Amid these uncertainties, the music offered escape — Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” broke records for its pioneering stop-motion video, Prince delivered funk perfection with “Kiss”, and Bon Jovi gave working-class heroes their anthem with “Livin’ on a Prayer.”

Closer to home, South African artists were defining their own sound of resilience and joy. Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse’s “Burn Out” was still making people move years after its release, while Mango Groove blended pop with township rhythms on “Dance Sum More.” Their upbeat sounds echoed a changing nation standing on the edge of transformation.

In sport, 1986 belonged to Diego Maradona. His “Hand of God” and “Goal of the Century” at the Mexico World Cup became defining moments of football folklore. Back on the roads, South Africa introduced the new blue licence plates — a sign that the country was stepping into a more regulated motoring era — while the world was captivated by the Concorde, the sleek symbol of supersonic air travel linking London and New York in under three hours.

Technology was moving fast too. IBM launched its first laptop computer, cellphones were still bulky but revolutionary, and the first 3D printer quietly made its debut. Music itself was changing through tech — with synthesizers, drum machines, and MIDI giving rise to a futuristic sound embodied by The Human League’s “Human” and Talk Talk’s “Life’s What You Make It.”

Did You Know?
When The Bangles released “Manic Monday” in 1986, it was actually written by Prince — under the pseudonym “Christopher.” He gifted the song to the all-female group because he admired their sound, even though his own hit “Kiss”was climbing the charts at the very same time!

By year’s end, 1986 had produced timeless classics, unforgettable pop videos, and artists who would define the decades to come — from Madonna’s “True Blue” to Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colours.” It was a time when optimism and experimentation collided, setting the tone for the music and technology that shaped the modern age.