The world in
1980
In 1980, CNN launched round-the-clock television news, The Empire Strikes Back topped the box office, and “Call Me” by Blondie led the charts.
Music
The #1 song of 1980 was “Call Me” by Blondie.
Movies
The biggest movie of 1980 was The Empire Strikes Back.
Events
- CNN launched round-the-clock television news
- Pac-Man arrived in arcades everywhere
- The US boycotted the Moscow Summer Olympics
Prices
- Gallon of gas: ~$1.19
- Postage stamp: $0.15
Who led
US President: Jimmy Carter.
Notable birth
Macaulay Culkin was born in 1980.
Fun fact
Pac-Man fever swept arcades and later charted as a hit single.
Explore nearby years
About the data
Facts are compiled from public sources — Billboard year-end charts, box-office records, Wikipedia year timelines, and USPS/BLS price history — and rewritten in our own concise words. Every Yearmark poster is drawn from original type, color, and pattern — never copyrighted album or movie artwork. More about the data.