On This Day During the 80s

Travel back through the 1980s and discover what happened on this day in music, movies, television, pop culture and more.

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64 On This Day Articles

On This Day April 4 1989 – The Breathtaking Blue by Alphaville Was Released

On this day April 4 1989 Alphaville released their third studio album The Breathtaking Blue. Known for their synthpop sound and dramatic lyrics the band pushed their creative boundaries with this release blending electronic music with orchestral elements and a more experimental tone. The album

On This Day April 3 1989 – Top Card Premiered on TNN

On this day April 3 1989 the game show Top Card premiered on The Nashville Network also known as TNN. The show mixed trivia questions with a blackjack style card game as contestants competed to build the best hand and win prizes. Top Card ran

On This Day April 1 1989 – Eternal Flame by The Bangles Became the Number 1 Song in America

On this day April 1 1989 Eternal Flame by The Bangles hit number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 where it stayed through April 7. The emotional ballad also soared to number 1 in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Portugal, Norway, Netherlands and Australia. Written

On This Day April 1 1989 – Final Episode of She’s the Sheriff Aired

On this day April 1 1989 the final episode of the sitcom She’s the Sheriff aired. The show starred Suzanne Somers as Hildy Granger a widow who unexpectedly becomes sheriff of a small Nevada town after her husband passes away. Running for 2 seasons with

On This Day April 1 1989 – City Streets by Carole King Was Released

On this day April 1 1989 Carole King released her fifteenth studio album City Streets. The album marked a return to her rock roots with a more electric sound and featured collaborations that gave the record a modern edge for the late 80s. City Streets

On This Day April 1 1989 – Stuck in Wonderamaland by Dramarama Was Released

On this day April 1 1989 Dramarama released their third studio album Stuck in Wonderamaland. Known for their alternative rock and power pop sound the band delivered a gritty emotional and guitar driven record that continued to build on their underground following. The album featured

On This Day April 5 1988 – The Robert Guillaume Show Premiered on ABC

On this day April 5, 1988, The Robert Guillaume Show premiered on ABC, featuring the talented Robert Guillaume in a lead role that aimed to break new ground in network television. The sitcom followed Edward Sawyer, a single father and political speechwriter who begins a

On This Day April 5 1988 – Tracy Chapman Released Her Debut Album

On this day April 5, 1988, Tracy Chapman released her self titled debut album and instantly made music history. With her soulful voice, raw lyrics, and stripped down acoustic sound, Chapman brought something fresh and powerful to the late 80s music scene. The album tackled

On This Day April 5 1988 – Conscious Party by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers Was Released

On this day April 5, 1988, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers released their fourth studio album Conscious Party, a breakthrough moment that brought the group international recognition. Blending reggae with pop, funk, and a bit of rock influence, the album marked a major step

On This Day April 5 1988 – Cheap Trick Released The Flame

On this day April 5, 1988, Cheap Trick released The Flame, a power ballad that would go on to become the biggest hit of their career. Known for their energetic rock sound in the late 70s and early 80s, the band took a softer turn

On This Day April 4 1988 – Arizona Governor Evan Mecham Was Impeached and Removed from Office

On this day April 4 1988 Arizona Governor Evan Mecham was impeached and removed from office making him the first governor in the state’s history to be ousted through impeachment. The Arizona State Senate convicted Mecham on charges of obstruction of justice and misuse of

On This Day April 1 1988 – Bright Lights Big City Premiered in Theaters

On this day April 1 1988 Bright Lights Big City premiered in theaters. Directed by James Bridges the film starred Michael J Fox in a rare dramatic role as a young New Yorker spiraling into a world of nightlife and addiction while trying to keep

On This Day April 1 1988 – The Seventh Sign Premiered in Theaters

On this day April 1 1988 the apocalyptic thriller The Seventh Sign premiered in theaters. Directed by Carl Schultz the film starred Demi Moore as a pregnant woman who uncovers a terrifying connection between her unborn child and a series of mysterious global disasters. Also

On This Day April 1 1988 – Final Episode of Blackout Aired

On this day April 1 1988 the final episode of the game show Blackout aired after completing a single season with 65 episodes. Hosted by Bob Goen the show featured contestants trying to guess words based on audio clues while their opponents had the power

On This Day April 5, 1987 – Fox Network Made Its Debut

On this day April 5, 1987, the Fox Network officially launched in the United States, shaking up the television industry and giving viewers something totally different. Unlike the big three networks that had dominated for decades, Fox took a bold approach with fresh content aimed

On This Day April 5 1987 – Married with Children Premiered on Fox

On this day April 5, 1987, Married with Children premiered on the newly launched Fox Network and instantly turned the family sitcom formula upside down. Starring Ed O’Neill as the bitter shoe salesman Al Bundy, the show introduced audiences to a hilariously dysfunctional household that

On This Day April 5 1987 – The Tracey Ullman Show Premiered on Fox

On this day April 5, 1987, The Tracey Ullman Show made its debut on the newly launched Fox Network, bringing a fresh mix of comedy, music, and variety to prime time. Starring British comedian Tracey Ullman, the show combined original characters, quick skits, musical numbers,

On This Day April 4 1987 – Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now by Starship Became the Number 1 Song in America

On this day April 4 1987 Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now by Starship hit number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 where it stayed through April 17. The powerful love anthem also reached number 1 in the UK, Canada, Ireland and Portugal making it

On This Day April 3 1987 – Police Academy 4 Citizens on Patrol Premiered in Theaters

On this day April 3 1987 Police Academy 4 Citizens on Patrol hit theaters continuing the popular comedy franchise with more slapstick chaos and over the top antics. Directed by Jim Drake the film brought back much of the original cast including Steve Guttenberg Bubba

On This Day April 2 1987 – Nothing in Common Premiered on NBC

On this day April 2 1987 the TV adaptation of Nothing in Common premiered on NBC. Based on the 1986 film that starred Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason the series starred Todd Waring in the role of David Basner a young advertising executive balancing his

On This Day April 2 1987 – Incognito by Celine Dion Was Released

On this day April 2 1987 Celine Dion released her eighth studio album Incognito in French speaking markets. The album marked a turning point in her career as she embraced a more mature pop sound and introduced herself to a broader international audience. Incognito reached

On This Day April 2 1987 – Apple Town Monogatari Released in Japan

On this day April 2, 1987, SquareSoft released Apple Town Monogatari in Japan, a lesser known title in the company’s early catalog long before it became a global RPG powerhouse. Released exclusively for Japanese platforms, the game was a unique mix of simulation and storytelling

On This Day April 1 1987 – Mariah Premiered on ABC

On this day April 1 1987 the short lived drama Mariah premiered on ABC. The series followed the story of Mariah, a young woman navigating personal and professional challenges in the rugged American West during the 19th century. Mariah ran for just 1 season with

On This Day April 1 1987 – Roxie Premiered on CBS

On this day April 1 1987 the sitcom Roxie premiered on CBS. A spinoff of the popular series Kate & Allie the show starred Andrea Martin as Roxie Brinkerhoff, a quirky TV producer working at a struggling New York City television station. Roxie attempted to

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