Aside from the recession and Grunge, the '80s and '90s were not that different in many ways. Both decades had:

-Rapid rise of technology
-Decline of superpowers
-Increased materialism (which only stopped from about 1990-1996, before it increased again)
-"Throwaway" pop
-Modern rock (hair metal and new wave are probably more like '90s and '00s rock than classic rock)
-Gen X fads/attitudes
-Trendiness
-Similar lifestyle (until the very late 1990s, the lifestyle of the '80s and '90s was not that different)

Aside from the recession and Grunge, the '80s and '90s were not that different in many ways. Both decades had:

-Rapid rise of technology
-Decline of superpowers
-Increased materialism (which only stopped from about 1990-1996, before it increased again)
-"Throwaway" pop
-Modern rock (hair metal and new wave are probably more like '90s and '00s rock than classic rock)
-Gen X fads/attitudes
-Trendiness
-Similar lifestyle (until the very late 1990s, the lifestyle of the '80s and '90s was not that different)




Yeah, the '80s and '90s aren't really that different, and in alot of ways, neither is the '00s. I think part of the difference is the "look." The "look" of the '90s looks much more modern and up-to-date than the '80s "look", for example, in terms of graphic design and such (though not by much, most things by 1986+ were digitally designed in terms of graphic design.)

The '90s are so much modern than the '80s, and looked very different as well.

Yeah, the '80s and '90s aren't really that different, and in alot of ways, neither is the '00s. I think part of the difference is the "look." The "look" of the '90s looks much more modern and up-to-date than the '80s "look", for example, in terms of graphic design and such (though not by much, most things by 1986+ were digitally designed in terms of graphic design.)

I agree. I've always thought the '90s had a little bit of a modern "80sesq" feel to it.

The '90s are so much modern than the '80s, and looked very different as well.


I think the first half of the '80s was very, very different from the last half of the '80s. The last half of the '80s saw the sudden rise of "yuppie culture" out of the yuppie arena and into the suburbs and the rise of cultural irony from its MTVish beginnings c. 1979-1981 (Madonna had alot to do with it, actually), the rise of "alternative" culture, and such. For example, in 1984, the styles in say advertising and styles in general seem '60slike or '70slike in many ways, where as by 1989 they didn't. I think about 1981-1985 was the transition between the two cultures, yuppie and pre.

I think the first half of the '80s was very, very different from the last half of the '80s. The last half of the '80s saw the sudden rise of "yuppie culture" out of the yuppie arena and into the suburbs and the rise of cultural irony from its MTVish beginnings c. 1979-1981 (Madonna had alot to do with it, actually), the rise of "alternative" culture, and such. For example, in 1984, the styles in say advertising and styles in general seem '60slike or '70slike in many ways, where as by 1989 they didn't. I think about 1981-1985 was the transition between the two cultures, yuppie and pre.


Yeah I agree that the later half of the '80s is a lot different from the early half.

I think the first half of the '80s was very, very different from the last half of the '80s. The last half of the '80s saw the sudden rise of "yuppie culture" out of the yuppie arena and into the suburbs and the rise of cultural irony from its MTVish beginnings c. 1979-1981 (Madonna had alot to do with it, actually), the rise of "alternative" culture, and such. For example, in 1984, the styles in say advertising and styles in general seem '60slike or '70slike in many ways, where as by 1989 they didn't. I think about 1981-1985 was the transition between the two cultures, yuppie and pre.

Yeah that sounds right. I watched an early '80s Cheerios cereal commercial recently and it seemed a lot different than commercials from the late '80s. The '90s were probably based more off the late '80s than the other parts of the '80s.

I think the first half of the '80s was very, very different from the last half of the '80s. The last half of the '80s saw the sudden rise of "yuppie culture" out of the yuppie arena and into the suburbs and the rise of cultural irony from its MTVish beginnings c. 1979-1981 (Madonna had alot to do with it, actually), the rise of "alternative" culture, and such. For example, in 1984, the styles in say advertising and styles in general seem '60slike or '70slike in many ways, where as by 1989 they didn't. I think about 1981-1985 was the transition between the two cultures, yuppie and pre.


Yeah, I've noticed that in ways as mundane as logos on newscasts (i.e. showing the name of a person they're interviewing). The early '80s tended to have blue or yellow "large" lettering, and that now looks quite dated.

On a technology level, I'd say the '80s and '90s do share alot in common. I think the rise of the Internet and digital stuff has something to do with this (although 2004 was probably the year digital cameras, cameraphones, Ipods and all that became totally "household", it had its beginnings around 1998/99, and of course, the Internet as early as '95).

I'd say 1982-97 were the "80s technology" years (even if the early Digital era didn't get around until 1986) and 1998+ is the "modern tech" years (although even a 2001 computer looks pretty dated now, the basic template for tech overtook the '80s around '98/99).

Yeah, I've noticed that in ways as mundane as logos on newscasts (i.e. showing the name of a person they're interviewing). The early '80s tended to have blue or yellow "large" lettering, and that now looks quite dated.

On a technology level, I'd say the '80s and '90s do share alot in common. I think the rise of the Internet and digital stuff has something to do with this (although 2004 was probably the year digital cameras, cameraphones, Ipods and all that became totally "household", it had its beginnings around 1998/99, and of course, the Internet as early as '95).

I'd say 1982-97 were the "80s technology" years (even if the early Digital era didn't get around until 1986) and 1998+ is the "modern tech" years (although even a 2001 computer looks pretty dated now, the basic template for tech overtook the '80s around '98/99).


Yeah, tech pre 96-97 seemed 'retro' and dated - eg. the very sharp, angular, square designs, just the style of design. On the whole, the early 90s were an extension of the 80s while the late 90s are more a foretaste of the 00s.