Just curious.
I mean to ask both about culture and important events such as the toppling of world regimes, medical advances, and the strengthening of other world regimes.

I wasn't there but, looking back and doing research, 1987 and 1988 were pretty much culturally the same as the mid 80s (1984 - 1986). The main difference the late 80s has from the mid 80s was the technology, computers were more widespread in work places/schools, VCRs were actually common, Renting out VHS tapes was actually a thing (thanks to Blockbuster), game consoles were becoming more popular (due to the NES), Microwaves were a lot more widespread/popular, Vinyls were completely dead (they were still sorta popular in the mid 80s), Walkmans were more popular/widespread, Video Games in the arcades were becoming 16-bit, cars and tech design were becoming rounder (compare to the bland boxy design of the early-mid 80s), audio in movies was also a lot more clearer. Culturally though (as stated), the late 80s were indistinguishable from the mid 80s, the music, fashion, tv shows etc... were pretty much the same stuff really. Politically, the late 80s were slightly different from the early-mid 80s, the late 80s were very left leaning/liberal in comparison and there were early signs of the fall of the Soviet Union. Also, the materialism that dominated most of the 1980s was quickly declining, Reagan was still the president though.

I wasn't there but, looking back and doing research, 1987 and 1988 were pretty much culturally the same as the mid 80s (1984 - 1986). The main difference the late 80s has from the mid 80s was the technology, computers were more widespread in work places/schools, VCRs were actually common, Renting out VHS tapes was actually a thing (thanks to Blockbuster), game consoles were becoming more popular (due to the NES), Microwaves were a lot more widespread/popular, Vinyls were completely dead (they were still sorta popular in the mid 80s), Walkmans were more popular/widespread, Video Games in the arcades were becoming 16-bit, cars and tech design were becoming rounder (compare to the bland boxy design of the early-mid 80s), audio in movies was also a lot more clearer. Culturally though (as stated), the late 80s were indistinguishable from the mid 80s, the music, fashion, tv shows etc... were pretty much the same stuff really.
Betamax Video Tapes were available too.

In the Uk. The Great Storm of 1987 was a violent extratropical cyclone that occurred on the night of 15–16 October 1987, with hurricane-force winds causing casualties in England, France and the Channel Islands as a severe depression in the Bay of Biscay moved northeast. Among the most damaged areas were Greater London, the East Anglian coast, the Home Counties, the west of Brittany and the Cotentin Peninsula of Normandy, all of which weathered gusts typically with a return period of 1 in 200 years. Forests, parks, roads and railways were strewn with fallen trees as well as schools being closed. The British National Grid suffered heavy damage, leaving thousands without power. At least 22 people were killed in England and France. The highest measured gust of 117 kn (217 km/h; 135 mph) was recorded at Pointe Du Roc, Granville, France and the highest gust in the UK of 106 kn (196 km/h; 122 mph) was recorded at Gorleston-on-Sea. The storm has been termed a weather bomb due to its rapid development

AWESOME!  And we invented the word.  1987 and 1988 okay well in 1987 there was so much great music Guns N Roses were new and Welcome to the Jung kle was awesome and axel was not bad looking though he was a redhead not  a blond-I was dissapointed.  Actually Slash was always the best looking.  Tiffany was popular with a remake from the 60's called "I think We're a lone now87-88 was not as good as 65-86 or 86-87/ And I hated Rumours by Fleeetwood Mac but they had a couple of songs in 1987 I really liked including Everywhere, and Tell Me Lies and Seven Wonders the lkast which is on my playlist becasue i travel the world.  Catch me I'm Falling was a great song too in 87.  SAlt N Pepa had Ooh Baby Baby... Unfortunately Michael Jackson was still popular but i couldn't stand him I was a normal girl and liked Duran Duran.  Speaking of which they split into two groups and paired with Robert Palmer so cool.  Addicted to Love was on the radio.  The radio was still popular where there were about 100 songs that would be played.  1988 wasn't the best for me but some good songs that came out of it are: A Little Respect-Erasure Kon KAn's Rose Garden, Waiting For A Star To Fall, and in Spanish Tan Enamorados.
Davif Letterman was the Late Show host that was really funny. No one even comes close today.  There wasn;t any internmet which actually was so much better because we actually had lives.  I was outside all the time.  We still had phones attached to walls most were push button but rotary still existed.  We had payphones on the block and videos on MTV. MTV ruled. The clothes were what I see today on European youth.  Jean jackets t shirts and jeans tasteful not like the tacky kardashians. On tv Mr. Belvedere and ALF!!! ALF is so cute.

AWESOME!  And we invented the word.  1987 and 1988 okay well in 1987 there was so much great music Guns N Roses were new and Welcome to the Jung kle was awesome and axel was not bad looking though he was a redhead not  a blond-I was dissapointed.  Actually Slash was always the best looking.  Tiffany was popular with a remake from the 60's called "I think We're a lone now87-88 was not as good as 65-86 or 86-87/ And I hated Rumours by Fleeetwood Mac but they had a couple of songs in 1987 I really liked including Everywhere, and Tell Me Lies and Seven Wonders the lkast which is on my playlist becasue i travel the world.  Catch me I'm Falling was a great song too in 87.  SAlt N Pepa had Ooh Baby Baby... Unfortunately Michael Jackson was still popular but i couldn't stand him I was a normal girl and liked Duran Duran.  Speaking of which they split into two groups and paired with Robert Palmer so cool.  Addicted to Love was on the radio.  The radio was still popular where there were about 100 songs that would be played.  1988 wasn't the best for me but some good songs that came out of it are: A Little Respect-Erasure Kon KAn's Rose Garden, Waiting For A Star To Fall, and in Spanish Tan Enamorados.
Davif Letterman was the Late Show host that was really funny. No one even comes close today.  There wasn;t any internmet which actually was so much better because we actually had lives.  I was outside all the time.  We still had phones attached to walls most were push button but rotary still existed.  We had payphones on the block and videos on MTV. MTV ruled. The clothes were what I see today on European youth.  Jean jackets t shirts and jeans tasteful not like the tacky kardashians. On tv Mr. Belvedere and ALF!!! ALF is so cute.
I grew to hate that album too, it was constantly played every night when I worked on the night shift.

I wasn't there but, looking back and doing research, 1987 and 1988 were pretty much culturally the same as the mid 80s (1984 - 1986). The main difference the late 80s has from the mid 80s was the technology, computers were more widespread in work places/schools, VCRs were actually common, Renting out VHS tapes was actually a thing (thanks to Blockbuster), game consoles were becoming more popular (due to the NES), Microwaves were a lot more widespread/popular, Vinyls were completely dead (they were still sorta popular in the mid 80s), Walkmans were more popular/widespread, Video Games in the arcades were becoming 16-bit, cars and tech design were becoming rounder (compare to the bland boxy design of the early-mid 80s), audio in movies was also a lot more clearer. Culturally though (as stated), the late 80s were indistinguishable from the mid 80s, the music, fashion, tv shows etc... were pretty much the same stuff really. Politically, the late 80s were slightly different from the early-mid 80s, the late 80s were very left leaning/liberal in comparison and there were early signs of the fall of the Soviet Union. Also, the materialism that dominated most of the 1980s was quickly declining, Reagan was still the president though.



I was young but remembering and researching that period over the years I would largely agree but it seems like 1987-1988 is the first proper period that established a lot of aesthetics, trends and fashion that would be associated with the Bush era 1989-1993 era yet the mid 80s style was still occurring simultaneously, much more than late 1988 to the early 90s.

Latter 1988 is when things really started to change but I think 1987-1988 is the first period to have enough had bits and pieces of what would later develop into a new era.

Roughly speaking:

1986-1987 is 80 to 85 percent mid or core 80s, 1987-1988 is like 50-60 percent mid 80s, 1988-1989 is 35 or 40 percent mid 80s, 1989-1990 is like 25-30 percent mid 80s. Videogames in the arcades starting becoming 16 bit looking around 1984-1985 with games like Punchout, Marble Maddnes, Gradius, Commando, Ghosts and Ghoblins, Space Harrier.

Nes was already really popular in late 1986 with the nationwide release, the black label games, rob and all that. Vinyl was  still really big because cds could still be very expensive and there weren't enough albums on CD format. Cds started slowly replacing vinyl from what I understand around 88/89-90/91

Strikes everywhere!

Including printing of newspapers and the BT(British Telecom) workers

Cds started slowly replacing vinyl from what I understand around 88/89-90/91


Cassettes were the biggest selling format during that exact period.

Cassettes were the biggest selling format during that exact period.


Yeah that make sense but vinyl was slowly being replaced by cds from I've read since I was young at the time, it didn't really happen over night from what I gather until later.

Even games were on cassettes in the 1980s on the ZX spectrum and commodore 64.

Cassettes were the biggest selling format during that exact period.


I can remember buying cassette tapes for cheap during those years.

I can remember buying cassette tapes for cheap during those years.
The cassette tapes were cheap here too.

The cassette tapes were cheap here too.



Some of them ranged less than $10.

I can remember buying cassette tapes for cheap during those years.


Cassettes were sold for full price in those days. It was the heyday of the format. Unless you mean you were buying them for cheap in a used or discount store.

Cassettes were sold for full price in those days. It was the heyday of the format. Unless you mean you were buying them for cheap in a used or discount store.


I meant in a discount store.

In 1988, I was still buying vinyl records. I had an account with Columbia House-where you could get 10 records for a penny-but you had to buy I think it was 3 over the course of a year or so. I also found a store that sold vinyl records for cheap. I was scarfing them up. I was also buying cassettes, too.

I also remember Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. I was living in Texas at the time and we were getting tornadoes that sprung from the remnants of Gilbert. One was about 10 miles from my house. WAY too close for comfort. Too scary. We were in the middle of a tornado WARNING when the phone rang. I thought it might had been one of my sisters wondering how we are doing but it was a survey asking us who we were going to vote for in the election. I said to that person, "This is NOT a good time," and basically hung up.


Cat

Late 1987 was (I think) when I bought a CD player - and of course a few CDs to go with it.  Before that my purchased collection (which was/is large) consisted almost entirely of vinyl.  I used cassettes a lot, but mine were mostly "roll your own" (I had a high quality tape deck and creating great tapes was a "creative endeavor" for me).  Starting to collect CDs didn't change my affection for "roll your own" cassettes at all - CDs were even easier to work with than vinyl when taping, at least in certain ways.

During this timeframe I went clubbing a lot.  Clubbing in the late 80's was pretty special (although I got myself into tricky situations more than my share).  Of course being a suburbanite colored my outlook on clubbing (I frequented the hot suburban clubs in my area).  There was no social distancing then!  ;D

I remember in 1987 I spent a good amount of money on my first CD Michael Jackson's Bad album and I was so excited to get it and listen to it when I got home.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/51/Michael_Jackson_-_Bad.png/220px-Michael_Jackson_-_Bad.png

I remember in 1987 I spent a good amount of money on my first CD Michael Jackson's Bad album and I was so excited to get it and listen to it when I got home.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/51/Michael_Jackson_-_Bad.png/220px-Michael_Jackson_-_Bad.png


That album was the highlight of my 1987-88 school year. I had it on cassette though. I also remember George Michael being popular that year. Also a lot of dance pop like Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, the Pebbles, Lisa Lisa, etc. and that song from Dirty Dancing.

Did you guys get the longbox cd version, they were probably the standard casing at some point. I remember seeing these in store shelfs around then.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/~z4AAOSweRpd3W4X/s-l400.jpg

Did you guys get the longbox cd version, they were probably the standard casing at some point. I remember seeing these in store shelfs around then.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/~z4AAOSweRpd3W4X/s-l400.jpg


Yes, I remember seeing those on the shelf at the local Kmart. I didn't have a CD player yet at the time. Only cassettes and vinyls.

The PEAK of big hair!

Did you guys get the longbox cd version, they were probably the standard casing at some point. I remember seeing these in store shelfs around then.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/~z4AAOSweRpd3W4X/s-l400.jpg


mine was just one single CD.

The PEAK of big hair!


I like hearing about that!

I was in elementary school....

The Baby Jessica catastrophe happened in '87, it was major news with everyone glued to their TV sets. It was really awful and freaky.

During these years, bands like Poison and Guns n' Roses made "butt rock" heavy metal hair bands really popular, which lasted into the early '90s until Nirvana got huge and grunge toppled metal.