| The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1986 |
| TOP 50 POP ALBUMS (As published in the December 27, 1986, issue) |
| POS | TITLE – Artist (Label) |
| 1 | WHITNEY HOUSTON (Arista) |
| 2 | CONTROL – Janet Jackson (A&M) |
| 3 | TOP GUN – Original Soundtrack (Columbia) |
| 4 | 5150 – Van Halen (Warner Bros.) |
| 5 | HEART (Capitol) |
| 6 | RUN-D.M.C. (Profile) |
| 7 | TRUE BLUE – Madonna (Sire) |
| 8 | PROMISE – Sade (Portrait) |
| 9 | BROTHERS IN ARMS – Dire Straits (Warner Bros.) |
| 10 | BACK IN THE HIGH LIFE – Steve Winwood (Island) |
| 11 | INVISIBLE TOUCH – Genesis (Atlantic) |
| 12 | SO – Peter Gabriel (Geffen) |
| 13 | THE BROADWAY ALBUM – Barbra Streisand (Columbia) |
| 14 | WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD – Mr. Mister (RCA) |
| 15 | LIKE A ROCK – Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (Capitol) |
| 16 | FORE! – Huey Lewis & The News (Chrysalis) |
| 17 | SCARECROW – John Cougar Mellencamp (Riva) |
| 18 | AFTERBURNER – ZZ Top (Warner Bros.) |
| 19 | WINNER IN YOU – Patti LaBelle (MCA) |
| 20 | PLAY DEEP – The Outfield (Columbia) |
| 21 | PARADE – Prince & The Revolution (Paisley Park) |
| 22 | EAT ’EM AND SMILE – David Lee Roth (Warner Bros.) |
| 23 | LOVE ZONE – Billy Ocean (Jive) |
| 24 | PRETTY IN PINK – Original Soundtrack (A&M) |
| 25 | KNEE DEEP IN THE HOOPLA – Starship (Grunt) |
| 26 | SLIPPERY WHEN WET – Bon Jovi (Mercury) |
| 27 | MIAMI VICE – Original Television Soundtrack (MCA) |
| 28 | THIRD STAGE – Boston (MCA) |
| 29 | DIRTY WORK – The Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones) |
| 30 | ONCE UPON A TIME – Simple Minds (A&M) |
| 31 | THE BRIDGE – Billy Joel (Columbia) |
| 32 | THE DREAM OF THE BLUE TURTLES – Sting (A&M) |
| 33 | THE OTHER SIDE OF LIFE – The Moody Blues (Threshold) |
| 34 | RAISED ON RADIO – Journey (Columbia) |
| 35 | FALCO 3 (A&M) |
| 36 | TRUE COLORS – Cyndi Lauper (Portrait) |
| 37 | THE ULTIMATE SIN – Ozzy Osbourne (CBS Associated) |
| 38 | PLEASE – The Pet Shop Boys (EMI America) |
| 39 | RIPTIDE – Robert Palmer (Island) |
| 40 | NO JACKET REQUIRED – Phil Collins (Atlantic) |
| 41 | GRACELAND – Paul Simon (Warner Bros.) |
| 42 | DANCING ON THE CEILING – Lionel Richie (Motown) |
| 43 | TRUE STORIES – Talking Heads (Sire) |
| 44 | REVENGE – The Eurythmics (RCA) |
| 45 | SONGS FROM THE BIG CHAIR – Tears For Fears (Mercury) |
| 46 | ROCK A LITTLE – Stevie Nicks (Modern) |
| 47 | BORN IN THE U.S.A. – Bruce Springsteen (Columbia) |
| 48 | ROCKY IV – Original Soundtrack (Scotti Bros.) |
| 49 | BREAK EVERY RULE – Tina Turner (Capitol) |
| 50 | TUFF ENUFF – The Fabulous Thunderbirds (CBS Associated) |
