The Eighties Online

Singer Michael Jackson, 50, died in Los Angeles today, various news sources reported. Jackson, a child Motown sensation who grew into a moonwalking megastar, sold millions of records, earning worldwide adoration in the 1980s.

Later he came to be regarded as one of show business's legendary oddities, hopping from one public relations crisis to another.

The Los Angeles Times, citing city and law enforcement officials, reported late this afternoon that the singer was dead after being rushed to UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles around 3:30 p.m. Eastern time. Other news sources and Web sites also reported the death. The Times reported that the singer was not breathing when paramedics arrived at the singer's home, at 12:26 p.m. Pacific time.

Authorities were closing down the streets around UCLA and the hospital and were expected to make an announcement shortly.

As news spread, a large crowd gathered outside the hospital awaiting word on the performer who had sold 750 million albums, was twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received 14 Grammy Awards, including one for lifetime achievement. People snapped photos and called friends. His music blared from a fan's boombox.

On Wednesday March 4th U2, as part of U2 Week, presented the Top Ten List - The Top Ten Things U2 Has Learned Over The Years

With a new album and a long career, U2 remains one of the biggest selling acts from the 1980s.

U2 has always been outspoken, but has remained forever true to their 80s roots.

For sure, the tour to promote the new album will again break records. Unfortunately, one of those records will likely be the price of a ticket to the show.

Anyway, enjoy this clip of U2's special Top Ten List. You'll also find several clips at CBS.Com of live performances of songs from their latest album.

Video Courtesy of CBS.Com, where you can also watch full episodes of 80s classic TV shows like Family Ties and The Love Boat.

As graduation approached in the spring of 1983, I began to plan, well hope is more like it, that I could attend the US Festival in Southern California.

This was four days of live music and entertainment from all those acts we saw on MTV (back when they used to play music videos).

There were very few artists who did not play at The US Festival.

From Van Halen to the Scorpions, to The Clash and Missing Persons, there were more than 100 bands and musicians at The US Festival.

Well, I did not get to go, and would love to hear some stories for anyone who did.

Is this available on DVD? If it is I would sure buy it for my collection.

Here are a few highlights from 1983's US Festival in San Bernadino, California.

Maybe there will be a resurgence of the kind of music festivals of the past, like LiveAid and The US Festival. One can only hope!

Do you remember Live-Aid from the summer of 1985?

From Band-Aid - Do They Know it's Christmas to We are the World, it was a year that stood the 80s on it's head.

the 80s was all about money, fashion and fame! but, Live-Aid was all about giving and caring for your fellow man.

This is the first time I have seen Live-Aid in a few years, and it always has an impact on me.

Freddy Mercury gave one of the finest performances of his career. Awe, heck, everybody was there. I can't think of any of the top performers who did not play on one continent or the other.

So, thank you Bob Geldoff, and all the other acts and people involved with the event. It's impact will last for centuries. I would be proud to have future generations studying the 20th century, to learn about, or at least, be able to enjoy and appreciate this event.

I highly recommend the DVD for yourself or as a gift for an 80s kid or for your own kids. And, the proceeds from the DVD sales tstill go to help starving children in Africa and around the world, which is still something that is essential to the future of all of us.

Back in the 1980s there were a great many really good situation comedies and other types of television shows to choose from. Many of these wonderful television shows created mega child stars and several of these shows are true television classics. Take "Cheers", for example. Cheers is hard to beat for classic TV in any decade.

There were many other entertaining sitcoms and drams on the tube in the 1980s, like Family Ties and Growing Pains. Relive the 80s TV shows you knew and loved. Here are some of the top-rated episodes of your favorite 80s TV shows. There are hundreds more full episodes of these and many more classic TV shows at Hulu.Com. Pick and choose which episode(s) you want to watch.

Enjoy these classic 80s sitcoms and dramas. The 80s decade was a time when the networks and writers had to actually write great shows, in large part, because there was no reality TV, which takes up so much airtime nowadays.

Premiere
Who's the Boss?
Season 1 : Episode 1 |25:05 |
A female executive hires a male housekeeper.

1981 was another banner year at the movies. Many favorite stars from the past were making movies and many great new actors were appearing on the scene.

Some of the little known actors of 1981, such as Denzel Washington, have gone to become "Mega Stars"

Here's a list of the top 25 box office stars of 1981, some of the top movies of 1981, and promising new actors from that year.

"On Golden Pond" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark" are the two movies from 1981 that should be most remembered 27 years later.

So if you're looking for a movie to rent or download, the movies and stars listed below can be a good place to find one you might have missed or would like to see again.

Top 25 Box Office Stars of 1981

1. Burt Reynolds

"The Cannonball Run"

"Sharkey's Machine"

2. Clint Eastwood

3. Dudley Moore

"Arthur"

4. Dolly Parton

5. Jane Fonda

"Rollover" Co-Starring Kris Kristofferson

Co Starred in "On Golden Pond" with Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn

6. Harrison Ford

"Raiders of the Lost Ark"

7. Alan Alda

The 80s decade started off with some movies that have really stood the test of time.

The first year of the 80s, 1980, saw several promising actors that are still going strong well into the 21st century.

The Star Wars franchise was going strong in 1980. And with the release of Empire Strike Back in 1980, Star Wars and the action figures and other merchandise were officially pop-culture.

1980 was a pretty good year at the box office.

The 1980 Academy for Best Film went to "Ordinary People" starring Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore and a very young Timothy Hutton.

Robert DeNiro won the Academy Award for Best Actor in the 1980 boxing drama, "Raging Bull"

The Academy Award for Best Actress went to Sissy Spacek for "Coal Miner's Daughter"

And the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor was awarded to Timothy Hutton for "Ordinary People"

Mary Steenburgen won the Best Supporting Actress award for "Melvin and Howard"

The Top 25 Box Office Stars of 1980 - As Ranked by John Willis Screen World 1981

1. Burt Reynolds

"Smokey and the Bandit II"

"Rough Cut"

2. Robert Redford