These 80’s stars had grown up in a magical decade and to be honest, we all wish we could time travel to the years when Michael Jackson or David Bowie did their concerts that nobody in the world could ever equate to. Some stars have changed completely through the years and some you might not even spot the difference! You will also get a sneak peek into the celebrities’ lives today and their current occupation. We would love for you to share your thoughts with us and let us know which star surprised you most!
1. Madonna
Madonna is one of the biggest American pop artists of the 80s, also referred to as the “Queen of Pop”. Today, Madonna is 62 years old but still has her teen spirit and continues performing and doing live tours around the globe. Her last tour was Madame X Tour just before COVID-19 hit us all.
2. Prince
Prince, the legend of the 80s who created more than thirty albums and won seven Grammys, sadly said goodbye to the world in April 2016. He was diagnosed with the common flu and was given medication, Opioid Fentanyl. He was found dead in his home in Minnesota after accidentally overdosing on this medication when he was just 57 years old.
3. Bobby Brown
Robert Brown, best known by his nickname Bobby Brown is an American singer, rapper, and dancer. Brown had dated one of the biggest stars of the 80s, Whitney Houston for more than ten years and even have a daughter together. He is currently married to Alicia Etheredge and has added two girls to the family. After having a rough past with drugs issues and domestic disputes, Brown is as of today continuing to perform live concerts and even joined the TV industry and has recently participated in The Masked Singer.
4. David Bowie
Another singer-songwriter we have lost in 2016 is David Bowie, the legend of rock. He holds the title of one of the best-selling music artists of all time! Bowie suffered from liver cancer for 18 months before he was found dead in his apartment in New York City. He did not make his illness public, but it was known that Bowie was dealing with a health condition as he was unable to attend rehearsals for the musical Lazarus.
5. Elton John
Elton John, English songwriter, and pianist is one of the best-selling music artists of all times, following Bowie. He sold over 300 million records throughout his career and is known for his piano playing skills during live concerts. John has married multiple women in his life and after a few years confirmed he is bisexual. He even mentioned he is comfortable with being gay in an interview with Rolling Stones magazine. We appreciate that spirit, Elton John!
6. Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie holds the title of one of the most successful and best balladeers of the 80s. He’s an American musician and TV persona. Personally, we love celebs who donate and raise money for charities of all kinds. Richie had helped raise over $3.1 million for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation after stating his grandmother survived breast cancer during her 80´s and lived until the age of 103! Furthermore, he said she was his enduring symbol and the reason he became a breast cancer activist.
7. Billy Idol
Did you guys know Billy Idol’s birth name is actually William Micheal Albert Broad? Wondering where Billy Idol came from? Well, it was inspired by his schoolteacher’s description of him being idle. Idol holds both American and British citizenship and has been noticed for the first time when being the lead singer in the English punk rock band named Generation X. Looking at his pictures from now and then, we don’t really spot any difference, do you?
8. George Michael
Another star entering the list of best-selling music artists of all time is the English singer and songwriter George Michael. The first recognition of Michael was in the music duo, Wham! However, Michael’s fame had risen significantly when becoming a solo artist and releasing some of the best hits of the 80s. Michael died on December 25th, the same day he was born. He was found in bed at his home by his partner at only the age of 53.
9. Meryl Streep
Her second name is the best actress of her generation however even today, in the 21st century she is one of the most successful actresses in the world! Meryl Streep won three Academy Awards and nine Golden Globe Awards. Her most recent and popular appearance was in the film Mamma Mia! Which came out with a second movie in 2018. She has also developed her career through television being one of the main roles in the second season of HBO’s outstanding show Big Little Lies.
10. Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul is an American singer and songwriter, who later became a choreographer following her teenage years being a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers. Today, Abdul is all around our TV, starting from being a judge in the very first seasons of American Idol to judging The X Factor, Live to Dance, and The Masked Singer. In addition, she choreographed multiple films where she received admiring comments in.
11. Tom Cruise
Let’s be real, Tom Cruise was everyone’s dream husband in the 80s. Star of all six films of the film Mission: Impossible and many other movies as Top Gun and Collateral are known to be one of the wealthiest and most successful actors in the world until today! He has had multiple relationships, one of which he dated actress Nicole Kidman and together they adopted two children. We love hearing about celebs who care for others, especially when it comes to kids!
12. Rick Astley
British singer and radio persona, Rick Astley, rose to fame at first when producing with the production trio Stock Aitken Waterman which had much success during the ’80s. Two of his most famous songs are “Never Gonna Give You Up” which was a number one single in 25 countries and won the award for Best British Song in 1988. His second song “Together Forever” became his second single to hit the US Billboard Hot 100. Astley retired in 1993 and by then had sold about 40 million records worldwide! Lately, Astley has returned to the music industry and renewed his success by publishing more albums.
13. Demi Moore
Demi Moore is an American actress and film producer who was widely recognized for her power and influence in the movement for equal salaries for women in Hollywood. Moore dated some of America’s greatest stars! She spent her life alongside Bruce Wills for 13 years and eight years beside Ashton Kutcher. Even though Moore fought for equal salaries for women she was also one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood in the 80s and 90s!
14. Harrison Ford
American actor Harrison Ford is one of the best and most successful actors of all time, we can all agree on that! He’s currently placed 4th on the list of highest-grossing domestic box office stars of all time with worldwide grosses exceeding $9.3 billion. Ford is mostly known for his role as Han Solo in the epic space opera movie Star Wars and for his role as Indiana Jones in the titular film franchise. Amongst all that, Ford also spends his time being an environmental activist and, fun fact! He also holds a license for both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters!
15. Judd Nelson
Best known for his star role as John Bender in the film The Breakfast Club and Jack Richmond in the TV series Suddenly Susan. Nelson comes from a Jewish family and his father was the first Jewish president of the Portland Symphony Orchestra. At the age of 63, Nelson is still acting and has taken part in multiple recent films as Dead Water and Santa Fake.
16. Cyndi Lauper
American singer and actress, Cyndi Lauper, was first acknowledged when her first debut album achieved four top-five hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Lauper also won the Best New Artist award at the Grammy Awards. Throughout her career, she was also open about her being an LGBT activist who supports various charities and gay pride events. Lauper stated she had become an activist ever since her sister came out as a lesbian and also because she is also very passionate about equality.
17. Jerry Hall
Jerry Hall, the ex-wife of one of the founder members of the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger, is an American model and actress. Hall and Jagger broke up in 1999 and claimed that Jagger’s infidelity was the source of their break-up. Today, she is dating the American billionaire and businessman Rupert Murdoch. They engaged in 2016 in the Church of England after dating for a year.
18. Axl Rose
He was born William Bruce Rose Jr. But his stage name quickly became Axl Rose. Best known for being the lead vocalist of the rock band Guns N’ Roses. Multiple media outlets have mentioned Rose as one of the greatest singers of all time. Fun fact! Rose highlighted his diagnosis with high IQ levels in one of his interviews. Later, he was diagnosed with psychosis in his late teen years.
19. Michelle Pfeiffer
What do you know? Another American actress on the list! Michelle Pfeiffer is one of the most fruitful and rewarding actresses in the 80’s and 90’s. She is famous for her acting in all types of film genres, but her breakout role was in the film Scarface which came out in 1983 where she played Elvira Hancock, a gangster moll. These days Pfeiffer is still in the acting world and is continuing to work on various films and TV series.
20. Bill Murray
America’s number one comedian and actor in the 80’s, Bill Murray is our last person on the list. He first showed up on the late-night show Saturday Night Live where he got his first Emmy Award. He later became involved in the comedy films world and played in movies such as Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day, and The Grand Budapest Hotel.
