25 Most Famous People from the 80s

25 Most Famous People from the 80s

History is shaped by people who, in one way or another, have a major impact on popular consciousness. These are people who went out of their way to achieve extraordinary things and to make a significant contribution to shaping what the 80s turned out to be. In the 1980s, great icons of music, film, politics, and sport shaped the world in such a way that their influence is still being felt today.

The list of most famous people in the 80s is endless, but, here we will just look at the 25 Most Famous People from the 80 who had the greatest impact on the 1980s. This is a compilation of the reader and is not listed in order of importance.

1. Michael Jackson 

Michael Jackson. Author Vishwas r. Wikimedia Commons

Arguably the most famous pop star of all time, Michael Jackson, although he had been performing with the Jackson five for years, became a world superstar in the 1980s following the release of his best-selling album ever, Thriller, in 1982.

Since then he came to be referred to as the “King of Pop” for having revolutionized the art of music videos and paving the way for modern pop music as we know it today. He died on June 25, 2009, in Los Angeles, California, and is still regarded as one of the most famous and influential figures from the 80s.

Learn more about Michael Jackson here

2. Mikhail Gorbachev

In the 1980s, after four decades of the cold war political and military tension between the Soviet Union and the United States, the two superpowers finally agreed to bring to an end the Cold War and reduce the threat of nuclear conflict.

This could not have been possible without the great contribution of Mikhail Gorbachev, who was the Soviet Union’s leader from 1885 to 1991. His decision to negotiate with the West which eventually led to the fall of The Soviet Union made him one of the most famous people from the 80s.

According to The New York Times, “Few leaders in the 20th century, indeed in any century, have had such a profound effect on their time. In little more than six tumultuous years, Mr. Gorbachev lifted the Iron Curtain, decisively altering the political climate of the world.

3. Margaret Thatcher

In entire British history no other woman leader, apart from the loyal family, is more famous than Margaret Thatcher. She served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and remains the longest-serving woman prime minister in British history.

During her time as the UK prime minister, the “Iron Lady” implemented economic policies that became known as Thatcherism. She also led Britain to victory against Argentina in the Falklands War in the early 1980s which earned the Woman of the Year 1982 global award.

4. Princess Diana

Few people have gained world admiration and respect as Princess Diana did during and even after her lifetime. She was a major presence on the world stage from her engagement to Prince Charles in 1981 until her death in 1997.

As a member of the British royal family, Diana was noted for her compassion, style, charisma, and high-profile charity work, as well as her troubled marriage to King Charles III after a colorful wedding in the early 80s that was broadcasted live all over the world, then Prince of Wales. She died in a fatal road accident after being trailed by paparazzi.

5. Michael Jordan

Although NBA had been there for years, it captured global attention after Michael Jordan joined Chicago Bulls in 1984. He immediately became a global cultural icon and is credited for single-handedly popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s.

Jordan’s leaping ability coupled with his famed slam dunk skills still plays a key role in influencing generations of young players to date. He also helped usher in a new era of celebrity sportsmen, a culture that has become a norm today.

6. Desmond tutu

Desmond tutu.Author Benny Gool. Wikimedia Commons

The late Desmond Tutu was one of the most popular figures in South Africa. By the time of his death, Tutu had attained “worldwide respect” for his “uncompromising stand for justice and reconciliation and his unmatched integrity”. He was known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. He was Bishop of Johannesburg from 1985 to 1986 and then Archbishop of Cape Town Archbishop from 1986 to 1996, in both cases being the first black African to hold the position. Theologically, he sought to fuse ideas from black theology with African theology.

Recognized for his efforts Tutu won the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize after being previously nominated in 1981, 1982, and 1983. The Nobel Committee cited his “role as a unifying leader figure in the campaign to resolve the problem of apartheid in South Africa”. The African-American civil rights activist Jesse Jackson referred to him as “the Martin Luther King of South Africa.

7. Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey.Author https://www.flickr.com/photos/aphrodite-in-nyc. Wikimedia Commons

For a long time, she was ranked as the most influential woman in the world. She is best known for her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, broadcast from Chicago, which ran in national syndication for 25 years, from 1986 to 2011. Credited with creating a more intimate, confessional form of media communication,[20] Winfrey popularized and revolutionized[20][21] the tabloid talk show genre pioneered by Phil Donahue.

Her story best captures the rags-to-riches narrative. After suffering through a troubled childhood, Winfrey broke new ground for television, becoming one of America’s first black female news anchors. Eventually, Winfrey worked her way up the ladder to being granted hosting duties on her very own talk show.

Soon thereafter, Winfrey’s show gained massive popularity all over the US and worldwide, inspiring scores of imitators. Winfrey would revolutionize the talk show format, tackling the more serious and challenging subject matter. The 80s set her off, and in the years that followed Winfrey became a major media figure and entrepreneur, eventually becoming the first black female billionaire.

8. Florence Griffith Joyner

Florence Delorez Griffith Joyner also known as Flo-Jo, was an American track and field superathlete. She set world records in 1988 for the 100m (10.49) and 200m (21.34) making them the longest-reigning sprinting records in track and field history. During the late 1980s, she became a popular figure due to both her record-setting athleticism and eclectic personal style.

Few women have had quite the same impact in the world of athletics as Florence Griffith Joyner, popularly known as Flo-Jo. After making her Olympic debut at the 1984 games in LA with a silver in the 200m, she became a legend at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. After setting a new 100m world record at the Olympic trials, she went on to win three gold medals in the games themselves.

On top of being celebrated for her athleticism, Flo-Jo enjoyed huge popularity thanks to her distinctive style, with her often designing her own bold running suits (including the famous ‘one-legger’). Joyner retired shortly following her Seoul victory but sadly passed away only nine years later aged 38, after a severe epileptic seizure.

9. Michael Gerard Tyson 

Mike TysonAuthor birzer. Wikimedia Commons.

At the height of his fame and career in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, Tyson was among the most recognized sports personalities in the world. He is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed “Iron Mike” and “Kid Dynamite” in his early career, and later known as “The Baddest Man on the Planet”, Tyson is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990. He is famous for biting the ear of Evander Holyfield during a boxing contest.

In addition to his many sporting accomplishments, his outrageous and controversial behavior in the ring and in his private life has kept him in the public eye and in the courtroom. As such, Tyson has been the subject of myriad popular media including movies, television, books, and music. He has also been featured in video games and as a subject of parody or satire. Tyson became involved in professional wrestling and has made many cameo appearances in film and television.

Read more here

10. Tom Cruise

He is an American actor and producer and sits comfortably as one of the world’s highest-paid actors with many accolades to his name including an Honorary Palme d’Or and three Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for four Academy Awards. His films have grossed over $4 billion in North America and over $11.5 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing box-office stars of all time.

11. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger. Author Angela George at https://www.flickr.com/photos/sharongraphics/. Wikimedia Commons

Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-born American actor, film producer, businessman, retired professional bodybuilder, and politician who served as the 38th governor of California between 2003 and 2011. Time magazine named Schwarzenegger one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2004 and 2007.

Before the 80s, no one would have believed that a bodybuilder from Austria with an indecipherable accent and an unpronounceable surname could ever be one of the most popular film actors in the world. However, Arnold Schwarzenegger proved them all wrong, becoming the biggest action star around off the back of such hits as The Terminator, Conan the Barbarian, Commando, and Predator.

The critics might not have rated Schwarzenegger’s movies or his acting, but audiences couldn’t get enough. His eye-popping musculature set a new physical standard for action heroes which many tried and failed to match, but he also exuded an easy-going charm (both in performance and in interviews) that crossed boundaries worldwide. Arnie’s stardom only increased in the 90s, paving the way for his later political career.

12. Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela.Author Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel. Wikimedia Commons

As much as the 80s was an era when greed and self-interest seemed to dominate, it was also a time when struggles against social injustice also came to the forefront. A revolutionary battling the enforced racial segregation and prejudice of apartheid-era South Africa, Nelson Mandela spent the entirety of the 80s behind bars, having been imprisoned since 1962. He would ultimately be freed in early 1990, and not long thereafter was elected as President of South Africa, standing proud as an icon for those fighting against oppression.

His international fame emerged during his incarceration in the 1980s, when he became the world’s most famous political prisoner, a symbol of the anti-apartheid cause, and an icon for millions who embraced the ideal of human equality.

During the 1980s, Mandela was widely labeled a terrorist by prominent political figures in the Western world for his embrace of political violence. He was also the subject of several songs, such as The Specials‘ “Free Nelson Mandela“, Hugh Masekela‘s “Bring Him Back Home (Nelson Mandela)“, and Johnny Clegg‘s “Asimbonanga (Mandela)“, which helped to bring awareness of his imprisonment to an international audience.

Following his death, many internet memes appeared featuring images of Mandela with his inspirational quotes superimposed onto them. Mandela has also been depicted in films on multiple occasions.

Mandela’s 70th birthday in July 1988 attracted international attention, including a tribute concert at London’s Wembley Stadium that was televised and watched by an estimated 200 million viewers

Get more information about Nelson Mandela here

13. Madonna

Madonna remains one of the most “well-documented figures of the modern age” She rose to solo stardom with her debut studio album, Madonna (1983). She followed it with a series of successful albums, including all-time bestsellers Like a Virgin (1984), and True Blue (1986).

Madonna made her debut in the year 1982. This original Queen of Pop soon tasted success with many chartbusters to her credit. Madonna is also cited to be the ‘World’s most successful female musician’ as per the Guinness Book of World Records. This Material Girl soon became an idol for pop lovers all over the world. Although Madonna’s videos were dogged by controversy, there was no looking back for this star. This stunning and beautiful singer has won the Grammy Award, American Singer-Songwriter, 9 times so far.

Her immense popularity in the 1980s and ’90s allowed her to achieve levels of power and control that were nearly unprecedented for a woman in the entertainment industry. She built a legacy that transcends music and has been studied by sociologists, historians, and other scholars, contributing to the rise of Madonna studies, a subfield of American cultural studies.

14. Martina Navratilova 

Martina Navratilova is a Czech–American former professional tennis player. Widely considered among the greatest tennis players of all time. Her reign from 1982 to 1986 is the most dominant unbroken spell in the professional era. With her trademark long serves, she won a record six consecutive singles majors across 1983 and 1984 while simultaneously winning the Grand Slam in doubles. She also reached the Wimbledon singles final 12 times, including for nine consecutive years from 1982 through 1990, and won the title a record nine times. This determined tennis player sure rocked the world with her brilliant performances. She was finally ousted by Steffi Graf.

15. Steffi Graf

Stefanie Maria Graf was a German former professional tennis player and is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. She reigned in the 80s and was ranked world No. 1 for a record 377 weeks and won 22 major singles titles, the second-most since the start of the Open Era in 1968 and the third-most of all time.

In 1988, Graf became the first tennis player to achieve the Golden Slam by winning all four major singles titles and the Olympic gold medal in the same calendar year. Furthermore, she is the only tennis player, male or female, to have won each major tournament at least four times. She is married to another tennis great, Andre Agassi.

16. Frederick Carlton Lewis 

Lewis was a dominant sprinter and long jumper who topped the world rankings in the 100 m, 200 m, and long jump events frequently from 1981 to the early 1990s. He won nine Olympic gold medals, one Olympic silver medal, and 10 World Championships medals, including eight gold. His career spanned from 1979 to 1996, when he last won an Olympic event. He is one of only six Olympic athletes who won a gold medal in the same individual event in four consecutive Olympic Games.

He did not just win, but also set world records in the 100 m, 4 × 100 m, and 4 × 200 m relays, while his world record in the indoor long jump has stood since 1984. His 65 consecutive victories in the long jump achieved over a span of 10 years are one of the sport’s longest undefeated streaks. Over the course of his athletics career, Lewis broke 10 seconds for the 100 meters fifteen times and 20 seconds for the 200 meters ten times. Lewis also long jumped over 28 feet seventy-one times.

17. Tina Turner

Tina Turner is most famous for her contribution to the disco era of the 1970s and is considered one of the most enigmatic performers and general figures of the decade. Her signature song, “What’s Love Got to Do with it”, which was part of her 1984 multi-platinum album “Private Dancer”, snagged her a Grammy Award for Record of the Year. It has become one of the most successful albums in music history.

Often referred to as “The Queen of Rock and Roll”, Turner is considered one of the greatest singers of all time. She is noted for her “swagger, sensuality, gravelly vocals, and unstoppable energy”, along with her career longevity and her famous legs.

 In January 1988, Turner performed in front of approximately 180,000 at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, setting a Guinness World Record at the time for the largest paying concert attendance for a solo artist.

18. Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona. Author Doha Stadium Plus Qatar. Wikimedia Commons

Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, he was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award. He captained the Argentine national team to victory single-handedly in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, winning the final in Mexico City against West Germany. Throughout the tournament, Maradona asserted his dominance and was the most dynamic player in the competition. He is famous for the “hand of god” goal which he scored against England in the quarter-final of the tournament.

During this time he also became one of the biggest sports stars in the world with endorsements from many companies, including Puma and Coca-Cola, earning him an additional $1.5 million per year on top of his club salary. In 1982, he was featured in a World Cup commercial for Coca-Cola, and a Japanese commercial for Puma. He was truly a legend.

19. Whitney Houston 

Houston has been regarded as one of the greatest vocalists of all time and a cultural icon. She is also recognized as one of the most influential R&B artists in history. She was, alongside Michael Jackson and Madonna, one of the crucial figures to hybridize pop in the 1980s, though her strategy was far less radical than that of her peers.

Known for her powerful, soulful vocals and vocal improvisation skills, she is the only artist to have had seven consecutive number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, from “Saving All My Love for You” in 1985 to “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” in 1988.  

She received numerous accolades throughout her career and posthumously, including two Emmy Awards, six Grammy Awards, 16 Billboard Music Awards, and 28 Guinness World Records, as well as induction into the Grammy, Rhythm, Blues Music, and Rock and Roll halls of fame.

20. Bill gates

Bill Gates. Author Senator Chris Coons. Wikimedia Commons

After co-founding Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975, Gates led the company to dominate the computer industry by the mid-80s, to such an extent that, in 1987, Gates became the world’s youngest billionaire at 31. While Steve Jobs and Apple would soon give them a run for their money, Gates and Microsoft were the titans of computing in the 80s.

Microsoft and Gates launched their first retail version of Microsoft Windows on November 20, 1985, in an attempt to fend off competition from Apple‘s Macintosh GUI, which had captivated consumers with its simplicity and ease of use. Since 1987, Gates has been included in the Forbes list of the world’s wealthiest people.

21. Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan started out as a B-list film, radio, and television actor, working from the 30s to the 60s, and also serving as president of the Screen Actors Guild. Moving into politics, he proved far more successful, first serving two terms as Governor of California, then going on to serve two terms as President of the United States from 1981 to 1989.

22. Yasser Arafat

Yasser Arafat.Author Saar Yaacov. Wiimedia Commons

The late Arafat was a Palestinian political leader. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from 1969 to 2004 and President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) from 1994 to 2004. Ideologically an Arab nationalist and a socialist, he was a founding member of the Fatah political party, which he led from 1959 until 2004.

From 1983 to 1993, Arafat, exiled in Tunisia, began to shift his approach from open conflict with the Israelis to negotiation. In 1988, The 1994 Nobel Peace Prize winner acknowledged Israel’s right to exist and sought a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

He remains a controversial figure. Palestinians generally view him as a martyr who symbolized the national aspirations of his people. Israelis regarded him as a terrorist. Palestinian rivals, including Islamists and several PLO leftists, frequently denounced him as corrupt or too submissive in his concessions to the Israeli government.

23. Michael Jordan

Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan 1997.Author Steve Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com. Wikimedia Commons

Basketball had always been a big deal, but when Michael Jordan got in the game, it became more exciting to watch. Joining the Chicago Bulls in 1984, Jordan proved a high scorer and a tremendous crowd-pleaser. Famed for his slam dunk skills and the number 23 t-shirt, Jordan was soon considered the best shooting guard in basketball, and in the eyes of many the finest player in the sport’s history.

Not only did Jordan’s success massively increase the popularity of basketball, it also helped usher in a new era of celebrity sportsmen in all fields, with the player gaining prominence over the team, commanding star treatment and endorsement contracts. He enjoyed particular success with his high-profile deal with Nike, which today continues to produce his signature shoes, Air Jordan.

Here are 10 Fascinating Facts About Michael Jordan

24. Eddie Murphy

Eddie Murphy. Author David Shankbone. Wikimedia Commons

His contribution to stand-up comedy is still the talk of the town today and is considered one of the greatest Hollywood actors of all time. Many children growing up in the 80s aspired to be like him.

Starting out in stand-up comedy, Murphy joined TV’s Saturday Night Live aged just 19 before starring in hit movies 48 Hrs. and Trading Places. However, it was only after he was cast in the action-comedy Beverly Hills Cop (inheriting a role once earmarked for Sylvester Stallone) that Murphy really took off.

At a time when Hollywood was still wary of giving major leading roles to people of color, he became one of the biggest movie stars around, enjoying further smash hits with Beverly Hills Cop II and Coming to America. Nor did this impede his stand-up career: films of his live act, Delirious, and Raw, also proved hugely popular, and his lewd, motor-mouthed style influenced a new generation of comics.

25. Bill Cosby

William Henry Cosby Jr. is an American comedian, actor, and media personality. He was recognized for his significant contributions to American and African-American culture and gained a reputation as “America’s Dad” for his portrayal of Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show (1984–1992). He has also received numerous awards and honorary degrees throughout his career, many of which were revoked following sexual assault allegations made against him in 2014.