80s Pop is the Best
Confession: I love 80s pop.
Like, LOVE 80s pop.
If you want to guarantee that I get up and dance like an idiot, then put on the Pet Shop Boys.
In fact, 80s music has been the inspiration behind myNaNo WIP, Purely Platonic. There’s just SO MUCH ANGST to be had from those 80s synthesizers, who doesn’t feel the need to write funny YA contemporary? (Er, right?)
But, if there’s one thing I almost love more than the 80s music, it’s the 80s music videos. The cheese factor is so high. AND SO AMAZING.
I mean, let’s just take a look at this gem from Aha.
As for this this one from the Pet Shop Boys: downright HI-FREAKING-LARIOUS.
And this video–can Curt Smith get ANY MORE EMOTIONAL?
This one…well, it’s They Might be Giants. Everything they touch turns to GENIUS.
As for this classic from Dexy’s Midnight Runners…well…just look at those overalls…and the dancing…and the all-around awfulness that is this video. At least the song is amazing.
Honestly, there’s only one thing better than 80s music videos…and that’s 80s CARTOONS!!!
You tell me: got any favorite 80s pop videos? Or just a favorite music video at all worth sharing? Or favorite CARTOON?
♥
November 28, 2011 @ 11:18 am
As Told By Ginger was an awesome! And Avatar: The Last Airbender!
I don’t know any 80s music, but I hope you like this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDzB-a0vXEs
November 28, 2011 @ 1:46 pm
First off: I <3 Avatar. So much. My life is CONSTANTLY filled with Sokka quotes. In fact, I have totally snuck a Sokka quote into PURELY PLATONIC.
Second off: WHAT IS THAT MUSIC? It is so EPIC, but of course, I have no idea how to read the characters…but I need more of that song in my life. I mean, the video in itself is pretty amazing and EPIC, but the music…oh, the music. Do you know who it's by??
November 28, 2011 @ 3:28 pm
The title is ‘Synchronicity~ Dainishou Hikari to Kage no Rakuen’ which translates to ‘Synchronicity~ Second Chapter Paradise of Light and Shadow’. From what I read in the video, it says the composer is HitoshizukuP.
If you’re talking about the ones singing, they’re amateur singers from this Japanese video sharing site (sort of like YouTube) called Nico Nico Douga called Re: and Lilie, and they actually just covered this song. The producers (the ones called -name-P) usually use Vocaloids in the originals, and then the singers from that site sing them as they please XD
I’m afraid I don’t really know many Vocaloid songs from the genre above. Lilie has several other songs like them like 羽はないけど私は飛べる (Hane wa Nai Kedo Watashi wa Toberu). If you search it in YouTube with her name リリィ, it should show up. Sorry ><
However, if you liked them, then maybe you'd like this group called Kalafina. They have amazing songs that sort of have a Gothic feel to them ^^ Here's one of their songs (which was also used in the anime Kuroshitsuji): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFUs65fE0a4
Happy listening! 😀 And sorry for the long reply XD
November 29, 2011 @ 9:39 pm
OMGosh, I’m in love with Kalafina. I must’ve listened to a million (okay, not quite that many) songs by them yesterday. I OWE YOU SO MUCH, RAE. You have just turned me onto a whole realm of music I did not know existed.
November 28, 2011 @ 12:01 pm
OMG JEM!!!! My first celebrity crush was Rio 🙂 … sad but true. I think it was the purple hair and colorless lips, haha.
As for 80’s pop, you can’t go wrong with Tiffany! Her videos are super cheesy. Full of denim, pouffy bangs, slouch socks and mall concerts!
November 28, 2011 @ 1:48 pm
BAHAHA. Rio crush–I love it. The first crush I distinctly remember is Rocky from the 3 Ninjas. I was head over heels for him… 😉
And Tiffany! How could I forget?!?!
November 28, 2011 @ 3:21 pm
I love the 80s music and videos, however cheesy they come across today!
November 29, 2011 @ 9:39 pm
In 20 years, we’ll look at 2000s videos and cringe…I do with 90s videos too. 😀
November 28, 2011 @ 3:28 pm
I cannot begin to express my love of 80s pop music. Like, literally cannot even begin. 80s music has been such an important part of my life. I mean, I was a child of the 80s, so it was constantly around. And then when I got my first job, my manager was an 80s freak who would only play 80s music at work. And then when I went to college, there was a club downtown that had an 80s night every Wednesday. It’s where I spent my 21st birthday.
So yeah. I love the 80s. 😉
November 29, 2011 @ 9:40 pm
Ah, that club sounds AWESOME. It’d be a nonstop dance fest for me. It’s sad because I guess I’m *technically* a 90s child…but early 90s music was just downright BAD. The 80s were where it was at.
November 28, 2011 @ 4:46 pm
I think my favorite music (that I THINK came from the 80s) would be Never Gonna Give You Up. I like the random dancing girl and how the video kind of fails to do…well, anything, ha. Also, Come On Eileen = one of my favorite songs ever. My dad gave me an old record of it.
Now if only I’d actually been around for the 80s. Instead I received the gift of 90s cartoons and stuff. Back before childrens’ programing decided to FAIL. Then the 2000s gave Avatar, which I need to watch over again in January since I’m cosplaying from it (as Princess Yue) and running a panel on it at Ohayocon this year 😀
November 29, 2011 @ 9:41 pm
Princess Yue costume!! GAAAAAH, you have just given me so much inspiration for Comic Con. I’ve been fretting over what to dress as…but I’m thinking an Avatar character is what it should be. Oh, my love for that series is boundless…
November 28, 2011 @ 5:15 pm
Susan, I’ve written my first play to the beat and voice of 80s and early 90s music where the music is as much a character as the living people are! It’s called ‘Once Every Never’…one day…hopefully in this lifetime, I’ll get to direct (and maybe star in if I have the guts) this piece. But I agree with you that the 80s were stellar for the cheesiest most fantastic music of our time. Now where are my MC hammer pants again…they’re sooo comfortable…
November 29, 2011 @ 9:42 pm
HAHAHA, hammer pants. Oh my, you just made me LOL. And start bustin’ out my Too Legit moves.
November 28, 2011 @ 5:18 pm
oh, and lest we forget john hughes and cameron crowe …the masters of writing films that capture so vividly the essence of the 80s/90s teen….soundtracks to all their films include anthems for my life! gosh, i’m gonna tell my husband to buy a trench coat, a boom box, some white high tops so he can stand outside our bedroom window as ‘In Your Eyes’ blasts from the boom box…
November 29, 2011 @ 9:42 pm
Oh…the white hight tops…and the MOVIES! You’re soooooo right. They don’t make ’em like that anymore. ::Sigh::
November 28, 2011 @ 6:16 pm
love the 80s and all its hair and camp! all the duran duran videos of the time were my faves ;-D
November 29, 2011 @ 9:43 pm
YES! Duran Duran was pretty awesome. Um, “Notorious” is just downright amazing.
November 28, 2011 @ 10:39 pm
Oh, man. I love cheesy 80’s movies and music! And Jem and the Holograms was my absolute favorite as a child. It’s on again in the States and watching it, I’ve realized the Misfits are pretty much courting some serious felonies what with all the beatings and harassing and stealing and trespassing and…I could go on and on…
November 29, 2011 @ 9:46 pm
Ha–you’re RIGHT, Erica. Those Misfits are really pretty villainous. But I’m glad you loved Jem too. I remember I had a pair of pink starry earrings, and I used to spend HOURS pretending I could transform into the amazing, pink-haired diva… ::sigh:: The good old days. 😉
November 29, 2011 @ 4:25 am
Ha Ha. When I think of 80’s music, I think of big hair and a lot of girls spraying Aquafina in their hair and me gagging. Hmm… I did like Guns N Roses, though. I know. I’ve so lost my black card by blurting that little piece of information.
November 29, 2011 @ 9:46 pm
Aquafina–oh my gosh, you just brought back so many memories with that word. And I won’t share your Guns N Roses secret. 😉
November 29, 2011 @ 4:29 am
Wheeee! Thank you for posting something that is pretty dear to my heart, because I am a fan of 80s pop music (mind you, it’s the pretty mainstream stuff like Madonna, Journey, Cyndi Lauper, Wham!, Toto, Jefferson Starship, Hall & Oates, etc). I mean my favourite song (possibly of all time) of that era is Steve Perry’s Oh Sherrie.
I wouldn’t be able to chose my absolute favourite music video, because there are so many to choose from and like you said – they are are so deliciously awesome in all of their 80 synth cheesiness. I’d have to go with the safe option and say Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Well it’s either that or Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. I just love how the energy in that video matches the chripy, ‘must dance to this or else’ vibe of the song. Maybe the ‘Magic Dance’ song from Labyrinth, if they had a music video to that too…
Oh my God, you love Jem? I LOVE JEM TOO! *squees*
Sorry, what I meant to say was that I preferred the original/other theme songs of theirs. Because me and my friends are Jem girls! Jem! Jem is my name! Exciting adventures, fashion and fame! Once you’re a Jem girl you’re never the same! Come on, come on and be a Jem girl! Jem! Jem is my name!
Erm, and I did not write out the first verse because I almost have memorized the lyrics off by heart or something…
November 29, 2011 @ 9:48 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHA. Nhi, you just won 10 million points for typing out the entire verse. Seriously. That is AMAZING. <3 <3 <3 <3
And I totally had a Jem doll as a kid, but she was about 1.5 times bigger than Barbie…and I used to put Ken in Jem's clothes. What does this say about me? I do not know. 😉
November 29, 2011 @ 11:07 pm
My husband makes such fun of me because of my still stuck in the 80’s music. I listen to everything, but I just had Rick Astley playing. And Dexy’s Midnight Runner’s…loved them. The Psychedellic Furs, Adam Ant, Roxy Music, Scritti Politi. I could go on, but I won’t. I listen to new stuff, but they do seem to borrow alot from the 80’s music. Loved your interview on Small Review today!
Heather
November 30, 2011 @ 12:05 am
Thanks for reminding me about the Small Review post–I totally meant to share that on here…and forgot. Oh, the mind-numbing throes of sequel writing…on a fast-approaching deadline.
And that is AWESOME that you are so diversified in 80s music. My husband makes fun of me for my K-pop love–to each his own, I say! 😉
November 30, 2011 @ 11:21 am
I do love 80’s music and films. As for my favourtie 80’s cartoon that has to be Count Duckula was first shown in the UK in the late 80’s but got repeated in the early 90’s which is when I watched it.