Most Iconic ’80s Pop Culture Moments We Still Can’t Forget

The 1980s were a strange time. This was the decade of oversized shoulder pads, blockbuster movies, and technology that would soon change the world. The ’80s witnessed some truly world-altering events that left everyone in disbelief.

From home computers to MJ’s legendary moonwalk performance, this decade gave many things to be proud of or ashamed of.

The Chornobyl Disaster

On April 26, 1986, reactor No. 4 at the Chornobyl NPP in Ukraine exploded during a badly handled safety test. The disaster released radioactive material across parts of Europe and became the worst nuclear power accident in history. Two workers died the night of the explosion, and 28 more died in the following weeks from acute radiation sickness, while many others faced long-term health risks.

But it wasn’t just about the numbers. Chornobyl became a blood-soaked symbol of secrecy and government failure. The Soviets tried to keep the bad news from breaking out, which only made things worse for everyone, as outside help could have prevented it all. This disastrous event made the world realize that nuclear energy and inadequate management can lead to devastating results.

John Lennon was killed

On December 8, 1980, right outside his apartment building in New York, John Lennon was killed by Mark David Chapman. The legendary musician was only 40 years old. His death hit far beyond Beatles fans.

At that point, Lennon was a full-fledged icon and a cultural landmark. The Beatles had already changed pop music as a genre, and Lennon’s “Imagine” is still being used as an anthem whenever people talk about peace and politics. His murder also ruined the idea that if you are someone famous and in tune with modern culture, you’d be safe wherever you go, when in reality, every step you take, someone could be watching you.

MTV Makes Music Visual

When MTV launched in 1981, it kicked things off with the Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star,” which was the most dramatic and on-the-nose song they could’ve picked. Suddenly, just listening to your favorite bangers wasn’t enough.

At first, MTV had a limited supply of videos to play, but artists quickly realized this was the way into the future of music. Michael Jackson, Madonna, Duran Duran, Prince, and countless others used music videos to build entire visual worlds. Of course, you had to have a great song, but now you also had to think about the outfit, choreography, and even a potential video.