The Billboard Hot 100 chart for 1986 features heavy hit makers such as Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson and Boston just to name a few.
| Date | Number 1 Song |
|---|---|
| Jan 4 | Say You, Say Me – Lionel Richie |
| Jan 11 | Say You, Say Me – Lionel Richie |
| Jan 18 | Say You, Say Me – Lionel Richie |
| Jan 25 | That’s What Friends Are For – Dionne & Friends (with Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder) |
| Feb 1 | That’s What Friends Are For – Dionne & Friends (with Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder) |
| Feb 8 | That’s What Friends Are For – Dionne & Friends (with Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder) |
| Feb 15 | When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going – Billy Ocean |
| Feb 22 | How Will I Know – Whitney Houston |
| Mar 1 | Kyrie – Mr. Mister |
| Mar 8 | Kyrie – Mr. Mister |
| Mar 15 | Sara – Starship |
| Mar 22 | These Dreams – Heart |
| Mar 29 | Rock Me Amadeus – Falco |
| Apr 5 | Rock Me Amadeus – Falco |
| Apr 12 | Kiss – Prince & The Revolution |
| Apr 19 | Kiss – Prince & The Revolution |
| Apr 26 | Addicted To Love – Robert Palmer |
| May 3 | Addicted To Love – Robert Palmer |
| May 10 | West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys |
| May 17 | Why Can’t This Be Love – Van Halen |
| May 24 | Greatest Love Of All – Whitney Houston |
| May 31 | Greatest Love Of All – Whitney Houston |
| Jun 7 | Live To Tell – Madonna |
| Jun 14 | On My Own – Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald |
| Jun 21 | On My Own – Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald |
| Jun 28 | On My Own – Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald |
| Jul 5 | There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) – Billy Ocean |
| Jul 12 | There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) – Billy Ocean |
| Jul 19 | Invisible Touch – Genesis |
| Jul 26 | Sledgehammer – Peter Gabriel |
| Aug 2 | Sledgehammer – Peter Gabriel |
| Aug 9 | Glory Of Love – Peter Cetera |
| Aug 16 | Papa Don’t Preach – Madonna |
| Aug 23 | Papa Don’t Preach – Madonna |
| Aug 30 | Higher Love – Steve Winwood |
| Sep 6 | Higher Love – Steve Winwood |
| Sep 13 | Take My Breath Away – Berlin |
| Sep 20 | Stuck With You – Huey Lewis & The News |
| Sep 27 | Stuck With You – Huey Lewis & The News |
| Oct 4 | Stuck With You – Huey Lewis & The News |
| Oct 11 | When I Think Of You – Janet Jackson |
| Oct 18 | When I Think Of You – Janet Jackson |
| Oct 25 | Typical Male – Tina Turner |
| Nov 1 | True Colors – Cyndi Lauper |
| Nov 8 | Amanda – Boston |
| Nov 15 | Amanda – Boston |
| Nov 22 | Amanda – Boston |
| Nov 29 | Human – The Human League |
| Dec 6 | You Give Love A Bad Name – Bon Jovi |
| Dec 13 | The Way It Is – Bruce Hornsby & Range |
| Dec 20 | Walk Like An Egyptian – Bangles |
| Dec 27 | Everybody Have Fun Tonight – Wang Chung |