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’80s Nostalgia: Pop Culture & Trends That Are “In” Again This Decade

by Janice Roman | Aug 11, 2022
by Janice Roman

4 min read

AB_80s Entertainment Making a Comeback _ ‘80s Moments in Films in 2022

Trends never really go away. They just go through a never-ending cycle of peaking, declining, and reemerging—and today’s has-beens may be tomorrow’s mania. There’s no doubt our fickle-mindedness as audiences makes trends unpredictable, and the decade’s zeitgeist will eventually lose its grip only to reemerge in 20 or 30 years.

When nostalgia hits, turn to these icons for a dose of pop culture’s past!

Of course, this is all subject for debate, but one possible explanation is nostalgia. There’s that unshakable feeling of comfort and sentimentality whenever we’re reminded of things that made the past awesome. The 2020s is infamous for the pandemic, but we also saw an emergence of hot trends back in the ’80s.

“Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush

If you’re an avid TikTok user, you’ve probably scrolled through a video that uses this as its sound. It also became ubiquitous on YouTube for a time. This soft new-wave rock by acclaimed British singer Kate Bush has been making rounds on social media for a while. According to Billboard, the song had a huge boost on Spotify with an 8,700% increase in streams.

FUN FACT: The original title of the song is “Deal with God,” which is the famous line uttered in the chorus. However, Kate Bush’s recording label EMI refused to release the song out of fear of being rebuked by religious institutions.

Wonder Woman 1984

Watch the trailer here!

Logo_WONDER WOMAN 1984 (Courtesy of HBO Go)

Courtesy of HBO Go

The 2020 follow-up to DC Extended Universe’s big-screen reimagining of the most popular female superhero of all time, Wonder Woman 1984 is set 40 years after the first film’s events.

Wonder Woman’s alter ego Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) now works at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC where she meets her comic book rival Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig) also known as Cheetah. Directed by Patty Jenkins, Wonder Woman 1984 also stars Chris Pine as Diana’s love interest Steve Trevor and Pedro Pascal as the shrewd and charismatic Maxwell Lord.

Subscribe to HBO Go with your PLDT Home broadband today to stream Wonder Woman 1984 to get access to thousands of other films, documentaries, and series.

Just like the HBO channel in the ’80s, Wonder Woman 1984 also captured the decade’s zeitgeist and blended it into the movie. Specifically in terms of entertainment, music, and fashion. Speaking of which…

’80s Fashion

_80s Fashion

From ZARA Philippines Official Website

Fashion trends are probably the fastest to die out, but they’re also the fastest to make a comeback. More recently, popular styles in the ‘80s have become “in” again—particularly cropped jeans and fanny packs. Both pieces are perfect for the laid-back and carefree fits favored today; plus, they’re super stylish!

Top Gun Maverick

Tom Cruise as the Navy’s top aviator from the ’80s is reintroduced to a whole new generation in Top Gun Maverick.

TOP GUN (Courtesy of HBO Go)

Courtesy of HBO Go

Still with the same swag that made him every woman’s ideal man 30 years ago, Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is assigned as an instructor to Top Gun in this sequel to the original 1986 film. If you’ve already seen Maverick, make sure to stream Top Gun on HBO Gowith PLDT Home to brush up on what made Maverick, well, Maverick.

“Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses

Okay, we get it. This song is timeless and immortal, and it seems to never be out of circulation. (It was recently featured in Thor Love and Thunder!) The iconic opening guitar riff is familiar to both Guns N’ Roses fans and casual listeners, while Axl Rose’s high-pitched vocals make you want to sing along like you just don’t care.

FUN FACT: When the band was finishing the song, they experienced a last-minute writer’s block; thus, the song’s closing lyrics, “Where do we go now?” Not knowing what to write to end the song worked out pretty well, didn’t it?

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

“If there’s something strange in the neighborhood, who you gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS!”

Top Gun isn’t the only ’80s icon making a comeback this decade. Our favorite phantom-whooping, PPE-donning, proton-blasting team is here! Reprising their roles are Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Bob Gunton as members of the original team. While joining the cast are Finn Wolfhard, Paul Rudd, and Mckenna Grace. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is directed by Jason Reitman.

 

Know the Product Better

HBO GO Premium

  • Unlimited access to HBO Go for as low as P199
  • Watch on Demand
  • Watch HBO Originals same time as U.S.
  • Download on the go
  • Parental Controls
  • Watch TV live
  • Multi-Language Subtitles
AT_Janice-plain

AUTHOR

Janice Roman

Janice is the main writer for Next Upgrade’s Wellness, Pop Culture, Entertainment sections. As a media and communication studies scholar, writer, and researcher, Janice writes about a hybrid of topics from academic to lifestyle journalism. She is a pleasure reader of Nick Joaquin’s books and pride literature.

RELATED ARTICLES

’80s Nostalgia: Pop Culture & Trends That Are “In” Again This Decade

Aug 11, 2022, 03:06 AM by Janice Roman
by Janice Roman

4 min read

AB_80s Entertainment Making a Comeback _ ‘80s Moments in Films in 2022
by Janice Roman

4 min read

AB_80s Entertainment Making a Comeback _ ‘80s Moments in Films in 2022

Trends never really go away. They just go through a never-ending cycle of peaking, declining, and reemerging—and today’s has-beens may be tomorrow’s mania. There’s no doubt our fickle-mindedness as audiences makes trends unpredictable, and the decade’s zeitgeist will eventually lose its grip only to reemerge in 20 or 30 years.

When nostalgia hits, turn to these icons for a dose of pop culture’s past!

Of course, this is all subject for debate, but one possible explanation is nostalgia. There’s that unshakable feeling of comfort and sentimentality whenever we’re reminded of things that made the past awesome. The 2020s is infamous for the pandemic, but we also saw an emergence of hot trends back in the ’80s.

“Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush

If you’re an avid TikTok user, you’ve probably scrolled through a video that uses this as its sound. It also became ubiquitous on YouTube for a time. This soft new-wave rock by acclaimed British singer Kate Bush has been making rounds on social media for a while. According to Billboard, the song had a huge boost on Spotify with an 8,700% increase in streams.

FUN FACT: The original title of the song is “Deal with God,” which is the famous line uttered in the chorus. However, Kate Bush’s recording label EMI refused to release the song out of fear of being rebuked by religious institutions.

Wonder Woman 1984

Watch the trailer here!

Logo_WONDER WOMAN 1984 (Courtesy of HBO Go)

Courtesy of HBO Go

The 2020 follow-up to DC Extended Universe’s big-screen reimagining of the most popular female superhero of all time, Wonder Woman 1984 is set 40 years after the first film’s events.

Wonder Woman’s alter ego Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) now works at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC where she meets her comic book rival Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig) also known as Cheetah. Directed by Patty Jenkins, Wonder Woman 1984 also stars Chris Pine as Diana’s love interest Steve Trevor and Pedro Pascal as the shrewd and charismatic Maxwell Lord.

Subscribe to HBO Go with your PLDT Home broadband today to stream Wonder Woman 1984 to get access to thousands of other films, documentaries, and series.

Just like the HBO channel in the ’80s, Wonder Woman 1984 also captured the decade’s zeitgeist and blended it into the movie. Specifically in terms of entertainment, music, and fashion. Speaking of which…

’80s Fashion

_80s Fashion

From ZARA Philippines Official Website

Fashion trends are probably the fastest to die out, but they’re also the fastest to make a comeback. More recently, popular styles in the ‘80s have become “in” again—particularly cropped jeans and fanny packs. Both pieces are perfect for the laid-back and carefree fits favored today; plus, they’re super stylish!

Top Gun Maverick

Tom Cruise as the Navy’s top aviator from the ’80s is reintroduced to a whole new generation in Top Gun Maverick.

TOP GUN (Courtesy of HBO Go)

Courtesy of HBO Go

Still with the same swag that made him every woman’s ideal man 30 years ago, Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is assigned as an instructor to Top Gun in this sequel to the original 1986 film. If you’ve already seen Maverick, make sure to stream Top Gun on HBO Gowith PLDT Home to brush up on what made Maverick, well, Maverick.

“Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses

Okay, we get it. This song is timeless and immortal, and it seems to never be out of circulation. (It was recently featured in Thor Love and Thunder!) The iconic opening guitar riff is familiar to both Guns N’ Roses fans and casual listeners, while Axl Rose’s high-pitched vocals make you want to sing along like you just don’t care.

FUN FACT: When the band was finishing the song, they experienced a last-minute writer’s block; thus, the song’s closing lyrics, “Where do we go now?” Not knowing what to write to end the song worked out pretty well, didn’t it?

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

“If there’s something strange in the neighborhood, who you gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS!”

Top Gun isn’t the only ’80s icon making a comeback this decade. Our favorite phantom-whooping, PPE-donning, proton-blasting team is here! Reprising their roles are Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Bob Gunton as members of the original team. While joining the cast are Finn Wolfhard, Paul Rudd, and Mckenna Grace. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is directed by Jason Reitman.

 

Know the Product Better

HBO GO Premium

  • Unlimited access to HBO Go for as low as P199
  • Watch on Demand
  • Watch HBO Originals same time as U.S.
  • Download on the go
  • Parental Controls
  • Watch TV live
  • Multi-Language Subtitles
AT_Janice-plain

AUTHOR

Janice Roman

Janice is the main writer for Next Upgrade’s Wellness, Pop Culture, Entertainment sections. As a media and communication studies scholar, writer, and researcher, Janice writes about a hybrid of topics from academic to lifestyle journalism. She is a pleasure reader of Nick Joaquin’s books and pride literature.

RELATED ARTICLES