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INDEPENDENCE

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Memories

Back in the 80’s

In the ’80s, several prominent trends emerged in various fields. Here are some noteworthy trends from that period: The late 80s marked a transformative period across various aspects of culture and society. In music, the era saw the emergence of iconic trends, with pop, rock, and hip-hop reigning supreme and artists like Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Guns N’ Roses attaining widespread acclaim.

Fashion underwent a significant shift, embracing bold and extravagant styles characterized by vibrant colors, oversized accessories, and the popularization of denim and leather jackets. Simultaneously, notable progress was witnessed in technology, as personal computers gained popularity, the World Wide Web was born, and early mobile phones took their initial steps.

Furthermore, the political landscape experienced seismic shifts, with global events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall and revolutions across Eastern Europe ultimately leading to the dissolution of the Soviet Union, reshaping the geopolitical framework.

These trends reflect the dynamic cultural, technological, and political landscape of the 1980s.

Major World Events
1989

According to Copilot

  1. Berlin Wall Comes Down: After many years of division, the Berlin Wall, which separated East and West Germany, was dismantled. This event eventually led to the reunification of the two German states.
  2. First Release of Microsoft Office: Microsoft Office, a suite of productivity software including a spreadsheet, word processor, database, and presentation software, was first released.
  3. Tiananmen Square Protests: The iconic image of a man confronting a tank became a symbol of the struggle for freedom.
  4. Hillsborough Disaster: A tragic incident occurred during a football match at Hillsborough Stadium
    in the United Kingdom, resulting in the loss
    of lives and injuries.
  5. Savings and Loan Crisis: A financial crisis hit the United States, affecting nearly a quarter of all savings and loan associations, leading to bailouts.
  6. Exxon Valdez Environmental Disaster: The Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground in Alaska’s Prince
    William Sound, spilling 240,000 barrels
    (11 million gallons) of oil.
  7. Game Boy Launched: Nintendo released the Game
    Boy in Japan in April and in North America in July, revolutionizing portable gaming.
  8. Civil War in Lebanon: The Lebanese Civil War continued, causing significant instability and conflict
    in the region.
  9. Elections in Poland Bring Solidarity to Power: Free elections in Poland resulted in the Solidarity movement gaining political influence.
  10. Japanese Emperor Hirohito Dies: Emperor Hirohito of Japan passed away after a long reign.

Movies – Top Grossing
1989

According to IMBd

  1. Batman
  2. Indian Jones – The Last Crusade
  3. Lethal Weapon 2
  4. Look Who’s Talking
  5. Honey I Shrunk the Kids
  6. Back to the Future II
  7. Ghostbusters II
  8. Driving Miss Daisy
  9. Parenthood
  10. Dead Poet Society

BATMAN

The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being Jack Napier, a criminal who becomes the clownishly homicidal Joker.

Grossing: $251.19M

Music – Top Hits
1989

According to billboard magazine

  1. “Look Away” by Chicago
  2. “My Prerogative” by Bobby Brown
  3. “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” by Poison
  4. “Straight Up” by Paula Abdul
  5. “Miss You Much” by Janet Jackson
  6. “Cold Hearted” by Paula Abdul
  7. “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler
  8. “Girl You Know It’s True” by Milli Vanilli
  9. “Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley” by Will to Power
  10. “Giving You the Best That I Got” by Anita Baker

LOOK AWAY

CHICAGO

No. 1 song on the 1989 year-end Billboard Hot 100 chart, even though it never held the No. 1 spot at all
in 1989.

Major World Events
1988

According to Copilot

  1. Winter Olympics: Take place in Calgary, Canada.
  2. NASA: resumes space shuttle flights after the Challenger disaster with the successful
    launch of Discovery.
  3. George H. W. Bush: Elected as the
    41st President of the United States.
  4. Pan Am Flight 103: bombed over
    Lockerbie, Scotland.
  5. The Soviet Union: Begins its process of
    political and economic restructuring
    known as perestroika.
  6. Enzo Ferrari: Founder of the famous car
    company, dies at the age of 90.
  7. The Iran–Iraq War: Ends after eight years of conflict.
  8. The first computer virus: Known as the
    Morris worm, spreads across the internet.
  9. The Summer Olympics: Take place in Seoul,
    South Korea.
  10. The World Health Organization: Hosts the
    first World AIDS Day to raise awareness
    about the disease.

Movies – Top Grossing
1988

According to IMBd

  1. Rain Man
  2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
  3. Coming to America
  4. Big
  5. Twins
  6. Crocodile Dundee 2
  7. Die Hard
  8. The Naked Gun
  9. Cocktail
  10. Beetle Juice

RAIN MAN

An emotional drama where a selfish L.A. yuppie learns about his estranged brother, an autistic savant, and embarks on a cross-country journey to gain a larger inheritance. 

Grossing: $178.80M

Music – Top Hits
1988

According to billboard magazine

  1. Faith – George Michael
  2. Need You Tonight – INXS
  3. Got My Mind Set On You – George Harrison
  4. Never Gonna Give You Up – Rick Astley
  5. Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns N’ Roses
  6. So Emotional – Whitney Houston
  7. Heaven is a Place on Earth – Belinda Carlisle
  8. Could’ve Been – Tiffany
  9. Hands to Heaven – Breathe
  10. Roll With It – Steve Winwood

FAITH

GEORGE MICHAEL

Held the #1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for four weeks. According to Billboard magazine, it was the #1 single of the year in the United States in 1988.

Major World Events
1987

According to Copilot

  1. The Simpsons: The first-ever episode of The Simpsons aired during April. Initially, it was a cartoon short shown on The Tracey Ullman Show. 
  2. Zeebrugge Ferry Disaster: A cross-channel ferry capsized outside the harbor in Zeebrugge, Belgium,
    193 passengers and crew were tragically lost.
  3. Berlin Wall Speech: US President Ronald Reagan delivered his famous speech at the Berlin Wall in West Berlin, urging reunification of Germany.
  4. DNA Evidence Conviction: The first criminal was convicted using DNA evidence, marking a
    significant milestone in forensic science.
  5. Hungerford Mass Shooting: Michael Robert Ryan killed 16 people in Hungerford, England.
  6. Stock Market Crash: The U.S. stock market
    experienced a 22.6% drop in one day on October
    19, 1987, leading to a global stock market crash.
  7. AZT for AIDS Treatment: After years of research,
    a new drug called AZT was used for the treatment of AIDS.
  8. Hurricane-Force Winds in England: The Great Southern British Storm of 1987 brought hurricane-force winds to much of the South of England, resulting
    in the loss of 23 lives.
  9. Disneyland Paris Agreement: The Disney Corporation and France agreed to create an amusement park, becoming Disneyland Paris.
  10. Terry Waite’s Kidnapping: Terry Waite, the special envoy of the Archbishop of Canterbury, was
    kidnapped in Beirut.

Movies – Top Grossing
1987

According to IMBd

  1. Three Man and a Baby
  2. Fatal Attraction
  3. Beverly Hills Cop II
  4. Good Morning, Vietnam
  5. Moonstruck
  6. The untouchables
  7. The Secret of My Success
  8. Stakeout
  9. Lethal Weapon
  10. The Witches of Eastwick

Three Man and a Baby

Jack Holden and his friends, Peter and Michael, spend most of their time having flings with several women in their apartment. Their life changes when a mysterious baby appears at their doorstep.

Grossing: $167.78M

Music – Top Hits
1987

According to billboard magazine

  1. Walk Like an Egyptian – The Bangles
  2. Alone – Heart
  3. Shake You Down – Gregory Abbott
  4. I Wanna Dance with Somebody – Whitney Houston
  5. Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now – Starship
  6. C’est La Vie – Robbie Nevil
  7. Here I Go Again – Whitesnake
  8. The Way It Is – Bruce Hornsby and the Range
  9. Shakedown – Bob Seger
  10. Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi

WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN

BANGLES

It was the band’s first number-one single, being certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and was ranked Billboard‘s number-one song of 1987.