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.
450 On This Day Articles
On This Day March 21 1986 – GoBots Battle of the Rock Lords Premiered in Theaters
On this day March 21 1986 the animated film GoBots Battle of the Rock Lords premiered in theaters. Directed by Ray Patterson the movie featured voice talents from Margot Kidder Roddy McDowall Michael Nouri and Telly Savalas. Serving as a theatrical extension of the GoBots
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On This Day March 20 1986 – All is Forgiven Premiered on NBC
On this day March 20 1986 the short lived sitcom All is Forgiven premiered on NBC. The series followed a newlywed woman balancing her marriage with her demanding job as a producer of a soap opera. Starring Bess Armstrong and featuring David Alan Grier the
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On This Day March 20 1986 – Anita Baker Released Her Second Album Rapture
On this day March 20 1986 Anita Baker released her second studio album Rapture. The album became a massive success reaching number 11 on the Billboard 200 and topping the R&B charts at number one. With smooth soulful tracks like Sweet Love and Caught Up
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On This Day March 20 1986 – Chaos Ensued After New York City Passed Its First Lesbian and Gay Rights Legislation
On this day March 20 1986 New York City officially passed its first lesbian and gay rights legislation prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing employment and public accommodations. The landmark decision was a major victory for LGBTQ+ rights activists after years of protests
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On This Day March 19 1986 – Black Flag Released the Live Album Who’s Got the 10 ½
On this day March 19 1986 hardcore punk band Black Flag released their live album Who’s Got the 10 ½. Recorded during a performance at the Starry Night club in Portland Oregon the album captured the raw energy and aggression that made Black Flag one
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On This Day March 17 1986 – Black Celebration by Depeche Mode Was Released
On this day March 17 1986 Depeche Mode released their fifth studio album Black Celebration. The album marked a darker and more atmospheric turn in the band's sound featuring moody synth driven tracks that would help define their signature style. Black Celebration reached number 90
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On This Day March 15 1986 – Sara by Starship Became the Number One Song in America
On this day March 15 1986 Sara by Starship hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 where it stayed for the week of March 15 to 21. The song also topped the charts in Canada becoming one of the band's biggest hits of the
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On This Day March 15 1986 – The Hotel New World in Singapore Collapsed Killing 33 People
On this day March 15 1986 tragedy struck in Singapore when the six story Hotel New World collapsed suddenly killing 33 people and trapping many others under the rubble. The disaster was one of the worst structural failures in the country’s history. Rescue teams worked
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On This Day March 15 1986 – Damon Wayans Was Fired From Saturday Night Live
On this day March 15 1986 comedian Damon Wayans was fired from Saturday Night Live after making an unauthorized change to a sketch. During the Mr. Monopoly skit Wayans played his police officer character as flamboyantly gay instead of following the script leading to immediate
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On This Day March 14 1986 – Gung Ho Premiered in Theaters
On this day March 14 1986 the comedy film Gung Ho premiered in theaters starring Michael Keaton as a factory worker trying to save his struggling auto plant. The movie followed the culture clash between American and Japanese workers after a Japanese company takes over
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On This Day March 14 1986 – Rrröööaaarrr by Voivod Was Released
On this day March 14 1986 Canadian heavy metal band Voivod released their second studio album Rrröööaaarrr. The album was a raw and aggressive follow up to their debut showcasing their evolving thrash metal sound with elements of punk and progressive influences. Rrröööaaarrr helped solidify
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On This Day March 14 1986 – Crossroads Premiered in Theaters
On this day March 14 1986 the musical drama Crossroads premiered in theaters. Directed by Walter Hill the film starred Ralph Macchio Joe Seneca and Jami Gertz in a blues infused road movie inspired by the legend of blues guitarist Robert Johnson. The story followed
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On This Day March 12 1986 – Twitch by Ministry Was Released
On this day March 12 1986 Ministry released their second studio album Twitch marking a major shift in their sound. Moving away from the synth pop style of their debut the album embraced a darker more industrial electronic sound that would define the band’s future.
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On This Day March 12 1986 – Guitars Cadillacs Etc Etc by Dwight Yoakam Was Released
On this day March 12 1986 Dwight Yoakam released his debut album Guitars Cadillacs Etc Etc. The album introduced Yoakam’s unique blend of honky tonk and rockabilly helping to bring a fresh sound to country music in the mid 80s. The album peaked at number
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On This Day March 11 1986 – The NFL Voted to Add Instant Replay for the Upcoming Seasons
On this day March 11 1986 the NFL officially voted to implement instant replay for the upcoming seasons marking a major change in how the game was officiated. This decision introduced video review technology to help referees make more accurate calls a system that would
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On This Day March 8 1986 – The Young Ones and Cliff Richard Released a New Version of Living Doll for Comic Relief
On this day March 8 1986 British rock legend Cliff Richard teamed up with the cast of the hit comedy series The Young Ones to release a new version of Living Doll in support of Comic Relief. The song was a reworking of Richard’s 1959
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On This Day March 7 1986 – The Final Episode of Diff’rent Strokes Aired
On this day March 7 1986 the final episode of Diff'rent Strokes aired bringing an end to the beloved sitcom after eight seasons and 189 episodes. The show followed the lives of Arnold and Willis Jackson two brothers from Harlem adopted by wealthy businessman Phillip
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On This Day March 7 1986 – Highlander Premiered in Theaters
On this day March 7 1986 the fantasy action film Highlander premiered in theaters. Directed by Russell Mulcahy the movie starred Christopher Lambert as Connor MacLeod an immortal Scottish warrior who must battle others like him to claim the ultimate prize. Sean Connery played his
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On This Day March 7 1986 – Nomads Premiered in Theaters
On this day March 7 1986 the supernatural thriller Nomads premiered in theaters. Directed by John McTiernan in his feature film debut the movie starred Pierce Brosnan as a French anthropologist who becomes tormented by mysterious and malevolent spirits after encountering a dangerous nomadic group
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On This Day March 5 1986 – The New Kids on the Block Released Their Debut Single Be My Girl
On this day March 5 1986, The New Kids on the Block released their debut single Be My Girl. The song marked the beginning of the boy band's rise to fame, though it initially didn’t make a huge impact. The group’s catchy pop sound and
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On This Day March 5 1986 – Salvador Premiered in Theaters
On this day in 1986, Salvador premiered in theaters. Directed by Oliver Stone, the film starred James Woods, Jim Belushi, Michael Murphy, Elpidia Carrillo, John Savage, and Cynthia Gibb. The movie follows the story of a photojournalist covering the Salvadoran Civil War in the early
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On This Day March 5 1986 – Guitar Town by Steve Earle Was Released
On this day March 5 1986 Steve Earle released his debut album Guitar Town. The album blended country rock and heartland storytelling showcasing Earle’s raw vocals and blue-collar songwriting style. It quickly became a defining record in the country rock and Americana genres. Guitar Town
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On This Day March 5 1986 – Fast Times Premiered on CBS
On this day March 5 1986 Fast Times premiered on CBS. The TV adaptation of Fast Times at Ridgemont High attempted to bring the beloved characters from the 1982 film to the small screen. The series starred Courtney Thorne-Smith as Stacy Hamilton and Patrick Dempsey
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On This Day March 3 1986 – Matlock Premiered on NBC
On this day March 3 1986 the legal drama Matlock premiered on NBC. The show starred Andy Griffith as Ben Matlock a sharp witted and charismatic defense attorney known for his folksy charm and brilliant courtroom strategies. Matlock ran for nine seasons with a total
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