These are the Billboard Hot 100 number-one hits of 1985. The two longest running number-one singles of 1985 are "We Are the World" by USA for Africa and "Say You, Say Me" by Lionel Richie which each logged four weeks at number-one. "Say You, Say Me" logged two weeks at number-one in 1985 and two more additional weeks in 1986, reaching a total of four. "Like a Virgin" by Madonna concluded a six-week run that started in 1984.
That year, 17 acts first hit number one, such as Foreigner, USA for Africa, Simple Minds, Tears for Fears, Bryan Adams, Paul Young, Huey Lewis and the News, John Parr, Dire Straits, Ready for the World, a-ha, Whitney Houston, Jan Hammer, Starship, Marilyn Martin, and Mr. Mister. George Michael, having already hit number one with Wham!, also earns his first number one song as a solo act. Madonna, Wham!, Phil Collins, and Tears for Fears were the only acts to have more than one song reach number one, with Phil Collins having the most with three, while the others have two.
This was also a record year for British acts with 13 hits reaching the top spot. As of 2025 this record remains unbroken.
Chart history +KeyThe yellow background indicates the #1 song on Billboards 1985 Year-End Chart of Pop Singles. Issue dateSongArtist(s)561January 5"Like a Virgin"Madonna January 12January 19January 26562February 2"I Want to Know What Love Is"ForeignerFebruary 9563February 16"Careless Whisper"Wham! featuring George MichaelFebruary 23March 2564March 9"Can't Fight This Feeling"REO SpeedwagonMarch 16 March 23565March 30"One More Night"Phil CollinsApril 6566April 13"We Are the World"USA for AfricaApril 20April 27May 4567May 11"Crazy for You"Madonna568May 18"Don't You (Forget About Me)"Simple Minds569May 25"Everything She Wants"Wham!June 1570June 8"Everybody Wants to Rule the World"Tears for FearsJune 15571June 22"Heaven"Bryan AdamsJune 29572July 6"Sussudio"Phil Collins573July 13"A View to a Kill"Duran DuranJuly 20574July 27"Everytime You Go Away"Paul Young575August 3"Shout"Tears for FearsAugust 10August 17576August 24"The Power of Love"Huey Lewis and the NewsAugust 31577September 7"St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)"John ParrSeptember 14578September 21"Money for Nothing"Dire StraitsSeptember 28October 5 579October 12"Oh Sheila"Ready for the World580October 19"Take On Me"a-ha581October 26"Saving All My Love for You"Whitney Houston582November 2"Part-Time Lover"Stevie Wonder583November 9"Miami Vice Theme"Jan Hammer584November 16"We Built This City"StarshipNovember 23585November 30"Separate Lives" Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin586December 7"Broken Wings"Mr. MisterDecember 14587December 21"Say You, Say Me"Lionel RichieDecember 28
Number-one artists + List of number-one artists by total weeks at number one Position Artist Weeks at No. 1 1 Madonna 5 Wham! Tears for Fears 4 USA for Africa 4 Phil Collins 6 George Michael 3 REO Speedwagon Dire Straits 9 Foreigner 2 Bryan Adams Duran Duran Huey Lewis and the News John Parr Starship Mr. Mister Lionel Richie 17 Simple Minds 1 Paul Young Ready for the World a-ha Whitney Houston Stevie Wonder Jan Hammer Marilyn Martin
See also 1985 in music List of Cash Box Top 100 number-one singles of 1985 List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of the 1980s
References
Additional sources Fred Bronson's Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, 5th Edition () Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2008, 12 Edition () Joel Whitburn Presents the Billboard Hot 100 Charts: The Eighties () Additional information obtained can be verified within Billboard's online archive services and print editions of the magazine.