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.
389 On This Day Articles
On This Day August 7 1981 – Condorman Premiered In Theaters
On this day August 7 1981, Condorman premiered in theaters, delivering a lighthearted blend of comic book adventure and spy parody courtesy of Walt Disney Productions. The film starred Michael Crawford as comic book illustrator Woody Wilkins, who unexpectedly finds himself recruited into a real
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On This Day August 7 1981 – Pretenders II by The Pretenders Was Released
On this day August 7 1981, Pretenders II arrived as the second studio album from The Pretenders, solidifying the band’s status as one of the most compelling rock acts of the early 80s. Building on the success of their debut, the album blends sharp songwriting,
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On This Day August 5 1981 – President Ronald Reagan Fired Over Eleven Thousand Air Traffic Control Workers
On this day August 5 1981, President Ronald Reagan fired 11,359 air traffic control workers after they defied his order to end a nationwide strike and return to work. The strike was led by the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization, which was seeking better pay,
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On This Day August 1 1981 – MTV Made Its Debut
On this day August 1 1981, MTV launched in the United States and forever changed the way music was consumed, marketed, and experienced. At 12:01 AM, the network aired its first music video, Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles, signaling the start of
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On This Day August 1 1981 – Jessies Girl by Rick Springfield Became the Number One Song in America
On this day August 1 1981, Jessies Girl by Rick Springfield officially became the number one song in America. Taken from his breakthrough album Working Class Dog, the single blended power pop with rock attitude and quickly turned Springfield into a household name. The track
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On This Day August 1 1981 – Diana Ross And Lionel Richie Released Endless Love
On this day August 1 1981, Endless Love by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie was released, instantly becoming one of the most iconic love ballads of the decade. Originally recorded as the theme for the romantic drama film of the same name, the duet quickly
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On This Day August 31 1981 – Fire of Love Released
On this day August 31 1981, The Gun Club released their debut album Fire of Love . A powerful and gritty blend of punk, blues, and rockabilly, the album introduced a sound that stood apart from the polished production dominating the early 80s charts. Fronted
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On This Day August 28 1981 – Chu Chu and the Philly Flash Premiered in Theaters
On this day August 28 1981, Chu Chu and the Philly Flash premiered in theaters. The offbeat comedy starred Carol Burnett as a former nightclub singer and Alan Arkin as a washed up baseball player turned street performer. Together, the unlikely duo found themselves in
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On This Day August 28 1981 – Private Lessons Premiered in Theaters
On this day August 28 1981, Private Lessons premiered in theaters. The coming of age comedy starred Sylvia Kristel as a housekeeper who becomes involved in a scheme with a chauffeur to manipulate the wealthy teenager she works for, played by Eric Brown. The film
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On This Day August 28 1981 – Body Heat Premiered in Theaters
On this day August 28 1981, Body Heat premiered in theaters. The steamy thriller marked the directorial debut of Lawrence Kasdan and brought the classic film noir style into the 1980s with a modern and provocative edge. Set in the heat drenched streets of Florida,
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On This Day August 26 1981 – Dead Set by Grateful Dead Released
On this day August 26 1981, the Grateful Dead released Dead Set, their eighteenth album and one of the most beloved live recordings from the early 80s. Capturing performances from New York and San Francisco, the album featured standout tracks like Franklin’s Tower, Fire on
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On This Day August 26 1981 – New Traditionalists by Devo Released
On this day August 26 1981, New Traditionalists by Devo was released. This was the band’s fourth album and marked a shift in their sound toward a more polished new wave direction while still keeping their art punk edge. Known for their visual style and
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On This Day August 25 1981 – The Voyager 2 Spacecraft Made Its Closest Approach to Saturn
On this day August 25 1981, NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft made its closest approach to Saturn, flying within 41 thousand kilometers of the gas giant. Launched in 1977, Voyager 2 had already passed by Jupiter in 1979 and was continuing its historic journey through the
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On This Day August 24 1981 – John Lennon’s Killer Mark David Chapman Was Sentenced 20 Years to Life
On this day August 24 1981, Mark David Chapman was officially sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for the murder of John Lennon. The sentencing followed Chapman's shocking and tragic act on December 8 1980 when he shot and killed the former Beatle
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On This Day August 24 1981 – Tattoo You by The Rolling Stones Released
On this day August 24 1981, Tattoo You by The Rolling Stones was released as their eighteenth studio album. Fueled by the magnetism of Mick Jagger’s vocals, Keith Richards’ guitars, and the band’s legendary groove, the album leaned into a mix of hard hitting rockers
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On This Day August 23 1980 – Wild Cat by Tygers of Pan Tang Released
On this day August 23 1980, Wild Cat by Tygers of Pan Tang was released and brought a surge of raw energy to the growing New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. As their debut album it introduced a band that blended fierce guitar work
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On This Day August 23 1980 – The Heatwave Festival Near Toronto Began
On this day August 23 1980, the Heatwave Festival kicked off near Toronto drawing tens of thousands of fans for one of the most iconic alternative music events of the decade. Held at Mosport Park in Ontario, it was often referred to as the punk
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On This Day August 21 1980 – Games People Play Premiered on NBC
On this day August 21 1980, Games People Play premiered on NBC and introduced audiences to a fast paced prime time game show unlike anything else on television at the time. Hosted by Bryant Gumbel in its early run, the series showcased a wide range
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On This Day August 21 1980 – Black Rose Released Their Debut Album
On this day August 21 1980, Black Rose released their self titled debut album Black Rose , introducing a new voice in the early 80s British hard rock scene. The band delivered a sound rooted in raw energy, heavy guitars, and driving rhythms that appealed
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On This Day August 20 1980 – Al Stewart Released His 9th Album 24 Carrots
On this day August 20 1980, Al Stewart released his ninth studio album 24 Carrots . The record marked a shift in his style, blending his signature folk rock sound with more contemporary 80s influences. The album is remembered for tracks like "Midnight Rocks" and
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On This Day August 18 1980 – Drama by Yes Released
On this day August 18 1980, Drama marked a new chapter for progressive rock band Yes as they released their tenth studio album. This record came during a transitional period for the group, with Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes of The Buggles joining to replace
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On This Day August 18 1980 – No More Dirty Deals by Johnny Van Zant Released
On this day August 18 1980, southern rock musician Johnny Van Zant released his debut solo album No More Dirty Deals. Known as the younger brother of Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman Ronnie Van Zant and .38 Special’s Donnie Van Zant, Johnny stepped into the spotlight with
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On This Day August 16 1980 – First Monsters of Rock Festival Took Place at Donington Park
On this day August 16 1980, the very first Monsters of Rock festival was held at Donington Park in England. Created as a celebration of heavy rock and metal, it brought together some of the biggest acts in the genre at the time. The lineup
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On This Day August 16 1980 – Woman in Love by Barbra Streisand Was Released
On this day August 16 1980, Barbra Streisand released the single Woman in Love . Written by Barry and Robin Gibb and produced by them alongside Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson, the song features Streisand’s powerful vocals set against sweeping orchestration and dramatic piano. From
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