# List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 1986

The Billboard 200, published in Billboard magazine, is a weekly chart that ranks the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States. Before Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991, Billboard estimated the sales for the album charts from a representative sampling of record stores nationwide, which was gathered by telephone, fax or messenger service. The data was based on reports from record stores, who ranked the popularity of the best-selling records but did not provide an actual sales figures.

## Chart history

Key :
| † | Indicates best performing album of 1986 |
| Issue date | Album | Artist(s) | Label |
| January 4 | Miami Vice | Soundtrack | MCA |
| January 11 | Miami Vice | Soundtrack | MCA |
| January 18 | Miami Vice | Soundtrack | MCA |
| January 25 | The Broadway Album | Barbra Streisand | Columbia |
| February 1 | The Broadway Album | Barbra Streisand | Columbia |
| February 8 | The Broadway Album | Barbra Streisand | Columbia |
| February 15 | Promise | Sade | Portrait |
| February 22 | Promise | Sade | Portrait |
| March 1 | Welcome to the Real World | Mr. Mister | RCA Victor |
| March 8 | Whitney Houston † | Whitney Houston | Arista |
| March 15 | Whitney Houston † | Whitney Houston | Arista |
| March 22 | Whitney Houston † | Whitney Houston | Arista |
| March 29 | Whitney Houston † | Whitney Houston | Arista |
| April 5 | Whitney Houston † | Whitney Houston | Arista |
| April 12 | Whitney Houston † | Whitney Houston | Arista |
| April 19 | Whitney Houston † | Whitney Houston | Arista |
| April 26 | 5150 | Van Halen | Warner Bros. |
| May 3 | 5150 | Van Halen | Warner Bros. |
| May 10 | 5150 | Van Halen | Warner Bros. |
| May 17 | Whitney Houston † | Whitney Houston | Arista |
| May 24 | Whitney Houston † | Whitney Houston | Arista |
| May 31 | Whitney Houston † | Whitney Houston | Arista |
| June 7 | Whitney Houston † | Whitney Houston | Arista |
| June 14 | Whitney Houston † | Whitney Houston | Arista |
| June 21 | Whitney Houston † | Whitney Houston | Arista |
| June 28 | Whitney Houston † | Whitney Houston | Arista |
| July 5 | Control | Janet Jackson | A&M |
| July 12 | Control | Janet Jackson | A&M |
| July 19 | Winner in You | Patti LaBelle | MCA |
| July 26 | Top Gun | Soundtrack | Columbia |
| August 2 | Top Gun | Soundtrack | Columbia |
| August 9 | Top Gun | Soundtrack | Columbia |
| August 16 | True Blue | Madonna | Sire |
| August 23 | True Blue | Madonna | Sire |
| August 30 | True Blue | Madonna | Sire |
| September 6 | True Blue | Madonna | Sire |
| September 13 | True Blue | Madonna | Sire |
| September 20 | Top Gun | Soundtrack | Columbia |
| September 27 | Dancing on the Ceiling | Lionel Richie | Motown |
| October 4 | Dancing on the Ceiling | Lionel Richie | Motown |
| October 11 | Top Gun | Soundtrack | Columbia |
| October 18 | Fore! | Huey Lewis and the News | Chrysalis |
| October 25 | Slippery When Wet | Bon Jovi | Mercury |
| November 1 | Third Stage | Boston | MCA |
| November 8 | Third Stage | Boston | MCA |
| November 15 | Third Stage | Boston | MCA |
| November 22 | Third Stage | Boston | MCA |
| November 29 | Live/1975–85 | Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band | Columbia |
| December 6 | Live/1975–85 | Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band | Columbia |
| December 13 | Live/1975–85 | Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band | Columbia |
| December 20 | Live/1975–85 | Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band | Columbia |
| December 27 | Live/1975–85 | Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band | Columbia |