The 80s-est

The Bands Region is down to its Final Four songs, and they are ALL as 80s as it gets! In the first matchup, which hypothetically should have been 1 vs. 4, we instead have two bracket-busters! Unlikely 12-seed Cameo brings his funky “Word Up” against EVEN-LESS-LIKELY 16-seed “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” by Wang Chung. What will win, Cameo’s fire-engine codpiece, or Wang Chung’s epilepsy-inducing vi...

The Movies Region is down to its final four. Not to be confused with THE Final Four, which is still to come. In the first matchup, overall tournament 1-seed, OMD’s “If You Leave” (from Pretty in Pink ) faces its first real challenge of the tournament from one of the most 80s songs of the decade, 4-seed “Send Me an Angel,” Real Life’s hypnotic Rad anthem. In the second matchup, Berlin’s Top Gun pow...

Hair Metal Friday is back again, this time with EVEN LESS TALENT and WAY MORE PARTY VIBES! Our first matchup pits Ratt and its woefully-underseeded 6-seed “Round and Round” against a power ballad/rocker hybrid, 11-seed “Love Song” by Tesla. This one could go either way, but it won’t. In the second frame, it would be nigh impossible for any matchup in any bracket in any region that we have ever don...

This episode is like a Winter Olympics medal podium! Sweden! Canada! England! In the first matchup, upset-winner 11-seed “The Promise” by English synthpop outfit When in Rome face off against the Swedish juggernaut Europe, whose 3-seed “The Final Countdown” seems to be as unstoppable as it is dramatic! In our second battle, the winner of the biggest upset in this region, 15-seed “Breakout” by Brit...

We start round two in the Foreigners region with two sets of favorites who did as expected and advanced to the second round…but now what? First up, it’s the impossible choice of 1-seed “West End Girls” by the Pet Shop Boys against the ultracool 8-seed “Something About You” by Level 42. Which is more suave, which is more British?? Then in the nightcap, we have dominant Aussie 4-seed “Never Tear Us...

Tonight, we turn the hairspray up to ELEVEN! It’s two GIANT 80s acts with two behemoth number-one mainstream hair metal classics, facing off against two extremely obscure movie-based songs! First it's Whitesnake, with its massive 5-seed ,"Here I Go Again" taking on Spinal Tap and their relatively unknown song, "Big Bottom." Yes, seriously, that’s the matchup. Then the Garden State's own Bon Jovi t...

My goodness, I have no idea how to vote on either of these powerhouse matchups! First off, cultural phenomenon Rick Astley and his 3-seed “Never Gonna Give You Up” rolls up against upset-winner Stacey Q and her spunky 11-seed “Two of Hearts.” I may vote based on hair. Next up, Taylor Dayne struts her brash 7-seed “Tell It to My Heart” up against another massive upset-winner, Milli Vanilli and thei...

We have two battles on the menu tonight, as we begin Round 2 in the Singers Region! In the first, it’s a battle of upset-winners where 9-seed “Only in My Dreams” by Debbie Gibson (who won her brawl with Tiffany), takes on massive upset artist Jodi Watley and her upstart 16-seed “Lookin’ For a New Love.” In the second slate, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam have survived a tough first round to take their 5-s...

NOTE: This show, scheduled for Friday, came out on a Sunday. This week’s coming shows are also delayed, and likely to arrive… late? Maybe Wed-Thursday-Friday this week, until we get back on track. Thanks for your understanding! Enjoy! The Hair-Metal Mini-Game blasts out of the starting blocks with a full-throttle matchup between certified classic and top-seed “Pour Some Sugar on Me” from legendary...

Happy New Year, from The 80s-est! We’re ringing in 2025 with the last two matchups in the Bands Region! First, we have 3-seed “Life in a Northern Town” from The Dream Academy going up against Information Society and 6-seed “What’s on Your Mind (Pure Energy).” Then, it’s powerhouse 2-seed “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House going up against 10-seed “Catch Me (I’m Falling)” from Pretty Poison....

It’s Round 2 of the Bands Region! In this episode, Ready for the World brings their 8-seed “Oh Sheila” up against 16-seed “ Everybody Have Fun Tonight” from Wang Chung. Then, in our second matchup, we have Mister Mister’s 4-seed “Broken Wings” taking on Cameo, with 12-seed “Word Up.” It’s the last 80s-est of 2024 and it’s a good one! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with...

It’s our landmark 100th episode! That’s right: Keith and Joe have been screaming their opinions in your ears for a whole hund-o! You might want to get your hearing checked! Speaking of people with hearing loss, this show marks the beginning of our Hair Metal Mini-Game! In this preview episode, we tell you which giant-haired bands made it in and who was left to pull their spandex pants out of the c...

Merry Christmas from everyone at The 80s-est! We’re filling your stocking with songs from the back half of the Movie Region. You might find Berlin under your tree, with the 3-seed “Take My Breath Away” from Top Gun as it battles against 6-seed “Who’s Johnny” by El Debarge from the classic Short Circuit . Or you might unwrap Tim Capello with “I Still Believe,” his sax-tastic 7-seed from Lost Boys g...

In this episode, we kick off Round 2 of Side B! We journey back to the Movies Region, as top-seed “If You Leave” ( Pretty in Pink ) by OMD takes on 9-seed “At This Moment” ( Family Ties ) from Billy Vera and the Beaters. Then, it’s Real Life’s 4-seed, “Send Me an Angel” from the cinematic masterpiece Rad taking on both Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes with “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” from Dirt...

Merry Christmas, Happy Winter, Happy New Year, Joyous Solstice, Happy Festivus, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah, Healthy Saturnalia—whatever you celebrate, we are down with it. But in the era and place that we grew up, 80s Decembers were filled with Christmas & winter music by our favorite artists! Join us in taking a winter break from Side B between rounds one and two, as we take you on an adventur...

This is it! The final episode of Round 1! It’s Briton against Briton! It’s Escape Club versus Swing Out Sister! It’s two-seed “Wild Wild West” against fifteen-seed “Breakout”! Which will come out on top? How do I know, what am I, a clairvoyant? Hey! What if you had someone with extra-sensory powers and her name was Claire Voyant? Wouldn’t that be cool? This video kind of blows, but you gotta watch...

It’s Episode 36 of Side B! It’s two meh songs. It’s a meh-pisode! Seriously, we’re pitting seven-seed “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” by Glass Tiger against ten-seed “Heart and Soul” by T’Pau. Are these the most amazing songs in this region? No! Do we still have opinions about them? Yes! Should you listen? Look, normally, I’d say I can’t answer that for you, but here? Hell yes, you should listen...

Cue the fake horns! It’s time for us to gorge ourselves on a banquet of cheese! Three-seed The Final Countdown from the Swedish band Europe breaks down the doors of propriety and demands that you listen to it now! Who would dare to take on this Velveeta Icon? A little outfit called Love and Rockets, that’s who! They bring their fourteen-seed challenger “So Alive” to the table. Give it a listen. Th...

Today’s matchup features a video which contains the most 80s footwear imaginable. Seriously, check out the shoe/sock combo worn by the guitarist of The Outfield. Their six-seed “Your Love” goes up against eleven-seed “The Promise” by When in Rome, who aren’t wearing super-80s shoes, but do have some amazing hair going for them. Or maybe you’ll just want to listen to the music. This is a public epi...

You know those matchups where people are all pissed off because it’s two songs they really like and they’re forced to vote on them in the first round and then a song they like is out just like that? Yeah, this is one of those. It’s four-seed “Never Tear Us Apart” by legendary Australian group INXS against German synth-poppers Alphaville, with thirteen-seed “Forever Young.” Happy shitty choice day,...

In our third episode of Side B’s Foreigners (Still without Foreigner) Region, we’ve got five-seed “The Look” by Swedish pop duo Roxette taking on British rock band New Order with “Bizarre Love Triangle.” Say, you know what would be a really bizarre love triangle? If two clams both fell in love with the same starfish. How on earth would they work it out? This is a public episode. If you would like...

Which makes you more uncomfortable, a weird, menacing clown-man in a yellow plaid suit or a singer who is about to sexually assault the camera? Two seriously odd videos; two pretty solid songs. Jazz-funksters Level 42 give us eight-seed “Something About You” to go up against nine-seed “(I Just) Died in Your Arms” from rock outfit Cutting Crew. Let us know your thoughts! This is a public episode. I...

 Let’s! Get! Gothy! No, seriously, it’s time to slather on your pale foundation, throw some eyeliner under those peepers and get ready for The Cure! (Also Pet Shop Boys.) Seriously, though, two great bands, two amazing songs, as top-seeded “West End Girls” by Brit synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys takes on woefully under-rated sixteen-seed “Just Like Heaven” from Robert Smith and The Cure. Give it a lis...

Here it is: the last region of Side B! And, folks, we saved the best for last. There’s not an “Iko Iko” in sight as we bring you the region preview for the Foreigners (STILL Without Foreigner) Region. So. Many. Great. Songs! Seriously, this one’s good. Give a listen! SCROLL NO FURTHER IF YOU WISH TO AVOID REGION SPOILERS! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subsc...

The Singers Region comes to a thunderous conclusion as the massive talent of Nu Shooz goes up against the god-like singing prowess of Milli Vanilli! It’s two-seed “I Can’t Wait” against fifteen-seed “Girl You Know It’s True.” And let’s pause a second to ask ourselves: does she know it’s true? How can we be sure? All this, plus: an ending so epic, you have to listen to it to believe it. Wow. This i...