Even though the mood of the '80s took very little from that of the '60s, particularly the late '60s, the music of the early-mid '80s was extremely influenced by early-mid '60s music. MTV pop like The Cars, The Bangles, The Go-Gos, and early Madonna and Cyndi Lauper shared with the Phil Spector girl groups, Motown, the Beach Boys, and the British Invasion pop a joyous, immaculately-crafted feeling and production designed to create a "wall of sound." Madonna's music had heavy girl-group Motown influences as a Detroit native and Michael Jackson's music was obviously heavily influenced by Motown. Also, I think the graphic design, fashion design, and interior design of the early-mid 1980s was influenced by the early-mid 1960s: the day-glo colors, big hair, huge patterns, sense of "fun in the sun" and open, airy spaces, and modernism took alot from the '60s. Think of the Courreges geometric miniskirts from the mid-1960s and the Mondrian dresses and how they influenced the '80s. Also, there was sort of a revival of "beach/California fun in the sun" themes in the 1980s from the early 1960s, and there was a "Camelot" mood to parts of the early-mid 1980s a la the early 1960s.

There was definitely a '60s nostalgia around 1986 onwards, even into the latter '90s probably. 

But in the early eighties the '50s was the retro decade of choice.  I mean, 1980 is only 11 years from 1969.

It's not so much nostalgia as there having been alot of cultural influence of the early-mid 1960s, pre hippies and LSD and war protests, on the early-mid 1980s. There was more overt 1950s nostalgia, but there was ALOT of 1960s influence on MTV pop and alot of the fashions and interior designs of the era.

It's not so much nostalgia as there having been alot of cultural influence of the early-mid 1960s, pre hippies and LSD and war protests, on the early-mid 1980s. There was more overt 1950s nostalgia, but there was ALOT of 1960s influence on MTV pop and alot of the fashions and interior designs of the era.



Yeah that's true.  A lot of flower decorating, for instance.

Just like the '00s are ran by the people of the '70s, the '80s were ran by the '60s generation.

Also, the catchy four-minute pop song, a big early-mid '60s thing, returned in the '80s after those days of "extended play" disco songs, breathy jammin' oldies, and ten minute Led Zeppelin classic rock songs in the '70s, along with the "simple pop song" exuding fun in the sun. Think "Vacation" by the Go-Gos.

Also, the catchy four-minute pop song, a big early-mid '60s thing, returned in the '80s after those days of "extended play" disco songs, breathy jammin' oldies, and ten minute Led Zeppelin classic rock songs in the '70s, along with the "simple pop song" exuding fun in the sun. Think "Vacation" by the Go-Gos.


That's true.

The '60s entered the eighties in a less obvious way, like the '80s have entered into the '00s.

That's true.

The '60s entered the eighties in a less obvious way, like the '80s have entered into the '00s.


By the late '80s, though, early-mid '60s influence had seriously died down, I think there was more late '60s nostalgia. Especially in England.

By the late '80s, though, early-mid '60s influence had seriously died down, I think there was more late '60s nostalgia. Especially in England.


Yeah.  When I think "sixties", I think more like late 1963 to 1970.  Not 1960-1969.

Yeah.  When I think "sixties", I think more like late 1963 to 1970.  Not 1960-1969.


People forget the early '60s, though they were a separate entity from the '50s and the mid-late '60s. They were a very optimistic, modernist time when "space age" design was popular, along with ultramodern, kitschy furniture and clothing that influenced the B-52s heavily. It was also the golden age of Phil Spector, doo-wop, and surf culture, a predecessor to stoner culture.

People forget the early '60s, though they were a separate entity from the '50s and the mid-late '60s. They were a very optimistic, modernist time when "space age" design was popular, along with ultramodern, kitschy furniture and clothing that influenced the B-52s heavily. It was also the golden age of Phil Spector, doo-wop, and surf culture, a predecessor to stoner culture.


Yeah.  That 1959-1963 period was a mix of '50s "malt shop" culture and the beatnik culture.

Yeah.  That 1959-1963 period was a mix of '50s "malt shop" culture and the beatnik culture.


It was definitely more '60s in optimism, though, and having a more funky and offbeat outlook, for its time, anyway.

It was definitely more '60s in optimism, though, and having a more funky and offbeat outlook, for its time, anyway.


Agreed.  But I still kind of see it as the "Fifties" in a way though, since they were still the "old days" in every sense of the word (i.e., 19th Century sort of attitudes, black and white TV).

Agreed.  But I still kind of see it as the "Fifties" in a way though, since they were still the "old days" in every sense of the word (i.e., 19th Century sort of attitudes, black and white TV).


Yeah, I agree. They were sort of like the way that pre-late '91 or so was still the '80s in many ways, but it also had alot of the '90s coming up from mid-1989. Mid 1989 to mid 1991 was the pre-'90s, 1959-1963 was the pre-'60s.

Yeah, I agree. They were sort of like the way that pre-late '91 or so was still the '80s in many ways, but it also had alot of the '90s coming up from mid-1989. Mid 1989 to mid 1991 was the pre-'90s, 1959-1963 was the pre-'60s.


The '50s in the truest sense (Elvis, malt shops, the feel of BTTF 1! :D) was about 1954-58. I'd almost say 1959-63 was a slightly "quieter" period. The rock stars of the '50s didn't seem to be coming out with as much by then, and there were mostly ballads and pop songs in the Top 40. Sort of like "dead 50s, waiting for the '60s to start", much like 1979-81 was for the '70s waiting around for the '80s.

I'd probably put the line at JFK's assassination, and the Beatles on Ed Sullivan (November 22, 1963, and Feburary 1964, respectively) for when the '50s ended and '60s began, respectively.

Anyway, I think 1954-58 and to a lesser degree 1959-63 was impated on the early to mid '80s. As already mentioned, leather jackets, and there was a late 50s influence on bands like the Stray Cats, Huey Lewis, George Thorogood, Billy Joel's Innocent Man album, etc.

I think I see what you mean about the Go-Gos versus the '60s "girl groups" though. Most pop songs were 3-4 minutes too, so I agree with that, although the late '60s revival peaked around 1987-90 (i.e. the Wonder Years, comebacks of many '60s artists - Grateful Dead, Roy Orbison, etc).

The '50s in the truest sense (Elvis, malt shops, the feel of BTTF 1! :D) was about 1954-58. I'd almost say 1959-63 was a slightly "quieter" period. The rock stars of the '50s didn't seem to be coming out with as much by then, and there were mostly ballads and pop songs in the Top 40. Sort of like "dead 50s, waiting for the '60s to start", much like 1979-81 was for the '70s waiting around for the '80s.

I'd probably put the line at JFK's assassination, and the Beatles on Ed Sullivan (November 22, 1963, and Feburary 1964, respectively) for when the '50s ended and '60s began, respectively.

Anyway, I think 1954-58 and to a lesser degree 1959-63 was impated on the early to mid '80s. As already mentioned, leather jackets, and there was a late 50s influence on bands like the Stray Cats, Huey Lewis, George Thorogood, Billy Joel's Innocent Man album, etc.

I think I see what you mean about the Go-Gos versus the '60s "girl groups" though. Most pop songs were 3-4 minutes too, so I agree with that, although the late '60s revival peaked around 1987-90 (i.e. the Wonder Years, comebacks of many '60s artists - Grateful Dead, Roy Orbison, etc).


I think as part of the whole '70s backlash, people started looking to a time before the word "groovy" was even used, more to the late 1950s-mid 1960s period, and got the revival of the 3-4 minute infectiously catchy pop tune, an art dead in the '70s, when everything seemed to long-play or 5+ minutes, up to 10 minutes with alot of the prog rock. The '50s revival was also in the '70s, though, with Grease and Happy Days, and leather jackets started to be big in the '70s. The '50s revival was a pretty long one lasting from about 1975 or so until the late '80s.

Yeah.  When I think "sixties", I think more like late 1963 to 1970.  Not 1960-1969.



Yeah even though the 60's are technically 1960-1969 I'd say that the culture that would define the decade(british invasion,hippies,etc.) didint really get started until 1964. The whole late 50's-early 60's vibe ended with the Kennedy assasination, the civil rights movement growing more and more violent, and the escatlation of the conflict in Vietnam.