# List of European number-one hits of 1986

This is a list of the European Hot 100 Singles and European Top 100 Albums number ones of 1986, as published by Music & Media magazine (known as Eurotipsheet until April 1986).

## Chart history

Key :
| † | Indicates best-performing single and album of 1986 |
| Issue date | Song | Artist | Album | Artist | Ref. |
| 6 January | "Take On Me" | A-ha | Promise | Sade | |
| 13 January | "Take On Me" | A-ha | Promise | Sade | |
| 20 January | "Take On Me" | A-ha | Promise | Sade | |
| 27 January | No chart published | No chart published | No chart published | No chart published | No chart published |
| 1 February | "Take On Me" | A-ha | Promise | Sade | |
| 8 February | "Russians" | Sting | Promise | Sade | |
| 15 February | "Say You, Say Me" | Lionel Richie | Promise | Sade | |
| 22 February | "Say You, Say Me" | Lionel Richie | Promise | Sade | |
| 1 March | "Burning Heart" | Survivor | Promise | Sade | |
| 8 March | "Burning Heart" | Survivor | Promise | Sade | |
| 15 March | "Burning Heart" | Survivor | Promise | Sade | |
| 22 March | "Burning Heart" | Survivor | Promise | Sade | |
| 29 March | "Burning Heart" | Survivor | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | |
| 5 April | "Burning Heart" | Survivor | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | |
| 12 April | "Burning Heart" | Survivor | Rocky IV | Soundtrack | |
| 19 April | "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" | Billy Ocean | Rocky IV | Soundtrack | |
| 26 April | "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" | Billy Ocean | Rocky IV | Soundtrack | |
| 3 May | "Absolute Beginners" | David Bowie | Rocky IV | Soundtrack | |
| 10 May | "A Different Corner" | George Michael | Dirty Work | Rolling Stones | |
| 17 May | "A Different Corner" | George Michael | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | |
| 24 May | "Live to Tell" | Madonna | Dirty Work | Rolling Stones | |
| 31 May | "Live to Tell" | Madonna | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | |
| 7 June | "Live to Tell" | Madonna | Dirty Work | Rolling Stones | |
| 14 June | "Live to Tell" | Madonna | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | |
| 21 June | "Live to Tell" | Madonna | So | Peter Gabriel | |
| 28 June | "Live to Tell" | Madonna | So | Peter Gabriel | |
| 5 July | "Live to Tell" | Madonna | A Kind of Magic | Queen | |
| 12 July | "Live to Tell" | Madonna | A Kind of Magic | Queen | |
| 19 July | "The Edge of Heaven" | Wham! | A Kind of Magic | Queen | |
| 26 July | "The Edge of Heaven" | Wham! | A Kind of Magic | Queen | |
| 2 August | "Papa Don't Preach" † | Madonna | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 9 August | "Papa Don't Preach" † | Madonna | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 16 August | "Papa Don't Preach" † | Madonna | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 23 August | "Papa Don't Preach" † | Madonna | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 30 August | "Papa Don't Preach" † | Madonna | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 6 September | "Papa Don't Preach" † | Madonna | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 13 September | "Papa Don't Preach" † | Madonna | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 20 September | "Papa Don't Preach" † | Madonna | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 27 September | "Holiday Rap" | MC Miker G & DJ Sven | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 4 October | "Holiday Rap" | MC Miker G & DJ Sven | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 11 October | "Holiday Rap" | MC Miker G & DJ Sven | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 18 October | "Holiday Rap" | MC Miker G & DJ Sven | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 25 October | "Holiday Rap" | MC Miker G & DJ Sven | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 1 November | "True Blue" | Madonna | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 8 November | "Take My Breath Away" | Berlin | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 15 November | "Take My Breath Away" | Berlin | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 22 November | "Take My Breath Away" | Berlin | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 29 November | "Take My Breath Away" | Berlin | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 6 December | "The Final Countdown" | Europe | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 13 December | "The Final Countdown" | Europe | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 20 December | "The Final Countdown" | Europe | True Blue † | Madonna | |
| 27 December | No chart published | No chart published | No chart published | No chart published | No chart published |