Some people have a tendency to lump all "Eighties music" together (especially if it has synthesizers and a guitar solo, or was just generally popular from about 1981/'82 to 1990), but it has such a big variety.

One thing I've noticed is that the music which has tended to survive into the present better (in terms of people remembering and liking it) has some relevance to the current scene. In many ways Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna, some new wave, "Every Breath You Take", "Living on a Prayer" or certain Paula Abdul songs have that timelessness. Sure, they sound like they came from the '80s and are dated, but you're more likely to find people admitting to being fans, and it wouldn't sound entirely out of place in a modern context.

On the other hand, I think the most outdated stuff is arena style pop/rock like Starship, Survivor and Foreigner, or AC-styled pop, such as that period's Rod Stewart. When they don't really have any modern counterparts, that's when it seems to be considered cheesiest by most people. Has anyone noticed this? I'm not biased either way, because I like all of it personally. ;)

I think this happens in every decade of music, not just the 80's.  The 70's had equally awful stuff that my husband keeps digging up on Limewire and I'm like, there's a reason no one wants to remember that tune!   

^ That's true, every time probably has music that is completely tied to its era, along with stuff that survives beyond it. For the '80s, it just seems especially true. I guess one reason I notice it is because that happens to be alot of my personal favorite music. I've had lots of people halfway tease me for listening to it, or not even recognize it over the years, lol.

I think this happens in every decade of music, not just the 80's.  The 70's had equally awful stuff that my husband keeps digging up on Limewire and I'm like, there's a reason no one wants to remember that tune!   


The 70's had equally awful stuff that my husband keeps digging up on Limewire and I'm like, there's a reason no one wants to remember that tune!

An example please?
???

Oh gosh, there's this "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" Song or is it "Cheepy Cheepy Chirp Chirp"? Some "Radio Rolled Me" tune where this dude just keeps listing band names in this awful drone.  "I Do The Rock" by Tim Curry.  There are plenty others that I just don't remember.

Some "Radio Rolled Me" tune where this dude just keeps listing band names in this awful drone. 
"Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me)"--Reunion

"Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me)"--Reunion
Oh, brother, my husband's not alone... :D ;D

"Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me)"--Reunion


"B.B. Bumble and the Stingers, Mott the Hoople, Ray Charles Singers..."

Reunion, missing the benefit of modern tech, came pretty close to the limit of what's humanly singable.  Each verse can be done in one breath, but it's very difficult.

Weird Al Yankovic's Hardware Store (a portion of which uses an identical rhyme/meter scheme) required a fair bit of work with ProTools to get the "would you look at all that stuff" list to sound like one seamless take.  I'm not sure it'll ever be performed entirely live.

Oh, brother, my husband's not alone... :D ;D


No, he's not alone...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16kh-AP4OCU

From 1974.

maybe it's just me, or maybe it's because i am in my 40's but i still love the music of the 70's & 80's, I even catch my kids who are 18 &15 listening to it. with every decade there is good songs& bad ones,lots of people like the song WE BUILT THIS CITY, but apparently VH1 voted it the worst song ever, so who's to say what is good or bad.