5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About the ’80s

There are certain things that come to mind when you think of the 1980s: mullets, shoulder pads, and neon colors. But there’s a lot more to it than just those things.

Music trivia questions  are a great way to test your knowledge of the ’80s. You might think you know everything there is to know about this decade, but these questions will prove otherwise. The 1980s were filled with memorable moments and events, from music to movies and more.

Here are five facts about the ’80s that might surprise you:

Michael Jackson was at one point the highest-earning entertainer in history.

You probably already know that Michael Jackson was the highest-paid entertainer in history and earned $1 billion during his lifetime. But did you know that he was also the first entertainer to reach over $1 billion? He raked in more than $1 billion during the peak of his career, thanks in part to the success of such albums as Thriller and Bad.

But wait. There’s more. Michael made headlines again when he became one of only two people in history, along with Frank Sinatra, to have three number one albums on Billboard’s Top 200 chart in a year (1987).

Madonna’s “Like A Prayer” was first advertised during the super bowl.

Did you know that Madonna’s “Like A Prayer” was first advertised during the super bowl? Even more impressive, this was the first time a music video ever ran during prime time. It also marked the first time a music video was advertised during the day in history. That’s right: when “Like A Prayer” aired on Super Bowl Sunday 1988, it wasn’t just a big deal for Madonna; it was a big deal for all of us. You go, girl.

The ’80s was called the decade of excess by many critics.

It’s no secret that the ’80s were called the decade of excess by many critics. The rise in money, sex, and drugs made it seem like we were living in an entirely different world than what had come before (and what came after). But even if you weren’t partaking in these self-destructive behaviors, there are other ways that the decade was excessive, like fashion. There was so much color and style packed into each outfit that it was almost more than your eyes could handle.

Then there was music. It seems like every girl wanted to be Madonna, and every guy wanted to be Michael Jackson or Prince (or both if he could get away with it). And who can forget all those songs about partying and having fun?

The ’80s is the decade that brought us the Fall of The Berlin Wall in 1989.

The Berlin Wall, a symbol of the Cold War, was built in 1961 to stop East Germans from fleeing to West Germany. It stood for 28 years before being taken down on November 9th of, 1989. The wall was a concrete barrier that separated East Berlin from West Berlin. It stretched over 96 miles and was 4 meters high with concrete blocks attached every 10 meters along its length. On its western side, it had a no-man’s land, which was covered with barbed wire and fitted with automated machine guns to ensure that nobody could cross into or out of East Germany during the height of the Cold War era.

The dismantling process began on October 3rd, 1990, after nearly 40 years since its construction started in 1962 by demolishing parts of it until they were all entirely removed by December 14th, 1992, where they were sold off at auction as souvenirs; today, most remain outside museums around Europe, but one fragment still stands inside Checkpoint Charlie museum in Kreuzberg district – though visitors are not allowed access due to safety concerns (but you can take photos).

Rosanne Barr singing the national anthem at a San Diego Padres game

If you’re a big enough fan of the iconic sitcom “Roseanne,” then you know that Rosanne Barr was born in 1952. However, she’s been in the industry for quite some time; she first started acting at age eight and has since gone on to star in many famous movies, including “She-Devil” (1989) and “For Your Consideration” (2006).

Barr is also an American actress and comedian. She’s best known for her role as the title character on ABC’s hit show “Roseanne.” The series ran from 1988 to 1997, but Barr has had an active career; she still performs standup routines around the country.

One of those performances took place at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, on the July 4th weekend back in 1990. At the same time, plenty of other entertainers were on deck that day, including Michael Jackson, who performed two concerts just one month later.

We hope you enjoyed learning about these fun facts about the 80s. They’re certainly something we didn’t know before doing this research. Hopefully, now that you do, you’ll be able to impress your friends with all the trivia knowledge that’s in your head.