By the late ’80s, everything had a little extra gloss on it. Hair was higher, bass lines were deeper, and the colors were ultra-neon. People were making money, buying gadgets, and taping over last week’s shows on VHS. The world wasn’t totally wired yet, but you could feel it coming — dial-up buzz in the distance. These vintage photos transport us back to the later part of the ’80, where we can practically smell the Aqua Net.
1. Rick Astley’s Dad Was as Proud as They Come (1987)
2. Andre the Giant Winning the WWF Heavyweight Championship, Defeating Hulk Hogan (1988)
3. Frozen Waterfall in Tyrol, Italy (1989)
4. Man Driving the Truck He Won for Guessing the Correct Amount of Jelly Beans in a Jar at a State Fair (1987)
5. Anthony Bourdain Cooking in His New York City Apartment (1986)
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6. Macho Man, Deep in Thought (1988)
7. Bill Watterson, Creator of the ‘Calvin And Hobbes’ Comic Strip (1986)
8. Mass School Vaccination After a Case of German Measles (1988)
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9. Freddie Mercury and Jim Hutton (1985)
10. Man Working at GE (1986)
11. Jimmy Carter Volunteering With Habitat for Humanity (1987)
12. Pamela Anderson & Labatt’s (1989)
13. Stealing a Sip of Wine While Mom Isn’t Looking (1987)
14. Shaq on His High School Basketball Team (1989)
15. Ebony Magazine’s Prediction of What Michael Jackson Would Look Like in 2000 (1985)
16. Tom Selleck, Nancy Reagan, Clint Eastwood, and Princess Diana Dancing at the White House (1985)
17. Andre the Giant and Fred Savage on the Set of ‘The Princess Bride’ (1987)
18. ‘The Goonies’ Cast Strolling the Street (1985)
19. Robin Williams on the Set of ‘Good Morning Vietnam’ (1987)
20. Mom Helping the Kids Get Through a Tough Level in Super Mario Land on Game Boy (1989)
21. Wedded Bliss (1988)
22. Rick Astley Meeting Princess Diana (1988)
23. Michael Jordan’s Legendary Free Throw Line Slam Dunk (1988)
24. Dad After Beating the Kids at Super Mario Bros. on Nintendo (1988)
25. Polly Want a … Coke? (1989)
26. Anthony Michael Hall, Sarah Jessica Parker, Robert Downey Jr., and Bill Paxton at the Premiere of ‘Weird Science’ (1985)
27. Green Day Performing in an Underground Punk Club (1989)
28. Extremely Brave (Or Insane) Woman Posing with a Tornado (1988)
29. Nicholas Cage With Johnny Depp, Who He Got Into the Acting Business (1988)
30. Woman Dressed as Pris From ‘Bladerunner’ for Halloween (1985)
31. John Candy With His New York Islanders Cabbage Patch Doll (1985)
32. Riding a Very Graffitied Subway in NYC (1986)
33. Terry Crews With His Classmate in Their High School Yearbook Photo for ‘Most Likely to Succeed’ (1986)
Want to go even further back in time?
The ’70s were pretty rad, too. Take a look at these 30 Vintage Photos That Show Why the Late ’70s Are Unforgettable, then Travel Back to the Early ’80s With These 32 Classic Photos. Oh, and don’t miss 20 High School Photos That Perfectly Sum Up the 1980s Teen Experience.
