makes #4 in the UK.
- Phranc solo career starts.
- Widespread Panic forms.
- The Feelies reunites.
- Hall & Oates' last song charts in Billboard magazine.
- The Modern Art releases its debut single.
- The Police disbands.
Albums released
- 7800 Fahrenheit - Bon Jovi
- A Classic Case - Jethro Tull
- A Sense of Wonder - Van Morrison
- Armed and Dangerous EP - Anthrax
- Around the World in a Day - Prince
- Asylum - KISS
- Backwaxed - Anvil
- Beat Happening - Beat Happening
- Bites - Skinny Puppy
- Bonded by Blood - Exodus
- Brothers in Arms - Dire Straits
- Code Of Honor EP - Mark Edwards
- Centerfield - John Fogerty
- Come Out And Play - Twisted Sister
- Crazy from the Heat EP - David Lee Roth (solo debut release)
- Cupid & Psyhe '85 - Scritti Politti
- Dare To Be Stupid - "Weird Al" Yankovic
- Delirious Nomad - Armored Saint
- Despite Straight Lines - Marilyn
- Diamond Life - Sade
- Disturbing The Peace - Alcatrazz
- Done With Mirrors - Aerosmith
- Don't Stand Me Down - Dexys Midnight Runners
- Down for the Count - Y&T
- The Dream of the Blue Turtles - Sting
- Fables of the Reconstruction - R.E.M.
- Fear No Evil - Grim Reaper
- Feel The Fire - Overkill
- Fight to Survive - White Lion
- The Firm - The Firm
- First and Last and Always - The Sisters of Mercy
- The Firstborn is Dead - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
- Fly on the Wall - AC/DC
- Folksinger - Phranc
- Frankenchrist - Dead Kennedys
- Greatest Hits - The Cars (debut compilation)
- Halber Mensch (or ½ Mensch; English: "Half Man") - Einstürzende Neubauten
- The Head on the Door - The Cure
- Heart - Heart
- The Heart Of The Matter - Kenny Rogers
- Hell Awaits - Slayer
- Hellbound - Warlock
- Horror Epics - The Exploited
- Hounds of Love - Kate Bush
- Hunting High And Low - A-Ha
- I Am The Night - Pantera
- Ice on Fire - Elton John
- Invasion of your Privacy - Ratt
- Killer Dwarfs - Killer Dwarfs
- Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good! - Megadeth (debut)
- The Last Command - W.A.S.P.
- Like a Virgin - Madonna
- Little Creatures - Talking Heads
- Live After Death - Iron Maiden
- Long Way to Heaven - Helix
- Love - The Cult (debut)
- Love You To Pieces - Lizzy Borden
- Low-Life - New Order
- Marching Out - Yngwie Malmsteen
- Make it Big - Wham!
- Metal Heart - Accept
- Midnite Dynamite - Kix
- New Day Rising - Hüsker Dü
- The Night of the Crime - Icon
- No Jacket Required - Phil Collins
- No Tellin' Lies - Zebra
- Off The Board - Ludichrist
- Open Fire - Y&T
- Original Masters - Jethro Tull
- Power Station - Power Station
- Radio - LL Cool J
- Rain Dogs - Tom Waits
- Ready to Strike - King Kobra
- Rescue You - Joe Lynn Turner (solo debut)
- The Right to Rock - Keel
- Riptide - Robert Palmer
- Rough Cutt - Rough Cutt
- Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash - The Pogues
- Sacred Heart - Dio
- Say You Love Me - Jennifer Holliday
- Scarecrow - John Cougar Mellencamp
- Seven The Hard Way - Pat Benatar
- Shaken N' Stirred - Robert Plant
- Soldiers Under Command - Stryper
- Songs from the Big Chair - Tears for Fears
- Soul To Soul - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
- Spreading the Disease - Anthrax
- Stella - Yello
- Steve McQueen (US Title: Two Wheels Good) - Prefab Sprout
- Suzanne Vega - Suzanne Vega
- Telephone Free Landslide Victory - Camper Van Beethoven
- Three-Way Tie for Last - Minutemen
- Theatre of Pain - Mötley Crüe
- Thunder in the East - Loudness (American debut)
- Tim - The Replacements
- To Mega Therion - Celtic Frost
- Under Lock and Key - Dokken
- Unguarded - Amy Grant
- VU - The Velvet Underground
- Waiting For The Roar - Fastway
- We are the World - USA for Africa
- Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston
- Who's Zooming Who - Aretha Franklin
- Without Love - Black N' Blue
- World-Wide Live - Scorpions
- Youthquake - Dead or Alive
Top hits
- "Out Of Mind Out Of Sight" - The Models #1
- "Barbados" - The Models
- "(Gotta Be) Wrong Way To Love" - Dynamic Hepnotics
- "Working Class Man" - Jimmy Barnes
- "Atmosphere" - Russ Abbott
- "Baby U Left Me" - Marilyn
- "The Power of Love" - Huey Lewis & the News
- "Faron Young" - Prefab Sprout
- "Merry Christmas Everyone" - Shakin' Stevens
- "Don't You (Forget About Me)" - Simple Minds
- "Glory Days" - Bruce Springsteen
- "We Built This City" - Jefferson Starship
- "Oh Sheila" - Ready for the World
- "Shout" - Tears for Fears
- "I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner
- "Careless Whisper" - Wham!
- "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll" - Judas Priest
- "Crazy for You" - Madonna
- "Reviens-moi" - Dalida
- "C'était mon ami" - Dalida
- "Le temps d'aimer" - Dalida
- "Le Vénitien de Levallois" - Dalida
- "Money for Nothing" - Dire Straits
- "Find A Way" - Amy Grant
- "Wise Up" - Amy Grant
- "19" -- Paul Hardcastle
- "Say You, Say Me" - Lionel Richie
- "Walk Like a Man" - Divine
- "We Are the World" - USA for Africa
- "West End Girls" - Pet Shop Boys
- "Take On Me" - a-ha
- "Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore" - REO Speedwagon
- "Private Dancer" - Tina Turner
- "Indianapolis" - Menudo
- "I'm Going Down" - Bruce Springsteen
- "Freeway of Love" - Aretha Franklin
See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1985
Classical music
- Mario Davidovsky - Capriccio for two pianos
- Jacques Hétu - Missa pro trecentisimo anno
- Nicholas Jackson - Organ Sonata
- Witold Lutoslawski - Symphony No. 3
- John Rutter - Requiem
- Joan Tower - Concerto for Piano
- Robert Ward - Raleigh Divertimento
Opera
- Dominick Argento - Casanova's Homecoming
- Dorothy Rudd Moore - Frederick Douglass
Musical theater
- Big River - Broadway production
- Dames at Sea - off-Broadway revival
- The King and I (Rodgers & Hammerstein) - Broadway revival
- Me and My Girl (Noel Gay) - London revival
- Les Misérables - London production
- Mystery of Edwin Drood - Broadway production
- Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (Saul Chaplin, Gene de Paul and Johnny Mercer) - London production
- Singin' in the Rain - Broadway production
- Song and Dance - Broadway production
Musical films
Births
- January 20 - Bonnie McKee, singer-songwriter
- February 7 - Ai Kago, Japanese singer (W (Double You). Morning Musume, MiniMoni)
- February 20 - Yulia Volkova, Russian musician (t.A.T.u.)
- May 10 - Asley Poole, singer Dream (Group)
- May 22 - Vangie Tang, singer
- June 15 - Nadine Walsh, Girls Aloud
- August 1 - Dina, singer
- August 3 - Holly Arnstein, Singer Dream (Group)
- September 23 - Diana Ortiz, Singer Dream (Group)
- October 15 - Nicola Roberts, Girls Aloud
- October 22 - Zachary Hanson, Hanson
- December 10 - Raven-Symoné, actress and singer
Deaths
- January 9 - Anton Karas, Austrian zither player and composer
- February 11 - Heinz Eric Roemheld
- February 11 - Ulysses Simpson Kay
- February 12 - Leslie Sarony, English singer, comedian and songwriter
- February 18 - Gábor Darvas, composer and musicologist
- February 22 - Efrem Zimbalist, violinist
- February 28 - David Byron, Uriah Heep
- March 31 - Jeanine Deckers, known as The Singing Nun and had a hit record, "Dominique"
- May 19 - Hilding Rosenberg, composer
- July 23 - Kay Kyser, US bandleader
- September 6 - Little Brother Montgomery
- October 6 - Nelson Riddle, US conducter, composer and arranger
- October 11 - Tex Williams, US country singer
- October 14 - Emil Gilels, pianist
- October 21 - Ricky Wilson, founding member of The B-52's
- December 12 - Ian Stewart, The Rolling Stones, cerebrovascular accident
- December 22 - D. Boon, lead singer of The Minutemen
- December 31 - Ricky Nelson, singer, former teen idol
