See also: 1985 in country music, 1986 in music, other events of 1986, 1987 in country music and the List of years in Country Music
Events
No dates
- For the first time in its 42-year history, there is a new No. 1 song for each week of the year, according to Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles Chart.
- 1986 was a renaissance year in country music, with a host of "New Traditionalist"-minded artists reinvigorating a genre that critics were saying had grown increasingly stagnant and pop-oriented. Among the most successful new artists: Holly Dunn, Ricky Van Shelton, Randy Travis and Dwight Yoakam. Keith Whitley, another artist who had been around for a few years, has his first real hit early in the year. They - along with popular newcomers from earlier in the decade such as Alabama, George Strait and Reba McEntire, and longtime artists like George Jones, Merle Haggard and Conway Twitty - proved not only that country music was the music of the people, but also that the genre had real resiliency.
- After 17 years of playing co-host to Roy Clark, Buck Owens announces his departure from the still-popular "Hee Haw." Clark would soldier on alone for the next six years, with rotating guest stars each week.
Top hits of the year
Number one hits
(As certified by Billboard magazine)
- 1 - No. 1 song of the year, as determined by Billboard magazine.
- A - First Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist.
- B - Last Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist to date.
- C - Only Billboard No. 1 hit for that artist to date.
Other major hits
Top new album releases
Other new album releases
Christmas releases
Gospel/Christian albums
On television
Regular series
Specials
Births
Deaths
Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees
Major Awards
Grammy awards
- Best Country Vocal Performance, Female -- "Whoever's In New England" - Reba McEntire
- Best Country Vocal Solo Performance, Male -- "Lost In The Fifties Tonight" - Ronnie Milsap
- Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal -- "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout The Good Old Days)" - Judds (Naomi Judd, Wynonna Judd)
- Best Country Instrumental Performance (Orchestra, Group Or Soloist) -- "Raisin' The Dickins" - Ricky Skaggs
- Best Country Song -- "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout The Good Old Days)" - Jamie O'Hara, songwriter
Academy of Country Music
Country Music Association
Further reading
- Kingsbury, Paul, "The Grand Ole Opry: History of Country Music. 70 Years of the Songs, the Stars and the Stories," Villard Books, Random House; Opryland USA, 1995
- Kingsbury, Paul, "Vinyl Hayride: Country Music Album Covers 1947-1989," Country Music Foundation, 2003 (ISBN 0-8118-3572-3)
- Millard, Bob, "Country Music: 70 Years of America's Favorite Music," HarperCollins, New York, 1993 (ISBN 0-06-273244-7)
- Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs 1944-2005 - 6th Edition." 2005.
Other links
External links
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