famous people of the 1980s

Famous People of the 1980s

The eighties was a trendsetting decade to say the least and the celebrities from those ten years made the decade what it was. We introduce you to some of the biggest names of the 1980s.

Madonna
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 in 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.
Michael Jackson
If Madonna was the Queen of Pop, Michael Jackson was referred to as the King of Pop. Michael Jackson made his debut at the tender age of eleven. He began his career with the Jackson Five and later, went on with a solo career. Michael soon became a pop icon with his chartbusting tracks. His revolutionary videos that showcased his breakdancing skills inspired youngsters worldwide to follow suit. He is the sole singer to have received 8 Grammy Awards in a single night. Billie Jean, Beat It, The Way You Make Me Feel, Black or White are only the tip of the iceberg. This talented personality has many more hit albums and songs to his name. As is the case with most famous people, Michael Jackson also found himself dogged by controversies. This did not, however, affect the record-breaking sales of all his albums.
George Michael
George Michael tasted success when he became a part of the very popular band Wham. George Michael won hearts all over the world with his rendition of Careless Whispers and Last Christmas. When George Michael gained success with his solo career in the 80s, there was no looking back for this talented singer. Such was his magic that George won a Grammy Award in 1988 for the Best R&B performance with vocals. Faith brought more fame and fortune for George in the year 1987. This was also his first solo album. Decked in shiny black boots with a guitar in hand, George Michael soared through the music charts and went on to carve a niche for himself in the music industry.
Tom Cruise
Known for his drop dead gorgeous looks, Tom Cruise is the recipient of three Golden Globe Awards and was also nominated thrice for the Academy Awards. He began his career in the year 1981 with a modest role in Endless Love. It was in the year 1983 which saw the release of Risky Business, which finally saw Tom Cruise rising to fame. With Tom Cruise signing on Top Gun, which was released in 1986, he was catapulted to fame. This movie soon became the highest grossing film of the year. In 1988, with the release of Cocktail followed by Rain Man, Tom Cruise proved that he was definitely here to stay.
Martina Navratilova
This determined tennis player sure rocked the world with her brilliant performances. With many trophies to her credit, Martina was almost like the perfect icon for many. She won her French Open in 1984 and this left-handed tennis star won four Grand Slam Women's Doubles title the same year. The 1980s also witnessed Martina being ranked as the World no. 1 doubles player. Martina may have suffered a little setback owing to the emergence of Steffi Graf on the tennis scenario but she bounced back in the year 1987 by beating Steffi in the Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals.
Diana, Princess of Wales
Princess Diana was born in 1961, as the third daughter of Edward John Spencer and Frances Ruth Burke Roche. She became the first wife of Charles, the Prince of Wales and the mother of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry of Wales. After marriage, the Princess looked after the royal duties successfully. She was always in spotlight and was known for her loving nature. She was among the most successful princesses in history and earned unrivaled respect. She died on 31st August 1997 in an unfortunate car crash.
Vivian Richards
Vivian Richards, also known as the Master Blaster, was known for his dynamic batting skills and was also a very handy bowler. This strong and forceful personality rose to fame in the 80s. Vivian became the captain of over 50 test matches in the 80s. He also saw success when his team won the NatWest trophy in the year 1983. Vivian Richards also holds the reputation of being the only West Indies captain to have never lost any test series.
Richard Gere
This famous actor tasted success in the 1980s. He is best known for his romantic lead roles. Richard Gere got his first break in the year 1971. He was seen in Hollywood movies only in the mid 1970s. He became a rage with the release of American Gigolo in the year 1980. This hunky dreamboat of an actor also has the reputation of being the first male ever to be featured on the cover of the glamorous Vogue magazine. Richard Gere had more hits in the subsequent years and is still considered to be hot property!
Apart from these, there are many other celebrities who truly carved a niche for themselves and became icons in their representative fields. Some of them are listed below:
Boris Becker (Tennis)
Linda Lusardi (Model)
David Bowie (Musician)
Samantha Fox (Model and Musician)
Nigel Mansell(F1 Racer)
Tina Turner (Pop Star)
Holly Johnson (Musician)
Christopher Reeve (Superman, anyone?)
Prince (Musician)
Clint Eastwood (of the Good, The Bad and The Ugly fame)
Whitney Houston (Musician)
Steffi Graf (Tennis)
Imran Khan (Cricket)
Ronald Reagan (Former US President)
Janet Ellis (TV Presenter)
Wendy James (Transvision Vamp)
Phillipa Forrester (Blue Peter Presenter )
Michael Jordan (Basketball)
Steven Spielberg (Filmmaker)
Ridley Scott (Filmmaker)
Ron Howard (Filmmaker)
Boy George (Singer-songwriter)
Sylvester Stallone (Hollywood actor of Rocky and Rambo fame)
Cyndi Lauper (Musician)
Eddie Murphy (Stand-up Comedian)
Mike Tyson (Boxer)
Bill Murray (Actor, Comedian)
Larry Bird (Basketball)
Christopher Lloyd (Actor)
Jon Bon Jovi (Musician, Singer)
Carl Lewis (Athlete)
Walter Hill (Director)
Tom Bailey (Musician)
Margaret Thatcher (Former UK Prime Minister)
Steve Martin (Actor)
Demi Moore (Actress)
That, more or less, concludes the list of the most prominent celebrities of the 80s, some of whom are still active on the entertainment and media scene after all these years. After all, real stars never really fade away, do they?

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