This Week in the 80s: October 6–12

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 October 6-12 across 1980 through 1989. Buckle up.

During the Decade of Decadence, this week ran from October 6 to 15. 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

• October 6, 1980: U.S. representative John B. Anderson of Illinois achieved his goal as a third-party candidate for President of the United States of being on the election ballots in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
• October 7, 1980: Iraq announced the territorial waters of Iran were a "prohibited war zone" and that any vessel inside the zone was subject to destruction.
• October 9, 1980: Poet and novelist Czeslaw Milosz was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

1981

• October 6, 1981: Egyptian President Anwar Sadat is assassinated in Cairo.
• October 8, 1981: Three former US presidents, Nixon, Ford, and Carter, fly together to Sadat's funeral.
• October 9, 1981: France abolishes capital punishment.

1982

• October 1, 1982: Sony launches the first consumer compact disc (CD) player (model CDP-101).
• October 8, 1982: Poland bans the Solidarity trade union.
• October 11, 1982: The Mary Rose, flagship of Henry VIII of England that sank in 1545, is raised from the Solent.

1983

• October 6, 1983: The world's first commercial mobile cellular telephone call is made in Chicago, United States.
• October 9, 1983: The Rangoon bombing kills South Korea's Foreign Minister, Lee Bum Suk, and 21 others. The perpetrators are believed to be North Koreans.
• October 12, 1983: Japan's former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka is found guilty of taking a $2 million bribe from Lockheed, and sentenced to 4 years in jail.

1984

• October 7, 1984: The second presidential debate between Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale took place, focusing on domestic issues.
• October 12, 1984: An assassination attempt on Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her British Cabinet happened in Brighton, England, carried out by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA).

1985

• October 7, 1985: The cruise ship Achille Lauro is hijacked in the Mediterranean Sea by four heavily armed Palestinian terrorists. One passenger, American Leon Klinghoffer, is killed.
• October 6, 1985: French McLaren driver Alain Prost clinches his first Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship.

1986

• October 6, 1986: A Soviet nuclear submarine, apparently crippled by a fire and explosion, is being towed toward the Soviet Union.
• October 11-12, 1986: Cold War: Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev meet in Reykjavík, Iceland, to continue discussions about scaling back their intermediate missile arsenals in Europe, which end in failure.

1987

• October 11, 1987: The Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights took place in Washington, D.C., with nearly 750,000 people participating.
• October 12, 1987: Oscar Arias (Costa Rican President) wins the Nobel Peace Prize.
• October 11, 1987: The Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights takes place.

1988

• October 8, 1988: Pink Floyd's album "The Dark Side of the Moon" makes its final appearance (of its initial run) on the Billboard 200 Albums chart after a 741-week stay.
• October 12, 1988: George H. W. Bush and Michael Dukakis meet in their second presidential debate.

1989

• October 7, 1989: The first mass demonstration against the Communist regime in the GDR begins in Plauen, East Germany.
• October 9, 1989: In Leipzig, East Germany, more than 50,000 protesters demand the legalisation of opposition groups and democratic reforms.
• October 9, 1989: An official news agency in the Soviet Union reports the landing of a UFO in Voronezh.

🎵 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. GIVE ME THE NIGHT — George Benson
7. REAL LOVE — The Doobie Brothers
8. XANADU — Olivia Newton-John / Electric Light Orchestra
9. I’M ALRIGHT — Kenny Loggins
10. LATE IN THE EVENING — Paul Simon

1981 — Songs #10 to #6

6. HOLD ON TIGHT — ELO
7. URGENT — Foreigner
8. PRIVATE EYES — Daryl Hall and John Oates
9. START ME UP — The Rolling Stones
10. STEP BY STEP — Eddie Rabbitt

1982 — Songs #10 to #6

6. I RAN (So Far Away) — A Flock Of Seagulls
7. YOU CAN DO MAGIC — America
8. SOMEBODY’S BABY — Jackson Browne
9. I KEEP FORGETTIN’ (Every Time You’re Near) — Michael McDonald
10. EYE OF THE TIGER — Survivor

1983 — Songs #10 to #6

6. FAR FROM OVER — Frank Stallone
7. ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER — The Fixx
8. THE SAFETY DANCE — Men Without Hats
9. TELL HER ABOUT IT — Billy Joel
10. ISLANDS IN THE STREAM — Kenny Rogers with Dolly Parton

1984 — Songs #10 to #6

6. COVER ME — Bruce Springsteen
7. THE WARRIOR — Scandal Featuring Patty Smyth
8. LUCKY STAR — Madonna
9. THE GLAMOROUS LIFE — Sheila E.
10. HARD HABIT TO BREAK — Chicago

1985 — Songs #10 to #6

6. DRESS YOU UP — Madonna
7. MIAMI VICE THEME — Jan Hammer
8. CHERISH — Kool & The Gang
9. DANCING IN THE STREET — Mick Jagger & David Bowie
10. LONELY OL’ NIGHT — John Cougar Mellencamp

1986 — Songs #10 to #6

6. DREAMTIME — Daryl Hall
7. TRUE COLORS — Cyndi Lauper
8. FRIENDS AND LOVERS — Gloria Loring & Carl Anderson
9. HEARTBEAT — Don Johnson
10. STUCK WITH YOU — Huey Lewis & The News

1987 — Songs #10 to #6

6. CASANOVA — Levert
7. PAPER IN FIRE — John Cougar Mellencamp
8. BAD — Michael Jackson
9. WHO WILL YOU RUN TO — Heart
10. DIDN’T WE ALMOST HAVE IT ALL — Whitney Houston

1988 — Songs #10 to #6

6. PLEASE DON’T GO GIRL — New Kids On The Block
7. WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND (PURE ENERGY) — Information Society
8. I HATE MYSELF FOR LOVING YOU — Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
9. I’LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU — Taylor Dayne
10. GROOVY KIND OF LOVE — Phil Collins

1989 — Songs #10 to #6

6. IT’S NO CRIME — Babyface
7. BUST A MOVE — Young MC
8. 18 AND LIFE — Skid Row
9. LOVE SONG — The Cure
10. MIXED EMOTIONS — The Rolling Stones

🎵 Full Top 10 — All 100 Songs with Links

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

1980

1. 🏆 ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST — Queen
2. WOMAN IN LOVE — Barbra Streisand
3. UPSIDE DOWN — Diana Ross
4. ALL OUT OF LOVE — Air Supply
5. DRIVIN’ MY LIFE AWAY — Eddie Rabbitt
6. LATE IN THE EVENING — Paul Simon
7. I’M ALRIGHT — Kenny Loggins
8. XANADU — Olivia Newton-John / Electric Light Orchestra
9. REAL LOVE — The Doobie Brothers
10. GIVE ME THE NIGHT — George Benson

1981

1. 🏆 ENDLESS LOVE — Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
2. ARTHUR’S THEME (Best That You Can Do) — Christopher Cross
3. STOP DRAGGIN’ MY HEART AROUND — Stevie Nicks (with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)
4. WHO’S CRYING NOW — Journey
5. FOR YOUR EYES ONLY — Sheena Easton
6. STEP BY STEP — Eddie Rabbitt
7. START ME UP — The Rolling Stones
8. PRIVATE EYES — Daryl Hall and John Oates
9. URGENT — Foreigner
10. HOLD ON TIGHT — ELO

1982

1. 🏆 JACK AND DIANE — John Cougar
2. ABRACADABRA — The Steve Miller Band
3. HARD TO SAY I’M SORRY — Chicago
4. EYE IN THE SKY — The Alan Parsons Project
5. WHO CAN IT BE NOW — Men At Work
6. EYE OF THE TIGER — Survivor
7. I KEEP FORGETTIN’ (Every Time You’re Near) — Michael McDonald
8. SOMEBODY’S BABY — Jackson Browne
9. YOU CAN DO MAGIC — America
10. I RAN (So Far Away) — A Flock Of Seagulls

1983

1. 🏆 TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART — Bonnie Tyler
2. MAKING LOVE OUT OF NOTHING AT ALL — Air Supply
3. KING OF PAIN — The Police
4. TRUE — Spandau Ballet
5. (She’s) SEXY + 17 — The Stray Cats
6. ISLANDS IN THE STREAM — Kenny Rogers with Dolly Parton
7. TELL HER ABOUT IT — Billy Joel
8. THE SAFETY DANCE — Men Without Hats
9. ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER — The Fixx
10. FAR FROM OVER — Frank Stallone

1984

1. 🏆 LET’S GO CRAZY — Prince & The Revolution
2. I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU — Stevie Wonder
3. DRIVE — The Cars
4. MISSING YOU — John Waite
5. SHE BOP — Cyndi Lauper
6. HARD HABIT TO BREAK — Chicago
7. THE GLAMOROUS LIFE — Sheila E.
8. LUCKY STAR — Madonna
9. THE WARRIOR — Scandal Featuring Patty Smyth
10. COVER ME — Bruce Springsteen

1985

1. 🏆 OH SHEILA — Ready For The World
2. MONEY FOR NOTHING — Dire Straits
3. TAKE ON ME — A-Ha
4. SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU — Whitney Houston
5. PART TIME LOVER — Stevie Wonder
6. LONELY OL’ NIGHT — John Cougar Mellencamp
7. DANCING IN THE STREET — Mick Jagger & David Bowie
8. CHERISH — Kool & The Gang
9. MIAMI VICE THEME — Jan Hammer
10. DRESS YOU UP — Madonna

1986

1. 🏆 WHEN I THINK OF YOU — Janet Jackson
2. DON’T FORGET ME (WHEN I’M GONE) — Glass Tiger
3. TWO OF HEARTS — Stacey Q
4. THROWING IT ALL AWAY — Genesis
5. TYPICAL MALE — Tina Turner
6. STUCK WITH YOU — Huey Lewis & The News
7. HEARTBEAT — Don Johnson
8. FRIENDS AND LOVERS — Gloria Loring & Carl Anderson
9. TRUE COLORS — Cyndi Lauper
10. DREAMTIME — Daryl Hall

1987

1. 🏆 HERE I GO AGAIN — Whitesnake
2. LOST IN EMOTION — Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
3. CARRIE — Europe
4. I HEARD A RUMOUR — Bananarama
5. U GOT THE LOOK — Prince
6. DIDN’T WE ALMOST HAVE IT ALL — Whitney Houston
7. WHO WILL YOU RUN TO — Heart
8. BAD — Michael Jackson
9. PAPER IN FIRE — John Cougar Mellencamp
10. CASANOVA — Levert

1988

1. 🏆 LOVE BITES — Def Leppard
2. RED RED WINE — UB40
3. DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY — Bobby McFerrin
4. DON’T BE CRUEL — Cheap Trick
5. ONE GOOD WOMAN — Peter Cetera
6. GROOVY KIND OF LOVE — Phil Collins
7. I’LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU — Taylor Dayne
8. I HATE MYSELF FOR LOVING YOU — Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
9. WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND (PURE ENERGY) — Information Society
10. PLEASE DON’T GO GIRL — New Kids On The Block

1989

1. 🏆 MISS YOU MUCH — Janet Jackson
2. CHERISH — Madonna
3. GIRL I’M GONNA MISS YOU — Milli Vanilli
4. HEAVEN — Warrant
5. IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME — Cher
6. MIXED EMOTIONS — The Rolling Stones
7. LOVE SONG — The Cure
8. 18 AND LIFE — Skid Row
9. BUST A MOVE — Young MC
10. IT’S NO CRIME — Babyface

🎬 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 — 60 Minutes (CBS)

The long-running Sunday night newsmagazine continued its tradition of investigative reports and interviews.

📺 Where to Watch 60 Minutes →

1981 — Private Benjamin (CBS)

In the second-season premiere, Captain Lewis promotes Private Benjamin to squad leader.

📺 Where to Watch Private Benjamin →

1982 — Happy Days (ABC)

In the second episode of the tenth season, Joanie tries to convince her overprotective father that she's mature enough to move away from Milwaukee.

📺 Where to Watch Happy Days →

1983 — Cheers (NBC)

In its second season, the relationship between Sam and Diane begins to fray, leading to a tumultuous period for the couple.

📺 Where to Watch Cheers →

1984 — The Cosby Show (NBC)

Premiering in September 1984, The Cosby Show quickly became a ratings juggernaut, revitalizing the sitcom genre and NBC's primetime lineup. It depicted an affluent African-American family, challenging stereotypes and becoming a cultural phenomenon.

📺 Where to Watch The Cosby Show →

1985 — The Golden Girls (NBC)

Premiering in September 1985, this sitcom quickly became a hit, focusing on four older women sharing a home in Miami. It was praised for its sharp writing and tackling of mature themes.

📺 Where to Watch The Golden Girls →

1986 — The Cosby Show (NBC)

Continuing its dominance, The Cosby Show remained the top-rated program in 1986, focusing on the humorous and heartwarming dynamics of the Huxtable family.

📺 Where to Watch The Cosby Show →

1987 — Married... with Children (Fox)

Debuting in April 1987, this groundbreaking sitcom offered a cynical and often raunchy look at American family life, becoming a flagship show for the nascent Fox network.

📺 Where to Watch Married... with Children →

1988 — The Wonder Years (ABC)

Debuting in March 1988, this coming-of-age comedy-drama, set in the late 1960s and early 1970s, resonated with audiences for its nostalgic look at adolescence and family life.

📺 Where to Watch The Wonder Years →

1989 — The Simpsons (Fox)

Although it officially premiered in December 1989 with a Christmas special, The Simpsons began airing regularly in early 1990, quickly establishing itself as a cultural phenomenon with its satirical humor and relatable family dynamics.

📺 Where to Watch The Simpsons →

📺 Commercial Spotlight: Wendy's (1984)

The "Where's the Beef?" campaign for Wendy's fast-food chain became a cultural phenomenon in 1984. Featuring three elderly women inspecting a competitor's hamburger, the catchphrase quickly entered popular lexicon, questioning the substance of various products and ideas.

▶ Watch the commercial on YouTube

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