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Nat Geo's THE '80S: Top 10 Lists of the 1980s -- TV, Movies, Songs, Fashion & Historical Events

Maj Canton - April 14, 2013

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Like, oh my God, Nat Geo's new show, THE '80S, is like so awesome. I'm like totally stoked to relive the raddest decade...ever. So bring out those bitchin' Members Only jackets, wear those totally gnarly pastel polo shirts, and like chill out for a few hours.

So all you headbangers, geeks, wasteoids, and preppies better watch Nat Geo from 8-10pm ET tonight, April 14th, and veg out to the first of three parts of THE '80S: THE DECADE THAT MADE US. Nat Geo debuts the totally tubular second and final installments tomorrow (April 15) and Tuesday (April 16) from 9-11pm ET.

To get you wiggin' out over THE 80S, Nat Geo compiled a series of Top 10 lists that are so wicked -- they cover TV, film, music, fashion and newsworthy events from the 1980s -- and a really awesome fun list of "You Know You're an '80s Kid If..." So check them out before you book to become a mallrat for the day, but make sure you're back home for this fresh series.



Top 10 TV Series of the '80s
 

 

 


1. MIAMI VICE (NBC, 1984–89)

2. CHEERS (NBC, 1983–93)

3. FAMILY TIES (NBC, 1982–89)

4. THE COSBY SHOW (NBC, 1984–92)

5. THE DUKES OF HAZZARD (CBS, 1979–-85)

6. MAGNUM, P.I. (CBS, 1980–88)

7. THE A-TEAM (NBC, 1983–86)

8. DALLAS (CBS, 1978–91)

9. THE LOVE BOAT (ABC, 1977–86)

10. MOONLIGHTING (ABC, 1985-89)


Top 10 Movies of the '80s
 

 

 


1. BREAKFAST CLUB (1985)

2. GOONIES (1985)

3. SIXTEEN CANDLES (1984)

4. BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985)

5. FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF (1986)

6. PRETTY IN PINK (1986)

7. STAND BY ME (1986)

8. DIRTY DANCING (1987)

9. TOP GUN (1986)

10. E.T. (1982)


Top 10 Songs of the '80s
 

 

 


1. The Police - "Every Breath You Take"

2. Survivor - "Eye of the Tiger"

3. Foreigner - "I Want to Know What Love Is"

4. Van Halen - "Jump"

5. U2 - "With or Without You"

6. Guns N' Roses - "Sweet Child o' Mine"

7. Whitney Houston - "So Emotional"

8. Bonnie Tyler - "Total Eclipse of the Heart"

9. Lionel Richie & Diana Ross - "Endless Love"

10. J. Geils Band - "Centerfold"


Top 10 Toys of the '80s
 

 

 


1. Cabbage Patch Kids

2. Trivial Pursuit

3. Care Bears

4. Legos

5. Transformers

6. The Koosh Ball

7. Pictionary

8. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

9. Super Soaker

10. Rubik’s Cube


Top 10 Fashion Trends of the '80s
 

 

 


1. Shoulder Pads

2. Miniskirts

3. Leg Warmers

4. Large Earrings

5. Fingerless Gloves

6. Parachute Pants

7. Members Only Jackets

8. Units

9. Stretch Stirrup Pants

10. Oversized Tops


Top 10 Historical Events of the '80s
 

 

 


1. Ronald Reagan Elected President (November 4, 1980)

2. John Lennon Murdered (December 8, 1980)

3. Anwar Sadat Assassinated (October 6, 1981)

4. Martial Law in Poland (December 13, 1981–July 22, 1983)

5. Israel Invades Lebanon (June 6, 1982)

6. Argentina Invades the Falkland Islands (April 2, 1982)

7. The Challenger Disaster (January 28, 1986)

8. The Chernobyl Disaster (April 26, 1986)

9. The Tiananmen Square Massacre (June 4, 1989)

10. The Fall of the Berlin Wall (November 9, 1989)


Looking for even more '80s nostalgia? Then this list from Nat Geo will fit you better than day-glo leg warmers.


You Know You're a Child of the '80s If...
 

You remember when Michael Jackson was actually considered something of a sex symbol.

You practiced getting in and out of your car through the windows.

Your first Walkman weighed 10 pounds and was the size of a brick.

You know the meaning of “wax on/wax off.”

You can "See Better" with sunglasses that have paint splattered all over the lenses.

You wore lace gloves with the fingers cut off, bangle bracelets up to your elbows, bright red Reebok high-tops and parachute pants to a school dance.

You watched NYPD BLUE thinking, “Well, they're no ‘Crockett and Tubbs,’ that's for sure.”

“Outrageous!” is the term to describe something neat and cool.

You had a poster of Bo, Luke and Daisy Duke.

The feeling in your thumb is only just now returning after holding down the Atari joystick to control the racecar in Enduro Racer.

You went out and purchased the sound track for MIAMI VICE.

Two words: The Clapper.

Six words: “This is your brain on drugs.”

You wanted to live in “the Valley.”

Ferris Bueller was your idol.

You watched STAR SEARCH on a regular basis.

You can sing all the words to “One Night in Bangkok” by Murray Head, and now you understand that it is about chess.

You’re still bitter that WHAM broke up.

You know whose phone number is 867-5309.

You can feel St. Elmo's fire burnin’ in you.

You still wear a bandana tied around your leg and/or a ponytail off-center on the side of your head.

You have the tendency to turn up the collar of your polo shirts.

You never go out for a night on the town without frosted blue eye shadow and feathered bangs.

Everything in your wardrobe is either pastel or fluorescent.

People are constantly gagging you with spoons.

You still watch things on Beta tapes.

You know who Martha Quinn is.

You still carry your boom box on your shoulder.

Knickers and leg warmers were cool.

You remember Bruce Willis from MOONLIGHTING, not DIE HARD.

You had ringside seats for Luke and Laura’s wedding.

You want to be “where everybody knows your name.”

A DIFFERENT WORLD kicked butt.

You know who played Magnum P.I.

One Phrase: “The plane, the plane!”

You can name at least three members of the Brat Pack.

You still wear your Members Only jacket.

You had snap bracelets.

You still think Donkey Kong can beat up Mario.

You still play with that CASIO SK-1 keyboard.

You still argue over who was better: Tiffany or Debbie Gibson.

You still watch tapes of STINGRAY, MACGYVER and AIRWOLF.