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Records, charts, one-hit wonders and the stories behind the songs we still play.
Music
The Lost Sound of 1980s Sophisti-Pop
Beyond the neon, big drums and synth-pop of the 1980s was another sound—smooth, stylish and sophisticated. From Sade and The Style Council…
Music
The Forgotten Sound Between Yacht Rock and ’80s Adult Contemporary
Somewhere between the smooth West Coast sound of the late 1970s and the polished Adult Contemporary radio of the 1980s lived a…
Music
The Songs That Sound Better After Midnight: 1980s Late-Night Radio
There was something different about FM radio after midnight in the 1980s. The streets were quiet, the dashboard lights glowed, and certain…
Music
Don McLean turned American Pie into a shared memory
What most people miss about "American Pie" is that its mystery is only half the story. The real reason it remains a…
Music
Could Any Song Feel More Like Sunshine?
A happy hit on the surface, this Stevie Wonder classic carries real musical love and cultural weight underneath the groove.
Music
Private Eyes Never Blink
Here's what made "Private Eyes" such a thrill in 1981: a razor-sharp hook, a playful sense of drama, and Hall & Oates…
Music
10 Songs That Made Friday Night Feel Like Friday Night in the 1980s
Friday nights in the 1980s had a soundtrack all their own. From cruising with the windows down to crowded parties, pizza runs…
Music
A Detroit Studio, a Burst of Horns, and Stevie Wonder’s Special Delivery
This is the moment Stevie Wonder stopped sounding merely unstoppable and started sounding fully in charge.
Music
The Forgotten Sound of Adult Contemporary Radio in the 1980s
From Christopher Cross and Air Supply to Lionel Richie, Chicago, Phil Collins and Whitney Houston, Adult Contemporary radio created a softer soundtrack…
Music
Still impossible to turn off
Here's what made “In the Summertime” such a runaway hit: a lightning-fast song idea, a wonderfully loose recording, and a groove that…
