Pop Music in the '80s

Series Table of Contents

Pop Music in the ‘80s

This is an ongoing series about Pop Music in the ‘80s. As the series continues, the table of contents below will be updated!

Meanwhile, enjoy this Spotify playlist with Every US Hot 100 #1 Song from the decade

Table of Contents

Unit 1: Setting the Stage for ‘80s Music

Pop Music in the '80s: How We Got Here

Setting the Stage: The Cultural and Political Landscape in the Late 1970s

The Birth of the MTV Generation

The Music Industry’s Shift to Superstardom

What to Expect from Our Study of '80s Music

Unit 2: The Rise of Pop Superstars & MTV’s Influence

The Birth of MTV & the Power of the Music Video

Breaking Barriers and Building the Future

The Synth-Pop Revolution

The Soundtrack Craze

The Music Industry Boom

Unit 3: Rock’s Evolution in the ‘80s

Arena Rock and The Stadium Experience

The Rise of Hard Rock and Hair Metal

New Wave and the Alternative Revolution

Punk Rock Revival and the Underground Scene

Metal's Ascendancy

Unit 4: Hip-Hop’s Birth & R&B’s Golden Era

The Foundations of Hip-Hop

The Mainstream Breakthrough: Hip-Hop’s Rise to Mass Appeal

Hip-Hop as Social Commentary

The Rise of Hip-Hop Dance Culture

Yo! MTV Raps and the Dawn of Hip-Hop’s Golden Age

Unit 5: Nashville and Beyond in the 1980s

The Urban Cowboy Effect

Nashville Neotraditionalism and the Return to Roots

Women in Country Finding Their Voice

Country on the Pop Charts

Nashville’s Reinvention and the Road to the ‘90s

Unit 6: The Globalization of Music & The Digital Revolution

World Music Goes Pop

Dance & Electronic Music’s Early Rise

The Compact Disc and the Business of Music in the ’80s

The Seeds of the ’90s

• Final Lesson: How ‘80s Music Shaped the 21st Century Sound