Stay ConnectedThe longest-running ’80s podcast—featuring interviews with music legends, movie stars, and MTV icons. Deep dives, debates, and Gen X nostalgia every week.
Hosted by Steve Spears and Brad Williams, the show blends sharp takes with insider stories from the people who lived it. From ’80s music and movies to MTV culture and pop culture history, each episode goes deeper than nostalgia to uncover what made the decade unforgettable.
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What do class warfare, insider trading, holiday chaos and frozen concentrated orange juice have in common? Somehow, they all came together perfectly in Trading Places, one of the smartest and funniest comedies of the 1980s. This week on the Stuck in the ’80s Podcast, Steve and Brad finally revisit the beloved comedy classic and explore why it remains one of the sharpest social satires of the MTV era.
The episode dives into the unforgettable performances by Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd, whose chemistry helped turn the movie into a comedy landmark. Spearsy and Brad revisit the movie’s rags-to-riches and riches-to-rags setup as the Duke brothers’ cruel social experiment flips the lives of street hustler Billy Ray Valentine and wealthy commodities broker Louis Winthorpe III upside down.
Along the way, the gang discusses how Trading Places balanced outrageous comedy with surprisingly sharp commentary about class, privilege and greed during the early Reagan era. The conversation also explores the movie’s famous climax involving frozen concentrated orange juice futures — a scene that somehow became one of the most memorable introductions to commodities trading ever put on film.
Like many classic ’80s comedies, Trading Places also captured the energy and excess of the decade itself, from flashy wealth and Wall Street ambition to the growing celebrity status of comedians during the MTV era. Spearsy and Brad reflect on how the film helped solidify Eddie Murphy as one of the biggest breakout stars of the 1980s while showcasing Dan Aykroyd’s gift for blending absurdity with grounded comedy.
The discussion also revisits the supporting cast, iconic one-liners and the movie’s lasting reputation as one of the greatest comedy films of the decade — especially during the holiday season, when many fans now revisit it as an unconventional Christmas classic.
If you love ’80s comedies, Eddie Murphy movies, Wall Street satire and revisiting the movies that perfectly captured the weird energy of the decade, this episode belongs in your playlist.
The Stuck in the ’80s Podcast has spent nearly 20 years celebrating the music, movies, television and pop culture of the greatest decade ever. Support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, exclusive livestream hangouts, behind-the-scenes content and merch for longtime listeners.
And don’t forget: Spearsy and Brad will once again be part of The 80s Cruise, the ultimate floating celebration of ’80s music and nostalgia. Use promo code STUCK when booking your cabin to receive up to $250 in onboard cabin credit while sailing with fellow Gen X fans and enjoying performances and appearances from many of the decade’s biggest artists.Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Steve and Brad talk about the year's high points and share the outtakes from 2015 in this year's "Stocking Stuffer" episode. Thanks for listening, and we'll see you in 2016!
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Few movie characters have inspired audiences across multiple generations quite like Rocky Balboa. What began as the underdog story of a struggling Philadelphia boxer in Rocky eventually grew into one of the most iconic franchises in movie history, spanning decades of sequels, rivalries, comebacks and emotional victories. This week on the Stuck in the ’80s Podcast, Steve and Brad welcome guest host Dr. Dim to revisit Rocky’s cinematic journey from the original film through the release of Creed.
The episode explores how the Rocky series evolved over time, shifting from gritty character drama into larger-than-life 1980s spectacle while still maintaining its emotional core. Spearsy, Brad and Dr. Dim revisit classic installments like Rocky II, Rocky III and Rocky IV, discussing everything from unforgettable training montages and emotional speeches to Cold War symbolism and some of the most iconic sports-movie music ever recorded.
Along the way, the gang reflects on the cultural impact of Sylvester Stallone’s legendary performance as Rocky and why the character continues resonating with audiences decades later. Whether facing Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang or Ivan Drago, Rocky represented resilience, humility and the belief that ordinary people could rise above impossible odds.
The conversation also dives into Creed and how the franchise successfully reinvented itself for a new generation while honoring the emotional legacy of the original films. Spearsy and the gang discuss how Creed managed to capture the same spirit of determination and mentorship that made Rocky such an enduring cultural touchstone.
Like many Stuck in the ’80s movie deep dives, the episode blends nostalgia, humor and heartfelt appreciation for a franchise that became deeply woven into Gen X life through theaters, cable TV and endless VHS rewatches.
If you love sports movies, inspirational underdog stories and revisiting one of the greatest film franchises of all time, this episode belongs in your playlist.
The Stuck in the ’80s Podcast has spent nearly 20 years celebrating the music, movies, television and pop culture of the greatest decade ever. Support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, exclusive livestream hangouts, behind-the-scenes content and merch for longtime listeners.
And don’t forget: Spearsy and Brad will once again be part of The 80s Cruise, the ultimate floating celebration of ’80s music and nostalgia. Use promo code STUCK when booking your cabin to receive up to $250 in onboard cabin credit while sailing with fellow Gen X fans and enjoying performances and appearances from many of the decade’s biggest artists.Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The '80s Cruise is just about three months away, so we check in with cruise director Dane Butcher for the inside scoop on what to expect. Plus, we have news on a shockingly amazing new discount on cabins.
Also, items on a Top Gun sequel and the death of Captain EO. (He's not dead yet!)
CLICK HERE to listen to this week's show!
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Breaking away from a successful band can either launch a legendary second act or become one of rock history’s biggest cautionary tales. During the 1980s, countless musicians tried redefining themselves outside the groups that first made them famous — and some achieved even greater success on their own. This week on the Stuck in the ’80s Podcast, Drew joins Steve and Brad for the third installment of the beloved “Rockers Gone Solo” series, spotlighting artists who stepped into the spotlight alone during the MTV era.
The episode revisits the extraordinary solo comeback of Tina Turner, whose rise during the 1980s became one of the most inspiring reinventions in music history. Spearsy, Brad and Drew discuss albums like Private Dancer and the massive success of songs such as What's Love Got to Do with It, which transformed Turner into one of the defining superstars of the decade.
The conversation also explores the quirky and influential solo work of Ric Ocasek following his years fronting The Cars. Along the way, the gang reflects on Ocasek’s distinctive songwriting style, production work and how his artistic personality remained unmistakable even outside the context of one of new wave’s biggest bands.
And then there’s Jonathan Richman, whose solo work took a dramatically different path from the proto-punk energy of The Modern Lovers. Spearsy and the gang discuss Richman’s offbeat charm, stripped-down songwriting and cult following among fans who appreciated artists willing to ignore mainstream expectations entirely.
Like the previous entries in the series, the episode becomes less about chart positions and more about artistic identity, reinvention and the strange risks musicians take when leaving successful bands behind. Some artists embraced commercial success, others pursued creative freedom, and a few somehow managed both.
If you love classic rock, new wave, solo-artist deep dives and revisiting the fascinating second acts of musicians from the MTV era, this episode belongs in your playlist.
The Stuck in the ’80s Podcast has spent nearly 20 years celebrating the music, movies, television and pop culture of the greatest decade ever. Support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, exclusive livestream hangouts, behind-the-scenes content and merch for longtime listeners.
And don’t forget: Spearsy and Brad will once again be part of The 80s Cruise, the ultimate floating celebration of ’80s music and nostalgia. Use promo code STUCK when booking your cabin to receive up to $250 in onboard cabin credit while sailing with fellow Gen X fans and enjoying performances and appearances from many of the decade’s biggest artists.Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Few sequels from the 1980s aimed bigger or got weirder than Back to the Future Part II. Instead of simply repeating the formula of the original film, the movie launched Marty McFly and Doc Brown into a tangled maze of alternate timelines, futuristic technology and paradox-heavy storytelling that still sparks debates among fans decades later. This week on the Stuck in the ’80s Podcast, Steve and Brad dive deep into the second chapter of the Back to the Future trilogy and revisit one of the boldest sci-fi adventures of the MTV era.
The episode explores the movie’s vision of the future and the many predictions that have become legendary among fans. Spearsy and Brad discuss everything from hoverboards, self-lacing shoes and video calls to biometric technology and wearable devices — celebrating the moments where the movie surprisingly anticipated real-world innovation while laughing at the parts that wildly missed the mark.
Along the way, the gang also tackles the increasingly complicated timeline mechanics of Back to the Future Part II and debates where the movie fits within the larger BTTF “multiverse.” Between alternate 1985 realities, repeated scenes from the original movie and timeline-altering sports almanacs, the sequel remains one of the most structurally ambitious mainstream blockbusters of the decade.
The discussion also revisits the performances of Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, whose chemistry helped ground even the movie’s most absurd time-travel chaos in genuine emotional warmth and humor.
Like many Stuck in the ’80s movie episodes, the conversation becomes about more than nostalgia. It becomes a reflection on how the future itself looked to Gen X audiences growing up in the late 1980s — a future filled with optimism, anxiety, technological wonder and plenty of neon.
If you love time-travel movies, sci-fi comedy, ’80s nostalgia and endlessly debating fictional timelines, this episode belongs in your playlist.
The Stuck in the ’80s Podcast has spent nearly 20 years celebrating the music, movies, television and pop culture of the greatest decade ever. Support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, exclusive livestream hangouts, behind-the-scenes content and merch for longtime listeners.
And don’t forget: Spearsy and Brad will once again be part of The 80s Cruise, the ultimate floating celebration of ’80s music and nostalgia. Use promo code STUCK when booking your cabin to receive up to $250 in onboard cabin credit while sailing with fellow Gen X fans and enjoying performances and appearances from many of the decade’s biggest artists.Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Steve, Brad, and guest host Carol go back to the well once again to talk about some of our favorite cover songs, including a couple that might surprise you.
Stick around for some great reader mailbag suggestions for happy songs, and we give away a bottle opener to an unsuspecting listener.
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Long before superhero franchises dominated Hollywood, the 1980s gave nerds something even more important: their own weird, funny and endlessly quotable movies. This week on the Stuck in the ’80s Podcast, Steve, Brad and guest host Marty celebrate three of the decade’s most beloved nerd-movie classics: Real Genius, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension and Revenge of the Nerds.
The episode begins with Real Genius, the cult-favorite comedy that turned genius-level science students into sarcastic antiheroes. Spearsy and the gang revisit Val Kilmer’s unforgettable performance as Chris Knight and discuss why the movie’s mix of intelligence, rebellion and popcorn-fueled chaos still resonates with audiences decades later.
Next comes the wonderfully bizarre The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension — a movie title so gloriously overcomplicated that the gang can’t resist making fun of it. The conversation dives into the film’s strange blend of sci-fi, rock music, comic-book energy and deadpan humor while trying to explain why Buckaroo Banzai became one of the defining cult movies of the VHS era despite confusing half the people who watched it.
And of course, no discussion of ’80s nerd cinema would be complete without Revenge of the Nerds, the raunchy college comedy that helped redefine the underdog story for an entire generation of awkward outsiders. Spearsy, Brad and Marty revisit the movie’s humor, cultural impact and the complicated ways certain parts of the film have aged over time.
Like many Stuck in the ’80s movie deep dives, the episode becomes less about ranking films and more about revisiting what made these movies feel so exciting and different during the VHS-and-cable-TV era. Whether through science fiction, comedy or pure weirdness, all three films celebrated outsiders, intelligence and eccentricity in ways that helped define nerd culture before the internet mainstreamed it.
If you love cult movies, sci-fi comedy, college comedies and revisiting the wonderfully strange corners of 1980s pop culture, this episode belongs in your playlist.
The Stuck in the ’80s Podcast has spent nearly 20 years celebrating the music, movies, television and pop culture of the greatest decade ever. Support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, exclusive livestream hangouts, behind-the-scenes content and merch for longtime listeners.
And don’t forget: Spearsy and Brad will once again be part of The 80s Cruise, the ultimate floating celebration of ’80s music and nostalgia. Use promo code STUCK when booking your cabin to receive up to $250 in onboard cabin credit while sailing with fellow Gen X fans and enjoying performances and appearances from many of the decade’s biggest artists.Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Steve, Brad, and Beatles fanatic Drew finally put the finishing touches on a series we started back in January 2014, discussing what John Lennon and Ringo Starr got up to in our favorite decade.Stick around for the seggies and your chance to win a Stuck in the '80s bottle opener!
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Few bands are more visually and musically connected to the early MTV era than A Flock of Seagulls. Between their futuristic synth-driven sound, instantly recognizable hairstyles and atmospheric hits like I Ran (So Far Away), the band became one of the defining faces of new wave during the 1980s. This week on the Stuck in the ’80s Podcast, Steve sits down with frontman Mike Score for a conversation about the band’s rise, their legendary US Festival appearance and the enduring appeal of synth-pop nostalgia.
During the interview, Mike reflects on the early days of A Flock of Seagulls and the explosion of new wave music in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Spearsy and Mike discuss how synthesizers, visual style and experimental production techniques helped define a new generation of pop music that felt futuristic compared with traditional rock radio.
The conversation also revisits the band’s performance at the legendary US Festival, one of the most ambitious music events of the decade and a major showcase for the emerging MTV generation. Mike shares memories of performing during a period when new wave and synth-pop were rapidly becoming dominant forces in global pop culture.
Along the way, Spearsy and Mike discuss the surprising longevity of songs like Space Age Love Song and why audiences continue connecting emotionally with the dreamy, atmospheric sound that made the band unique. The interview also explores Mike’s upcoming appearance aboard The 80s Cruise and the continued popularity of live nostalgia events celebrating the music of the MTV era.
Like many great Stuck in the ’80s interviews, the conversation balances humor, music history and emotional nostalgia while revisiting the artists who helped define what the 1980s sounded — and looked — like.
If you love synth-pop, new wave, MTV nostalgia and behind-the-scenes stories from one of the most iconic bands of the decade, this episode belongs in your playlist.
The Stuck in the ’80s Podcast has spent nearly 20 years celebrating the music, movies, television and pop culture of the greatest decade ever. Support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, exclusive livestream hangouts, behind-the-scenes content and merch for longtime listeners.
And don’t forget: Spearsy and Brad will once again be part of The 80s Cruise, the ultimate floating celebration of ’80s music and nostalgia. Use promo code STUCK when booking your cabin to receive up to $250 in onboard cabin credit while sailing with fellow Gen X fans and enjoying performances and appearances from many of the decade’s biggest artists.Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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