NOTE: This show, scheduled for Friday, came out on a Sunday. This week’s coming shows are also delayed, and likely to arrive… late? Maybe Wed-Thursday-Friday this week, until we get back on track. Thanks for your understanding! Enjoy!

The Hair-Metal Mini-Game blasts out of the starting blocks with a full-throttle matchup between certified classic and top-seed “Pour Some Sugar on Me” from legendary group Def Leppard taking on 16-seed “Seventeen” from Winger, which is also a song. Then, 8-seed “Sweet Child o’ Mine” by Guns n’ Roses tackles 9-seed “Down Boys” by Warrant. Two foregone conclusions? Maybe! But remember: it’s the journey, not the destination. Or something.

Happy New Year, from The 80s-est! We’re ringing in 2025 with the last two matchups in the Bands Region! First, we have 3-seed “Life in a Northern Town” from The Dream Academy going up against Information Society and 6-seed “What’s on Your Mind (Pure Energy).” Then, it’s powerhouse 2-seed “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House going up against 10-seed “Catch Me (I’m Falling)” from Pretty Poison. Shake off that New Year’s hangover, wash the confetti out of your ears and give it a listen!

It’s Round 2 of the Bands Region! In this episode, Ready for the World brings their 8-seed “Oh Sheila” up against 16-seed “ Everybody Have Fun Tonight” from Wang Chung. Then, in our second matchup, we have Mister Mister’s 4-seed “Broken Wings” taking on Cameo, with 12-seed “Word Up.” It’s the last 80s-est of 2024 and it’s a good one!

It’s our landmark 100th episode! That’s right: Keith and Joe have been screaming their opinions in your ears for a whole hund-o! You might want to get your hearing checked! Speaking of people with hearing loss, this show marks the beginning of our Hair Metal Mini-Game! In this preview episode, we tell you which giant-haired bands made it in and who was left to pull their spandex pants out of the crack of their butts by the side of the road.

Merry Christmas from everyone at The 80s-est! We’re filling your stocking with songs from the back half of the Movie Region. You might find Berlin under your tree, with the 3-seed “Take My Breath Away” from Top Gun as it battles against 6-seed “Who’s Johnny” by El Debarge from the classic Short Circuit. Or you might unwrap Tim Capello with “I Still Believe,” his sax-tastic 7-seed from Lost Boys going up against 15-seed “The Glory of Love” from Karate Kid II and sung by legend Peter Cetera. Give it a listen, as you put yourself into an eggnog coma. And Happy Holidays!

In this episode, we kick off Round 2 of Side B! We journey back to the Movies Region, as top-seed “If You Leave” (Pretty in Pink) by OMD takes on 9-seed “At This Moment” (Family Ties) from Billy Vera and the Beaters. Then, it’s Real Life’s 4-seed, “Send Me an Angel” from the cinematic masterpiece Rad taking on both Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes with “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” from Dirty Dancing.

Merry Christmas, Happy Winter, Happy New Year, Joyous Solstice, Happy Festivus, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah, Healthy Saturnalia—whatever you celebrate, we are down with it. But in the era and place that we grew up, 80s Decembers were filled with Christmas & winter music by our favorite artists! Join us in taking a winter break from Side B between rounds one and two, as we take you on an adventure through Christmases past!

Happy Holidays!

Keith & Joe

P.S. Our playlist below contains every song played in the show, dishonorable mentions, honorable mentions, and both our top 10s! Enjoy! 🎄

This is it! The final episode of Round 1! It’s Briton against Briton! It’s Escape Club versus Swing Out Sister! It’s two-seed “Wild Wild West” against fifteen-seed “Breakout”! Which will come out on top? How do I know, what am I, a clairvoyant? Hey! What if you had someone with extra-sensory powers and her name was Claire Voyant? Wouldn’t that be cool?

This video kind of blows, but you gotta watch a little to see what we are talking about!

It’s the guy on the right here in Swing Out Sister who kinda resembles Keith!

It’s Episode 36 of Side B! It’s two meh songs. It’s a meh-pisode! Seriously, we’re pitting seven-seed “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” by Glass Tiger against ten-seed “Heart and Soul” by T’Pau. Are these the most amazing songs in this region? No! Do we still have opinions about them? Yes! Should you listen? Look, normally, I’d say I can’t answer that for you, but here? Hell yes, you should listen!

And, of course, the famed Canadian Version (actually watch this one for the Bryan Adams kid!):

Cue the fake horns! It’s time for us to gorge ourselves on a banquet of cheese! Three-seed The Final Countdown from the Swedish band Europe breaks down the doors of propriety and demands that you listen to it now! Who would dare to take on this Velveeta Icon? A little outfit called Love and Rockets, that’s who! They bring their fourteen-seed challenger “So Alive” to the table. Give it a listen.