80s Music Facts

A Little Background on the Decade of Excess

Rewind 25 years back or so for a little snapshot of life as you knew it back in the 1980s. You probably sported a hairstyle you'd rather forget. You headbanged like your life depended on it. Your wardrobe paid homage to spandex, neon and other atrocities. Your taste in music, though, was flawless.

The truth is that '80s music has survived well past its creative years. Some of the biggest artists of the period have continued to bring us hit after hit – Madonna, U2 and Bon Jovi, for example – while others left us with one or two major ditties to remember them by (Toni Basil, anyone?). What made those tunes so addictive, and what makes them as appealing today as ever? The answer is likely found in the catchy beats and melodies that captured hearts all over the world. While today's youth weren't even born at the time, even they've caught hold of 80s fever!

Memories to Last a Lifetime

If you're old enough to remember slow dancing to "Time After Time" at your senior prom, you can relate to how well 80s music corresponds to some major life events! Music had a strong impact on everyone, as did the artists who sang the tunes. What we knew of those artists, though, was limited to what we saw on music videos (which, of course, were relatively new inventions in themselves). MTV was responsible for feeding the frenzy and keeping people hungry for more. Of course, that decade is long gone, but its memories and music live on for millions who consider themselves 80s devotees.

80s Music Facts

Keeping the memories alive is easier than ever. Slip your favorite tape in that boom box, kick back and indulge in some fascinating 80s music facts. You may already know some, while others will come as a surprise!

Did You Know?

• Michael Jackson's Thriller is the biggest selling album of all time.
• Bananarama's Karen Woodward is the longtime girlfriend of Wham! member Andrew Ridgeley.
• Richard Marx sang backup on Madonna's "White Heat" from her True Blue album.
• ZZ Top's "Velcro Fly" video was choreographed by Paula Abdul.
• The Cure's Robert Smith was once a member of Siouxie and the Banshees.
• Kylie Minogue had her first number one single in the UK in 1988 with "I Should Be So Lucky."
• The name UB40 is derived from the "Unemployment Benefit Form 40" in the UK.
• Duran Duran was named for a character in Jane Fonda's film Barbarella.
• Spandau Ballet members (and brothers) Gary and Martin Kemp went on to become actors.
• MTV went live on August 1, 1981. The first video was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles.
• Prince wrote The Bangles' hit single "Manic Monday."
• Courteney Cox hopped up on stage in Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" video.
• Elijah Wood appears in Paula Abdul's "Forever Your Girl" video.
• Cyndi Lauper sang the theme song for Pee Wee's Playhouse.
• Jeff Russo, a member of rock band Tonic, appeared in Debbie Gibson's 1988 video for "Out of the Blue."
• Huey Lewis appears in Back to the Future as one of the school's talent show judges.
• Eddie Van Halen performs the guitar solo in Michael Jackson's "Beat It."
• Compact discs (CDs) were first introduced in 1983.
• "No Myth" singer Michael Penn is actor Sean Penn's brother.
• The Weather Girls singer Martha Wash was also the voice behind Black Box's "Everybody, Everybody" and C&C Music Factory's "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)," among others.
• Charity single "We are the World" was performed by USA for Africa, a collection of major stars. The song sold four million copies.
• Wham! was the first pop group to perform in China.
• Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "Relax" was the biggest single in the UK of the '80s.
• It was in 1981 when cassette singles saw a major price hike – they went from $1.29 to $1.99, thanks to slumping sales.
• Blank cassette tapes were controversial because they "took away" from record sales.
• By 1983, MTV was airing as many as 300 music videos each day.

Want More?

Of course, the list of 80s music trivia and information is endless! Visit VH-1's I Love the 80s page for more information.