The 1980s was an interesting period that saw the emergence of many famous personalities who are popular till date. Here are some famous people of the 1980s. The 1980s was a period that saw many fashion trends and famous personalities that set such trends. There were certain characteristics of the 1980s period. This was the time when there was a widespread influence of the media and music and rock stars set trends. Bling was in and people were seen sporting big hairdos as well. There were many famous people of the 1980s that caused a large fan following. Read on to know more about the famous people of the 1980s.

Famous People of the 1980s:
There were a lot of people who made their mark in the 1980s. From singers to musicians, sport personalities to politicians, here are a few of the famous people of the 1980s.

Madonna:
Madonna made her debut in the year 1982. This original Queen of Pop soon tasted success with many chart busters to her credit. Madonna is also cited to be the ‘World’s most successful female musician’ as per the Guinness Book of World Records. This Material Girl soon became the idol for pop lovers all over the world. Although Madonna’s videos were dogged in controversy, there was no looking back for this star. This stunning and beautiful singer has won the Grammy Award American singer-songwriter 9 times so far.

Michael Jackson:
If Madonna was the Queen of Pop in the 1980s, Michael Jackson was referred to as the King of Pop. Michael Jackson had his debut at the tender age of eleven. He began his career with the Jackson Five and later, went on with a solo career. Michael soon became a pop icon with his chart busting tracks. His revolutionary videos that showcased his break dancing skills inspired youngsters worldwide to follow suit. He is the sole singer to have received 8 Grammy Awards in a single night. Billie Jean, Beat It, The Way You Make Me Feel, Black or White are only the tip of the iceberg. This talented personality has many more hit albums and songs to his name. As is the case with most famous people of the 1980s, Michael Jackson also found himself dogged by controversies. This did not however affect the record-breaking sales of all his albums

Read to know all about the biography of Michael Jackson

George Michael:
George Michael tasted success when he became a part of the very popular band- Wham. George Michael won hearts all over the world with his rendition of Careless Whispers and Last Christmas. When George Michael gained success with his solo career in the 80s, there was no looking back for this talented singer. Such was his magic that George won a Grammy Award in 1988 for the Best R&B performance with vocals. Faith brought more fame and fortune for George in the year 1987. This was also his first solo album. Decked in shiny black boots with a guitar in hand, George Michael soared through the music charts and went on to carve a niche for himself in the music industry.

Tom Cruise:
Known for his drop dead gorgeous looks, Tom Cruise is the recipient of three Golden Globe Awards and was also nominated thrice for the Academy Awards. This famous person of the 80s began his career in the year 1981 with a modest role in Endless Love. It was in the year 1983 which saw the release of Risky Business, which finally saw Tom Cruise rising to fame. With Tom Cruise signing on Top Gun, which was released in 1986, he was catapulted to fame. This movie soon became the highest grossing film of the year. In 1988, with the release of Cocktail followed by Rainman, Tom Cruise proved that he was definitely here to stay.

Martina Navratilova:
This determined Tennis player sure rocked the world with her brilliant performances. With many trophies to her credit, Martina was almost like the perfect Tennis icon for many in the 80s. She won her French Open in 1984 and this left-handed tennis star won four Grand Slam Women’s Doubles title the same year. The 1980s also witnessed Martina being ranked as the World no. 1 doubles player. Despite the appearance of Steffi Graf on the tennis scenario, Martina may have suffered a little setback, but she bounced back in the in 1987 by beating Steffi in the Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals.

Vivian Richards:
Vivian Richards also known as the Master Blaster was known for his dynamic batting skills and was also a very handy bowler as well. This strong and forceful personality rose to fame in the 80s. Vivian became the captain of over 50 test matches in the 80s. He also saw success when his team won the Nat West trophy in the year 1983. Vivian Richards also holds the reputation of being the single West Indies caption to have never lost any test series.

Richard Gere:
This famous actor tasted success in the 1980s. He is best known for his romantic leads. Richard Gere got his first break in the year 1971. He was seen in Hollywood movies only in the mid 1970s. He became a rage with the release of American Gigolo in the year 1980. This hunky actor also has the reputation of being the first male ever to be featured on the cover of the glamorous Vogue magazine. Richard Gere had more hits in the subsequent years and is still considered to be hot property till date!

These famous people of the 1980s truly carved a niche for themselves and became an icon in their representative fields.

By Kashmira Lad : buzzle.com