July 8, 1981
A Big Mac cost $1.10 that summer of 1981, and the Dow Jones sat at 875 — Egypt and Israel signed a landmark pact on the Sinai Peninsula, a diplomatic agreement years in the making that reshaped the balance of power in the Middle East. On television, "Dallas" was the country's most-watched drama, while Kim Carnes spent the summer dominating radio with "Bette Davis Eyes," which held the number one spot for nine weeks. On August 1, MTV launched as the first 24-hour music video channel in the United States, opening its broadcast with "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles and permanently changing how Americans would discover and consume music.
On the cover
Magazine Covers — July 8, 1981
World Events — July 1981
Time Person of the Year — 1981
On the radio
Billboard Charts — July 8, 1981
Grammy Awards
On the bookshelf
On the television
Nielsen Top 10 — 1980–81 Season
Emmy Winners — 1981
At the movies
Box Office & Oscar Winners — July 8, 1981
Ebert 4-Star Films — July 8, 1981
On the field
Sports Champions — July 8, 1981
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