Hey! Remember the 80's?

Episode 254: It's time for Part Two of our look at the British Top 30, innit? You may remember that in Episode 249, Joe and Kari discussed one of Kari's recent record store finds: The British Top 30 from June 23, 1985, brought to you by Dave Eastwood and Radio Luxembourg. They are picking it up at number 15, a song by Gary Moore, and will discuss songs from Loose Ends, Freddy Mercury, the Style Council, and others on the way to the number one song! Don't be cheeky, tune in now!!!

Episode 253: Joe and Kari posed a question to the listeners of HRT80s a bit ago -- what's your favorite obscure soundtrack song? They received so many great suggestions that they couldn't all be used in one episode, so this week's episode is a continuation. You'll hear about songs from movies like Teachers, Dirty Dancing, and Trick or Treat, and artists like 38 Special, Joe Cocker, and Hot Date! Finally, summer may be just around the corner, but Henry Lee Summer discussion begins right now, in the segment Coming Around Again.

Your hosts are back after celebrating their milestone event with a whole slew of tidbits. They have something for everyone: documentary news, musical news, Rock Hall inductees, and Joe give his mini report of on Record Store Day. Then it’s time for the main event: Attack of the Killer B-Sides! Not bees, although those were a thing back in the 80’s. Friend of the Podcast Dom suggested Joe and Kari turn over some iconic 7 inch singles to see what potential hidden gems were lurking on the flip side.

Episode 250 (Part 2) (Taylor's Version) is here! The celebration continues, but Joe and Kari had to record a bit of new stuff to cover some pressing tidbits. And then it's BACK to Just a Bit Outside to cover more of those songs that didn't hit the Top 40. Then friend of the podcast Michael plays Quizmaster to finish out the ongoing quiz series. Find out who will emerge victorious!!! Finally, find out which 80's icon sends a congratulatory message to Joe and Kari on account of the 250th episode!

Episode 250 is here! Join Joe and Kari for Part One of the milestone episode. They welcome friend of the podcast Michael to the show for a supersized Just a Bit Outside segment, for a look at those songs that hit the Hot 100, but didn't make it to the famed Top 40. You'll hear about songs from Shooting Star, Guy, Grace Slick and the B-52s, among others. Episode 250 is so big, it had to be split into 2 episodes! Stay tuned for the finale next week with some big surprises!

Episode 249: This episode is inspired by Kari's trip to the record store, where she uncovered a set called "The British Top 30 Show." The countdown is from June 16, 1985, but is it based on the official UK Charts? Definitely not, but the jury is still out on where these rankings really came from. What can be confirmed is that you'll hear discussion about songs from Stephen "Tin Tin" Duffy, Skipworth and Turner, U2 and others. More on our ongoing quiz series, but this time with a voice you may have not heard before! Find out if Joe can catch up to Kari before the final round!!

Episode 248: Let's go back in time to March 26, 1983! That's the date on the issue of Billboard magazine that Joe and Kari have chosen to peruse (and you can do the same at www.worldradiohistory.com). Let's take a look at some of the ink splashed for artists like Simple Minds, The Bar-Kays, and Ultravox. You'll also hear about The First Video Games Conference, and an interesting ad taken out to get the attention of a famous singer. Also making the pages of the issue are Jules Shear, The Brains, and you know it wouldn't be an episode of HRT80s without a mention of at least one Mandrell sister!

Episode 247: Multiple tidbits this week, including the lineup for the 2025 80’s Cruise, and a tribute to Eric Carmen. You Don’t Have to Yell! Did you ever notice that multiple 80’s song titles include exclamation points in them? What’s the deal with that?? Joe and Kari take a look at some songs from Scritti Politti, Donnie Iris, Thompson Twins, and others that beg the listener to SCREAM the song title in excitement. But did these songs EARN the right to use those exclamation points? That’s what’s up for debate in this episode! Could’ve Been: In this segment, Joe and Kari each swap out a song from the top 20 for a song in the bottom 20. Stray Cats and Styx take a hike to make room for a southern rock band and a surprisingly Yacht Rock singer.

Episode 246: Obscure Soundtrack Songs. Joe and Kari asked for suggestions on the FB page (follow it, if you aren't already!) They got some great recommendations from Bill G., David N. and Kindra K., including songs from Streets of Fire, Pretty in Pink and The Lost Boys, which actually has a ton of great songs! You'll hear about contributions from Suzanne Vega, Fire, Inc., and Lou Gramm. You'll also hear the next round of the ongoing QUIZ series between Joe and Kari. Find out who comes out on top!

Episode 245: Grab your party hats and noisemakers, it's time to celebrate some birthdays for some of your favorite musicians of the 80's! Cindy Wilson of the B-52s, Neal Schon of Journey (and numerous other bands), Robyn Hitchcock, and Tone Loc are all Pisces. Find out more about these acts and others in this week's episode of HRT80s

Episode 244: It's time to consult The 80's Music Compendium for another list of songs with the longest piano solos. It's not that surprising to find songs from Elton John, Stevie Wonder, and Carole King. But Sheena Easton and Heart, what are you doing here? Segment two is another round of the ongoing quiz series, with accompaniment by a special guest! Find out if Joe is ever going to take the lead away from Kari!

Episode 243: Lots of Odds and Ends to discuss this week, so we've got a super-sized Tidbit section for you all! Even though Kari did her best to ignore it, the Rock Hall nominees for 2024 need to be discussed. Who got snubbed? Who was deserving? More tidbits come courtesy of Michael H. and Blair (thanks for the suggestions). You'll hear discussions about Guns N' Roses, Bruce Hornsby, and Rick Astley. Just a Bit Outside: Songs that didn't hit the top 40 from Leif Garrett and Steve Forbert. Guess which artist Joe and Kari DON'T like? Finally, more of the ongoing quiz series. Find out if Joe will ever catch up to Kari!!

Episode 242: So many tidbits! You won't even believe it, and Joe and Kari left out a big one (to be discussed at a later date, maybe!!). Main topic: R&B Superstars, including some musicians with a ton of R&B hits (and not just in the 80's), like Chaka Khan and Gladys Knight and the Pips. You'll also hear about Evelyn "Champagne" King and Cheryl Lynn (who is currently enjoying a resurgence on the charts). Plus, find out the history behind "My Toot Toot"

Episode 242: So many tidbits! You won't even believe it, and Joe and Kari left out a big one (to be discussed at a later date, maybe!!). Main topic: R&B Superstars, including some musicians with a ton of R&B hits (and not just in the 80's), like Chaka Khan and Gladys Knight and the Pips. You'll also hear about Evelyn "Champagne" King and Cheryl Lynn (who is currently enjoying a resurgence on the charts). Plus, find out the history behind "My Toot Toot"

Episode 241: This segment idea comes courtesy of friend of the podcast, Dom. Way back in episode 5, we discussed some actors who were "moonlighting" as pop singers, so why not focus on some actresses who tried it as well? We start off with some actors associated with the classic show The Facts of Life: Lisa Welchel, Kim Fields and Gloria Loring, who sang the famous theme song (talk about "you take the good, you take the bad..."). You'll also hear about songs from Audrey Landers, Princess Stephanie, and Alyssa Milano (she's big in Japan).

Episode 240: Time for part two of our series highlighting the Best Pop Songs NEVER to Hit the Hot 100, according to Billboard Magazine. Why did great songs from Change, Tears for Fears, Womack and Womack, Bruce Springsteen and others NOT hit the Hot 100? Billboard has their reasons, which are myriad (Heathers reference, nailed it). Then it's time for the next part of the ongoing QUIZ series, find out if Joe finally catches up to Kari!

Episode 239: Order in the court! HRT80s Court is in session, and Joe and Kari object... to artists ripping off other artists. Of course, they try to be fair and hear both sides, so you can also decide if the audio evidence is enough to convict. This week's docket includes Kid Creole and the Coconuts v. Bananarama, and Ollie & Jerry v. Dan Hartman. There's a third case as well, but that's a secret!! O' Canada: more songs from the CBC's list of the 50 Best Canadian Songs of the 80's, including a tune by Images in Vogue, and one that was perhaps made more famous by Mr. Eddie Vedder.

Episode 238: It's time to go "Just a Bit Outside" to check out some singles that hit the Hot 100 but DIDN'T make the Top 40. This week, we'll hear singles from Neil Diamond and Jennifer Warnes, and a couple from the Great White North from Red Rider and Anne Murray. It's not all Adult Contemporary, though! The singles from 1989 are from acts like Love and Rockets and Debbie Gibson. Buckle up, there's a new Quiz in town! Find out if Joe can pull off another upset in this new series of quizzes.

Episode 237: Happy New Year, folks! Joe and Kari are starting off 2024 with a bang! They've chosen their Top Five Number One singles of the 80's and discuss each one's merits. They also discuss live versions, demos, or remixes. Get ready for chatter about Genesis, Janet Jackson, Bruce Hornsby & The Range, Cyndi Lauper, and more! Find out if any of your faves made this totally subjective list!

It’s a very special episode of HRT80s and it’s dropping right smack dab in the middle of the busy holiday season. As we get ready for a new year, let’s take a look at some songs that hit the Hot 100 at the end of 1989. Some of these are definitely considered more “90’s” but since they debuted in 1989, they are fair game for HRT80s! Friend of the Podcast Chad joins Joe and Kari to discuss some of the songs that were On The Brink of the 90’s, including songs from Gloria Estefan, Technotronic, and Aerosmith! Grab your party hats and noisemakers and join in on the fun!