1980s Pop Culture Flashback
Instructions: MTV, Pac-Man, and big hair — test your memory of the totally awesome 1980s!
- 1.
What music television channel launched on August 1, 1981, with the words 'Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll'?
ABETBCMTCVH1DMTV - 2.
Which arcade video game, featuring a yellow circle eating dots, became a worldwide sensation in 1980?
ASpace InvadersBPac-ManCAsteroidsDDonkey Kong - 3.
Which 1982 Steven Spielberg film features a boy who befriends an alien stranded on Earth?
AClose Encounters of the Third KindBCocoonCFlight of the NavigatorDE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - 4.
Which U.S. President served two terms during most of the 1980s and was a former Hollywood actor?
AGeorge H.W. BushBGerald FordCRonald ReaganDJimmy Carter - 5.
What was the best-selling album of all time, released by Michael Jackson in 1982?
AOff the WallBBadCThrillerDDangerous - 6.
Which 1985 movie trilogy starter features Marty McFly traveling through time in a DeLorean?
ABill & Ted's Excellent AdventureBBack to the FutureCThe TerminatorDTime Bandits - 7.
Which charity single, recorded by dozens of pop stars to aid African famine relief, was released in 1985?
AWe Are the WorldBThat's What Friends Are ForCHands Across AmericaDDo They Know It's Christmas? - 8.
What puzzle toy, invented by Erno Rubik, became one of the biggest fads of the early 1980s?
ASimonBRubik's CubeCLite-BriteDTrivial Pursuit - 9.
Which 1980s TV show followed the wealthy Carrington family in Denver, Colorado?
ADallasBDynastyCKnots LandingDFalcon Crest - 10.
What home video game console, released by Nintendo in 1985, revived the video game industry after a major crash?
ANintendo Entertainment System (NES)BSega GenesisCColecoVisionDAtari 2600 - 11.
Which 1980s fashion trend involved pushing up the sleeves of a blazer or sport coat?
ANew Wave fashionBPower dressingCPreppy styleDThe Miami Vice look - 12.
Which 1986 space disaster involved the explosion of a NASA space shuttle shortly after launch?
AAtlantisBColumbiaCDiscoveryDChallenger - 13.
Which iconic 1980s movie featured a group of kids searching for pirate treasure to save their neighborhood?
AExplorersBThe GooniesCStand by MeDThe Monster Squad - 14.
What was the name of the 1985 benefit concert organized by Bob Geldof to raise money for Ethiopian famine relief?
ARock AidBLive AidCFarm AidDBand Aid - 15.
Which television show, debuting in 1986, featured the Tanner family and an alien named ALF?
AALFBPerfect StrangersCFamily TiesDGrowing Pains
Answer Key
MTV launched with 'Video Killed the Radio Star' by the Buggles as its very first music video. It revolutionized the music industry by making visuals as important as sound.
Pac-Man generated over $2.5 billion in quarters by the 1990s. It was the first game to appeal to both male and female players and spawned massive merchandising.
E.T. became the highest-grossing film of all time upon release, surpassing Star Wars. The film's flying bicycle silhouette became one of cinema's most iconic images.
Ronald Reagan served as the 40th President from 1981 to 1989. Before politics, he appeared in over 50 films and served as president of the Screen Actors Guild.
Thriller has sold an estimated 70 million copies worldwide. Its 14-minute title track music video, directed by John Landis, redefined what a music video could be.
Back to the Future, starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, was the highest-grossing film of 1985. The DeLorean time machine became an enduring pop culture icon.
We Are the World was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and recorded by 46 music stars including Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, and Bob Dylan. It raised over $63 million.
The Rubik's Cube sold over 100 million units in its first two years. It has over 43 quintillion possible configurations but can always be solved in 20 moves or fewer.
Dynasty ran from 1981 to 1989 and starred John Forsythe and Linda Evans. Joan Collins joined as the scheming Alexis in season two and became the show's biggest star.
The NES, bundled with Super Mario Bros., sold over 61 million units and single-handedly saved the video game industry from the devastating 1983 crash.
Don Johnson's Sonny Crockett on Miami Vice popularized the pastel T-shirt under a linen blazer with pushed-up sleeves look, influencing men's fashion throughout the decade.
The Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after launch on January 28, 1986, killing all seven crew members including teacher Christa McAuliffe. Millions watched live on television.
The Goonies, produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Richard Donner, became a beloved cult classic. Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, and Corey Feldman starred as the adventurous kids.
Live Aid was held simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, broadcast to an estimated 1.9 billion viewers in 150 countries.
ALF (which stood for 'Alien Life Form') aired from 1986 to 1990. The wise-cracking alien puppet from the planet Melmac became a pop culture sensation and merchandising juggernaut.