This simple list pretty much proves that 1986 was the best year in the history of mankind, possibly in all the universe. Note that these are based on USA release dates.
MOVIES
Stand by Me
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Top Gun
Aliens
Labyrinth
Big Trouble in Little China
Platoon
The Fly
Blue Velvet
Highlander
Little Shop of Horrors
Three Amigos
The Color of Money
Pretty in Pink
MUSIC
Metallica – Master of Puppets
Van Halen – 5150
New Kids on the Block – New Kids on the Block
Peter Gabriel – So
David Lee Roth – Eat ‘Em and Smile
Poison – Look What the Cat Dragged In
Lionel Richie – Dancing on the Ceiling
Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet
Huey Lewis and the News – Fore!
Slayer – Reign in Blood
Talking Heads – True Stories
TV
Perfect Strangers
The Oprah Winfrey Show
SilverHawks
It’s Garry Shandling’s Show
The Real Ghostbusters
Pee-Wee’s Playhouse
L.A. Law
ALF
Matlock
Designing Women
BOOKS
IT – Stephen King
The Bourne Supremacy – Robert Ludlum
Forrest Gump – Winston Groom
VIDEO GAMES
Metroid
The Legend of Zelda
Castlevania
Kid Icarus
Rampage
Tetris
Space Quest, Chapter 1: The Sarien Encounter
Super Mario Bros.
Ikari Warriors
King’s Quest III: To Heir is Human