Page 11 - Edge issue 4

All Out 80s Story by Shannon Stuckey
The 80s was a different time, but now there is a huge resurgence of the beloved pop culture.
The 80s were a time of synthesizers and electrifying music that really got a crowd dancing. The colorful decade was full of hit songs from Michael Jackson to Madonna. In the past few years, parts of the 80s have resurfaced in pop culture, from scrunchies to bright colors. Here’s a look at some features of the 80s and how the modern lifestyle has embraced this unique decade.
Live Aid
Another major part of the 80s were the concerts: arguably the most iconic concert of the 80s was the charity event Live Aid.
Live Aid was a dual venued concert that included performances from Queen, U2, David Bowie, and even Elton John at the Wembley Stadium in England and also Madonna, Bob Dylan, and Led Zeppelin at the John F. Kennedy Stadium in Illinois. The concert was in support of famine relief in Africa and intended to spread awareness about the issue.
Music
The 80s introduced a new TV platform called MTV, which was a channel that featured 24/7 music videos and awesome hosts called VJs, who interviewed musicians and made playlists.
Clothing Style
There are many different opinions on 80s fashion. Most people either think that it was amazing or terrible; there’s no in between. The clothing trends were defined by out of the box thinking and colors, usually with cool designs. Acid wash jeans and puffy jackets were the staples of 80s fashion.
Many popular 80s items have reappeared in the wardrobes of people everywhere, but especially those of teens. Among these items are scrunchies, tube tops, and a plethora of neon clothing.
The style back then was “modern” and mostly expensive, with teens and young adults buying clothes from Guess and Nike. Both brands were super trendy and kept up with the fashion crazes.
Television
Back then, people couldn’t just go on Netflix and pick whatever show they wanted to watch- they had to wait hours for their favorite show to come on. They were, however, able to use the recording button and save their favorite shows. They just had to watch out for troublesome siblings who might delete the recording, causing it to be totally lost.
Some popular shows included Alf, The Golden Girls, and Miami Vice. These shows bring back memories of a time that was very different compared to the 2010s. Families could sit on the couch or their LazyBoy and watch their shows live, or go to the mall and meet up with all their friends.
Movies
E.T, Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Gremlins are all iconic movies of the 80s. These classics are films almost everyone knows today.
Tom Cruise, Molly Ringwald and Patrick Swayze were all major actors in the 80s, starring in huge roles in popular movies such as Top Gun, The Breakfast Club, and Dirty Dancing. These actors really had their prime time in the movie making industry during this decade.
The 80s was the decade of teen movies with Say Anything, Heathers, and Pretty in Pink. These movies are still referenced and cherished today. John Hughes, a filmmaker of the decade, was the mastermind behind many of these films. Movies targeted towards teens first started popping up widely in the 80s.
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