Look Back To 1979: What Happened That Year

The winter of discontent, the first woman Prime Minister and the last year of the seventies.

Here's 1979 in full - the music, the news, the screen, the sport and the ordinary details. Good for a birthday card, a party quiz round or a reminiscence session.

In the charts in 1979

• 'Bright Eyes' by Art Garfunkel was the year's best-selling single.
• The Police, Blondie and Gary Numan all had number ones as the new wave took over.
• Pink Floyd's 'Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)' was the Christmas number one.

In the news in 1979

• The winter of discontent ran through January and February with widespread public sector strikes.
• Margaret Thatcher won the general election on 3 May and became the first woman Prime Minister.
• Lord Mountbatten was killed by the IRA in August, on the same day as the Warrenpoint attack.

On screen in 1979

• Life of Brian was released and banned by several local councils.
• Antiques Roadshow and Question Time both began.
• Alien and Apocalypse Now were the films of the year.

In sport in 1979

• Arsenal beat Manchester United 3-2 in the FA Cup final with two goals in the last five minutes.
• Nottingham Forest won the European Cup.
• Seve Ballesteros won the Open at Royal Lytham.

Everyday life in 1979

• The Sony Walkman was launched in Japan in July and reached Britain the following year.
• The Rubik's Cube began its journey towards the West.
• Inflation and strikes made the winter of 1978-79 the thing everybody remembers about the year.

If you were born in 1979

• Anyone born in 1979 is the last of the seventies.
• They were born the year Britain got its first woman Prime Minister.
• Anyone born in 1979 turns 30 in 2009, 40 in 2019, 50 in 2029, 60 in 2039 and 70 in 2049.
• For a milestone card, the strongest line is usually the number one from the week they were born rather than the year's biggest events - it's personal, and it takes two minutes to find.
• For a reminiscence session, read one section at a time and stop on whatever gets a reaction. The point is the conversation, not the facts.

Shop birthday cards

How to write it so it lands

• The number one from the week they were born beats the year's headlines on a card.
• Read one section at a time in a reminiscence session and stop where the conversation starts.
• Use it as a guess-the-year round by reading three facts and hiding the date.

Where to shop next

• Look back to 1978
• Look back to 1977
• Look back to 1976
• The 1970s: the whole decade
• 1970s party playlist
• 70s kids' TV shows
• 70s quiz questions
• British Bulldog rules
• Kerby rules
• Sweets that disappeared
• Test card, Ceefax and three channels
• The 2020s so far
• The 2010s: the whole decade
• The 2000s: the whole decade
• The 1990s: the whole decade
• The 1980s: the whole decade
• The 1960s: the whole decade
• The 1950s: the whole decade
• The 1940s: the whole decade
• The 1930s: the whole decade
• The 1920s: the whole decade
• Decade calendar: every year from 1920
• Decade trivia: fun facts by era
• Decade trivia game: play for points
• Decade guides: books, films and TV by era
• Decade recipes: dishes and food trends by era
• Decade travel: destinations and holidays by era
• Decade tech: gadgets and computers by era
• Decade films: best movies and directors by era
• Decade art: artists, styles and trends by era
• Decade books: best novels, authors and reading trends
• Music by decade: albums, artists and songs
• Decade fashion: clothes, hair and accessories by era
• Nostalgia gift shop
• Retro party supplies
• Nostalgia birthday party by decade
• Nostalgia hamper and gift ideas
• Guess the year quiz
• Care home reminiscence quiz
• Reminiscence gifts for grandparents
• Milestone birthday cards
• Shop birthday cards
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What was the winter of discontent?

The wave of public sector strikes in the winter of 1978-79 over pay restraint, which included refuse collection and other essential services.

What was the Christmas number one in 1979?

'Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)' by Pink Floyd.

How old is someone born in 1979?

Subtract 1979 from the current year. They turn 40 in 2019, 50 in 2029, 60 in 2039 and 70 in 2049.

Do you sell anything to do with this year?

We make greeting cards, art prints and pin badges in the UK, including milestone birthday cards. This page itself is free to read and free to copy.