World Events in 1977
Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee
Britain celebrated twenty-five years of the Queen's reign with street parties, beacons, and a royal tour of the nation. An estimated 500 million people watched the celebrations on television, though punks offered an irreverent counter-narrative.
Tenerife airport disaster
Two Boeing 747s collided on the runway at Los Rodeos airport in Tenerife on 27 March, killing 583 people. The KLM and Pan Am jets crashed in fog due to a chain of communication errors, making it the deadliest accident in aviation history.
Elvis Presley dies
The King of Rock and Roll was found dead at his Graceland mansion on 16 August, aged 42. His death triggered an unprecedented outpouring of grief worldwide and turned Graceland into one of America's most-visited homes.
Anwar Sadat visits Israel
Egyptian President Sadat made a historic visit to Jerusalem in November, becoming the first Arab leader to officially visit Israel. His address to the Knesset stunned the world and set the stage for the Camp David Accords the following year.
The Ogaden War between Ethiopia and Somalia
Somalia invaded the Ogaden region of Ethiopia, exploiting the chaos following Ethiopia's revolution. The Soviet Union switched allegiance from Somalia to Ethiopia, and Cuban troops helped turn the tide, reshaping Cold War alliances in the Horn of Africa.
Music in 1977
"Mull of Kintyre"
Wings
Paul McCartney's love letter to the Scottish peninsula became the first single to sell over two million copies in the UK, topping the chart for nine weeks and becoming the Christmas number one.
"You Light Up My Life"
Debby Boone
This soft ballad spent a record-breaking ten consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the longest-running number one of the decade.
#1 Film of 1977
Star Wars
Box Office: $307 million
George Lucas's space opera changed filmmaking forever, created a merchandising empire, and became the highest-grossing film of all time (until E.T. surpassed it). Its cultural impact remains immeasurable.
Born in 1977
Kanye West
Rapper, producer, and fashion designer (The College Dropout, Yeezus)
Shakira
Colombian singer-songwriter and global pop superstar
Orlando Bloom
British actor (The Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean)
Tom Hardy
British actor (Inception, Mad Max: Fury Road, Peaky Blinders)
Fiona Apple
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter
Lost in 1977
Elvis Presley
The King of Rock and Roll
Age 42
Charlie Chaplin
Silent film legend and creator of the Tramp character
Age 88
Maria Callas
The most renowned opera soprano of the twentieth century
Age 53
Bing Crosby
Singer and actor, best-selling recording artist of his era (White Christmas)
Age 74
Marc Bolan
Glam rock pioneer and T. Rex frontman
Age 29
Technology in 1977
The Apple II and Commodore PET brought personal computers to the public for the first time. The Atari 2600 made home video gaming a reality. Fibre optic cables were first used to carry live telephone traffic, and the space shuttle Enterprise made its first test flights.
- ● Apple II and Commodore PET personal computers go on sale
- ● Atari 2600 (VCS) home video game console launches
- ● Space Shuttle Enterprise completes its first atmospheric test flights
- ● First fibre optic telephone cables carry live traffic
Cost of Living in 1977
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price | £13,650 | $48,800 |
| Average salary | £4,100 | $13,900 |
| Pint of milk | 11p | $0.44 |
| Loaf of bread | 22p | $0.32 |
| Dozen eggs | 42p | $0.82 |
| Pint of beer | 28p | $1.00 |
| Gallon of petrol/gas | 80p | $0.62 |
| Cinema ticket | 75p | $2.23 |
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The Zeitgeist of 1977
Street parties for the Silver Jubilee clashed with the snarling fury of punk; the Sex Pistols released 'God Save the Queen' to coincide with the celebrations. Saturday Night Fever brought disco to the mainstream, and Star Wars changed cinema forever. Flared trousers and platform shoes were on the way out, replaced by drainpipes and Dr Martens among the punk crowd. Red Rum won a record third Grand National.
In the News in 1977
The worst aviation disaster in history occurred when two 747s collided on the runway at Tenerife, killing 583 people. Elvis Presley died at Graceland, sending the world into mourning. Freddie Laker launched Skytrain, offering cheap transatlantic flights for £59.