1983: Top Songs, Movies, TV Shows, Sporting Events, World Events And More
Well, we made it! Through the 60’s, the 70’s and now it’s time to party! The decade started out with the U.S. defeating the Russians in hockey for the first time ever for Gold at the Olympics in Lake Placid NY. It was the decade that this thing called a ‘computer’ would begin to find its way into homes, music television would show you the music, cable and satellite TV would begin to find their way into people’s homes. Video games would become more or a regular thing in our homes, cell phones as big as bricks entered our lives, wireless telephones would find their way into our lives and push-button phones began to replace the rotary phone. The space shuttle program implemented by former President Richard Nixon became a reality, the 1985 Super Bowl champs, the Chicago Bears were the most interesting sports characters of the decade and had their own video to prove it. It was a decade of celebs coming together for good causes with U.S.A For Africa’s “We Are The World”, Band-Aid’s “Do They Know Its Christmas”, Farm-Aid and more.
Check out everything that was from this decade, year by year – from the sporting events to world events, the top TV shows, songs, movies and more.
As you’re going back in time, think about some of the things in our lives today that you don’t see appearing here because…. they didn’t exist yet. Things like the top selling computers, tablets, laptops, microwaves, cable provider, wireless company and more.
Let us know some of the things that come to mind below.
For more great memories from any of the years The Beat’s music focuses on, click a year below and we’ll transport you back in time to see everything you may remember or have forgotten.
1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989
TOP SONGS
1. Every Breath You Take » Police
2. Billie Jean » Michael Jackson
3. Flashdance… What A Feeling » Irene Cara
4. Down Under » Men At Work
5. Beat It » Michael Jackson
6. Total Eclipse Of The Heart » Bonnie Tyler
7. Maneater » Daryl Hall & John Oates
8. Baby Come To Me » Patti Austin & James Ingram
9. Maniac » Michael Sembello
10. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) » Eurythmics
GRAMMY WINNERS
Album of the Year: Thriller, Michael Jackson
Best New Artist: Culture Club
Best Pop Duo or Group: “Every Breath You Take,” Police
Best Pop Female Vocal: “Flashdance: What a Feeling,” Irene Cara
Best Pop Male Vocal: Thriller, Michael Jackson
Best Rock Duo or Group: Synchronicity, Police
Best Rock Female Vocal: “Love Is a Battlefield,” Pat Benatar
Best Rock Male Vocal: “Beat It,” Michael Jackson
Record of the Year: “Beat It,” Michael Jackson
Song of the Year: “Every Breath You Take” Sting
TOP MOVIES
1 Return of the Jedi Fox $252,583,617
2 Terms of Endearment Par. $108,423,489
3 Flashdance Par. $92,921,203
4 Trading Places Par. $90,404,800
5 WarGames MGM $79,567,667
6 Octopussy MGM $67,893,619
7 Sudden Impact WB $67,642,693
8 Staying Alive Par. $64,892,670
9 Mr. Mom Fox $64,783,827
10 Risky Business WB $63,541,777
OTHER RELEASES
National Lampoon’s Vacation / Superman III / The Big Chill / Never Say Never Again
Jaws 3-D / Scarface / Psycho II / Bad Boys / Porky’s II / Easy Money / The Outsiders
A Christmas Story / The Dead Zone / Silkwood / Yentyl
ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS
Winners in CAPS
Best Picture:
“TERMS OF ENDEARMENT”, “The Big Chill”, “The Dresser”, “The Right Stuff”, “Tender Mercies”
Actor:
ROBERT DUVALL in “Tender Mercies”, Michael Caine in “Educating Rita”, Tom Conti in “Reuben, Reuben”, Tom Courtenay in “The Dresser”, Albert Finney in “The Dresser”
Actress:
SHIRLEY MACLAINE in “Terms of Endearment”, Jane Alexander in “Testament”, Meryl Streep in “Silkwood”, Julie Walters in “Educating Rita”, Debra Winger in “Terms of Endearment”
Supporting Actor:
JACK NICHOLSON in “Terms of Endearment”, Charles Durning in “To Be or Not to Be”, John Lithgow in “Terms of Endearment”, Sam Shepard in “The Right Stuff”, Rip Torn in “Cross Creek”
Supporting Actress:
LINDA HUNT in “The Year of Living Dangerously”, Cher in “Silkwood”, Glenn Close in “The Big Chill”, Amy Irving in “Yentl”, Alfre Woodard in “Cross Creek”
Director:
JAMES L. BROOKS for “Terms of Endearment”, Bruce Beresford for “Tender Mercies”, Ingmar Bergman for “Fanny and Alexander”, Mike Nichols for “Silkwood”, Peter Yates for “The Dresser”
TV SHOWS
Dallas / Dynasty / The A Team / 60 Minutes / Simon & Simon / Magnum P.I. / Falcon Crest
Kate & Allie / Hotel / Cagney & Lacey
EMMY AWARD WINNERS
Best Drama – Hill Street Blues
Best Actor – Tom Selleck, Magnum, P.I.
Best Actress – Tyne Daly, Cagney and Lacey
Supporting Actor – Bruce Weitz, Hill Street Blues
Supporting Actress – Alfre Woodard, Hill Street Blues: “Doris in Wonderland”
Best Comedy – Cheers
Best Actor – John Ritter, Three’s Company
Best Actress – Jane Curtin, Kate and Allie
Supporting Actor – Pat Harrington, Jr., One Day at a Time
Supporting Actress – Rhea Perlman, Cheers
Best Variety – The 6th Annual Kennedy Center Honors
SPORTS
Kentucky Derby Winner: Sunny’s Halo – Trainer: D. Cross Jr. – Jockey: E. Delahoussaye
Football:
Superbowl XVIII: L.A. Raiders 38 – Washington 9
Pro MVP: Joe Theismann, Washington, QB & John Riggins, Washington, RB
College Football: #1 Miami-FL
Heisman Trophy: Mike Rozier, Nebraska, RB
Rose Bowl: UCLA 45, Illinois 9
Orange Bowl: Miami-FL 31, Nebraska 30
Cotton Bowl: Georgia 10, Texas 9
Sugar Bowl: Auburn 9, Michigan 7
Baskteball:
NBA Championship: L.A. Lakers Vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Winner: Philadelphia in 4
L.A.Coach: Pat Riley
Philadelphia Coach: BillY Cunningham
MVP: Moses Malone, Philadelphia, C Average Points Per Game: 24.5
NCAA National Champions: N.C. State: 26W – 10L / Coach: Jim Valvano
World Series
Baltimore Orioles Vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Winner: Baltimore in 5 (lost game 1, won the next 4 in a row)
Baltimore Coach: Joe Altobelli
Philadelphia Coach: Paul Owne
National League
MVP: Dale Murphy, Atl (OF)
Rookie of the Year: Darryl Strawberr, NY Mets. (P)
American League
MVP: Cal Ripken Jr., Bal (SS)
Rookie of the Year: Ron Kittle, Chi White Sox, (OF)
TOP NEWS STORIES
Feature Film Bad Boys With Sean Penn, Ally Sheedy, Esai Morales and our very own Sal Amato is released in Feb and goes on to become a favorite of the 80’s.
Future classic “A Christmas Story” is released
Record $189 Billion Deficit Is Projected
House Votes 228 TO 195 To Bar Covert “Contra” Aid
Korean Air Lines 007 Is Shot Down by Soviet Missile, 279 killed
US and Caribbean Troops Invade Grenada
Legendary Coach Bear Bryant Is Gone
Borg Quits At Apex Of His Career
Polygamy: Arizona Man had 105 Wives
Reagan Proposes Star Wars Plan
All OPEC Members Agree To Cut Oil Prices
Terrorists Bomb US Embassy In Beirut, Over 239 Marines and Sailors Die
Dow exceeds 1200 for the first time
Died, Buster Crab, Jack Dempsey, Arthur Godfrey
Dustin Hoffman stars in “Tootsie”
Supreme Court reaffirms it’s 1973 (Roe Vs Wade) Right to abortion
Barny Clark the first artificial heart transplant dies after 112 days
People Express “no frills” airline starts
California Condor hatched in captivity
Hitler diaries are exposed as fraudulent
Israel’s Begin resigns, replaced by Shamir
MTV is in 17.5 million homes and top videos include “Beat It” – Michael Jackson, “Be Good Johnny” – Men at Work, “Sexy 17″ – Stray Cats, and “She Works Hard for it” – Donna Summer.
Cabbage Patch dolls with birth certificate and adoption papers are a Hit
Sony Walkman with Dolby: $229
RCA VCR: $399 – $888
Quote for Ronald Reagan: “(the USSR) is a focus of evil in the modern world.”
Thanks to Tom Cruise in ‘Risky Busines’, Ray-Ban and Vuarnet sunglasses are in.
Ad for Moosehead Beer: “Stands head and antlers above the rest”
The shuttle Challenger completes four missions including the first spacewalk since 1972.
Seat-belt and anti-drunk driver campaigns are accredited with auto accident fatalities dropping to 43,028, the lowest figure in 20 years.
Coca-Cola and Pepsi market “No-Caffeine” sodas.
Break dancing and the electroboogie are sweeping the country
President: Ronald W. Reagan
Vice President: George Bush
Population: 233,791,994
Life expectancy: 74.6 years
Dow-Jones
High: 1,287
Low: 1,027
Federal spending: $808.38 billion
Federal debt: $1371.7 billion
Inflation: 7.6%
Consumer Price Index: 99.6
Unemployment: 9.7%
Cost of a new home: $89,800.00
Cost of a new car: $6,116.00
Median Household Income: $20,885.00
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.20
Cost of a gallon of regular gas: $1.24
Cost of a dozen eggs: $0.86
Cost of a gallon of Milk: $2.24