▶ Explore the Decade ◀
1980s Music
Synth-pop, new wave, power ballads and the birth of hip-hop — the decade that changed music forever
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Music Charts
Billboard Year-End Hot 100 for every year of the decade. Explore the songs that topped the charts from 1980 to 1989.
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Music Artists
Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Whitney Houston, Bon Jovi — the icons who defined the sound of the 80s.
Meet the Icons ▶
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Live Aid 1985
The concert of the century. Wembley Stadium, 13 July 1985 — Queen, Bowie, U2 and a global audience of 1.9 billion.
Explore Live Aid ▶1980s Movies
The golden age of the blockbuster — action, sci-fi, comedy and horror all reached new heights
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All 1980s Films
The complete guide to 1980s cinema — from blockbusters to cult classics that shaped generations of filmmakers.
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Action Films
Die Hard, Predator, RoboCop, Lethal Weapon — the decade that invented the modern action blockbuster.
Action Films ▶
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Sci-Fi Films
Blade Runner, E.T., The Terminator, Back to the Future — sci-fi reached its creative peak in the 1980s.
Sci-Fi Films ▶
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Comedy Films
Ferris Bueller, The Breakfast Club, Ghostbusters — John Hughes and co. made the 80s the golden age of comedy.
Comedy Films ▶
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Horror Films
A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, The Shining — the 1980s was the golden decade of horror cinema.
Horror Films ▶1980s Television
British and American TV at its most inventive — from sitcoms to soap operas to adverts
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UK Television
Only Fools and Horses, EastEnders, Blackadder, The Young Ones — British TV was bold and unmissable.
UK TV ▶
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US Television
Dallas, Dynasty, Miami Vice, The A-Team, Golden Girls — American TV ruled the world in the 1980s.
US TV ▶
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1980s Adverts
The commercials were as iconic as the shows. Relive the classic UK TV adverts that had the nation talking.
View Adverts ▶1980s Gaming
From bedroom coders to global console wars — the 1980s invented modern gaming
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ZX Spectrum
Sinclair's rubber-keyed marvel launched in 1982 and gave birth to a generation of British coders and game developers.
ZX Spectrum ▶
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Commodore 64
The world's best-selling home computer — 17 million units sold. SID chip music, cassette loading and all.
Commodore 64 ▶
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Nintendo (NES)
Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Metroid — Nintendo's NES revived the games industry after the 1983 crash.
Nintendo NES ▶
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Sega Master System
Sega's 8-bit powerhouse launched in 1986 — Alex Kidd, Sonic the Hedgehog and a fiercely loyal fanbase.
Master System ▶
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Sega Mega Drive
Sega does what Nintendon't. The 16-bit Mega Drive launched in 1988 and took the console wars to a new level.
Mega Drive ▶
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Toys & Games
Rubik's Cube, Transformers, He-Man, Cabbage Patch Kids — the toys that defined a childhood in the 1980s.
Toys & Games ▶