United States in 1983
You were born in 1983 — the Police watched every breath you took, Cabbage Patch Kids caused shopping riots, and the Macintosh was 47 days away.
💰 How much things cost in 1983
| Item | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1.16 USD/gallon | verified (U.S. EIA) |
| Cinema ticket | 3.15 USD | verified (NATO) |
| Coffee | ~0.50 USD | estimate |
| Ice cream | ~0.60 USD (scoop) | estimate |
Currency: USD
🎵 The music of 1983
The song of the year: The Police – Every Breath You Take (Billboard Year-End Hot 100 #1)
Other songs people listened to in 1983:
- Michael Jackson – Billie Jean
- Dexys Midnight Runners – Come On Eileen
- Men at Work – Down Under
- Patti Austin – Baby Come to Me
- Michael Jackson – Beat It
- Duran Duran – Hungry Like the Wolf
- Culture Club – Karma Chameleon
- Huey Lewis – Heart and Soul
- Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun
📺 TV, cinema and pop culture
Cartoons: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe / Smurfs (on Syndicated (He-Man) / NBC (Smurfs)). He-Man was the first cartoon made specifically to sell toys. It worked spectacularly.
TV series: The A-Team (NBC, Jan 23, 1983) + M*A*S*H finale (106 million viewers). Record TV night.
At the cinema: Return of the Jedi — the Ewoks divided fans. The trilogy closes. Everyone argued.
Person of the moment: Hannibal Smith of The A-Team — 'I love it when a plan comes together'
The cult toy: Cabbage Patch Kids (Christmas craze) / He-Man figures. The Cabbage Patch Kids Christmas craze of 1983 caused actual fistfights in stores. Parents lined up overnight.
👗 Fashion and snacks
Fashion: Material Girl era: lace, fingerless gloves, crucifixes, layered jewelry. Madonna as style guide.
Snacks: Cabbage Patch Kids cereal (yes, really), Doritos, Reese's Pieces, Ring Pops, Pop Rocks
📰 What happened in 1983
Event of the year: Reagan announces Star Wars missile defense. US invades Grenada. M*A*S*H finale watched by 106 million.
Sport: Super Bowl XVII: Washington Redskins beat Miami Dolphins 27-17. John Riggins' iconic 43-yard TD run.
💻 Technology and everyday life
Tech news: Internet TCP/IP protocol standardized — the modern internet is born. First mobile phone networks in the US (Motorola DynaTAC).
The gadget to have: Nintendo Famicom (Japan, July 1983) / Cabbage Patch Kids
How people communicated: The finale of M*A*S*H was watched by 106 million people — the most watched TV event in US history at the time.
How people listened to music: Thriller was the album of the year, every year. Michael Jackson was at a level beyond celebrity.
The weekend: Return of the Jedi closed out the Star Wars trilogy. Everyone argued about the Ewoks.
📵 What didn't exist yet in 1983
- Macintosh (Jan 1984)
- cell phones widely (Motorola DynaTAC, 1983 but $4000)
- internet
- NES in USA (1985)
- CD 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