Id say 80s culture fully began in 1981 when mtv came out i that was a huge game changer! :)

The cultural 80s began on the dot in January 1981. Not initially because of MTV, although that certainly cemented it later on. 80s culture began with the one-two punch of the election of Ronald Reagan in September 1980 and the assassination of John Lennon in December 1980. These events ushered in 80s culture with a literal bang.

The cultural 80s began on the dot in January 1981. Not initially because of MTV, although that certainly cemented it later on. 80s culture began with the one-two punch of the election of Ronald Reagan in September 1980 and the assassination of John Lennon in December 1980. These events ushered in 80s culture with a literal bang.

Reagan got elected in November of '80 (that's when the general Election Day was), and John Lennon was killed the following month (December '80). Even though I was a baby when those things happened, I don't remember them, but I know all about them from having learned 'em from various sources (including books).

Reagan got elected in November of '80 (that's when Election Day was), and John Lennon was killed the following month (December '80, not '81).


Correct! I mistyped. I will fix it. Oh, I still remember that day like it was yesterday!

The honest answer is that is never fully happened. Despite the events quoted above, it was a pretty gradual transition both in and out and it wasn't ever universally accepted. Arguably, the bigger shift happened in the summer/fall of 1979 (Disco Demolition Night, the Knack's My Sharona, Margaret Thatcher becomes UK PM, the Iran Hostage Crisis begins basically dooming Carter's re-election hopes). That was basically the end of the '70s though with all those events, as especially in North America, the arrival of the '80s was seen as an era of malaise. But if I had to answer the question as far as the closest thing to a distinct "80s environment", I'd pick the summer of '82. This was when MTV started to become more widely available, the first wave of video games were at its peak, Valley Girl slang became in, new wave (sometimes called the Second British Invasion) began with The Human League's "Don't You Want Me" album, and the recession started to end. This has been asked ad infinitum though and to state "fully" implies that everything represented the decade in some form or another. While technically this was never the case since you always had TV channels playing old movies, shows, as well as radio stations playing vintage music, you can't deny that the "in culture" between that magical moment in '82 through about the middle of 1988 was anything but "eighties", through the aesthetics, fashions, production values, and loyal audience. Even if you were watching the MGM musical movie Born To Dance from 1936 in 1983, and then hear a commercial break with the instrumental background of "Maniac" from Flashdance playing for a baseball community event, you can't doubt what decade you're currently living in at the time even if you had an old soul or were "out of the loop" for the hip stuff. It's just that decades after they end tend to get "glamorized" into an ideal environment, taking all the fun parts and forgetting about the old "Fogeylburg", Hee Haw rednecks, and/or bad news that took place then. Remember, the average Joe/Jane wasn't artistic like you see in those music videos, and had their own tastes. Remember, many '80s fans have never really appreciated the culture of the 2010s and can't name you the biggest songs from each year, as well as the popular movies and Internet memes then! And until they die, many still won't understand what happened "after their time"!

The bottom line is that no two people's 1980s experience who lived through them was alike, and the same can be said for any other decade. Its just largely what you make of what's there to offer as well how you created your own stuff, whether its a book, photo album, or even simply what you taped on the VCR.

The honest answer is that is never fully happened. Despite the events quoted above, it was a pretty gradual transition both in and out and it wasn't ever universally accepted. Arguably, the bigger shift happened in the summer/fall of 1979 (Disco Demolition Night, the Knack's My Sharona, Margaret Thatcher becomes UK PM, the Iran Hostage Crisis begins basically dooming Carter's re-election hopes). That was basically the end of the '70s though with all those events, as especially in North America, the arrival of the '80s was seen as an era of malaise. But if I had to answer the question as far as the closest thing to a distinct "80s environment", I'd pick the summer of '82. This was when MTV started to become more widely available, the first wave of video games were at its peak, Valley Girl slang became in, new wave (sometimes called the Second British Invasion) began with The Human League's "Don't You Want Me" album, and the recession started to end. This has been asked ad infinitum though and to state "fully" implies that everything represented the decade in some form or another. While technically this was never the case since you always had TV channels playing old movies, shows, as well as radio stations playing vintage music, you can't deny that the "in culture" between that magical moment in '82 through about the middle of 1988 was anything but "eighties", through the aesthetics, fashions, production values, and loyal audience. Even if you were watching the MGM musical movie Born To Dance from 1936 in 1983, and then hear a commercial break with the instrumental background of "Maniac" from Flashdance playing for a baseball community event, you can't doubt what decade you're currently living in at the time even if you had an old soul or were "out of the loop" for the hip stuff. It's just that decades after they end tend to get "glamorized" into an ideal environment, taking all the fun parts and forgetting about the old "Fogeylburg", Hee Haw rednecks, and/or bad news that took place then. Remember, the average Joe/Jane wasn't artistic like you see in those music videos, and had their own tastes. Remember, many '80s fans have never really appreciated the culture of the 2010s and can't name you the biggest songs from each year, as well as the popular movies and Internet memes then! And until they die, many still won't understand what happened "after their time"!

The bottom line is that no two people's 1980s experience who lived through them was alike, and the same can be said for any other decade. Its just largely what you make of what's there to offer as well how you created your own stuff, whether its a book, photo album, or even simply what you taped on the VCR.


So this whole question was a test?

It's an interesting theory you put forth. If I understand, you are saying that no matter what is going on in the actual current culture of an era (the 80s, in the case under discussion) there are always those that due to age, ignorance, lack of access, taste, or other factors, are out of touch with it. True, but it still doesn't negate that the actual current culture WAS happening nonetheless. I lived through the 1960s from beginning to end, for example, and it was everything we think about "The Sixties", but there were a LOT of people who weren't "part" of the prevailing culture. It still doesn't mean it wasn't happening.

When you talk about the decade fully beginning and taking off I would definitely say 1981 was the year the 80s really began and well and truly replaced what was left of the 70s. Obviously MTV begins in the US on 1st August but also this year the synth and electronic sounds that define the 80s are very in now and even some of the 70s disco regulars like Earth Wind and Fire have modified their sound now to fit in ("Let's Groove"). A lot of decade defining acts debuted this year (Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, New Order), and certainly in the UK this was around the time home computers and home VCRs really took off and became more common.

Perhaps the Autumn of 1980 would be an accurate reference point. The election of Reagan would herald possibly the world leader that is most remembered of the 80s but also a number of long running TV shows in the UK (Doctor Who, Tomorrow's World to name but two) drastically changed their titles and theme tunes with a very much more 80s sound.

If 80s culture well and truly took hold end of 1980 / beginning of 1981, I would definitely say mid-late 1977 was when the 80s vibes first started with films like Star Wars and Close Encounters setting the template for many a big blockbuster movie for the next decade or so and also when the first big electronic hits were big. Giorgio Moroder doing "I Feel Love" for Donna Summer and his own "From Here to Eternity" and Jean-Michel Jarre's "Oxygene" going top 5 in the UK charts in October as well were like nothing ever heard before.

From my viewpoint I would consider the "80s zeitgeist" to cover Autumn 1977 - Summer 1991.

I think going back through old commercials is always a good tool for measuring the aesthetic and zeitgeist of a particular time.

Some ads from the midway point of each year

July 1979

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJtLeEvjXtU

July 1980, still looking pretty '70s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTOUkJETeFE

July 1981, some '80s aesthetic starting to be apparent but not all the way there yet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnY_QN715wI


July 1982, fairly '80s by this point but still some '70s aesthetic left

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J7WEhfXkxA

July 1983... even here still a tinge of '70s aesthetic but nearly all gone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4CdUsk_3Gw

July 1984... not a trace of '70s to be found.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huCpLWqVrRA

I actually think the 1980s started on time, 1980 was already very conservative and the Soviet-Afghan War had started (which really revamped the tension of the cold war). Even though Jimmy Carter was still president, he was very unpopular and throughout 1980 it was becoming very obvious that Ronald Reagan would become president anyway. Even culturally, things were changing, the fashion was becoming more conservative (despite some 70s fashion trends still around), Disco was dead (not to be mistaken with Post-Disco), synthesizers were growing more common (but, still not entirely standard though), 1980 overall was a very boring year for music and it really lacked identity. Movies were going through a transition, which started with Star Wars in 1977 and ended during 1982's blockbuster summer. Arcades were also really blowing up in 1980 and noticably grossing more money than they had in 1979. Television pretty much stayed unchanged from the late 70s.

I really think that the early 1980s (1980 - 1983) was just its own era and things were obviously different by 1985.

Looking at the number 1 singles, both in the US and UK, for 1980 (and 1981 somewhat) and it's all still very 70s. Olivia Newton John, Pink Floyd, Captain & Tenille, Queen, ABBA.

But 1982, you can visually see the change in artists charting... Culture Club, Irene Cara etc.

I think going back through old commercials is always a good tool for measuring the aesthetic and zeitgeist of a particular time.

Some ads from the midway point of each year

July 1979

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJtLeEvjXtU

July 1980, still looking pretty '70s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTOUkJETeFE

July 1981, some '80s aesthetic starting to be apparent but not all the way there yet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnY_QN715wI


July 1982, fairly '80s by this point but still some '70s aesthetic left

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J7WEhfXkxA

July 1983... even here still a tinge of '70s aesthetic but nearly all gone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4CdUsk_3Gw

July 1984... not a trace of '70s to be found.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huCpLWqVrRA

I did a similar thing looking at 90s commercials.

1990: Almost completely 80s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WNZHCU-g74

1991: Some 90s things coming in like Nicktoons (also grunge was becoming popular at this time), but still a heavy late 80s feel here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2ZzAiqLybY

1992: More firmly 90s, but still some 80s leftover

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_nik9FKTAU

1993: Very little 80s, almost completely 90s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBGCfN3919c

1994: Completely 90s, 80s are gone by now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOuOIlrLsqU

I can tell when something was filmed in the mid/core 90s due to it having more of a "blown-up" look if you know what I mean. The stuff filmed in the 80s-early 90s has more of a "flat" camera look to it.

I noticed a lot of music, film, tv clips from late 1978 to 1979 in retrospect being identical to the early 80s.

If I didn’t know the dates I would guess they would be from the early 80s.

I didn't live through the 80's, but it's so refreshing to hear from older folks who lived through it and hearing their points of views!

As an ignorant person, though, I always saw 1983 as the beginning of the 1980's. Why? 1983 marked the return of record sales for the music industry. It was also the return of a good economy again, from the little I hear from economists. And although MTV began in 1981, did it take until 1983/1984 for it to be popular?

For me, as an outsider (someone who is looking from never having experienced the 80's), 1982/1983 was when the 1980's truly began.