The 1980’s
Like.…..You know.... Totally
Radical Dude!
The 1980’s – a new generation was brought
up on television and video images.
If the 70’s were about relaxing and having
fun, the 80’s were about moving forward.
Our country saw a great deal of change in
this decade, and, as we learned before, the
music was right at the heart of the action.
An all-new television station that only played “music
videos” was started. MTV premiered with the Buggles’
“Video Killed the Radio Star.”
MTV changed music forever. Now more
than ever, the image of the musician was
as important as their musical talent.
Things were looking good for America.
In the 1980 Olympics,
the American hockey
team (which did NOT
feature any NHL
players) beat the
Russians to win the
Gold Medal in Lake
Placid, New York.
Americans had
rallied together
to see the release
of the 53
Americans who
had been held
hostage in Iran in
1979.
April 12, 1981
Americans saw a renewed
interest in space exploration
with the launch of Space
Shuttle Columbia, the first
reusable spacecraft.
There was even a Cowboy in the White House.
Ronald Reagan’s former career
as a Hollywood actor made him
comfortable in front of the
camera.
His cowboy image, backed up
with tough talk and the biggest
peacetime military buildup
since World War II, helped to
bolster a renewed sense of
Patriotism.
Reagan enjoyed one of the
highest approval ratings of any
President.
Bruce Springsteen, a
gritty singer from
New Jersey, had been
a popular singer for
several years.
But his career exploded
in the early 80’s when
“Born in the USA” was
released.
The song became an
anthem for blue collar
America, and
Springsteen became a
working class hero.
The Pride that Americans were feeling left
them rooting for the little guy. In some
cases, the REALLY little guy.
A young Drew Barrymore with…
E.T. left everyone wanting to help him “phone
home,” and eat Reeses’ Pieces.
The music of American
composer John Williams
was a major part in
bringing the E.T. story to
life.
His collaboration with Steven Spielberg and other movie
directors has resulted in such memorable films (and film
music) as Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Close
Encounters of the Third Kind, JAWS, Harry Potter,
Jurassic Park, Superman, Home Alone, and about 100
other movies and shows.
During the 80’s, the Cold
War heated up. The Cold
War was a period of EastWest nuclear competition,
tension, and conflict.
Reagan denounced the
Soviet leaders as
scoundrels who lied,
cheated, and stole in order
to advance the cause of
communism.
Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev
Reagan also referred to the Soviet Union as “The Evil
Empire.” In 1982, he promised to reduce the Soviet-style
communism to the "ash heap of history."
The Band Genesis, led by Phil Collins, expressed the
fear and confusion of all Americans in the video “Land
of Confusion.”
During the 80’s, we saw that music became
increasingly more visual as MTV and music
videos were slowly taking the place of radio.
But our society was also becoming more
visually oriented in other ways as well.
Whether at work…….
This is a standard desktop
computer in the 80’s.
…….or at play.
Anyone know this video game console? The
music for these games was awful and repetitive.
Space Shuttle missions were very visual too, but they were becoming
commonplace and people were losing interest. To promote their
program , NASA decided to allow a civilian to go on a space mission.
Who would be the first civilian to go into space? NASA decided that
a teacher would be the best candidate, and so, after sorting through
many applications, NASA picked school teacher Christa McAuliffe.
The teachers that were
rejected by NASA
received a letter like this.
This belongs to the father
of one of my student
teachers.
He was rather upset
he wasn’t picked to
go into space.
However, later on, Mr. Matrisch was thankful
that he wasn’t selected.
Excerpt from Poem “Under a Clear Blue Sky”
Author: Unknown
Song: “And So It Goes” by Billy Joel
A scene from out of a
nightmare... A pillar
of smoke reaching to
the heavens.
Expressions of shock
and disbelief on the
faces of onlookers.
Stunned silence from officials and controllers.
All eyes riveted upon images of death and destruction.
Images.
Repeated.
Over.
And over.
Involuntary prayers follow
the smoke on its upward
climb,
seeking to protect the souls
borne heavenward on its
billows.
Our pride. Our confidence.
Our humanity.
Shattered.
In a moment.
In the twinkling
of an eye.
Tuesday... under a clear blue sky.
The day the Challenger fell.
The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded on Jan. 28, 1986,
just seconds after take off, killing all seven crew members.
The teachers that were rejected
by NASA received a letter like
this.
Billy Joel, a popular artist of the 70’s, became stronger than ever
when he hit the top of the charts with We Didn’t Start the Fire.
Generation “X” (25 to 40 year-olds) had been receiving slack from the
older and younger generations for all of the problems that had arisen
in the 80’s, but Billy Joel points out in this song that all kinds of
problems were around before we were born.
Throughout the 80’s, Reagan and Soviet Leader
Mikhail Gorbachev clearly came to respect, and even
like one another. They held a series of summit
meetings, eventually leading to a huge arms
reduction treaty. What does arms reduction mean?
Reagan demanded “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this
Wall,” referring to the Berlin Wall, long a symbol of
the struggle between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
In perhaps the best acting
performance of his lifetime,
Reagan proposed a satellite –
laser missile defense system,
immediately dubbed “Star
Wars”.
He may even have
convinced the Soviets that
it was not only possible,
but actually already up in
space.
In 1989, the Berlin Wall came crashing down, and
the Soviet Union itself wasn’t far behind.
Madonna began with aspirations to be a ballerina.
"Borderline" became her first Top 10 hit in March of 1984,
beginning a remarkable string of 17 consecutive Top 10
hits. Madonna began working on her first starring role in a
feature film, Susan Seidelman's Desperately Seeking
Susan.
Madonna's second album, Like a Virgin, started a frenzy
in the United States, fueled by a slew of sexy videos and
scores of young teens mimicking her style.
Her image exploded, selling millions of records on the
back of hits like, "Material Girl."
New Wave
Flock of Seagulls
There were
several
musical
movements
in the 80’s,
but New
Wave was
probably the
most
popular.
New Wave
Throughout the 80’s, this
band was huge. Their songs
were in the Top 10 around
the world. When they
performed on Saturday
Night Live, they were
mobbed by fans outside and
a police riot squad had to
control the crowd. They
performed on MTV’s first
New Year’s Bash. Their
theme song to James Bond
film “A View to a Kill” was
the first ever to reach #1.
New Wave
Duran Duran always had sold-out crowds on
each major US arena tour. They were the first
act to utilize live video cameras and screens in
their shows. The hysteria reached "Beatle
mania" proportions. They broke every existing
merchandise record. Princess Diana had
declared them her favorite band.
New Wave
Led by the very
colorful Boy George,
this New Wave band
hit the top of the
charts with “Do You
Really Want to Hurt
Me,” “Karma
Chameleon,” and “I’ll
Tumble 4 Ya.”
(yes, he’s
really a
boy)
New Wave
Cindy Lauper
Her first solo album,
She's So Unusual, was
released and went on
to sell more than 4.5
million copies in the
United States alone.
Moreover, the album
was the first of a
female artist to score
four Top Five singles
from a debut album:
Girls Just Want To
Have Fun, Time After
Time, She Bop and All
Through The Night.
New Wave
During the late 80’s these
boys were not as much a
musical group as a cultural
phenomena. Pre-teen girls
screamed and went wild
when the group performed
or made public
appearances. Serious
music lovers mocked them,
but their records sold by the
millions. They helped pave
the way for other boy bands
like Backstreet Boys and ‘N
Sync.
New Wave
From Athens, GA,
this group had
eclectic quirky
grooves and
charismatic vocals.
“Rock Lobster,”
and “Love Shack”
are the tunes that
made them pop
superstars. Their
live shows were
high octane,
theatrical music
extravaganzas.
The 1980’s
End of Part 1
The 1980’s
Part 2
With images and music now forever tied together, it was
only a matter of time until the music was exploited to sell
products.
The Cola Wars are a good example of how musicians and their
music are used to persuade our purchasing choices.
Here is Michael Jackson using his image, music,
and dance moves to endorse Pepsi products. The
little boy is Alfonso Ribeiro, better known as Carlton
Banks on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air TV show.
The self-titled "King of
Pop," Michael Jackson
has led a troubled and
controversial private
life while releasing a
string of hit albums,
including Thriller,
currently the most
popular record of all
time with total sales of
46 million. This song
you are listening to is
called “Beat It.” Make
a note of it because it
will be on your
listening test.
Jackson became a
media icon thanks to
his trademarks:
stunning breakdancing moves
(especially the
"Moonwalk"), a shy,
girlish voice, a single
white sequined glove,
sunglasses, and untied
shoe laces.
Thriller spent 37
weeks at No. 1 and
sold 24 million
copies (at the time),
spinning off MTV
hits like "Beat It"
and "Billy Jean,"
and the title single,
which was
accompanied by an
innovative video
which was also
released in movie
theaters.
Thriller Video
Glam Metal
Metal is a type of music that was started here in the U.S.A. in late
70’s. There are many different kinds of metal, including heavy
metal, progressive metal, gothic metal, death metal, and many other
kinds. Most of it was too fast and furious for young audiences, but
Glam metal is how metal made it to MTV in the mid-80's..
Glam Metal
Bands were donning spandex pants, makeup, and
using tons of hair spray to get the “big hair” look.
This band was glam at it’s best (or worst). They are
known for “Nothin’ But a Good Time” and “Every
Rose has it’s Thorn.”
Glam Metal
This band, with Tommy Lee as drummer, was the epitome
of the sleazy L.A. club scene in the early 80’s.
HARD
ROCK
This British band became known for proudly
displaying their flag on their clothing. The
drummer only has one arm.
HARD
ROCK
Led by the
growling vocals
of James
Hetfield, this
band released
their first
album, Kill ‘Em
All, in 1983.
They received a great deal of opposition for taking
Napster (illegal music pirating) to court and
winning. You are now hearing, Enter Sandman.
HARD
ROCK
Led by Axl Rose and Slash, these guys
rocked the 80’s with Welcome to the Jungle,
Paradise City, and Sweet Child of Mine.
HARD
ROCK
With 5 successful
albums in a row,
this rocker was
“wanted dead or
alive.” They were
one of the most
successful rock
bands of the
1980's, and one of
the few pop-metal
groups to maintain
their popularity into
the 90's.
Bon
Jovi
HARD
ROCK
This song Wanted Dead or Alive shows how
hard “life on the road” can be.
Originally, Jon
Bongiovi worked
as a janitor in his
cousin Tony's
New York City
recording studio,
The Power
Station.
Jon Bon Jovi has
also acted in a
number of
motion picture
films.
HARD
ROCK
Prince
This artist’s musical
styles have been
compared to James
Brown, Jackie
Wilson and other r&b
heavy weights, but
as his career grew,
he became a legend
on his own merit
with a knack for
delivering funk, rock
and soul with an
occasional pop feel.
Prince
Roger
Nelson
taught
himself how
to play
many
instruments
and selfproduced
his first LP,
called For
You.
HARD
ROCK
Prince has amassed
11 #1 hits and 22 Top
10 hits on the pop
charts. Prince
released a string of
LP’s throughout the
80’s and into the 90’s,
in addition to touring,
writing and
producing for other
artists and starring in
a few movies.
Prince
HARD ROCK
Indisputably one of the most popular rock acts in the
world, this Irish quartet's achievements since the late
70’s have been extraordinary. Led by the remarkable and
peculiar, Bono, this band has performed at sold out
arenas across the globe and still continues to perform.
Their songs are full of religious
and political messages. Each of
the 8 albums they released in the
80’s reached platinum.
HARD
ROCK
Joan Jett
and The
Blackhearts
There were quite a few
hard-rocking females in
the 80’s. This one is
famous for “I Love
Rock-n-Roll” and
“Crimson and Clover.”
ROCKing females
T
h
e
B
a
n
g
l
e
s
Because image was important in the 80’s, this all girl band
became instantly popular due to their good looks. This is one of
their most famous songs called Walk Like an Egyptian.
Punk
Born William Broad, this
punk rocker hit stardom in the 80’s.
He is known for his spiky blond hair,
crooked sneer, and leather goods.
Mr. Broad eventually changed
his name to Idol. A school
teacher had returned a paper
proclaiming him "idle" in class;
he then twisted the word into a
parody of rock idols.
Billy Idol
RAP & Hip-hop
Run DMC
Their 1986 album “Raising Hell”
became the highest-selling rap album
in history. The album featured a raprock collaboration performed with the
band Aerosmith. The song, “Walk this
way,” was the first hip-hop track to
make the Top 10. The group set new
fad trends by performing dressed in
tight leather pants and jackets,
Adidas sneakers, fedora hats, and
huge chains around their necks.
Run-DMC became the first rap act with
a platinum album and multi-platinum
album, as well as the first rappers to
appear on the cover of Rolling Stone
magazine, and to receive a Grammy
nomination.
RAP & Hip-hop
Public
Enemy
Led by rappers Chuck D and Flavor
Flav, this group had a message that
addressed black youth. They
revolutionized the rap world with their
political, social and cultural
consciousness and made extended
world tours. Like Run DMC, they also
collaborated with a rock group, the
thrash metal band “Anthrax.” It
introduced an alien style of music to
rock fans, and the two seemingly
contrasting groups even toured
together.
P.E. brought in elements of free jazz,
hard funk, and environmental sounds,
via their producing team, the Bomb
Squad, creating a dense, ferocious
sound unlike anything that came
before.
RAP & Hip-hop
This pop rapper grew up in the
ghetto, where his religious family
often struggled to make ends meet.
His attention-getting sideline
dances as ball-boy for the Oakland
A’s drew praise from the team, who
encouraged him to go into
entertainment.
MC
Hammer
MC Hammer’s 1988 debut, Let's Get
It Started, paved the way for his
massive breakthrough effort,
Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em,
which sold millions of copies
making him the most popular hiphop artist of the time. His elaborate
dance moves have been compared
to Michael Jackson’s.
RAP & Hip-hop
They started out as a hardcore
punk rock group in 1979, but then
switched to hip-hop and released
their debut album, Licensed to
Ill in 1986. They're well-known for
their eclecticism, flippant attitude
toward interviews, obscure
cultural references, cheesy lyrics,
and performing in outlandish
matching suits.
Beastie Boys
The Beastie Boys are one of the
longest-lived hip-hop acts. In 2007,
they were nominated for induction
into the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame.
Peter Gabriel, the
lead singer of the
band, Genesis, went
solo in the 80’s. His
videos won awards
for creativity.
Like…it’s the End
Dude
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