1986
31 different songs reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1986. The year opened with Say You, Say Me by Lionel Richie at the top, and That's What Friends Are For by Dionne & Friends Featuring Elton John, Gladys Knight And Stevie Wonder held #1 the longest — 4 weeks in 1986.
Prices rose 1.9% over 1985, a calm year by historical standards. One dollar in 1986 buys about what $2.94 buys in 2025.
A gallon of regular gas averaged $0.93, down 23% from 1985. In 2025 dollars that is $2.72, against an actual 2025 average of $3.26.
Mailing a letter took a 22¢ stamp (it is 73¢ in 2025), and the federal minimum wage was $3.35 an hour.
Every #1 hit of 1986
| Song | Artist | First week at #1 | Weeks at #1 in 1986 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Say You, Say Me | Lionel Richie | Jan 4 | 2 |
| That's What Friends Are For | Dionne & Friends Featuring Elton John, Gladys Knight And Stevie Wonder | Jan 18 | 4 |
| How Will I Know | Whitney Houston | Feb 15 | 2 |
| Kyrie | Mr. Mister | Mar 1 | 2 |
| Sara | Starship | Mar 15 | 1 |
| These Dreams | Heart | Mar 22 | 1 |
| Rock Me Amadeus | Falco | Mar 29 | 3 |
| Kiss | Prince And The Revolution | Apr 19 | 2 |
| Addicted To Love | Robert Palmer | May 3 | 1 |
| West End Girls | Pet Shop Boys | May 10 | 1 |
| Greatest Love Of All | Whitney Houston | May 17 | 3 |
| Live To Tell | Madonna | Jun 7 | 1 |
| On My Own | Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald | Jun 14 | 3 |
| There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) | Billy Ocean | Jul 5 | 1 |
| Holding Back The Years | Simply Red | Jul 12 | 1 |
| Invisible Touch | Genesis | Jul 19 | 1 |
| Sledgehammer | Peter Gabriel | Jul 26 | 1 |
| Glory Of Love (Theme From "The Karate Kid Part II") | Peter Cetera | Aug 2 | 2 |
| Papa Don't Preach | Madonna | Aug 16 | 2 |
| Higher Love | Steve Winwood | Aug 30 | 1 |
| Venus | Bananarama | Sep 6 | 1 |
| Take My Breath Away (Love Theme From "Top Gun") | Berlin | Sep 13 | 1 |
| Stuck With You | Huey Lewis & The News | Sep 20 | 3 |
| When I Think Of You | Janet Jackson | Oct 11 | 2 |
| True Colors | Cyndi Lauper | Oct 25 | 2 |
| Amanda | Boston | Nov 8 | 2 |
| Human | The Human League | Nov 22 | 1 |
| You Give Love A Bad Name | Bon Jovi | Nov 29 | 1 |
| The Next Time I Fall | Peter Cetera With Amy Grant | Dec 6 | 1 |
| The Way It Is | Bruce Hornsby & The Range | Dec 13 | 1 |
| Walk Like An Egyptian | The Bangles | Dec 20 | 2 |
Weeks are counted within 1986; a song that carried over from 1985 or into 1987 shows only its 1986 weeks.
What things cost in 1986
| Item | 1986 price | In 2025 dollars | Actual 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallon of regular gas | $0.93 | $2.72 | $3.26 |
| Dozen large eggs | $0.87 | $2.56 | $4.25 |
| Loaf of white bread (per lb) | $0.56 | $1.66 | $1.87 |
| Ground beef (per lb) | $1.23 | $3.62 | $6.09 |
| Whole chicken (per lb) | $0.83 | $2.45 | $2.06 |
| Bacon (per lb) | $2.08 | $6.12 | $7.02 |
| Ground coffee (per lb) | $3.43 | $10.08 | $8.18 |
| Bananas (per lb) | $0.39 | $1.13 | $0.65 |
| Sugar (per lb) | $0.35 | $1.03 | $1.02 |
| Potatoes (per lb) | $0.25 | $0.74 | $0.96 |
| Flour (per lb) | $0.21 | $0.61 | $0.56 |
| Electricity (per kWh) | $0.08 | $0.23 | $0.18 |
| Federal minimum wage (per hour) | $3.35 | $9.84 | $7.25 |
| Median new home sale price | $92,025 | $270,298 | $415,400 |
| First-class stamp | 22¢ | 65¢ | 73¢ |
Compare 1986 prices with any amount → · Find the #1 song on any day in 1986 →
The internet in 1986
54 of the first 100 .com domains were registered in 1986: xerox.com, sri.com, hp.com, bellcore.com, ibm.com, sun.com, intel.com, ti.com, att.com, gmr.com, tek.com, fmc.com, ub.com, bell-atl.com, ge.com, grebyn.com, isc.com, nsc.com, stargate.com, boeing.com, itcorp.com, siemens.com, pyramid.com, alphacdc.com, bdm.com, fluke.com, inmet.com, kesmai.com, mentor.com, nec.com, ray.com, rosemount.com, vortex.com, alcoa.com, gte.com, adobe.com, amd.com, das.com, data-io.com, octopus.com, portal.com, teltone.com, 3com.com, amdahl.com, ccur.com, ci.com, convergent.com, dg.com, peregrine.com, quad.com, sq.com, tandy.com, tti.com, unisys.com.
