United States in 1981
You were born in 1981 — the year MTV launched, IBM invented the personal computer, and Indiana Jones ran from a giant boulder for the first time.
💰 How much things cost in 1981
| Item | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1.31 USD/gallon | verified (U.S. EIA) |
| Cinema ticket | ~2.78 USD | estimate |
| Coffee | ~0.45 USD | estimate |
| Ice cream | ~0.50 USD (scoop) | estimate |
Currency: USD
🎵 The music of 1981
The song of the year: Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes (Billboard Year-End Hot 100 #1)
Other songs people listened to in 1981:
- Diana Ross & Lionel Richie – Endless Love
- Kenny Rogers – Lady
- Olivia Newton-John – Physical
- John Lennon – (Just Like) Starting Over
- Kool & the Gang – Celebration
- Rick Springfield – Jessie's Girl
- Air Supply – The One That You Love
- Pat Benatar – Hit Me with Your Best Shot
- Foreigner – Waiting for a Girl Like You
📺 TV, cinema and pop culture
Cartoons: Smurfs (premiere Sept 12, 1981) / Spider-Man (on NBC / ABC Saturday morning). MTV launched August 1, 1981. The first video: Video Killed the Radio Star. The Smurfs premiered on NBC.
TV series: MTV launches August 1, 1981. First video: Video Killed the Radio Star. Music is now visual.
At the cinema: Raiders of the Lost Ark — Indiana Jones and the boulder. The greatest adventure movie ever made.
Person of the moment: Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) — the hat, the whip, the boulder. Perfection.
The cult toy: Smurfs figurines / Atari 2600. Smurf figurines were everywhere. Small, blue, and inexplicably collectable.
👗 Fashion and snacks
Fashion: MTV launches and everything changes: New Wave, neon, asymmetrical everything. Madonna incoming.
Snacks: Doritos, Reese's Pieces, Pac-Man themed everything, Ring Pops, Hostess
📰 What happened in 1981
Event of the year: Reagan survives assassination attempt. IBM PC launched. MTV goes on air: 'Video Killed the Radio Star'.
Sport: Super Bowl XV: Oakland Raiders beat Philadelphia Eagles 27-10. Jim Plunkett comeback story of the year.
💻 Technology and everyday life
Tech news: IBM PC launched — sets the standard for personal computers. First Space Shuttle flight. MTV launches.
The gadget to have: IBM Personal Computer (August 1981) / MTV (August 1, 1981)
How people communicated: MTV launched and changed everything. Music was now something you watched, not just heard.
How people listened to music: Bette Davis Eyes was everywhere. Blended synth-pop with classic Hollywood glamour.
The weekend: Raiders of the Lost Ark came out. The greatest summer movie ever made.
📵 What didn't exist yet in 1981
- personal computers for everyone (IBM PC just launched)
- cell phones (1983)
- internet
- CD players (1982)
- cable TV widely
🎯 Guess the year — Every day a new mystery year from United States. You have 5 guesses: every miss reveals another clue.
More years from the 1980s
Main sources: EIA, Billboard, NATO, MTV archives