1980–1989 · MTV, synthesizers, stadium pop, hip-hop and global music television
The 1980s changed how popular music looked, sounded and travelled. MTV made the music video central to stardom, synthesizers and drum machines moved into the mainstream, hip-hop grew from regional culture into a national force, and global pop stars reached audiences on a scale few previous artists had experienced.
1980–1982: post-punk, synths and a changing pop system
New wave, synth-pop, post-punk and electronic production expanded quickly while established stars adapted to a more visual, technology-driven market.
1983–1985: superstar pop and MTV
Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner and others turned albums, videos and arena tours into a tightly connected global entertainment system.
1986–1987: pop precision, metal scale and hip-hop growth
Production became cleaner and more digital, hard rock and metal filled arenas, and Run-DMC, Beastie Boys and Public Enemy helped push hip-hop into the center of youth culture.
1988–1989: transition toward the 1990s
House music, alternative rock, gangsta rap and more sample-based production pointed toward the next decade while late-1980s pop remained commercially enormous.
Explore each year: 1980 · 1981 · 1982 · 1983 · 1984 · 1985 · 1986 · 1987 · 1988 · 1989.