''See also:''
- January 28 - Various artists, 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 , Tina Turner and Stevie Wonder , record the song "We Are the World".
- February 21 - Whitney Houston releases her first album.
- March 3 - A Wax likeness of Michael Jackson is unveiled at London 's Madame Tussaud's wax museum.
- March 26 - South Africa n radio stations ban Stevie Wonder 's music in response to Wonder dedicating the Oscar he had won the night before to Nelson Mandela .
- April 1 - After months of talks, David Lee Roth leaves Van Halen to begin a solo career.
- April 10 - Madonna goes on her very first tour, dubbed after her '' Like A Virgin '' album, The Virgin Tour in Seattle , Washington .
- June 11 - Madonna ends The Virgin Tour at Madison Square Garden in New York .
- July 13 - Live Aid concert in Wembley and Philadelphia . Headlining act at the latter venue included a Led Zeppelin reunion, the first since their 1980 disbandment.
- August 1 - Michael Jackson purchases the publishing rights for most of The Beatles ' music for US$ 47 million, much to the dismay of Paul McCartney , George Harrison , and Ringo Starr .
- August 16 - On her 27th birthday, Madonna marries actor Sean Penn . They will divorce in 1989 .
- September 19 - the P.M.R.C 's infamous "senate hearing on rock censorship" was held on this day in Washington D.C. Heavy metal singer Dee Snider of Twisted Sister , rock star Frank Zappa and country singer John Denver testified against the P.M.R.C.
- September 22 - Farm Aid concert in Champaign, Illinois .
- 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.
- Eric B. & Rakim meet and begin making music together
- The former Beatles producer George Martin works with country music legend Kenny Rogers on the album 'The Heart of the Matter'.
- Several hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars in publishing royalties are released to the surviving members of Badfinger and families of the deceased. Two band members, Pete Ham and Tom Evans, previously committed suicide due to financial problems.
The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in 1985.
''See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits Of 1985 ''
- February 20 - Yulia Volkova , Russian singer ( T.A.T.u. )
- May 10 - Asley Poole , singer Dream (Group)
- May 11 - Obi Cittie , lead guitar Triple Chin (band)
- May 22 - Vangie Tang , singer
- June 15 - Nadine Walsh , Girls Aloud
- August 1 - Dina , singer
- August 3 - Holly Arnstein , Singer Dream (Group)
- September 23 - Diana Ortiz , Singer Dream (Group)
- October 15 - Nicola Roberts , Girls Aloud
- October 22 - Zachary Hanson , Hanson
- November 15 - Patrick Lew , Guitar, Singer ( Band Of Asians )
- December 10 - Raven-Symoné , actress and singer
- January 9 - Anton Karas , Austrian zither player and composer
- February 11 - Heinz Eric Roemheld
- February 11 - Ulysses Simpson Kay
- February 12 - Leslie Sarony , English singer, comedian and songwriter
- February 18 - Gábor Darvas , composer and musicologist
- February 22 - Efrem Zimbalist , violinist
- February 28 - David Byron , Uriah Heep
- March 16 - Roger Sessions , American composer
- March 31 - Jeanine Deckers , known as The Singing Nun and had a hit record, " Dominique "
- May 19 - Hilding Rosenberg , composer
- July 23 - Kay Kyser , US bandleader
- August 24 - Paul Creston , American composer
- September 6 - Little Brother Montgomery
- September 11 - William Alwyn , English composer
- October 6 - Nelson Riddle , US conductor, composer and arranger
- October 11 - Tex Williams , US country singer
- October 14 - Emil Gilels , pianist
- October 21 - Ricky Wilson , founding member of The B-52's
- December 12 - Ian Stewart , The Rolling Stones , cerebrovascular accident
- December 22 - D. Boon , lead singer of Minutemen
- December 31 - Ricky Nelson , singer, former Teen Idol
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