The Year Was: 1987
12.18.25
The Year Was takes you on a journey through time. In each show, Annett travels back to a different year. What did music sound like around the world in different genres, scenes, and areas of pop culture?
For this one, we are traveling back to the 80s!
1987 was a year of big hair and even bigger hits, a few serious corruption scandals, and ongoing Cold War tensions. Reagan asked Gorbachev to “tear down this wall” and Yuppies fueled by turbocharged economics gambled their way into a massive crash on Wall Street. While all this was going on, we were experiencing a monumental time in pop culture. Prince released his magnum opus, The Smiths made their final record before breaking up, Whitney power-signed for a dancer/lover, Salt-N-Pepa pushed it real hard, and Sonic Youth started a “Teen Age Riot.” Hip-hop aesthetics expanded through momentous debuts by Eric B. & Rakim, Public Enemy, and Boogie Down Productions. The club bangers of the influential Chicago House label, Trax Records, started spreading globally, paving the way for the rise of House music everywhere. Baby carried a watermelon in “Dirty Dancing,” while “The Simpsons” made their first ever TV appearance. The AIDS Quilt was displayed for the first time, and the first condom commercials aired on TV. Also, Pop Metal was a thing. But we won’t linger on that much, I promise!
Grab your shoulder pads as we’re about to take a deep dive into 1987!
Tracklist:
Prince – Sign O’ The Times Terence Trent D’Arby – Wishing Well M/A/R/R/S – Pump Up The Volume Sinéad O’Connor – I Want Your (Hands on Me) The Cure – Just like Heaven (Live at The Palace of Auburn Hills) George Lam – Gan Ai Gan Zuo Sonic Youth – Kissability Rhythim is Rythim – Strings Of Life Boogie Down Productions – The Bridge Is Over Inner City – Good Life George Michael – Father Figure The Cleaners From Venus – The Mercury Girl Desireless – Voyage voyage City – Pfefferminzhimmel Salt-N-Pepa – Push It Frankie Knuckles – Baby Wants To Ride Nasa – Time To Party (Magic Mix) Remo – SOS Earth Mecca Normal – Man Thinks Woman Pet Shop Boys – Rent Public Enemy – Bring The Noise Kevin Irving – Children Of The Night Art Of Noise – Moments In Love Eric B. & Rakim – Paid In Full Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) Phuture – Acid Tracks Matador – On The Boat R.E.M. – It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) Merry Clayton – Yes Exposé – Point of No Return
