Jennifer Rush had the best selling single of 1985, "The Power of Love", which spent five weeks at number-one and lasted 10 weeks in the top 10.Madonna (pictured in 1993) had a total of eight top 10 singles this year, more than any other artist. The highest charting of these entries was "Into the Groove", which became her first UK number-one single.Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger (pictured in 2014) teamed up with David Bowie for a cover version of Martha and the Vandellas' "Dancing in the Street", which topped the chart in September 1985 for four weeks.
The UK Singles Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling singles of the week in the United Kingdom.[1] Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical singles.[2][3] This list shows singles that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during 1985, as well as singles which peaked in 1984 and 1986 but were in the top 10 in 1985. The entry date is when the single appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).
One-hundred and twenty-two singles were in the top ten in 1985. Nine singles from 1984 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year, while "West End Girls" by Pet Shop Boys was released in 1985 but did not reach its peak until 1986. "Like a Virgin" by Madonna and "Shout" by Tears for Fears were the singles from 1984 to reach their peak in 1985. "Last Christmas" by Wham! and "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid both re-entered the top ten at the end of the year after being re-issued. Thirty-five artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1985. A-ha, Billy Idol, Bruce Springsteen, Simple Minds and Whitney Houston were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1985.
The 1984 Christmas number-one, charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by the collective Band Aid, remained at number-one for the first two weeks of 1985. The first new number-one single of the year was "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner. Overall, twenty different singles peaked at number-one in 1985, with David Bowie, George Michael, Holly Johnson and Phil Collins (2, including their appearances on the Band Aid single) having the joint most singles hit that position.
Background
Multiple entries
One-hundred and twenty-two singles charted in the top 10 in 1985, with one-hundred and fifteen singles reaching their peak this year.
Thirty-five artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1985. Madonna secured the record for most top 10 hits in 1985 with eight hit singles.
Ninety-two artists achieved their first top 10 single in 1985, either as a lead or featured artist. Of these, five went on to record another top 10 single that year: Billy Idol, Jaki Graham, King, Mai Tai and Marillion. Bruce Springsteen had three other entries in this year.
The following table (collapsed on desktop site) does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo single.
A number of songs recorded for charity reached the top 10 in the charts in 1985. The supergroup USA for Africa released "We Are the World" to support famine relief efforts across Africa. The song peaked at number-one for 2 weeks from 20 April 1985.
Feargal Sharkey, the former lead singer with Northern Irish punk rock band The Undertones, spent two weeks at number-one in November with "A Good Heart", which became the year's eighth best selling single.Eurythmics (lead singer Annie Lennox pictured in 2008) had two top 10 hits in 1985, including their only UK number-one single, "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)".Earth, Wind & Fire vocalist Philip Bailey teamed up with Phil Collins to record "Easy Lover", which spent four weeks at number-one. Bailey had achieved four UK top 10 hits as member of Earth, Wind & Fire, but "Easy Lover" was his only UK top 10 hit independent of the group.
The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 1985, including singles that reached their peak in 1984. The figures include both main artists and featured artists, while appearances on ensemble charity records are also counted for each artist. The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 1985 is also shown.
c "Do They Know It's Christmas" was re-issued in 1985 and re-entered the top 10 at number 6 on 14 December 1985 (week ending), rising to number 3 on 21 December 1985 (week ending).
d "Last Christmas" was re-issued in 1985 (with "Blue" as the B-side) and re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 21 December 1985 (week ending), rising to number 6 on 28 December 1985.
e Released as a charity single by USA for Africa to aid famine relief in Africa, especially Ethiopia. The single featured mainly American artists on vocals and instruments.
f Released as a charity single by The Crowd to raise money for families of the Bradford City stadium fire victims.
g "Holiday" originally peaked at number 6 on its initial release in 1984.
h "Drive" originally peaked at number 5 on its initial release in 1984. After The Cars performed the song at Live Aid in Philadelphia, it re-charted in the UK, reaching a new peak of number 4.
i Figure includes an appearance on the "We Are the World" charity single by USA for Africa.
j Figure includes single that first charted in 1984 but peaked in 1985.
k Figure includes an appearance on the "Do They Know It's Christmas?" charity single by Band Aid.
