At 52 I still sit in my ManCave and watch 80’s video’s while having my choice of beverage. I still get those same feelings that I got from these songs from moments that happened in my younger years. I get no good feelings from music today and it seems like 90% of todays artist are replaceable and meaningless. Thank god we have the ability to go back in time with all those 80’s classics.
Most of the time songs today are about profanity and a certain body part that would get you expelled from school if you dare flashed it. Back then though it was all about jumping, chameleons, and gals wanting to have lots of fun!
I sit in my bedroom and watch em, and on my phone too! Not just of what I grew up with but stuff "before" my time as well! I'm 53, it just Normal to me!
"Growing up in the 80s was pretty damn awesome." I couldn't agree more-Casey Kasem's Top 40 was a Saturday afternoon staple. I grew up listening to the 80s and I will die listening to the 80s. Best decade ever!
I am 56 and a substitute teacher for high school. I will play the 80’s and the kids know 99% of the songs! Speaks volumes on how the 80’s will never get old! True classics!
@@alanmusicman3385 I'm going to respectfully disagree. But at least keep the same time range: according to your theory, 1960's kids would be expected to know songs from the '20s. I can assure you that when I was growing up in the '70s, I did not know songs from 40 years prior. The farthest back I could have gone was probably 10 years, and even then it would have been a small smattering. And I came from a very musical family.
@@leavingitblank9363 The core of popular music changed completely between the 1940s and the 1960s, but far less subsequently. I think the syndrome really began in the 1960s and into the 1970s. So no, for various reasons 1960s kids would be highly unlikely to know very many 1920s songs - though of course a few 20s songs were appropriated by 60s bands - e.g. the Beatles "Ain't She Sweet" or Martin Slavin And His Gang's "Rock-A-Charleston". But for 60s kids there was a very stark contrast between the hits they loved and those old records, but post 60s the similarities between current music and the music of one or even two decades back were far greater which - I think - made them of more interest.
@@alanmusicman3385 I don't follow. It sounds like you're contradicting yourself. You say music changed completely between the '40s and the '60s, but also say "post '60s the similarities between current music and the music of one or even two decades back were far greater". So it's not clear during which era you thought music made a bigger shift.
In 84 I was 13 years old, it was the start of the best time of my life, and it sometimes gets me teary eyed about how times have changed, and the people who are no longer with us…Everything was simpler back than….
I was 15 and in rehab in ybor city Tampa. Got to listen to it in the cab to school every day from ybor city (dacco) to more north Tampa. Not far from Bush Boulevard. Owner of a lonely heart. On the that story and song.Those were the days.
😎I’m all things 80s! If I had a 1983 DMC DeLorean, and could find Doc Brown and Marty McFly, I’d be there now! 🏎️ From the age of 4, I’ve been a music and tv junkie. I started watching Sesame Street in 1971, and used my allowance in the 1970s to buy albums from various genres. But the 1980s is my decade…music, records, cassette tapes, boom boxes, movies, videos, Soul Train, American Bandstand, Friday Night Videos, Solid Gold, The Midnight Special, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, BET, MTV, VH-1, adolescence, high school, love, college, and transitioning to adulthood. 💚Yes, “growing up in the 80s was pretty awesome!”
I was 18 and pregnant in 1984. I can't put into words what MTV and the 80s music meant in my life. It was literally as important to me as the internet or social media is to the current teens. The music was so good and so diverse, none of these top 10 sound anything like the others. When I hear today's music, it has no soul or creativity, the lyrics are just designed to shock or sink into depravity... makes me really sad for the young folks. We didn't have this music at our fingertips, we had to wait for it, call in and request it or go to a store and buy it.
I agree and the 80s are way past my era of the 60s and 70s. I blame the rise of rap and other so called crap 'music'. The lyrics are inevitably misogynistic and generally hateful. The soft pop is just pap. Relying on whoever is at the studio board to 'fix everything'. You can blame autotune as well. In my era there were few if any electric tricks to be used. They just had voices, passion, talent and instruments. Now they can just project their images and stay home and collect the money. That is my old person's complaint for today.
There were so many genres that were hitting together. You could really find yourself connecting with new wave, metal, hair bands, pop, country, r&b, first generation rap, jazz, even classical. It was an amazing time.
Reggae too!!! Polyrhythms were appearing making dancing way more interesting and fun. The Police for instance. Often the best stuff was the music by hit artists that weren't quite the hits. Phoenix by Dan Fogleberg. His first album. Might be Pheonix Rising.
This is SO true! Most radio stations were independent and played a wide variety of music based on actual, called-in requests. Now it's all pre-programmed, based on narrowly defined genres so it all sounds the same. Terrible.
So true. So many great reggae songs. Despite achieving tremendous airplay and respect around the world, none of Bob Marley’s songs made it to the top ten in the USA.
The 80s had the best music ever, I lived for Casey Kasem's top 40 and also Rick Dee's top 40, I had so many mix tapes from those count downs, sitting for hours listening waiting for your favorite songs to come on so you could tape them hoping that they wouldn't talk over the beginning of the song.
Kasey Kasem's American Top 40 back in the day were the best of times for radio! Today's top 40 is a absolute basket case with all computers and auto-tuning 😖😩😵😷🤮😠
These countdowns are so uplifting. Thanks for taking me back Professor. We really were fortunate to have experienced the 80's in our formative years. Best decade ever.
My mom and I opened a small record store in a flea market that year. For our grand opening, a friend of mine showed up dressed as Boy George and danced for people. We had a Polaroid camera and he took photos with customers. Everyone loved it!
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 😂. I never thought of that! A lot of my friends (male and female) dressed as Boy George in the day, maybe paying double homage.
What great memories you must have of this time in your life. Not a music related business but my mom opened a small retail business in 1982. People kept small businesses thriving back then unlike today. I hope you enjoyed time with your mom as I did with mine in the 80s. (unsure your age, I was 12 so I can’t claim to have “opened the business” as a co owner 😊)
Being a metal head at heart, I have to say I loved all of the musical genres of the 80's. That whole decade, for me was an awesome ride. Mistakes and successes. Quoting Eddie Money, "I wanna go back"
I was listening to the radio...the first song, reminded me of long ago... back then I thought things were never gonna change... I wanna go back, I'm feeling so much older, but I wanna go back, I know. I saw Eddie Money twice in 1983.
I agree with you, Professor. The Grammys are not the celebration of music everyone once enjoyed. The most shocking thing for me this year was that some people didn’t know who Bonnie Raitt is, and were surprised by her win for the song of the year.
There used to be very few genres of music, rock, pop, and country. Then came along rap and hip hop which has taken over the scene. This years Grammys was a total disgrace and insult. I only watched when madonna was introduced and Sam smith came on. Turned my tv off. Music, TV, and movies have become too saturated with the gay lifestyle. Not sure why producers and directors feel the need to have some gay character in it. Award shows IMO have become too black, too gay, and too latino. 99 percent of all combined have no talent. All they do is show off their body parts as though it was natural. They are all fake.
The mid 80's were definitely the high point for music, in my opinion. There's so many songs and artists from that era to adore, plus the film soundtracks were also a major win. 🥰🎶🎧
For me, the mid-80s had the right mix of raw talent needed to create music, while embracing the new tech before it took over and started ruining things.
I was in college in the early 80s and "What I like about you" was about the most fun song to dance to at the local bars and parties. Mentioning it in this video brought back a lot of memories.
How Soon Is Now By The Smiths was my favorite song of 1984. It was originally a humble B-Side but has become one of the most iconic songs of the year & decade.
@@ProfessorofRock Johnny Marr is great, supremely talented, always interesting and engaged in interviews and really level headed/ down to earth. His autobiography was a good read.
It wasn’t a favorite of mine back then, unfortunately. It was just one of those songs that kept popping up throughout the years. Loved it from the first hearing though. I eventually figured out who it was by! Wish I had discovered it back then! (Same with The Cure, wish I had discovered them back then too…instead of years later!)
It's embedded deep in the souls of every person from 1984, it's why I always think David Lee Roth when I think Van Halen! I know people don't like Roth, and yeah I like Hagar a lot, he's awesome but that early era is just planted in my mind and will always be what I feel or think of when I think Van Halen.
How lucky we all were living through the 70’s and 80’s because musicians delivered incredible sound that was tremendously memorable, fun, and inspiring! Every generation has their sound and message! During the 70’s and 80’s musicians had to master instruments to deliver that sound - Jimmy Page delivered it masterfully! We were all freaking blessed to watch these talented musicians! How fun it would be to take a time machine ride into that period of time one more time! Thanks a bunch for putting this video together!
I was senior in high school in 84-85. The music was absolutely awesome that year!! Van Halen alone with Jump was awesome!! Every week we’d listen to Casey. Thank you for this one! It brought back some great memories!! By the way, I saw Van Halen in 81. I was 14. It was awesome and so was Jump. The new top ten didn’t surprise me. Van Halen has seemed to grow in popularity over the decades and Karma Chameleon is just fun. It always has been and always will remain fun. I’ve watched reactions of kids to my music like Van Halen and other rock groups. They really do like it. And they are amazed that the singers could sing without auto tune and that the musicians were really damn good at playing guitar, piano, drums, keyboards or whatever. I think they are losing out because the so called music of today is bad. I think Bonnie Raitt winning the Grammy this year says it all. Old school music may be on the comeback. People like her, Stapleton and others just keep doing what they do and I’m praying it keeps coming.
I graduated high school in 84. These songs, and so many others, made-up the soundtrack of my formative years. I'm surprised nothing from The Police's Synchronicity or Huey Lewis' Sports albums were on the charts that particular week. Anyway, thanks for the trip down memory lane...I almost feel 17, again.
The 80s were a great decade for movies too. So many classics! The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Goonies, Back to the Future, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, The Last Crusade, Tim Burton's Batman, E.T. and so much more.
@@St.Linguini_of_Pesto I'm no math expert, but I do believe that 1989 is in the eighties. ;) But seriously, yeah. 1989 also had Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Lethal Weapon 2, Rain Man, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Look Who's Talking, Ghostbusters II and Dead Poets Society.
Harrison Ford was the man. At one point, he had starred in six of the top ten grossing movies of all time. Oh, and there was also Fast Times at Ridgemont High that quite honestly ushered in the 80s and made a statement that this was going to be a fun ride. And of course the Rocky sequels, First Blood, Halloween, Top Gun, Sudden Impact, The Terminator, Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, Back to the Future, The Outsiders, Young Guns, etc
Yes! The eighties in general were fantastic in music. But 1984 in particular was just in a whole other league. When you listen to the top ten you hear such diversity in the genres. Rock, funk, softer rock, pop, some of everything. And it was all enjoyable. You don’t get that today. Sad really. I’m so glad I was around and got to witness all that goodness. Discovering music with my high school friends. Riding around with our radios blasting. Those were such good times. Wouldn’t trade that for nothing. ❤️💜💚
Growing up in a home with four sisters, and being the only boy, (a typical boy), when Culture club appeared on MTV, we all accepted this band and did the Boy George dance. This is what was so great about 80's music-- it was revolutionary, risky, experimental, safe, and controversial-- so many genres and subgenres- it was ok not to be tethered to any specific genre. Too bad those days are long gone-- but, the classic tunes are still with us-- I go into a Starbucks, a donut shop, a grocery store, a book store, the mall, a nightclub or bar, or a restaurant, and they are still playing songs from the 80s. Thank you for helping to keep the 80s alive, professor!
The period between the 60s and 80s were the golden era of music. Now music is on life support with a lack of talent, originality and that special magic that once filled the airwaves. I doubt there will ever be such a brilliant era again. Autotune, pitch correction, formula music and lack of creativity have all but destroyed music. Singers in the golden era didn’t need 12 half naked dancers and multimillion dollar stages to perform. They just needed their talent and instruments. The industry is now ran by zero talent executives who only know how to exploit others and make money off music they had no part in creating. These bozos are even auto tuning and pitch correcting the masterpieces we grew up with and they are destroying the music. For awesome in depth analysis of how music is being destroyed check out Wings of Pegasus channel. The host is Fil and he’s brilliant.
I forgot to mention how it must’ve been great having 4 sisters especially if they were younger than you. You would have been in a gold mine of girls to pick from. I never had a younger sister so it made it harder to meet girls. Lucky you!
David Lee Roth may not have liked Jump but he sure did an awesome job performing it live and for the record. Jon Anderson singer of YES was born during WWII and is still doing concerts this spring. April and May online shows concerts on the east coast and 2 in Illinois and 1 in Missouri. He still sings very well for 80 years old.
1984 was the first year I remember actively listening to top 40 music on the radio, hoping that some of my favorites would come on. Karma Chameleon, Jump, Owner of a Lonely Heart, Talking In your Sleep, were among those that year, and always made me happy when I heard them. Still do. Thanks, 1984, and all the artists that made that year such a special one for me.
What really made "Jump" work for most of us is sure, it has synth in it, but that guitar solo is absolutely gorgeous and transitions to the keyboards perfectly.
Yes' Owner of a Lonely Heart is one of my all-time favorite tunes. Whether its' through a great set of head phones (not pods) or a great stereo system, cranking that song up to 11 is an EXPERIENCE. The way the sounds bounce from speaker to speaker, left to right, etc. just makes this song a force to reckon with. The production/mixing of this song is a masterpiece in my opinion.
@ joe beastyg That is an awesome song and I saw them on this tour and it was amazing! It was funny to watch this episode of Professor Rock's where he stated that Jon Anderson wrote the song Owner of a Lonely Heart entirely from start to finish while on the toilet. Now that's classic and that's what you call the shit! Lol
I love the song too, but funny thing: it is my least favourite song on that side of the album. Changes, Hold On, and It Can Happen all seem to resonate with me more directly than Lonley Heart does. 🤷♂
I love these 80s countdowns. Brings back so many good memories, and the fact that you sound so much like Casey Kassem doesn't hurt. The 80s and 90s were really good for me. I guess we'll see in a few years if Millennials feel the same about the 2000s.
My brother and I were just talking about how bad modern music is. He 12 years younger than me but he Hates modern music. Today's music is computer generated with trap beats and no instruments the same chord progression etc... Thank you for this channel as a reminder us what good music is and showing young viewers there is better music than what's popular today. Keep up the fight!
I had just turned 13 in Feb 1984. It was the time that I payed the most attention to music in the charts. I was so fortunate to be that age at that time. I would also like to pay tribute to Casey Kasem - I used to love listening to the America's Top 40 show that was syndicated on local radio in the UK where I lived. The way you tell the anecdotes around the songs really reminds me of Casey and his show.
@phr tao I also turned 13 that year (May) and I agree wholeheartedly. That year was a particularly spectacularly year in music, television & music. It was a great year to be a teenager.
Casey Kasem's American top 40 was syndicated to local radio in Australia too. Every Saturday afternoon. I think it was broadcasted at 5pm if I'm correct. Man, those were the days.
The 80s were transformative years in rock music. I had come of age in the 80s and it was indeed a GREAT era to grow up in. All the iterations of alternative rock emerged...so awesome!
Van Halen 1984 was one of my top albums of that year. I would play the cassette every night before bed and let it play until I fall asleep. Pannama was perhaps my favorite. I was a senior in high school.
I just realized at the end of this episode (and just like Casey Kasem) when he would do his SPECIAL DEDICATIONS how I would be balling 😪 with tears in my eyes 👀 😭 when the story are so... to the HEART ❤️. GREAT JOB and THANKS for the REMINISCING of GREAT TIMES gone by and the GREAT MEMORIES left behind!👍👍
I can relate to that comment... I turned 20 in 1981 and my memories of the first half of that decade are a blurry haze of alcohol, weed, LSD and cocaine. If that weren't bad enough, muscle cars from the 60s and 70s were still around and hadn't yet started to climb to astronomical prices so we could actually afford to buy them. I remember cruising around with my friends, stoned out of our minds, getting into races and raising hell. And the craziest thing was that I wasn't doing anything that most of the rest of the people my age weren't also doing. I'm not just surprised I survived. I'm amazed. A fair number of people I knew didn't.
This is why you're my new favorite UA-camr. I can't believe I just recently found you (past couple of days) and im totally hooked to your channel. Its like going back to the good old days and you remind me of songs i long forgot about. Thank you so very much for doing what you do. I was 7 years old in 1984, but i recognize these great songs right away ❤❤❤❤
@@RBS_ There is more chance of Britain becoming a normal, stable non hair brained country again. Not going to happen. Three Prime Ministers in less than a year- the lunatics have taken over the asylum.
First, thanks for giving Kasey Kasem and his original America’s Top 40 props, because watching your videos do make me think that he’d really appreciate what you’re doing today. Second, back in the day I remember when Culture Club hit the racks in the record stores. Nobody got up in arms or hysterical about imaginary controversies; it was a good record with good music that everybody embraced and enjoyed. The 80s were good like that back then when it was all good, because it was all good. Last, in the late 90s I had a girlfriend who was the most fanatical David Lee Roth fan ever. She once told me that she wouldn’t know what to do if she ever met DLR is she met him, and she was almost frothing at the mouth when she said it. No joke. She was a classically trained concert level cellist, but she knew what she liked. You just don’t know what it’s like to be on the road for hours and all that’s playing on the car CD is either Van Halen or Diamond Dave. Keep up the good work!
I was only 8 years old in 84 and it was an incredible time for music. We could all use another fun 80s type decade after all the crap we have been through since about the early 2000s
Hahaha I was also 8 in 1984 & totally agree. At the time I remember actually liking radio hits. In the 90's instead of the radio I had to go buy the music I liked. From the 2000's until now. Ufffff it got really terrible. 😔
The fact that all these songs were in the top 40 at the same time in the spring of 84 is still amazing... 1984 was the first CD I ever listend to... Tempus fugit.
1984 was my favorite year also and Casey Kasem was also my hero! Great episode. I was remembering how huge "Jump" was while you were talking, and couldn't believe the band almost nixed it! I loved that you mentioned The Police and Duran Duran - my favorites - Culture Club was my third favorite - what an awesome year!
It's been awhile since you've done a Hit Song Redux episode. I always look forward to those. It provides so many great memories of what the pop music charts were like when the quality of music was at its very best. Of all the years that I closely followed music, 1984 ranks up there as one of my favorites. It is, what I consider, one of the 1980's peak years.
Was in the Army stationed in Germany 1983-1986. Heard these tunes on AFN radio then, and when i hear them now, I'm back in my POV driving through Stuttgart to and from base. And it's a good feeling.
Definitely an amazing year for music. A few decades ago, I compiled a multiple CD set of the top 100+ hits of 1984 though I don't recall now what my source was for getting the list of songs. Radio was great back then and I got all my copies of music onto blank cassette tape by recording them from the radio since I was a middle schooler and didn't have the money to buy albums.
After I turned 16 I was in my car constantly so my music collection was 8 track or cassette during my high-school years. I never bought vinyl after 1981.
NEWCOMER to your POD, at 54, I SERIOUSLY can't say THANK YOU ENOUGH, I am hard ex military guy, but your show has brought out a roller-coaster of emotions...LIKE CASEY, you are refreshing and asset to your time..AGAIN GOD BLESS BROTHER AND THANK YOU...ROCK ON
"Think of Laura" is Christopher Cross's most underrated song. It's a beautiful song with unusual chord changes, beautiful acoustic arrangements and his most personal lyrics. That said, my favorite song from 1984 is "When Doves Cry" by Prince and the Revolution. "Purple Rain" is my pick for best album. Honorable mention "Treasure" by Cocteau Twins.
I’d go further and say Christopher Cross is one of the more underrated artists. Sailing is high up on my all time song list .. Think of Laura is also a great song , but it’s too closely tied to general hospital drama rather than judged as the single masterpiece that it is.
John Mellencamp, for me, has been the voice of reason in this insane world. Speaks stories of the simple life, finding love, finding JOY in the little things. Then hits us with the reality of Monsanto's GMO’s, the destruction of the American Farmers, in Rain on the Scarecrow. Seen him live in 2020 and I gotta say, it was the best sounding, well put together musicians I’ve ever attended. And that’s saying a lot. Still an icon!
And that Lukather solo on Running With The Night was and off-the-cuff riff he played while *warming up* to do the actual take. They played the song in the studio so he could get a feel for it, and he just started playing/noodling parts, then hit that incredible solo, all off the top of his head. When the song finished, Luke told the booth "ok, lets do the take" and they simply replied, "we got it, that was the take, it's perfect." Another miraculous performance by Legendary Luke!
The Professor's son is wise beyond his years. Music reflects its time and it's no coincidence that the music of the 80s was so good and so optimistic. I would like to think that we can return to that time but am beginning to believe that the philosophy of Devolution is more than a gimmick invented by college guys in Ohio. I didn't want to believe it at the time, but in retrospect it's looking more and more like humankind reached its zenith right around 1985 or so. Thankfully we have this channel to help bring us back there for a moment to appreciate what we had.
I am 17 years old and would love to hang out with Adam’s son in a heartbeat! I have been studying older music since I was 12 and now know more than I ever expected. There is still stuff out there for me to explore, and I have to jump on the bandwagon with you and say there isn’t that much great stuff being released today.
There's clearly great demand for a return but no genuine need; it'd just be _kinda cool_ and for that reason it'd be hollow, like ... that 2nd Woodstock or 2009 Obama mania. Necessity is the mother of invention.
By '84, I was a diehard Van Halen fan and when Jump came out, I was completely blown away. Was it different? Yeah, but it hit me as squarely as Runnin' With the Devil or Ain't Talkin' About Love.
It is a tie for me between "The reflex" by Duran Duran and "sunglasses at night" by Corey hart. These were my all time favorite song of that year. I played them cassettes over and over again. The 80s were pretty awesome to grow up in.
Yes I agree - there is no comparison between todays music and the music of the golden age of music writing and perfomance the 70s and 80s probably you could throw the 60s in there as well - man am I glad I have had the honor of living though the 70s and 80s and enjoying all that amazing music - it will never grow old - timeless!
1984 came out in the middle of when I was in 10th grade. At the time, our high school only had 10-12 (not 9-12 as it became just two years later). Also, because of the way they determined when you started school (1st grade) back then, I was always a year behind my same-grade friends. I graduated when I was 17 and I started high school when I was 14. So... high school was a big deal... fitting in, etc. This album came out and I loved it. I admit, I thought it was a bit of a scandal showing a cherub smoking on the album cover because I was raised in religion, but I loved the music. I still remember the first time I saw the album... it was in the band hall and one of the seniors had just gotten it and was showing it around and we were listening to it. To this day, Jump gives me quite a large nostalgic rush every time I hear it. I was familiar with rock (Def Leppard's 'Pyromania', Billy Idol's solo albums, etc.) but for whatever reason, probably having as much to do with being a young 10th grader in high school and bonding with juniors and seniors over this album and the music videos from it, 1984 is a standout. On a side note, we played "Owner of a Lonely Heart" in band. It's a long story, but I quit band part way through 1985 as a junior, but we did have some fun. :)
"Jump" has to be my all time favorite song! When I hear the synth with that rift start out my heart just soars, something about that song just transcends so much...
THANK YOU Can't believe I only found your channel today. I'm an older guy, a trucker and NOTHING can take me back to some of my best memories in life like the way you repaint the picture of the time, what goes into the songs, how culturally different it was, ect. Thanks and great job brother
John Mellencamp was an artist I never appreciated when I was young- but as I've gotten older his music has just been creeping up my hit list in an incredible & amazing way!
@@ProfessorofRock you bet he is and you are too- the amount of research you do & knowledge you've amassed is very impressive. it blows me away every time!
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 weird how it didn't hit me til I grew up lol! says a lot about men in general huh? when I was younger it was all the silly shit- then when I grew up a little bit, my brain started speaking a little louder than my lower parts!
I don't know if you're also a radio DJ as your day job, but I love your inflection, timing, and delivery of the history and information of these songs. It reminds me of Casey Kasem and other '80's style DJs. I also love '80's music!!
We just got on our bicycles and went. Came home had dinner and went to bed listening to these hits on my hand held transistor radio. The eighties was like a bridge period from old society ending in the seventies to the new society starting in the nineties. A truly magical transitionary period with the music that was so fitting.
You rarely get to hear it when it's played on the radio, and almost NEVER when it was played on the radio in the '80s, but the outro solo on Running With The Night, performed by the incomparable Steve Lukather, is one of the best guitar solos of the decade. And I really love the shout out to Rocky Raccoon, which is my favorite Beatles song. Such a great tune, such vivid storytelling and SO under appreciated.
Steve is a very, very skilled guy, and that solo paired with the dancing folks and the strutting beat will make this song a perfect feat at my school teacher party in the summer!
I LOVE listening and looking back with such fondness of how great our music was at that time. My 24 and 18 year old daughters agree with that too! I would love if you could do a video about Vitamin Z and where they are now. Thanks and please keep doing what you’re doing!!
I graduated in 86, so this year of music was my first year driving. Best year ever. Now I substitute teach, and the kids today love our music more than what passes for music today. They even know Kasey.... so there is hope for the future.
I love Steve Lukather's story on the leads for *Running with the Night* where he was basically warming up, Lionel said "Ok, we got it" and Steve asks "Got what?" 🤣
Ah yes my favorite program the hits redux brings me back to Saturday mornings watching Casey Kasem's american top 40 hoping my song will be number one and hoping my favorite artist will be interviewed that week and also learning some music history as well thanks Adam for keeping Casey's spirit alive your shows have that same spirit and continue to do the amazing work you're doing
In 1984 I was a senior in high school and a freshman in college. These songs were popular during a pivotal time in my life when I was young, carefree and spent a lot of time watching MTV. 🤣
I know you will take this as a compliment, as you should, but you def give off a Kasey Kassum (spelling?) vibe. Love the music and the information you put out with it. Great channel.
Am I wrong or was John Mellencamp known at the time as "John Cougar Mellencamp"? What's odd is that when I look up his music now, I see some songs and albums credited to John Mellencamp and others credited to John Cougar. But strangely I don't see any that are credited to John Cougar Mellencamp! Wasn't he once known as "John Cougar Mellencamp" or am I misremembering?
For the song Jack & Diane he was known with his stage name John Cougar - but later reverted to his real name John Mellencamp with "Cougar" as a middle name
I got to see Genesis, Elton John, and Prince all in 1984. Elton had reunited the classic band (Davey, Dee, Nigel) and it was a childhood dream come true to finally see him live. Genesis was doing the “Mama” tour with the first iteration of Varilites. The first time when every light could move, change colors and patterns, AND they had motorized trusses so the entire rig could reconfigure for nearly every song. I hate the term “game changer”, but that was a watershed moment for live music lighting/production. And then what can I say about Prince. The Purple Rain tour. Sheila E. opening. 7th row. So mind blowing. Yeah, ‘84 was all right in my book! PS: tickets for those shows were $18.00!!
I was introduced to Kool & The Gang way back in the summer of 1971. A friend of mine had played me their "Live At The Sex Machine" album. They had a very different, very funky sound back then. In fact, their first 2 releases were live albums.
There is no such thing as a perfect year for music but 1984 is the closest thing to it. A year of megastars, legends and an incredible variety of incredible music off and most notably, on the charts. I really can't sing the praises of this year enough.
You must not have been around When Floyd put Wish You Were Here out... Animals, Dark Side of the Moon... When Yes put Fragile out, Tormato, Going for the One... Zeppelin... But I'm wondering what happened to you in the 90s??? Jesus Christ dude, Sound Garden, Blind Melon, Alice in Chains, THE VERVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ??? Were you in a coma during the 90s???? WAY BETTER THAN THE 80s!!!!!!!!
1984, I was 10 years old and an MTV and radio junkie. I was making enough money through chores that I was bought all of these albums on either cassette or vinyl. One of my favorite memories of this time was playing the Van Halen album on vinyl in the dining room while my dad made popcorn in the kitchen. I hear jump and I still smell popcorn. I hear John Cougar Mellencamp and I still feel the chill and rain of walking out of the record store and getting into my mom's Subaru 360.
Great reminder of the songs from my time. I mostly agree and not surprised with Elton John's big jump with his song. That song was one that just stays with you along with the great sound and emotion that it brings. Thank you for the continued episodes and history that should never be forgotten! And yea, always hoped for great music nowadays but at least I have something to fall back on 😉😜
1984 I was a freshman in Medical School in all places Iowa, being the first hispanic ( I'm Puertorican) in that school history was groundbeaking & heartbreaking...I was accused of cheating by a professor because it was impossible for someone with a spanish accent to get good grades but the music of the times help thru to cope with that painful experience specially Never Surrender by Corey Hart, The Outfield debut album blew me away.
Thank you for posting this! Everyone thinks about music getting us through heartbreak, but the real power of music is the type of societal progress that you helped make by finding and reinforcing your inner strength through the lyrics of your favorite songs. That’s why there’s so much backlash from the people who are afraid of change.
Poll: What is your pick for the greatest song and album of 1984?
Daniel Amos - Vox humana.
....Prof. posts this question, while I'm STILL listening to Albums from 1984! ...ha-HAAA!! ...I'm disqualified, I'm TOO biased......
Panama - Van Halen or Some Things are Better Left Unsaid - Hall & Oates
Thats kinda easy.
When Doves Cry Prince
Or anything off Purple Rain
Song - Phil Collins and Against All Odds
Album - Queen and The Works
At 52 I still sit in my ManCave and watch 80’s video’s while having my choice of beverage. I still get those same feelings that I got from these songs from moments that happened in my younger years. I get no good feelings from music today and it seems like 90% of todays artist are replaceable and meaningless. Thank god we have the ability to go back in time with all those 80’s classics.
Most of the time songs today are about profanity and a certain body part that would get you expelled from school if you dare flashed it. Back then though it was all about jumping, chameleons, and gals wanting to have lots of fun!
Who doesn’t?! 😉😂
58 and I still think 78-84 were the best music years
I sit in my bedroom and watch em, and on my phone too! Not just of what I grew up with but stuff "before" my time as well! I'm 53, it just Normal to me!
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 it won't "just" about that! It was about coming of age and beauty also!
"Growing up in the 80s was pretty damn awesome." I couldn't agree more-Casey Kasem's Top 40 was a Saturday afternoon staple. I grew up listening to the 80s and I will die listening to the 80s. Best decade ever!
The eighties were awesome.
@@foxglove404 I miss them.
Oh, how I wish I was alive in the 80s…
The best thing about growing up in the 80s was being a teenager in the early-90s.
streamed means nothing. i've never streamed any song. i get my own copies and play them hundreds of times.
I am 56 and a substitute teacher for high school. I will play the 80’s and the kids know 99% of the songs! Speaks volumes on how the 80’s will never get old! True classics!
Wow!! That is so cool!!
You could have done the same for 70s and 60s hits in a 2000s classroom. And in a 1960s classroom a lot of the kids would have known 1940s songs.
@@alanmusicman3385 I'm going to respectfully disagree. But at least keep the same time range: according to your theory, 1960's kids would be expected to know songs from the '20s. I can assure you that when I was growing up in the '70s, I did not know songs from 40 years prior. The farthest back I could have gone was probably 10 years, and even then it would have been a small smattering. And I came from a very musical family.
@@leavingitblank9363 The core of popular music changed completely between the 1940s and the 1960s, but far less subsequently. I think the syndrome really began in the 1960s and into the 1970s.
So no, for various reasons 1960s kids would be highly unlikely to know very many 1920s songs - though of course a few 20s songs were appropriated by 60s bands - e.g. the Beatles "Ain't She Sweet" or Martin Slavin And His Gang's "Rock-A-Charleston". But for 60s kids there was a very stark contrast between the hits they loved and those old records, but post 60s the similarities between current music and the music of one or even two decades back were far greater which - I think - made them of more interest.
@@alanmusicman3385 I don't follow. It sounds like you're contradicting yourself. You say music changed completely between the '40s and the '60s, but also say "post '60s the similarities between current music and the music of one or even two decades back were far greater". So it's not clear during which era you thought music made a bigger shift.
In 84 I was 13 years old, it was the start of the best time of my life, and it sometimes gets me teary eyed about how times have changed, and the people who are no longer with us…Everything was simpler back than….
I was 12 and man the music was so amazing! The memories of certain songs for me really brings me back.
Man, I was 14, best year of my life - well, maybe nose to nose with 1985
I was 15 and in rehab in ybor city Tampa. Got to listen to it in the cab to school every day from ybor city (dacco) to more north Tampa. Not far from Bush Boulevard. Owner of a lonely heart. On the that story and song.Those were the days.
I was 16@@DustyRay-x4i
I was 12. Man, what a great time to be a kid. So miss the 80s
😎I’m all things 80s! If I had a 1983 DMC DeLorean, and could find Doc Brown and Marty McFly, I’d be there now! 🏎️
From the age of 4, I’ve been a music and tv junkie. I started watching Sesame Street in 1971, and used my allowance in the 1970s to buy albums from various genres. But the 1980s is my decade…music, records, cassette tapes, boom boxes, movies, videos, Soul Train, American Bandstand, Friday Night Videos, Solid Gold, The Midnight Special, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, BET, MTV, VH-1, adolescence, high school, love, college, and transitioning to adulthood.
💚Yes, “growing up in the 80s was pretty awesome!”
I was 18 and pregnant in 1984. I can't put into words what MTV and the 80s music meant in my life. It was literally as important to me as the internet or social media is to the current teens. The music was so good and so diverse, none of these top 10 sound anything like the others. When I hear today's music, it has no soul or creativity, the lyrics are just designed to shock or sink into depravity... makes me really sad for the young folks. We didn't have this music at our fingertips, we had to wait for it, call in and request it or go to a store and buy it.
Who is in your picture?
I agree, music really is shit these days
@William o'neal a young couple I photographed many years ago. I just haven't taken the time to try to change it.
I agree and the 80s are way past my era of the 60s and 70s. I blame the rise of rap and other so called crap 'music'. The lyrics are inevitably misogynistic and generally hateful. The soft pop is just pap. Relying on whoever is at the studio board to 'fix everything'. You can blame autotune as well. In my era there were few if any electric tricks to be used. They just had voices, passion, talent and instruments. Now they can just project their images and stay home and collect the money. That is my old person's complaint for today.
yes or order it from the record store and wait in anticipation for a couple weeks for it to arrive
The 1980's were the most colorful decade. The world will never be like that again but we do have this channel and the music 🥳
Closest to a time machine!
As a kid in the 60s I felt I was missing the most colorful decade, and high school and college in the 70s was a letdown but the 80s made up for it.
I wish I could go back tbh, great times
"Never"? You can't say that--you don't know, YOU DON'T KNOW!
I'm 70 for me the late 60s & 70s were the best for me & the Soundtrack of my youth ✌️☮️🕊️
There were so many genres that were hitting together. You could really find yourself connecting with new wave, metal, hair bands, pop, country, r&b, first generation rap, jazz, even classical. It was an amazing time.
Reggae too!!! Polyrhythms were appearing making dancing way more interesting and fun. The Police for instance. Often the best stuff was the music by hit artists that weren't quite the hits. Phoenix by Dan Fogleberg. His first album. Might be Pheonix Rising.
So much diversity, unlike the crap you hear today.
I will admit, I do like r&b as well as Motown. But that's about it. Dont like rap or hip hop.
This is SO true! Most radio stations were independent and played a wide variety of music based on actual, called-in requests. Now it's all pre-programmed, based on narrowly defined genres so it all sounds the same. Terrible.
So true. So many great reggae songs. Despite achieving tremendous airplay and respect around the world, none of Bob Marley’s songs made it to the top ten in the USA.
The 80s had the best music ever, I lived for Casey Kasem's top 40 and also Rick Dee's top 40, I had so many mix tapes from those count downs, sitting for hours listening waiting for your favorite songs to come on so you could tape them hoping that they wouldn't talk over the beginning of the song.
Kasey Kasem's American Top 40 back in the day were the best of times for radio! Today's top 40 is a absolute basket case with all computers and auto-tuning 😖😩😵😷🤮😠
The 70s were pretty damn good too. Actually, every decade has the last few beat to hell.
@@ScorpioBornIn69 It's NOT real music. It's computer generated crap!
These countdowns are so uplifting. Thanks for taking me back Professor. We really were fortunate to have experienced the 80's in our formative years. Best decade ever.
I sure do miss the 80s I am always telling our children about how fun that decade was great memories, great friends,music,movies
My mom and I opened a small record store in a flea market that year. For our grand opening, a friend of mine showed up dressed as Boy George and danced for people. We had a Polaroid camera and he took photos with customers. Everyone loved it!
SO AWESOME! Thanks for sharing that!
I always thought that Boy George was paying homage to George Washington in that stage costume.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 😂. I never thought of that! A lot of my friends (male and female) dressed as Boy George in the day, maybe paying double homage.
@@littlecatfeet9064 Maybe it’s supposed to be a Revolutionary War inspired costume.
What great memories you must have of this time in your life. Not a music related business but my mom opened a small retail business in 1982. People kept small businesses thriving back then unlike today. I hope you enjoyed time with your mom as I did with mine in the 80s. (unsure your age, I was 12 so I can’t claim to have “opened the business” as a co owner 😊)
Being a metal head at heart, I have to say I loved all of the musical genres of the 80's. That whole decade, for me was an awesome ride. Mistakes and successes. Quoting Eddie Money, "I wanna go back"
Thats what my brother told me the other day. ''Man I wish we could press a button and go back''
One of the greatest things about music is it's ability to transport our minds through time. Just pick a favorite song or album, and press play!
I was listening to the radio...the first song, reminded me of long ago... back then I thought things were never gonna change... I wanna go back, I'm feeling so much older, but I wanna go back, I know.
I saw Eddie Money twice in 1983.
I'll never forget the first time i heard Van Halen's "Jump"! None of us thought a synth could ROCK until that very moment in time. Genius
I still say, "Hey you! Who said that?"
I graduated from high school in 1984. Awesome memories.
Now - do Rush. 😁
I graduated in May 1984 and love these videos! So many great memories jarred by watching/listening. Thanks Professor!
I agree with you, Professor.
The Grammys are not the celebration of music everyone once enjoyed.
The most shocking thing for me this year was that some people didn’t know who Bonnie Raitt is, and were surprised by her win for the song of the year.
It’s one of only two times I was actually happy with the Grammys Sunday night.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 I agree! Love Bonnie!
@@jennyjenny4501 Me too. The other was when Viola Davis became EGOT status.
There used to be very few genres of music, rock, pop, and country. Then came along rap and hip hop which has taken over the scene. This years Grammys was a total disgrace and insult. I only watched when madonna was introduced and Sam smith came on. Turned my tv off. Music, TV, and movies have become too saturated with the gay lifestyle. Not sure why producers and directors feel the need to have some gay character in it. Award shows IMO have become too black, too gay, and too latino. 99 percent of all combined have no talent. All they do is show off their body parts as though it was natural. They are all fake.
I was surprised to see Molly Tuttle in the list of New Artists. AFAIK, she has been around for several years.
The mid 80's were definitely the high point for music, in my opinion. There's so many songs and artists from that era to adore, plus the film soundtracks were also a major win. 🥰🎶🎧
So much variety !
For me, the mid-80s had the right mix of raw talent needed to create music, while embracing the new tech before it took over and started ruining things.
@@Elwaves2925 Totally.
I agree! Music at its best.
@@80ssynthfan48 You said that wrong. It"s supposed to be "Like, totally!"
No decade will have as great a soundtrack as the 1980's and I still have all of my cassette tapes to prove it. Thanks Professor!
I still have my cassettes from the 80s and my 8 track tapes from the 70s
This is amazing. Just discovered your channel. Goosebumps. Every single song has a specific and detailed memory. The magic of music is real.
I was in college in the early 80s and "What I like about you" was about the most fun song to dance to at the local bars and parties. Mentioning it in this video brought back a lot of memories.
...good ol' early MTV video...
Copy. Wisconsin-Platteville clas of 84.
How Soon Is Now By The Smiths was my favorite song of 1984. It was originally a humble B-Side but has become one of the most iconic songs of the year & decade.
Love the Smiths. My favorite band ever.
@@ProfessorofRock Johnny Marr is great, supremely talented, always interesting and engaged in interviews and really level headed/ down to earth. His autobiography was a good read.
It wasn’t a favorite of mine back then, unfortunately. It was just one of those songs that kept popping up throughout the years. Loved it from the first hearing though. I eventually figured out who it was by! Wish I had discovered it back then!
(Same with The Cure, wish I had discovered them back then too…instead of years later!)
It’s a BANGER.
"Hippychick" by Soho got me familiar with "How Soon Is Now" because they sampled the opening hook. The latter has aged epically well.
Van Halen's 1984 is straight up killer front to back, and Jump is an immortal entry in this album.
Seriously IMMORTAL and the best song by far on this list.
I just bought the album. Pretty sure we wore out my brother’s tape!
It's embedded deep in the souls of every person from 1984, it's why I always think David Lee Roth when I think Van Halen! I know people don't like Roth, and yeah I like Hagar a lot, he's awesome but that early era is just planted in my mind and will always be what I feel or think of when I think Van Halen.
3 notable favs of mine during that year...
New Moon On Monday - Duran Duran
People are People - Depeche Mode
How Soon is Now - Smiths
DM was making great music from 80’s to 00’s. Playing the Angel was the last album I bought. 30 years of great music is so rare.
Good choice. Brings back great memories
How lucky we all were living through the 70’s and 80’s because musicians delivered incredible sound that was tremendously memorable, fun, and inspiring! Every generation has their sound and message! During the 70’s and 80’s musicians had to master instruments to deliver that sound - Jimmy Page delivered it masterfully! We were all freaking blessed to watch these talented musicians! How fun it would be to take a time machine ride into that period of time one more time! Thanks a bunch for putting this video together!
We are! It's called The Professor of Rock Time Machine!!
I was senior in high school in 84-85. The music was absolutely awesome that year!! Van Halen alone with Jump was awesome!! Every week we’d listen to Casey. Thank you for this one! It brought back some great memories!! By the way, I saw Van Halen in 81. I was 14. It was awesome and so was Jump. The new top ten didn’t surprise me. Van Halen has seemed to grow in popularity over the decades and Karma Chameleon is just fun. It always has been and always will remain fun. I’ve watched reactions of kids to my music like Van Halen and other rock groups. They really do like it. And they are amazed that the singers could sing without auto tune and that the musicians were really damn good at playing guitar, piano, drums, keyboards or whatever. I think they are losing out because the so called music of today is bad. I think Bonnie Raitt winning the Grammy this year says it all. Old school music may be on the comeback. People like her, Stapleton and others just keep doing what they do and I’m praying it keeps coming.
Don't forget ZZ Top was on fire that year as well
I graduated high school in 84. These songs, and so many others, made-up the soundtrack of my formative years. I'm surprised nothing from The Police's Synchronicity or Huey Lewis' Sports albums were on the charts that particular week. Anyway, thanks for the trip down memory lane...I almost feel 17, again.
Also a 1984 H.S. grad
Best decade of music 🎶
Same
the SYNCHRONICITYalbum was my absolut favorite. If you are as you think the missing link synchronicity
Another '84 grad (Go Cardinals!). I got my first job at a radio station in Eastern NC that year
Class of’84 here 😎🥃
The 80s were a great decade for movies too. So many classics! The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Goonies, Back to the Future, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, The Last Crusade, Tim Burton's Batman, E.T. and so much more.
The Breakfast Club, Bueller, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles…
Burton's Batman was released in 89. Just a heads up.
@@St.Linguini_of_Pesto I'm no math expert, but I do believe that 1989 is in the eighties. ;) But seriously, yeah. 1989 also had Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Lethal Weapon 2,
Rain Man, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Look Who's Talking, Ghostbusters II and Dead Poets Society.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 John Hughes was on a roll!
Harrison Ford was the man. At one point, he had starred in six of the top ten grossing movies of all time. Oh, and there was also Fast Times at Ridgemont High that quite honestly ushered in the 80s and made a statement that this was going to be a fun ride. And of course the Rocky sequels, First Blood, Halloween, Top Gun, Sudden Impact, The Terminator, Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, Back to the Future, The Outsiders, Young Guns, etc
Yes! The eighties in general were fantastic in music. But 1984 in particular was just in a whole other league. When you listen to the top ten you hear such diversity in the genres. Rock, funk, softer rock, pop, some of everything. And it was all enjoyable. You don’t get that today. Sad really. I’m so glad I was around and got to witness all that goodness. Discovering music with my high school friends. Riding around with our radios blasting. Those were such good times. Wouldn’t trade that for nothing.
❤️💜💚
The charts were diverse, just like my taste in music. I get tired of the same old boring crap that I hear on my way to school every single day.
Growing up in a home with four sisters, and being the only boy, (a typical boy), when Culture club appeared on MTV, we all accepted this band and did the Boy George dance. This is what was so great about 80's music-- it was revolutionary, risky, experimental, safe, and controversial-- so many genres and subgenres- it was ok not to be tethered to any specific genre. Too bad those days are long gone-- but, the classic tunes are still with us-- I go into a Starbucks, a donut shop, a grocery store, a book store, the mall, a nightclub or bar, or a restaurant, and they are still playing songs from the 80s. Thank you for helping to keep the 80s alive, professor!
The period between the 60s and 80s were the golden era of music. Now music is on life support with a lack of talent, originality and that special magic that once filled the airwaves. I doubt there will ever be such a brilliant era again. Autotune, pitch correction, formula music and lack of creativity have all but destroyed music. Singers in the golden era didn’t need 12 half naked dancers and multimillion dollar stages to perform. They just needed their talent and instruments. The industry is now ran by zero talent executives who only know how to exploit others and make money off music they had no part in creating. These bozos are even auto tuning and pitch correcting the masterpieces we grew up with and they are destroying the music. For awesome in depth analysis of how music is being destroyed check out Wings of Pegasus channel. The host is Fil and he’s brilliant.
I forgot to mention how it must’ve been great having 4 sisters especially if they were younger than you. You would have been in a gold mine of girls to pick from. I never had a younger sister so it made it harder to meet girls. Lucky you!
My favorite Elton John song, my favorite John Mellencamp song, and my favorite Van Halen song.
Rest in peace, Eddie Van Halen.
David Lee Roth may not have liked Jump but he sure did an awesome job performing it live and for the record.
Jon Anderson singer of YES was born during WWII and is still doing concerts this spring. April and May online shows concerts on the east coast and 2 in Illinois and 1 in Missouri. He still sings very well for 80 years old.
I cannot believe he’s almost 80 years old! He killed it on Owner of a Lonely Heart.
I love Yes.. one of my favorite bands ever.
DLR Definitely changed his tune about JUMP and that style music. It rocked hard, even with the synth.
Jon Anderson looks better than Madonna; cause he didn't reinvent his face.
Van Halen's Jump means big money cause it's a #1 song on the charts.
And the Jump video was played a hell of a lot that year too.
1984 was the first year I remember actively listening to top 40 music on the radio, hoping that some of my favorites would come on. Karma Chameleon, Jump, Owner of a Lonely Heart, Talking In your Sleep, were among those that year, and always made me happy when I heard them. Still do.
Thanks, 1984, and all the artists that made that year such a special one for me.
It’s truly the biggest year in pop culture history.
What really made "Jump" work for most of us is sure, it has synth in it, but that guitar solo is absolutely gorgeous and transitions to the keyboards perfectly.
Yes' Owner of a Lonely Heart is one of my all-time favorite tunes. Whether its' through a great set of head phones (not pods) or a great stereo system, cranking that song up to 11 is an EXPERIENCE. The way the sounds bounce from speaker to speaker, left to right, etc. just makes this song a force to reckon with. The production/mixing of this song is a masterpiece in my opinion.
@ joe beastyg That is an awesome song and I saw them on this tour and it was amazing! It was funny to watch this episode of Professor Rock's where he stated that Jon Anderson wrote the song Owner of a Lonely Heart entirely from start to finish while on the toilet. Now that's classic and that's what you call the shit! Lol
I love the song too, but funny thing: it is my least favourite song on that side of the album. Changes, Hold On, and It Can Happen all seem to resonate with me more directly than Lonley Heart does. 🤷♂
@joebeastyg Signs of a Spinal Tap fan.
I love these 80s countdowns. Brings back so many good memories, and the fact that you sound so much like Casey Kassem doesn't hurt. The 80s and 90s were really good for me. I guess we'll see in a few years if Millennials feel the same about the 2000s.
My brother and I were just talking about how bad modern music is. He 12 years younger than me but he Hates modern music. Today's music is computer generated with trap beats and no instruments the same chord progression etc... Thank you for this channel as a reminder us what good music is and showing young viewers there is better music than what's popular today. Keep up the fight!
Add a cup of samplings and turn up Autotune to max and you are approaching hell.
yeah brother the struggle is REAL. ROCK ON
@Magnus Kesselmark I call that "McMusic" or "musical chicken nuggets."
I had just turned 13 in Feb 1984. It was the time that I payed the most attention to music in the charts. I was so fortunate to be that age at that time. I would also like to pay tribute to Casey Kasem - I used to love listening to the America's Top 40 show that was syndicated on local radio in the UK where I lived. The way you tell the anecdotes around the songs really reminds me of Casey and his show.
The closest thing we have to Casey Kasem today is Adam. And I thank him for that.
@phr tao I also turned 13 that year (May) and I agree wholeheartedly. That year was a particularly spectacularly year in music, television & music. It was a great year to be a teenager.
Casey Kasem's American top 40 was syndicated to local radio in Australia too. Every Saturday afternoon. I think it was broadcasted at 5pm if I'm correct. Man, those were the days.
What was in your opinion the first good song of your teenage years? "Don't Answer Me" by The Allan Parsons Project is mine.
Funny I graduated in 84 and turned 18 on February 13th! Great time to grow up!
The 80s were transformative years in rock music. I had come of age in the 80s and it was indeed a GREAT era to grow up in. All the iterations of alternative rock emerged...so awesome!
Van Halen 1984 was one of my top albums of that year. I would play the cassette every night before bed and let it play until I fall asleep. Pannama was perhaps my favorite. I was a senior in high school.
I just realized at the end of this episode (and just like Casey Kasem) when he would do his SPECIAL DEDICATIONS how I would be balling 😪 with tears in my eyes 👀 😭 when the story are so... to the HEART ❤️. GREAT JOB and THANKS for the REMINISCING of GREAT TIMES gone by and the GREAT MEMORIES left behind!👍👍
1984 was an awesome year for music and 1984 by Van Halen is still one of my all time favorite albums.
It’s a monumental album.
💯
Not only was the music great but it was diverse. I love every one of these songs. Cheers from Tulua, Colombia 🇨🇴
I was in my 20s in the 80s, and it was a wild decade, to be sure. I'm actually surprised that I survived it, but here I am.
Haha, we all get old. 😅
I can relate to that comment... I turned 20 in 1981 and my memories of the first half of that decade are a blurry haze of alcohol, weed, LSD and cocaine. If that weren't bad enough, muscle cars from the 60s and 70s were still around and hadn't yet started to climb to astronomical prices so we could actually afford to buy them. I remember cruising around with my friends, stoned out of our minds, getting into races and raising hell. And the craziest thing was that I wasn't doing anything that most of the rest of the people my age weren't also doing.
I'm not just surprised I survived. I'm amazed. A fair number of people I knew didn't.
Christopher Cross was divine. Thank you for including him. Love your videos. Thank you.
This is why you're my new favorite UA-camr. I can't believe I just recently found you (past couple of days) and im totally hooked to your channel. Its like going back to the good old days and you remind me of songs i long forgot about. Thank you so very much for doing what you do. I was 7 years old in 1984, but i recognize these great songs right away ❤❤❤❤
The 80s were such a unique point in history. Nothing but talent and icons. An era we might not get again.
Milli Vanilli disproves your point about talent :)
It seems the 80s are the new 50s.
....WON'T, get again...I lived thru it, I should know.....
@@georgeedward1226 ...BEEN sayin' that! ...look at the Culture history...
early - mid 70's (celebrating the 50's- "American Graffiti" "Happy Days", etc.)
early - mid 80's (celebrating the 60's - "Big Chill" Motown, Yuppies)
early - mid 90's (celebrating the mid-late 70's - Disco, "Boogie Nights", etc.)
early 00's (celebrating the 50's - Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Swing, etc.)
mid 00's (celebrating the Blues influenced 60's) (Adele, Christina, etc.)
...timelines never lie... ; )
@@RBS_ There is more chance of Britain becoming a normal, stable non hair brained country again. Not going to happen. Three Prime Ministers in less than a year- the lunatics have taken over the asylum.
The 70's were the best time for music, period. 🤘🎸💿🎶
So which was your favorite song...Feelings or Havin' My Baby? Disco Duck?
@InvestorGuy66 Shaddap You Face and George Santos favorite group Milli Vanilli. Great 80's music.🥸
I guess. If you love 'You Light Up My Life'. :P
70s get the edge because of all the great albums.
@@petercena9497 Exactly.
First, thanks for giving Kasey Kasem and his original America’s Top 40 props, because watching your videos do make me think that he’d really appreciate what you’re doing today. Second, back in the day I remember when Culture Club hit the racks in the record stores. Nobody got up in arms or hysterical about imaginary controversies; it was a good record with good music that everybody embraced and enjoyed. The 80s were good like that back then when it was all good, because it was all good. Last, in the late 90s I had a girlfriend who was the most fanatical David Lee Roth fan ever. She once told me that she wouldn’t know what to do if she ever met DLR is she met him, and she was almost frothing at the mouth when she said it. No joke. She was a classically trained concert level cellist, but she knew what she liked. You just don’t know what it’s like to be on the road for hours and all that’s playing on the car CD is either Van Halen or Diamond Dave. Keep up the good work!
80's was the BEST era for music, movies...everything.
I was only 8 years old in 84 and it was an incredible time for music.
We could all use another fun 80s type decade after all the crap we have been through since about the early 2000s
Hahaha I was also 8 in 1984 & totally agree. At the time I remember actually liking radio hits. In the 90's instead of the radio I had to go buy the music I liked. From the 2000's until now. Ufffff it got really terrible. 😔
That requires systemic _good will_ and *profound* selective amnesia.
Never gonna happen. RIP optimism,
_Dawn of time - August 2008._
The fact that all these songs were in the top 40 at the same time in the spring of 84 is still amazing... 1984 was the first CD I ever listend to... Tempus fugit.
1984 was my favorite year also and Casey Kasem was also my hero! Great episode. I was remembering how huge "Jump" was while you were talking, and couldn't believe the band almost nixed it! I loved that you mentioned The Police and Duran Duran - my favorites - Culture Club was my third favorite - what an awesome year!
It's been awhile since you've done a Hit Song Redux episode. I always look forward to those. It provides so many great memories of what the pop music charts were like when the quality of music was at its very best. Of all the years that I closely followed music, 1984 ranks up there as one of my favorites. It is, what I consider, one of the 1980's peak years.
....YEP! .... all those memories, came shooting back to me! ....Bensonhurst Brooklyn, Baby! ...ha-HAA!!
I agree with Prof that it’s the greatest year ever.
Pink houses is one of my favorites because the lyrics are amazing. 1984 was an excellent year for music.
Was in the Army stationed in Germany 1983-1986. Heard these tunes on AFN radio then, and when i hear them now, I'm back in my POV driving through Stuttgart to and from base. And it's a good feeling.
I was in fulda in 86-88. Good times
One of the reasons I so loved the 80's, was the great Aussie band THE CHURCH.
Simple Minds said it best about the best yrs in music- “New Gold Dream- 81,82,83,84! “
Definitely an amazing year for music. A few decades ago, I compiled a multiple CD set of the top 100+ hits of 1984 though I don't recall now what my source was for getting the list of songs. Radio was great back then and I got all my copies of music onto blank cassette tape by recording them from the radio since I was a middle schooler and didn't have the money to buy albums.
After I turned 16 I was in my car constantly so my music collection was 8 track or cassette during my high-school years. I never bought vinyl after 1981.
NEWCOMER to your POD, at 54, I SERIOUSLY can't say THANK YOU ENOUGH, I am hard ex military guy, but your show has brought out a roller-coaster of emotions...LIKE CASEY, you are refreshing and asset to your time..AGAIN GOD BLESS BROTHER AND THANK YOU...ROCK ON
Jump will always be an iconic song. Absolutely loved it back in the day.
"Think of Laura" is Christopher Cross's most underrated song. It's a beautiful song with unusual chord changes, beautiful acoustic arrangements and his most personal lyrics. That said, my favorite song from 1984 is "When Doves Cry" by Prince and the Revolution. "Purple Rain" is my pick for best album. Honorable mention "Treasure" by Cocteau Twins.
I’d go further and say Christopher Cross is one of the more underrated artists. Sailing is high up on my all time song list .. Think of Laura is also a great song , but it’s too closely tied to general hospital drama rather than judged as the single masterpiece that it is.
John Mellencamp, for me, has been the voice of reason in this insane world. Speaks stories of the simple life, finding love, finding JOY in the little things. Then hits us with the reality of Monsanto's GMO’s, the destruction of the American Farmers, in Rain on the Scarecrow. Seen him live in 2020 and I gotta say, it was the best sounding, well put together musicians I’ve ever attended. And that’s saying a lot. Still an icon!
Songs we can all sing along to and relate to. We should truly thank Johnny for the music.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 So true. Sing ‘em loud!
I agree 👍🏽💯🙏🏾
Amen to that
And that Lukather solo on Running With The Night was and off-the-cuff riff he played while *warming up* to do the actual take. They played the song in the studio so he could get a feel for it, and he just started playing/noodling parts, then hit that incredible solo, all off the top of his head. When the song finished, Luke told the booth "ok, lets do the take" and they simply replied, "we got it, that was the take, it's perfect." Another miraculous performance by Legendary Luke!
🎉Kool and The Gang was “everyone’s band! So many songs, so many hits!
Boy does this take me back. It was a great time for music and a great time to be alive.
The Professor's son is wise beyond his years. Music reflects its time and it's no coincidence that the music of the 80s was so good and so optimistic. I would like to think that we can return to that time but am beginning to believe that the philosophy of Devolution is more than a gimmick invented by college guys in Ohio. I didn't want to believe it at the time, but in retrospect it's looking more and more like humankind reached its zenith right around 1985 or so. Thankfully we have this channel to help bring us back there for a moment to appreciate what we had.
I am 17 years old and would love to hang out with Adam’s son in a heartbeat! I have been studying older music since I was 12 and now know more than I ever expected. There is still stuff out there for me to explore, and I have to jump on the bandwagon with you and say there isn’t that much great stuff being released today.
Wow. That's depressing. Maybe mix *some* Science in with all that art? o.o What you're saying is simply NOT true.
Loved his comment 😂
There's clearly great demand for a return but no genuine need; it'd just be _kinda cool_ and for that reason it'd be hollow, like ... that 2nd Woodstock or 2009 Obama mania.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
By '84, I was a diehard Van Halen fan and when Jump came out, I was completely blown away. Was it different? Yeah, but it hit me as squarely as Runnin' With the Devil or Ain't Talkin' About Love.
Or Atomic Punk
I remember the hours spent on the phone with my best friend talking about how great VanHalen was.
It is a tie for me between "The reflex" by Duran Duran and "sunglasses at night" by Corey hart. These were my all time favorite song of that year. I played them cassettes over and over again.
The 80s were pretty awesome to grow up in.
Ah, yes, Corey Hart. It reminds me of Video Hits, with Samantha Taylor, on CBC.
" You can win Duran Duran tickets, in our contest."
I graduated from high school in 1984….great music all around. Thanks for bringing back the memories!
I've always said that 1984 was the BEST year of music for me. The year I began really listening to and loving music on my own as a kid.
Yes I agree - there is no comparison between todays music and the music of the golden age of music writing and perfomance the 70s and 80s probably you could throw the 60s in there as well - man am I glad I have had the honor of living though the 70s and 80s and enjoying all that amazing music - it will never grow old - timeless!
1984 came out in the middle of when I was in 10th grade. At the time, our high school only had 10-12 (not 9-12 as it became just two years later). Also, because of the way they determined when you started school (1st grade) back then, I was always a year behind my same-grade friends. I graduated when I was 17 and I started high school when I was 14. So... high school was a big deal... fitting in, etc. This album came out and I loved it. I admit, I thought it was a bit of a scandal showing a cherub smoking on the album cover because I was raised in religion, but I loved the music. I still remember the first time I saw the album... it was in the band hall and one of the seniors had just gotten it and was showing it around and we were listening to it. To this day, Jump gives me quite a large nostalgic rush every time I hear it. I was familiar with rock (Def Leppard's 'Pyromania', Billy Idol's solo albums, etc.) but for whatever reason, probably having as much to do with being a young 10th grader in high school and bonding with juniors and seniors over this album and the music videos from it, 1984 is a standout.
On a side note, we played "Owner of a Lonely Heart" in band. It's a long story, but I quit band part way through 1985 as a junior, but we did have some fun. :)
Van Halen made EVERYONE jump with joy!
"Jump" has to be my all time favorite song! When I hear the synth with that rift start out my heart just soars, something about that song just transcends so much...
THANK YOU
Can't believe I only found your channel today.
I'm an older guy, a trucker and NOTHING can take me back to some of my best memories in life like the way you repaint the picture of the time, what goes into the songs, how culturally different it was, ect.
Thanks and great job brother
I love Casey Kassems countdown!!! My radio station plays 70s and 80s countdowns by him every weekend!! You are todays Casey! Love your channel!!
Thank you Steven. Means a lot.
John Mellencamp was an artist I never appreciated when I was young- but as I've gotten older his music has just been creeping up my hit list in an incredible & amazing way!
Isn't he great?
@@ProfessorofRock you bet he is and you are too- the amount of research you do & knowledge you've amassed is very impressive. it blows me away every time!
Luuuurve me some Mellencamp!
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 weird how it didn't hit me til I grew up lol! says a lot about men in general huh? when I was younger it was all the silly shit- then when I grew up a little bit, my brain started speaking a little louder than my lower parts!
@@markcatanzaro9699 You’re not alone. I felt the same way with Karen Carpenter
I don't know if you're also a radio DJ as your day job, but I love your inflection, timing, and delivery of the history and information of these songs. It reminds me of Casey Kasem and other '80's style DJs. I also love '80's music!!
Suspect he makes enough doing this he doesn’t have a “day” job. Must be great doing what you love.
Born in 65, raised in the 70-80 era. Still listening to them today.
We just got on our bicycles and went. Came home had dinner and went to bed listening to these hits on my hand held transistor radio. The eighties was like a bridge period from old society ending in the seventies to the new society starting in the nineties. A truly magical transitionary period with the music that was so fitting.
You rarely get to hear it when it's played on the radio, and almost NEVER when it was played on the radio in the '80s, but the outro solo on Running With The Night, performed by the incomparable Steve Lukather, is one of the best guitar solos of the decade.
And I really love the shout out to Rocky Raccoon, which is my favorite Beatles song. Such a great tune, such vivid storytelling and SO under appreciated.
Steve is a very, very skilled guy, and that solo paired with the dancing folks and the strutting beat will make this song a perfect feat at my school teacher party in the summer!
Rocky Raccoon is someone's favorite Beatles song? I knew there had to be 1!
I LOVE listening and looking back with such fondness of how great our music was at that time. My 24 and 18 year old daughters agree with that too! I would love if you could do a video about Vitamin Z and where they are now.
Thanks and please keep doing what you’re doing!!
Never heard of Vitamin Z.
I graduated in 86, so this year of music was my first year driving. Best year ever. Now I substitute teach, and the kids today love our music more than what passes for music today. They even know Kasey.... so there is hope for the future.
Love this guy....
Just wish he'd employ the word "iconic" more often...
Cheers!
I love Steve Lukather's story on the leads for *Running with the Night* where he was basically warming up, Lionel said "Ok, we got it" and Steve asks "Got what?" 🤣
Ha ha. Great story.
“IT!”
Loved this sooooo much!
Ah yes my favorite program the hits redux brings me back to Saturday mornings watching Casey Kasem's american top 40 hoping my song will be number one and hoping my favorite artist will be interviewed that week and also learning some music history as well thanks Adam for keeping Casey's spirit alive your shows have that same spirit and continue to do the amazing work you're doing
1980's will always be the best era of music and pop culture.
In 1984 I was a senior in high school and a freshman in college. These songs were popular during a pivotal time in my life when I was young, carefree and spent a lot of time watching MTV. 🤣
I know you will take this as a compliment, as you should, but you def give off a Kasey Kassum (spelling?) vibe. Love the music and the information you put out with it. Great channel.
Am I wrong or was John Mellencamp known at the time as "John Cougar Mellencamp"? What's odd is that when I look up his music now, I see some songs and albums credited to John Mellencamp and others credited to John Cougar. But strangely I don't see any that are credited to John Cougar Mellencamp! Wasn't he once known as "John Cougar Mellencamp" or am I misremembering?
John Camp Cougarmellen ! 😎 SNL joke
For the song Jack & Diane he was known with his stage name John Cougar - but later reverted to his real name John Mellencamp with "Cougar" as a middle name
Yes, he initially tacked his real name on the end, I'm guessing to try to avoid that confusion. Then he dropped Cougar.
I got to see Genesis, Elton John, and Prince all in 1984. Elton had reunited the classic band (Davey, Dee, Nigel) and it was a childhood dream come true to finally see him live. Genesis was doing the “Mama” tour with the first iteration of Varilites. The first time when every light could move, change colors and patterns, AND they had motorized trusses so the entire rig could reconfigure for nearly every song. I hate the term “game changer”, but that was a watershed moment for live music lighting/production. And then what can I say about Prince. The Purple Rain tour. Sheila E. opening. 7th row. So mind blowing.
Yeah, ‘84 was all right in my book!
PS: tickets for those shows were $18.00!!
Glad you had a blast in 1984 😎
I was introduced to Kool & The Gang way back in the summer of 1971. A friend of mine had played me their "Live At The Sex Machine" album. They had a very different, very funky sound back then.
In fact, their first 2 releases were live albums.
I love Kool and the Gang, funky or poppy.
Love 70s Kool and the Gang.
Am sure they got their fair share of sex, and then some, too!
I'm sitting here working on a report for work and loving this program. This music brings back such good memories from an awesome time.
There is no such thing as a perfect year for music but 1984 is the closest thing to it.
A year of megastars, legends and an incredible variety of incredible music off and most notably, on the charts. I really can't sing the praises of this year enough.
And the movie scene too
You must not have been around When Floyd put Wish You Were Here out... Animals, Dark Side of the Moon... When Yes put Fragile out, Tormato, Going for the One... Zeppelin... But I'm wondering what happened to you in the 90s??? Jesus Christ dude, Sound Garden, Blind Melon, Alice in Chains, THE VERVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ??? Were you in a coma during the 90s???? WAY BETTER THAN THE 80s!!!!!!!!
Completely agree. 1984 was the greatest year of music in the greatest decade of music!
Yes this was a very good week for music in 84
Music was starting to get weak by 1984, best 80's music was between 1980 - 1982.
This was a great year for me!I remember singing this song this past November at Elton Johns Farewell Concert here in Las Vegas!
1984 is the best year in the history of the world! Magical time that’s never been duplicated.
I’m in awe of these songs my favs!!! Do you have an INXS episode???
1984, I was 10 years old and an MTV and radio junkie. I was making enough money through chores that I was bought all of these albums on either cassette or vinyl. One of my favorite memories of this time was playing the Van Halen album on vinyl in the dining room while my dad made popcorn in the kitchen. I hear jump and I still smell popcorn. I hear John Cougar Mellencamp and I still feel the chill and rain of walking out of the record store and getting into my mom's Subaru 360.
Great reminder of the songs from my time. I mostly agree and not surprised with Elton John's big jump with his song. That song was one that just stays with you along with the great sound and emotion that it brings. Thank you for the continued episodes and history that should never be forgotten! And yea, always hoped for great music nowadays but at least I have something to fall back on 😉😜
1984 I was a freshman in Medical School in all places Iowa, being the first hispanic ( I'm Puertorican) in that school history was groundbeaking & heartbreaking...I was accused of cheating by a professor because it was impossible for someone with a spanish accent to get good grades but the music of the times help thru to cope with that painful experience specially Never Surrender by Corey Hart, The Outfield debut album blew me away.
That’s discriminatory, and I’m so sad you had to experience that.
Thank you for posting this! Everyone thinks about music getting us through heartbreak, but the real power of music is the type of societal progress that you helped make by finding and reinforcing your inner strength through the lyrics of your favorite songs. That’s why there’s so much backlash from the people who are afraid of change.