Stuck in the '80s Podcast
The 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.
Classic Episode: Michael Keaton – From Night Shift to Batman
Before he was Batman, before he was Beetlejuice, Michael Keaton was one of the funniest guys in Hollywood.
This week, we're opening the Stuck in the '80s vault and traveling back 20 years to July 2006, when we devoted an episode to the man who gave us unforgettable performances in Night Shift, Mr. Mom, Johnny Dangerously and Gung Ho.Of course, Keaton's career took a couple of spectacular turns toward the end of the decade. First came his gloriously unhinged performance in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice in 1988. Then, in 1989, he silenced the skeptics who couldn't imagine a comedy star...
Classic Rewind: The Lost Boys – Sleep All Day. Party All Night.
Forget Dracula's castle. In 1987, vampires moved to California, traded their capes for leather jackets and apparently spent a considerable amount of time at the hair salon.
Welcome back to The Lost Boys.Just in time for Halloween, we're digging into the Stuck in the ’80s archives for a classic episode from 2011, featuring your hosts Steve Spears and Sean Daly. This time, we're revisiting one of the most gloriously ’80s horror movies ever made.
Directed by Joel Schumacher, The Lost Boys brought together Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Dianne Wiest and a terrific supp...
Bruce Woolley: The Man Who Helped Kill the Radio Star
Some songs become hits. Others become history. And then there's "Video Killed the Radio Star," a song that practically announced the arrival of the 1980s.
This week on Stuck in the '80s, we welcome Bruce Woolley, the songwriter who co-wrote that iconic tune with Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes before The Buggles turned it into a worldwide hit. Of course, the song earned an even bigger place in pop culture history when MTV chose it as the first music video to air on the network on Aug. 1, 1981.But there's much more to Woolley's story than one...
Classic Episode: Backstage at “We Are the ’80s” — 20 Years Later
Twenty years ago, Stuck in the ’80s was still the new kid on the podcast block. There were no smartphones recording everything, social media was barely a thing, and somehow people were willing to give three podcasters backstage access.
What could possibly go wrong?For this week’s episode, we’re opening the archives and heading back to 2006 for one of our earliest adventures: the “We Are the ’80s” concert at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida.
The lineup was basically an ’80s radio station brought to life: Rick Springfield, Loverboy, Eddie Money, and Patti Smyth with Sca...
When in Rome’s Andrew Mann on “The Promise,” “Human Nature” and What Comes Next
Few synth-pop songs from the late ’80s have enjoyed a second life quite like When in Rome’s “The Promise.”
Released in 1988, the song became the band’s signature hit, but its story didn’t end there. Years later, a memorable appearance at the end of Napoleon Dynamite introduced “The Promise” to a whole new generation and helped turn it into one of those ’80s songs that seems to keep finding new fans.This week on Stuck in the ’80s, Steve talks with Andrew Mann of When in Rome about the band’s beginnings, the creation and lasting appeal of “The...
Always Something There to Remind Me: Remembering Pete Byrne of Naked Eyes
Some episodes of Stuck in the ’80s are harder to record than others.
This week, Steve goes solo to remember Pete Byrne, the unmistakable voice of Naked Eyes, who has passed away at age 74.
For millions of music fans, Pete will always be remembered for the synth-pop classics "Always Something There to Remind Me" and "Promises, Promises." But for Steve, Pete was much more than the voice behind two of the decade's most beloved songs.
An interview during the early days of Stuck in the ’80s grew into a friendship, one of the unex...
Live Aid Runaways: Chasing a Dream to the Biggest Concert of the ’80s
What if you were 16 years old in the summer of 1985, armed with little more than a Sony Walkman, a few cassette tapes and the belief that somehow — some way — you had to make it to Live Aid?
That’s the idea at the heart of Live Aid Runaways, the new novel by Shane Robitaille.
Shane joins the podcast along with researcher Livi Stanford to take us behind the scenes of a story that mixes fictional characters with one of the most unforgettable real-life events of the decade.
The novel follows teenagers Nick Stark and St...
Remembering Dolly Parton: The Songs, Stories and Legacy of an American Icon
There really was nobody else quite like Dolly Parton.
In this special episode of Stuck in the ’80s, we remember Dolly — the songwriter, singer, actress, entrepreneur and wonderfully funny human being who somehow became a national treasure without ever seeming like she was trying to be one.
Joining us is longtime friend of the show Annie Zaleski, music journalist and author of the new book Dolly Parton: The Stories Behind the Songs. Annie takes us inside Dolly’s extraordinary songbook, from the classics everybody knows to the deeper cuts that reveal just how gifted a songwr...
Book of Love and the Synth-Pop Bands We Wish We’d Heard More From
Some ’80s bands sold millions of records. Some filled arenas. Some became so permanently embedded in pop culture that you can’t walk through a grocery store without hearing them over the frozen peas.
And then there are the bands that somehow found us anyway.
This week on Stuck in the ’80s, we’re celebrating Book of Love and a handful of other synth-pop bands that deserved a little more attention the first time around — and whose music might sound even better today.
Our centerpiece is a conversation with Book of Love singer Susan Otta...
Streets of Fire: Revisiting Our Tribute 15 Years Later
We all have that one movie from the ’80s.
Maybe yours is Back to the Future. Maybe it’s The Breakfast Club, The Goonies or Say Anything. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the greatest movie ever made. It just has to be the movie that found you at exactly the right time and somehow never let go.
For Steve, that movie has always been Streets of Fire.
Walter Hill’s 1984 “rock & roll fable” gave us a strange and wonderful world of neon streets, roaring motorcycles, pounding music, Michael Paré, Diane Lane, Amy Madigan a...
Paul Simon’s Graceland at 40: The Album That Changed Everything
Forty years ago, Paul Simon released one of the most unlikely blockbuster albums of the 1980s.
Graceland arrived on Aug. 25, 1986, blending Simon’s unmistakable songwriting with South African rhythms, zydeco, gospel harmonies and a completely new way of building songs. The result was an album that sounded unlike almost anything else on the radio — and somehow became one of the defining records of the decade.
In this episode of Stuck in the ’80s, we go track by track through Graceland, from “The Boy in the Bubble” and “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” to “You Can Call Me...
Those Crazy Movie and TV High Schools of the '80s
If you could go back and spend four years at any fictional high school from the ’80s, where would you enroll?
Would you hang out with Spicoli at Ridgemont High? Serve Saturday detention with the Breakfast Club at Shermer High? Shoot hoops for Hickory? Learn the African Anteater Ritual at Crandall High?
Or maybe you'd choose a school where there's absolutely no chance of being murdered by your classmates or attacked in your dreams.
This week on Stuck in the ’80s, Steve and Brad are going back to school as we pick the fict...
Classic Interview: MTV VJ Adam Curry on Madonna, Moscow and His Feud With Richard Marx
When Stuck in the ’80s was just getting started, we somehow convinced Adam Curry to talk to us.
This was our second-ever celebrity interview, and Curry came armed with exactly the kind of stories we hoped an MTV VJ would have.
Madonna. Sebastian Bach. Moscow. Richard Marx.
And that's just for starters.
In this classic Stuck in the ’80s interview, former MTV VJ Adam Curry takes us behind the scenes of Music Television during its glory years and shares some wonderfully strange stories from life at the center of ’80s and early...
Stand By Me at 40: Revisiting the Classic Coming-of-Age Film
Some movies don't just survive the passage of time—they become part of who we are.
Released 40 years ago, Stand By Me captured something rare: the bittersweet moment when childhood gives way to adulthood. Based on Stephen King's novella The Body, the film transformed a simple search for a missing boy into one of the most heartfelt stories ever told about friendship, growing up and realizing that life only gets more complicated from there.
In this classic episode of Stuck in the '80s, hosts Steve Spears and Brad Williams are joined by guest co-host Mi...
License to Podcast: Ranking the James Bond Movies of the 1980s
James Bond didn't just survive the 1980s—he evolved.
The decade began with the familiar charm of Roger Moore, who somehow managed to save the world while delivering one-liners smoother than a shaken martini. But by the end of the '80s, the tuxedo belonged to Timothy Dalton, whose darker, more serious interpretation helped pave the way for the modern Bond audiences know today.
On this week's Stuck in the '80s, hosts Steve Spears and Sean Daly welcome former St. Petersburg Times film critic Steve Persall for a mission worthy of MI6: revisiting every Ja...
Nick Heyward Charts a New Course with Haircut 100
Some bands reunite because nostalgia sells.
Others reunite because they still have something to say.
Listening to Haircut 100's new album, Boxing the Compass, it's pretty clear which camp they fall into.
This week, Steve welcomes the always charming Nick Heyward back to Stuck in the '80s to talk about the band's first album featuring the original lineup in an astonishing 44 years. Rather than trying to recreate 1982, Haircut 100 has delivered an album that acknowledges the decades that have passed while still carrying the wit, warmth and melodic sparkle that made them one...
Summer Albums of 1986: R.E.M., Genesis, the Cure and More Turn 40
Episode 791: Forty years ago, the summer of 1986 came with its own soundtrack.
It was a season when some of the biggest artists in music were reinventing themselves, while other bands were just beginning to find the audiences that would follow them for decades. Turn on the radio, walk into a record store or press play on your cassette deck, and you might hear something polished and enormous one minute—then something jangly, strange or wonderfully underground the next.
In this episode of Stuck in the ’80s, Steve and Brad return to the summer of 1986 to cele...
Pretty Wrecked: Tracy Viola on Addiction, Recovery and Growing Up in the '80s
Episode 790: Not every story from the 1980s comes wrapped in neon, movie quotes, and mixtapes.
Some begin in darkness.
This week on Stuck in the '80s, I sit down with author Tracy Viola to discuss her remarkable memoir, Pretty Wrecked: Confessions of a Teenage Addict and Her Road to Recovery. While many of our episodes celebrate the music, movies and pop culture that made the decade unforgettable, this conversation reminds us that the '80s also shaped people in ways that weren't always glamorous.
Tracy's story is brutally honest. She writes about...
Summer Forever: A Classic 2008 Look Back at the Best of the '80s
Episode 789: Summer has a funny way of collapsing time.
One minute you're hearing a familiar song on the radio or smelling charcoal from the neighbor's grill, and suddenly you're sixteen years old again. You're counting down the days until the next blockbuster hits the theater. You're hanging out with friends until the streetlights come on. You're convinced that summer might actually last forever.
With the Fourth of July weekend here, we thought it was the perfect excuse to revisit one of our favorite episodes from the Stuck in the '80s archives.
Originally...
Toys of the '80s and Beyond with Jonathan Cathey of The Loyal Subjects
Episode 788: If you grew up in the 1980s, chances are your childhood memories can be measured in action figures, toy catalogs, and Saturday mornings spent convincing your parents that you absolutely needed "just one more."
The toys weren't simply things we owned—they became the stars of our own adventures. They transformed living room floors into battlefields, bedrooms into space stations, and backyards into fantasy worlds that lasted until the streetlights came on.
This week on Stuck in the '80s, we're celebrating those memories with a guest who has managed to turn that same ch...
Summer of '86: The Underappreciated Movies Turning 40 This Year
Episode 787: When people talk about the summer movies of 1986, the conversation usually starts with Top Gun and ends somewhere around Aliens, The Karate Kid Part II, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. It was one of the strongest movie summers of the decade, packed with blockbusters that still dominate pop-culture conversations 40 years later.
But every great movie season leaves a few worthy titles behind.
This week on Stuck in the '80s, we revisit four films from the summer of 1986 that may not get the attention they deserve today: SpaceCamp, Legal Eagles, Nothing in Common, and Ruthless...Novelty Songs of the ’80s: “Star Trekkin’,” “Rappin’ Rodney,” “Bomb Iran” and Other Weird Hits
Episode 786: From sci-fi parodies and comedy catchphrases to political satire and celebrity rap records, the ’80s produced some truly unforgettable novelty hits. Steve and Chuck revisit songs that were silly, bizarre, occasionally controversial—and somehow impossible to forget.
In this episode, they discuss:
• "Star Trekkin'" by The Firm, the cult classic that became a No. 1 hit in the United Kingdom
• "You Look Marvelous" by Billy Crystal, inspired by his legendary Saturday Night Live character Fernando
• "Rappin' Rodney" by Rodney Dangerfield, one of the most unlikely rap records of the MTV era
• "B...
Katrina Leskanich on “Walking on Sunshine,” Eurovision and The 80s Cruise
Some songs don’t just define a decade — they instantly improve your mood the second they begin playing. Few tracks from the MTV era carry that kind of joyful energy quite like Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves. This week on the Stuck in the ’80s Podcast, Steve sits down with frontwoman Katrina Leskanich for a lively conversation about music, touring and the remarkable twists and turns of her career.
The episode begins with Katrina reflecting on her experiences aboard The 80s Cruise, where she not only performed for fans of the MTV generation but also h...
Peter Gabriel’s ‘So’ at 40 | Songs, Stories and Legacy
Forty years later, So still stands as one of the most ambitious, emotional and sonically adventurous albums of the 1980s. Released in 1986, the landmark record transformed Peter Gabriel from respected art-rock innovator into a full-fledged MTV superstar thanks to unforgettable songs like Sledgehammer, In Your Eyes, Big Time and Red Rain. This week on the Stuck in the ’80s Podcast, Spearsy revisits one of the show’s classic deep-dive episodes celebrating the 40th anniversary of an album that helped define sophisticated pop music in the MTV era.
Originally recorded in 2010, this fan-favorite episode features commentary from Peter Gabr...
Unlikely Cover Songs of the ’80s: Eddie Money, Chaka Khan, Bette Midler & The Clash
This week on the longest-running ’80s pop culture podcast, Steve Spears and Brad Williams return to one of their favorite recurring topics: unlikely cover songs of the 1980s.
Did you know Eddie Money’s “I Wanna Go Back” was originally recorded by Billy Satellite? Or that Chaka Khan’s Grammy-winning “I Feel for You” began as a deep cut by Prince?
Episode Timeline
00:00 – Welcome back to Unlikely Cover Songs of the ’80s 02:14 – “Wind Beneath My Wings” and its surprising origins 10:42 – Eddie Money vs. Billy Satellite: “I Wanna Go Back” 22:31 – Chaka Khan, Prince and “I Feel for You” 35:48 – The Clash co...Famous ’80s TV & Movie Cars: KITT, the DeLorean, General Lee & Ecto-1
This week on the longest-running ’80s pop culture podcast, Steve Spears and Brad in California hit the gas for a deep dive into the most iconic TV and movie cars of the 1980s.
Joined by Retro DJ and car expert Travis Bell, the gang explores the legendary “star cars” that became just as famous as the actors who drove them.
From Pontiac Trans Am KITT in Knight Rider to the time-traveling DeLorean DMC-12 from Back to the Future, this episode celebrates the vehicles that defined ’80s pop culture.
The guys discuss:
The General...The Forgotten ’80s Soccer Movie ‘Victory’ with Pelé, Stallone & Michael Caine
Soccer legend and longtime friend Alexi Lalas joins us to talk about the 1981 movie "Victory" starring Michael Caine and Sylvester Stallone.
On Sale Now!
Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade, by podcast creator Steve Spears, is finally for sale as both a paperback and ebook. Featuring more than 60 interviews from the podcast, along with insider stories and other previously unpublished insights, the book is available on most online bookstore websites including:
Amazon Barnes and Noble Walmart Our SponsorsThe 2027 lineup of The 80s...
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Inductees: Biggest ’80s Legends, Snubs & Surprises
We introduce the 2026 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We talk who got in, who got snubbed, and which choices will have us yelling at our dashboards like it’s 1987 and the DJ just skipped our favorite song.
On Sale Now!
Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade, by podcast creator Steve Spears, is finally for sale as both a paperback and ebook. Featuring more than 60 interviews from the podcast, along with insider stories and other previously unpublished insights, the book is available on...
Kenny Loggins Interview Revisited: Footloose, Top Gun & the Soundtrack of the ’80s
Remember our amazing interview with Kenny Loggins? Here it is again from 2007. Full show with co-host Sean Daly.
On Sale Now!
Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade, by podcast creator Steve Spears, is finally for sale as both a paperback and ebook. Featuring more than 60 interviews from the podcast, along with insider stories and other previously unpublished insights, the book is available on most online bookstore websites including:
Amazon Barnes and Noble Walmart Our SponsorsSIT80s fans get 10% off everything at our...
Pretty in Pink vs. Some Kind of Wonderful — Which John Hughes ’80s Movie Is Better?
Which '80s teen romance movie is stronger: "Pretty in Pink" or "Some Kind of Wonderful?" We decide today. Plus, full seggies, a book update, and our review of the 2026 voyage of The 80s Cruise.
On Sale Now!
Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade, by podcast creator Steve Spears, is finally for sale as both a paperback and ebook. Featuring more than 60 interviews from the podcast, along with insider stories and other previously unpublished insights, the book is available on most online bookstore websites including:<...
The Greatest American Hero Turns 45: William Katt Looks Back on the Classic ’80s TV Series
TV's "The Greatest American Hero" debuted 45 years ago today - March 18, 1981. We honor the '80s TV show with a reairing of our 2007 interview with actor William Katt.
On Sale Now!
Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade, by podcast creator Steve Spears, is finally for sale as both a paperback and ebook. Featuring more than 60 interviews from the podcast, along with insider stories and other previously unpublished insights, the book is available on most online bookstore websites including:
Amazon Barnes and Noble Walmart Our...Inside the New Stuck in the ’80s Book: 20 Years of Celebrity Interviews & Podcast Stories
The new Stuck in the '80s podcast book is finally for sale. Brad interviews Spearsy about a project 20 years in the making.
On Sale Now!
Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade, by podcast creator Steve Spears, is finally for sale as both a paperback and ebook. Featuring more than 60 interviews from the podcast, along with insider stories and other previously unpublished insights, the book is available on most online bookstore websites including:
Amazon Barnes and Noble Walmart Our SponsorsSIT80s fans...
Highlander Turns 40: Why the Cult ’80s Fantasy Movie Still Rules
"Highlander" is officially 40 years old. Well, technically Connor MacLeod is 508 years old now. Here's our tribute episode recorded in 2012 with co-host Sean Daly.
Coming in March
Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade, by podcast creator Steve Spears, will finally be published. Featuring more than 60 interviews from the podcast, along with insider stories and other previously unpublished insights, the book will be available on March 11.
Our Sponsors
Our Sponsors
SIT80s fans get 10% off everything at our new s...
Miracle on Ice Revisited: Why the 1980 U.S. Hockey Team Still Inspires America
Relive the Miracle on Ice from the 1980 Winter Olympic Games and the gold medal performance of US Men's Hockey with hosts Steve Spears, Sean Daly and Tom Jones. This a re-run from Episode 190 in 2010.
Coming in March
Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade, by podcast creator Steve Spears, will finally be published. Featuring more than 60 interviews from the podcast, along with insider stories and other previously unpublished insights, the book will be available on March 11.
Our Sponsors
The 2026 lineup of The 80...
MTV VJ Martha Quinn on the Radio Hall of Fame, MTV’s Rise & the ’80s Music Revolution
Original MTV veejay Martha Quinn makes her first visit to Stuck in the '80s in 10 years. Martha talks about her induction into the Radio Hall of Fame along with her thoughts on the enduring love for '80s nostalgia and music. Plus full seggies.
Coming in March
Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade, by podcast creator Steve Spears, will finally be published. Featuring more than 60 interviews from the podcast, along with insider stories and other previously unpublished insights, the book will be available on...
Sean Daly Returns: Behind the Scenes of 20 Years of the Stuck in the ’80s Podcast
Sean Daly, one of the original hosts of the Stuck in the '80s podcast, returns this week to talk about the podcast's first 20 years. Plus, full seggies!
Coming in March
Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade, by podcast creator Steve Spears, will finally be published. Featuring more than 60 interviews from the podcast, along with insider stories and other previously unpublished insights, the book will be available on March 11.
Our Sponsors
The 2026 lineup of The 80s Cruise is now sold out...
Author Becky Kliss on Gen X Nostalgia, ’80s Culture & When We Felt Invincible
"When We Were Invincible: Life Lessons from the ’80s that Defined a Generation" is a new book by Becky Kliss, who joins the show to talk about Gen X and what we learned from our teen years.
Plus, seggies including TV Party Tonight and Spin Me Round. Also a podcast book update and great promo code from our new sponsors Rotella Resale.
Coming in March
Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade, by podcast creator Steve Spears, will finally be published. Featuring more than 60 in...
Glass Tiger’s Alan Frew on ’80s Fame, “Don’t Forget Me” & the MTV Era
Glass Tiger frontman Alan Frew joins the podcast to talk about the band's history, his background growing up in Scotland, and Glass Tiger's upcoming performance on The 80s Cruise.
Seggies include: Stuck in the Arcade and Listener Mailbag. Guest co-host Chuck Coverly.
Coming in March
Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade, by podcast creator Steve Spears, will finally be published. Featuring more than 60 interviews from the podcast, along with insider stories and other previously unpublished insights, the book will be available on March 11.<...
10 Classic Songs Turning 50 in 2026 — The Hits That Defined the ’70s and ’80s
The year 1976 seems so long ago, and it was. Here are 10 songs we loved from that year that are turning 50 in 2026. Songs from Boston, ABBA, Diana Ross, the Eagles and more. Plus full seggies.
Coming This Spring
Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade, by podcast creator Steve Spears, will finally be published. Featuring more than 60 interviews from the podcast, along with insider stories and other previously unpublished insights, the book will soon be available for pre-order.
Our Sponsors
The 2026 lineup of...
1985 Revisited: The Biggest Movies, Music & Pop Culture Moments 40 Years Later
On New Year's Eve, we look back at the end of 1985 and see how it shaped the rest of the decade. Seggies include Stuck in the Arcade.
Coming This Spring
Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade, by podcast creator Steve Spears, will finally be published. Featuring more than 60 interviews from the podcast, along with insider stories and other previously unpublished insights, the book will soon be available for pre-order.
Our Sponsors
The 2026 lineup of The 80s Cruise is now sold out...
