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.
262 On This Day Articles
On This Day February 15 1985 – Turk 182 Premiered in Theaters
On this day, February 15, 1985, Turk 182 premiered in theaters. Directed by Bob Clark, the film starred Timothy Hutton, Robert Urich, Kim Cattrall, Robert Culp, and Peter Boyle in a story of rebellion, corruption, and one man’s fight for justice. The film followed Jimmy
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On This Day February 15 1985 – Fast Forward Premiered in Theaters
On this day, February 15, 1985, Fast Forward premiered in theaters. Directed by the legendary Sidney Poitier, the dance drama followed a group of young dancers from Ohio who travel to New York City to chase their dreams of making it big in the competitive
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On This Day February 15, 1985 – The Mean Season Premiered in Theaters
On this day, February 15, 1985, The Mean Season premiered in theaters. Directed by Phillip Borsos, the psychological thriller starred Kurt Russell as a Miami newspaper reporter who gets dangerously entangled with a serial killer. The film also featured Mariel Hemingway, Joe Pantoliano, and Andy
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On This Day February 15 1985 – The Breakfast Club Premiered in Theaters in the U.S.
On this day, February 15, 1985, The Breakfast Club premiered in theaters, becoming one of the most beloved teen films of all time. Directed by John Hughes, the movie starred Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, and Paul Gleason in
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On This Day February 12, 1985 – Vision Quest Soundtrack
The Vision Quest soundtrack is best known for introducing Crazy for You by Madonna, which became a massive hit and one of her signature ballads. Other standout tracks included Only the Young by Journey, Lunatic Fringe by Red Rider, and Change by John Waite. The
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On This Day February 10 1985 – Canadian Recording Artists Released Tears Are Not Enough as a Single
On this day, February 10, 1985, some of Canada’s most famous musicians came together to record Tears Are Not Enough, a charity single to raise funds for Ethiopian famine relief. The song was Canada’s response to Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? and USA
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On This Day February 8 1985 – Witness Premiered in Theaters
On this day February 8 1985, Witness premiered in theaters, delivering a tense and atmospheric thriller that stood out within mid 1980s cinema. The film blended crime drama with cultural contrast, placing its story in settings far removed from typical urban thrillers and allowing tension
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On This Day February 8 1985 – Heaven Help Us Premiered in Theaters
On this day February 8 1985, Heaven Help Us premiered in theaters, offering a coming of age drama set within the confines of a strict religious boarding school. The film focused on teenage friendship, rebellion, and self discovery, using humor and emotional honesty to explore
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On This Day February 8 1985 – Mischief Premiered in Theaters
On this day February 8 1985, Mischief premiered in theaters, delivering a teen comedy that leaned heavily into nostalgia, humor, and youthful rebellion. Set in a small town during the early 1960s, the film looked back at adolescence through a lighthearted 1980s lens, focusing on
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On This Day February 8 1985 – The Final Episode of The Dukes of Hazzard Aired
On this day, February 8, 1985, the final episode of The Dukes of Hazzard aired, bringing an end to one of the most iconic television series of the 1980s. After seven seasons and 147 episodes, the adventures of Bo, Luke, and Daisy Duke, along with
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On This Day February 4 1985 – Secret Secrets by Joan Armatrading Was Released
On this day February 4 1985, Secret Secrets by Joan Armatrading was released, continuing her reputation for thoughtful songwriting and emotional clarity during the mid 1980s. The album leaned into a polished yet intimate sound, balancing contemporary production with her distinctive voice and reflective lyrical
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On This Day February 2 1985 – I Want to Know What Love Is by Foreigner Became the Number One Song in America
On this day February 2 1985, I Want to Know What Love Is by Foreigner became the number one song in America, marking one of the biggest power ballads of the decade. The song blended arena rock emotion with gospel inspired backing vocals, creating a
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On This Day February 27 1985 – The Final Episode of E/R Aired
On this day February 27 1985 the final episode of the sitcom E/R aired, ending its one season run with 22 episodes. The show starred George Clooney and Mary McDonnell, both of whom would later appear in the more well known 90s medical drama ER.
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On This Day February 20 1985 – Simple Minds Released Don’t You Forget About Me in the US
On February 20, 1985, Simple Minds released their iconic single Don’t You Forget About Me in the US, a song that would go on to define an era of 80s music. Though initially reluctant to record the track, the Scottish band ultimately delivered what became
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On This Day February 27 1984 – Dead Can Dance Released Their Debut Album
On this day February 27 1984 Dead Can Dance released their self titled debut album Dead can Dance . The record introduced the world to the band’s atmospheric and gothic sound, blending elements of post punk, darkwave, and ethereal music that would later define their
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On This Day February 27 1984 – The Works by Queen Was Released
On this day February 27 1984 Queen released their eleventh studio album The Works . The album was a return to a more rock oriented sound after the experimentation of Hot Space, blending hard rock, pop, and synth driven tracks. It reached number 23 on
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On This Day February 27 1984 – Human Racing by Nik Kershaw Was Released
On this day February 27 1984 Nik Kershaw released his debut album Human Racing , marking his arrival in the 80s pop scene. The album blended new wave, synth pop, and rock influences establishing Kershaw as one of the decade’s most promising singer-songwriters. Human Racing
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On This Day February 27 1984 – Weird Al Yankovic in 3-D Was Released
On this day February 27 1984 Weird Al Yankovic released his second studio album Weird Al Yankovic in 3-D , which became his breakthrough record. The album reached number 17 on the US Billboard 200 and helped establish Al as the king of musical parody.
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On This Day February 25 1984 – Jump by Van Halen Became the Number One Song in America
On this day February 25 1984 Jump by Van Halen reached number one on the US charts and stayed at the top from February 25 to March 30. This marked Van Halen’s first and only number one hit in America and it became one of
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On This Day February 20 1984 – Madness Released Their 5th Album Keep Moving
On February 20, 1984, British ska and pop band Madness released their fifth studio album, Keep Moving. Known for their upbeat, ska infused sound, the band took a more mature and polished approach with this record, incorporating elements of pop and new wave. The album
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On This Day February 17 1984 – Lassiter Premiered in Theaters
On this day, February 17, 1984, Lassiter premiered in theaters. Starring Tom Selleck in the title role, alongside Jane Seymour, Lauren Hutton, and Ed Lauter, the film was a stylish blend of action, crime, and espionage set against the backdrop of World War II era
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On This Day February 17 1984 – Blame It on Rio Premiered in Theaters
On this day, February 17, 1984, Blame It on Rio premiered in theaters. Directed by Stanley Donen, the romantic comedy starred Michael Caine, Joseph Bologna, Valerie Harper, Michelle Johnson, and Demi Moore in one of her earliest film roles. The film followed best friends Matthew
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On This Day February 17 1984 – Budapest by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band Released
On this day, February 17, 1984, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band released Budapest , a live album capturing the band’s dynamic performances during their European tour. Known for their progressive rock sound and reinterpretations of classic songs, the album showcased their ability to blend rock, jazz,
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On This Day February 17 1984 – Crackers Premiered in Theaters
On this day, February 17, 1984, Crackers premiered in theaters. Directed by Louis Malle, the crime comedy featured an ensemble cast including Donald Sutherland, Jack Warden, and a young Sean Penn. The film was a loose remake of the 1958 Italian heist comedy Big Deal
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