1985 in music

Opera

• Dominick Argento – Casanova's Homecoming
• Lorenzo Ferrero
• Mare nostro
• Night
• Philip Glass and Robert Moran – The Juniper Tree
• Hans Werner Henze – The English Cat (first English language production)
• Dorothy Rudd Moore – Frederick Douglass
• Salvatore Sciarrino – La perfezione di uno spirito sottile

Ballet

• Lorenzo Ferrero
• Lotus Eaters
• The Miracle

Jazz

Musical theater

• Big River – Broadway production opened at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre and ran for 1005 performances
• Dames at Sea – off Broadway revival
• The King and I (Rodgers & Hammerstein) – Broadway revival
• Leader of the Pack – Broadway production opened at the Ambassador Theatre and ran for 120 performances
• Me and My Girl (Noel Gay) – London revival
• Les Misérables – London production opened in October and has been continuously running since, becoming the longest running musical in West End history.
• The Mystery of Edwin Drood – Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre and ran for 108 performances
• Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Saul Chaplin, Gene de Paul and Johnny Mercer) – London production
• Singin' in the Rain – Broadway production (based on 1952 film of the same name)
• Song and Dance – Broadway production opened at the Royale Theatre and ran for 474 performances

Musical films

• A Chorus Line
• Alag Alag
• Donga
• Hum Dono
• Kathodu Kathoram
• Krush Groove
• Naná
• Rappin'
• That's Dancing!

Births

• January 2 – Luis Beza, American trumpet player (Suburban Legends)
• January 3 – Justin Paul, American singer, composer and lyricist (Pasek and Paul )
• January 6 – Amalie Bruun, Danish multi instrumentalist, singer and actress.
• January 8 – Rachael Lampa, American contemporary Christian singer, songwriter and record producer.
• January 16 – Gintaras Janusevicius, Lithuanian classical pianist
• January 18 – Simone Simons, Dutch symphonic metal singer/songwriter
• January 19 – Rika Ishikawa, Japanese singer, actress, model and dancer (Morning Musume)
• January 22 – Orianthi, Australian musician, singer and songwriter
• January 23 – Donnie Klang, American R&B singer
• January 24
• Frankie J. Galasso, American singer and actor (Dream Street)
• Josie Gibson, English television personality
• January 28
• András Kállay-Saunders, Hungarian-born American recording artist, songwriter and record producer
• J. Cole, German-American hip-hop recording artist and record producer
• January 29
• Mikey Hachey, American bass player
• Giovanna Fletcher, British author, stage actress, singer, and internet personality (wife of Tom Fletcher of Mcfly, sister in law of Carrie Hope Fletcher)
• January 31 – Kalomira, American-Greek singer
• February 1 – Shellback (record producer), Swedish record producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist
• February 5 – Lindsey Cardinale, American singer
• February 8 – Jeremy Davis, American bass player and songwriter (Paramore)
• February 11 – William Beckett, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Academy Is...)
• February 14 – Havana Brown, Australian DJ, recording artist, record producer and dancer
• February 14 – Lee Hae-ri, South Korean singer (Davichi)
• February 17 – Anne Curtis, Filipina actress, recording artist, entertainer, sister of Jasmine Curtis-Smith, and married to Erwan Heussaff, brother of Solenn Heussaff
• February 19 – Haylie Duff, American actress, singer-songwriter, television host, writer and fashion designer (sister of Hilary Duff)
• February 20 – Yulia Volkova, Russian singer, (t.A.T.u.)
• February 21 – Emelie Norenberg, Swedish singer (Play)
• February 26 – Miki Fujimoto, Japanese singer, actress, dancer and model (Morning Musume)
• February 27 – Seo Hyun-jin, South Korean actress and singer (Milk)
• February 27 – Heléne Yorke, Canadian-American actress, writer, singer, and dancer.
• February 28 – Fefe Dobson, Canadian songwriter
• March 4 – Scott Michael Foster, American actor and singer (Crazy Ex Girlfriend)
• March 8 – Ewa Sonnet, Polish model and singer
• March 12 – Stromae, Belgian musician, rapper, singer and songwriter
• March 17 – Anne Ross, German singer
• March 18 – Theodora Richards, American model daughter of Keith Richards and Patti Hansen
• March 18 – Marvin Humes, English singer (JLS)
• March 24 – Amanda, French-Swedish pop singer
• March 25 – Carmen Rasmusen, Canadian-American singer
• March 26 – Kim Jung-mo, South Korean musician (TRAX)
• March 29
• Mirusia Louwerse, Dutch-Australian lyric soprano
• Emil Nava, British music video director
• April 3 – Leona Lewis, British singer, songwriter, actress, model and activist.
• April 7 – Saad Lamjarred, Moroccan singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, dancer, record producer and actor
• April 9
• Tim Bendzko, German singer-songwriter
• Tomohisa Yamashita, Japanese singer and actor
• Senidah, Slovenian singer-songwriter
• April 12
• Hitomi Yoshizawa, Japanese singer and actress (Morning Musume)
• Olga Seryabkina, Russian singer-songwriter (Serebro)
• April 13 – Ty Dolla Sign, American singer, songwriter, rapper and record producer.
• April 18 – Elena Temnikova, Russian singer and television personality (Serebro)
• April 20 – Jadyn Douglas, Puerto Rican-American singer-songwriter and actress
• April 21 – Jessica Clark, English model and actress
• April 24 – Courtnee Draper, American actress and singer
• April 25 – Morgan Evans, Australian country music singer and songwriter (Kelsea Ballerini)
• May 2 – Lily Allen, English singer-songwriter
• May 3
• Louis Cato, American drummer, bassist, guitarist, singer, and composer
• Greg Raposo, American singer and actor (Dream Street)
• May 4
• Jidenna, Nigerian-American rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer
• Jme, British grime MC, songwriter, record producer and DJ
• Anthony Fedorov, American singer
• May 7 – J Balvin, Colombian reggaeton singer
• May 10 – Ashley Poole, American singer (Dream)
• May 11 – Matt Giraud, American singer-songwriter and pianist
• May 17 – Derek Hough, American Latin and ballroom dancer, choreographer, actor and singer
• May 18 – Francesca Battistelli, American singer, CCM
• May 21
• Kano, British rapper, songwriter
• Mutya Buena, English R&B singer (Sugababes)
• May 22 – Vangie Tang, Hong Kong singer
• May 25 – Kim Isak, American-South Korean singer and actress (Isak N Jiyeon)
• May 28
• Colbie Caillat, American singer/songwriter/musician
• Carey Mulligan, English actress and singer
• J. R. Writer, American rapper (The Diplomats)
• May 30
• Clarence Clarity, English singer, songwriter, producer, and musician
• Katie Stelmanis, Canadian musician and producer
• Miriam Cani, Albanian singer
• June 4 – Alicja Janosz, Polish singer
• June 7 – Charlie Simpson, English singer, songwriter and musician (Busted)
• June 9 – Benj Pasek, American singer-songwriter and composer (Pasek and Paul)
• June 9 – Jon Nørgaard, Danish singer
• June 11 – Chris Trousdale, American singer, dancer and actor (Dream Street) (died 2020)
• June 12 – Phil Lam, Canadian-born Hong Kong singer-songwriter
• June 13 – Raz-B, American singer, rapper and actor (B2K)
• June 15 – Nadine Coyle, Irish pop singer-songwriter, actress and model (Girls Aloud)
• June 17 – Andrea Demirović, Montenegrin pop singer
• June 18 – Jimmie Allen, American singer
• June 20
• Caroline Polachek, American musician, singer-songwriter, activist and record producer known as the vocalist for Chairlift
• Julian Corrie, English keyboardist and singer (Franz Ferdinand)
• June 21
• Kris Allen, American singer
• Lana Del Rey, American singer-songwriter, director, model, poet and activist
• June 22 – Scott MacIntyre, American singer-songwriter and pianist
• June 23 – Kavka Shishido, Japanese drummer and vocalist
• June 24 – Aste, Finnish rapper
• June 30
• K.Flay, born Kristine Flaherty, American singer-songwriter and rapper
• Hugh Sheridan, Australian actor, singer, musician, activist and television presenter
• July 2
• Ashley Tisdale, American singer, actress, producer, songwriter and YouTuber (High School Musical, Phineas and Ferb, Vanessa Hudgens)
• Zach Dawes, American musician, producer, engineer, and technician (Frequently works with: Lana Del Rey, Sharon Van Etten)
• Sindy Auvity, French singer
• July 4
• Mariana Rios, Brazilian actress and singer
• Lartiste, Moroccan-French singer and rapper
• July 5 – Alle Farben, German DJ and producer
• July 6
• Diamond Rings, Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer (Matters)
• D. Woods, American singer, dancer and actress (Danity Kane)
• Andrea Myrander, Swedish pop singer (Basic Element)
• July 9 – Lee Hee-ah, South Korean handicapped pianist
• July 10 – Emily King, American singer-songwriter
• July 11 – Tobias Jesso Jr., Canadian musician
• July 12 – Luiz Ejlli, Albanian singer
• July 13 – Trell Kimmons, American sprinter
• July 15 – Nathaniel Willemse, South African-born Australian singer and songwriter
• July 17
• Tom Fletcher British singer/songwriter/musician (member of McFLY, brother of Carrie Hope Fletcher)
• Taylor Goldsmith, American singer-songwriter and guitarist, (lead singer and chief songwriter of the American folk rock band Dawes) (Married and worked with Mandy Moore)
• July 18
• Hopsin, American rapper, producer and actor
• Christine Milton, Danish actress, singer and songwriter
• July 19 – Amy Pearson, English singer-songwriter
• July 20 – Solenn Heussaff, Filipina singer, entertainer, and sister-in-law of Anne Curtis
• July 24 – Grace Petrie, English folk singer-songwriter and guitarist
• July 31
• Alissa White-Gluz, Canadian singer-songwriter (The Agonist, Arch Enemy)
• Allie X, Canadian singer-songwriter
• Goldie Boutilier, Singer, songwriter, DJ, and model
• August 1 – Dina, Norwegian singer
• August 2 – Britt Nicole, American vocalist, songwriter and recording artist.
• August 3
• Holly Blake-Arnstein, American singer (Dream)
• Brent Kutzle (OneRepublic) American Musician
• August 4
• Crystal Bowersox, American singer
• Kina Grannis, American singer-songwriter, guitarist and YouTuber
• August 5 – Annalisa, Italian singer-songwriter and musician
• August 6 – Amy Kuney, known professionally as AMES, is an American singer, songwriter, and musician
• August 9 – Anna Kendrick, American actress/singer
• August 11 – Asher Roth, American Rapper
• August 11 – J-Boog, American boy band (B2K)
• August 13 – Lacey Brown, American singer-songwriter
• August 15
• Nipsey Hussle, American rapper, singer and businessman (d. 2019)
• Emily Kinney, American actress, singer, and songwriter
• August 16
• Cristin Milioti, American actress, singer and musician
• Taylor Goldsmith, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer (Member of band Dawes, Husband and musical collaborator of Mandy Moore)
• Arden Cho, American actress, singer and model
• August 19 – David A. Gregory, American actor and writer
• August 25 – Andien, Indonesian jazz singer
• August 27 – Hannah Peel, Northern Ireland composer
• August 29 – Achilles Liarmakopoulos, Greek trombonist (Canadian Brass)
• August 31 – Sarah Jones, English musician and drummer
• September 1 – Camile Velasco, Filipino-American singer
• September 4 – Sukrit Wisetkaew, Thai actor and singer
• September 17 – Jon Walker, American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer (Panic! at the Disco)
• September 18 – Megan Joy, American singer
• September 23 – Diana Ortiz, American singer (Dream)
• September 23 – Maki Goto, Japanese singer and actress (Morning Musume)
• September 24 – Paige Miles, American singer
• September 26 – M. Pokora, French pop, crunk, R&B singer and musician (Christina Millian)
• September 28 – Alina Ibragimova, Russian British violinist
• September 28 – Shindong, South Korean rapper (Super Junior)
• October 1 – Porcelain Black, American industrial indie pop singer-songwriter
• October 2 – Vogue Williams, Irish DJ, radio host, model and dancer
• October 4 – Shontelle, Barbadian singer and songwriter
• October 5 – Nicola Roberts, English recording artist, fashion designer and songwriter
• October 8
• Bruno Mars, American singer-songwriter and dancer
• Elliphant, Swedish singer-songwriter and rapper
• October 10 – Marina Diamandis, Welsh singer/songwriter
• October 18 – Andrew Garcia, American singer
• October 22 – Zac Hanson, American singer-songwriter (Hanson)
• October 23
• Miguel, American singer-songwriter, producer
• Lachlan Gillespie, Australian singer, musician, and actor
• October 25
• Ciara, American singer, actress and dancer
• Ayahi Takagaki, Japanese voice actress and singer
• Vlad Topalov, Russian singer and dancer
• October 26 – Soko, French singer-songwriter, musician and actress.
• October 28
• Anthony Fantano, American music critic and YouTuber (Cal Chuchesta)
• Tina Guo, Chinese-American cellist and erhuist
• Nomcebo Zikode, South African singer and songwriter
• October 29 – Ximena Sariñana, Mexican singer-songwriter and actress
• November 4 – Vanessa Struhler, German singer-songwriter
• November 5 – Kate DeAraugo, Australian singer-songwriter, Australian Idol 3 winner
• November 8 – Jack Osbourne, British media personality son of Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne
• November 11
• Jessica Sierra, American singer
• Sanne Karlsson, Swedish singer (Play)
• November 14 – Louise Burns, Canadian rock singer and songwriter (Lillix)
• November 15 – Nick Fradiani, American singer
• November 19 – Ricki-Lee Coulter, New Zealand-born Australian singer-songwriter, Australian Idol contestant
• November 21
• Carly Rae Jepsen, Canadian singer, songwriter and musician
• Ruelle, American EDM pop singer/songwriter
• November 22 – Austin Brown, American producer, singer, songwriter and musician
• November 23 – Troy Ave, American rapper
• November 26
• Lil' Fizz, American boy band (B2K)
• Revalina S. Temat, Indonesian actress
• November 28 – Magdi Rúzsa, Hungarian singer
• November 30 – Hikari Mitsushima, Japanese actress, singer and model (Folder 5)
• December 1 – Janelle Monae, American recording artist, record producer, singer-songwriter, model, actor, businesswomen and activist
• December 3 – Amanda Seyfried, American singer, musical star, actor
• December 6 – Dulce María, Mexican singer
• December 10
• Raven-Symoné, American actress and singer
• Grace Chatto, English musician and singer, member of Clean Bandit
• December 12 – Erika Van Pelt, American singer
• December 17 – Jeremy McKinnon, American singer, record producer and songwriter (A Day to Remember)
• December 22 – Kae Tempest, English poet, spoken-word artist, rapper and playwright
• December 23
• Arcángel, American rapper, singer and songwriter
• Dev Hynes, British singer, songwriter, composer, producer and author
• December 23 – Harry Judd, British pop drummer (McFly)
• December 29 – Alexa Ray Joel, American singer-songwriter and pianist

Deaths

• January 3 – Lucien Cailliet, clarinetist, conductor, arranger and composer, 87
• January 4 – Lovro von Matačić, Croatian conductor, 85
• January 10 – Anton Karas, Austrian zither player and composer, 78
• January 25 – Paul Smith, American film and television composer, 78
• January 30 – Ivar Haglund, folk singer and restaurateur, 79 (heart attack)
• February 7 – Matt Monro, English singer, 54 (liver cancer)
• February 11 – Heinz Eric Roemheld, American composer, 83
• February 12 – Leslie Sarony, English singer, comedian and songwriter, 87
• February 18
• Willy Alberti, Dutch singer, 58 (liver cancer)
• Gábor Darvas, composer and musicologist, 74
• February 22 – Delores Marie "D'Marie" Warren, founding member of Alton McClain & Destiny, 32 (car crash)
• Efrem Zimbalist, violinist, 94
• February 28 – David Byron, vocalist of Uriah Heep, 38 (alcohol-related)
• March 1 – Eugene List, American classical pianist, 66
• March 15 – Alan A. Freeman, English record producer, 64
• March 16 – Roger Sessions, American composer, 88
• March 23 – Zoot Sims, jazz saxophonist, 59
• March 31 – Jeanine Deckers, known as The Singing Nun, 51 (suicide)
• May 2
• Bridget D'Oyly Carte, opera impresario, 77
• Leonard Falcone, baritone/euphonium virtuosos and director of bands at Michigan State, 86
• May 8 – Karl Marx, composer and conductor, 87
• May 12 – Rodolfo Arizaga, Argentinian composer
• May 19 – Hilding Rosenberg, composer, 92
• July 23 – Kay Kyser, US bandleader, 80
• July 30 – Peter Knight, conductor, arranger and composer, 68
• August 11 – Nick Ceroli, jazz drummer, 45
• August 12 – Kyu Sakamoto, Japanese singer, 43 (plane crash)
• August 13 – Jimmy Stokley (Exile), American singer, 41
• August 24 – Paul Creston, American composer, 78
• September 6 – Little Brother Montgomery, jazz and blues pianist and singer, 79
• September 8 – Frederick May, Irish composer, 74
• September 11 – William Alwyn, English composer, 79
• September 13 – Winifred Cecil, American operatic soprano, 78
• September 18 – Ed Lewis, jazz trumpeter, 76
• September 19 – Rockdrigo González, folk & rock singer-songwriter, 34 (1985 Mexico City earthquake)
• October 6
• Lola Gjoka, Albanian pianist, 75
• Nelson Riddle, American conductor, composer and arranger, 64
• October 11 – Tex Williams, American country singer, 68
• October 12 – Ricky Wilson, American guitarist (The B-52's), 32 (AIDS Related)
• October 14 – Emil Gilels, Soviet pianist, 68
• October 18 – Stefan Askenase, Polish-born Belgian pianist, 94
• October 20 – Boris Lisanevich, dancer, 80
• October 22 – Viorica Ursuleac, Romanian operatic soprano, 91
• November 15 – Seán Ryan, Irish fiddler and whistler
• November 18 – Stephan Henrik Barratt-Due, Norwegian violinist and music teacher, 66
• November 24 – Big Joe Turner, blues singer, 74
• December 12 – Ian Stewart (The Rolling Stones), 42 (heart attack)
• December 22 – D. Boon, lead singer of Minutemen, 27 (car accident)
• December 30 – Bob Pearson, pianist and singer (Bob and Alf Pearson), 78
• December 31 – Ricky Nelson, singer, former teen idol, 45 (plane crash)

Awards

• Eurovision Song Contest 1985
• 27th Annual Grammy Awards
• 1985 Country Music Association Awards
• 27th Japan Record Awards

Charts

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1985
• 1985 in British music#Charts
• List of Oricon number-one singles of 1985

US Top 100 Hits of 1985

See also

References