Skip to content
Back Then

Your time capsule is ready

In your 41 years you’ve been around for…

  • 10 Prime Ministers
  • 2 monarchs
  • 11 World Cups
  • +3.3 billion people on Earth

1985

The world you arrived into

1985

Live Aid united the world

On 13 July 1985, concerts in London and Philadelphia raised millions for famine relief — and Queen stole the show.

1985

What people were listening to

Now playing in 1985

  • Wham! ruled the charts

    "Careless Whisper" was one of the year’s biggest songs, alongside Madonna’s "Into the Groove".

  • Dire Straits released Brothers in Arms

    In May 1985, the album that would define mid-80s CD-era listening arrived.

1985

At the cinema and on television

television

EastEnders began

Albert Square arrived on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and never left.

movies

Back to the Future

Marty McFly borrowed the DeLorean in July 1985 and time-travel cinema was never the same.

movies

Rocky IV

Rocky fought Drago in November 1985 in one of the decade’s biggest hits.

1985

Technology looked very different

  1. Microsoft shipped Windows 1.0

    In November 1985, the software that would put a PC on every desk made its first appearance.

  2. Super Mario Bros.

    The mustachioed plumber made his proper debut in September 1985 and saved video games.

1985

People who share your birth year

people

Keira Knightley was born

The actor arrived on 26 March 1985 in London.

people

Wayne Rooney was born

The footballer arrived on 24 October 1985 in Liverpool.

1985

What things cost

  • An average UK house about £33,000
  • A pint of beer about 75p
  • A litre of petrol about 42p
  • A cinema ticket about £2

Indicative UK averages from sample data — being verified and expanded.

When these arrived

You were only…

  • 4 The World Wide Web was invented 1989
  • 9 The PlayStation 1994
  • 13 Google was founded 1998
  • 16 Wikipedia launched 2001
  • 19 Facebook was founded 2004
  • 20 YouTube was founded 2005

A gentle reality check

Things that are younger than you

  • 1987 The Simpsons first appeared
  • 1989 The Game Boy
  • 1989 The World Wide Web was invented
  • 1990 The Hubble Space Telescope launched
  • 1991 The first website went online
  • 1991 Sonic the Hedgehog
  • 1992 The first text message
  • 1994 The Channel Tunnel opened
See all 32 things younger than you →

1985 vs today

A few things have changed since you arrived

A few things 1985 Today
  • An average UK house about £33,000 about £290,000
  • A pint about 75p about £4.60
  • Petrol about 42p about £1.40 a litre
  • Everyone on Earth about 4.9 billion about 8.2 billion

Indicative sample data — being verified and expanded.

See the full Then vs Now →

Pick the version you want to share

My year

Know someone born in 1985? Send them their year — or see every way to explore 1985.

Keep exploring