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 27 1988 – Monkey by George Michael Released
On this day August 27 1988, Monkey by George Michael officially reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It became his fourth consecutive chart topper from the Faith album, further cementing his dominance in late 80s pop. Monkey stood out with its punchy remix
Read More
On This Day August 26 1988 – Stealing Home Premiered in Theaters
On this day August 26 1988, the heartfelt drama Stealing Home premiered in theaters. Starring Jodie Foster and Mark Harmon, the film centers on a washed up baseball player whose childhood sweetheart’s death prompts him to reflect on missed opportunities and unspoken love. As he
Read More
On This Day August 26 1988 – Hero and the Terror Premiered in Theaters
On this day August 26 1988, the action thriller Hero and the Terror premiered in theaters. Starring Chuck Norris, the film followed detective Danny O’Brien as he hunted down a terrifying serial killer who had escaped from prison and was hiding in an abandoned Los
Read More
On This Day August 23 1988 – Crossing Delancey Premiered in Theaters
On this day August 23 1988, Crossing Delancey premiered in theaters and offered a heartfelt and witty romantic comedy rooted in New York’s cultural blend. The film starred Amy Irving as Isabelle Grossman, a bookstore employee torn between intellectual aspiration and cultural heritage. Isabelle is
Read More
On This Day August 22 1987 – Who’s That Girl by Madonna Became the Number One Song in America
On this day August 22 1987, Who’s That Girl by Madonna climbed to the top of the charts in the United States, solidifying her status as the defining pop artist of the 1980s. The song, featured on the soundtrack of her film of the same
Read More
On This Day August 21 1987 – Dirty Dancing Premiered in Theaters
On this day August 21 1987, Dirty Dancing premiered in theaters and quickly became one of the most iconic romantic dramas of the decade. Set in the summer of 1963 at a Catskills resort, the film followed Frances Baby Houseman as she found love, independence,
Read More
On This Day August 21 1987 – Born in East LA Premiered in Theaters
On this day August 21 1987, Born in East LA premiered in theaters, marking the directorial debut of Cheech Marin and delivering a sharp comedic take on immigration, identity, and cultural misunderstandings. Loosely inspired by the Bruce Springsteen song Born in the USA, the film
Read More
On This Day August 21 1987 – The Big Easy Premiered in Theaters
On this day August 21 1987, The Big Easy premiered in theaters and brought a sultry mix of crime, romance, and New Orleans flair to the screen. Dennis Quaid starred as a laid back homicide detective whose charm clashed with the straight laced assistant district
Read More
On This Day August 21 1987 – The Garbage Pail Kids Movie Premiered in Theaters
On this day August 21 1987, The Garbage Pail Kids Movie premiered in theaters and left audiences confused, curious, and in some cases horrified. Inspired by the popular trading cards that parodied the Cabbage Patch Kids craze, the movie attempted to bring the gross out
Read More
On This Day August 18 1987 – Debbie Gibson Released Out of the Blue
On this day August 18 1987, Debbie Gibson released her debut album Out of the Blue, an impressive achievement for a 16 year old singer and songwriter. Every song on the album was written by her, showcasing remarkable talent and confidence at such a young
Read More
On This Day August 17 1987 New Order Released Substance
On this day August 17 1987, New Order released Substance, a compilation album that became the definitive collection of the band’s singles and standout tracks from the first half of their career. Featuring iconic songs such as Blue Monday, Bizarre Love Triangle, Temptation, and True
Read More
On This Day August 17 1987 – Tom Waits Released Franks Wild Years
On this day August 17 1987, Tom Waits released his ninth album Franks Wild Years, a theatrical and experimental work that expanded on themes from his earlier music. Originally developed as a stage play, the album featured a mix of jazz, blues, and cabaret influences,
Read More
On This Day August 16 1987 – Northwest Airlines Flight 255 Crash in Detroit
On this day August 16 1987, Northwest Airlines Flight 255 tragically crashed shortly after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The McDonnell Douglas MD 82 was bound for Phoenix with a stop in Santa Ana, California, but never made it beyond its initial climb. In one
Read More
On This Day August 14 1987 – Cant Buy Me Love Premiered in Theaters
On this day August 14 1987, Cant Buy Me Love premiered in theaters. The teen romantic comedy starred Patrick Dempsey as Ronald Miller, a high school outcast who pays popular cheerleader Cindy Mancini, played by Amanda Peterson, to pretend to date him for a month
Read More
On This Day August 14 1987 – Crushin by The Fat Boys Released in the United States
On this day August 14 1987, Crushin by The Fat Boys was released in the United States. As their fourth studio album, Crushin marked the group’s biggest commercial success and helped bring hip hop even further into the mainstream with a blend of fun, humor,
Read More
On This Day August 14 1987 – North Shore Premiered in Theaters
On this day August 14 1987, North Shore premiered in theaters, bringing surfing culture to the big screen in a story about self discovery, respect, and chasing a dream. The film followed Rick Kane, a young wave pool surfer from Arizona who traveled to Hawaii
Read More
On This Day August 14 1987 – The Monster Squad Premiered in Theaters
On this day August 14 1987, The Monster Squad premiered in theaters. This fun mix of comedy, horror, and adventure followed a group of kids who discover that Dracula has returned and brought classic movie monsters with him. Teaming up with Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula is
Read More
On This Day August 14 1987 – Disorderlies Premiered in Theaters
On this day August 14 1987, Disorderlies premiered in theaters. This wild comedy starred the Fat Boys, one of the most recognizable hip hop groups of the 1980s, in their first feature film. The story followed the trio as a group of bumbling orderlies who
Read More
On This Day August 14 1987 – No Way Out Premiered in Theaters
On this day August 14 1987, No Way Out premiered in theaters. This thriller starred Kevin Costner as a naval officer who becomes entangled in a high‑stakes conspiracy following the death of a fellow officer. As he investigates, he realizes someone in his own command
Read More
On This Day August 8 1987 – I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For by U2 Became the Number One Song in America
On this day August 8 1987, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For by U2 reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, giving the Irish rock band their second chart topping hit in the United States. Featured on their landmark album The Joshua
Read More
On This Day August 8 1987 – Animal Crack Ups Premiered on ABC
On this day August 8 1987, Animal Crack Ups premiered on ABC, bringing a lighthearted twist to the Saturday morning lineup. Hosted by Alan Thicke, the game show featured celebrity guests who watched short, often humorous clips of animal behavior before trying to answer trivia
Read More
On This Day August 7 1987 – Lynne Cox Became First Person To Swim From The United States To The Soviet Union
On this day August 7 1987, Lynne Cox became the first person to swim from the United States to the Soviet Union, completing a courageous and symbolic journey during a time of deep political tension. She crossed the Bering Strait from Little Diomede Island in
Read More
On This Day August 7 1987 – Who’s That Girl Premiered In Theaters
On this day August 7 1987, Who’s That Girl premiered in theaters, marking Madonna’s return to the big screen in a leading role. The film followed her character Nikki Finn, a quirky and chaotic woman just released from prison who quickly becomes entangled in a
Read More
On This Day August 7 1987 – The Final Episode Of Airwolf Aired
On this day August 7 1987, the final episode of Airwolf aired, bringing an end to one of the most iconic action adventure series of the 1980s. Known for its high tech helicopter, intense missions, and a moody lead character, the show offered a mix
Read More