A Bout of Modern Nostalgia: How Pop Music Dominated the 80s

Creative culture had been dominated by the idea of rock ‘n’ roll and its various contenders for decades of music history, but as time finally set its foot in the early eighties, it was clear that the landscape of artistry was about to be rewritten.

Pop music had been a common term used among critics and fans alike, for songwriting that lived in the graces of the Billboard Hot 100 and hit singles that creeped from speakers on their respective world tours. It was within the unofficial second “British Invasion,” solidifying names like Duran Duran, The Police, Depeche Mode, A Flock of Seagulls, The Human League and Naked Eyes on American radio stations.

These “New Wave” groups saw an uptick in popularity with air-tome provided by MTV, and soon carved out room for the rise of pop music global superstars. In a harmonious marriage between the synth-pop of British new wave bands and the age-old etchings of 70s classic rock, an entire new mainstream of pop music dominated the 1980s.

When speaking about the surge in pop music, it is only fair to bridge the conversation by starting with the genre’s most infamous.

The King of Pop. Michael Jackson, in the throes of his solo career following the commercial success of the Jackson 5, found possibly the most lucrative success in the music industry with his sixth studio album, Thriller. In “Michael Jackson at 25: A Musical Phenomenon,” American journalist Jon Pareles opened his 1984 article with several nods to Jackson’s 12 Grammy award nominations, an achievement that had yet to be touched by anyone else in the industry.

“In the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else,” said Pareles. “While his latest album, “Thriller,” was selling better than any long-playing record ever made by a single performer, he also was breaking through the racially segregated programming policies of many radio and television stations.”

Nearly three decades following the infamous U.S. Supreme Court ruling of Brown v. Board of Education, racial barriers were still being breached, even within the ever-growing music industry, as Jackson’s “Billie Jean” was the first ever track by an African-American artist to receive heavy rotation on the program.

In a genre that critics can’t decide to determine as rock, funk or disco, Jackson’s persona reached far beyond pop culture, as his worldwide stardom and unique personal style had quickly defined dance music. Even today, Thriller remains the best-selling album worldwide, with more than 70 million copies sold worldwide.

Pareles easily relayed the intricacies of Jackson’s style and character, not only embracing his many accomplishments and accolades, but by collecting various interviews from industry professionals close to Jackson. In a more routine style of journalism, Pareles is still able to inject personal thought and criticism within his writing.

As male pop stars continued to climb their rise of success in the eighties, a brand new generation of female stars raced them to the top. With Michael Jackson came Janet Jackson, and with Janet Jackson preceded Paula Abdul. Although hardly lacking in numbers, women’s pop music reached an advanced peak in 1983, with the release of Madonna’s second studio album, Like A Virgin.

Writer John Skow wades through comedic confusion and a touch of bygone misogyny (teenage girls tend to mimic those they idolize) in his 1985 article and cover story, “Madonna Rocks the Land.” Never before had the music industry seen the influence of a pop star, one that had originally moved to New York to pursue modern dance, become such a cultural phenomenon, in talent and appearance.

With her debut coated in an ‘American street style,’ inspired by urban black culture and the turbulence of her own former middle-class home life, Madonna embraced sexuality and flirtatiousness in various album tracks and live performances.

Her records were characterized by “a central dumbness,” according to Rolling Stone lead singer Mick Jagger. “Kids born since the breakup of the Beatles, however, don’t want to hear [rock music],” said Skow. “Her numbers, as they say, are spectacular.”

Within this article, Skow showcased a trove of personality and a nuance to the critique of pop music at its best. His descriptions of die-hard fans and the intricacies of world tours and album sales pulled the reader into a world that, although they may not have lived during, can very much feel at their fingertips.

Both Madonna and Michael Jackson felt their way through fame in an era introducing a new form of media consumption: music television, bookended by the aforementioned network MTV. With a newfound way to view visual music, artists like Duran Duran, Wham! and Billy Idol thrived under the spotlight of worldwide success.

In the 1985 article, “Wham! Wham! Thank You, Ma’am,” American reporter Debby Bull delved into the cultural influence of MTV on American youth, and the birth of “teen idols” from the backend of 1980s pop music.

Bull went on to profile the curation of pop demographics, saying, “The fourteen-year-old girl was always a mighty and mysterious player in the pop-music game, but never before has anybody had so much access to her, and where she’s really weak – TV.” The mainstream success of the mid-eighties pop stars relied heavily on the formulation of an able and willing demographic, a sizable group of fans that would trample the other if it meant an autograph and a concert ticket.

“Suddenly, the girls were once again the key to pop-star marketing plans, and the big winner was Michael Jackson, a soft spirit and great dancer who had the best videos going,” said Bull. The reliance of pop music on its own fans was a tight-knit and easily procured relationship, with the giving of media and fandom, and the return of album sales and professions of undying love.

Bull layered this article with a refined wit and a willingness to analyze the statistics. Her writing style is amplified with the commitment to genuine characterization of those mentioned, and her vast pop culture knowledge fits the piece with an intimate touch of self-reflection unto the reader.

The element of music and video, which continues to maintain relevance, sought out to recontextualize media for a new generation. Both pop music and pop icons have continued their exponential growth even decades following the pop music surge of the 1980s. It is from these seminal artists that music lays its foundations today, whether that be boybands, Britney Spears or Beyonce.

Where blues turns to rock, rock turns to pop, and it is within the circle of genre evolution in which stars find their inspiration. After all, it was Eddie Van Halen who shredded post-chorus on Michael Jackson’s “Beat It,” no?