Hey, Remember The 80's?

Send us a textEpisode 211: Let's take it back, y'all! We are going back to June 13, 1981, and perusing the pages of Billboard magazine. There's an ad for an up-and-coming singer named John Schneider, who was wowing audiences on the show The Dukes of Hazzard. Does this good ol' boy have what it takes to conquer the Hot 100? More ink is spilled for acts like Frankie Beverly and Maze, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Gang of Four. Joe and Kari discuss the songs behind the ads and articles! 

Send us a textEpisode 210: The weather is getting hotter, and that can mean only one thing -- Global Warming! Just kidding -- Joe and Kari rounded up some of the best 80's songs about everyone's favorite season, Summer! Songs from APB, Diesel, James Taylor, and Don Henley are gonna make you SWEAT! That's What Friends Are For: A look back at 1980 when Elvis Costello needed some assistance with a vocal, and he called on his friends from the band Squeeze!

Send us a textEpisode 209: Happy National Jennifer Day! Joe and Kari are here to make sure you celebrate responsibly. The plan was to discuss multiple Jennifer's of the 80's, but the research on singer Jennifer Warnes proved much more fruitful than expected. She is most well known for songs from the soundtracks to An Officer and a Gentleman and Dirty Dancing, but there is so much more! This deep dive includes a few detours to discuss songs from non-Jennifers as well. 

Send us a textEpisode 208: It's time for a super-sized edition of Just A Bit Outside, the segment that looks at songs that peaked outside the Top 40. From 1980, we've got R&B from the Bar-Kays, Southern (Scottish) Rock from Nazareth, a Country single from Mac Davis, and whatever genre Korona fits into. 1989 brings songs from Regina Belle and Icehouse, who had quite a few underrated songs throughout the whole decade. O, Canada: More songs from the CBC list of the Best Canadian Songs of the 80's, including tunes from Strange Advance and Chilliwack offshoot The Headpins. 

Send us a textEpisode 207: Joe and Kari are always thrilled to get listener suggestions! First, from Matt B., a look at an act that started out in 1982, Everything But the Girl. True, they are probably best known for their hit from the 90's, but their 80's output is definitely worth checking out. Then, listener Alex suggested a few songs from Minor Detail and Polyrock. And finally, Blair's suggestion becomes a segment called Could've Been So Beautiful: a look at some big hits from 1989 that maybe were TOO big, and a couple of lesser known hits from the same chart that should've charted much higher. Thanks for all the suggestions, and keep 'em coming!

Send us a textEpisode 206: First in Tidbits -- surely you've heard the news about the inductees for this year's class of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and now Joe and Kari offer their two cents on who got snubbed. Kari's Record Store Haul: A trip to MadCity Music in Madison, WI proved fruitful for Kari. In this episode, we take a look and some of the finds of the day. Albums from The Pretenders, Roachford, Wang Chung and others are discussed, along with some of the pivotal tracks from each. Also included, albums from a couple of Joe and Kari's absolute favorites of the decade: Eurythmics and Split Enz. 

Send us a textEpisode 205: The Sax is Back! Thanks to The 80's Music Compendium, Joe and Kari have a new batch of 80's songs to discuss that include long sax solos. Bobby Womack and Patti LaBelle joined forces to climb the R&B chart in 1984, and Dan Fogelberg took some inspiration from a trippy Tom Robbins novel to create a number one hit on the AC chart. You'll also hear about sax solos from songs by The Mary Jane Girls, The Honeydrippers, and a duet between David Bowie and Tina Turner!Finally, a long-overdue feature on songs that use that classic instrument the Vibraslap. 

Send us a textEpisode 204: First up in Tidbits, a recap of Joe and Kari's trip to Minneapolis to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of Transmission! So much great music and dancing! Then it's time for a new segment: It Peaked on This Day, a look at songs that peaked on April 25th. In 1981, songs by Steely Dan, The Outlaws, and Fantasy reached their peaks on the Hot 100. In 1987, songs from Peter Gabriel, Prince, and Robbie Nevil reached their peaks. Which songs do Joe and Kari want to add to their playlists? Tune in and find out!

Send us a textEpisode 203: Grab some punch and a piece of cake because we are celebrating BIRTHDAYS this week on HRT80s. No, not Joe or Kari's birthdays, but rather the birthdays of some notable musicians, including Iggy Pop, Paul Carrack, Jack Blades of Night Ranger, and The Triplets! Then it's time to discuss a truly bizarre (and awesome) song and video from a band that was founded by the one and only Bill Paxton!

Send us a textEpisode 202: Batter up! Baseball season has begun, and notorious sports fans Joe and Kari are talking about those hits of the 80's that are about America's favorite pastime, including songs by John Fogerty and Bruce Springsteen. And UK act The Outfield was seemingly named after a love of the game, but the ref calls foul! Baseball terms!Just a Bit Outside: Songs that peaked outside of the Top 40 include tunes from Off Broadway, Jaya, and the Jets. Did they deserve to be bigger? You make the call. 

Send us a textEpisode 201: Joe and Kari are preparing for a trek to Minneapolis, so it's time to bone up on some acts that originated in the area. Of course, Prince is the most famous of the bunch, and he's been discussed many times on the podcast -- but that doesn't stop your hosts from talking about Prince-adjacent acts like Apollonia and Ta Mara and the Seen. On the rock side, you'll hear about The Suburbs, Hüsker Dü, and Trip Shakespeare. HRT80s Court: Order in the court! Joe heard a synth squiggle that stopped him in his tracks. Did the Moody Blues influence dance diva Donna Allen? Or was it all a (gemini) dream? You'll hear evidence in this episode of HRT80s!

Send us a textSound the alarm, Episode 200 is here! Yup, Joe and Kari are in disbelief as well. It's been a long road to get to this point, but your hosts are hopefully up to the challenge to bring you a "Greatest Hits" episode. All your favorite segments are here: Coming Around Again, That's What Friends are For, and Just a Bit Outside. Plus, it's all led up to this moment: Joe and Kari QUIZ each other! Put on your party hat and join in the fun of this milestone episode!

Send us a textEpisode 199: Joe and Kari are back with more R&B Superstars! Even though they've already reached the letter K in the Joel Whitburn book, they had to turn back a few pages to highlight Regina Belle, since that name has popped up a few times in the podcast. Then it's time to shine a spotlight on Kool Moe Dee, Lakeside, and the one and only Patti LaBelle! Canadian Singles: The CBC made a list of the best Canadian Songs of the 80's, and Joe and Kari are discussing a couple of songs by The Northern Pikes (cuties) and Michel Rivard. Joe and Kari are taking a break for one week after this episode to plan something special for EPISODE 200! Stay tuned!

Send us a textEpisode 198: Time to flashback to March 11, 1989, with a look at the ads and articles from Billboard magazine (thank you, Monty Greenly). First up, an ad for a Boy George solo album that started out as an attempt to turn the former Culture Club frontman into a New Jack Swinger. Then, a report on the 1989 Grammy Awards -- which artists received the so-called Grammy Bump, and which new awards caused a bit of controversy? More articles and mentions included The Boys, Guadalcanal Diary, and a love song from the movie "Sing". 

Send us a textEpisode 197: Say goodbye to the shortest month of the year with an episode about the shortest SONGS to hit the Hot 100. Joe and Kari discuss singles from The Georgia Satellites, Glen Campbell, Los Lobos, and Dave Edmunds, among others. And you'll find out which of the Vacation movies is the ONLY one Kari has ever seen. The answer may shock you. Just a Bit Outside: Two non-top-40 singles are up for discussion. Should they have charted higher? Or was number 67 enough for Enuff Z'Nuff?

Send us a textEpisode 196: In honor of Fat Tuesday, this episode is all about PARTY songs from the 1980's! Whether you like to Party All the Time, or if you prefer just to have the occasional Party Weekend, Joe (mayor of Partytown) and Kari (World Dance Party Coordinator) have got the insider scoop on these Party classics. But the fun doesn't stop there! Kari gets QUIZZED on some of her most beloved 80's favorites. Grab a cold one and tune in, because this Bud (or episode, rather) is for you!

Send us a textEpisode 195: Happy Valentine's Day! Just to switch it up a bit, Joe and Kari are here to talk about some anti-Valentine's songs. Joan Jett and Alice Cooper got a couple top ten hits out of theirs, but there's also room for songs from Freddie Mercury, Joy Division and J. Geils Band that didn't chart quite so high. Number 195: Looking at some songs ranked on a couple of 200 best songs of the 80's lists. Jungle Brothers and Bad Brains made the list. Are these songs better than a Russell Stover chocolate collection? Listen to episode 195 and find out for yourself!

Send us a textEpisode 194: Break out the champagne! It's time to celebrate 4 whole years of Hey! Remember the 80's! The ever-thoughtful Kari marked the occasion by noting that the traditional gift for 4th anniversaries is Flowers or Ripe Fruit. On the menu for Ep 194: Songs/Bands with flowers or fruits in the name, including the song "One Bad Apple", the Scottish due Strawberry Switchblade, and the Billy Joel song "Big Man on Mulberry Street"Finally, more "4" fun: Joe and Kari each picked a song that peaked at number 4 on the Hot 100 in the 80's. Both picked R&B songs that you can dance to. Dial "4" for fun!

Send us a textEpisode 193: First up in Tidbits, a quick review of the recent Yacht Rock Doc "Sometimes When We Touch",  now streaming on Paramount+. Joe gives it a Thumbs Up, and is now rethinking his stance on Ray Parker Jr. Listener Mail Bag: Thank you to listeners Heidi, Peter and Giovanni for their suggestions. A couple of hits from Martha and the Muffins and Soda Stereo are highlighted, then a look into the soundtrack for the movie "Hiding Out". Finally, Joe and Kari inspect some hits from the German Charts. 

Send us a textEpisode 192: Coming Around Again - the segment where we look at songs that charted twice! Duran Duran had a hit in the UK that went all the way to number 2 in 1982. So why did it take 3 years for the song to hit the US charts? NKOTB released an album before Hangin' Tough, but it didn't hit. So how did one of the flop singles become such a success in 1989? Ask Kari. Just A Bit Outside: Joe and Kari look at some of these "JaBOs" to determine if some songs from 1980 deserved to hit the Top 40. Dottie West, The Captain and Tenille, and Debbie Jacobs are up for discussion, and the results may surprise you! That Dottie West song certainly surprised your hosts!