Notable pop culture anniversaries of 2021: 'All in the Family's' premiere, Billy Joel's first album and more

In 2021, we'll be celebrating many significant pop culture anniversaries from the premieres of "All in the Family" (50!) and "Everybody Loves Raymond" (25!) to Billy Joel's first album (also 50!) and Mariah Carey's first Grammy win (30!) Here's our annual, extremely subjective list of notable anniversaries designed, as always to make you say out loud, "I can't believe it's been that long!"

1971 (50th anniversary)

'ALL IN THE FAMILY' (Jan. 12)

The first time network TV viewers hear racial epithets, see the effects of menopause and hear a flushing toilet.

CAROLE KING'S 'TAPESTRY' (Jan. 30)

Did any boomer not own this album, which spent 15 weeks at No. 1?

MARVIN GAYE'S 'WHAT'S GOING ON' (May 21)

The Motown singer's 11th album, his most sophisticated and timely, was recently named the No. 1 album of all time by Rolling Stone.

DEATHS OF JIM MORRISON (July 3) and DUANE ALLMAN (Oct. 29)

In a bathtub and on a motorcycle, respectively.

'COLD SPRING HARBOR' (Nov. 1)

Billy Joel's debut album, partially recorded at Ultrasound Studios in Hempstead, is released, featuring such soon-to-be classics as "She's Got a Way" and "Everybody Loves You Now." (Joel hated the album because a technical screw-up during the mastering made his voice sound "like the Chipmunks.")

'DIRTY HARRY' (Dec. 22)

The era of the modern cop movie begins here with Clint Eastwood, clutching a .44 Magnum, staring down a thug and snarling, "You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?"

1981 (40th anniversary)

'DYNASTY' (Jan. 12)

You still have to admire those shoulder pads the women wore on TV's glitziest prime-time soap. (And yes, the CW should have never revived this show.)

'HILL STREET BLUES' (Jan. 15)

The police drama genre takes a quantum leap into the future with the debut of Steven Bochco's gritty series.

EDDIE MURPHY ON 'SNL' (Jan, 24)

The kid from Roosevelt, a couple of years out of the L.I. comedy club scene, gets promoted to regular ensemble member. Mr. Robinson, Buckwheat and Gumby soon follow.

'RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK' (June 12)

Steven Spielberg reinvents the Saturday-morning serial for the big screen. And believe it or not, Harrison Ford is about to reprise the role of Indy one more time in a 2022 sequel.

THE ROYAL WEDDING (July 29)

At least Charles and Diana looked happy at the time.

MTV LAUNCHES (Aug. 1)

Everybody knows The Buggles' (who?) "Video Killed the Radio Star" was the first video aired on the then-revolutionary cable channel. But the second hit closer to home: "You Better Run" by Lindenhurst's Pat Benatar.

1991 (30th anniversary)

'THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS' (Feb. 14)

In which we learned that fava beans and a nice Chianti are the perfect accompaniment to liver. And we don’t mean calf’s or chopped.

MARIAH'S GRAMMY HONORS (Feb. 20)

The young singer from Greenlawn won Best New Artist at the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards, beating out such noteworthies as Lisa Stansfield, the Black Crowes, Kentucky Headhunters and Wilson Phillips. She also won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for her debut hit single, "Vision of Love."

'THELMA & LOUISE' (May 24)

Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon take one hell of a road trip.

'RUGRATS' (Aug. 11)

A Nickelodeon cartoon proving that a baby’s-eye view of the world can be terrifyingly funny.

NIRVANA'S 'NEVERMIND' (Sept. 24)

Grunge hits the mainstream, and through no fault of his own, Kurt Cobain finds himself the spokesman for a "new generation." As a bonus, flannel shirts become high fashion.

1996 (25th anniversary)

MSNBC (July 15) and FOX NEWS CHANNEL (Oct. 7)

After 16 years, CNN gets some competition with the debuts of two new rivals.

THE MACARENA (Aug. 3)

Los Del Rio’s goofy, addictive dance spent 14 weeks at No.1. Admit it: You danced it at your office holiday party. (Ah, if only social media had existed then.)

TUPAC SHAKUR (Sept. 13)

The influential rapper dies, six days after he’s gunned down in Las Vegas. A quarter-centur later, His killer remains unknown.

'EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND' (Sept. 13)

Twenty-five years later, we’re still waiting for another TV show about a Newsday sports writer.

'JERRY MAGUIRE' (Dec. 13)

People are still walking around saying, "Show me the money" and "You had me at hello."

2001 (20th anniversary)

TOM CRUISE, NICOLE KIDMAN SPLIT (Aug. 8)

After 10 years together, Cruise blindsided his spouse, telling Kidman he wanted out of the marriage, just a few months after they had renewed their vows.

JAY-Z'S 'THE BLUEPRINT' (Sept. 11)

Bad timing for its release date didn't deter Mr. Carter's sixth album from being a hip-hop masterpiece.

THE CONCERT FOR NYC (Oct. 20)

The emotional Madison Square Garden benefit concert held in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks honored first responders, both the survivors and the lost. The star-studded lineup included Billy Joel, The Who, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney. But the true star of the show was the New York City Fire Department's Michael Moran (who had lost his older brother in the attacks), who told the audience: "Osama bin Laden, you can kiss my royal Irish [butt]!"

'24' (Nov. 6)

Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) begins his eight-year mission to save the world. And for eight years, as far as we could tell, he never ate or relieved himself.

GEORGE HARRISON DIES (Nov. 29)

And then there were two: The "Quiet Beatle" passes from lung cancer at the age of 58.

2011 (10th)

ADELE'S '21' (Jan. 24)

The powerful-voiced British singer-songwriter's second album was the top album of the year, spending 13 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1, selling 5 million copies and spawning "Rolling in the Deep," the No. 1 single of 2011. (It eventually would sell 31 million copies, making it the biggest-selling album so far of the 21st century.)

LOHAN BUSTED (Feb. 9)

Lindsay Lohan garnered her share of tabloid headlines a decade ago. She was arrested for the theft of a necklace from a jewelry store in January. A month later, she pleaded no contest to the theft and was sentenced to 120 days in jail and community service. Because of jail overcrowding, the Merrick native's sentence was reduced to 35 days of house arrest.

'BRIDESMAIDS' (April 28)

The R-rated comedy starring Kristin Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Melisa McCarthy proved that women could be just as raunchy as men and still be a box-office hit.

OPRAH'S FINAL SHOW (May 25)

After 25 years, Oprah Winfrey signed off from her groundbreaking daytime talk show. As Newsday's Verne Gay reported of the broadcast: "It was all as it should be: full of love, grace, compassion, pedagogy, spiritual nourishment and talk."

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS — PART 2 (July 15)

The eighth and final movie about the boy wizard's adventures would become the highest-grossing film in the franchise and the No. 1 film of 2011. (Newsday's Rafer Guzman gave the film 2 1/2 stars, but said fans could add a half-star because the movie was really made for them.)

AMY WINEHOUSE DIES (July 23)

The British singer, who thrilled audience with her distinctive takes on r&b and soul, passed away at 27, a victim of alcohol poisoning.

KIM KARDASHIAN MARRIES KRIS HUMPHRIES (Aug. 20) The reality-TV star and the journeyman NBA player tied the knot in a lavish ceremony near Santa Barbara, California, with dozens of celebrities in attendance, including Dina and Lindsay Lohan. Seventy-two days later, the couple untied the knot.

By Andy Edelstein

andy.edelstein@newsday.com

Andy Edelstein, Newsday's entertainment editor, supervises coverage of TV, celebrities, movies and pop music. He has written three books on popular culture, including "The Brady Bunch Book."