“The Phantom of the Opera release in London with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman”
— Someone · 6d ago
1985
The year in music, movies, TV, fads & memories
In 1985, “Careless Whisper” by George Michael topped the Billboard year-end Hot 100 and Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits and Songs from the Big Chair by Tears for Fears were on every turntable. Back to the Future, The Goonies and The Breakfast Club were in theaters, and The Golden Girls, MacGyver and Pee-wee's Playhouse were on TV.
The headlines: Reagan-Gorbachev Geneva summit. New that year: NES launches in the US. Fads of the year: Teddy Ruxpin debuts and Nintendo craze begins. Gas was $1.20 a gallon, a stamp was 22¢ and a movie ticket ran ~$3.55. On the shelf: a box of Nerds, a Capri Sun and a My Little Pony, with G.I. Joe on Saturday morning.
🎂 What music raised you?
Drop your birthday and we'll rewind to your golden era — the years the songs imprinted for life.
🔙 Backtrack — 1985
The world around the music — what was on screen, and what was on the shelf.
🎬 Set the scene
1985. A mixtape-making night. You had a Fruit Roll-Up, a can of Slice, and just enough of the day left to snap a Trapper Keeper shut between classes.
📼 Saturday cartoons
- He-Man and the Masters of the Universe👕 tee →
- ThunderCats👕 tee →
- G.I. Joe👕 tee →
- The Smurfs👕 tee →
- Inspector Gadget
- Voltron👕 tee →
- Muppet Babies
- Alvin and the Chipmunks
- Jem👕 tee →
📰 Headlines
- Reagan-Gorbachev Geneva summit
- 'New Coke' launched, then reversed
- Live Aid concerts (July 13)
- Rock Hudson dies of AIDS
- Gorbachev becomes Soviet leader
💡 Tech & Firsts
- NES launches in the US
- Windows 1.0 ships (Nov)
- Super Mario Bros. released
- Nintendo Zapper / R.O.B.
- CD-ROM goes commercial
🏆 Sports
- Royals win the World Series
- Lakers win the NBA title
- 49ers win Super Bowl XIX
- Oilers win the Stanley Cup
- Villanova upsets Georgetown
🤪 Crazes & fads
- Teddy Ruxpin debuts
- Nintendo craze begins
- 'We Are the World'
- Pound Puppies
- Garbage Pail Kids
👖 Clothes
- Members Only jackets peak
- Acid-wash denim
- Shoulder pads
- Jordache & Guess jeans
- Neon clothing
💵 What it cost
- Gas: $1.20/gal
- Stamp: 22¢
- Movie ticket: ~$3.55
- New car avg: ~$11,500
- Median home: ~$75,500
🧸 Toy chest
🍬 On the shelf
🥤 In the fridge
Billboard Year-End Hot 100
📊 Full chart →- 1
Careless WhisperGeorge Michael - 2
Like a VirginMadonna - 3
Wake Me Up Before You Go-GoWham! - 4
I Want to Know What Love IsForeigner - 5
I Feel for YouChaka Khan - 6
Out of TouchDaryl Hall & John Oates - 7
Everybody Wants to Rule the WorldTears for Fears - 8
Money for NothingDire Straits - 9
Crazy for YouMadonna - 10
Take On Mea-ha - 11
Every Time You Go AwayPaul Young - 12
Easy LoverPhilip Bailey & Phil Collins - 13
Can't Fight This FeelingREO Speedwagon - 14
We Built This CityStarship - 15
The Power of LoveHuey Lewis & The News - 16
Don't You (Forget About Me)Simple Minds - 17
CherishKool & The Gang - 19
The Heat Is OnGlenn Frey - 20
We Are the WorldU.S.A. for Africa - 21ShoutTears for Fears
- 22
Part-Time LoverStevie Wonder - 23
Saving All My Love for YouWhitney Houston - 24
HeavenBryan Adams - 25Everything She WantsWham!
- 26
Cool It NowNew Edition
More from 1985
🎤 Big in 1985
🎚️ 1985 genres
🎛️ Behind the boards & the pen — 1985
The hands behind 1985 — the producers and songwriters who actually shaped that year's records. David Foster was on 3 of them.
🎬 Movies of 1985
All soundtracks →The soundtracks that scored 1985 — every song and where it played.
▶Back to the Future
1985 · 4 tracks
♪ The Power of Love
▶The Breakfast Club
1985 · 4 tracks
♪ Don't You (Forget About Me)
▶Rocky IV
1985 · 4 tracks
♪ Burning Heart
▶St. Elmo's Fire
1985 · 4 tracks
♪ St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)
Vision Quest
1985 · 3 tracks
♪ Crazy for You
▶Weird Science
1985 · 5 tracks
♪ Weird Science
White Nights
1985 · 4 tracks
♪ Say You, Say Me (feat. Jason Aldean)
▶The Goonies
1985 · 6 tracks
♪ The Goonies 'R' Good Enough
▶Desperately Seeking Susan
1985 · 1 track
♪ Into the Groove
🎚️ Related vibes
All themes →Themed rooms that lean on the sound of 1985.
If You Leave
Mean Mr. Mustard's
Buckets of beer and a packed dance floor.1978–1996
I Will Always Love You
Movie Soundtracks
The song from THAT scene.1968–1997
Hungry Like the Wolf
MTV After School
Backpack down, TV on.1983–1990
🌀 Things 1985 remembers wrong
All Glitch Files →Mandela-effect cases that were on the shelf, the screen or the radio in 1985. Which do you remember?
What does 1985 remind you of?
The drive, the dance, the heartbreak, the summer. Add a memory of 1985.
Community Memories (1)
How well do you remember 1985?
7 quick questions — the songs, the artists, the year. No cheating. 😏
📼 Take this tape with you
Build this in your own Spotify in two taps — free, no account needed here. (For Apple Music or YouTube, open songs one-by-one below.)
Then open the free helper
🎵 1985 albums on vinyl
🎵 Dire Straits — Brothers in Arms🎵 Tears for Fears — Songs from the Big Chair🎵 Whitney Houston — Whitney Houston🎵 Vinyl🎵 Browse The Record Rack →
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📻 80s gear
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