Something special started in America in late 1983 and carried through all of 1984. You couldn\u2019t quite put your finger on it at the time, but you could feel it.<\/p>\n
I’m not sure why it happened, but it did. Perhaps Orwell’s book 1984 inspired some people to greater deeds this year, and\/or the current political climate that frequently repeated the message that Americans were the best, most capable people in the world. I can’t say for certain what all the inspirations were, but this year was a great year to live in America.<\/p>\n
Many years may have some positive events, but in 1984 it was like one grand-slam for us after another.<\/p>\n
I think people can regard this year as the cultural peak of the “80s”.<\/p>\n
Below, I’ve listed some of the reasons why 1984 is the best year of modern American history, however it can all be summed up by saying:<\/p>\n
\u2022 1984 was the greatest year that American arts (music, art, film, etc.), technology, innovation and popular culture coalesced to yield the most fruitful year than any other.<\/p>\n
I was nine years old for most of this year, and how lucky I was to be the perfect age to take advantage of most of the best of 1984.<\/p>\n
Some Examples:<\/p>\n
Groundbreaking Movies
\n\u2022 The Terminator
\n\u2022 A Nightmare On Elm Street
\n\u2022 Police Academy
\n\u2022 Ghostbusters
\n\u2022 Gremlins
\n\u2022 The Karate Kid
\n\u2022 Purple Rain
\n\u2022 The Never-Ending Story
\n\u2022 Revenge of the Nerds
\n\u2022 This is Spinal Tap
\n\u2022 Sixteen Candles
\n\u2022 Romancing the Stone
\n\u2022 Indiana Jones & The Temple Of Doom
\n\u2022 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
\n\u2022 Dune
\n\u2022 Amadeus
\n\u2022 Splash
\n\u2022 Beverly Hills Cop
\n\u2022 Breakin’ and Breakin’ 2 “Electric Boogaloo” (Two movies in the same year)
\n\u2022 Children of the Corn
\n\u2022 The Last Starfighter
\n\u2022 Johnny Dangerously
\n\u2022 Top Secret!
\n\u2022 Ninja III: The Domination (Ninja’s were in their prime in 1984)<\/p>\n
Groundbreaking Music
\n\u2022 The first explosion and embracement of Hip-Hop music in the main stream
\n\u2022 Run DMC produced the very first Hip-Hop gold record
\n\u2022 Van Halen released their best album ever, entitled “1984” (they were on to something by pointing out the year!)
\n\u2022 Prince released Purple Rain
\n\u2022 Madonna was at her peak, released “Like a Virgin”
\n\u2022 Weird Al gained stardom with his hit video parody of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”\/”Eat It”
\n\u2022 Corey Hart released “Sunglasses at Night”
\n\u2022 Yes released “Owner of a Lonely Heart”
\n\u2022 Lionel Richie released “Hello”
\n\u2022 Cindy Lauper released \u201cTime After Time\u201d
\n\u2022 Tina Turner released \u201cWhat’s Love Got To Do With It\u201d
\n\u2022 Bon Jovi released their debut album
\n\u2022 Megadeth released their debut album
\n\u2022 Skinny Puppy released their debut album
\n\u2022 Dead Can Dance released their debut album
\n\u2022 KMFDM released their debut album
\n\u2022 MTV launched the Video Music Awards
\n\u2022 ’80s college music took off — The Cure-Smiths-REM-Depeche Mode-New Order
\n\u2022 Synthesizers and electronic music started to get popular (Herbie Hancock & others)
\n\u2022 You weren’t cool in school unless you knew how to Breakdance.<\/p>\n
Groundbreaking TV
\n\u2022 Basic cable expanded
\n\u2022 The Cosby Show debuted
\n\u2022 Miami Vice debuted
\n\u2022 Night Court debuted
\n\u2022 Jeopardy! debuted
\n\u2022 V: The Series started on TV (alien invasion series)
\n\u2022 Voltron debuted
\n\u2022 The Transformers debuted
\n\u2022 NBC’s Thursday night lineup: “Cosby,” “Family Ties,” “Cheers,” “Night Court” and “Hill Street Blues.”
\n\u2022 The A-Team was the No. 1 TV show in America<\/p>\n
Groundbreaking Comics and Books
\n\u2022 The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles made their debut.
\n\u2022 Marvel Super Heroes “Secret Wars” came out.
\n\u2022 William Gibson started the cyberpunk genre by releasing the book Neuromancer.
\n\u2022 FASA debuted the board game BattleTech; Mech-Warrior was born.<\/p>\n
Groundbreaking Toys
\n\u2022 Transformers came out
\n\u2022 Care Bears came out
\n\u2022 Cabbage Patch Kids came out in 1983, and hit sales peak in 1984 (parents started riots in stores all across the country)<\/p>\n
It was a great year