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December 8, 1980

December 8, 1980, was a Monday. It was 43 years, 3 months, and 20 days ago. The zodiac sign for this date is Sagittarius.

On This Day

What happened?

What happened on December 8, 1980?

  • The comic strip "Bloom County" is published for the first time.
  • Beatles legend John Lennon is shot and killed outside of his New York apartment.
Song charts

Music charts

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on December 8, 1980:

  • United States: "Lady" by Kenny Rogers
  • United Kingdom: "Super Trouper" by ABBA

The Billboard Hot 100 on December 8, 1980

These were the top five songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart:

  • Lady - Kenny Rogers
  • More Than I Can Say - Leo Sayer
  • Another One Bites The Dust - Queen
  • Woman In Love - Barbra Streisand
  • Master Blaster (Jammin') - Stevie Wonder
Play the top songs from 1980
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1980. Take a trip back to the days of Kool & The Gang, ABBA, Air Supply, Blondie and Queen.
Private Benjamin

Top movie at the box office

The movie "Private Benjamin" was at the top of the box office on December 8, 1980.

Facts

This date was 15,816 days ago. Approximately 527 months have passed. It was the 343rd day of 1980, in week 50. The decade was the eighties. There were only 23 days left in the year. People born on this day are currently 43 years old and belong to the Millennial generation. 1980 had 366 days because it was a leap year. The Earth has experienced 176 seasons of weather since then.

Take me back to December 8, 1980

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.

It is Monday, December 8, 1980. Anyone born today will have the star sign Sagittarius. The weekend has just passed, so some people are feeling a bit down. Others are tired after partying too much.

The Christmas season of 1980 has begun. In America, the song "Lady" by Kenny Rogers is at the top of the singles charts, while "Super Trouper" by ABBA is the number-one song in the UK. Jimmy Carter is the President of the United States, and the movie Private Benjamin is at the top of the box office.

Margaret Thatcher is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Because it's 1980, the radio stations are being dominated by artists such as Pink Floyd, Barbra Streisand, John Lennon, Lipps Inc, Diana Ross, Blondie and Kenny Rogers. In fashion, women are wearing jelly shoes, turtleneck sweaters, loose high-waist pants, crop tops, and puffer jackets lined with fur. Meanwhile, men have been ditching the disco look of the 1970s in favor of athletic clothing such as tracksuits and sports jerseys. The "preppy" look has also been making a comeback.

If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Bob Marley, Terry Fox, Adam Walsh, and Bill Shankly would all still be alive. On TV, people are watching popular shows such as "The Jeffersons", "The Facts of Life", "Trapper John, M.D.", and "Knots Landing". Meanwhile, gamers are playing titles such as "Breakout", "Space Invaders", "Pac-Man", and "Missile Command".

Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Captain Kangaroo", "Schoolhouse Rock!", "Casper and the Angels", and "Thundarr the Barbarian". Popular toys at the moment include the Easy-Bake Oven, Speak & Spell, Cabbage Patch Kids, and Fischer Price cassette player.

News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on December 8, 1980.

  • Christmas 1980 has begun.

    Christmas 1980 has begun

    The Christmas holiday season of 1980 had just begun. Retailers were starting to play festive music, and decorations were beginning to spring up.
  • Iran-Iraq War.

    Iran-Iraq War

    Between September 1980 and August 1988, an armed conflict was being fought between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Iraqi Republic.
  • 1980 in music.

    1980 in music

    Popular music artists in 1980 included Blondie, Pink Floyd, Billy Joel, Olivia Newton-John, Michael Jackson, Captain & Tennille, Queen, Paul McCartney and Lipps Inc.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1980?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1980?

    The best NBA players in 1980 were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julius Erving, Larry Bird, George Gervin and Paul Westphal.
  • Early 1980s fashion.

    Early 1980s fashion

    The early 1980s saw a minimalist approach to fashion, with some trends carrying over from the late 1970s. Sweaters, fur-lined puffer jackets, tunics, ripped jeans, leotards, velour tracksuits, tube tops, knee-length skirts, high-waisted pants, and embroidered jeans were all popular. The colors during the early 1980s were subdued, quiet, and basic. Varying shades of brown, tan, and orange were in fashion.
  • 1980 in movies.

    1980 in movies

    Movies released in 1980 included The Empire Strikes Back, 9 to 5, Friday the 13th, Stir Crazy, Airplane!, Any Which Way You Can, Caddyshack, Private Benjamin, Coal Miner's Daughter, Smokey and the Bandit II, The Blue Lagoon, The Blues Brothers, The Shining and The Fog.
  • Best soccer players.

    Best soccer players

    In 1980, the best soccer players were Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Bernd Schuster, Michel Platini, Wilfried Van Moer, Jan Ceulemans, Horst Hrubesch, Herbert Prohaska, Hansi Müller, Liam Brady, Manfred Kaltz and Erwin Vandenbergh.
  • Ordinary People.

    Ordinary People

    The film "Ordinary People" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1980.
  • Ronald Reagan.

    Ronald Reagan

    Ronald Reagan was named the Time Person of the Year in 1980 after he defeated incumbent President Jimmy Carter in the 1980 United States presidential election.
  • Christopher Cross - "Sailing"

    Christopher Cross - "Sailing"

    The song "Sailing" by Christopher Cross won a Grammy for 1980's Song of the Year.
  • Computers are replacing typewriters.

    Computers are replacing typewriters

    Desktop computers were beginning to replace typewriters in offices.
  • TV remotes.

    TV remotes

    Although TV remotes existed, many homes didn't have one. Infrared technology was still relatively new.
  • The Atari 2600.

    The Atari 2600

    The Atari 2600 was the dominant video game system.
  • The Iran hostage crisis.

    The Iran hostage crisis

    The Iran hostage crisis was ongoing. Between November 4th, 1979, and January 20th, 1981, 52 American diplomats and citizens were held hostage in Iran. The hostages were taken into captivity after a group of Iranian college students stormed the US embassy in Tehran.
  • The Atlanta murders of 1979–1981.

    The Atlanta murders of 1979–1981

    During this time, the Atlanta murders of 1979–1981 were taking place. At least 28 children and young adults were murdered before Wayne Williams was eventually arrested and convicted.
  • The Walkman.

    The Walkman

    In the late 1970s and 1980s, portable cassette players such as the "Sony Walkman" were becoming more common.
  • Wallpaper.

    Wallpaper

    Wallpaper was extremely common in people's homes throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It wasn't until the mid-late 1980s that "modernism" started to creep in.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on December 8, 1980.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

Notable events that happened close to December 8, 1980.

  • November 20, 1980: Former Australian Prime Minister John McEwen dies from self-imposed starvation at the age of 80.
  • November 21, 1980:
    • 85 people are killed when a fire breaks out at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
    • Roughly 90 million American viewers tune in to watch the Dallas episode "Who Done It".
  • November 23, 1980: Over 2,000 people are killed after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake strikes the Irpinia region of Italy.
  • November 25, 1980: "No Más Fight": Sugar Ray Leonard defeats Roberto Durán after he turns around and quits in the 8th round.
  • December 2, 1980: Four American missionaries are raped and murdered by members of the El Salvador National Guard.
  • December 4, 1980: English rock band Led Zeppelin announce their break-up.
  • December 7, 1980: American punk singer Darby Crash commits suicide.
  • This date: December 8, 1980
  • December 12, 1980:
    • Stir Crazy (1980) is released in cinemas.
    • Technology company Apple makes its IPO on the US stock market at $22 per share.
  • December 16, 1980: KFC founder Colonel Sanders passes away at the age of 90 after a short battle with leukemia.
  • December 17, 1980: The comedy-action film Any Which Way You Can (1980), is released in cinemas.
  • December 18, 1980: The former Premier of the Soviet Union, Alexei Kosygin, passes away at the age of 76.
  • December 19, 1980: The film 9 to 5 (1980) is released in cinemas.
  • December 24, 1980: Britain's Roswell: Multiple witnesses report seeing strange lights near the RAF Woodbridge station in Suffolk, England.
  • January 2, 1981: Serial killer Peter Sutcliffe (The Yorkshire Ripper) is arrested.
Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on December 8, 1980, will have the star sign Sagittarius.
  • Zodiac Element: Fire.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1980 was the year of the Monkey (Yang Water).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 2.
  • Native American Zodiac: December 8, 1980 falls under the Owl.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of December will have the birthstones Tanzanite, Zircon and Turquoise.
  • Birth flower (December): The Narcissus and the Holly.

Early 1980s fashion

Photographs of early 1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Early 1980s fashion

Television shows

TV shows in 1980

The following TV shows were popular in December 1980:

TV shows from December 1980.

Knots Landing
Knots Landing
Archie Bunker's Place
Archie Bunker's Place
Trapper John, M.D.
Trapper John, M.D.
Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart
The Facts of Life
The Facts of Life
The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard
WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati
Taxi
Taxi
Dallas
Dallas
The Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk
The Love Boat
The Love Boat
Chips
Chips
Soap
Soap
Eight Is Enough
Eight Is Enough
Three's Company
Three's Company
Quincy, M.E.
Quincy, M.E.
Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels
Laverne & Shirley
Laverne & Shirley
Barney Miller
Barney Miller
The Jeffersons
The Jeffersons
Little House on the Prairie
Little House on the Prairie
Happy Days
Happy Days
Last of the Summer Wine
Last of the Summer Wine
M*A*S*H
M*A*S*H
The Waltons
The Waltons
The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies
Columbo
Columbo

Cars in 1980

1980 saw the introduction of cars such as the Audi Coupé, the Dodge Mirada, the North American variant of the Ford Escort, the Fiat Panda, the Nissan Leopard, and the Lincoln Town Car.

Cars in 1980.

Children TV shows

Kids TV shows on December 8, 1980

Cartoons and TV shows that children and teenagers were watching on this day in 1980:

Thundarr the Barbarian
Thundarr the Barbarian
Cockleshell Bay
Cockleshell Bay
The New Adventures of Flash Gordon
The New Adventures of Flash Gordon

Rickety Rocket
Rickety Rocket
Diff'rent Strokes
Diff'rent Strokes
Mork & Mindy
Mork & Mindy
Battle of the Planets
Battle of the Planets
The All New Popeye Hour
The All New Popeye Hour
Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels
Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show
Happy Days
Happy Days
Schoolhouse Rock!
Schoolhouse Rock!
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
The Bugs Bunny Show
The Bugs Bunny Show
Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo
Toys

Popular toys and games in 1980

Toys and games that were popular in 1980:

Space Lego
Space Lego
Fischer Price cassette player
Fischer Price cassette player
Monchhichi / Chicaboo
Monchhichi / Chicaboo
Rubik's Cube
Rubik's Cube
Strawberry Shortcake dolls
Strawberry Shortcake dolls
The Big Wheel (tricycle)
The Big Wheel (tricycle)
Intellivision (games console)
Intellivision (games console)
The Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine
The Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine
Screwball Scramble
Screwball Scramble
Cabbage Patch Kids
Cabbage Patch Kids
Speak & Spell
Speak & Spell
Simon (memory game)
Simon (memory game)
Hungry Hungry Hippos
Hungry Hungry Hippos
Water Ring Toss
Water Ring Toss
The Atari 2600
The Atari 2600
Star Wars action figures
Star Wars action figures
Lego Technic
Lego Technic
Micronauts
Micronauts
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Magna Doodle
Magna Doodle
Big Jim (action figure)
Big Jim (action figure)
VertiBird (toy helicopter)
VertiBird (toy helicopter)
Lite-Brite
Lite-Brite
Operation
Operation
The Easy-Bake Oven
The Easy-Bake Oven
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in December 1980.

Missile Command 1980
Missile Command
Pac-Man 1980
Pac-Man
Galaxian 1980
Galaxian
Asteroids 1979
Asteroids
Lunar Lander 1979
Lunar Lander
Space Invaders 1978
Space Invaders
Breakout 1976
Breakout

Were you born on December 8, 1980?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1980.

This is because humans find it difficult to retrieve memories of their early childhood.

If you are looking for some childhood nostalgia, then you should check out December 8, 1986, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on December 8.

Sammy Davis, Jr

Sammy Davis, Jr

Entertainer Deceased
Born on December 8, 1925
He turned 55 on this day in 1980.

Jim Morrison

Jim Morrison

Singer Deceased
Born on December 8, 1943
He was not alive on this date.

Kim Basinger

Kim Basinger

Actress
Born on December 8, 1953
She turned 27 on this day in 1980.

Ann Coulter

Ann Coulter

American media pundit
Born on December 8, 1961
She turned 19 on this day in 1980.

Teri Hatcher

Teri Hatcher

Actress
Born on December 8, 1964
She turned 16 on this day in 1980.

Sinéad O'Connor

Sinéad O'Connor

Singer Deceased
Born on December 8, 1966
She turned 14 on this day in 1980.

Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj

Rapper
Born on December 8, 1982
She was born exactly 2 years after this date.

Raheem Sterling

Raheem Sterling

Soccer player
Born on December 8, 1994
He was born exactly 14 years after this date.

Reece James

Reece James

Soccer player
Born on December 8, 1999
He was born exactly 19 years after this date.

Holidays

Holidays

National holidays and famous events that fall on December 8:

  • Immaculate Conception (Spain)
USA

US President

Jimmy Carter was the President of the United States on December 8, 1980.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Charles Haughey was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on December 8, 1980 was most likely conceived around March 17, 1980.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on December 8, 1980 is close to August 31, 1981.

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Stats for December 8, 1980

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about December 8, 1980:

  • 15,816 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,259 weeks have passed.
  • 1,366,502,400 seconds have passed since December 8, 1980.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,594,252,800 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 705,115,238,400 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 227,750,400 times.
  • You have taken approximately 117,519,206 steps. That's roughly 52,231 miles!
  • Since this date, 16,398,029 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere!
  • How many years ago was 1980?

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