The following lists the top 25 (end of year) charting albums on the Australian Album Charts, for the year of 1986. These were the best charting albums in Australia for 1986. The source for this year is the "Kent Music Report

Kent Music Report

The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...

", known from 1987 onwards as the "Australian Music Report".

#	Whitney Houston Whitney Houston (album) Whitney Houston is the debut album of American R&B and pop singer Whitney Houston, released March 14, 1985 on Arista Records. The album initially had a slow commercial response but began getting more popular since the summer of 1985... "	Whitney Houston Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...	1	11
2.	"Brothers in Arms Brothers in Arms (Dire Straits album) - Original LP track listing :- 2005 Re-Issue 2 LP track listing :The 2005 Limited Edition Deluxe 180 gram High Performance Vinyl reissue contained the full-length versions of all songs by spreading out the songs over two half speed mastered LPs.... "	Dire Straits Dire Straits Dire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...	1	34 (pkd #1 in 1985 & 86)
3.	"For the Working Class Man For the Working Class Man For the Working Class Man is the second studio album by Australian rock singer Jimmy Barnes, released in 1985. The album was released in the United States on Geffen as Jimmy Barnes. It was re-released in 2005 in a special 20th anniversary edition, CD/DVD box set... "	Jimmy Barnes Jimmy Barnes James Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at...	1	7
4.	"Scarecrow Scarecrow (John Mellencamp album) Scarecrow is the eighth album by John Mellencamp. Released in August 1985 by Mercury Records, it peaked at #2 on the U.S. charts. It was remastered and reissued on Mercury Records on May 24, 2005, with one bonus track.... "	John Cougar Mellencamp	2
5.	"Revenge"	Eurythmics Eurythmics Eurythmics were a British pop rock duo, formed in 1980, currently disbanded, but known to reunite from time to time. Consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A...	2
6.	"Rock a Little Rock a Little Rock a Little is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter and Fleetwood Mac vocalist Stevie Nicks.Released in late 1985 while Fleetwood Mac were still on a lengthy hiatus following their album Mirage in 1982, Rock a Little hit the top 20 in its second week and ultimately peaked at #12...	Stevie Nicks Stevie Nicks Stephanie Lynn "Stevie" Nicks is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac and an extensive solo career, which collectively have produced over forty Top 50 hits and sold over 140 million albums...	5
7.	"The Dream of the Blue Turtles The Dream of the Blue Turtles The Dream of the Blue Turtles is the first solo album by British pop singer-songwriter Sting, released in the United States on 1 June 1985, a year after The Police had unofficially disbanded... "	Sting	1	3
8.	"Invisible Touch Invisible Touch Invisible Touch is the 13th studio album by the band Genesis, released in 1986. It reached No.1 in the UK where it remained in the charts for 96 weeks, making it by far the most commercially successful album of their career, eventually selling over 15 million copies worldwide...	Genesis Genesis (band) Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...	3
9.	"Kev's Back"	Kevin Bloody Wilson Kevin Bloody Wilson Kevin Bloody Wilson is a comedy singer/songwriter who uses his heavy Australian accent/style with great success...	8
10.	"True Blue"	Madonna Madonna (entertainer) Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...	1	2
11.	"The Bridge The Bridge (Billy Joel album) The Bridge is Billy Joel's 10th studio album released by Columbia Records in 1986 and was his final album to be produced by Phil Ramone... "	Billy Joel Billy Joel William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...	2
12.	"Cocker Cocker (album) Cocker is the tenth studio album by Joe Cocker, released in 1986.-Track listing:Side 1:# "Shelter Me" - 5:36# "A to Z" - 4:21# "Don't You Love Me Anymore" - 5:25... "	Joe Cocker Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...	9
13.	"The Cars Greatest Hits"	The Cars The Cars The Cars are an American rock band that emerged from the early New Wave music scene in the late 1970s. The band consisted of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, lead singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson...	3
14.	"Listen Like Thieves"	INXS INXS INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...	1	2 (pkd #1 in 1985)
15.	"Fine Young Cannibals Fine Young Cannibals (album) Fine Young Cannibals is an album released in 1985 by the band of the same name.The success of their UK #8 debut single "Johnny Come Home" did not continue with the next single, "Blue", which languished at #41 in the UK. The version of "Blue" on the original vinyl LP and cassette was re-mixed for... "	Fine Young Cannibals Fine Young Cannibals Fine Young Cannibals were a British band formed in Birmingham, England, in 1984, by bassist David Steele and guitarist Andy Cox , and singer Roland Gift...	2
16.	"Picture Book Picture Book (album) Picture Book is the debut album by British pop group Simply Red, released in October 1985. It contains the #1 single "Holding Back the Years" and a cover of The Valentine Brothers' "Money’s Too Tight ".-Track listing:Side one... "	Simply Red Simply Red Simply Red were a British soul band that sold more than 50 million albums over a 25-year career. Their style drew influences from blue-eyed soul, new romantic, rock, reggae and jazz...	6
17.	"Little Creatures Little Creatures (album) Little Creatures is the sixth album by Talking Heads, released in 1985. The album examined themes of Americana and incorporated elements of country music, with many songs featuring the steel guitar... "	Talking Heads Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...	2
18.	"Promise Promise (Sade album) Promise is the second studio album by the English group Sade. It was released in the United Kingdom on 16 November 1985 by Epic Records and in the United States on 21 December 1985 by Portrait Records.... "	Sade Sade (band) Sade is a British smooth jazz band that formed in 1983, named for Nigerian lead singer Sade Adu. Their music features elements of R&B, soul, jazz, and soft rock....	9
19.	"Top Gun Top Gun (soundtrack) Top Gun is the soundtrack from the film of the same name, released in 1986 by Columbia Records. In 1999, it was reissued in a Special Expanded Edition with additional songs. In 2006, it was reissued again in a Deluxe Edition with more additional songs... "	Original Motion Picture Soundtrack	3
20.	"Feargal Sharkey Feargal Sharkey (album) Feargal Sharkey is the first solo album of former Undertones singer Feargal Sharkey. The album was released in 1985, peaking at #12 in the UK and contains Sharkey's best known single "A Good Heart".-Track listing:#"A Good Heart"... "	Feargal Sharkey Feargal Sharkey Feargal Sharkey is a singer from Northern Ireland who first found fame as the lead vocalist of pop punk band The Undertones...	7
21.	"5150 5150 (album) 5150 is the seventh studio album by American hard rock band Van Halen, released in 1986 through Warner Bros. Records. The album was the first to be recorded with new lead singer Sammy Hagar who replaced David Lee Roth.... "	Van Halen Van Halen Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...	5
22.	"Graceland Graceland (album) Graceland was Paul Simon's highest charting album in the U.S. in over a decade, reaching #3 in the national Billboard charts, receiving a certification of 5× Platinum by the RIAA and eventually selling over 14 million copies, making it Simon's most commercially successful album... "	Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...	1	5 (pkd #1 in 1986 & 87)
23.	"Dirty Work"	Rolling Stones	2
24.	"Dancing on the Ceiling Dancing on the Ceiling Dancing on the Ceiling is Lionel Richie's third album, which was released on July 15, 1986. The title cut was the second biggest single from the album, reaching #1 in the U.S. and #7 in the UK... "	Lionel Richie Lionel Richie Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...	2
25.	"True Colours"	Cyndi Lauper Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...	1	4

These charts are calculated by David Kent of the Kent Music Report

Kent Music Report

The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...

and they are based on the number of weeks and position the records reach within the top 100 albums for each week.

source: David Kent's "Australian Chart Book 1970-1992"