Paul Simon returned to pop charts in 1986 with his Graceland album, which was substantially inspired by South African music. Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys pushed a new rock/rap fusion into the marketplace and while punk rock and new wave had been put to bed, a new batch of college radio acts including Camper Van Beethoven and They Might Be Giants released excellent singles. Overall, a weak year, somewhat salvaged by Alex Chilton’s irrevent take on the AIDS epidemic.
Ballet for a Rainy Day, XTC
Bizarre Love Triangle, New Order
The Boy in the Bubble, Paul Simon
Don’t Get Me Wrong, The Pretenders
Don’t Let’s Start, They Might Be Giants
The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades, Timbuk3
Graceland, Paul Simon
Get Up Off Our Knees, The Housemartins
Good Guys and Bad Guys, Camper Van Beethoven
Guitars, Cadillacs, Dwight Yoakam
Guitar Town, Steve Earle
Higher Love, Steve Winwood
I Want You, Elvis Costello
Keep Your Hands to Yourself, The Georgia Satellites
Kiss, Prince
Midnight Girl –Sunset Town, Sweethearts of the Rodeo
Nasty, Janet Jackson
No Sex, Alex Chilton
One Hit (To The Body), The Rolling Stones
Panic, The Smiths
Pure and Simple, The Rattlers
Raising Hell, Run-DMC
Right Next Door (Because of Me), Robert Cray
Something to Believe In, The Ramones
Take the Skinheads Bowling, Camper Van Beethoven
Unhappy Anniversary, Loudon Wainwright III
Word Up, Cameo
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