The Top 100 Songs of 1986*: The Prelude Begins!

It was evident in the book The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era* that the decline of the Rock Era began roughly around 1986.  However, while the number of "great" songs have not been the same ever since, there were still plenty of "very good" songs in '86.  You'll see that throughout the countdown.

Our subjective view is that there are approximately 91 "Top 100 of the year" worthy songs that were singles.  We humbly suggest that there are several Top Tracks* or underrated songs that actually are better than some of those towards the bottom of The Top 100 ranking.  You may know some of them and see if you don't agree.  Perhaps the inclusion of our personal picks will create a groundswell and they will pass other songs ahead of them!  We will mix those songs in with others in the Prelude*, which features those songs just outside The Top 100*.  When you add in our suggestions, there are quite a few songs worthy of featuring.  Enjoy!

Everyday

James Taylor

Freedom Overspill

Steve Winwood

For America

Jackson Browne

Dreams

Van Halen

Secret Separation

Fixx

Heaven In Your Eyes

Loverboy

Stages

ZZ Top

(Forever) Live And Die

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

Diggin' Up Bones

Randy Travis

With the weakness of Rock music in subsequent years, Country music began to sound more "mainstream" than Mainstream music and began to assert itself.  Although Garth Brooks became the quintessential example of this a few years later, the trend really beginning with Randy Travis.

I Can't Wait

Stevie Nicks