Today in 80s history! What happened on August 31st in the 80s? Find out what happened today in 80s Movies, 80s Music, 80s TV Shows, and 80s Sports! Also find out about celebrity birthdays for the legends, icons and characters we grew up with in the 80s!
TODAY'S 80S BIRTHDAYS
Debbie Gibson (Out of the Blue, "Lost in Your Eyes") - 56
August 31, 1970
Richard Gere (American Gigolo, An Officer and a Gentleman) - 77
August 31, 1949
Gina Schock (The Go-Go's) - 69
August 31, 1957
Reb Beach (Winger) - 63
August 31, 1963
Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze) - 69
August 31, 1957
Van Morrison ("Brown Eyed Girl") - 81
August 31, 1945
Zack Ward (Scut Farkus in A Christmas Story) - 56
August 31, 1970
REMEMBERING
Princess Diana (Princess of Wales)
July 1, 1961 - August 31, 1997 (Age 36)
Tom Seaver (New York Mets, 311 Wins)
November 17, 1944 - August 31, 2020 (Age 75)
Frank Robinson (First Black Manager in Major League Baseball)
August 31, 1935 - February 7, 2019 (Age 83)
TODAY IN 80S MUSIC
80s Music Released on August 31st
1987 - Bad
Artist: Michael Jackson (7th Album)
Billboard Charts: #1
Note: The follow-up to the biggest album ever made. Five singles went to #1, a record at the time, and it has sold over 35 million copies — a figure that would define most careers and was treated at the time as a disappointment. His birthday was two days ago.
1987 - Document
Artist: R.E.M. (5th Album)
Billboard Charts: #10
Note: The last album for I.R.S. and the one that broke them — "The One I Love" became their first Top 10 single, and "It's the End of the World as We Know It" became inescapable. Released the same day as Bad.
1987 - Darklands
Artist: The Jesus and Mary Chain (2nd Album)
UK Charts: #5
Note: They turned the feedback down and wrote actual songs, which horrified some of the people who'd loved Psychocandy and won them everyone else.
TODAY IN 80S MOVIES
80s Movies Released On August 31st
No 80s Movie News today in the 80s!
TODAY IN 80S TV
1987 - CBS Aired Michael Jackson: The Magic Returns
Event: Television Special
Network: CBS
Note: A prime-time special built entirely around the world premiere of the "Bad" video — eighteen minutes directed by Martin Scorsese — on the same day the album came out.
1984 - MuchMusic Signed On
Event: Network Launch
Network: MuchMusic (Canada)
Note: Canada's answer to MTV, three years after MTV's own launch on August 1. The first video played was Rush's "The Enemy Within."
TODAY IN 80S SPORTS
1984 - Pinklon Thomas Won the WBC Heavyweight Title
Event: Boxing
Details: A majority decision over Tim Witherspoon at the Riviera in Las Vegas. Trevor Berbick took the belt off Thomas two years later, on a date that also turns up in this series on August 1.
TODAY IN OTHER 80S NEWS
No other 80s News today!
