1987

In 1987 the Simpsons first turned up as shorts on a variety show, and Margaret Thatcher chatted to Soviet viewers for 45 minutes on their own television. The Herald of Free Enterprise ferry capsized off Zeebrugge, the Iran–Contra affair kept Ronald Reagan busy explaining himself, and a supernova became visible to the naked eye for the first time since 1604.

Rock was loud, glossy and increasingly televised. Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet spent eight weeks on top of the Billboard chart, and "Livin' on a Prayer" went on to be the year's biggest hit. Def Leppard's Hysteria arrived in August, and Pink Floyd returned with A Momentary Lapse of Reason in September. MTV's Headbangers Ball began in April, handy for the thrash crowd: Anthrax delivered Among the

living in March, and Metallica filled the summer with The $5.98 E.P., a set of covers. Sepultura's Schizophrenia and Soundgarden's Screaming Life hinted at where things were heading. The big one, though, was Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction in July. Sales started slowly, then it became the best-selling debut album of all time, with more than 18 million copies sold in the US alone.

Not everyone had a jolly year. Udo Dirkschneider left Accept over management issues and formed U.D.O. before the year was out, while Motörhead swapped drummers, with Pete Gill leaving and Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor coming back. Twisted Sister, Alcatrazz and Sound Barrier all called it a day. In December, Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx survived a near-fatal heroin overdose.