Music is the language that binds us. And while the ’80s might get a deserved bad reputation when it comes to the fashion, the music was beyond reproach .
Some of the biggest musical acts of the century debuted during this decade.
So in order to help shine a light, here are 10+ completely random ’80s music facts that fans didn’t know!
1. Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start The Fire” is a history lesson written into a song.
Joel wrote the song in response to a claim that it was easier growing up in the 1950s than the ’80s.
Each verse is a new decade and the lyrics list every major historical event beginning from 1949 until Joel’s present-day 1989.
2. AC/DC’s lead singer, Bon Scott, tragically passes away.
Bon Scott was the original singer for AC/DC. You can hear his voice on tracks like “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” as well as “T.N.T.”.
The official cause of death was sadly alcohol-related. Scott passed out in his car and asphyxiated in his sleep.
Later that same year, the band began recording and touring with Brian Johnson.
Unless you’re a die-hard AC/DC fan, Brian Johnson is more than likely the singer you’d associate with the band.
Brian is the lead vocalist on the Back In Black album and every subsequent recording since.
3. 1981 was a huge year for solo careers.
In February of 1981, Phil Collins released his first solo album Face Value . Prior to that, Phil was the drummer and singer for the band Genesis.
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Billy Idol also released his debut EP that very same month, having left the band Generation X only a few short months prior.
4. On December 8th, 1980, John Lennon was shot and killed outside of his New York City apartment.
Lennon’s life was tragically cut short by a deranged man by the name of Mark David Chapman .
John was a philanthropist, an advocate for peace, as well as a musical genius.
5. Live Aid rocks the entire world!
Live Aid was a global charity concert designed to help raise funds and awareness for the Ethiopian Famine.
It took place on two continents , simultaneously, and boasted a global viewing audience of more than 1 billion people!
12. Paul McCartney spent nine days inside a Tokyo jail cell.
As Paul recalls, “We were about to fly to Japan and I knew I wouldn’t be able to get anything to smoke over there. This stuff was too good to flush down the toilet, so I thought I’d take it with me.”
13. Ozzy Osbourne stopped breathing after his accident.
After a quad bike crash, Osbourne actually stopped breathing.
“He had stopped breathing for a minute and a half and there was no pulse. But thank God, the security guard was there to revive him. He resuscitated him and got him breathing and his pulse going again. We are so, so grateful to him.” Sharon Osbourne said.
6. The world loses one of the greatest drummers to ever live.
Led Zeppelin invented heavy metal. If you haven’t heard John Bonham’s drum solo on “Moby Dick”, it’s perhaps the greatest drum performance that ever was or ever will be.
Sadly, Bonham died of alcohol poisoning after consuming more than 40 oz in only 12 hours.
Can you guess what was the first song to ever be played on MTV?
It was ” Video Killed The Radio Star ” by The Buggles.
It’s an awfully apocalyptic premonition, wouldn’t you say? Almost as if they could see the paradigm shift as it was happening.
7. I want my MTV!
What’s really sad is that I not only remember MTV but I can still recall a time when they actually only played music videos!
A television station dedicated to music videos playing 24/7 was groundbreaking at the time. The station broadcast premiere took place on August 1st, 1981.
8. Simon & Garfunkel played a free reunion show in Central Park.
No one ever expected to see Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon perform together ever again. But when they were asked to reunite to help raise funds for Central Park , the legendary duo obliged.
More than 500,000 people attended the free event.
11. Cyndi Lauper’s record-breaking album debuts in 1984
Cyndi was the first woman to chart four singles from the same album on the Billboard Top #5.
Prior to this, only The Beatles had been able to achieve such a tremendous feat.
9. Michael Jackson’s *Thriller* spends an unprecedented 37 weeks at the #1 spot.
Michael Jackson’s Thriller is the most popular album of all time. It’s sold more than 33 million copies domestically and more than 66 million internationally.
It is #2 in terms of domestic sales, behind The Eagles’ Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 .
10. Hello world, meet Madonna!
The iconic pop queen made her debut back in 1982 with her lead single “Everybody”.
Ironically, it would take Madonna another three years of hard work before she cranked out her first #1 record.