Music

This Week in the 80s: April 21-27

Charles Bosworth

Charles Bosworth

— 8 min read
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This Week in the 80s: April 21-27 — New Coke, Chernobyl, and the Billboard Top 10

Welcome back to the 1980s. This week across the decade, the world watched in horror as the Chernobyl disaster unfolded, millions of Americans revolted against a sweeter Coca-Cola, and a raunchy teen comedy called Porky's shocked Hollywood by dominating the box office.

On the radio, Blondie, Prince, and Madonna were defining the sound of a generation, while Dallas and The Cosby Show fought for the soul of primetime television.

Here is exactly what was happening this week in the 1980s.

The News That Shaped the Decade

The final week of April delivered some of the most consequential news events of the entire decade, ranging from marketing blunders to global catastrophes.

The "New Coke" Disaster (April 23, 1985)
In what is widely considered the greatest marketing blunder in corporate history, The Coca-Cola Company announced it was changing its 99-year-old secret formula. "New Coke" was sweeter, designed to combat the rising threat of the Pepsi Challenge. The public backlash was immediate and ferocious. Consumers hoarded old bottles, organized protests, and flooded the company with angry letters. Within 79 days, Coca-Cola was forced to bring back the original formula as "Coca-Cola Classic."

The Chernobyl Disaster (April 26, 1986)
At 1:23 AM on a Saturday morning, Reactor No. 4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Soviet Union exploded during a botched safety test. The blast blew the 1,000-ton roof off the reactor, releasing 400 times more radioactive material into the atmosphere than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. It remains the worst nuclear disaster in human history, forcing the permanent evacuation of the nearby city of Pripyat.

The Falklands War Escalates (April 1982)
Following Argentina's invasion of the British-controlled Falkland Islands earlier in the month, late April saw the British naval task force arrive in the South Atlantic. On April 25, British forces recaptured South Georgia island, marking the first major military engagement of the brief but bloody conflict that would define Margaret Thatcher's premiership.

The Soundtrack of Spring

If you turned on the radio during the last week of April in the 1980s, you were listening to the evolution of pop music in real-time. The decade started with the remnants of disco and new wave, transitioned into the era of the mega-ballad, and ended with the undisputed Queen of Pop pushing boundaries.

Here are songs #10 through #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 for this week, year by year. Paid members get the full Top 10 — all 100 songs linked so you can listen and watch right now.

1980

10. Dr. Hook – Sexy Eyes
9. Billy Joel – You May Be Right
8. The Eagles – I Can't Tell You Why
7. Bob Seger – Fire Lake
6. Air Supply – Lost in Love

1981

10. The Police – Don't Stand So Close to Me
9. REO Speedwagon – Keep On Loving You
8. Steve Winwood – While You See a Chance
7. Don McLean – Crying
6. Sheena Easton – Morning Train (Nine to Five)

1982

10. Stevie Wonder – That Girl
9. Journey – Open Arms
8. Bertie Higgins – Key Largo
7. Huey Lewis and the News – Do You Believe in Love
6. Rick Springfield – Don't Talk to Strangers

1983

10. Thomas Dolby – She Blinded Me With Science
9. David Bowie – Let's Dance
8. Journey – Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
7. Daryl Hall & John Oates – One on One
6. After The Fire – Der Kommissar

1984

10. Tracey Ullman – They Don't Know
9. Eurythmics – Here Comes the Rain Again
8. Rick Springfield – Love Somebody
7. Rockwell – Somebody's Watching Me
6. The Pointer Sisters – Automatic

1985

10. Diana Ross – Missing You
9. Animotion – Obsession
8. Teena Marie – Lover Girl
7. DeBarge – Rhythm of the Night
6. Bruce Springsteen – I'm on Fire

1986

10. Phil Collins – Take Me Home
9. The Outfield – Your Love
8. Janet Jackson – What Have You Done for Me Lately
7. Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
6. The Rolling Stones – Harlem Shuffle

1987

10. U2 – With or Without You
9. Lou Gramm – Midnight Blue
8. Steve Winwood – The Finer Things
7. Madonna – La Isla Bonita
6. Starship – Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now

1988

10. Taylor Dayne – Prove Your Love
9. Natalie Cole – Pink Cadillac
8. Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine – Anything for You
7. Tiffany – I Saw Him Standing There
6. Aerosmith – Angel

1989

10. Guns N' Roses – Patience
9. The Bangles – Eternal Flame
8. Milli Vanilli – Girl You Know It's True
7. Deon Estus – Heaven Help Me
6. R.E.M. – Stand

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