These are the '' Billboard'' Hot 100 number-one hits of 1985. The two longest running number-one singles of 1985 are "

We Are the World "We Are the World" is a charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album '' We Are the World''. Wi ...

" by

USA for Africa United Support of Artists for Africa (USA for Africa) was the name under which 47 predominantly U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily locat ...

and "

Say You, Say Me "Say You, Say Me" is a song written and recorded by American singer and songwriter Lionel Richie for the film ''White Nights (1985 film), White Nights''. The single hit number one in the US and on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, R&B singles chart in D ...

" by Lionel Richie which each logged four weeks at number-one. "Say You, Say Me" logged two weeks at number-one in 1985 and two more additional weeks in 1986, reaching a total of four. " Like a Virgin" by Madonna concluded a six-week run that started in 1984. That year, 17 acts first hit number one, such as Foreigner,

, Simple Minds,

Tears for Fears Tears for Fears are an English pop rock band formed in Bath, England, in 1981 by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, Tears for Fears were associated with the new ...

Bryan Adams Bryan Guy Adams (born 5 November 1959) is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, composer, and photographer. He has been cited as one of the best-selling music artists of all time, and is estimated to have sold between 75 million and mor ...

Paul Young Paul Antony Young (born 17 January 1956) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Formerly the frontman of the short-lived bands Kat Kool & the Kool Cats, Streetband and Q-Tips, he became a teen idol with his solo success in the 1980s. ...

, Huey Lewis and the News,

John Parr John Stephen Parr (born 18 November 1952) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter, best known for his 1985 single "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)", charting at number one in the US and number six in the UK, and for his 1984 US number- ...

, Dire Straits, Ready for the World, a-ha,

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed " The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston i ...

, Jan Hammer, Starship,

Marilyn Martin Marilyn Martin (born May 4, 1954) is an American singer and songwriter. She is best known for her 1985 hit duet with Phil Collins, "Separate Lives", her only number one. Early life Marilyn Martin was born on May 4, 1954, in Tennessee but raise ...

, and Mr. Mister. George Michael, having already hit number one with

Wham! Wham! (briefly known in the US as Wham! U.K.) were an English pop duo formed in Bushey in 1981. The duo consisted of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. They became one of the most commercially successful pop acts of the 1980s, selling mor ...

, also earns his first number one song as a solo act. Madonna, Wham!, Phil Collins, and Tears for Fears were the only acts to have more than one song reach number one, with Phil Collins having the most with three, while the others have two. This was also a record year for British acts with 13 hits reaching the top spot. As of 2022 this record remains unbroken.

Chart history

Number-one artists

References

Additional sources

*''

Fred Bronson Fredric M. "Fred" Bronson (born January 10, 1949) is an American journalist, author and writer. He is the author of books related to #1 songs on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and other books related to various music charts as well. He is also k ...

's Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, 5th Edition'' () *'' Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2008, 12 Edition'' () *''Joel Whitburn Presents the Billboard Hot 100 Charts: The Eighties'' () *Additional information obtained can be verified within ''Billboard's'
online archive services
and print editions of the magazine. {{Top 100 United States Hot 100

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...

Chart history

Number-one artists

See also

References

Additional sources