Why Are You An Eighties Fan?

This is one page of many, check out the intro at Why I Love The 80s where you can add your own memories as well.

This page currently edited by: stingr22. Past editor: Junior


The 80s were more than just the amazing musical acts that created the best decade of music to date. 80s music is timeless and can be appreciated by people of all ages. Judging by all the 80s radio stations and TV shows, this great time in music will never die. Favorite acts and songs: 10. Peter Cetera (Glory of Love) 9. Bon Jovi (Living on a Prayer) 8. Duran Duran (Hungry Like the Wolf) 7. Heart (These Dreams) 6. Prince (Little Red Corvette) 5. Lionel Richie (My Love) 4. Journey (Faithfully) 3. The Jets (You Got it All) 2. Rick Springfield (State of the Heart) 1. Hall & Oates (Private Eyes)
From: 80's Night

I loved Mya The Bee when I was a little kid. I have been trying to find the show. I would really like it to come back!
From: arion Taylor

The eighties was a wonderful decade - much better than the nineties and this decade in many ways, in my opinion. I was born in 1984 and I don't remember alot of the eighties, but I look back and I love alot of the movies, music, and popular culture. My favorite movies of all is the wonderful, classic Indiana Jones trilogy. These are beautiful movies, I can't get enough of those great adventures. I'm thrilled at the prospect of a fourth Indy. Other than Indy I also love other 80s movies such as the Back to the Future trilogy (#3 was released in 1990, but I still consider it an eighties flick), Gremlins,Terminator,Goonies,Excalibur,Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi,Ghostbusters,Big Trouble in Little China,Conan the Barbarian and the Destroyer,ECT. There were also some very funny comedies in the eighties. I remember getting in a bloody fist fight in 1989,and swimming with Sylvester Stallone's nephews. Another thing I remember from the eighties that is a personal memory is that my parents had a really blessed street ministry,and discipleship house back in the early mid eighties. They took in guys off the streets of Wichita,KS and gave them a place to stay, hot meals, and also helped them to find jobs ect. But the greatest thing about it was that they preached Christ Jesus on the streets and in the house and many people were saved. Its really cool to see guys serving Jesus with a sincere heart in 2004, that were in despair in say 1982.The Lord Jesus used our ministry to add to his kingdom, and I'm thankful! Although it is sad sometimes to see times, and people and places you loved fade into the past, my consolation is that as time presses forward I am closer to seeing Jesus, and the world is closer to His glorious appearing, and the coming of his kingdom.
From: jacob goering

Well, I wasn't born in the 80s but I sure wish I was. I'm a 90s baby. I wish I was born in like 75 so that I would be old enough to enjoy Michael Jackson's music. I absolutely love him. My favorite song is Beat It and Thriller, also The Way You Make Me Feel along with Dirty Diana. Heck, I love them all. I am also a fan of Maddona and Cindy Lauper. The 80s were so much better than today as far as music and clothes go. My favorite movie from the 80s are probably Back To The Future 2 or Teenwolf. I love Michael J Fox. If only today were like the 80s. You people are so lucky to have lived in the 80s when it was OK to like Michael Jackson, now almost everyone teases me about him being my favorite.
From: addicus

Unfortunately, I was born in 1991. I totally missed out on all the fun. I would have to say that my favorite thing about the 80s is MICHAEL JACKSON. I love him. You people who were teens in the 80s were so lucky! I mean THRILLER and BEAT IT came out. Also it was okay to be a crazed fan of MJ back then because he was COOL. Also movies like BACK TO THE FUTURE,TEENWOLF,AND STAND BY ME, came out. Today omg the way the girls dress, they might as well not even wear clothes. It is so slutty. And the boys, come on... nobody wants to see your red boxers. The 80s fashion was way cool. I think it may come back though , well I can only hope.
From: Christa

I was born in 1989, so yes I did not even have the priviledge of growing up in the 80s. However, now I look back on the 80s and gasp with awe, whilst saying, "Man I wish I had been there! The thing I like most about the 80s is the music!! My favorite bands are Billy Idol, Wham, Billy Ocean, Dead Or Alive, Dexy's Midnight Rrunners, The Specials, Kilye, Michael Jackson, Duran Duran, Fine Young Cannibals, Salt n' Pepa, Prince, etc. I know some of these artists overlap with the 70s or are still going today, but I feel they were at their greatest in the 80s. Hurrah for the 80s! Your legend will live on!
From: 80s fan

Why do I love the 80's? Oh well, I was well into my adolescent years and I remember very well the music and the movies. The 80s were fun. Everyday is like dress up day. Heck all of us loved Madonna's, Pat Benatar's, and Cyndi Lauper's Looks! I mean, hey every girl I know dresses like Madonna or tries to be Phoebe Cates! And we all like our boys to look like Johnny Depp or Simon LeBon. The clothes were more colorful than you could imagine. The more color the more fun!!! Punk rock in those days ruled the school as well. I remember older students playing underground punk music and listening to a radio station that only plays punk rock. Man, those days were waaaaay cool!!!!
From: sharkey

Born in 1971 [and a hardcore fan of the Exorcist] I enjoyed the 1980s for many reasons. The music from groups in the 70s like Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, ELO, Boston, ZZ Top, Rolling Stones, Foreigner, Joan Jett, Journey, Ted Nugent, Bob Seger, KISS, Bad Company, Styx, Triumph, Supertramp, Blackfoot, Def Leppard, Heart, Aerosmith and others were still hot and in yearly music countdowns. The 80s added Heavy Metal, Glam Rock and Big Hair Bands to the music scene that also really rocked; Ratt, Guns 'n' Roses, Tesla, Winger, Judas Priest, Quiet Riot, Scorpions, Poison, Motley Crew, Skid Row, Dokken and others added to the whole experience. It wasn't just the music, however. We had the greatest president of all times with Ronald Reagan. Events in the world's news was good and out weighed the bad; like the Berlin Wall falling, Russia's weakening, Live Aid, Farm Aid, Comedy Relief. There were battles between Congress (which still to this day has Ted Kennedy for some ungodly reason) and the music industry but no lines where ever drawn directly to the President. There was plenty of other music for those who didn't like rock. Others hit it big in the Eighty's like Michael Jackson's whole thriller thing, Madonna, Cindy Lauper, The Outfield, Jane Child, Madness, Level 42, Pet Shop Boys, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Big Country, Tears For Fear, Big Country, INXS, Cameo; and the list goes on and on. In the 80s there was also great movies and television. M*A*S*H, F-Troop, Barney Miller, WKRP in Cincinnati, Magnium PI, Miami Vice, Grizzly Adams, Starsky and Hutch, Dukes Of Hazard, Fantasy Island, Dallas, Dynasty, I Dream Of Jenny, Mutual Of Ohma's Wild Kingdom, Golden Girls, Designing Women, Webster, Differnt Strokes, Facts Of Life, Punky Brewster, Battlestar Galtica, Wonder Woman, Six Million Dollar Man, Charlie's Angles, Star Trek, Eight Is Enough, Hardy Boys-Nancy Drew Mystryies, Beretta, Who's The Boss, The Incredible Hulk, B.J. and the Bear, Happy Days, ALF, American Bandstand, USA's Dance Party with the always lovely Princess, Solid Gold with Madam, Three's Company, The Fall Guy, Moonlighting, Heart To Heart, Night Rider, Cheers, Sha Na Na, One Day At A Time, Welcome Back Karter, Good Times, Sanford And Son, Hawaii Five O, The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, Mork And Mindy, America's Greatest Hero, Love Boat, Love American Style and many many more televison programs (including game shows like Jepordy, Wheel Of Fortune, Whammy, The Price Is Right, Win Lose Or Draw; even game shows for kids where they could win actual arcade games with the arcade cabinet and all) and late night shows like Kung Fu Theater, Elvira's Movie Macabre, The Tonight Show [With Johnny and Ed], The Late Show, Saturday Night Live [it was good and funny then, not just stupid like now] The "Fly Girls", and Headbanger's Ball gave everybody something they liked to watch on televison and almost any given time. Movies like Jaws, Star Wars, E.T., Super Man, St. Elmo's Fire, The Breakfast Club, Short Circuit, War Games, Police Acadamy, Nightmare On Elm Street, Caddy Shack, Halloween, Friday The 13th, Krammer Vs. Krammer, Rocky Horror Picture Show, American Anthem, Red Dawn, On Golden Pond, Porky's, Animal House, Smokey And The Bandit, The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, Ghostbusters, Private Eyes, Full Metal Jacket, Every Which Way But Loose, The Electric Cowboy, Urban Cowboy, Rocky and many, many more where all new and fresh ideas and not just knock-offs lke today's movies [Scary Movie in particular]. There was pleanty to do and see in the Eighty's. MTV only had one channel and it was actually GOOD, unlike either of their channels today where one is about 'reality t.v.' and the other is 98% rap. VH1 was new but not as good as MTV; where as today it's much better than MTV's two channels put together. Back then EVERYONE 'wanted their MTV', and today it caters to fewer audiences. The best commercial's happened then; like Wendy's "Where's The Beef". Football games happened without talk about one of the team's players commiting a crime or doing something that shows tasteless lack of morals. My UNC basketball hero Michael Jordan was just beginning to shine as the star he is. The worst sports story was Pete Rose. Harry Carry still meant something. Howard Cossell was still around. The Baseball Chicken was still big. The "Unknown Comic" and the Gong Show was a hit. Rodney Dangerfield was performing great shows. Cable was a new invention and we went from three or four channels to over fifty. These days I look back on the Eighty's and very badly miss the things I didn't even like back then; especially compared to what we have today. Kid's progamming was a lot better too with the Smurfs, Conjunction Junction, PBS After School Specials, Fat Albert, Bill Cosby's Picture Pages, Heman and the Masters of the Universe, Walt Disney Presents' Sunday Movies, Transformers, Scooby Doo, The Flinstones, The Jetsons, Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bares, Fragel Rock, The Muppet Show, etc. I miss Fragel Rock and an all too short lived series on HBO called First And Ten with Delta Burke. There were even things capturing peoples minds like the Rubic's Cube. The Eighty's was the ABSOLUTE boom in creativity in the entertainment industry; and in each individual industry there of including music, movies and television. As I said, it wasn't just that but also positive world events. The Eighty's were called the "decade of decadence" and to this day no one can say that it was a bad thing! Everyone had more, and could afford to do more. We lived "beyond our means" [which is what decade of decadence means] but we didn't do it with credit cards so much and the debt was almost non existant because bills where paid off instead of balances carried over a person's entire life time. People were friendlier here in the U.S. and around the world. The terrorists where small glimpses on the news and not month long stories like today. Don't blame all on the government; televison reporters are largely to blame. Sometimes not telling everything you know is a good thing. Good was good and bad was bad; and we didn't bring someone from each side on to debate it in front of America. Even the clothing industry succeeded in the Eighty's with things like Members Only, Jordache, etc. and accessories like Swatch watches, iron-ons and patches. The bottom line is I love the Eighty's because the music, the television programs, the movies, the President, the world events, the amount of money people had, and life ware all probably the best that I'll ever see in my lifetime. I know I left things out like names of more shows, movies and music groups, but they just add to what I miss about the Eighty's even if I didn't like them then because the worst back then were much better than most of today's best current counter parts.
From: Music Man

I must say i was born in 1990. And I am extremely pissed that my parents didn't have me earlier! I love all the 80s music and TV shows. I love 21 Jump Street, St. Elmo's Fire, The Outsiders, Pretty In Pink, The Breakfast Club, Private Resort, Nightmare On Elm Street, Garfield, Back To The Future, The Goonies.. The music, I love NKOTB,WHAM, Madonna, The Alarm. I love "Sunglasses At Night" - all that good stuff! Not to turn my back on my time period but if I could have one wish it would to be a teenager in the 80s - it seems so perfect. Hopefully one day...there will be some way I could go back...
From: Jenny

Why the 80's? Because! Not enough, you say? Well, in the 80s people not only watched all of these really, really great TV shows and movies listed here but they actually played outside. Kiddie pools, swimming pools, basketball, baseball, football, billards, ping pong, foosball, soccer and we also 'cruised' that one strip of road looking to get lucky with our radios blasting the best music to ever be created. Atari and other video games didn't take up all of our free time unless we were playing them at the arcade in malls or in a convenience store, and even that was not all the time. We 80s teens invented 'cruising', but in the earlier years it was all about 'parking' as I've been told. That wasn't the same because parking involved going with a person already of the opposite sex to where you parked. Either way once you had someone you didn't 'cruise' or 'park' because they had enough self respect to leave your sorry butt if you did. Today's kids are doing the extremes of what we used to do. What I mean is they are doing just one of the things we used to do all the time. For example, some kids get the newest video game and all they do is play it for 10 hours or 3 days, until they finish it. Some sit at the computer all the time {yeah, some people had computers back then called Apples but they didn't stay on them}. Some just stay high in all their free time. We did it all in the 80's. It wasn't just doing one thing for a few years and then doing something else for a few years. There were days in the 80s that I went to school, cut one class to go to the arcade, went home and finished my homework (being an A and B student that I was), played a quick game of Break Out on the computer, shot baskeball with the neighborhood kids, had supper with my family, watched tv, went out with friends cruzing, got high/drunk, got lucky, saw a movie, and spent the night in a car only to get up and do it all again the next day in the same cool clothes that now had a funky smell. During the summer breaks we would do all of those things for longer periods of time, except the computer thing, and also go swimming, go to parties and still had supper with out families. We would go for days with out using a computer because there wasn't an 'internet' that everyone went to. Some elite people had a thing called 'the web' but it wasn't the internet and only a few people even cared enough about it to be a part of it because it was all a black screen with white letters (DOS). Life moved fast and we weren't an over weight nation. We made fun of the over weight people that >could< help it and still ended up on Richard Simmons. Not that I'm proud of that, I'm just telling the facts. I know that every day we did over half of those things if we didn't do them all. Today's youth can't do but three or four of those in a day. Some even just limit it to playing a video game. They like to laugh and say it's because the 'graphics sucked' on our video games. Guess what? The graphics then were as good to us as yours are to you now. In another 20 years the teens will say the same thing for every game created up to this point in time. We 'didn't see how it could get any better' either but it did as far as graphics. Things didn't get better as far as everything else goes and even the girls we knew or women we watched on tv were a hundred times more beautiful than they are today because they had self respect as well as better hair styles. {Anyone remember the Heather Thomas poster back then?) Kids also didn't take a gun to school and kill a lot of people. We had a good time all the time and there was no need to actually kill someone when you got mad because in a week you didn't care about last week any way, things moved that fast. There were some things that I wouldn't do again but over all I still would rather live through the 80's again and not do those certian things (or even do them all the same for that matter) than to grow up in today's world. Pull your da*n pants up over your butts because I'm not a dog who's going to sniff you rear end, even if you are a dog that wants one to! Don't have sex with everybody and anybody, nor with someone else who does! Stay away from the hard drugs and the guns! Finally, always remember that one day, if you live past your teens and 20s, you'll probably have a kid that you will want to respect you as not only a human being but as some one who brought them into this world, so do the same with your parents and at least have one nice meal every day with them. You also shouldn't ever have any type of relationship with anyone who would disrespect your parents because one day your kid will get involved with someone too and you would want to be respected by them as well! Just imagine a type of person you would rather die than get involved with and then imagine your kid bringing that person home to meet you, or your kid running off with them and prehapse never seeing your kid again! Don't act so stupid because we all know you're not,... you're actually a human being and deserve the self respect that being one brings! "Word To Your Mother!"
From: 80's Teen

Oh my gosh I totally love the 80s mostly because of MICHAEL JACKSON. It was when he was still normal looking and made the best songs ever like THRILLER,BEAT IT,BILLIE JEAN,AND THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL. My favorite though is BILLIE JEAN. I loved the show FAMILY TIES! I was obsessed with MICHAEL J FOX! I thought he was so FINE!!! Today the kids are sooo boring and the boys wear their pants 10 sizes too big and the girls, could they be any sluttier? I wish the 80s would come back. I missed outbecause I was a 90s baby but totally wish i was a teen in the 80s, they rocked. Today's music you can't even understand what they are saying - it's like come on give me a break they have no talent WHATSOEVER!!!!
From: Vinny

I only have one thing to say about the 80s - and that's MICHAEL JACKSON! I mean who dosen't know THRILLER? That is the definite best video ever. He made some of the best songs that the kids today even love. I know my friend's daughter loves Michael Jackson.
From: cour tney

I was born in 1988. I missed out. Although I still loved growing up in the 90s and have somewhat enjoyed the 00s so far, I still wish that I could go back and live through the 80s. I just love the awesome clothes, hair, music and overall culture that defined the 80s. I can't get enough of Van Halen, Metallica, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and the extreme amounts of other excellent musicians left out because there were too many. (Metallica and Madonna, what a contrast!). I love the great Aussie bands and TV shows like the Mentals, Australian crawl, "Hey dad", "Rage" on the odd occasion and "Chartbusting 80's". Back to the Future, Fast Times, Bill and Ted's, Fletch. I feel somewhat out of place with today's pop culture, but it's great to know that there are other people who feel the same way, whether they lived through the decade or not.
From: Tim

I was born in November 1971 and I grew up in Copenhagen, Denmark as the only child of an American Vietnam veteran and a Danish hippie, I grew up among old hippies, local rock heroes and zoned out people, listening to the likes of Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Simon & Garfunkel... Just a little background stuff. We didn't have Saturday morning cartoons like in the U.S. and I honestly - no kiddin' - have no idea what Care Bears are, but I remember the 80s as the happiest time of my life. Being a teenager (12-19) means that you are free in a way that you'll never be again in your life; no longer considered a child but not yet considered a grown-up either, your parents aren't breathing down your neck, but you still don't have the responsibilities of adulthood, you are free and translate that freedom to partying, making out and having fun. I was lucky enough to experience my teenage years in the 80s, with everything that meant, like going to our local watering hole on weekends and seeing people dressed like in Prince's Purple Rain, unlike most of my friends I was into the Metal scene, spending more money on concerts and tour-shirts than most people I knew used on partying on weekends. I miss partying at Maria's - a girl from the block - on New Years Eve, or celebrating All Soul's Night on the old defenseworks - surrounding my city - with the gang, we'd have a big bonfire and someone would bring a ghettoblaster - boom box to americans - and we'd listen to the likes of ABBA, Robin Beck, Tina Turner, Alice Cooper, Laura Branigan, Sandra and Wham. I read somewhere that 90% of all boys - in Europe anyway - had at least two posters on his wall; one of a Lamborghini (I had the white Diablo on a black background) and one of the model Samantha Fox (I had the one where shes standing on the beach) and after talking to some people I know, and thinking back, I've realized that whoever made this observation was 100% right. I was more into the Metal scene and listened to band like Iron Maiden, WASP, Scorpions, Warlock, Merciful Fate/King Diamond, Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Aceept, Skid Row and Lita Ford, while most people I knew were into Wham, A-Ha, Duran Duran, Cydi Lauper and Poul Hardcastle, today I collect vinyl - and I'm pretty proud of my 5,300+ collection - and the funny thing is that most of what I have on vinyl now is stuff I would never have owned back in the day. One thing that I really miss from the 80s - other than my beloved vinyl - is the movies, why don't they make movies like My Science Project, The Dungeon Master, Flight of the Navigator, Streets of Fire, Weird Science, St. Elmo's, Breakfast Club and Teen Wolf any more, the whole atmosphere of movies in the 80s were different than the CGI-addicted movies of today. I could go on forever here, by mother just called - on the phone - so I've gotta split for now, my heartfelt thanks to the creator of this site.
From: Oliver

I was born in 1975, and I loved the 80's! I have great memories from that decade. The BIG HAIR!! The clothes that we wore: (scrunch socks, rolled up jeans, jelly bracelets, and parachute pants) The music: (Madonna, Beasie boys, Bon Jovi, Wham, Culture Club, etc.) The movies like ET, and Back to the Future. The toys like lite brite, Cabbage Patch Kids, and garbage pail kids, strawberry shortcake, Kerplunk, and does anyone remember ColecoVision?! (I had one)One thing I must say is that I have read alot of the messages left on this site and have come across many "young" 80's fans. These kids that were born in the 90's saying that they wished they were around in the 80's, they are listening to the music that we "older" ones listened to, they watch the movies we love, and just big fans, I say KUDOS to you!! I wish more people now had the same feelings about the 80's as I do and so many other people do. I remember when I was a teen and my sister (who is 8 yrs younger than me) always used to make fun of the way I dressed and the music I listened to. She was not a fan. But guess what, she's now 21 and wearing alot of the same clothes I wore, like jean jackets and listening to the same music I did like A-ha. So I'd like to say to those who think the 80s were not that great....guess what, it's coming back!! And I hope they come back with a bang!
From: Rita

I was born in 1990 and I think 1990 is just like the 80s. I have seen 3 80s movies like Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Weird Science- all with Anthony Micheal Hall. I also have seen Footloose. I listen to 80s music and country music. But I remember the 90s and so far the 2000s - I think some things are looking like the 80s again - I also try to breakdance- a dance form very popular in the 80s. I like the way computers looked back then, and the bright green screen with brighter green letters. I know computers now are more high tech now, but I think 80s computers look more high tech and more futuristic. I also think the early 90s was exactly like the 80s. I'm glad I was born right after the 1980s.
From: ashton

Two words: Def Leppard! Simply the greatest rock band in the world... to this day!
From: A. Miller

Ilove the 80s because we had the best music and the best TV shows. Everything was great! We went rollerskating and to arcades to play Pac Man. You spent good times with your friends. School was still a safe place to go. We all cried when John Lennon was killed and prayed the day President Reagan was shot. We spent the summer wondering who shot J.R. We all wanted clothes like on Dyansty or to look like Daisy Duke even to date someone like the Duke boys.
From: Teena

Loving the 80s isn't about how you feel about the decade, it's a state of mind. It's about how you live! Mostly though it's about what music you listen to. If there were no 80s then there would be no 'Toto' - 'Africa', and then where would I be, huh? Where? I ask you! What I want to know is why are you cataloguing all this love of the 80s? What's it to you?
From: Brooke

I remember coming home and watching Scooby Doo, doing a little homework-- which was VERY light-- no research papers, or heavy reading garbage that one does in high school, the arcade, New Kids On The Block, Dukes of Hazzard on Friday, Knight Rider, and Punky Brewster --- hitting jumps with BMX bikes, kickball, Sega Master sytem, original Nintendo- Michael Jackson, having a bedtime set by your parents, and ET.
From: Adam

This is one page of many, check out the intro at Why I Love The 80s where you can add your own memories as well.