List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1985

Cyndi Lauper, studio badge, and the sweatshirt given to all attendees at A&M Studios in Hollywood, California on January 28, 1985, during the recording of "We Are the World".

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

Key

The yellow background indicates the #1 song on BillboardTemplate:'s 1985 Year-End Chart of Pop Singles.

Template:Abbr	Issue date	Song	Artist(s)	Template:Abbr
561	January 5	"Like a Virgin"	Madonna	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
	January 12			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
	January 19			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	January 26			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
562	February 2	"I Want to Know What Love Is"	Foreigner	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	February 9			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
563	February 16	"Careless Whisper"	Wham! featuring George Michael	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	February 23			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	March 2			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
564	March 9	"Can't Fight This Feeling"	REO Speedwagon	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
	March 16			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	March 23			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
565	March 30	"One More Night"	Phil Collins	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	April 6			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
566	April 13	"We Are the World"	USA for Africa	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
	April 20			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	April 27			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	May 4			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
567	May 11	"Crazy for You"	Madonna	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
568	May 18	"Don't You (Forget About Me)"	Simple Minds	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
569	May 25	"Everything She Wants"	Wham!	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	June 1			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
570	June 8	"Everybody Wants to Rule the World"	Tears for Fears	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	June 15			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
571	June 22	"Heaven"	Bryan Adams	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
	June 29			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
572	July 6	"Sussudio"	Phil Collins	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
573	July 13	"A View to a Kill"	Duran Duran	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
	July 20			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
574	July 27	"Everytime You Go Away"	Paul Young	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
575	August 3	"Shout"	Tears for Fears	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
	August 10			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
	August 17			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
576	August 24	"The Power of Love"	Huey Lewis and the News	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
	August 31			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
577	September 7	"St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)"	John Parr	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	September 14			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
578	September 21	"Money for Nothing"	Dire Straits	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	September 28			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
	October 5			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
579	October 12	"Oh Sheila"	Ready for the World	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
580	October 19	"Take On Me"	a-ha	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
581	October 26	"Saving All My Love for You"	Whitney Houston	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
582	November 2	"Part-Time Lover"	Stevie Wonder	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
583	November 9	"Miami Vice Theme"	Jan Hammer	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
584	November 16	"We Built This City"	Starship	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
	November 23			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
585	November 30	"Separate Lives"	Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
586	December 7	"Broken Wings"	Mr. Mister	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	December 14			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
587	December 21	"Say You, Say Me"	Lionel Richie	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
	December 28			<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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

Additional sources

• Fred Bronson's Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, 5th Edition (Template:ISBN)
• Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2008, 12 Edition (Template:ISBN)
• Joel Whitburn Presents the Billboard Hot 100 Charts: The Eighties (Template:ISBN)
• Additional information obtained can be verified within Billboard's online archive services and print editions of the magazine.