This is a summary of 1987 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.

The start of the year saw an important milestone inelectronic dance music, whenSteve "Silk" Hurley's song "Jack Your Body" became the firsthouse music track to reach number 1 in the UK charts. This was despite Hurley refusing to promote the song, and the 12-inch single technically breaking chart rules as it was longer than the allowed 25-minute play time. House music had been steadily growing in popularity since it started underground in the early 1980s, and another number 1 would follow in September, the huge selling "Pump Up The Volume" by British actMARRS (stylized M|A|R|R|S) which was one of the top ten biggest selling songs of the year.

For most of the 1980s, the main musical format in the charts was thegramophone record, with songs being released on both 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl singles. However, in 1987 two new formats started to appear. The first was the digitalCD single, where songs are put on aCompact Disc. These were first made eligible for the UK Singles Chart this year, and the first number 1 to be released as a CD single wasWhitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" released in May. The second was thecassette single where the song is released on anaudio tape – theBPI began recording their sales this year, but they would not become eligible until 1989. Both formats would dominate the chart throughout the 1990s.

Synthpop bandsPet Shop Boys andErasure continued their success from their breakthrough year in 1986, with the Pet Shop Boys achieving their second number 1 single ("It's a Sin") in the summer, and two more top ten singles with "What Have I Done to Deserve This?", a collaboration withDusty Springfield, which peaked at number 2, and "Rent", which peaked at number 8. Their album "Actually" also sold well and peaked at number 2. Erasure's albumThe Circus was their first charting album and peaked at number 6, and had two top 10 hits this year with the eponymoustitle track and "Victim of Love", as well as the number 12 charting "It Doesn't Have to Be" and their big hit from the previous year, "Sometimes". Both bands would continue to have huge success into the early 1990s.

The sound of producersStock Aitken Waterman continued to grow in popularity, as they moved from their previousHi-NRG sound to one more pop-based. It gave them big hits with girl groupBananarama, with their song "Love in the First Degree" becoming their biggest hit ever when it peaked at number 3, and American singerSinitta with "Toy Boy", the successful No. 4 followup to the big selling song "So Macho" from 1986. They also achieved two number one's, one being girl duoMel and Kim's "Respectable", and created a huge star with the baritone-voiced singerRick Astley. In 1987 he had a number one album with "Whenever You Need Somebody", and several high charting singles including thetitle track and the biggest selling single of the year, his number 1 breakthrough song "Never Gonna Give You Up".

Madonna continued her long run of Top Ten hits throughout the year, scoring two number one's, "La Isla Bonita" in April and "Who's That Girl" in July; the former was her third number one single from the multi-million selling albumTrue Blue and the latter was taken from the film of the same name in which Madonna herself starred. Although the film was critically panned, the soundtrack album hit a respectable No. 4 and generated two more Top 10 hits for Madonna; "Causing a Commotion" (No. 4, September) and "The Look of Love" (No. 9, December).

Soul singerBen E. King got a surprise number 1 with a re-release of 1961's "Stand by Me", which was used in an advert forLevi Jeans. Long running bandThe Bee Gees also got their first number 1 of the decade with "You Win Again", their fifth overall in a 20-year career, andMichael Jackson released the multi-million selling "Bad" one of thehighest selling albums in UK chart history. It spawned the number 1 single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" (a duet withSiedah Garrett), the number 3title track and the number 3 "The Way You Make Me Feel". The year also sawGeorge Michael launch his solo career post-Wham! with the album "Faith" andits title track, which reached number 2.

The race for theChristmas number one single had many contenders this year. Rick Astley released a cover of "When I Fall In Love", and the 1956Nat King Cole version was re-released at the same time, while 'Mel & Kim' released a cover of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" – however, this referred to comedianMel Smith and singerKim Wilde rather than the girl group of the same name; proceeds went to the charityComic Relief. A very popular Christmas song released this year was a collaboration with Irish bandThe Pogues and singerKirsty MacColl, with the song "Fairytale of New York". With its bitter tale about the breakup of two lovers, it was very different from other Christmas songs around.

In the end, it was the Pet Shop Boys who had the Christmas number one of 1987, with their cover ofElvis Presley's "Always on My Mind". The Pogues peaked at number 2 and has been re-issued several times since, reaching the top 10 in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

In the world of classical musicNicholas Maw's new workOdyssey made an impact, and veteran composerMalcolm Arnold produced hisSalute to Thomas Merritt, Op. 98, whilstMichael Nyman andJudith Weir both brought new operas to the stage. TheBBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition was won by Italian soprano Valeria Esposito, and the Lieder prize was introduced into the competition for the first time.

• 5 January –Elton John undergoes throat surgery in Australia, ultimately resulting in his voice becoming permanently deeper.^[1]
• 13 January – The first performance ofSymphony with Chaconne byAlexander Goehr takes places at Manchester'sFree Trade Hall withEdward Downes and theBBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
• 9 March – The career that would end inan infamous appearance at the Brit Awards andthe burning of a million pounds began withthe Justified Ancients of Mu Mu releasing their debut single, "All You Need Is Love".
• 27 March – The Violin Concerto byPeter Dickinson is performed and broadcast for the first time by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, soloistErnst Kovacic, conducted byBryden Thomson.
• 24 April –Inquietus Op. 66 for orchestra byRobin Holloway is performed for the first time atFriends House, London.
• 24 April –The Tube is axed after five series and four and a half years.
• 9 May –Ireland'sJohnny Logan wins theEurovision Song Contest, held inBrussels, Belgium, with the song "Hold Me Now", making him the first artist to win the contest twice. TheUK's entry, "Only the Light" byRikki, finishes in 13th place.
• 19 May – An 80th birthday tribute concert forMiklós Rózsa is held at theRoyal Festival Hall with fellow film composersElmer Bernstein andJerry Goldsmith. Ill-health prevented Rózsa from attending.
• 1 June –George Michael's single "I Want Your Sex" is banned by the BBC, except for post-watershed hours, and the video is also banned.
• June –Johnny Marr leavesthe Smiths, and shortly after, the band splits up, just prior to the release of their final albumStrangeways, Here We Come.
• 1 August –Dave Stewart ofEurythmics andSiobhan Fahey ofBananarama are married in Normandy, France.
• 22 August – The String Quartet No 3 bySofia Gubaidulina is performed for the first time, inQueen's Hall, Edinburgh.
• 24 August – The first performance ofRichard Rodney Bennett's Symphony No 3, his final (and favourite) symphony, takes place atWorcester Cathedral during theThree Choirs Festival (for which it was commissioned by the Elgar Foundation).^[2] It has been described as "a journey towards tonality". The composer's previous two symphonies were serial pieces.
• December –The Old Grey Whistle Test is axed and its last episode is aired on 1 January 1988.
• 23 December –Roger Waters officially leavesPink Floyd, after a two-year legal dispute.^[3]

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Notes:

• Richard Rodney Bennett – Symphony No. 3^[2]
• Robin Holloway – Brass Quintet: Divertimento No. 5, Op. 67
• Nicholas Maw –Odyssey (1973–87)

• Peter Maxwell Davies –Resurrection
• Nigel Osborne –The Electrification of the Soviet Union
• Judith Weir –A Night at the Chinese Opera.^[9][10]

• Aria
• The Hunting of the Snark

• 9 January –Paolo Nutini, singer, songwriter^[11]
• 31 January –Marcus Mumford, singer-songwriter (Mumford & Sons)^[12]
• 5 February –Richard Rawson, rapper and songwriter
• 9 February –Sam Coulson, guitarist (Asia)
• 11 March – Timothy Furse, musician (The Horrors)
• 2 April –Molly Smitten-Downes, singer-songwriter
• 11 April –Joss Stone, singer^[13]
• 20 May –Fra Fee, singer and actor
• 4 June –Mollie King, singer (The Saturdays)
• 6 June –Kyle Falconer, musician (The View)
• 28 June –Bailey Tzuke, singer-songwriter
• 6 July –Kate Nash, singer, songwriter
• 19 July –Nicola Benedetti, violinist^[14]
• 25 August –Amy Macdonald, singer-songwriter^[15]
• 30 November –Dougie Poynter, musician (McFly)

• 3 January –Alex Campbell, folk singer, 61^[16]
• 10 January –Marion Hutton, singer and actress, 67
• 18 January –George Thalben-Ball, Australian-born organist and composer, 90
• 2 February –Spike Hughes, jazz musician, 78
• 7 March –Evelyn Dove, singer, 85
• 9 March –Arthur Tolcher, harmonica player, 64
• 13 March –Gerald Moore, pianist, 87
• 18 March –Elizabeth Poston, composer, 81
• 29 March –Florence Margaret Spencer Palmer, composer, 86
• 13 May –Forbes Robinson, operatic bass, 60
• 24 May –Hermione Gingold, actress and singer, 89
• 29 May –Phyllis Tate, composer, 76
• 1 July –Snakefinger, musician, singer and songwriter, 38 (heart attack)
• 15 July –Pete King, rock drummer, 28 (cancer)
• 22 July –Roger Fiske, musicologist, 76
• 9 August –Terrence Michael Walsh, singer-songwriter, 33 (overdose)
• 16 August –Peter Schidlof, Austrian-born violinist, 65
• 24 August –Douglas Byng, comic singer and songwriter, 94
• 8 September –Robert Sharples, conductor, 74
• 23 September –Louis Kentner, Austrian-born pianist, 82
• 3 October –Hans Gál, Austrian-born composer, 97
• 19 October –Jacqueline du Pré, cellist, 42 (multiple sclerosis)
• 3 November –Albert McCarthy, musicologist, 67
• 23 November –Eddie Freeman, jazz musician, 78
• 3 December –Marjorie Eyre, operatic soprano, 90^[17]
• 24 December –Manoug Parikian, violinist, 67^[18]
• 29 December –Frank Llewellyn Harrison, musicologist, 82

The 1987BRIT Awards winners were:

• Best British Producer:Dave Stewart
• Best Classical Recording:Julian Lloyd Webber/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra"ElgarCello Concerto"
• Best International Solo Artist:Paul Simon
• Best Soundtrack:Top Gun
• British Album:Dire Straits –Brothers in Arms
• British Breakthrough Act:The Housemartins
• British Female Solo Artist:Kate Bush
• British Group:Five Star
• British Male Solo Artist:Peter Gabriel
• British Single:Pet Shop Boys – "West End Girls"
• British Video:Peter Gabriel – "Sledgehammer"
• International Group:The Bangles
• Outstanding Contribution:Eric Clapton

• Best International Hit:Pet Shop Boys – "West End Girls"
• Outstanding Contribution to British Music:Queen
• Outstanding Services to British Music:Yehudi Menuhin^[19]
• Songwriter of the Year:Stock Aitken Waterman^[20]

• 1987 in British radio
• 1987 in British television
• 1987 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1987

• BBC Radio 1's Chart Show
• The Official Charts Company

• 1987 in British music
• 1987 in music
• British music by year

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Articles with hCards