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This community is dedicated to the music, movies, television, games, and pop culture that defined the 1980s. Guests are welcome to browse selected discussions, while full participation requires registration. You can create a standard forum account, or sign in using your Facebook or Google account for quicker access. Join the conversation and relive the decade that never stopped being fun.

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  1. On This Day January 4 1987 - The Maryland Train Collision Occurred on an Amtrak Route

    On This Day January 4 1987 - The Maryland Train Collision Occurred on an Amtrak Route

    On this day January 4 1987, an Amtrak train traveling from Washington D C to Boston crashed in Maryland, resulting in the deaths of 16 people. The collision became one of the most serious rail disasters of the decade and drew immediate national attention as details emerged about the scale of the...
  2. On This Day January 3 1984 - A Fatal Accident Occurred on Disneyland’s Matterhorn Ride

    On This Day January 3 1984 - A Fatal Accident Occurred on Disneyland’s Matterhorn Ride

    On this day January 3 1984, a 48 year old woman from Fremont California was killed while riding the Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland. She was thrown from a bobsled and struck by another ride vehicle, resulting in one of the most tragic incidents in the park’s history. The accident drew...
  3. On This Day January 3 1987 - Aretha Franklin Became the First Woman Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

    On This Day January 3 1987 - Aretha Franklin Became the First Woman Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

    On this day January 3 1987, Aretha Franklin became the first woman elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, marking a historic milestone in music history. The honor recognized her extraordinary influence on soul rhythm and blues pop and gospel, as well as her unmatched vocal power and cultural...
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    • Category: On This Day in 80s News
  4. On This Day January 2 1981 - Peter Sutcliffe Known as the Yorkshire Ripper Was Arrested in England

    On This Day January 2 1981 - Peter Sutcliffe Known as the Yorkshire Ripper Was Arrested in England

    On this day January 2 1981, Peter Sutcliffe was arrested in Sheffield, bringing an end to one of the most terrifying crime sprees in modern British history. Sutcliffe had been responsible for a series of brutal attacks that spread fear across northern England throughout the late 1970s and into...
  5. On This Day January 1 1987 - The Brain On Drugs Campaign Was Launched

    On This Day January 1 1987 - The Brain On Drugs Campaign Was Launched

    On this day January 1 1987, the Brain On Drugs public awareness campaign was launched, introducing a stark and memorable message about the dangers of drug use. Created by Partnership for a Drug-Free America, the campaign used simple imagery and direct language to reach a broad audience through...
  6. On This Day January 1 1985 - VHS Was Launched as a Music Video Channel

    On This Day January 1 1985 - VHS Was Launched as a Music Video Channel

    On this day January 1 1985, VH1 was launched under the name Video Hits One, often referred to at the time as VHS. The channel was created to complement MTV by focusing on music videos and artists aimed at a slightly older audience, emphasizing softer rock pop and adult contemporary styles rather...
  7. On This Day January 1 1983 - The Foundation of the Internet Was Invented

    On This Day January 1 1983 - The Foundation of the Internet Was Invented

    On this day January 1 1983, the foundation of the modern internet was established when ARPANET officially began using TCP/IP as its standard communication protocol. This transition allowed different computer networks to communicate with one another, creating a unified system that would...
  8. On This Day January 1 1982 - Headline News Made Its Debut as the First 24 Hour News Channel

    On This Day January 1 1982 - Headline News Made Its Debut as the First 24 Hour News Channel

    On this day January 1 1982, CNN Headline News made its debut, originally operating under the name CNN 2. The launch introduced a new concept in television by delivering continuous news updates around the clock, a major departure from scheduled evening newscasts that had long defined broadcast...
  9. On This Day January 1 1980 - The First Far Side Comic Was Published in the San Francisco Chronicle

    On This Day January 1 1980 - The First Far Side Comic Was Published in the San Francisco Chronicle

    On this day January 1 1980, the first Far Side comic strip by Gary Larson was published in the San Francisco Chronicle, introducing readers to a completely new style of humor. The single panel cartoon immediately stood apart from traditional newspaper comics with its offbeat jokes...
  10. On This Day December 31 1985 - Singer and Actor Ricky Nelson Died in a Plane Crash

    On This Day December 31 1985 - Singer and Actor Ricky Nelson Died in a Plane Crash

    On this day December 31 1985, Ricky Nelson died in an airplane accident while traveling to a concert in Dallas. The crash brought a sudden and tragic end to the life of a performer who had successfully transitioned from teen idol to respected rock and country influenced artist. Ricky Nelson...
  11. On This Day December 30 1984 - Randy Macho Man Savage Married His Manager Elizabeth

    On This Day December 30 1984 - Randy Macho Man Savage Married His Manager Elizabeth

    On this day December 30 1984, Randy Savage married his real life manager Elizabeth, blending wrestling storyline mystique with a genuine personal milestone. Their relationship had already become a major part of televised wrestling, drawing attention for its emotional presentation and dramatic...
  12. On This Day December 29 1982 - Dolby Introduced Surround Sound for the Home

    On This Day December 29 1982 - Dolby Introduced Surround Sound for the Home

    On this day December 29 1982, Dolby introduced surround sound for the home, bringing cinema style audio into living rooms for the first time. The development marked a major shift in how people experienced movies television and music at home, moving beyond simple stereo sound. The introduction...
  13. On This Day December 28 1981 - Elizabeth Jordan Carr Became the First IVF Baby Born in the United States

    On This Day December 28 1981 - Elizabeth Jordan Carr Became the First IVF Baby Born in the United States

    On this day December 28 1981, Elizabeth Jordan Carr was born, becoming the first baby in the United States conceived through in vitro fertilization. The birth marked a groundbreaking medical achievement and represented a major milestone in reproductive science and fertility treatment. Elizabeth...
  14. On This Day December 27 1983 - Pope John Paul II Visited Mehmet Ali Ağca in Prison

    On This Day December 27 1983 - Pope John Paul II Visited Mehmet Ali Ağca in Prison

    On this day December 27 1983, Pope John Paul II visited Mehmet Ali Ağca in prison to personally forgive him for the assassination attempt carried out at St. Peter’s Square. The meeting took place quietly but quickly became one of the most powerful and symbolic acts of forgiveness witnessed...
  15. On This Day December 27 1988 - Heather ORourke Passed Away at Age 12

    On This Day December 27 1988 - Heather ORourke Passed Away at Age 12

    On this day December 27 1988, Heather O’Rourke passed away at age 12 due to congenital stenosis of the intestine. She was widely known for her role as Carol Anne in the Poltergeist franchise, where her performance became one of the most recognizable in 1980s horror cinema. Her sudden passing...
  16. On This Day December 27 1985 - Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran Married Model Yasmin Parvaneh

    On This Day December 27 1985 - Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran Married Model Yasmin Parvaneh

    On this day December 27 1985, Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran married model Yasmin Parvaneh, creating one of the most talked about celebrity marriages of the decade. The wedding drew widespread attention at a time when Duran Duran were at the peak of their global fame. The marriage reflected the...
  17. On This Day December 25 1986 - Liberace Made His Final Public Appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show

    On This Day December 25 1986 - Liberace Made His Final Public Appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show

    On this day December 25 1986, Liberace made his final public appearance on a prerecorded episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show. The appearance marked the last time audiences saw the legendary entertainer on television, closing a public career that spanned decades of music, television, and...
  18. On This Day December 25 1989 - Billy Martin Died in a Car Accident at Age 61

    On This Day December 25 1989 - Billy Martin Died in a Car Accident at Age 61

    On this day December 25 1989, Billy Martin died in a car accident at age 61. The former baseball player and manager was involved in a fatal crash that brought a sudden end to one of the most intense and controversial careers in professional sports. Billy Martin was known throughout the 1970s...
  19. On This Day December 24 1980 - Unexplained Lights Reported Near RAF Woodbridge in England

    On This Day December 24 1980 - Unexplained Lights Reported Near RAF Woodbridge in England

    On this day December 24 1980, witnesses reported sightings of unexplained lights near RAF Woodbridge in England, sparking one of the most debated mystery events of the decade. Military personnel described strange lights in and above the nearby forest, leading to widespread attention from the...
  20. On This Day December 24 1980 - Americans Shined Lights for 417 Seconds to Remember the Iran Hostages

    On This Day December 24 1980 - Americans Shined Lights for 417 Seconds to Remember the Iran Hostages

    On this day December 24 1980, Americans across the country turned on lights for 417 seconds in a symbolic act of unity to remember the Americans being held hostage in Iran. The number of seconds represented the total days the hostages had been in captivity at that point, creating a powerful...
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