1986

The following is a list of the number-one singles (main sides only) in the U.S. in 1986, based on a comparison between its two main charts at the time, from Billboard and Cash Box magazines.
Issue date 	Song 	Artist(s)
January 4 	"Say You, Say Me" 	Lionel Richie
January 11 	"Say You, Say Me" 	Lionel Richie
January 18 	"That's What Friends Are For" 	Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder
January 25 	"That's What Friends Are For" 	Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder
February 1 	"That's What Friends Are For" 	Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder
February 8 	"That's What Friends Are For" 	Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder
February 15 	"When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going"	Billy Ocean
February 22 	"How Will I Know" 	Whitney Houston
March 1 	"Kyrie" 	Mr. Mister
March 8 	"Kyrie" 	Mr. Mister
March 15 	"Sara" 	Starship
March 22 	"These Dreams" 	Heart
March 29 	"Rock Me Amadeus" 	Falco
April 5 	"Rock Me Amadeus" 	Falco
April 12 	"Kiss" 	Prince
April 19 	"Kiss" 	Prince
April 26 	"Addicted to Love" 	Robert Palmer
May 3 	"Addicted to Love" 	Robert Palmer
May 10 	"West End Girls" 	Pet Shop Boys
May 17 	"Greatest Love of All" 	Whitney Houston
May 24 	"Greatest Love of All" 	Whitney Houston
May 31 	"Greatest Love of All" 	Whitney Houston
June 7 	"Live to Tell" 	Madonna
June 14 	"On My Own" 	Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald
June 21 	"On My Own" 	Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald
June 28 	"On My Own" 	Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald
July 5 	"There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" 	Billy Ocean
July 12 	"There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" 	Billy Ocean
July 19 	"Invisible Touch" 	Genesis
July 26 	"Sledgehammer" 	Peter Gabriel
August 2 	"Glory of Love" 	Peter Cetera
August 9 	"Glory of Love" 	Peter Cetera
August 16 	"Papa Don't Preach" 	Madonna
August 23 	"Papa Don't Preach" 	Madonna
August 30 	"Higher Love" 	Steve Winwood
September 6 	"Venus" 	Bananarama
September 13	"Take My Breath Away" 	Berlin
September 20	"Stuck with You" 	Huey Lewis & The News
September 27	"Stuck with You" 	Huey Lewis & The News
October 4 	"Stuck with You" 	Huey Lewis & The News
October 11 	"When I Think of You" 	Janet Jackson
October 18 	"When I Think of You" 	Janet Jackson
October 25 	"Typical Male" 	Tina Turner
November 1 	"True Colors" 	Cyndi Lauper
November 8 	"Amanda" 	Boston
November 15 	"Amanda" 	Boston
November 22 	"Human" 	The Human League
November 29 	"Human" 	The Human League
December 6 	"You Give Love a Bad Name" 	Bon Jovi
December 13 	"The Way It Is" 	Bruce Hornsby & The Range
December 20 	"Walk Like an Egyptian" 	The Bangles
December 27 	"Everybody Have Fun Tonight" 	Wang Chung