| The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1985 |
| TOP 50 BLACK CONTEMPORARY SINGLES (As published in the December 28, 1985, issue) |
| POS | TITLE – Artist (Label) |
| 1 | ROCK ME TONIGHT (For Old Times Sake) – Freddie Jackson (Capitol) |
| 2 | YOU ARE MY LADY – Freddie Jackson (Capitol) |
| 3 | MR. TELEPHONE MAN – New Edition (MCA) |
| 4 | YOU GIVE GOOD LOVE – Whitney Houston (Arista) |
| 5 | NIGHTSHIFT – Commodores (Motown) |
| 6 | MISSING YOU – Diana Ross (RCA) |
| 7 | RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT – DeBarge (Gordy) |
| 8 | GOTTA GET YOU HOME TONIGHT – Eugene Wilde (Philly World) |
| 9 | WE ARE THE WORLD – USA For Africa (Columbia) |
| 10 | IN MY HOUSE – Mary Jane Girls (Gordy) |
| 11 | CHERISH – Kool & The Gang (De-Lite) |
| 12 | OH SHEILA – Ready For The World (MCA) |
| 13 | TONIGHT – Ready For The World (MCA) |
| 14 | BACK IN STRIDE – Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly (Capitol) |
| 15 | SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU – Whitney Houston (Arista) |
| 16 | FREEWAY OF LOVE – Aretha Franklin (Arista) |
| 17 | (No Matter How High I Get) I’LL STILL BE LOOKIN’ UP TO YOU – Wilton Felder (featuring
Bobby Womack and introducing Alltrinna Grayson) (MCA) |
| 18 | I WONDER IF I TAKE YOU HOME – Lisa Lisa With Cult Jam & Full Force (Columbia) |
| 19 | TREAT HER LIKE A LADY – The Temptations (Gordy) |
| 20 | HANGIN’ ON A STRING (Contemplating) – Loose Ends (MCA) |
| 21 | SMOOTH OPERATOR – Sade (Portrait) |
| 22 | MISLED – Kool & The Gang (De-Lite) |
| 23 | I WISH HE DIDN’T TRUST ME SO MUCH – Bobby Womack (MCA) |
| 24 | CARAVAN OF LOVE – Isley Jasper Isley (CBS Associated) |
| 25 | FRESH – Kool & The Gang (De-Lite) |
| 26 | SAVE YOUR LOVE (For #1) – Rene & Angela (Mercury) |
| 27 | EASY LOVER – Philip Bailey (with Phil Collins) (Columbia) |
| 28 | LOVE LIGHT IN FLIGHT – Stevie Wonder (Motown) |
| 29* | SANCTIFIED LADY – Marvin Gaye (Columbia) |
| 30 | BE YOUR MAN – Jesse Johnson’s Revue (A&M) |
| 31 | ATTACK ME WITH YOUR LOVE – Cameo (Atlanta Artists) |
| 32 | OPERATOR – Midnight Star (Solar) |
| 33 | THE MEN ALL PAUSE – Klymaxx (Constellation/MCA) |
| 34 | ’TIL MY BABY COMES HOME – Luther Vandross (Epic) |
| 35 | SUDDENLY – Billy Ocean (Jive) |
| 36 | THE OAK TREE – Morris Day (Warner Bros.) |
| 37 | POP LIFE – Prince & The Revolution (Paisley Park) |
| 38 | SOLID – Ashford & Simpson (Capitol) |
| 39 | BEEP A FREAK – The Gap Band (Total Experience) |
| 40 | SINGLE LIFE – Cameo (Atlanta Artists) |
| 41 | I’LL BE GOOD – Rene & Angela (Mercury) |
| 42 | CARELESS WHISPER – Wham! Featuring George Michael (Columbia) |
| 43 | SUGAR WALLS – Sheena Easton (EMI America) |
| 44 | INNOCENT – Alexander O’Neal (Tabu) |
| 45 | THE SCREAMS OF PASSION – The Family (Warner Bros./Paisley Park) |
| 46 | RASPBERRY BERET – Prince & The Revolution (Paisley Park) |
| 47 | STAND BY ME – Maurice White (Columbia) |
| 48 | DEEP INSIDE YOUR LOVE – Ready For The World (MCA) |
| 49 | CAN YOU HELP ME – Jesse Johnson’s Revue (A&M) |
| 50 | LOVERBOY – Billy Ocean (Jive) |