Ever since GTA Vice City in 2002 (which itself is a bit old school now! Though anyone who grew up with it is still really young, like 17-25) and moreso with Guitar Hero & Rock Band, it seems like that's really been what's gotten a new generation of kids/teens into 80s music. Especially classic rock/metal bands, and to an extent new wave/synthpop and alternative rock too.

I think stereotypically its mostly guys who are gamers (though more girls are now than when I was younger), and guys more often tend to be old school in my experience (I mean outside of places like this on the Internet) and would hate modern autotune pop, so that would make sense.

I've thought about that a few times.  I'd be looking up a song on wikipedia to find the release year or album it was on and be surprised to read that it was on a GTA game.  Then, I'd be watching videos on YouTube and there will be comments like "I heard this on GTA such-and-such."  So, if they haven't sparked a revival, they have exposed the younger generation to '80s songs they probably never would have heard otherwise. 

I've thought about that a few times.  I'd be looking up a song on wikipedia to find the release year or album it was on and be surprised to read that it was on a GTA game.  Then, I'd be watching videos on YouTube and there will be comments like "I heard this on GTA such-and-such."  So, if they haven't sparked a revival, they have exposed the younger generation to '80s songs they probably never would have heard otherwise.


I've noticed that too! :) Like for "Easy Lover", Running With The Night, and Out of Touch from GTA.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories and Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s were the three leading ones that focused mainly on 80s music only, and they were HUGE!

There has not been another strictly 80s music based game since those, but alot of newer games like Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Dance Dance Revolution and camera based dance games do incorporate 80s music and it always brings a new generation of fans to the 80s.

For Playstation Move, there is a game called 'Everybody Dance' and I was quite surprised as in expension packs for download, they included 'Hey You' by Rocksteady Crew and 'Electric Boogie' by Marcia Griffiths, two somewhat forgotten 80s songs that should not be forgotten at all!

Ever since GTA Vice City in 2002 (which itself is a bit old school now! Though anyone who grew up with it is still really young, like 17-25) and moreso with Guitar Hero & Rock Band, it seems like that's really been what's gotten a new generation of kids/teens into 80s music. Especially classic rock/metal bands, and to an extent new wave/synthpop and alternative rock too.

I think stereotypically its mostly guys who are gamers (though more girls are now than when I was younger), and guys more often tend to be old school in my experience (I mean outside of places like this on the Internet) and would hate modern autotune pop, so that would make sense.


I had the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and there was a lot of 80's comeback music in the game.

It 's funny, I never thought "Obsession" by Animotion was all that cool of a song until I heard it playing while flying the helicopter around in GTA: Vice City.  ;D

It's funny, I never thought "Obsession" by Animotion was all that cool of a song until I heard it playing while flying the helicopter around in GTA: Vice City.  ;D


/jumps into the time machine and sets the controls for 1984

Loved the track, but it was a Time Pilot '84 (the sequel!) machine on which the operator had (inexplicably) turned down the volume.  Never got really great at the game, but the rhythm of the track was the perfect firing rhythm, and the stereo effects coincided nicely with the way your ship looped. 

hIs5StN8J-0

The track was in heavy rotation at the time.  I remember one moment where I had just enough time (t=1:33-1:48)
("I need you, I drink you, by day and by night")
to take my hands of the controls.
("I need you, I need you, by sun and candlelight")
and realize I had just enough time...
(guitar riff)
...to spin around 360 degrees...
("You protest")
...and return to the screen just in time to hit the fire button three times...
("*zap zap zap*" sound effects)
...and return to the screen...
("You want to leave...")
...and keep playing.
("Stay / Oh / There's no alternative...")

Took me 15 seconds to remember it, but almost ten minutes to describe it.  (cool story brony :)

Anyways, the "hot chick in the Animotion video" was Astrid Plane, and yes, Animotion is also still performing.  For Californian retrofanatics, the next show is July 27, 2012 in Santa Cruz, CA, with Flock of Seagulls.

/jumps into the time machine and sets the controls for 1984

Loved the track, but it was a Time Pilot '84 (the sequel!) machine on which the operator had (inexplicably) turned down the volume.  Never got really great at the game, but the rhythm of the track was the perfect firing rhythm, and the stereo effects coincided nicely with the way your ship looped. 

hIs5StN8J-0

The track was in heavy rotation at the time.  I remember one moment where I had just enough time (t=1:33-1:48)
("I need you, I drink you, by day and by night")
to take my hands of the controls.
("I need you, I need you, by sun and candlelight")
and realize I had just enough time...
(guitar riff)
...to spin around 360 degrees...
("You protest")
...and return to the screen just in time to hit the fire button three times...
("*zap zap zap*" sound effects)
...and return to the screen...
("You want to leave...")
...and keep playing.
("Stay / Oh / There's no alternative...")

Took me 15 seconds to remember it, but almost ten minutes to describe it.  (cool story brony :)

Anyways, the "hot chick in the Animotion video" was Astrid Plane, and yes, Animotion is also still performing.  For Californian retrofanatics, the next show is July 27, 2012 in Santa Cruz, CA, with Flock of Seagulls.


Man that video was so cool.

/jumps into the time machine and sets the controls for 1984

Loved the track, but it was a Time Pilot '84 (the sequel!) machine on which the operator had (inexplicably) turned down the volume.  Never got really great at the game, but the rhythm of the track was the perfect firing rhythm, and the stereo effects coincided nicely with the way your ship looped. 

hIs5StN8J-0

The track was in heavy rotation at the time.  I remember one moment where I had just enough time (t=1:33-1:48)
("I need you, I drink you, by day and by night")
to take my hands of the controls.
("I need you, I need you, by sun and candlelight")
and realize I had just enough time...
(guitar riff)
...to spin around 360 degrees...
("You protest")
...and return to the screen just in time to hit the fire button three times...
("*zap zap zap*" sound effects)
...and return to the screen...
("You want to leave...")
...and keep playing.
("Stay / Oh / There's no alternative...")

Took me 15 seconds to remember it, but almost ten minutes to describe it.  (cool story brony :)

Anyways, the "hot chick in the Animotion video" was Astrid Plane, and yes, Animotion is also still performing.  For Californian retrofanatics, the next show is July 27, 2012 in Santa Cruz, CA, with Flock of Seagulls.


From what I can remember about Time Pilot, I can totally picture that.

/jumps into the time machine and sets the controls for 1984

Loved the track, but it was a Time Pilot '84 (the sequel!) machine on which the operator had (inexplicably) turned down the volume.  Never got really great at the game, but the rhythm of the track was the perfect firing rhythm, and the stereo effects coincided nicely with the way your ship looped. 


It's funny you mention Time Pilots '84.  I've been watching old episodes of 'Saved By the Bell' lately, and if you ever noticed, one of the arcade machines at the back of The Max was Time Pilots '84 ;D

From what I can remember about Time Pilot, I can totally picture that.


Eeyup.  Both games were basically about spinning around and drumming on the fire button.  The '84 sequel was basically the same as the original, but you had homing missiles, more complex background graphics, ground targets, and bigger boss enemies.

Time Pilot 84: Further Into Unknown World

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I liked both, but the original was the more pure experience, being about actually traveling through, you know, time and stuff.  The sequel was much tougher to master.