Best 1980S Classic

The rivalry between basketball players Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics and Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers was a defining feature of the National Basketball Association in the 1980s. The two players first gained national attention as opponents in the 1979 NCAA Championship game before meeti...

Super Mario Bros. 3 is a 1988 platform game for the NES, created by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development under the leadership of Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. The game’s initial release occurred in Japan on October 23, 1988, with subsequent launches in North America on February 12,...

Super Mario Bros. is a 1985 platform game for the NES developed by Nintendo under Shigeru Miyamoto’s direction. Players control Mario or Luigi to navigate levels within the Mushroom Kingdom, rescuing Princess Toadstool from King Koopa. The gameplay involves traversing side-scrolling stages and utili...

Released in 1980, 'Airplane!' redefined the parody genre with its relentless barrage of visual gags, puns, and absurd situations. It mercilessly mocks disaster movies, subverting tropes and expectations with impeccable comedic timing. The film's success spawned countless imitators, but few have matc...

Hex Enduction Hour is the fourth studio album by the English post-punk group the Fall, released in 1982 on the Kamera label. Recorded in sessions in England and Iceland, it marks the band's first studio recording featuring a two-drummer lineup. Known for its abrasive, repetitive sound and cryptic ly...

Out Run is a 1986 arcade racing game developed by Sega AM2 and directed by Yu Suzuki. It is notable for its branching route structure, which allows players to choose their path to one of five destinations, and its deluxe sit-down arcade cabinet featuring a hydraulic force-feedback system. The game a...

Nora Ephron's masterpiece remains the gold standard for romantic comedies. The film explores the age-old question of whether men and women can truly be 'just friends' through the witty and insightful interactions of Harry and Sally over several years. Its sharp dialogue, realistic portrayal of relat...

Ride the Lightning is a seminal 1984 rock album by Metallica. It established the band’s signature thrash metal style incorporating more complex arrangements and extended instrumental sections like “The Call of Ktulu.” The record showcases early Metallica's intensity and technical skill, appealing to...

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 science fiction drama about a boy’s friendship with an alien stranded on Earth. The film explores themes of connection and compassion through its poignant narrative. It's notable for its emotional impact and lasting cultural influence. Primarily aimed at children...

The IBM Personal Computer 5150 debuted in 1981 representing an early milestone in desktop computing. Powered by an Intel 8088 processor and initially equipped with 64KB of RAM, it provided a foundational platform for business applications. This machine influenced the development of subsequent person...

Brideshead Revisited was a 1981 British television adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s novel, created by Derek Granger and starring Jeremy Irons and Anthony Andrews. Produced by Granada Television for ITV, the serial received recognition as one of the top 100 television programs of all time according to Ti...

*Como el Agua* is a studio album by the Spanish flamenco singer Camarón de la Isla, released in 1981. It features the virtuosic guitar work of Paco de Lucía and marks a significant shift in flamenco history by introducing elements of pop, jazz, and Brazilian music into the traditional genre. The alb...

This Nation's Saving Grace is the eighth studio album by the English post-punk band The Fall, released in 1985. Produced by John Leckie, the record is widely considered one of the band's defining and most accessible works. The album blends Mark E. Smith's distinctive, cynical vocals with sharp guita...

Robert Zemeckis' 'Back to the Future' remains a cornerstone of the time travel genre. Marty McFly's accidental journey to 1955 and his subsequent efforts to ensure his parents' meeting are both hilarious and heartwarming. While the film employs the 'alternate timeline' trope, it does so with charm...

The Back to the Future screenplay was written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale for the 1985 science-fiction comedy film directed by Zemeckis. It follows teenager Marty McFly after he is sent from 1985 to 1955 in a time machine built by Doc Brown, where his actions threaten to alter his family history...

Bonded by Blood is the debut studio album by the American thrash metal band Exodus. Recorded in 1984 and released in 1985, it features vocalist Paul Baloff and guitarists Gary Holt and Rick Hunolt; former Exodus guitarist Kirk Hammett had already joined Metallica before the recording sessions. The a...

Among the Living is the third studio album by the American thrash metal band Anthrax, released in 1987. Its fast, tightly arranged songs combine heavy guitar riffing with the distinctive high-register vocals of Joey Belladonna. The title track draws on Stephen King's novel The Stand, while "I Am the...

Reign in Blood is Slayer's third studio album, released in 1986 and produced by Rick Rubin. Running for less than 29 minutes, it is characterized by rapid tempos, abrasive guitar riffs, brief song structures, and the closing track "Raining Blood"; the album became highly influential in thrash metal...

Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? is Megadeth's second studio album, released in 1986. The record combines thrash-metal speed and intricate guitar work with lyrics about politics, war, social alienation, and personal conflict; its title track became one of the band's signature songs, and its bass int...

Stop Making Sense is a 1984 live album by Talking Heads and the soundtrack counterpart to Jonathan Demme's concert film of the same name. The performances were drawn from shows at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood during the band's 1983 tour, with a touring ensemble that expanded the core quartet th...

Prince’s *Dirty Mind* (1980) is a seminal funk-rock album that significantly impacted popular music. The record’s raw energy and sexually charged lyrics challenged conventions of the era. Its innovative blend of funk, rock, and new wave sounds established Prince as a unique artistic voice. It remain...

The Roland TB-303 Bass Line Owner's Manual documents the analog bass synthesizer released by Roland in 1981 that became a defining instrument of acid house music after being repurposed by Chicago DJs in the late 1980s.

The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer Owner's Manual covers the analog drum machine released by Roland in 1980 that, though initially a commercial failure, became foundational to hip-hop, techno, and electronic music production.

The Technics SL-1200MK2 Owner's Manual covers the direct-drive turntable introduced by Matsushita under the Technics brand in 1979. Building on the earlier SP-10 and SL-1200, the MK2 used a coreless direct-drive motor, a stroboscopic platter, and a die-cast aluminum chassis. Its pitch-control slider...

Gilles Villeneuve was a Canadian Formula One driver primarily associated with Ferrari during the 1970s and early 1980s. His dynamic driving style, characterized by speed and daring maneuvers, earned him considerable respect within the racing community. He achieved six race victories and consistently...

Pac-Man is a seminal arcade game created by Namco in Japan during the 1980s. Players control Pac-Man within a maze environment, strategically consuming dots and utilizing power pellets to temporarily influence the behavior of pursuing ghosts. The game’s addictive gameplay and iconic design have made...

Pleasure to Kill is the second studio album by the German thrash metal band Kreator, released in 1986. Its rapid drumming, harsh vocals, dense guitar attack, and violent imagery represent the more extreme side of the early German thrash scene. The record, including "Ripping Corpse" and the title tra...

The Yamaha DX7 Owner's Manual covers the FM-synthesis digital synthesizer released in 1983 that became the best-selling synthesizer in history, with over 200,000 units sold and a defining sound of 1980s pop music.

"Persecución" is a notable album by the Spanish flamenco singer and trumpeter El Lebrijano, recognized for exploring the historical connections between flamenco and Sephardic music.