1966

New York Times Best-selling Novel: “Valley of the Dolls” by Jacqueline Susann
New York Times Best-selling Nonfiction: “In Cold Blood” by Truman Capote
Academy Award Best Picture: “A Man for All Seasons”
Top Grossing Film: “Thunderball”
Longest Stay At Billboard no. 1: Sgt. Barry Sadler, “Ballad of the Green Berets”
Grammy Award for Song of the Year: Johnny Mandel and Paul Francis Webster, “The Shadow of Your Smile” (Love Theme From “The Sandpiper”)
Grammy Award for Best New Artist: Tom Jones
Television Debut: “Star Trek”
Super Bowl: Does not yet exist

1986

New York Times Best-selling Novel: “It” by Stephen King
New York Times Best-selling Nonfiction: “Bus 9 to Paradise” by Leo Buscaglia
Academy Award for Best Picture: “Platoon”
Top Grossing Film: “Top Gun”
Longest Stay At Billboard no. 1: Dionne and Friends, “That’s What Friends Are For”
Grammy Award for Song of the Year: USA for Africa, “We Are the World”
Grammy Award for Best New Artist: Sade
Television Debut: “The Oprah Winfrey Show”
Super Bowl: Chicago Bears ravage the New England Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX – achieving the seventh-highest Nielsen Media Research rating ever.
Popular Toys: Koosh Balls and Pound Puppies

2006

New York Times Best-selling Hardcover Novel (this week): “For One More Day” by Mitch Albom
New York Times Best-selling Hardcover Nonfiction (this week): “The Innocent Man” by John Grisham
Top Grossing Film: “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest”
79th Academy Awards: Scheduled to be held Feb. 25, 2007
Longest Stay At Billboard no. 1: Justin Timberlake, “SexyBack”
Super Bowl: Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the Seattle Seahawks 21-10 in Super Bowl XL – watched by 90.7 million viewers.
– Edward Oser