1980s fads and trends in North America: Wikis

Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles.

This page is a branch page for the exponentially growing "list of fads and trends" page for the 1980s.
{| class="wikitable" align=right
! List of Fads and Trends
|-
|align=middle|1990s fads and trends
|-
|align=middle|1980s fads and trends
|}

Continued from the 1970s

Disco Music (1975 – 1982±)

1980

The beginning of the 1980s started with new wonders of technology and trends. CNN was launched as the first 24-hour news channel, Teenagers flocked to arcades to play Pac-Man, and the world was shocked and awed by the assassination of legendary Beatle, John Lennon. 1980 was the remembered politically as the rise of neo-conservatism which helped elect Ronald Reagan.

CNN (1980 – present)

Game & Watch (1980 – 1991)

Hair metal (1980 – 1991)

Jheri curl (1980 – 1991)

Pac-Man (1980 – 1988)

Post-it notes (1980; now a household item)

Rubik's Cube (1980 – 1984±)

Personal stereos released in USA and Britain

Preppie fashion

Simon (1980 – 1994)

Who shot J.R. (from Dallas) (1980; resurgged in 1995 in a pardoy-like The Simpsons episode Who Shot Mr. Burns)

1981

In 1981, we saw America going toward new hights. The first space shuttle, Columbia was luanched opening a new way for spcae travel.

CB radio legalised in Britain on 2 November 1981

Donkey Kong video games (1981 – 2000)

Erasable pens

Strawberry Shortcake (1981 – 1985; 2001– present)

Spiked hair (1981 – present)

Smurfs (1981 – 1990)

MTV (1981 – present)

1982

1982 was marked with the blockbuster hit E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.

Colecovision (1982 – 1984)

Jane Fonda workout videos (1982 – 1984)

Trivial Pursuit released in the USA

Deeleyboppers (invented c. 1981) are major USA and UK fad.

Reebok

Black & White striped shirts

French braids

1983

Cabbage Patch dolls (1983 – 1987±)

Michael Jackson clothing (1983 – 1992)

Monchichis

Swatch Watches (1983 – present)

1984

British edition of Trivial Pursuit released.

Miami Vice clothing & accessories (1984 – 1990)

Designer shoelaces

Calculator wristwatches (1984 – 1992±)

1985

Care Bears (1985 – 1989±; 2003– present)

Acid wash jeans

VH-1 (1985 – present)

1986

Baby On Board car window stickers

Garbage Pail Kids

1987

Simpsons cartoon shorts debut on Tracey Ullman show in the USA

The California Raisins (1987 – 1993)

1988

Hypercolor shirts (1988 – 1993)

1989

1989 was the most triumphant year politically of the post-WWII age in the United States rivaling to that of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. The Berlin Wall was torn down in Germany marking the end of the Cold War and the collapse of Communism. In Fact 1989 is sometimes regarded as the beginning of the 1990s pop culture due to such a drastic change.

Animation Renaissance (1989 – 1995±)

Nintendo Gameboy (1989 – 1996±)

Sega Genesis (1989 – 1994±)

The Simpsons and related merchandise (1989 – present)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1989 – 1993±)