Where Are They Now?  The 23 Artists Who Hit No. 1 in 1985–40 Years Later

Madonna.  Phil Collins. Lionel.  A-ha. Tears For Fears. Wham! 🎤 Revisit every artist who hit No. 1 in 1985—how it was then, and what they’re doing now.

(September 8, 2025) –  The year 1984 gets a lot of shine, but 1985 was a blockbuster year for pop music.  From synth-pop anthems to power ballads, and from groundbreaking video-driven hits to soundtrack classics, the Billboard Hot 100 was a showcase of pop’s dazzling diversity and how timeless hits are created.  In all, 23 different acts reached No. 1 on the chart that year, with some scoring multiple hits.  

Many of the songs came to epitomize the entire decade.  Who can hear ear-worms like “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” “Take On Me,” or “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” without immediately thinking “‘80s”!? It was also the year Madonna, Whitney, and Huey Lewis were enjoying their first No. 1 hits while Lionel Richie scored his last.

Forty years later, we revisit each of the artists—starting with a snapshot of their chart-topping track(s), and then updating where they are now.  Some became legends. Some disappeared.  All earned their place as a part of what made 1985 one of the greatest years in pop music history!

Let’s rewind.

⸻

💃 1. Madonna

No. 1s in 1985:

• “Like a Virgin” (5 weeks at No. 1, Jan 1985)

• “Crazy for You” (1 week, May 1985)

Madonna’s first No. 1 “Like a Virgin” was still topping the chart as the year began—the provocative breakthrough cementing her as pop’s new queen.  A few months later, “Crazy for You” showed her softer, more vulnerable side.  In all she had 5 top five singles in ‘85 and ultimately collected 12 No. 1 singles through “Music” in 2000. 

Where is she now? Madonna, now 67 and the mother of six, wrapped her Celebration Tour in 2024 and remains active despite some health challenges.  She scored her most recent Hot 100 hit—her 58th— in 2023 with “Popular,” a collaboration with The Weeknd and Playboi Carti, which was certified platinum.  As the sometimes disputed Queen of Pop, her influence on music, fashion, and feminism went well beyond the 1980s and is unmatched.

⸻

🎸 2. Foreigner

No. 1: “I Want to Know What Love Is” (2 weeks, Feb 1985)

A sweeping, gospel-tinged ballad that crossed rock and R&B lines—Foreigner’s first and only U.S. No. 1 ended an 8-year wait after they first charted in 1977 and after a frustrating 10-week runner-up in 1981’s “Waiting For A Girl Like You.”

Where are they now? Founding member Mick Jones still tours with a new lineup. Original vocalist Lou Gramm performs solo (he scored two top ten singles later in the ‘80s).  The band was (finally) inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024, more than 20 years after their initial eligibility. 

⸻

👬 3. Wham!

No. 1s:

• “Careless Whisper” (3 weeks, Feb 1985 – U.S. credited to Wham! feat. George Michael)

• “Everything She Wants” (2 weeks, May 1985)

Two vastly different songs—one a brooding saxophone ballad that set the stage for Michael’s solo career, the other a sophisticated synth-pop critique of materialistic love (the yang to Madonna’s “Material Girl” from earlier that year).

Where are they now? George Michael, who struggled with his fame and ultimately came to terms with his sexuality, became a solo icon before his death in 2016.  Andrew Ridgeley, who enjoys a quieter life today, released several less successful solo projects after Wham! broke up.  He authored a memoir in 2019 and posthumously inducted Michael into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023. 

⸻

🎶 4. REO Speedwagon

No. 1: “Can’t Fight This Feeling” (3 weeks, Mar 1985)

An ’80s prom staple that became their second No. 1 pop hit and biggest chart success.

Where are they now?  After decades of touring, the band ceased performing under the REO Speedwagon moniker in 2025, except for a one-off performance in their hometown of Champaign, IL, on June 14 that year.  Former lead singer Kevin Cronin tours separately with his self-named band. 

⸻

🥁 5. Phil Collins

No. 1s:

• “One More Night” (2 weeks, Mar 1985)

• “Sussudio” (1 week, July 1985)

• “Separate Lives” (w/ Marilyn Martin, 1 week, Dec 1985)

Phil was everywhere in 1985—delivering sensitive ballads, synth-funk grooves, and sweeping film duets.  He was the only artist that year to score three No. 1 hits, although Madonna came close (her “Material Girl” was famously stopped at No. 2 by Collins’ “One More Night”).

Where is he now?  Mostly retired now due to health issues, Collins has toured both solo (the “Not Dead Yet” tour) and with Genesis as recently as 2022.  His ’80s dominance remains legendary; he scored eight No. 1 singles from ‘84-89, including the decade’s final chart topper, “Another Day in Paradise.”

⸻

🌍 6. USA for Africa

No. 1: “We Are the World” (4 weeks, Apr-May 1985)

An all-star charity anthem featuring 45 of the biggest names in music. Co-written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones, the Grammy-winning Record of the Year took the decade’s shortest time—four weeks—to reach No. 1 from its chart debut.  It’s still a minor miracle that Jones and Richie—in the days before cell phones and email—were able to round up many of the artists, some of which were not in attendance at the American Music Awards that night.

Where are they now? Many legends have passed (Jackson, Jones, Ray Charles, Kenny Rogers, James Ingram, Tina Turner, Al Jarreau, Anita Pointer, June Pointer), while others (Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Diana Ross, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Daryl Hall, and Dionne Warwick) have continued building their Rock Hall of Fame legacies.

⸻

🎬 7. Simple Minds

No. 1: “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” (1 week, May 1985)

The Breakfast Club anthem they almost didn’t record—but which became their U.S. breakthrough.  If ever there was a song that was synonymous with the movie it came from, this was it.

Where are they now?  Simple Minds scored their biggest album, Once Upon a Time, later in 1985 with this writer’s personal fave—“Alive and Kicking”—becoming a No. 3 hit in early ‘86.  The band, featuring Jim Kerr on vocals, is still recording and touring and is a regular on the European festival circuit.

⸻

👥 8. Tears for Fears

No. 1s:

• “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (2 weeks, June 1985)

• “Shout” (3 weeks, Aug 1985)

Their two biggest hits anchored Songs from the Big Chair, one of the definitive albums of the decade.  “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” has only grown in stature and is largely considered the quintessential song of the 1980s.

Where are they now?  Reunited, acclaimed, and still making music. Their 2022 album The Tipping Point was their first in 18 years and was well received both critically and commercially, having reached the top ten in the U.S., the U.K., and other countries.

⸻

🇨🇦 9. Bryan Adams

No. 1: “Heaven” (2 weeks, June 1985)

A soaring rock ballad originally from a movie soundtrack (A Night in Heaven)—became his first No. 1 and the only U.S. chart topper by a Canadian in 1985. 

Where is he now?  Adams would score four career No. 1 hits, including three in the ‘90s.   He’s still touring worldwide and is a successful photographer, animal rights activist, and philanthropist.  The Rock Hall of Fame eludes him, but he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2006.

⸻

🕶 10. Duran Duran

No. 1: “A View to a Kill” (2 weeks, July 1985)

Still the only James Bond theme to top the Hot 100, this gritty, glamorous, and utterly ’80s rocker became the MTV glam band’s second and final No. 1 hit (after “The Reflex” in ‘84).

Where are they now? After several side projects that year (The Power Station, Arcadia) generated multiple hits, the band has largely remained together and was inducted into the Rock Hall in 2022.  Still touring and releasing music.

⸻

🎙 11. Paul Young

No. 1: “Everytime You Go Away” (1 week, July 1985)

A soulful Hall & Oates cover that became Young’s biggest U.S. hit.  It also made 1985 the only year where three songs whose titles bore compound words beginning with “Every” topped the chart (following Wham!’s “Everything She Wants” and Tears for Fears “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”).

Where is he now?  Young still performs, mostly in the UK.  Although he hasn’t scored a U.S. top 40 hit since a 1992 remake of Jimmy Ruffin’s “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted,” he occasionally reunites with fellow ’80s stars.  

⸻

💡 12. Huey Lewis & the News

No. 1: “The Power of Love” (2 weeks, August 1985)

A Back to the Future smash that captured the sound of the era.  One of a record ten soundtrack songs (nine from movies) to reach No. 1 in ‘85.

Where are they now?  The group scored two more No 1s in the decade (“Stuck With You” and “Jacob’s Ladder”).  Huey retired due to Ménière’s disease but remains a beloved figure in music.

⸻

🧑🏿‍🦽13. John Parr

No. 1: “St. Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion)” (2 weeks, Sept 1985)

A surprise anthem tied to a Brat Pack movie, but inspired by disabled athlete Rick Hansen.

Where is he now?  Parr never reached the top 40 again after “St. Elmo’s Fire” but is still active in his native UK—after more than 60 years in the business—focusing on charity and live gigs.

⸻

💰 14. Dire Straits

No. 1: “Money for Nothing” (3 weeks, Sept 1985)

A Grammy-winning rock song with MTV in its crosshairs.  Sting cameoed on the song which mocked the very forum that helped make it famous.

Where are they now? Dire Straits disbanded in 1995.  Mark Knopfler, who helped key Tina Turner’s historic comeback in the ‘80s, remains a respected solo artist.  The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.

⸻

💋 15. Ready for the World

No. 1: “Oh Sheila” (1 week, Oct 1985)

Flirted with Prince comparisons thanks to their Minneapolis-driven funk-pop. “Oh Shelia” was the only song to top the pop, soul, and dance/disco charts in 1985.

Where are they now?  The Flint, Michigan band hasn’t charted on the Hot 100 since 1986 (“Love You Down”).  They are still active and tour on R&B throwback lineups.

⸻

📺 16. A-ha

No. 1: “Take on Me” (1 week, Oct 1985)

The video that launched 1,000 imitators and as many awards. The perceived one-hit wonder in the U.S.—how many people remember their worthy follow-up, “The Sun Always Shines on TV”?—but megastars elsewhere.

Where are they now?  The band’s three original members have broken up and reunited several times in the past 40 years.  As of 2025, they are still recording and touring, mostly in Europe.  All three members were knighted in their homeland of Norway and the group holds a Guiness Book of World Records entry for drawing the highest paid concert attendance (198,000) in 1991 at Rio de Janeiro’s Estádio do Maracaña.

⸻

👑 17. Whitney Houston

No. 1: “Saving All My Love for You” (1 week, Oct 1985)

Contrary to what MTV’s original Veejays have stated on their ‘80s on 8 Big 40 countdown shows, Whitney’s first No. 1 single was this ballad—not “How Will I Know,” which came next.  They were the first of a record seven consecutive No. 1s for Houston

Where is she now?  Known to many as “The Voice,” Houston tragically passed in 2012 after dealing with several addictions.  Posthumous awards and tributes continue her legacy.  She was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 2020 and is easily among one of the most awarded singers in history. 

⸻

🎹 18. Stevie Wonder

No. 1: “Part-Time Lover” (1 week, Nov 1985)

Wonder’s last U.S. pop No. 1—excluding his part with Dionne and Friends” on “That’s What Friends Are For”—two months later—“Part-Time Lover” was uptempo R&B hit with electronic flair.

Where is he now?  Wonder has toured extensively in the decades since, including whole tours devoted to his magnum opus Songs in the Key of Life in the 2010s.  The Motown legend still speaks out on social issues.

⸻

🕵️‍♂️ 19. Jan Hammer

No. 1: “Miami Vice Theme” (1 week, Nov 1985)

Before there was MC Hammer, there was Jan Hammer.  Only a handful of instrumentals have topped the Hot 100—this TV score was the last one of the 20th century.  

Where is he now?  “Miami Vice Theme” was Hammer’s only Hot 100 entry, making him the only true one-hit wonder on this list (excluding USA For Africa).  The Czech-American musician has released albums as recently as 2022 and is still revered in scoring and jazz-fusion circles.

⸻

🏙 20. Starship

No. 1: “We Built This City” (2 weeks, Nov 1985)

A huge hit—and frequent “worst song ever” target, although this writer can think of worse (“Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” anyone?).  “We Built This City” has become one of the most beloved songs of the decade in retrospect.  

Where are they now?  The revamped Starship (emerging from the earlier Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship) scored three No. 1 hits (the above two plus “Sara”) with Mickey Thomas and Grace Slick at the helm.  Thomas still tours with the current version of Starship.  Grace Slick, now 85, retired in the ’90s and has established a painting career.

⸻

💔 21. Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin

No. 1: “Separate Lives” (1 week, Dec 1985)

An emotional duet and the first of two chart toppers from the film White Nights.

Where are they now? Phil’s legacy is sealed (see above). Marilyn released a few albums and had one more top 40 hit (“Night Moves” in 1986) but has largely faded from the spotlight, instead supporting other artists like Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac on their tours.  

⸻

🕊 22. Mr. Mister

No. 1: “Broken Wings” (2 weeks, Dec 1985)

A dramatic synth ballad with cryptic lyrics and soaring vocals by the fifth American band to top the U.S. chart in 1985.

Where are they now?  After scoring another No. 1 (“Kyrie” in 1986) and a few other chart hits, the group disbanded in the ’90s.  They reunited for a one-off performance in 2023 for lead singer Richard Page’s 70th birthday.  Page toured with Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band in the 2010s.

⸻

✍️ 23. Lionel Richie

No. 1: “Say You, Say Me” (4 weeks, Dec 1985 – Jan 1986)

Oscar-winning ballad and second No. 1 from White Nights that capped Richie’s ’80s reign.  By remaining at No. 1 in January 1986, the former Commodores leader became the first artist to write a No. 1 single in nine consecutive years (beginning with 1978’s “Three Times a Lady”).

Where is he now? The balladeer is now a Rock Hall of Fame inductee (2022), an American Idol judge, and still beloved by millions.  His lead role in the Grammy-nominated 2024 documentary The Greatest Night In Pop provided unique insight from the last surviving main creator of “We Are The World.”

⸻

A Golden Year, 40 Years Later

1985 was one of the richest years for pop hits in chart history.  Many of its stars and songs burned bright—and kept on shining.  Some faded into memory, but each act left its mark on the soundtrack of our lives…for generations to come.

Which of these 1985 No. 1s is your favorite—and why?  Drop a comment in the “Your Thoughts” section below or in any of the social media platforms where this article is posted.

DJRob 

DJRob (he/him) is a freelance music blogger from the East Coast who covers R&B, hip-hop, disco, pop, rock and country genres – plus lots of music news and current stuff!  You can follow him on Bluesky at @djrobblog.bsky.social, X (formerly Twitter) at @djrobblog, on Facebook or on Meta’s Threads.

DJRob (@djrobblog) on Threads

You can also register for free here (or select the menu bars above) to receive notifications of future articles.