This Week in the 80s: September 22–28

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 22-28 across 1980 through 1989. Buckle up.

During the Decade of Decadence, this week ran from September 22 to October 1. 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 22, 1980: Iraq begins eight-year long war with Iran.
• September 22, 1980: John Lennon and Yoko Ono sign a recording contract with Geffen Records.

1981

• September 25, 1981: Sydney Tower opens.
• September 25, 1981: Sandra Day O'Connor becomes first woman justice on U.S. Supreme Court.
• September 27, 1981: TGV high-speed train begins operations.

1982

• September 22, 1982: TV sitcom 'Family Ties,' starring Michael J. Fox, premieres on NBC.
• September 28, 1982: First reports appear of deaths from cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules.
• September 28, 1982: NASA launches Intelsat V satellite.
• September 30, 1982: The first episode of the iconic sitcom 'Cheers' airs on NBC.

1983

• September 22, 1983: The Everly Brothers reunite after 10 years apart in concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London.
• September 26, 1983: Soviet military officer Stanislav Petrov averts a worldwide nuclear war by correctly identifying a warning of attack by U.S. missiles as a false alarm.
• September 28, 1983: Space Shuttle Columbia was rolled out to Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

1984

• September 20, 1984: Hezbollah car-bombs the U.S. Embassy annex in Beirut, killing 24 people.
• September 26, 1984: Britain agreed to allow Hong Kong to revert to Chinese rule in 1997.
• September 1984: Chicago Cubs break 2 million home attendance mark for the first time.

1985

• September 22, 1985: The Plaza Accord is signed by five nations.
• September 22, 1985: Artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrap the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris, for two weeks.

1986

• September 27, 1986: Balloonfest '86 in Cleveland, Ohio, results in millions of latex balloons scattered over the surrounding area.

1987

• September 22, 1987: A U.S. helicopter fired on an Iranian vessel laying mines in the path of American ships in the Persian Gulf.
• September 22, 1987: A nationwide strike impacted workers in Vermont, closing a Goodyear plant.

1988

• September 22, 1988: The Ocean Odyssey drilling rig suffers a blowout and fire in the North Sea.
• September 29, 1988: NASA resumes Space Shuttle flights with Space Shuttle Discovery after the Challenger disaster.

1989

• September 24, 1989: U.S.-Soviet talks on arms control conclude with progress.
• September 1989: Monday demonstrations in East Germany intensify, indicating growing political crisis leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
• October 1, 1989: Civil union between partners in a same-sex relationship becomes legal in Denmark

🎵 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. I'M ALRIGHT — KENNY LOGGINS
7. ONE IN A MILLION YOU — LARRY GRAHAM
8. FAME — IRENE CARA
9. DRIVIN' MY LIFE AWAY — EDDIE RABBITT
10. LATE IN THE EVENING — PAUL SIMON

1981 — Songs #10 to #6

6. START ME UP — THE ROLLING STONES
7. LADY (YOU BRING ME UP) — COMMODORES
8. STEP BY STEP — EDDIE RABBITT
9. ARTHUR'S THEME (BEST THAT YOU CAN DO) — CHRISTOPHER CROSS
10. WHO CAN IT BE NOW — JOURNEY

1982 — Songs #10 to #6

6. LOVE IS IN CONTROL (FINGER ON THE TRIGGER) — DONNA SUMMER
7. HURTS SO GOOD — JOHN COUGAR
8. SOMEBODY'S BABY — JACKSON BROWNE
9. WHO CAN IT BE NOW? — MEN AT WORK
10. EYE IN THE SKY — THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT

1983 — Songs #10 to #6

6. DON'T CRY — ASIA
7. (SHE'S) SEXY + 17 — STRAY CATS
8. PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ — TACO
9. HUMAN NATURE — MICHAEL JACKSON
10. SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS) — EURYTHMICS

1984 — Songs #10 to #6

6. CRUEL SUMMER — BANANARAMA
7. I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU — STEVIE WONDER
8. THE GLAMOROUS LIFE — SHEILA E
9. THE WARRIOR — SCANDAL FEAT. PATTY SMYTH
10. IF THIS IS IT — HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS

1985 — Songs #10 to #6

6. LONELY OL' NIGHT — JOHN MELLENCAMP
7. SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU — WHITNEY HOUSTON
8. ST. ELMO'S FIRE (MAN IN MOTION) — JOHN PARR
9. TAKE ON ME — A-HA
10. DRESS YOU UP — MADONNA

1986 — Songs #10 to #6

6. LOVE ZONE — BILLY OCEAN
7. TAKE MY BREATH AWAY (LOVE THEME FROM "TOP GUN") — BERLIN
8. TWO OF HEARTS — STACEY Q
9. WHEN I THINK OF YOU — JANET JACKSON
10. DREAMTIME — DARYL HALL

1987 — Songs #10 to #6

6. U GOT THE LOOK — PRINCE
7. TOUCH OF GREY — GRATEFUL DEAD
8. LA BAMBA — LOS LOBOS
9. CARRIE — EUROPE
10. WHEN SMOKEY SINGS — ABC

1988 — Songs #10 to #6

6. DON'T BE CRUEL — CHEAP TRICK
7. NOBODY'S FOOL (THEME FROM "CADDYSHACK II") — KENNY LOGGINS
8. IF IT ISN'T LOVE — NEW EDITION
9. ONE GOOD WOMAN — PETER CETERA
10. PERFECT WORLD — HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS

1989 — Songs #10 to #6

6. COLD HEARTED — PAULA ABDUL
7. HANGIN' TOUGH — NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
8. MISS YOU MUCH — JANET JACKSON
9. SHOWER ME WITH YOUR LOVE — SURFACE
10. DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU — GLORIA ESTEFAN

🎵 Full Top 10 — All 100 Songs with Links

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

1980

1. 🏆 UPSIDE DOWN — DIANA ROSS
2. ALL OUT OF LOVE — AIR SUPPLY
3. ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST — QUEEN
4. GIVE ME THE NIGHT — GEORGE BENSON
5. LOOKIN' FOR LOVE — JOHNNY LEE
6. LATE IN THE EVENING — PAUL SIMON
7. DRIVIN' MY LIFE AWAY — EDDIE RABBITT
8. FAME — IRENE CARA
9. ONE IN A MILLION YOU — LARRY GRAHAM
10. I'M ALRIGHT — KENNY LOGGINS

1981

1. 🏆 ENDLESS LOVE — DIANA ROSS & LIONEL RICHIE
2. QUEEN OF HEARTS — JUICE NEWTON
3. STOP DRAGGIN' MY HEART AROUND — STEVIE NICKS WITH TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS
4. URGENT — FOREIGNER
5. (THERE'S) NO GETTIN' OVER ME — RONNIE MILSAP
6. WHO CAN IT BE NOW — JOURNEY
7. ARTHUR'S THEME (BEST THAT YOU CAN DO) — CHRISTOPHER CROSS
8. STEP BY STEP — EDDIE RABBITT
9. LADY (YOU BRING ME UP) — COMMODORES
10. START ME UP — THE ROLLING STONES

1982

1. 🏆 ABRACADABRA — THE STEVE MILLER BAND
2. JACK & DIANE — JOHN COUGAR
3. HARD TO SAY I'M SORRY — CHICAGO
4. EYE OF THE TIGER — SURVIVOR
5. YOU SHOULD HEAR HOW SHE TALKS ABOUT YOU — MELISSA MANCHESTER
6. EYE IN THE SKY — THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT
7. WHO CAN IT BE NOW? — MEN AT WORK
8. SOMEBODY'S BABY — JACKSON BROWNE
9. HURTS SO GOOD — JOHN COUGAR
10. LOVE IS IN CONTROL (FINGER ON THE TRIGGER) — DONNA SUMMER

1983

1. 🏆 TELL HER ABOUT IT — BILLY JOEL
2. TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART — BONNIE TYLER
3. THE SAFETY DANCE — MEN WITHOUT HATS
4. MANIAC — MICHAEL SEMBELLO
5. MAKING LOVE OUT OF NOTHING AT ALL — AIR SUPPLY
6. SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS) — EURYTHMICS
7. HUMAN NATURE — MICHAEL JACKSON
8. PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ — TACO
9. (SHE'S) SEXY + 17 — STRAY CATS
10. DON'T CRY — ASIA

1984

1. 🏆 MISSING YOU — JOHN WAITE
2. LET'S GO CRAZY — PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION
3. SHE BOP — CYNDI LAUPER
4. WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT — TINA TURNER
5. DRIVE — THE CARS
6. IF THIS IS IT — HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS
7. THE WARRIOR — SCANDAL FEAT. PATTY SMYTH
8. THE GLAMOROUS LIFE — SHEILA E
9. I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU — STEVIE WONDER
10. CRUEL SUMMER — BANANARAMA

1985

1. 🏆 MONEY FOR NOTHING — DIRE STRAITS
2. CHERISH — KOOL & THE GANG
3. FREEDOM — WHAM!
4. DON'T LOSE MY NUMBER — PHIL COLLINS
5. OH SHEILA — READY FOR THE WORLD
6. DRESS YOU UP — MADONNA
7. TAKE ON ME — A-HA
8. ST. ELMO'S FIRE (MAN IN MOTION) — JOHN PARR
9. SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU — WHITNEY HOUSTON
10. LONELY OL' NIGHT — JOHN MELLENCAMP

1986

1. 🏆 STUCK WITH YOU — HUEY LEWIS
2. FRIENDS AND LOVERS — CARL ANDERSON & GLORIA LORING
3. DANCING ON THE CEILING — LIONEL RICHIE
4. WALK THIS WAY — RUN-D.M.C.
5. DON'T FORGET ME (WHEN I'M GONE) — GLASS TIGER
6. DREAMTIME — DARYL HALL
7. WHEN I THINK OF YOU — JANET JACKSON
8. TWO OF HEARTS — STACEY Q
9. TAKE MY BREATH AWAY (LOVE THEME FROM "TOP GUN") — BERLIN
10. LOVE ZONE — BILLY OCEAN

1987

1. 🏆 DIDN'T WE ALMOST HAVE IT ALL — WHITNEY HOUSTON
2. HERE I GO AGAIN — WHITESNAKE
3. I JUST CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU — MICHAEL JACKSON WITH SIEDAH GARRETT
4. I HEARD A RUMOUR (FROM "DISORDERLIES") — BANANARAMA
5. LOST IN EMOTION — LISA LISA & CULT JAM
6. WHEN SMOKEY SINGS — ABC
7. CARRIE — EUROPE
8. LA BAMBA — LOS LOBOS
9. TOUCH OF GREY — GRATEFUL DEAD
10. U GOT THE LOOK — PRINCE

1988

1. 🏆 DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY (FROM "COCKTAIL") — BOBBY MCFERRIN
2. SWEET CHILD O' MINE — GUNS N' ROSES
3. I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU — TAYLOR DAYNE
4. SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE — ROBERT PALMER
5. LOVE BITES — DEF LEPPARD
6. PERFECT WORLD — HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS
7. ONE GOOD WOMAN — PETER CETERA
8. IF IT ISN'T LOVE — NEW EDITION
9. NOBODY'S FOOL (THEME FROM "CADDYSHACK II") — KENNY LOGGINS
10. DON'T BE CRUEL — CHEAP TRICK

1989

1. 🏆 GIRL I'M GONNA MISS YOU — MILLI VANILLI
2. HEAVEN — WARRANT
3. IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME — CHER
4. 18 AND LIFE — SKID ROW
5. CHERISH — MADONNA
6. DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU — GLORIA ESTEFAN
7. SHOWER ME WITH YOUR LOVE — SURFACE
8. MISS YOU MUCH — JANET JACKSON
9. HANGIN' TOUGH — NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
10. COLD HEARTED — PAULA ABDUL

🎬 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 — Archie Bunker's Place (CBS)

A popular sitcom continuing the story of Archie Bunker, a working-class bigot, after his wife Edith's death.

📺 Where to Watch Archie Bunker's Place →

1981 — M*A*S*H (CBS)

The tenth season of the critically acclaimed and highly popular sitcom about a team of doctors and support staff stationed at a 'Mobile Army Surgical Hospital' during the Korean War.

📺 Where to Watch M*A*S*H →

1982 — Newhart (CBS)

The premiere season of the popular sitcom starring Bob Newhart as a Vermont innkeeper, which quickly became a critical and commercial success.

📺 Where to Watch Newhart →

1983 — Dallas (CBS)

The seventh season of the iconic primetime soap opera, continuing the dramatic sagas of the wealthy Ewing family and their oil empire.

📺 Where to Watch Dallas →

1984 — Murder, She Wrote (CBS)

The premiere season of the mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher, a retired English teacher and amateur detective who solves crimes in her hometown of Cabot Cove, Maine, and wherever she travels.

📺 Where to Watch Murder, She Wrote →

1985 — The Cosby Show (NBC)

The second season of the groundbreaking sitcom about the Huxtable family, which was a massive ratings success and redefined the family sitcom genre.

📺 Where to Watch The Cosby Show →

1986 — The Cosby Show (NBC)

The third season of the highly popular and influential sitcom, continuing to follow the lives of the Huxtable family in Brooklyn, New York.

📺 Where to Watch The Cosby Show →

1987 — Full House (ABC)

The premiere season of the beloved family sitcom about a widowed father who raises his three daughters with the help of his rock musician brother-in-law and his childhood best friend.

📺 Where to Watch Full House →

1988 — Full House (ABC)

The second season of the popular family sitcom, continuing the adventures of the Tanner family in San Francisco.

📺 Where to Watch Full House →

1989 — Life Goes On (ABC)

The premiere season of the drama series, notable for being the first TV series to feature a main character with Down syndrome, focusing on the Thatcher family.

📺 Where to Watch Life Goes On →

📺 Commercial Spotlight: Coca-Cola (New Coke) (1985)

An attempt to rejuvenate the floundering cola company, using Max Headroom and new wave music to appear hip. It was a significant commercial due to the ultimate disaster that was New Coke and the backlash against changing the original formula.

▶ Watch the commercial on YouTube

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