Category Archives: 1980s

Air crash kills young citizen diplomat Samantha Smith 40 years ago this hour (Aug 25 1985)

1980s, Cold War


Video: 'Samantha Smith Dies - Archival Footage'

(Monday, August 25, 1985, at about 10:05 p.m. EDT; during the Cold War) — Samantha Smith, the 13-year-old schoolgirl whose letter to Soviet leader Yuri V. Andropov resulted in her peace tour of the communist country, was killed tonight with her father, Arthur, and six other people in a commuter plane crash near Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport in Auburn, Maine. Continue reading Air crash kills young citizen diplomat Samantha Smith 40 years ago this hour (Aug 25 1985) →

‘The Power of Love’ by Huey Lewis and the News peaks at #1 in USA 40 years ago today (Aug 24 1985)

1980s, Movies 1980s, Popular Music 1980s

(Saturday, August 24, 1985) — “The Power of Love” by Huey Lewis and the News peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for two consecutive weeks (Aug. 24/31, 1985). Continue reading ‘The Power of Love’ by Huey Lewis and the News peaks at #1 in USA 40 years ago today (Aug 24 1985) →

‘What About Love’ by Heart peaks at #10 in USA 40 years ago today (Aug 24 1985)

1980s, Popular Music 1980s

(Saturday, August 24, 1985) — “What About Love” by Heart peaked at #10 on today’s Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for one week. Continue reading ‘What About Love’ by Heart peaks at #10 in USA 40 years ago today (Aug 24 1985) →

‘Jesse’ by Julian Lennon peaks at #54 in USA 40 years ago today (Aug 24 1985)

1980s, Popular Music 1980s, The Beatles 1980s

(Saturday, August 24, 1985) — “Jesse” by Julian Lennon peaked at #54 on today’s Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for one week. Continue reading ‘Jesse’ by Julian Lennon peaks at #54 in USA 40 years ago today (Aug 24 1985) →

‘You Look Marvelous’ by Billy Crystal peaks at #58 in USA 40 years ago today (Aug 24 1985)

1980s, Popular Music 1980s

(Saturday, August 24, 1985) — “You Look Marvelous” by Billy Crystal peaked at #58 on today’s Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for one week. Continue reading ‘You Look Marvelous’ by Billy Crystal peaks at #58 in USA 40 years ago today (Aug 24 1985) →

‘Never Surrender’ by Corey Hart peaks at #3 in USA 40 years ago today (Aug 17 1985)

1980s, Popular Music 1980s

(Saturday, August 17, 1985) — “Never Surrender” by Corey Hart peaked at #3 on today’s Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for two weeks. Continue reading ‘Never Surrender’ by Corey Hart peaks at #3 in USA 40 years ago today (Aug 17 1985) →

‘You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)’ by Dead or Alive peaks at #11 in USA 40 years ago today (Aug 17 1985)

1980s, Popular Music 1980s

(Saturday, August 17, 1985) — “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” by Dead or Alive peaked at #11 on today’s Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for one week. Continue reading ‘You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)’ by Dead or Alive peaks at #11 in USA 40 years ago today (Aug 17 1985) →

Meat packers strike at Hormel plant in Minnesota 40 years ago this hour (Aug 17 1985)

1980s


Video: 'NBC Reports Labor Pains - Hormel Strike - Decline of Unions'

(Saturday, August 17, 1985, 12:01 a.m. CDT) — More than 1,400 meatpackers walked off the job today at the Geo. A. Hormel and Co.’s main plant in Austin, Minnesota, in a bitter strike that would last just over a year.

520 people killed in world’s worst single-aircraft disaster 40 years ago this hour (Aug 12 1985)

1980s


Video: 'JAL 123 Stayed Airborne for 30 Minutes Without its Tail Fin ? Air Disasters | Smithsonian Channel'

(Monday, August 12, 1985, 6:56 p.m. Japan Standard Time) — A Japan Air Lines Boeing 747 with 524 people aboard crashed into a mountain northwest of Tokyo tonight after suffering a catastrophic structural failure and rapid decompression minutes after takeoff, killing 520 in the deadliest single-aircraft accident in aviation history. Continue reading 520 people killed in world’s worst single-aircraft disaster 40 years ago this hour (Aug 12 1985) →

Michael Jackson outbids Paul McCartney for The Beatles’ publishing catalog 40 years ago today (Aug 10 1985)

1980s, Popular Music 1980s, The Beatles 1980s


Video: 'Vh1 - Greatest Shocking Moments (P. McCartney & M. Jackson)'

(Saturday, August 10, 1985) — Michael Jackson outbid Paul McCartney today for the ATV music publishing catalog, which included many Beatles songs, paying $47.5 million dollars. Continue reading Michael Jackson outbids Paul McCartney for The Beatles’ publishing catalog 40 years ago today (Aug 10 1985) →