Look Back To 1980: What Happened That Year

The decade opened with the SAS on live television and John Lennon's death in December.

Here's 1980 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 1980

• The Police, Blondie and Abba all had number ones during the year.
• John Lennon's '(Just Like) Starting Over' returned to number one after his death in December, and 'Imagine' followed it to the top in January 1981.
• St Winifred's School Choir had the Christmas number one with 'There's No One Quite Like Grandma'.

In the news in 1980

• The Iranian Embassy siege in London ended with an SAS assault on 5 May, broadcast live while the snooker was on BBC Two.
• John Lennon was shot and killed in New York on 8 December.
• Unemployment rose sharply through the year and passed two million.

On screen in 1980

• The Empire Strikes Back was the film of the year.
• Yes Minister began on BBC Two; Hi-de-Hi! also started.
• Dallas was at the height of its British audience after the 'Who shot JR?' cliffhanger.

In sport in 1980

• The Moscow Olympics were held under a partial boycott; Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett famously won each other's expected events.
• Alex Higgins reached the World Snooker final; Cliff Thorburn won it.
• Nottingham Forest won the European Cup for the second year running.

Everyday life in 1980

• The Rubik's Cube was everywhere and almost nobody could finish it.
• Space Invaders and Pac-Man were in every arcade and chip shop.
• Post Office Telephones became British Telecom in October.

If you were born in 1980

• Anyone born in 1980 arrived the year John Lennon died and the year the Rubik's Cube reached Britain.
• They were four when Band Aid was recorded and five at Live Aid.
• Anyone born in 1980 turns 30 in 2010, 40 in 2020, 50 in 2030, 60 in 2040 and 70 in 2050.
• 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 1983
• Look back to 1982
• Look back to 1981
• The 1980s: the whole decade
• 1980s party playlist
• 80s kids' TV shows
• 80s quiz questions
• Toys of the 80s and 90s
• Computers and consoles we grew up with
• Saturday morning TV
• Cassette tapes and taping the charts
• The 2020s so far
• The 2010s: the whole decade
• The 2000s: the whole decade
• The 1990s: the whole decade
• The 1970s: 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
• Mother's Day gifts
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What was the Christmas number one in 1980?

'There's No One Quite Like Grandma' by St Winifred's School Choir, from Stockport.

What was the Iranian Embassy siege?

A six-day siege at the Iranian Embassy in Kensington, ended on 5 May 1980 by an SAS assault that was broadcast live on television.

How old is someone born in 1980?

Subtract 1980 from the current year. They turn 40 in 2020, 50 in 2030, 60 in 2040 and 70 in 2050.

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.