This week we travel way back to the year that the first American test-tube baby was born, use of crack cocaine was first reported in the U.S. and Pepsi enters China.
Ric Flair defeats Dusty Rhodes to win his first World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship in Kansas City.
1981 was the birth year of athletes and celebrities such as Eli Manning, Justin Timberlake, Elijah Wood, Alicia Keys, Tom Hiddleston, Josh Groban, Daniel Bryan, Stephen Amell, Chris Evans, Beyonce, and Serena Williams.
It also spat out some of the most iconic rock music in history from Joan Jett, Black Sabbath, ZZ Top, Molly Hatchet, Def Leppard, Styx, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, The Rolling Stones, Van Halen, Foreigner, Journey, Meat Loaf, Alice Cooper and many more.
Box office hits included Raiders of the Lost Ark, Superman II, Arthur, The Cannonball Run, Chariots of Fire and For Your Eyes Only.
Charles Rocket droped the F Bomb on an improvised portion of Saturday Night Live and was then fired.
“Weird Al” Yankovic makes his television debut.
MTV debuts on cable, broadcasting music videos 24 hrs a day.
HBO begins 24 hours of programming.
The Smurfs and Spider-Man made their debuts shows like Charlie’s Angels met their demise.
In the video game world, Donkey Kong, Galaga, Frogger and Turbo were all released.
