At the cinema the big films were Back to the Future, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rocky IV, The Goonies and Out Of Africa, with the latter winning the best picture Oscar.
In music the big singles were charity record We Are the World by USA For Africa, Take On Me by A-Ha, I Want to Know What Love Is by Foreigner and Shout by Tears For Fears.
On television long-running soaps EastEnders and Neighbours made their debut. And in August, after a series of high-profile football hooliganism incidents, live football was banned from British television. The ban was lifted early the next year.
Notable births included actress Keira Knightley, F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, singers Leona Lewis and Lily Allen, and Manchester United footballers Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Notable deaths included actors Sir Michael Redgrave and Rock Hudson, film-maker Orson Welles and musician Ricky Nelson.
1985 Star Fact: On April 23, 1985, Coca-Cola changed its formula and released New Coke. Consumer response was overwhelmingly negative, and Coca-Cola put the original formula back on the market in less than three months.
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