List of number-one country albums of 1986 (U.S.)
Encyclopedia
These are the U.S. number-one country albums of 1986
, per the Billboard
Top Country Albums chart.
Note that Billboard publishes charts with an issue date approximately 7-10 days in advance.
1986 in country music
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1986.-Events:* January 18 — "American Country Countdown" with Bob Kingsley expands from three to four hours. Several new features — including a chronological playback of songs reaching No...
, per the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top Country Albums chart.
Note that Billboard publishes charts with an issue date approximately 7-10 days in advance.
| Issue Date | Album | Artist |
| January 4 | The Heart of the Matter The Heart of the Matter (album) The Heart of the Matter is the title of a 1985 album by Kenny Rogers, released by RCA .- Overview :The Heart of the Matter is to date Rogers' final studio album to reach #1 on the country charts. It also peaked at #51 on the Billboard 200... |
Kenny Rogers Kenny Rogers Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur... |
| January 11 | The Heart of the Matter | Kenny Rogers |
| January 18 | The Heart of the Matter | Kenny Rogers |
| January 25 | The Heart of the Matter | Kenny Rogers |
| February 1 | The Heart of the Matter | Kenny Rogers |
| February 8 | Greatest Hits Volume 2 Hank Williams, Jr.'s Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 Greatest Hits Volume 2 is a compilation album by country artist Hank Williams, Jr.. It was released in 1985 under Warner Bros. Records.-Track listing:All songs written by Hank Williams, Jr... |
Hank Williams, Jr. Hank Williams, Jr. Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country... |
| February 15 | Greatest Hits Volume 2 | Hank Williams, Jr. |
| February 22 | Streamline Streamline (Lee Greenwood album) Streamline' is a studio album by Lee Greenwood released on August 5, 1985. It was number one on US Country charts.-Side One:# "Streamline" - 3:20# "Lonely People" - 2:56... |
Lee Greenwood Lee Greenwood Melvin Lee Greenwood is an American country music artist. Active since the early 1980s, he has released more than twenty major-label albums and has charted more than 35 singles on the Billboard country music charts.... |
| March 1 | Rockin' with the Rhythm Rockin' with the Rhythm Rockin' with the Rhythm is the title of a studio album released by RCA Records in 1985 by the American country music duo The Judds. It features the singles "Have Mercy," "Grandpa ," "Rockin' with the Rhythm of the Rain" and "Cry Myself to Sleep"; all four singles reached #1 on Billboard's Hot... |
The Judds The Judds The Judds were an American country music duo composed of Naomi Judd and her daughter, Wynonna Judd. Signed to RCA Records in 1983, the duo released six studio albums between then and 1991. One of the most successful acts in country music history, The Judds won five Grammy Awards for Best Country... |
| March 8 | Won't Be Blue Anymore Won't Be Blue Anymore Won't Be Blue Anymore is the fifth studio album by country music artist Dan Seals. It has been his most successful album to date; the only one to reach #1 on the Top Country Albums chart. The album featured some of Seals most popular songs, including "Bop" and "Meet Me In Montana", a duet with... |
Dan Seals Dan Seals Danny Wayland "Dan" Seals was an American musician. The younger brother of Seals & Crofts member Jim Seals, he first gained fame as the "England Dan" half of the soft rock duo England Dan and John Ford Coley, which charted nine pop and adult contemporary singles between 1976 and 1980, including... |
| March 15 | I Have Returned I Have Returned I Have Returned was Ray Stevens' twenty-second studio album and his second for MCA Records, released in 1985. The pictures on both the front and the back of the album were taken in the Mississippi Sound near Biloxi, Mississippi according to the album credits... |
Ray Stevens Ray Stevens Ray Stevens is an American country music, pop singer-songwriter who has become known for his novelty songs.-Early career:... |
| March 22 | Greatest Hits Greatest Hits (Earl Thomas Conley album) Greatest Hits is the first compilation album by American country music artist Earl Thomas Conley. It was released in September 1985 via RCA Records... |
Earl Thomas Conley Earl Thomas Conley Earl Thomas Conley is an American country music singer-songwriter. Between 1980 and 2003, he recorded ten studio albums, including seven for the RCA Records label. In the 1980s and into the 1990s, Conley also charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which... |
| March 29 | Live in London Live in London (Ricky Skaggs album) Live in London is the first live album by American country music artist Ricky Skaggs. It was released in 1985 via Epic Records. The album peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.-Track listing:#"Uncle Pen" – 4:44... |
Ricky Skaggs Ricky Skaggs Rickie Lee "Ricky" Skaggs is a country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, and banjo.-Early career:... |
| April 5 | Greatest Hits Greatest Hits (Alabama album) Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits package released by the American country music band Alabama. The album was released on RCA Records in 1986, and has since been certified platinum for sales of 5 million units by the Recording Industry Association of America.By the mid-1980s, Alabama had... |
Alabama Alabama (band) Alabama is a country music and southern rock band from Fort Payne, Alabama, United States. The band was founded in 1969 by Randy Owen and his cousin Teddy Gentry , soon joined by Jeff Cook... |
| April 12 | Greatest Hits | Alabama |
| April 19 | A Memory Like You A Memory Like You A Memory Like You is the seventh studio album by American country music artist John Schneider. It was released in 1985 via MCA Records. The album peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.-Track listing:... |
John Schneider John Schneider (television actor) John Richard Schneider III is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his portrayal of Bo Duke in the 1980s American television series The Dukes of Hazzard, and as Jonathan Kent on Smallville, a 2001 television adaptation of Superman.Alongside his acting career, Schneider performed as a... |
| April 26 | Greatest Hits | Alabama |
| May 3 | Greatest Hits | Alabama |
| May 10 | Greatest Hits | Alabama |
| May 17 | Five-O Five-O (album) Five-O is a studio album by American country music artist Hank Williams, Jr. It was released by Warner Bros. Records in May 1985. "I'm for Love," "This Ain't Dallas" and "Ain't Misbehavin'" were released as singles... |
Hank Williams, Jr. |
| May 24 | Whoever's in New England Whoever's in New England Whoever's in New England is Reba McEntire's tenth album, and her first #1 album on the Billboard country charts. It also produced two singles that were #1 country hits: "Whoever's in New England" and "Little Rock."... |
Reba McEntire Reba McEntire Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma... |
| May 31 | The Promiseland The Promiseland The Promiseland is a 1986 album by country singer Willie Nelson. It reached number one on the U.S. Country Albums chart.- Track listing :#"Living in the Promiseland" – 3:18#"I'm Not Trying to Forget You" – 3:17#"Here in My Heart" – 3:50... |
Willie Nelson Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized... |
| June 7 | The Promiseland | Willie Nelson |
| June 14 | Will the Wolf Survive Will the Wolf Survive Will the Wolf Survive is an album by Waylon Jennings, his debut for MCA Records after a twenty-year stay at RCA. First released in 1986, it proved a greater commercial success than the singer's previous several releases, the peak of Jennings' popularity having passed... |
Waylon Jennings Waylon Jennings Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL... |
| June 21 | Lost in the Fifties Tonight Lost in the Fifties Tonight (album) Lost in the Fifties Tonight was the seventeenth studio album of Country music artist Ronnie Milsap. It was released in 1986 under the RCA Records label. The album produced four singles, all of which claimed the top spot on the Billboard country singles chart, including the title track, which was... |
Ronnie Milsap Ronnie Milsap Ronnie Lee Milsap is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country’s most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s... |
| June 28 | Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. is country music artist Dwight Yoakam's début album. It was also the first of three consecutive No. 1 Billboard Country Albums for him. Three of its tracks rose into the Top 40 of the Hot Country Singles chart in 1986. Yoakam's first single was "Honky Tonk Man"... |
Dwight Yoakam Dwight Yoakam Dwight David Yoakam is an American singer-songwriter, actor and film director, most famous for his pioneering country music... |
| July 5 | Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. | Dwight Yoakam |
| July 12 | #7 7 (George Strait album) -Band:*Harmony Vocals: Curtis "Mr. Harmony" Young*Drums: Eddie Bayers*Bass guitar: David Hungate*Electric guitar: Billy Joe Walker Jr.*Electric Guitar: Reggie Young*Electric Guitar: Richard Bennett*Acoustic guitar: Billy Joe Walker Jr.... |
George Strait George Strait George Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional... |
| July 19 | #7 | George Strait |
| July 26 | #7 | George Strait |
| August 2 | #7 | George Strait |
| August 9 | Storms of Life Storms of Life Storms of Life is the debut album by country music star Randy Travis, and was released on June 6, 1986 by Warner Bros. Records Nashville. Certified 3× Multi-Platinum by the RIAA for American shipments of three million copies, it features the singles "On the Other Hand" Storms of Life is the... |
Randy Travis Randy Travis Randy Travis is an American country music singer and actor. Since 1985, he has recorded 20 studio albums and charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 22 of which were number one hits... |
| August 16 | Storms of Life | Randy Travis |
| August 23 | Storms of Life | Randy Travis |
| August 30 | Storms of Life | Randy Travis |
| September 6 | Montana Cafe Montana Cafe Montana Cafe is a studio album by American country music artist Hank Williams, Jr. It was released by Warner Bros. Records in July 1986. "Country State of Mind," "Mind Your Own Business" and "When Something Is Good " were released as singles... |
Hank Williams, Jr. |
| September 13 | Montana Cafe | Hank Williams, Jr. |
| September 20 | Montana Cafe | Hank Williams, Jr. |
| September 27 | Montana Cafe | Hank Williams, Jr. |
| October 4 | Black & White Black & White (Janie Fricke album) Black and White is a studio album by American country music artist Janie Fricke. It was released by Columbia Records in 1986. "Always Have, Always Will" and "When a Woman Cries" were released as singles... |
Janie Fricke Janie Fricke Janie Fricke is an American country music singer, best remembered for a series of country music hits in the early to mid 1980s.... |
| October 11 | Storms of Life | Randy Travis |
| October 18 | Storms of Life | Randy Travis |
| October 25 | Storms of Life | Randy Travis |
| November 1 | Storms of Life | Randy Travis |
| November 8 | Guitar Town Guitar Town Guitar Town is the debut album from singer-songwriter Steve Earle, released on March 5, 1986. It topped the Billboard country album charts, and the title song reached #7 on the country singles charts... |
Steve Earle Steve Earle Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play.... |
| November 15 | The Touch The Touch (album) The Touch is the seventh studio album from country music band Alabama. It was released in 1986.-Track listing:#"You've Got the Touch" - 4:15#"Vacation" - 5:33#"True, True Housewife" - 3:53... |
Alabama |
| November 22 | The Touch | Alabama |
| November 29 | The Touch | Alabama |
| December 6 | The Touch | Alabama |
| December 13 | The Touch | Alabama |
| December 20 | The Touch | Alabama |
| December 27 | The Touch | Alabama |