This Week in the 80s: November 3–9

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 November 3-9 across 1980 through 1989. Buckle up.

During the Decade of Decadence, this week ran from November 3 to 12. 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

• November 4, 1980: Ronald Reagan is elected President of the United States, defeating incumbent Jimmy Carter.
• November 3, 1980: Typhoon Kalmaegi made its first landfall in the Philippines, killing 188 people.

1981

• November 4, 1981: The second launch of the space shuttle Columbia was called off at the last minute due to a computer malfunction.
• November 5, 1981: Buckingham Palace announced that Diana, Princess of Wales, was pregnant with her first child.
• November 6, 1981: WBC heavyweight boxing champion Larry Holmes nearly suffered an upset loss to Renaldo Snipes.

1982

• November 3, 1982: A truck explodes in the Salang Tunnel in Afghanistan, killing an unknown number of people.
• November 3, 1982: William A. O'Neill wins his first full term as Governor of Connecticut.
• November 9, 1982: A jailhouse fire in Biloxi, Mississippi, kills 27 people.

1983

• November 3, 1983: The Nashville Network (TNN) begins on cable TV.
• November 3, 1983: Five people are killed and seven wounded in a clash between Ku Klux Klansmen/neo-Nazis and Communist Workers Party members in Greensboro, NC.
• November 9, 1983: Amsterdam brewer Freddie Heineken is kidnapped.

1984

• November 6, 1984: Ronald Reagan is re-elected President of the United States in a landslide victory.
• November 3, 1984: The body of assassinated Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is cremated in New Delhi.
• November 9, 1984: Larry Holmes TKOs Bonecrusher Smith in 12 for heavyweight boxing title.

1985

• November 9, 1985: Garry Kasparov becomes the youngest World Chess Champion at age 22.
• November 3, 1985: President Reagan announces the US has accepted a Soviet proposal for a 50% cut in nuclear arms.
• November 9, 1985: A surprise attack on a Belgian supermarket in Aalst kills eight people.

1986

• November 3, 1986: The Lebanese magazine Ash-Shiraa reports that the United States has been selling weapons to Iran in secret, leading to the Iran-Contra affair.
• November 3, 1986: The Northern Mariana Islands enter into a political union with the United States.
• November 6, 1986: 45 people are killed in the British International Helicopters Chinook crash.

1987

• November 3, 1987: Mikhail Gorbachev delivers a speech acknowledging Stalin's "enormous" crimes.
• November 3, 1987: Physicist Gordon Gould is credited with the invention of the laser.
• November 9, 1987: A bomb explodes in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland.

1988

• November 3, 1988: A coup attempt in the Maldives is thwarted by Indian forces.
• November 2, 1988: The Morris Worm, one of the first computer worms, is launched, disrupting a large part of the internet.
• November 8, 1988: George H.W. Bush is elected President of the United States.

1989

• November 9, 1989: The Berlin Wall falls, allowing East Germans to travel freely to West Germany.
• November 3, 1989: France experiences its biggest-ever bank robbery.
• November 7, 1989: David Dinkins is elected the first African American mayor of New York City.
• November 9, 1989: The Berlin Wall falls.
• November 9, 1989: The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, a pivotal moment in the end of the Cold War.
• November 9, 1989: The Berlin Wall falls.
• November 9, 1989: The Berlin Wall begins to fall.

🎵 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. UPSIDE DOWN — Diana Ross
7. REAL LOVE — The Doobie Brothers
8. MASTER BLASTER (Jammin’) — Stevie Wonder
9. NEVER KNEW LOVE LIKE THIS BEFORE — Stephanie Mills
10. I’M COMING OUT — Diana Ross

1981 — Songs #10 to #6

6. Waiting for a Girl Like You — Foreigner
7. Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You) — Air Supply
8. I've Done Everything for You — Rick Springfield
9. Hard to Say — Dan Fogelberg
10. The Night Owls — Little River Band

1982 — Songs #10 to #6

6. Truly — Lionel Richie
7. Gloria — Laura Branigan
8. You Can Do Magic — America
9. Heartlight — Neil Diamond
10. Eye in the Sky — The Alan Parsons Project

1983 — Songs #10 to #6

6. True — Spandau Ballet
7. Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair) — Sheena Easton
8. Delirious — Prince
9. Making Love Out of Nothing At All — Air Supply
10. Say Say Say — Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson

1984 — Songs #10 to #6

6. I Feel for You — Chaka Khan
7. Better Be Good to Me — Tina Turner
8. Blue Jean — David Bowie
9. On the Dark Side — John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
10. Lucky Star — Madonna

1985 — Songs #10 to #6

6. Lay Your Hands on Me — Thompson Twins
7. Be Near Me — ABC
8. Take On Me — a-ha
9. Separate Lives — Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin
10. Saving All My Love for You — Whitney Houston

1986 — Songs #10 to #6

6. The Rain — Oran "Juice" Jones
7. Word Up — Cameo
8. Typical Male — Tina Turner
9. You Give Love a Bad Name — Bon Jovi
10. Take Me Home Tonight — Eddie Money

1987 — Songs #10 to #6

6. It's A Sin — Pet Shop Boys
7. Let Me Be The One — Exposé
8. Brilliant Disguise — Bruce Springsteen
9. Breakout — Swing Out Sister
10. (I've Had) The Time of My Life — Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes

1988 — Songs #10 to #6

6. What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy) — Information Society
7. Red Red Wine — UB40
8. Desire — U2
9. Never Tear Us Apart — INXS
10. One Moment In Time — Whitney Houston

1989 — Songs #10 to #6

6. Love Shack — The B-52's
7. (It's Just) The Way That You Love Me — Paula Abdul
8. Dr. Feelgood — Mötley Crüe
9. Rock Wit'cha — Bobby Brown
10. Love In An Elevator — Aerosmith

🎵 Full Top 10 — All 100 Songs with Links

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

1980

1. 🏆 WOMAN IN LOVE — Barbra Streisand
2. LADY — Kenny Rogers
3. HE’S SO SHY — The Pointer Sisters
4. ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST — Queen
5. THE WANDERER — Donna Summer
6. I’M COMING OUT — Diana Ross
7. NEVER KNEW LOVE LIKE THIS BEFORE — Stephanie Mills
8. MASTER BLASTER (Jammin’) — Stevie Wonder
9. REAL LOVE — The Doobie Brothers
10. UPSIDE DOWN — Diana Ross

1981

1. 🏆 Private Eyes — Daryl Hall & John Oates
2. Start Me Up — The Rolling Stones
3. Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) — Christopher Cross
4. For Your Eyes Only — Sheena Easton
5. Tryin' to Live My Life Without You — Bob Seger
6. The Night Owls — Little River Band
7. Hard to Say — Dan Fogelberg
8. I've Done Everything for You — Rick Springfield
9. Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You) — Air Supply
10. Waiting for a Girl Like You — Foreigner

1982

1. 🏆 Up Where We Belong — Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes
2. Who Can It Be Now? — Men at Work
3. Heart Attack — Olivia Newton-John
4. I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near) — Michael McDonald
5. Jack and Diane — John Cougar
6. Eye in the Sky — The Alan Parsons Project
7. Heartlight — Neil Diamond
8. You Can Do Magic — America
9. Gloria — Laura Branigan
10. Truly — Lionel Richie

1983

1. 🏆 Islands in the Stream — Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton
2. All Night Long (All Night) — Lionel Richie
3. Total Eclipse of the Heart — Bonnie Tyler
4. One Thing Leads to Another — The Fixx
5. Uptown Girl — Billy Joel
6. Say Say Say — Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson
7. Making Love Out of Nothing At All — Air Supply
8. Delirious — Prince
9. Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair) — Sheena Easton
10. True — Spandau Ballet

1984

1. 🏆 Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run) — Billy Ocean
2. I Just Called to Say I Love You — Stevie Wonder
3. Purple Rain — Prince and The Revolution
4. Hard Habit to Break — Chicago
5. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go — Wham!
6. Lucky Star — Madonna
7. On the Dark Side — John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
8. Blue Jean — David Bowie
9. Better Be Good to Me — Tina Turner
10. I Feel for You — Chaka Khan

1985

1. 🏆 Miami Vice Theme — Jan Hammer
2. Part Time Lover — Stevie Wonder
3. Head Over Heels — Tears for Fears
4. You Belong to the City — Glenn Frey
5. We Built This City — Starship
6. Saving All My Love for You — Whitney Houston
7. Separate Lives — Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin
8. Take On Me — a-ha
9. Be Near Me — ABC
10. Lay Your Hands on Me — Thompson Twins

1986

1. 🏆 Amanda — Boston
2. I Didn't Mean to Turn You On — Robert Palmer
3. True Colors — Cyndi Lauper
4. Human — The Human League
5. True Blue — Madonna
6. Take Me Home Tonight — Eddie Money
7. You Give Love a Bad Name — Bon Jovi
8. Typical Male — Tina Turner
9. Word Up — Cameo
10. The Rain — Oran "Juice" Jones

1987

1. 🏆 I Think We're Alone Now — Tiffany
2. Causing A Commotion — Madonna
3. Mony Mony — Billy Idol
4. Little Lies — Fleetwood Mac
5. Bad — Michael Jackson
6. (I've Had) The Time of My Life — Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
7. Breakout — Swing Out Sister
8. Brilliant Disguise — Bruce Springsteen
9. Let Me Be The One — Exposé
10. It's A Sin — Pet Shop Boys

1988

1. 🏆 Kokomo — The Beach Boys
2. Wild, Wild West — The Escape Club
3. Groovy Kind of Love — Phil Collins
4. The Loco-Motion — Kylie Minogue
5. Bad Medicine — Bon Jovi
6. One Moment In Time — Whitney Houston
7. Never Tear Us Apart — INXS
8. Desire — U2
9. Red Red Wine — UB40
10. What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy) — Information Society

1989

1. 🏆 Listen To Your Heart — Roxette
2. Cover Girl — New Kids On The Block
3. Miss You Much — Janet Jackson
4. Sowing The Seeds Of Love — Tears For Fears
5. When I See You Smile — Bad English
6. Love In An Elevator — Aerosmith
7. Rock Wit'cha — Bobby Brown
8. Dr. Feelgood — Mötley Crüe
9. (It's Just) The Way That You Love Me — Paula Abdul
10. Love Shack — The B-52's

🎬 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 — M*A*S*H (CBS)

In its ninth season, M*A*S*H continued to be a top-rated show, following the lives of an army medical unit during the Korean War. This season saw significant character developments and continued its blend of comedy and drama.

📺 Where to Watch M*A*S*H →

1981 — The Fall Guy (ABC)

Premiering in November 1981, the first season of The Fall Guy introduced Colt Seavers, a Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a bounty hunter. The season established the show's blend of action, comedy, and guest stars.

📺 Where to Watch The Fall Guy →

1982 — Cheers (NBC)

In its inaugural season, Cheers quickly became a beloved sitcom, set in a Boston bar where a group of regulars gathered. The season introduced the core cast and established the show's witty humor and character-driven storylines.

📺 Where to Watch Cheers →

1983 — The Facts of Life (NBC)

In its fifth season, The Facts of Life continued to follow the lives of Blair, Jo, Natalie, and Tootie at the Eastland School. This season saw the girls navigating new challenges and growing up, maintaining its popularity as a coming-of-age sitcom.

📺 Where to Watch The Facts of Life →

1984 — The Cosby Show (NBC)

In its inaugural season, The Cosby Show revolutionized sitcoms with its portrayal of an affluent African-American family. The season focused on the Huxtable family's daily lives, blending humor with relatable family issues, and quickly became a ratings phenomenon.

📺 Where to Watch The Cosby Show →

1985 — North and South (ABC)

The epic miniseries North and South premiered on November 3, 1985. This season, the first part of the saga, followed the lives of two families, the Mains from South Carolina and the Hazards from Pennsylvania, as their friendship was tested by the escalating tensions leading up to the American Civil War.

📺 Where to Watch North and South →

1986 — Murder, She Wrote (CBS)

In its third season, Murder, She Wrote continued to be a popular mystery series, with Jessica Fletcher solving crimes in Cabot Cove and beyond. This season featured a variety of guest stars and intricate plots, solidifying its status as a Sunday night staple.

📺 Where to Watch Murder, She Wrote →

1987 — The Cosby Show (NBC)

In its fourth season, The Cosby Show continued its reign as a top-rated sitcom, focusing on the loving and humorous dynamics of the Huxtable family. This season further explored the children's growth and challenges, maintaining its blend of comedy and heartwarming family moments.

📺 Where to Watch The Cosby Show →

1988 — Murphy Brown (CBS)

Murphy Brown premiered in November 1988. The first season introduced the sharp-witted, veteran journalist Murphy Brown returning to her newsmagazine show after a stay at the Betty Ford Clinic. The series quickly gained acclaim for its satirical take on the media and contemporary social issues.

📺 Where to Watch Murphy Brown →

1989 — Full House (ABC)

In its third season, Full House continued to follow the Tanner family. The episode "Star Search" aired on November 3, 1989, where Joey finally gets his big break. The season explored various family dynamics and comedic situations, solidifying its status as a popular family sitcom.

📺 Where to Watch Full House →

📺 Commercial Spotlight: Wendy's (1984)

▶ Watch the commercial on YouTube

Enjoying This Week in the 80s? Share it with a friend who lived through the decade.