Spotify’s #ThrowbackThursday Playlist Brings Back 50 Late 80s Hits
Every Thursday, commercial music, streaming, podcast and video service Spotify releases a playlist of throwback hits from different years via #ThrowbackThursday. The late 80s was a great time for music. The later part of the decade is responsible for still-relevant hits like the now-classic Rick Astley song “Never Gonna Give you Up,” Patrick Swayze’s beautiful and haunting “She’s Like the Wind,” and the feel-good Beach Boys’ song...
Q&A with Dave Kinzer, Author of “The 80s Music Compendium”
I just had the pleasure of reading the new book by Dave Kinzer, “The 80s Music Compendium” that released in paperback this week (Sept 13). Dave Kinzer, a music teacher, sought to find new ways to teach music structure and theory to students in a way that would hold their interest longer than say Bach. As an avid fan of 80s music, he turned to the treasure trove that is the catalog of Hot 100 hit songs from the 80s. He...
80s Walk-up Songs in Major League Baseball
Like a tarpless field after a sudden May shower, Major League Baseball is awash in statistics. From Earned Run Average to Runs Batted In to On-Base Percentage, it seems every aspect of the game can be boiled down to a number. Well, almost every aspect. Indeed, there is one phenomenon that has thus far eluded even the most moneyballin’ statistician: the Eighties Entrance Music Effect (EEME). Simply put, a player’s EEME attempts to...
1985: Thirty Year Retrospective (Music Edition)
Bowling for Soup sure picked the right year to celebrate in its song “1985.” Now, I know that I once proclaimed, on this very site, that 1983 was the best year in music ever. And last fall, Rolling Stone magazine called 1984 “pop’s greatest year.” But 1985’s got some game as well. So why, thirty years on, are we still preoccupied with 1985? Well, 1985 was the year of… Defining the Decade: Quintessential 80s tracks were released...
Every Day They Read the Books: Allusive Artists of the 80s
As a high school English teacher, I love me some allusions, those literary “shout-outs” to other texts. And as a 1980s devotee, I really appreciate 80s artists that use allusions, since it gives me an excuse to play classic tunes in class and unleash my obsession on a new, unsuspecting generation. With the new school year underway, I thought I would present my list of ten allusive 80s artists, whose works include significant...
Best 80s Summer of Music – Results Are In
By Mark Dursin The results are in! Like Totally 80s wanted to know: “Of the ten summers of the 1980s, which one spawned the best music?” So, last week, we provided sample songs from the different summers and then asked you, the fine folks sitting at home, to vote on which summer you considered the best, music-wise. And here’s what you had to say . . . 3rd Best Summer (with 15% of the vote): 1984 2nd Best Summer (with...
Vote for the Best 80s Summer of Music
By Mark Dursin Music-wise, these were definitely NOT “cruel summers.” It’s funny: when I look back on the summers of my youth, I can distinctly remember so many of the popular songs on the radio at the time. But ask me to remember songs from last summer, I can maybe remember two . . . and one of them is “Blurred Lines,” which I am desperately trying to forget. So many great songs, from so many great artists, arrived during the summers...
You Mean These 10 Acts Have Number One Songs… and Bruce Springsteen Doesn’t?
By Mark Dursin The gang at Cheers routinely groaned when Cliff Clavin would share one of his “little known facts” (e.g. “It’s a little known fact that the tan became popular during the Bronze Age”). But the pontificating postman was merely preparing his drinking buds for life in the erudite 80s — the decade when Trivial Pursuit debuted, when Alex Trebek first condescended to contestants on Jeopardy,...
1983 Is the BEST Year in Music
By Mark Dursin Before 2013 comes to a close, perhaps we all should all pause and try to locate our inner Kajagoogoo. Thirty years ago, in 1983, the One-Hit Wonder Wizards known as Kajagoogoo took their song “Too Shy” all the way to Number 5 on the U.S. Billboard charts. It was a glorious time, 1983—when the charts were jam-packed with amazing acts such as Michael Jackson, The Police, Styx, Journey, Dexys Midnight Runners, and, yes,...
Sweatin’ to the Oldies
By Lori Ferraro When you think of pop stars of the 80s I’m sure Madonna immediately pops into your head, right? Followed by Cyndi Lauper, Janet Jackson, Pat Benatar, then maybe down the line you have Sheena Easton when she was hanging out with Prince, then maybe waaay down the line you have, umm, I don’t know, Martika? I’m trying to work out on a more regular basis and lately my Pandora has been stuck on the “80s Dance Parties”...
Dude, It’s Cold Outside Winter Weather Songs of the 80s
By Julie Anderson Winter Weather Songs of the 80sJanuary is probably the crummiest month of the year where I live. It might be tied with February, and March is up there as well. It’s chilly, drippy, slushy, and occasionally snowy. Grody. Maybe you live somewhere that is balmy and green right now (if so, I’m totally jealous) but chances are you’re staring down the barrel of a long stretch of wintry weather, with nary a gifting or...
Top 12 Breakup Songs of the 80s
By Julie Anderson One of the hard facts of growing up is the inevitability of heartbreak. As teenagers, we fell in love – and OH how hard we fell – but more often than not, we didn’t end up with our beloveds for the long haul. (Which, by and large, is a good thing, right? I mean, have you googled some of your exes?) When the end of a relationship was upon us, we might have felt angry, jubilant, remorseful, vindictive, or totally...
Pick-up Lines Inspired by 80s Songs
By Julie Anderson & Alli Denning You know the problem. You see that special someone across the room, you want to talk to him or her, and you want to make the right impression. But what to say? It seems such a daunting task, coming up with just the right mix of witty, interesting, intelligent and, well . . . hot. Thankfully, the musical treasure trove of the 80s left us with a wealth of perfect pickup lines. Here’s a run down...
Living in a Material World
Madonna had it right. We are indeed living in a material world. It is damn near impossible to watch TV today without hearing your favorite 80s songs as the backdrop to one commercial or another selling everything from candy bars (see PayDay’s use of “Bust a Move”) to insurance (see Liberty Mutual Insurance’s use of “Human” by Human League). How I feel about this trend varies with its use. I don’t have a global position on the issue as...
The Top 80s Movie Soundtracks – According to LT80s’ Fans!
Recently, we asked Twitter and Facebook followers about their fave 80s movie soundtracks. We got some great responses, because, after all, there were tons of bodacious soundtracks in the 80s. Here’s a rundown of the most bitchin’ movie scores of the 80s, with many thanks for all the tweets and Facebook votes that helped us compile it. A FOUR-WAY TIE FOR SIXTH PLACE! 6: Valley Girl 1983’s Valley Girl is about the blossoming romance...
