Dance Marathon's 40th birthday is on the horizon, and North by Northwestern is experiencing a serious case of nostalgia. In honor of the big anniversary, NBN takes you down memory lane to rediscover some of the other awesome things that started or happened during DM’s birth year, 1975.
Television and Film
Wheel of Fortune
The greatest game show featuring a wheel but not starring Bob Barker, Wheel of Fortune premiered Jan. 6, 1975 on NBC. The show, which ranks as the longest-running syndicated game show in United States history, has achieved remarkable success since its inception (not unlike DM) and has routinely ranked among the highest-rated syndicated shows on television. Plus, it has provided such embarrassing moments, much like some misfired dance moves in the DM tent over the years.
Jaws
The entire Hollywood film landscape changed on June 25, 1975 when Jaws hit screens across the nation. With its larger-than-life setup, intensive production requirements (shooting a film featuring a giant mechanical shark = not easy) and pre-release promotional blitz, Jaws became the prototype for the summer blockbuster film. Generally well-received by critics and enormously popular at the box office, Jaws assertively cemented itself in film and pop culture history. Just like the massive shark that terrorized Amity Island, the influence of Jaws is nearly impossible to escape.
Music
"The Hustle" by Van McCoy
Far before Soulja Boy was around to tell tweens to “Superman that ho,” there was another catchy song spreading across the nation and forcing people to get off their feet. That song was “The Hustle” by Van McCoy. “The Hustle,” whose only lyrics are the famed “do the Hustle” and the oddly aggressive “do it,” skyrocketed to popularity – riding the disco wave all the way to the top of the Billboard charts. Despite its lack of substantive lyrics and obvious datedness, the song still holds an almost hypnotic presence on dance floors across the world. Can someone say Block 3 jam song?
A Night at the Opera by Queen
One of the most influential albums to come out of the '70s, Queen’s A Night at the Opera was released on Nov. 21, 1975. The album was a glorious combination of all of the excess and glamour of '70s British rock with a sense of art and theater unheard in many albums that came before it or after. It featured such hits as “You’re My Best Friend” and “Death on Two Legs,” as well as the one of the most-sung songs in rock ‘n’ roll history, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” There were a lot of great albums to come out in 1975, but if you’re looking for one album to be the soundtrack to your trip down memory lane, A Night at the Opera deserves some serious consideration.
Business
Oakley Sunglasses
The company that launched one million douchey bro prof pics, Oakley Sunglasses was founded in 1975 after a $300 investment from founder James Jannard, who started the company out of his garage. (A garage, guys. A garage.) The company went public in 1995 and quickly ascended to its position as every upper-class high school JV football players’ favorite brand of sunglasses. The company was purchased by Luxoticca Group in 2007, making it the newest addition to the world’s largest family of overpriced sunglasses (Luxoticca also owns Ray Ban and Persol).
Microsoft
Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded the Microsoft Corporation on April 4, 1975. The company originally intended to simply sell interpretation programs for the BASIC family of programming language, but rose to prominence in the '80s with a popular line of personal computers. Now a massive multi-billion dollar technology corporation, Microsoft has a hand in every sort of technology imaginable – from music players to gaming systems to tablets. However, the company has not lost touch with its roots and still pays homage to the men responsible for its creation and success, a sentiment sure to be shared with this year’s Dance Marathon.