1985 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1985.

Specific locations

 * 1985 in British music
 * 1985 in Norwegian music

Specific genres

 * 1985 in country music
 * 1985 in heavy metal music
 * 1985 in hip hop music
 * 1985 in jazz

January–March

 * January 1 – The newest music video channel, VH-1, begins broadcasting on American cable. It is aimed at an older demographic than its sister station, MTV. The first video played is Marvin Gaye's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner".
 * January 11
 * One of the biggest music festivals in the world begins in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Rock in Rio, had a public of 1.5 million people at all, including Iron Maiden, Nina Hagen, The B52's, Go Go's, Queen, Rod Stewart, James Taylor, AC/DC, and many more. National artists such as Gilberto Gil, Elba Ramalho, Barão Vermelho and Paralamas do Sucesso also perform.
 * Willie Dixon sues Led Zeppelin over the song "Whole Lotta Love", on the grounds that it contains too many similarities to his own song "You Need Love". The lawsuit is settled out of court.
 * January 28 – Various artists, under the group name USA For Africa, including Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Steve Perry, Kenny Loggins, Willie Nelson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Huey Lewis, Tina Turner, Sheila E., Harry Belafonte, Amy "Sunflower" Johnson, Lindsey Buckingham, Kim Carnes, Dionne Warwick, Waylon Jennings, Bob Geldof and Stevie Wonder, record the song "We Are the World", written by Jackson and Ritchie.
 * February – Just months after the compact disc release of his sixteenth and most recent studio album, Tonight, and nearly two years after the initial CD release of its predecessor, Let's Dance, RCA Records reissues David Bowie's previous fourteen studio albums plus four greatest hits albums on the format. Consequently, Bowie becomes the first major artist to have his entire catalog converted to CD.
 * February 14
 * Whitney Houston releases her debut album.
 * February 22
 * The "One Night with Blue Note" concert, celebrating the relaunch of Blue Note Records and featuring over 30 jazz greats, is held at The Town Hall in New York. Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Jack DeJohnette, McCoy Tyner and Grover Washington, Jr. are just a few of the performers.
 * February 26 – The 27th Annual Grammy Awards are presented in Los Angeles, hosted by John Denver. Lionel Richie's Can't Slow Down wins Album of the Year, while Tina Turner's "What's Love Got to Do with It" wins both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Cyndi Lauper wins Best New Artist.
 * March 9 – Tears for Fears album Songs from the Big Chair debuts at number two on the UK Albums Chart. Enjoying massive sales, it spends 29 consecutive weeks on the top 10 and remain on the chart for another 50 weeks until September 1986.
 * March 27 – The South African Broadcasting Corporation bans Stevie Wonder's music in response to Wonder dedicating the Oscar he had won the night before to Nelson Mandela.
 * March 28 – A wax likeness of Michael Jackson is unveiled at Madame Tussaud's in London, UK.

April–June

 * April 1 – After months of squabbling, David Lee Roth leaves Van Halen to begin a solo career.
 * April 7 – Wham! becomes the first Western pop group to perform in China when they play a concert in Beijing's Workers Stadium during an historic 10-day visit.
 * April 10 – Madonna begins her very first tour, The Virgin Tour (named after her Like a Virgin album) in Seattle, Washington, USA.
 * April 20 – Tears for Fears single "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" becomes their highest-charting single in the UK as it reach number two on the singles chart, held off the top position for two consecutive weeks by "We are the World".
 * May – Russian singer Valery Leontiev starts his 10-date tour "Alone with all" and it becomes an instant hit. Queues for tickets blocked the traffic on a few central streets of Leningrad.
 * May 4 – With "La det swinge" by Bobbysocks!, Norway scores its first win at the Eurovision Song Contest, in Gothenburg, Sweden.
 * May 13 – Dire Straits release their fifth studio album, Brothers in Arms. The album becomes highly successful in part because of its unusually high sound quality, the result of it being recorded entirely digitally as opposed to with standard analog magnetic tape. The album additionally serves as a killer app for the compact disc format, becoming the first album to sell more copies on CD than on phonograph record, and goes on to become the highest selling album of the 1980s in the UK.
 * June 11 – Madonna ends The Virgin Tour at Madison Square Garden in New York, USA.

July–September

 * July 13 – The Live Aid concert takes place in Wembley Stadium, London, UK, and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, USA. The headlining acts at the latter venue included a Led Zeppelin reunion, the first since their 1980 disbandment. The former venue, however, becomes the more notable of the two over the years, in part due to the high acclaim of Queen's performance of "Radio Ga Ga", which serves as the band's comeback in the United Kingdom (Queen would still remain a pariah in the United States in the wake of Hot Space until after Freddie Mercury's death six years later). With a little help from the British Concorde jet, singer Phil Collins manages to perform at both venues. This would be the last time Duran Duran would perform together with the original line up until they reunited to record their 2004 album Astronaut. On this day they would also have the number 1 song on the US Billboard charts with their James Bond theme to the film A View to a Kill.
 * September 6 – Michael Jackson purchases the publishing rights for most of the Beatles' music for $47 million, much to the dismay of Paul McCartney, against whom he is bidding.
 * September 19 – The Parents Music Resource Center's (P.M.R.C.) United States Senate hearing on rock censorship begin in Washington, D.C. Heavy metal singer Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, rock star Frank Zappa and country singer John Denver testify against the P.M.R.C.
 * September 22
 * The Farm Aid concert is held in Champaign, Illinois, USA.
 * Massimo Bogianckino, general manager of the Paris Opera and former head of both the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and La Scala, is elected mayor of Florence.

October–December

 * October 26 – "Saving All My Love for You" by Whitney Houston tops the Billboard Hot 100. It was her first of 7 consecutive number-one singles through 1988.
 * December 5 – The first fully digital reggae single, Wayne Smith's "(Under Me) Sleng Teng", is recorded at Prince Jammy's studio; it is the beginning of ragga style reggae.
 * December 23 – Two young fans of Judas Priest in Sparks, Nevada shoot themselves, one fatally, after listening to the band's records. A lawsuit is brought against the group in 1986 claiming that they were compelled by backwards subliminal messages hidden in their music.
 * December 31 – The fourteenth annual New Year's Rockin' Eve special is aired on ABC television, with appearances by Four Tops, The Judds, Barry Manilow, The Motels, Tears for Fears and The Temptations.

Also in 1985

 * Several hundreds of thousands of US dollars in publishing royalties are released to the surviving members, and families of the deceased members, of the British music group, Badfinger. Two band members, Pete Ham and Tom Evans, previously committed suicide due to financial problems.
 * Metal Edge magazine is launched.
 * Roger Waters announces his intention to leave Pink Floyd; describing the band as "a spent force creatively," he would spend the next two years in a legal battle with his now-former bandmates over the rights to the "Pink Floyd" name and other associated assets.

Bands formed

 * See Musical groups established in 1985

Bands disbanded

 * See Musical groups disestablished in 1985

Release date unknown

 * 2WO – Strange Advance
 * 7 Day Weekend – The Comsat Angels
 * Alan Merrill – Alan Merrill
 * Alternating Currents – Spyro Gyra
 * Ancient Artifacts – D.I.
 * Another Place – Hiroshima
 * Another World – The Roches
 * Baggariddim – UB40
 * Back in the DHSS – Half Man Half Biscuit
 * Beat Happening – Beat Happening
 * Beat the System – Petra
 * Behaviour – Saga
 * Begegnungen II – Eno Moebius Roedelius Plank
 * Believe You Me – Blancmange
 * The Best of Elvy Sukaeish – Elvy Sukaesih
 * Between Heaven 'n Hell – Resurrection Band
 * The Big Prize – Honeymoon Suite
 * Bites – Skinny Puppy
 * Bo Diddley & Co. – Live – Bo Diddley
 * Branded and Exiled – Running Wild
 * Change No Change – Elliot Easton
 * Christmas Time – Chris Stamey
 * Color of Success – Morris Day
 * Commander Sozo and the Charge of the Light Brigade – DeGarmo and Key
 * Company of Justice – Play Dead
 * Copacabana: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Album – Barry Manilow
 * Cuori agitati – Eros Ramazzotti
 * A Diamond Hidden in the Mouth of a Corpse – Giorno Poetry Systems
 * Dinosaur – Dinosaur Jr.
 * Do You – Sheena Easton
 * Downtown – Marshall Crenshaw
 * Dream Come True – A Flock of Seagulls
 * Every Turn of the World – Christopher Cross
 * False Accusations – The Robert Cray Band
 * Fantastic Something – Fantastic Something
 * Fear and Whiskey – Mekons
 * Flame – Real Life
 * Flaunt the Imperfection – China Crisis
 * Feargal Sharkey – Feargal Sharkey (solo debut)
 * For the Working Class Man – Jimmy Barnes
 * Forever Running – B-Movie
 * Futile Combat – Skeletal Family
 * Go West – Go West
 * The Goonies: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Various Artists
 * Have Yourself Committed – Bryan Duncan
 * The Heart of the Matter – Kenny Rogers
 * Hero – Clarence Clemons
 * The History Mix Volume 1 – Godley & Creme
 * Hotline – White Heart
 * I Am the Night – Pantera
 * I Don't Want to Grow Up – Descendents
 * In the House – Images in Vogue
 * Into the Fire Live – Play Dead
 * Just Like Real Life – Prodigal
 * Kingdom in the Streets – Dion DiMucci
 * Life – Gladys Knight & the Pips
 * Little Baggariddim EP – UB40
 * Live in Carré – The Dubliners
 * Looking at You – Chaz Jankel
 * Love Beyond Reason – Randy Stonehill
 * Love Hurts – Elaine Paige
 * Machine Age Voodoo – SPK
 * Manilow – Barry Manilow
 * Mental Notes – Bad Manners
 * Mayhem – Toyah (compilation)
 * Minx – Toyah Willcox (solo debut)
 * Mistral gagnant – Renaud
 * Mud Will Be Flung Tonight – Bette Midler
 * Mystery – RAH Band
 * The Night We Flew Out The Window – Fantastic Something
 * No Muss...No Fuss – Donnie Iris
 * Now – The Christmas Album – Various Artists
 * Off the Board – Ludichrist
 * Oil & Gold – Shriekback
 * Old Flame – Juice Newton
 * Old Land – Cluster & Brian Eno
 * On the Fritz – Steve Taylor
 * One for the Road – April Wine
 * Only Four You – Mary Jane Girls
 * Open Fire – Y&T
 * Our Garden Needs Its Flowers – Jess Sah Bi and Peter One
 * Partners, Brothers and Friends – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
 * Promesas – José José
 * Rescue You – Joe Lynn Turner
 * Resistance – Burning Spear
 * Rhythm Romance – The Romantics
 * Romance – David Cassidy
 * Say You Love Me – Jennifer Holliday
 * A Secret Wish – Propaganda
 * A Sense of Wonder – Van Morrison
 * Shamrock Diaries – Chris Rea
 * Skin Dive – Michael Franks
 * So Many Rivers – Bobby Womack
 * Some of My Best Jokes Are Friends – George Clinton
 * Some People – Belouis Some
 * Stages – Triumph
 * Stay Hard – Raven
 * Steady Nerves – Graham Parker and The Shot
 * Syirin Farthat – Elvy Sukaesih
 * Talk about the Weather – Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
 * Telephone Free Landslide Victory – Camper Van Beethoven
 * Through a Window – Patrick Sky
 * Thursday Afternoon – Brian Eno
 * The UB40 File – UB40
 * Under Lock and Key – Dokken
 * U.T.F.O. – UTFO
 * Vassar Clements, John Hartford, Dave Holland – Vassar Clements, John Hartford, Dave Holland
 * Voices Carry – 'Til Tuesday
 * What a Life! – Divinyls
 * Whatever Happened to Jugula? – Roy Harper
 * Without Love – Black N' Blue
 * Wonderful – Circle Jerks
 * Zaman – Ebiet G. Ade

Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highest in the charts of 1985.

Other Chart hit singles
• "A View to a Kill" – Duran Duran

• "Better Be Good To Me" (1984) – Tina Turner

• "Body & Soul" – Mai Tai

• "Body Rock" (1984) – Maria Vidal

• "Born in the U.S.A." (1984) – Bruce Springsteen (released in 1984)

• "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" – The Smiths

• "The Boys of Summer" (1984) – Don Henley

• "Broken Wings" – Mr. Mister

• "Brothers in Arms" – Dire Straits

• "Borderline" (1983) – Madonna (UK release)

• "Call Me" – Go West

• "Cannonball" – Supertramp

• "Can't Fight This Feeling" (1984) – REO Speedwagon

• "Careless Whisper" (1984) – Wham!

• "Centerfield" – John Fogerty

• "C'était mon ami" – Dalida

• "Chain Reaction" – Diana Ross

• "Change Your Mind" – Sharpe & Numan

• "Cheri, Cheri Lady" – Modern Talking

• "Cherish" – Kool & the Gang

• "Close to Me" – The Cure

• "Cloudbusting" – Kate Bush

• "Color My Love" – Fun Fun (Released in 1984)

• "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" – David Grant and Jaki Graham

• "Crazy for You" – Madonna

• "Dancing in the Street" – David Bowie and Mick Jagger

• "Devuélveme a mi chica" – Hombres G

• "Dirty Old Town" – The Pogues

• "Don't Come Around Here No More" – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

• "Don't You (Forget About Me)" – Simple Minds

• "Dress You Up" – Madonna

• "Duel" – Propaganda

• "Eaten Alive" – Diana Ross

• "E=MC²" – Big Audio Dynamite

• "Election Day" – Arcadia

• "Éthiopie" – Chanteurs sans Frontières

• "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (1984) – Tears for Fears

• "Everything She Wants" (1984) – Wham!

• "Everytime You Go Away" – Paul Young

• "Faron Young" – Prefab Sprout

• "Find A Way" – Amy Grant

• "Fortress Around Your Heart" – Sting

• "Frankie" – Sister Sledge

• "Freak A Ristic" – Atlantic Starr

• "Freaks Come Out at Night" (1984) – Whodini

• "Fresh" (1984) – Kool & the Gang

• "Freeway of Love" – Aretha Franklin

• "Gambler" – Madonna

• "Get It On" – The Power Station

• "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme" – Narada Michael Walden and Patti Austin

• "Glory Days" (1984) – Bruce Springsteen

• "Goodbye Is Forever" – Arcadia

• "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" – Cyndi Lauper

• "(Gotta Be) Wrong Way To Love" – Dynamic Hepnotics

• "Head Over Heels" (1984) – Tears for Fears

• "Heart User" – Cliff Richard

• "The Heat Is On" – Glenn Frey

• "Heaven" – Bryan Adams

• "History" – Mai Tai

• "Hold Me" – Menudo

• "Holding Back The Years" – Simply Red (charted in 1986 in the U.S.)

• "Home Sweet Home" – Mötley Crüe

• "Hounds of Love" – Kate Bush

• "How Soon Is Now?" – The Smiths (originally released in 1984 as a B-side)

• "How Will I Know" – Whitney Houston

• "Hurt" – Juice Newton

• "I Don't Think I'm Ready for You" – Anne Murray

• "I Miss You" – Klymaxx

• "I Want to Know What Love Is" (1984) – Foreigner

• "I Was Born to Love You" – Freddie Mercury

• "If Ever You're in My Arms Again" – Peabo Bryson

• "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" – Sting

• "(I'll Never Be) Maria Magdalena" – Sandra

• "I'm On Fire" (1984) – Bruce Springsteen

• "In Between Days" – The Cure

• "In My House" – Mary Jane Girls

• "In The Heat Of The Night" – Sandra

• "Innocent" – Alexander O'Neal

• "Into the Groove" – Madonna

• "Invincible" – Pat Benatar

• "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" – Eurythmics

• "Je te donne" – Jean-Jacques Goldman and Michael Jones

• "Johnny Come Home" – Fine Young Cannibals

• "Johnny, Johnny" – Jeanne Mas

• "Just Like Honey" – The Jesus and Mary Chain

• "Kayleigh" – Marillion

• "Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)" – INXS

• "Lay Your Hands on Me" – Thompson Twins

• "Le temps d'aimer" – Dalida

• "Le Vénitien de Levallois" – Dalida

• "Lean on Me (ah-li-ayo)" – Red Box

• "Let's Go Crazy/Take Me With U" – Prince and the Revolution (released in 1984)

• "Listen Like Thieves" – INXS

• "Life in a Northern Town" – The Dream Academy

• "Live Is Life" – Opus

• "Living on My Own" – Freddie Mercury

• "Love Like Blood" – Killing Joke

• "Lovergirl" – Teena Marie

• "Lover Why" – Century

• "Loverboy" – Billy Ocean

• "Lovin' Every Minute of It" – Loverboy

• "Madhouse" – Anthrax

• "Manhattan Project" – Rush

• "Marcia baila" – Rita Mitsouko

• "Material Girl" – Madonna

• "Miami Vice Theme" – Jan Hammer

• "Merry Christmas Everyone" – Shakin' Stevens

• "Method of Modern Love" – Hall & Oates (released in 1984)

• "Money Changes Everything" – Cyndi Lauper

• "Money for Nothing" – Dire Straits

• "Mothers Talk" – Tears For Fears (released in 1984)

• "Move Closer" – Phyllis Nelson

• "Mystic Rhythms" – Rush

• "Neutron Dance" – The Pointer Sisters (released in 1984)

• "Never" – Heart

• "Never Surrender" – Corey Hart

• "A New England" – Kirsty MacColl

• "Ni tú ni nadie" – Alaska y Dinarama

• "Nightshift" – The Commodores

• "Nikita" – Elton John

• "Obsession" – Animotion

• "Oh Sheila" – Ready for the World

• "The Old Man Down The Road" – John Fogerty

• "One More Night" – Phil Collins

• "One Night in Bangkok" – Murray Head

• "One Of The Living" – Tina Turner

• "One Vision" – Queen

• "Only the Young" (recorded 1983) – Journey

• "Out Of Mind Out Of Sight" – Models

• "Part-Time Lover" – Stevie Wonder

• "Party All the Time" – Eddie Murphy

• "Point of No Return" – Exposé

• "The Power of Love" – Huey Lewis and the News

• "Private Dancer" – Tina Turner

• "Rage to Love" – Kim Wilde

• "Raspberry Beret" – Prince and the Revolution

• "Reviens-moi" – Dalida

• "Running Up that Hill" – Kate Bush

• "Russians" – Sting

• "Samurai" – Michael Cretu

• "Saving All My Love for You" – Whitney Houston

• "Say I'm Your Number One" – Princess

• "Say You, Say Me" – Lionel Richie

• "Secret Lovers" – Atlantic Starr

• "See the Day" – Dee C. Lee

• "Separate Lives" – Phil Collins with Marilyn Martin

• "Shake the Disease" – Depeche Mode

• "Shout" – Tears for Fears

• "So Far Away" – Dire Straits

• "So In Love" – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

• "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll" (1984) – Judas Priest

• "Some Like It Hot" – The Power Station

• "Somebody" (1984) – Bryan Adams

• "Something About You" – Level 42 (charted in 1986 in the U.S.)

• "Square Rooms" – Al Corley

• "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)" – John Parr

• "Suddenly" – Billy Ocean

• "Summer of 69" (1984) – Bryan Adams

• "The Sun Always Shines on TV" – a-ha

• "The Super Bowl Shuffle" – 1985 Chicago Bears

• "Sussudio" – Phil Collins

• "Take On Me" (1985 version) – a-ha

• "Tarzan Boy" – Baltimora

• "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" – The Smiths

• "That's What Friends Are For" – Dionne Warwick (duets with Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder) (#1 in Australia, UK, PQ)

• "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" – Eurythmics feat. Stevie Wonder

• "Things Can Only Get Better" – Howard Jones

• "This Is England" – The Clash

• "This Time" – INXS

• "Time Don't Run Out on Me" – Anne Murray

• "Too Late For Goodbyes" – Julian Lennon

• "Venezia" – Hombres G

• "Walk of Life" – Dire Straits

• "Walls Come Tumbling Down" – The Style Council

• "We Are the World" – USA for Africa

• "We Built This City" – Starship

• "We Belong" – Pat Benatar (released in 1984)

• "We Close Our Eyes" – Go West

• "We Don't Need Another Hero" – Tina Turner

• "West End Girls" (second release) – Pet Shop Boys

• "What You Need" – INXS

• "Who's Zoomin' Who?" – Aretha Franklin

• "The Whole Of The Moon" – The Waterboys

• "Working Class Man" – Jimmy Barnes

• "Would I Lie To You?" – Eurythmics

• "Wrap Her Up" – Elton John

• "You Belong to the City" – Glenn Frey

• "You Give Good Love" – Whitney Houston

• "You Make Me Want to Make You Mine" – Juice Newton

• "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" – Dead or Alive

• "Your Personal Touch" – Evelyn "Champagne" King

• "You're My Heart, You're My Soul" – Modern Talking

• "You're Only Human (Second Wind)" – Billy Joel

• "You're the Inspiration" – Chicago (released in 1984)

Other Notable singles
• "Man Overboard" – Do-Re-Mi

• "Yummer Yummer Man" – Danielle Dax

Classical music

 * John Adams
 * The Chairman Dances
 * Harmonielehre
 * Kalevi Aho
 * Oboe Sonata
 * Solo II, for piano
 * Pierre Boulez
 * Dialogue de l'ombre double for clarinet and electronics
 * Memoriale (… explosante fixe… Originel) for flute and ensemble
 * Mario Davidovsky – Capriccio for two pianos
 * Peter Maxwell Davies – An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise
 * James Dillon – Windows and Canopies, small orchestra (20 players)
 * Henri Dutilleux – L'arbre des Songes (violin concerto)
 * Roland Dyens – Tango en Skaï, for guitar
 * Morton Feldman
 * Coptic Light, for orchestra
 * For Bunita Marcus, for piano
 * Violin and String Quartet
 * Piano and String Quartet
 * Brian Ferneyhough – Etudes Transcendantales for soprano and chamber ensemble
 * Lorenzo Ferrero
 * Canzoni d'amore (song cycle)
 * Empty Stage
 * My Rock
 * Beat Furrer – String Quartet No. 1
 * Karel Goeyvaerts
 * Pas à pas, for solo piano
 * Les Voix de Verseau, for soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano
 * Henryk Górecki
 * O Domina Nostra, Op. 55, soprano and organ
 * Five Marian Songs, Op. 54, chorus a cappella
 * Gérard Grisey – Les espaces acoustiques – VI – Epilogue, for 4 solo horns and large orchestra
 * Jacques Hétu – Missa pro trecentisimo anno
 * Hans Werner Henze – Selbst- und Zwiegespräche
 * Heinz Holliger – Präludium, Arioso and Passacaglia, for two guitars
 * Nicholas Jackson – Organ Sonata
 * Tristan Keuris
 * String Quartet No. 2
 * Variations for Strings
 * Aria for flute and piano
 * György Ligeti – Études pour piano, Book 1, six etudes
 * Andrew Lloyd Webber – Requiem
 * Witold Lutosławski – Chain 2 for violin and orchestra
 * Tristan Murail – Time and Again, for orchestra
 * Arvo Pärt – Stabat Mater for 3 voices and string trio
 * Einojuhani Rautavaara - Symphony No. 5 Monologue with Angels
 * John Rutter – Requiem
 * Giacinto Scelsi – String Quartet No. 5
 * Alfred Schnittke
 * Concerto for mixed chorus
 * Concerto Grosso No. 3 for two violins, harpsichord, celesta, piano and 14 strings
 * String Trio
 * Concerto for viola and orchestra
 * Salvatore Sciarrino
 * Allegoria della notte, symphonic work
 * Canzona di ringraziamento
 * Lo spazio inverso
 * Isabel Soveral – Fragmentos
 * Karlheinz Stockhausen – Ave, for basset horn and alto flute
 * Tōru Takemitsu – Dream/Window, for orchestra
 * Joan Tower – Piano Concerto
 * Manfred Trojahn
 * Requiem
 * Symphony No. 3
 * Erkki-Sven Tüür – String Quartet "In memoriam Urmas Kibuspuu"
 * Robert Ward – Raleigh Divertimento

Opera

 * Dominick Argento – Casanova's Homecoming
 * Lorenzo Ferrero
 * Mare nostro
 * Night
 * Philip Glass and Robert Moran – The Juniper Tree
 * Hans Werner Henze – The English Cat (first English language production)
 * Dorothy Rudd Moore – Frederick Douglass
 * Salvatore Sciarrino – La perfezione di uno spirito sottile

Ballet

 * Lorenzo Ferrero
 * Lotus Eaters
 *  The Miracle

Musical theater

 * Big River – Broadway production opened at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre and ran for 1005 performances
 * Dames at Sea – off Broadway revival
 * The King and I (Rodgers & Hammerstein) – Broadway revival
 * Leader of the Pack – Broadway production opened at the Ambassador Theatre and ran for 120 performances
 * Me and My Girl (Noel Gay) – London revival
 * Les Misérables – London production opened in October and has been continuously running since, making it the longest running musical in West End history
 * The Mystery of Edwin Drood – Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre and ran for 108 performances
 * Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Saul Chaplin, Gene de Paul and Johnny Mercer) – London production
 * Singin' in the Rain – Broadway production (based on 1952 film of the same name)
 * Song and Dance – Broadway production opened at the Royale Theatre and ran for 474 performances

Musical films

 * A Chorus Line
 * Alag Alag
 * Donga
 * Hum Dono
 * Kathodu Kathoram
 * Krush Groove
 * Naná
 * Rappin'
 * That's Dancing!

Births

 * January 2 – Luis Beza, American trumpet player (Suburban Legends)
 * January 3 – Justin Paul, American singer, composer and lyricist (Pasek and Paul )
 * January 6 – Amalie Bruun, Danish multi instrumentalist, singer and actress.
 * January 8 – Rachael Lampa, American contemporary Christian singer, songwriter and record producer.
 * January 16 – Gintaras Janusevicius, Lithuanian classical pianist
 * January 18 – Simone Simons, Dutch symphonic metal singer/songwriter
 * January 22 – Orianthi, Australian musician, singer and songwriter
 * January 28
 * András Kállay-Saunders, Hungarian-born American recording artist, songwriter and record producer
 * J. Cole, German-American hip hop recording artist and record producer
 * January 29
 * Mikey Hachey, American bass player
 * Giovanna Fletcher, British author, stage actress, singer, and internet personality (wife of Tom Fletcher of Mcfly, sister in law of Carrie Hope Fletcher)
 * January 31 – Kalomira, American-Greek singer
 * February 1 – Shellback (record producer), Swedish record producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist
 * February 5 – Lindsey Cardinale, American singer
 * February 8 – Jeremy Davis, American bass player and songwriter (Paramore)
 * February 11 – William Beckett, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Academy Is...)
 * February 14 – Havana Brown (musician), Australian DJ, recording artist, record producer and dancer
 * February 17 – Anne Curtis, Filipina actress, recording artist, entertainer, sister of Jasmine Curtis-Smith, and married to Erwan Heussaff, brother of Solenn Heussaff
 * February 19 – Haylie Duff, American actress, singer-songwriter, television host, writer and fashion designer (sister of Hilary Duff)
 * February 20 – Yulia Volkova, Russian singer, (t.A.T.u.)
 * February 27 - Heléne Yorke, Canadian-American actress, writer, singer, and dancer.
 * February 28 – Fefe Dobson, Canadian songwriter
 * March 4 – Scott Michael Foster, American actor and singer (Crazy Ex Girlfriend)
 * March 8 – Ewa Sonnet, Polish model and singer
 * March 12 – Stromae, Belgian musician, rapper, singer and songwriter
 * March 25 – Carmen Rasmusen, Canadian-American singer
 * March 29
 * Mirusia Louwerse, Dutch-Australian lyric soprano
 * Emil Nava, British music video director
 * April 3 – Leona Lewis,  British singer, songwriter, actress, model and activist.
 * April 7 – Saad Lamjarred, Moroccan singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, dancer, record producer and actor
 * April 9
 * Tim Bendzko, German singer-songwriter
 * Tomohisa Yamashita, Japanese singer and actor
 * Senidah, Slovenian singer-songwriter
 * April 13 – Ty Dolla Sign, American singer, songwriter, rapper and record producer.
 * April 20 – Jadyn Douglas, Puerto Rican-American singer-songwriter and actress
 * April 24 – Courtnee Draper, American actress and singer
 * April 25 – Morgan Evans (singer), Australian country music singer and songwriter (Kelsea Ballerini)
 * May 2 – Lily Allen, English singer-songwriter
 * May 3 – Louis Cato, American drummer, bassist, guitarist, singer, and composer
 * May 4
 * Jidenna, Nigerian-American rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer
 * Jme, British grime MC, songwriter, record producer and DJ
 * Anthony Fedorov, American singer
 * May 7 – J Balvin, Colombian reggaeton singer
 * May 10 – Ashley Poole, American singer (Dream)
 * May 11 – Matt Giraud, American singer-songwriter and pianist
 * May 17 – Derek Hough, American Latin and ballroom dancer, choreographer, actor and singer
 * May 18 – Francesca Battistelli, American singer, CCM
 * May 21 – Kano, British rapper, songwriter
 * May 22 – Vangie Tang, Hong Kong singer
 * May 28
 * Colbie Caillat, American singer/songwriter/musician
 * Carey Mulligan, English actress and singer
 * May 30
 * Clarence Clarity, English singer, songwriter, producer, and musician
 * Katie Stelmanis, Canadian musician and producer
 * June 2 – Ana Cristina, American singer-songwriter, dancer and actress
 * June 9 – Benj Pasek, American singer-songwriter and composer (Pasek and Paul)
 * June 12 – Phil Lam, Canadian-born Hong Kong singer-songwriter
 * June 15 – Nadine Coyle, Irish pop singer-songwriter, actress and model (Girls Aloud)
 * June 17 – Andrea Demirović, Montenegrin pop singer
 * June 18 – Jimmie Allen, American singer
 * June 20 – Caroline Polachek, American musician, singer-songwriter, activist and record producer known as the vocalist for Chairlift
 * June 21
 * Kris Allen, American singer
 * Lana Del Rey, American singer-songwriter, director, model, poet and activist
 * June 22 – Scott MacIntyre, American singer-songwriter and pianist
 * June 23 – Kavka Shishido, Japanese drummer and vocalist
 * June 24 – Aste, Finnish rapper
 * June 30
 * K.Flay, born Kristine Flaherty, American singer-songwriter and rapper
 * Hugh Sheridan, Australian actor, singer, musician, activist and television presenter
 * July 2
 * Ashley Tisdale, American singer, actress, producer, songwriter and YouTuber (High School Musical, Phineas and Ferb, Vanessa Hudgens)
 * Zach Dawes, American musician, producer, engineer, and technician (Frequently works with: Lana Del Rey, Sharon Van Etten)
 * July 4
 * Mariana Rios, Brazilian actress and singer
 * Lartiste, Moroccan-French singer and rapper
 * July 5 – Alle Farben, German DJ and producer
 * July 6
 * Diamond Rings, Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer (Matters)
 * D. Woods, American singer, dancer and actress (Danity Kane)
 * July 9 – Hee Ah Lee, South Korean handicapped pianist
 * July 10 – Emily King, American singer-songwriter
 * July 11 – Tobias Jesso Jr., Canadian musician (married to Emma Louise)
 * July 12 – Luiz Ejlli, Albanian singer
 * July 15 – Nathaniel Willemse, South African-born Australian singer and songwriter
 * July 17
 * Tom Fletcher British singer/songwriter/musician (member of McFLY, brother of Carrie Hope Fletcher)
 * Taylor Goldsmith, American singer-songwriter and guitarist, (lead singer and chief songwriter of the American folk rock band Dawes) (Mandy Moore)
 * July 18 – Hopsin, American rapper, producer and actor
 * July 19 – Amy Pearson, English singer-songwriter
 * July 20 – Solenn Heussaff, Filipina singer, entertainer, and sister-in-law of Anne Curtis
 * July 24 - Grace Petrie, English folk singer-songwriter and guitarist
 * July 31
 * Alissa White-Gluz, Canadian singer-songwriter (The Agonist, Arch Enemy)
 * Allie X, Canadian singer-songwriter
 * August 1 – Dina, Norwegian singer
 * August 2 – Britt Nicole, American vocalist, songwriter and recording artist.
 * August 3
 * Holly Blake-Arnstein, American singer (Dream)
 * Brent Kutzle (OneRepublic) American Musician
 * August 4
 * Crystal Bowersox, American singer
 * Kina Grannis, American singer-songwriter, guitarist and YouTuber
 * August 5 – Annalisa, Italian singer-songwriter and musician
 * August 6 - Amy Kuney, known professionally as AMES, is an American singer, songwriter, and musician
 * August 9 – Anna Kendrick, American actress/singer
 * August 11 – Asher Roth, American Rapper
 * August 13 – Lacey Brown, American singer-songwriter
 * August 15
 * Nipsey Hussle, American rapper, singer and businessman (d. 2019)
 * Emily Kinney, American actress, singer, and songwriter
 * August 16
 * Cristin Milioti, American actress, singer and musician
 * Taylor Goldsmith, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer (Member of band Dawes, Husband and musical collaborator of Mandy Moore)
 * Arden Cho, American actress, singer and model
 * August 19 – Christina Perri, American singer/songwriter/musician
 * August 25 – Andien, Indonesian jazz singer
 * August 29 – Achilles Liarmakopoulos, Greek trombonist (Canadian Brass)
 * August 31 - Sarah Jones, English musician and drummer
 * September 1 – Camile Velasco, Filipino-American singer
 * September 4 – Sukrit Wisetkaew, Thai actor and singer
 * September 18 – Megan Joy, American singer
 * September 23 – Diana Ortiz, American singer (Dream)
 * September 24 – Paige Miles, American singer
 * September 26 – M. Pokora, French pop, crunk, R&B singer and musician (Christina Millian)
 * September 28 – Alina Ibragimova, Russian British violinist
 * October 1 – Porcelain Black, American industrial indie pop singer-songwriter
 * October 2 – Vogue Williams, Irish DJ, radio host, model and dancer
 * October 5 – Nicola Roberts, English recording artist, fashion designer and songwriter
 * October 8
 * Bruno Mars, American singer-songwriter and dancer
 * Elliphant, Swedish singer-songwriter and rapper
 * October 10 – MARINA, Welsh singer/songwriter
 * October 18 – Andrew Garcia, American singer
 * October 22 – Zac Hanson, American singer-songwriter (Hanson)
 * October 23
 * Miguel, American singer-songwriter, producer
 * Lachlan Gillespie, Australian singer, musician, and actor. He is a member of the Wiggles and wears the purple skivvy. (Emma Watkins, Dana Stephensen)
 * October 25
 * Ciara, American singer, actress and dancer
 * Ayahi Takagaki, Japanese voice actress and singer
 * Vlad Topalov, Russian singer and dancer
 * October 26 – Soko (singer), French singer-songwriter, musician and actress.
 * October 28
 * Anthony Fantano, American music critic and YouTuber (Cal Chuchesta)
 * Tina Guo, Chinese-American cellist and erhuist
 * October 29 – Ximena Sariñana, Mexican singer-songwriter and actress
 * November 4 – Vanessa Struhler, German singer-songwriter
 * November 5 – Kate DeAraugo, Australian singer-songwriter, Australian Idol 3 winner
 * November 11 – Jessica Sierra, American singer
 * November 15 – Nick Fradiani, American singer
 * November 19 – Ricki-Lee Coulter, New Zealand-born Australian singer-songwriter, Australian Idol contestant
 * November 21
 * Carly Rae Jepsen, Canadian singer, songwriter and musician
 * Ruelle, American EDM pop singer/songwriter
 * November 22 – Austin Brown, American producer, singer, songwriter and musician
 * November 23 – Troy Ave, American rapper
 * November 28 – Magdi Rúzsa, Hungarian singer
 * December 1 – Janelle Monae, American recording artist, record producer, singer-songwriter, model, actor, businesswomen and activist
 * December 3 – Amanda Seyfried, American singer, musical star, actor
 * December 10
 * Raven-Symoné, American actress and singer
 * Grace Chatto, English musician and singer, member of Clean Bandit
 * December 12 – Erika Van Pelt, American singer
 * December 22 – Kae Tempest, English poet, spoken-word artist, rapper and playwright
 * December 23
 * Arcángel, American rapper, singer and songwriter
 * Dev Hynes, British singer, songwriter, composer, producer and author
 * December 23 – Harry Judd, British pop drummer (McFly)
 * December 29 – Alexa Ray Joel, American singer-songwriter and pianist
 * Undated:
 * RAC (musician), a Portland-based Portuguese-American musician and record producer and businessman
 * Dana Stephensen: Australian ballet dancer. She is a soloist of The Australian Ballet.
 * Cory Wong, an American guitarist, songwriter, and producer based in Minneapolis.

Deaths

 * January 3 – Lucien Cailliet, clarinetist, conductor, arranger and composer, 87
 * January 4 – Lovro von Matačić, Croatian conductor, 85
 * January 10 – Anton Karas, Austrian zither player and composer, 78
 * January 25 – Paul Smith, American film and television composer, 78
 * January 30 – Ivar Haglund, folk singer and restaurateur, 79 (heart attack)
 * February 7 – Matt Monro, English singer, 54 (liver cancer)
 * February 11 – Heinz Eric Roemheld, American composer, 83
 * February 12 – Leslie Sarony, English singer, comedian and songwriter, 87
 * February 18
 * Willy Alberti, Dutch singer, 58 (liver cancer)
 * Gábor Darvas, composer and musicologist, 74
 * February 22 – Delores Marie "D'Marie" Warren, founding member of Alton McClain & Destiny, 32 (car crash)
 * Efrem Zimbalist, violinist, 94
 * February 28 – David Byron, vocalist of Uriah Heep, 38 (alcohol-related)
 * March 1 – Eugene List, American classical pianist, 66
 * March 16 – Roger Sessions, American composer, 88
 * March 23 – Zoot Sims, jazz saxophonist, 59
 * March 31 – Jeanine Deckers, known as The Singing Nun, 51 (suicide)
 * May 2
 * Bridget D'Oyly Carte, opera impresario, 77
 * Leonard Falcone, baritone/euphonium virtuosos and director of bands at Michigan State, 86
 * May 8 – Karl Marx, composer and conductor, 87
 * May 12 – Rodolfo Arizaga, Argentinian composer
 * May 19 – Hilding Rosenberg, composer, 92
 * July 23 – Kay Kyser, US bandleader, 80
 * July 30 – Peter Knight, conductor, arranger and composer, 68
 * August 11 – Nick Ceroli, jazz drummer, 45
 * August 12 – Kyu Sakamoto, Japanese singer, 43 (plane crash)
 * August 13 - Jimmy Stokley (Exile), American singer, 41
 * August 24 – Paul Creston, American composer, 78
 * September 6 – Little Brother Montgomery, jazz and blues pianist and singer, 79
 * September 8 – Frederick May, Irish composer, 74
 * September 11 – William Alwyn, English composer, 79
 * September 18 – Ed Lewis, jazz trumpeter, 76
 * September 19 – Rockdrigo González, folk & rock singer-songwriter, 34 (1985 Mexico City earthquake)
 * October 6
 * Lola Gjoka, Albanian pianist, 75
 * Nelson Riddle, American conductor, composer and arranger, 64
 * October 11 – Tex Williams, American country singer, 68
 * October 12 – Ricky Wilson, American guitarist (The B-52's), 32 (AIDS Related)
 * October 14 – Emil Gilels, Soviet pianist, 68
 * October 18 – Stefan Askenase, Polish-born Belgian pianist, 94
 * October 20 – Boris Lisanevich, dancer, 80
 * October 22 – Viorica Ursuleac, Romanian operatic soprano, 91
 * November 15 – Seán Ryan, Irish fiddler and whistler
 * November 18 – Stephan Henrik Barratt-Due, Norwegian violinist and music teacher, 66
 * November 24 – Big Joe Turner, blues singer, 74
 * December 12 – Ian Stewart (The Rolling Stones), 42 (heart attack)
 * December 22 – D. Boon, lead singer of Minutemen, 27 (car accident)
 * December 30 – Bob Pearson, pianist and singer (Bob and Alf Pearson), 78
 * December 31 – Ricky Nelson, singer, former teen idol, 45 (plane crash)

Awards

 * Eurovision Song Contest 1985
 * 27th Annual Grammy Awards
 * 1985 Country Music Association Awards
 * 27th Japan Record Awards

Charts

 * Billboard (USA)