Flashback to the 80s

Vol. 31 | Retro era never ends! 🪩

Author

Valerie S.
April 30, 2025

What’s groovin’,

Lately, I’ve been tuning into my musician side and heading out to a bunch of jams this month, and it super awesome seeing musicians come together over a shared love for music. Highly recommend everyone (musician or not) to try out an open jam sometime! You’ll be blown away by the talent and good vibes 🎸🎤✨

In other news… I’ve always wanted to do an 80s-themed recap, and I’m finally rolling it out this week! 💿💃 Beyond the iconic 80s ballads, I’ve had a soft spot for retro music from my parents’ generation, and I’m super excited to share that some of that music influence with you.

Buckle up, friends ‘cause it’s gonna be a boppy ride, but don’t worry — if you’re more of a mellow listener, I’ve added in some slow, soulful 80s ballads for you to sway to. As always, I’ve got something for everyone in the club 💖

And if you’ve been a regular partygoer at this little digital club of mine, thank you for always dropping by! I’ve been cooking up some exciting things for the newsletter, and I can’t wait to share them when they’re ready to go.

In any case, I’m always happy to hear suggestions from you guys on how I can make music musings a better reading and listening experience. You can drop your thoughts here: https://forms.gle/vJcQB4hnfW72GZhs5

Alright, now let’s get this 80s party started! 🕺🪩

Cheers,

Val ♫

(P.S If you are reading this in your email, please click “Read Online” at the top-right corner next to the date for a better reading experience!)

In this week's setlist:

💿 Back to the ‘80s

You know the big-name synth hits — a-ha’s “Take On Me,” Culture Club’s “Karma Chameleon” and Michael Sembello’s “Maniac” — the ones that defined the decade. But for every chart-topping anthem, there were dozens of equally groovy 80s tracks that slipped through the cracks .

Here are some underrated retro tunes from the 80s that I think deserves the spotlight:

💞 Sentimental Oldies

The 80s club is not all about upbeat retro music - if anything, the 80s is most well-known by its powerful ballads, coupled with loud electone piano keys and swooning guitar riffs. Yearning has never felt so deep.

Take a break from the retro energy with these soulful tracks:

🔊 Sounds like the 80s

It’s wild how the sounds of the 80s still echo through today’s music, maybe that’s why I find myself so drawn to hyperpop and synth pop. The next few tracks I’ll be sharing next are as old as the Gen Alpha kiddos. 😅

Looking for modern 80s tunes? Here are my 80s-vibey picks:

🔁 This Week’s Songs on Repeat

High on You by Survivor: Easily one of the top songs you’d hear at a disco skating rink — it’s giving full-on flashy, main character energy. I can almost picture Jim Carrey dancing through the streets in his corporate getup!

Hot N Heavy by Jessie Ware: Something about how Jessie sings this is so red-coded. It’s sultry, it’s delicately sexy, it’s sophisticated madness. 👠👠👠

🎶 New Music This Week

Midnight Fantasy by Spys: Main OP’s starring in his own retro movie montage for this one. Consider popping this track onto your record player as you zoom through the expressway in the middle of the night on a Harley-Davidson.

‘Bout It by JMSN: The intro features retro-style cymbals before transitioning into a hip-hop groove, creating a smooth bridge between musical eras. I think it’s a great track for practicing isolation techniques in dance.

Inspired by this week’s music picks?

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