Travel Back to the Early ’80s With These 32 Classic Photos
The early ’80s were a time of transition: On one hand, you still had rotary phones clinging to kitchen walls; on the other, you had CDs and video games offering a glimpse of what modern technology could look like. Reagan had just stepped into the White House, Pac-Man fever was sweeping the nation, and kids rode their bikes until the streetlights flickered on. From mixtapes and boomboxes to backyard parties blasting MTV, here are 32 vintage photos that capture the vibrant spirit of the early ’80s.
1. High Schoolers Goofing Off in 1981
2. US President Ronald Reagan Moments Before He Survived an Assassination Attempt in Washington D.C. on March 30, 1981
3. An Aerial View of Mount St. Helens Spewing Ash and Smoke Over Washington on May 18, 1980
4. CNN Launches as the First 24-Hour News Channel on June 1, 1980
5. Big Hair, But Even Bigger Pop
6. ‘My Parents in the Most ’80’s Picture I’ve Ever Seen, 1984’
7. ‘A Brave New York City Iron Worker, 1980.’ Hope He Didn’t Lie About Having a Fear of Heights Before Landing the Job
8. John Lennon Agrees to a Photoshoot in His New York City Apartment Just Months Before He Was Shot and Killed By a Deranged Fan, 1980
9. Front Page of the ‘Daily Mirror’ Announcing Lennon’s Death
10. Lennon and Yoko Ono Strolling Through Central Park
11. ‘1980s Family Vacation Photo’
12. People Strolling Through a Mall
13. ‘I love this picture of my father from 1981. Back when we still repaired things!’
14. A Sidewalk Moment That Looks Straight Out of a Movie
15. Baby in Tow, a Stack of Games, and Zero Worries
16. The Way Payphones Are Pure Nostalgia Now
17. Times Square, New York City, 1982
18. Thick as Thieves at the Roller Rink in ’84
19. IBM Introduces the Personal Computer, 1981
20. The Quintessential ’80s Outfit
21. 1980s Burger King With a Heavy Side of Nostalgia
22. ‘Celebrating the Last Day Recording of ‘Thriller,’ November, 1982′
23. Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, Poses With a Baby Tiger During Outtakes for ‘Thriller,’ 1982
24. … and Here He Is With a Lightsaber
25. British Troops Landing on the Disputed Falkland Islands, 1982
26. ‘My Friend’s Mom as a Teenager Back in the 80’s.’ Something Tell Us She Was Definitely the Life of the Party
27. Saturday Nights on the Dance Floor Weren’t Complete Without Neon Lights and Fog Machines
28. A Stylish Lady Walking Down the Streets of Manhattan, New York
29. President Reagan Salutes the American Legion While Defending the Costly Arms Buildup of His ‘Star Wars’ Program, 1983
30. Sony Introduces the World’s First CD Player, the CDP-101, in Japan, 1982
31. A Family Photo in 1980
32. ‘I Had a Bad Case of Pac-Man Fever in 1982.’ That Hat Rocks Though!
Want more quintessential ’80s photos?
Take a tour through various years with these ’80s stories: 31 Throwback Photos That Perfectly Capture the Vibe of 1983, 33 Nostalgic Photos From 1985, and Step Into 1986: 30 Photos That Capture the Spirit of the Times.