This Week in the 80s: September 8–14

Welcome back to the 1980s. Every week we travel through all ten years of the decade at once — same calendar dates, ten different years. This week covers September 8-14 across 1980 through 1989. Buckle up.

During the Decade of Decadence, this week ran from September 8 to 17. We aim to list things as close to the date they happened, and each week may have overlaps with adjacent weeks due to this calendar nuance.

📰 The News That Shaped the Decade

1980

• September 1980: The Solidarity trade union is founded in Poland, led by Lech Wałęsa.
• September 1980: Iraq invades Iran, beginning the Iran-Iraq War.

1981

• September 12, 1981: The first episode of The Smurfs airs on NBC.

1982

• September 14, 1982: Princess Grace of Monaco dies in a car crash.
• September 15, 1982: The first issue of USA Today is published.

1983

• September 1, 1983: The Soviet Union shoots down Korean Air Lines Flight 007, killing all 269 aboard.

1984

• September 5, 1984: The Space Shuttle Discovery completes its maiden voyage.
• September 16, 1984: The first episode of Miami Vice airs on NBC.

1985

• September 1, 1985: The wreck of the Titanic is discovered.
• September 14, 1985: The first episode of The Golden Girls airs on NBC.

1986

• September 8, 1986: Oprah Winfrey Show debuts in national syndication.
• September 15, 1986: The first episode of L.A. Law airs on NBC.

1987

• September 16, 1987: The ozone layer depletion is addressed with the Montreal Protocol.
• September 22, 1987: The first episode of Full House airs on ABC.

1988

• September 17, 1988: The 1988 Summer Olympics begin in Seoul, South Korea.
• September 17, 1988: The 1988 Summer Olympics open in Seoul, South Korea.

1989

🎵 Soundtrack of the Week

Here's a taste of what was climbing the charts this week across the decade. Paid members get the full Top 10 for every year — all 100 songs, every one linked so you can listen and watch right now.

1980 — Songs #10 to #6

6. Woman in Love — Barbra Streisand
7. Could I Have This Dance — Anne Murray
8. Drivin' My Life Away — Eddie Rabbitt
9. All Out of Love — Air Supply
10. Emotional Rescue — The Rolling Stones

1981 — Songs #10 to #6

6. The One That You Love — Air Supply
7. Slow Hand — The Pointer Sisters
8. Lady (You Bring Me Up) — Commodores
9. Queen of Hearts — Juice Newton
10. Jessie's Girl — Rick Springfield

1982 — Songs #10 to #6

6. Don't You Want Me — The Human League
7. I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near) — Michael McDonald
8. Hold Me — Fleetwood Mac
9. You Should Hear How She Talks About You — Melissa Manchester
10. Hurts So Good — John Cougar

1983 — Songs #10 to #6

6. True — Spandau Ballet
7. Puttin' on the Ritz — Taco
8. The Safety Dance — Men Without Hats
9. Making Love Out of Nothing at All — Air Supply
10. Total Eclipse of the Heart — Bonnie Tyler

1984 — Songs #10 to #6

6. Drive — The Cars
7. The Glamorous Life — Sheila E.
8. If This Is It — Huey Lewis and the News
9. I Just Called to Say I Love You — Stevie Wonder
10. She Bop — Cyndi Lauper

1985 — Songs #10 to #6

6. Summer of '69 — Bryan Adams
7. Dare Me — The Pointer Sisters
8. Pop Life — Prince and The Revolution
9. Freedom — Wham!
10. Cherish — Kool & the Gang

1986 — Songs #10 to #6

6. Invisible Touch — Genesis
7. Man in the Mirror — Michael Jackson
8. Throwing It All Away — Genesis
9. Dancing on the Ceiling — Lionel Richie
10. Walk This Way — Run-DMC featuring Aerosmith

1987 — Songs #10 to #6

6. Touch of Grey — Grateful Dead
7. Don't Mean Nothing — Richard Marx
8. Heart and Soul — T'Pau
9. Only in My Dreams — Debbie Gibson
10. I Want Your Sex — George Michael

1988 — Songs #10 to #6

6. Forever Young — Alphaville
7. The Flame — Cheap Trick
8. I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love — Chicago
9. Hands to Heaven — Breathe
10. Roll With It — Steve Winwood

1989 — Songs #10 to #6

6. Mixed Emotions — The Rolling Stones
7. Love Song — The Cure
8. 18 and Life — Skid Row
9. Heaven — Warrant
10. The End of the Innocence — Don Henley

🎵 Full Top 10 — All 100 Songs with Links

Every song. Every year. Click to listen and watch.

1980

1. 🏆 Upside Down — Diana Ross
2. Another One Bites the Dust — Queen
3. Fame — Irene Cara
4. Sailing — Christopher Cross
5. Late in the Evening — Paul Simon
6. Emotional Rescue — The Rolling Stones
7. All Out of Love — Air Supply
8. Drivin' My Life Away — Eddie Rabbitt
9. Could I Have This Dance — Anne Murray
10. Woman in Love — Barbra Streisand

1981

1. 🏆 Endless Love — Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
2. Stop Draggin' My Heart Around — Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3. Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) — Christopher Cross
4. Who's Crying Now — Journey
5. Theme from 'Greatest American Hero' (Believe It or Not) — Joey Scarbury
6. Jessie's Girl — Rick Springfield
7. Queen of Hearts — Juice Newton
8. Lady (You Bring Me Up) — Commodores
9. Slow Hand — The Pointer Sisters
10. The One That You Love — Air Supply

1982

1. 🏆 Abracadabra — Steve Miller Band
2. Hard to Say I'm Sorry — Chicago
3. Eye of the Tiger — Survivor
4. Jack & Diane — John Cougar
5. Even the Nights Are Better — Air Supply
6. Hurts So Good — John Cougar
7. You Should Hear How She Talks About You — Melissa Manchester
8. Hold Me — Fleetwood Mac
9. I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near) — Michael McDonald
10. Don't You Want Me — The Human League

1983

1. 🏆 Maniac — Michael Sembello
2. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) — Eurythmics
3. Tell Her About It — Billy Joel
4. Every Breath You Take — The Police
5. She Works Hard for the Money — Donna Summer
6. Total Eclipse of the Heart — Bonnie Tyler
7. Making Love Out of Nothing at All — Air Supply
8. The Safety Dance — Men Without Hats
9. Puttin' on the Ritz — Taco
10. True — Spandau Ballet

1984

1. 🏆 What's Love Got to Do with It — Tina Turner
2. Ghostbusters — Ray Parker Jr.
3. Missing You — John Waite
4. Stuck on You — Lionel Richie
5. Let's Go Crazy — Prince and The Revolution
6. She Bop — Cyndi Lauper
7. I Just Called to Say I Love You — Stevie Wonder
8. If This Is It — Huey Lewis and the News
9. The Glamorous Life — Sheila E.
10. Drive — The Cars

1985

1. 🏆 St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion) — John Parr
2. Money for Nothing — Dire Straits
3. We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) — Tina Turner
4. Power of Love — Huey Lewis and the News
5. Don't Lose My Number — Phil Collins
6. Cherish — Kool & the Gang
7. Freedom — Wham!
8. Pop Life — Prince and The Revolution
9. Dare Me — The Pointer Sisters
10. Summer of '69 — Bryan Adams

1986

1. 🏆 Take My Breath Away — Berlin
2. Stuck with You — Huey Lewis and the News
3. Venus — Bananarama
4. Sledgehammer — Peter Gabriel
5. Higher Love — Steve Winwood
6. Walk This Way — Run-DMC featuring Aerosmith
7. Dancing on the Ceiling — Lionel Richie
8. Throwing It All Away — Genesis
9. Man in the Mirror — Michael Jackson
10. Invisible Touch — Genesis

1987

1. 🏆 La Bamba — Los Lobos
2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For — U2
3. Didn't We Almost Have It All — Whitney Houston
4. Who's That Girl — Madonna
5. Luka — Suzanne Vega
6. I Want Your Sex — George Michael
7. Only in My Dreams — Debbie Gibson
8. Heart and Soul — T'Pau
9. Don't Mean Nothing — Richard Marx
10. Touch of Grey — Grateful Dead

1988

1. 🏆 Sweet Child o' Mine — Guns N' Roses
2. Monkey — George Michael
3. Simply Irresistible — Robert Palmer
4. Perfect World — Huey Lewis and the News
5. Don't Worry Be Happy — Bobby McFerrin
6. Roll With It — Steve Winwood
7. Hands to Heaven — Breathe
8. I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love — Chicago
9. The Flame — Cheap Trick
10. Forever Young — Alphaville

1989

1. 🏆 Hangin' Tough — New Kids on the Block
2. Right Here Waiting — Richard Marx
3. Cold Hearted — Paula Abdul
4. Don't Wanna Lose You — Gloria Estefan
5. Girl I'm Gonna Miss You — Milli Vanilli
6. The End of the Innocence — Don Henley
7. Heaven — Warrant
8. 18 and Life — Skid Row
9. Love Song — The Cure
10. Mixed Emotions — The Rolling Stones

🎬 Box Office #1 This Week

The biggest movie in America during this week, for each year of the decade.

📺 Primetime TV Spotlight

What America was watching in primetime this week across the decade.

1980 — Dallas (CBS)

The third season of Dallas continued to focus on the Ewing family's oil empire and personal dramas, with J.R. Ewing's manipulative schemes driving much of the plot.

📺 Where to Watch Dallas →

1981 — The Smurfs (NBC)

The animated series debuted, introducing the small, blue creatures and their adventures in Smurf Village to American audiences.

📺 Where to Watch The Smurfs →

1982 — Cheers (NBC)

The iconic sitcom premiered, set in a Boston bar where a group of regulars gather to drink, socialize, and share their lives.

📺 Where to Watch Cheers →

1983 — The A-Team (NBC)

The action-adventure series, featuring a group of ex-Special Forces soldiers on the run, was in its first full season, gaining popularity for its unique characters and explosive plots.

📺 Where to Watch The A-Team →

1984 — Miami Vice (NBC)

The groundbreaking police drama premiered, known for its distinctive visual style, fashion, and use of contemporary music, following two undercover detectives in Miami.

📺 Where to Watch Miami Vice →

1985 — The Golden Girls (NBC)

The beloved sitcom debuted, centering on four older women living together in Miami, navigating the challenges and joys of their golden years with humor and wit.

📺 Where to Watch The Golden Girls →

1986 — L.A. Law (NBC)

The critically acclaimed legal drama premiered, focusing on the personal and professional lives of attorneys at a prestigious Los Angeles law firm.

📺 Where to Watch L.A. Law →

1987 — Full House (ABC)

The family sitcom premiered, following a widowed father who enlists his brother-in-law and best friend to help raise his three daughters in San Francisco.

📺 Where to Watch Full House →

1988 — The Wonder Years (ABC)

The coming-of-age comedy-drama, set in the late 1960s and early 1970s, began its first full season, exploring the life of teenager Kevin Arnold.

📺 Where to Watch The Wonder Years →

1989 — The Simpsons (Fox)

The animated sitcom, which had previously appeared as shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show, debuted as a full-fledged series, quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon for its satirical humor and relatable family dynamics.

📺 Where to Watch The Simpsons →

📺 Commercial Spotlight: Wendy's (1984)

The iconic 'Where's the Beef?' commercial featured three elderly women examining a hamburger, with one famously asking, 'Where's the Beef?' to highlight the small patty size of competitors. The catchphrase became a cultural phenomenon.

▶ Watch the commercial on YouTube

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