80s Playlist Name Generator

Playlist titles for the cassette and hairspray decade

Entertainment, Music & Media1,000 names

0 of 1,000 seen

This or that?

7 picks, 1 winner

Tap the name you like more.

Tap a name to copy it. The arrows swap one name.

Or browse all 1,000 names, A to Z

Generate 80s playlist names for any streaming app: synth-pop titles like Synths and Shoulder Pads, rock ones like Hair Metal Homeroom, slow sets like Side B Slow Dances, settings like Prom Night, Eighty-Something and lowercase captions like found my aunt's mixtape.

About 80s playlist names

An 80s playlist is easy to fill and hard to name, because the obvious title is already on everyone else's. The titles here take another route: each names an object, a place or a habit of the decade and lets the music be implied. Cassette Rewind, Hair Metal Homeroom and Yearbook Photo, Laser Background each say which corner of the eighties you are in before a song plays.

The 1,000 titles are spread over sixteen styles so that rerolls stay varied: synth-pop and new wave; hair metal and arena rock; power ballads and slow dances; early hip-hop, electro, freestyle and boogie; post-punk, goth and college rock; movie montages; aerobics and workouts; road trips and cruising; prom and school; the mall and the video store; arcades and roller rinks; cassettes and boomboxes; radio countdowns and music videos; parties and karaoke; lowercase captions; and jokes about perms and mullets.

The titles are written as descriptions, not borrowed from artists, songs or films, and none states a year. Prom Night, Eighty-Something is as exact as the list gets, so a title fits whichever part of the decade your songs come from. Every title is under 50 characters and most are far shorter, so they read well on a phone.

How to choose 80s playlist names

  • Decide which eighties you mean before you pick. A synth-pop playlist wants a title like Skinny Tie Synth-Pop, and a playlist of hair bands wants Sunset Strip Saturday. A title that tries to cover both usually fits neither.
  • Name the place the songs take you. Food Court FM, Upper Level or Couples Skate, Lights Dimmed tells a listener more than a row of genre words would.
  • Use the tape as a structure. Put the fast songs first and call the slow half Side B Slow Dances, or split one long playlist into a Side A and a Side B.
  • Lowercase titles such as found my aunt's mixtape suit a personal playlist. Title Case reads better on one you share for a party.
  • For a themed party, pick a title that doubles as the dress code, like Fiftieth Birthday, Leg Warmers Required.

Frequently asked questions

What are some good 80s playlist names?

For a general mix try Cassette Rewind, Neon After Midnight or Synths and Shoulder Pads. For rock there are Arena Rock, Lighters Up and Whammy Bar Dive Bombs, and for slow songs Side B Slow Dances. Funny options include Perm and Circumstance and Hairspray Is a Food Group.

Do the names use real song or band names?

No. They are written as descriptions of objects, places and moods from the decade, not borrowed from artists, songs, albums or films. A short phrase can still match an existing title somewhere by coincidence, which does no harm in a playlist name.

Why is there no year in any of the titles?

A year in a title makes a promise about every song under it, and most 80s playlists wander across the whole decade. Titles like Prom Night, Eighty-Something and summer of eighty-whatever keep the era without pinning it down. You can still add a year of your own, such as a graduation year, to make the title yours.

Which names work for an 80s party or a workout playlist?

For a party, Eighties Night, Costumes Encouraged, Rad Party, Bring Your Own Scrunchie and Karaoke Power Ballad Lineup tell guests what they are in for. For exercise, look for the aerobics titles, such as Aerobics at Dawn, Leg Warmers, Left Foot First and Leotard Cardio Hour.

Related generators

More like this

Browse category

All 1,000 80s playlist names

This is the complete list the generator above draws its random batches from, sorted A to Z and grouped by first letter.

Plain text, one name per line.

A: 45 names

  • Acid Wash and Poor Decisions
  • Acid Wash Jeans, Top Forty Dreams
  • Action Hero Workout Montage
  • Adult Contemporary, Mauve Carpet, Sax Solo
  • Aerobics at Dawn
  • Aerobics Counts as a Personality
  • Aerobics Instructor Energy
  • Aerosol and Amplifiers
  • After-Prom Diner, Hair Deflating
  • After-School Snack, Videos On
  • Air Guitar Regional Finals
  • Air Keytar Finals
  • Airbrushed T-Shirt Stand
  • All-Ages Matinee, Hardcore Bill
  • All-Skate Called at the Roller Rink

A, continued

  • All-Star Chorus, One Microphone
  • an eighties song i heard in a grocery store
  • Analog Synth Warm-Up
  • Animated Pencil Sketch Video Vibes
  • Ankle Weights and Italo Disco
  • Answering Machine Greeting Songs
  • Answering Machine Mini Cassette
  • Answering Machine Serenade
  • Anthems with a Key Change
  • Arcade at the Far End of the Mall
  • Arcade Birthday Party, Tokens and Top Forty
  • arcade carpet in my memory
  • Arcade Carpet, Glow Pattern
  • Arcade Champ of the Laundromat
  • Arcade Change Machine Chimes

A, continued

  • Arcade Closing Time, Last Token
  • Arcade Elbow Rehab
  • Arcade Tokens in a Sock
  • Arena Drum Solo Bathroom Break
  • Arena Lights Down, Ballad Up
  • Arena Parking Lot Pregame
  • Arena Rock for Mowing the Lawn
  • arena rock in a tiny apartment
  • Arena Rock, Lighters Up
  • Arena Tour Shirt, Dates on the Back
  • Art School New Wave
  • Asked to Prom by Folded Note
  • Asymmetrical Haircut Anthems
  • Auto-Reverse All Night
  • Award Show Performance, Sequins and Keytars

B: 79 names

  • B-Boy Battle at the Mall Atrium
  • B-Boy Stance Standards
  • B-Sides the DJ Played Once
  • Babysitter's Tape Collection
  • Bachelorette in Tutus and Lace Gloves
  • Back to School, New Cassette
  • Backward Skate to a Freestyle Beat
  • Backward-Facing Wagon Seat Songs
  • Backyard Barbecue, Boombox on the Picnic Table
  • Ballad Verse, Arena Chorus
  • Ballads for Staring Out the Bus Window
  • Ballads for the Bus Ride After Prom
  • Ballads Recorded off the Radio

B, continued

  • Ballads with a Sax Solo
  • Banana Clip and Big Earrings
  • Banana Clip Homeroom Hits
  • Bangers in a Fanny Pack
  • Bar Mitzvah DJ, Eighties Edition
  • Basement Console Marathon
  • Basement Party, Wood Paneling Shaking
  • Bass from the Trunk of a Hatchback
  • Bass Line Up Front, Post-Punk Rules
  • Batting Cage Boombox
  • Beach Towel, Transistor Radio
  • Beach Trip, Tape Melted on the Dash
  • Beatbox and a Milk Crate

B, continued

  • Beatbox Battle by the Lockers
  • Beatbox on the Bus
  • Bedroom Boombox Broadcast
  • Belted Leotard Over Tights Tempo
  • Bench Press with Arena Rock
  • Benefit Concert Broadcast Day
  • Big Drums, Bigger Bangs
  • Big Game Montage, Gated Drums
  • Big Screen Projection TV Demo
  • Birthday at the Arcade
  • Black Eyeliner, Chorus Pedal
  • Blank Tapes, Three-Pack
  • Bleached Bangs of the Synth Era

B, continued

  • Block Party, Boogie Funk and a Fire Hydrant
  • Blow on the Cartridge, Try Again
  • Blue Collar Anthems, Heartland Rock at Five
  • Blue Eyeshadow Dance Committee
  • Blue Eyeshadow Up to the Eyebrows
  • Blue-Eyed Soul, Pastel Sleeves Pushed Up
  • BMX Jump Over the Creek, Guitar Solo Midair
  • Boardroom Takeover, Power Suit On
  • Boardwalk Arcade, Salt Air and Synths
  • Boardwalk Fries and Freestyle
  • Boardwalk Week, Freestyle from Every Doorway
  • Boat Shoes, No Socks, Yacht Rock
  • Body by Aerobics Tape

B, continued

  • Bonfire Night, Boombox on a Cooler
  • Boogie Bass Lines, Slapped
  • Boogie Bass on the Tape Deck
  • Boogie Funk Breakfast Radio
  • Boombox at the Bus Stop
  • Boombox Batteries, Eight D-Cells
  • Boombox Buried in Beach Sand
  • Boombox Circle on the Blacktop
  • Boombox Curls, Shoulder Day
  • boombox outside your window, hypothetically
  • Boombox Volume War
  • born too late for the eighties
  • Boss Level Synth Bass

B, continued

  • Bowling League Night, Arena Rock on the Jukebox
  • Boy Band Bedroom Posters, Late Eighties
  • Breakdance Battle Rounds
  • Breakdance Mat Unrolled
  • Breakdancing in the Garage
  • Bridal Party Getting Ready, Eighties Pop
  • Briefcase and Shoulder Pads
  • Bright Lipstick New Wave
  • Bubble Skirt Twirl
  • Buddy Cop Stakeout, Sax on the Radio
  • Bullet on the Chart, Keytar in the Video
  • Bunk Bed Boombox
  • Bus to the Away Game, Boombox Aboard
  • Business in Front, Playlist in Back

C: 81 names

  • Cabinet Marquee Lights
  • Cable Box Channel Flip
  • Cable Came to Our Street
  • Cable Hookup Celebration
  • Calculator Watch Cool Kids
  • Calculator Watch Countdown
  • Calisthenics with a Keytar
  • Call Waiting Changed Everything
  • Camper Van, Cassette Rack and a Cooler
  • Campus Station, Jangle Guitars at Two A.M.
  • Candlelight and Synth Strings
  • Canopy Bed, Pastel Everything
  • Car Chase, Synth Bass Driving

C, continued

  • Car Phone Commute
  • Cardboard and Linoleum
  • Carnival Ride Operator's Boombox
  • Carpeted Benches, Skates Laced
  • Cartoon Theme Songs with Guitar Solos
  • cassette brain in a streaming world
  • Cassette Carrying Case, Zippered
  • Cassette Chewed by the Car
  • Cassette Deck, No Adapter Needed
  • Cassette in the Aerobics Boombox
  • Cassette Rewind
  • Cassette Swap at the Bus Stop
  • Cassingle Bargain Bin
  • Cemetery Picnic, Eighties Goth

C, continued

  • Charity Single Sing-Along
  • Chart Climbers of the Cassette Age
  • Checkered Slip-Ons Skate Mix
  • Chiming Guitars, College Rock Fall
  • Christmas Morning, Boombox Under the Tree
  • Chrome Tape, Noise Reduction Off
  • City Pop for a Neon Skyline
  • Clock Radio Countdown in the Dark
  • Clock Radio Wake-Up Hits
  • Closing Time at the Eighties Club
  • Coast Highway, Pastel Sky
  • Coat Check Ticket, Hi-NRG on the Floor
  • Cocktail Hour, Sophisti-Pop and a Skyline

C, continued

  • Cocktail Table Cabinet Classics
  • Cold Synths, Warm Hearts
  • Coldwave Commute
  • coldwave for walking home the long way
  • college radio for my quiet hours
  • College Radio, Three A.M. Slot
  • College Rock Road Trip to the Show
  • Commercial Jingles of the Eighties
  • Computer Lab Green Screen Glow
  • Console TV, Knob for a Remote
  • Convenience Store Arcade Corner
  • Convertible, Hairspray Holding
  • Cooldown on the Shag Carpet
  • Cordless Phone on the Patio, Sax Solo on Hold

C, continued

  • Cordless Phone, Antenna Extended
  • Corner Store Cabinet Kings
  • Corner Video Shop, New Releases, Theme Songs
  • Corsage in the Fridge, Power Ballad on Repeat
  • Corsage Wilting, Song Still Playing
  • Costume Party: Hair Band or New Wave
  • Countdown Show, Whole Top Forty
  • Country Crossover, Rhinestones and Teased Hair
  • County Fair Midway, Glam Metal by the Ring Toss
  • Couples Skate Slow Songs
  • Couples Skate with Sweaty Palms
  • Couples Skate, Lights Dimmed
  • Cowpunk for the Station Wagon

C, continued

  • Crimped for Picture Day
  • Crimped Hair and Combat Boots
  • Crimped Hair Homecoming
  • Crimping Iron Burn Unit
  • Cruise Control and a Sax Solo
  • Cruise Ship Eighties Deck Party
  • Cruising the Strip, T-Tops Off, Hair Metal Up
  • Crunches to a Synth Bass Line
  • Crying in a Prom Dress
  • crying to synth-pop again
  • Cubicle Radio, Soft Rock and a Power Suit
  • Cul-de-Sac Kickball, Boombox on the Curb
  • Cummerbund and High-Tops
  • Cutting and Scratching Class

D: 43 names

  • Dad Controls the Tape Deck
  • Dad Jeans, Hair Band Heart
  • Dad Recorded Over the Wedding Tape
  • Dad's Garage Mix, Paint-Splattered Boombox
  • dad's tapes from the attic
  • Dance Audition Montage, Leg Warmers On
  • Dance Crew Rehearsal, Boombox on the Workbench
  • Dance Floor Fillers, Hairspray Edition
  • Dance Studio Barre, Stretch to a Sax Ballad
  • Darkwave for Candlelit Bedrooms
  • Dashboard Tape Deck, Auto-Reverse
  • Daydreams with a Gated Snare
  • Decades Party: Team Eighties
  • Dedication Hour, Power Ballads Only

D, continued

  • Demo Tape from a Garage Band
  • Denim Skirt, High-Tops
  • Denim Vest Patch Collection
  • Dentist Office Hits of the Eighties
  • Detective with a Saxophone Theme
  • Digital Dashboard Night Cruise
  • Digital Watch Pop
  • Dinner Party Sophisti-Pop
  • DJ in the Gym, Request Slips
  • DJ Talks over the Intro, Cassette Still Rolling
  • Dorm Room Posters, College Rock Semester
  • Dot Matrix Printer Rhythm
  • Double Cassette Boombox Bash
  • Double-Neck Guitar Showoffs

D, continued

  • Dream Pop Before It Had a Name
  • Dress Like Your Yearbook Photo
  • Drive-In at Dusk, Hair Bands from the Tailgate
  • Drive-In Double Feature, Two Synth Scores
  • Drive-In Lot, Hatchback Open, FM Tuned
  • Drive-In Speaker Hooked on the Door
  • Drive-Time Arena Rock Block
  • Driver's Ed Filmstrip Funk
  • Dropped Off at the Mall at Noon
  • Drum Machine and a Cathedral of Reverb
  • Drum Machine Block Rockers
  • Drum Machine for a Heartbeat
  • drum machine, real feelings
  • Dual Deck High-Speed Dubbing
  • Dubbed Copy, Third Generation

E: 53 names

  • Early Hip-Hop, Eighties Stoop
  • Early Shoegaze, Late Eighties Haze
  • Eight Counts in a Leotard
  • Eight-Bit Lunch Money
  • Eight-Bit Theme Songs in My Head
  • Eighties Alternative, Before the Word
  • Eighties Bodybuilder Beach Mix
  • Eighties Cardio, Shoulders Back
  • Eighties Coupe, Pop-Up Headlights
  • Eighties Cover Band Setlist
  • Eighties End Credits, Stay Seated
  • Eighties Gym, Chrome Dumbbells
  • Eighties Hard Rock, No Ballads

E, continued

  • Eighties Health Club Membership
  • Eighties Heartbreak, Volume Up
  • Eighties Homecoming Queen Wave
  • Eighties Indie from a Rainy City
  • Eighties Keyboards, Stacked Three High
  • Eighties Love Songs, Soft Focus
  • Eighties Mall, Planters and Brass Rails
  • Eighties Metal, Lunchroom Debate
  • Eighties Night, Costumes Encouraged
  • Eighties Pop with Fretless Bass
  • Eighties Prom Court Procession
  • Eighties R&B, Satin Jacket
  • Eighties Riffs for Air Guitar

E, continued

  • Eighties Rock en Español
  • eighties sadness, pastel filter
  • Eighties Slasher Synth Score
  • Eighties Slow Jams, Lights Down
  • Eighties Soul on the Kitchen Radio
  • Eighties Summer, Pool Open
  • Eighties Thanksgiving, Parade on the Console TV
  • Eighties Trucker Hat Highway
  • Eighties Wedding First Dance
  • Electro Bass for Lowriders
  • Electro Boogie for the Linoleum Square
  • Electro Breaks, Cardboard Laid Out
  • Electro for the Robot Dance

E, continued

  • Electro Funk for Poppers and Lockers
  • Electro Robots on the Dance Floor
  • Electro-Funk Car Wash
  • Electro-Pop for Empty Dance Floors
  • Electronic Hand Claps Forever
  • Elevator Music with Shoulder Pads
  • emotional aerobics, mostly stretching
  • End Credits Love Theme, Sax Included
  • end credits of a teen movie
  • End Credits, Drum Fill, Lights Up
  • Escalator Up to the Arcade
  • Everybody Knows the Synth Riff
  • Extended Mix, Eight Minutes Long
  • Eyeliner and Arpeggios

F: 62 names

  • Fade-Out Cut Off by Side A
  • Fall Semester, College Rock
  • Family Road Trip, Power Ballads by Mile Marker
  • Family Room Hi-Fi Sundays
  • Fanzine Review Column Picks
  • Fanzine Staples and Four-Track Demos
  • Fast Forward Past the Slow One
  • fast forward through the sad ones
  • Fat Laces, Fresh Beats
  • Fax Machine Handshake Funk
  • Feathered Bangs, Fast Feet
  • Feathered Earring Rock

F, continued

  • Feathered Hair, Tube Socks
  • Feel the Burn, Eighties Edition
  • Fern Bar Friday
  • Fiftieth Birthday, Leg Warmers Required
  • Final Boss, Last Quarter
  • Finger on the Record Button
  • Fingerless Gloves Pop
  • Fingerless Gloves, Fearless Chorus
  • First Car, Tape Stuck in the Deck
  • Fist Pump, Fade to Credits
  • Fitness Craze Flashback, Leotards and Hi-NRG
  • Fixing Up the Clubhouse Montage

F, continued

  • Flashback Friday Floor Fillers
  • Flat Top Fade, Friday Electro
  • Flat Top Haircut Fresh
  • Flexi-Disc from a Fanzine
  • Flip the Tape at the Chorus
  • Floppy Disk Adventure, Bleeps for a Soundtrack
  • Floppy Disk Dance Party
  • Fluorescent Shoelaces, Freestyle Footwork
  • Foam Headphones, Thin Metal Band
  • Fog Machine Budget Blown
  • Fog Machine Synth-Pop
  • Fog Machine, Single Rose, Power Ballad
  • Fog, Wind Machine, Slow Motion Video

F, continued

  • Food Court Booth by the Fountain
  • Food Court Corn Dog, New Wave on the Speakers
  • Food Court FM, Upper Level
  • Food Court Regulars, Top Forty Overhead
  • Food Court Tray Table Summit
  • Fortieth Birthday, Eighties Theme
  • found my aunt's mixtape
  • Fourth of July, Arena Rock and Sparklers
  • Freestyle Ballad for the Bumper Cars
  • Freestyle Divas, Big Hoops
  • Freestyle for the Roller Rink
  • Freestyle Heartbreak, Hoop Earrings

F, continued

  • Freestyle Synth Stabs
  • Freeze-Frame Jump, Roll Credits
  • Fretboard Fireworks, Eighties Style
  • Friday Night Rental, Two Tapes
  • Friday Night Skate, Disco Lights
  • Friendship Bracelet Summer, Mixtape Mail Call
  • Friendship Pins and First Crushes
  • Friendship Pins on My Sneakers
  • Frilly Shirt Romantics
  • Front Row at the Arena, Ears Ringing
  • Frosted Lipstick First Kiss
  • Frosted Lipstick Forever
  • Frozen Yogurt Craze Favorites

G: 30 names

  • Game Over, Continue? Mix
  • Garage Band Gets Good Montage
  • Garage Weight Bench, Hair Metal Loud
  • gated drums, guarded heart
  • Geometric Earrings Pop
  • Getting Ready Montage, Hairspray Cloud
  • Girl Groups in Lace Gloves and Bracelets
  • Girls' Night, Side Ponytails
  • Glam Metal Getaway Car
  • Glam Metal Getting-Ready Mix
  • Glam Metal Makeup Mirror
  • Glovebox Full of Tapes
  • Glow of the Clock Radio
  • Gnarly Songs for Bogus Mondays
  • Go-Go Congas for the Whole Block

G, continued

  • Go-Go Percussion Party
  • Go-Go Swing, Eighties Pocket
  • Go-Kart Track, Arena Rock Blaring
  • Going Steady, Tape Exchanged
  • Gold Rope Chain Classics
  • Gospel Choir Key Change, Eighties Pop
  • Goth Night, Dry Ice Rolling
  • Goth Night, Flanger and Candle Wax
  • goth phase, eighties edition
  • Graduation Cap Freeze-Frame
  • Grapevine to the Left
  • Graphic Equalizer on the Dash
  • Graphic Equalizer Smile Curve
  • Grody to the Max Volume
  • Guitar Solo, Wind Machine On

H: 46 names

  • Hacker Kid at the Home Computer
  • Hair Band Ballads Only
  • Hair Band Bus Sing-Along
  • Hair Band Heartbreak Hotline
  • Hair Band Pinups Taped Above the Bed
  • Hair Higher Than My Grades
  • Hair Metal Drive to the Lake
  • hair metal for doing dishes
  • Hair Metal for the Weight Room
  • Hair Metal Garage Rehearsal
  • Hair Metal Homeroom

H, continued

  • Hairspray Fog over the Front Row
  • hairspray in the air, hope in my chest
  • Hairspray Is a Food Group
  • Hairspray, but Make It Goth
  • Halftime Show, Keytar on the Fifty-Yard Line
  • Hall Pass, Foam Headphones Hidden
  • Halloween Party, Plastic Masks and Darkwave
  • Hand-Lettered J-Card
  • Hardcore Matinee Stage Dives
  • Hardcore Show at the Rec Hall
  • Hatchback Full of Friends, Hair Band Singalong
  • Hatchback Subwoofer Project

H, continued

  • Headband Guitar Gods
  • Headband Hustle
  • Headband Sweat Session
  • Heartache in Pastel
  • Heartland Rock, Rolled Sleeves
  • Heavy Rotation, Same Video Every Hour
  • Hi-Fi Rack System Showpiece
  • Hi-Fi Showroom Demo Songs
  • Hi-NRG Before Sunrise
  • Hi-NRG for Hip Circles
  • High Score, Low Grades

H, continued

  • High-Cut Leotard Hi-NRG
  • High-Top Fade Jams
  • Holiday Mall Rush, Synth Bells
  • Home Computer Class Daydreams
  • Home Computer Store Demo Loop
  • Home Console, Wood Grain Trim
  • Homecoming Float, Crepe Paper and Pop Metal
  • Homeroom Intercom, Drum Machine Fanfare
  • Honky-Tonk Jukebox, Mechanical Bull Era
  • Hot Rotation, Hairspray Era
  • House Party in a Chicago Loft
  • House Party, Parents at the Lake

I: 6 names

  • Ice Cream Truck vs. the Corner Boombox
  • Icy Keyboards, Coldwave for a Snow Day
  • Indie Label Seven-Inches
  • Insert Coin, Press Play
  • Instructor Shouting Over Synths
  • Italo Disco on Holiday

J: 16 names

  • Jack Tracks for the Basement
  • Jangle Pop for Thrift Store Cardigans
  • Jean Jacket Button Collection
  • jean jacket weather, cassette in the pocket
  • Jelly Bracelets and Slow Songs
  • Jelly Bracelets up to the Elbow
  • Jelly Shoe Blister Blues
  • Jelly Shoes and Shopping Bags

J, continued

  • jelly shoes on hot pavement
  • Jingle Singers and Laser Zaps
  • Jog in a Matching Tracksuit
  • Joystick Blisters
  • Joystick Summer, Quarters Gone
  • Jukebox at the Pizza Place, Eighties Picks
  • Jump Rope in High-Tops, Beatbox for a Count
  • Jump Rope Montage, Guitar Riff, Gray Sweatsuit

K: 10 names

  • Karaoke Night, Hair Metal Round
  • Karaoke Power Ballad Lineup
  • Key Change in the Final Chorus
  • Key Change on the Mountain Top Video
  • Key Change, Arms Outstretched
  • Keytar Heroes, Eighties Edition
  • keytar solo in my dreams
  • Keytar Strap Adjustment Break
  • Kick, Ball, Change to a Drum Machine
  • Knee Pads and Wrist Guards, Skate Ramp

L: 46 names

  • Lace Gloves and Minor Chords
  • Lace Gloves at the School Dance
  • Lake Road, Arena Rock Echoing
  • Landline Tangle Ballads
  • Laser Battle End Titles
  • Laser Grid Love Songs
  • Laser Tag Fog Machine Mix
  • Last Bell Before Summer, Cassettes Traded
  • Last Call Arena Rock
  • Last Day of School, Glam Metal Down the Hall
  • Latchkey Afternoon, Radio On

L, continued

  • late night cable, volume low
  • Late Night Campus Radio Requests
  • Late Night Video Show, Fog Machine Hour
  • Latin Freestyle Friday
  • Latin Pop Crossover, Horns and Hairspray
  • Learner's Permit, Cassingle in the Deck
  • Leg Warmer Stretch Break
  • Leg Warmers in August, No Regrets
  • leg warmers in my heart
  • Leg Warmers, Left Foot First
  • Leopard Print and Leather
  • Leopard Print Guitar Strap

L, continued

  • Leotard Cardio Hour
  • Leotard Day Hi-NRG
  • Letter Sweater and Leg Warmers
  • letterman jacket i never wore
  • Letterman Jacket, Leather Sleeves
  • Letterman Sweater Sing-Along
  • Lifeguard Chair Top Forty
  • Lighters Raised, Ballad Block
  • Lighters Swaying at the Arena
  • Lighters Up for the Hair Band Slow One
  • Like, Totally a Playlist

L, continued

  • Lip Sync Assembly Winners
  • Lip Sync on Live Television
  • Listening Booth, New Wave Imports
  • Lockers, Poppers and Breakers
  • Lonely Saxophone on a Fire Escape
  • Long-Distance Love, Pay Phone Change
  • Loudness Button Engaged
  • Louvers on the Back Window
  • Louvers, Spoilers and Stripes
  • Love Theme from an Eighties Movie
  • Lunchroom Beatbox Hour
  • Lunchtime Aerobics at the Office

M: 61 names

  • Mail-Order Punk Tapes
  • main character in an eighties movie
  • Makeover Montage at the Mall
  • Mall Closing Announcement Mix
  • Mall Cop Slow Chase Theme
  • Mall Directory, You Are Here
  • Mall Fashion Show Runway
  • Mall Fountain Pennies, Radio Hooks
  • Mall Grand Opening, Radio Station Prize Wheel
  • Mall Hair, Maximum Height
  • Mall Job Break Room Radio
  • Mall Parking Lot Meetups

M, continued

  • Mall Pretzel and an Orange Drink
  • Mall Santa Line, Synthesizer Carols
  • Mall Talent Show, Hair Band on a Plywood Stage
  • Mall Walkers at Opening Time, Soft Rock Overhead
  • Marching Band Does Eighties Pop
  • Marina Sunset Soft Rock, Pastel Polo
  • Miami Bass, Trunk Rattle on the Boulevard
  • Midnight Album Side, Eighties Rock
  • Midnight Dash to the Video Store
  • Mini Trampoline Cardio, Drum Machine Bounce
  • Minivan Carpool Countdown
  • Minivan Maiden Voyage Mix

M, continued

  • Minneapolis Funk Workout
  • Minor Key, Major Shoulder Pads
  • Mirrored Aviators Morning
  • Mirrored Shades Electro-Pop
  • Mixtape for a Crush Who Never Knew
  • Mixtape Margin Doodles
  • Mixtape Titled in Bubble Letters
  • Mixtape with a Collage Cover
  • Mom Was a New Waver, Apparently
  • Mom's Aerobics Tape, Dad's Arena Rock
  • Monster Movie Marathon Synths
  • Montage Fuel, Big Snare and a Key Change

M, continued

  • montage music for small errands
  • Montage of Painting the Rec Center
  • Montage Over a Summer Job
  • Montage Songs with a Key Change
  • Montage Where the Team Learns to Win
  • Montage: Learning to Breakdance
  • Moonlit Parking Lot, Hair Band Ballads
  • Moped Laps, New Wave from a Handlebar Radio
  • More Mousse Than Sense
  • Morning Workout Show, Channel Four
  • Morning Zoo Crew Favorites
  • Mousse and Motivation

M, continued

  • Mullet in a Baseball Cap
  • Mullet Season Opener
  • Mullet Trim Day Music
  • Mullets on the Jumbo Screen
  • Multiplex Lobby, Power Ballad over the Credits
  • Music Video Dance Rehearsal
  • Music Video Hour After School
  • Music Video Marathon Weekend
  • Music Video Shot in a Warehouse
  • my mom's prom, probably
  • My Perm Has Its Own Zip Code
  • My Tracksuit Makes a Swishing Sound
  • my whole personality is a gated snare

N: 26 names

  • Needle Drop, Twelve-Inch Extended Mix
  • Neon After Midnight
  • neon i never saw in person
  • Neon Is a Neutral
  • Neon Motel Sign, Cable in Every Room
  • Neon Party Punch
  • Neon Shoelace Sprint
  • Neon Sign Shop Window
  • Neon Spandex Sprints
  • New Jack Swing School Dance
  • New Jack Swing Warm-Up
  • New Kid at School, Opening Credits Guitar Riff
  • New Romantic Ruffles

N, continued

  • New Wave Brunch, Skinny Ties Loosened
  • New Wave for Night Buses
  • new wave for overthinking
  • New Wave Kids by the Art Room
  • New Wave Wallflowers
  • New Year's Countdown, Console TV Glow
  • New Year's Eve, Eighty-Something
  • Night Drive in a Wedge-Shaped Sports Car
  • Night Train to the New Wave Club
  • Ninety Minutes, Both Sides Full
  • Ninety-Minute Tape for a Ninety-Mile Drive
  • nostalgia for a decade i missed
  • Nothing but Synths, Sorry

O: 10 names

  • Off-the-Shoulder Sweatshirt, Dance Pop Stretch
  • Office Party, Shoulder Pads Clashing
  • old synths, new crush
  • One Hit, One Video, One Haircut
  • One-Hit Wonders of the Hairspray Years
  • Open Road, Mullet in the Wind
  • Opening Credits, Neon Skyline
  • Orchestra Hit Parade
  • Overnight Shift, Soft Rock Station
  • Overtime for the Whammy Bar

P: 79 names

  • Paisley Shirt Psychedelia Revival
  • Paisley Underground for the Late Bus
  • Palm-Lined Boulevard, Synths Rising
  • Parachute Pants Dance Break
  • Parachute Pants Landing Zone
  • Park Jam Electro, Power from the Lamppost
  • Passenger Seat DJ, Tape Case on Lap
  • Pastel Blazer Pop
  • pastel sky, synth bass
  • Pastel Sneakers, High Knees
  • Pastel Storefront Window Shopping
  • Pastel Suits and Speedboats
  • Pastel Sunset Cruise

P, continued

  • Pastel Tuxedo Rental Blues
  • Pastel Tuxedo, Ruffled Shirt
  • Paused Before the DJ Talked
  • Pegged Jeans and Penny Loafers
  • Pen Pal Mixtape, Goth Edition
  • Pencil Rewind Emergency
  • Perm and Circumstance
  • Perm Day at the Salon
  • perm era romance
  • Phone Cord Tangle Love Songs
  • Phone Cord Under the Door, Radio Down Low
  • phone cord wrapped around my finger
  • Photocopied Fanzine Favorites

P, continued

  • Pickup Truck Heartland Rock
  • Picture Disc on the Wall
  • Pinball Multiball Madness
  • Pinball Tilt Warning, Hair Metal on the Speaker
  • Pixel Hearts and Power-Ups
  • Pizza by the Slice, Synths by the Pound
  • Pizza Parlor Animatronic Band
  • Pizza Party, Music Videos and a Rented VCR
  • Play and Record Pressed Together
  • Pointy Guitar, Pointier Boots
  • Polka Dot New Wave
  • Pom-Pom Skates Pop
  • Pool Party, Boombox on the Diving Board

P, continued

  • Poolside Aqua Aerobics, Instructor's Boombox
  • Poolside Top Forty, Neon Zinc on Every Nose
  • Pop Divas of the Shoulder Pad Age
  • Pop Metal for the Parking Lot
  • Pop Metal Summer Tour
  • Popped Collar Preppy Pop
  • Portable Tape Player, Belt Clip
  • Post-Disco Dance Floor, Boogie Bass
  • Post-Punk Bass, Collar Turned Up
  • Post-Punk Dance Party, Angular Moves
  • Post-Punk for Overcast Mornings
  • Powder Blue Eyeshadow Prom
  • power ballad at 2 a.m.

P, continued

  • Power Ballad Closing Ceremony
  • Power Ballad Karaoke Tears
  • Power Ballad Rain Scene
  • Power Ballads with Choir Finales
  • Power Chords and Perm Rods
  • Power Chords in Spandex
  • Power Rotation, Pull-Out Car Stereo
  • Power Trio, Mullet Optional
  • Power Walk in Shoulder Pads
  • Preps, Jocks and Synth Kids
  • pretending it's eighty-something
  • Prom Afterparty in a Wood-Paneled Basement
  • Prom Committee Votes for the Power Ballad

P, continued

  • Prom Date Was My Cousin's Friend
  • Prom Limo, Sunroof Up
  • prom night i made up
  • Prom Night, Eighty-Something
  • Prom Photo, Wicker Chair Pose
  • Prom Queen Campaign, Crimped Hair, Dance Beats
  • Prom Theme: A Night in Pastel
  • Psychobilly Quiff Hour
  • Puffy Sleeves and Pep Rallies
  • Puffy Sleeves, Last Dance
  • Puffy Stickers and Pop Hooks
  • Pump Class with Hair Metal
  • Punch Bowl and Power Ballads
  • Purple Funk, Gated Drums

Q: 4 names

  • Quarters Lined Up on the Cabinet
  • Quiet Storm for Rainy Windows
  • Quinceañera Court, Eighties Waltz
  • Quirky New Wave for Odd Kids

R: 46 names

  • Rabbit Ears and Other Antennas
  • Rabbit Ears, Fuzzy Picture Pop
  • Rad Party, Bring Your Own Scrunchie
  • Radar Detector Road Trip
  • Radio Dedications After Ten, Slow Jams Only
  • Radio Mix Show, Record Button Down
  • Rain on the Skylight, Sophisti-Pop Inside
  • Raincoat Pop for Gray Afternoons
  • Rap Tapes from the Flea Market
  • Rat Tail and a Skateboard
  • Rec Room Beanbag Rotation

R, continued

  • Rec Room Dance Party
  • Reception Dance Floor, Sax Solo Incoming
  • Record Store Cassette Wall
  • Record Store Clerk Recommends New Wave
  • Reggae on Vinyl, Eighties Import
  • Rental Counter Rewinder Hum
  • Rental Shoes and New Wave
  • Rental Tape, Rewind Fee Dodged
  • Rented Limo, Borrowed Cummerbund
  • Request Line Busy Signal
  • Request Line, Third Try
  • Retro Night at the Roller Rink

R, continued

  • Reunion Weekend, Class of Eighty-Something
  • Rewind Fee Fugitives
  • rewind to the good chorus
  • rewinding a tape i don't own
  • Rewinding at Every Red Light
  • Rewinding the Sad Part
  • Rhymes Over a Drum Machine
  • riding my bike like it's a montage
  • Rink DJ Booth Requests
  • Rink Lights Down, Slow Jam Up
  • Road Atlas and a Shoebox of Cassettes

R, continued

  • Rock Block Weekend, Eighties Edition
  • Rock Radio, Late Eighties
  • Roll Credits, Synths Swelling
  • Roller Disco Afterglow
  • Roller Disco Boogie Hangover
  • Roller Rink Birthday Table, DJ Takes Requests
  • Roller Rink Hokey Pokey, Then Back to Boogie
  • roller rink in my imagination
  • Roller Rink Snack Bar, Electro Through the Wall
  • Roller Skate Cardio on the Boardwalk
  • Roller Skate Laces, Double Knotted
  • Rope Chains and Drum Breaks

S: 125 names

  • Sad Songs with a Drum Machine
  • Sampler Stabs and Sax Breaks
  • Satellite Dish in the Backyard
  • Satin Baseball Jacket Jams
  • Saturday Detention Soundtrack
  • Saturday Detention, Radio Smuggled In
  • Saturday Morning Cartoons, Synth Theme Songs
  • Saved Up for a Game Cartridge
  • Sax Break Before the Last Chorus
  • Sax Solo at Sunset
  • Saxophone Guy Deserves a Raise
  • Saxophone on a Rooftop at Sunset
  • saxophone solo for no reason

S, continued

  • Scenic Overlook, Soft Rock Station
  • School Clothes Shopping, Stirrup Pants, Pop Radio
  • Science Fair Robot Montage
  • Scratch DJ Showcase, Electro Set
  • Scratch Practice on Mom's Turntable
  • Scratch Routine Rehearsal
  • Scratch-and-Sniff Singles
  • Scrunchie on the Gearshift
  • Scrunchie Supply Chain
  • Second Encore, Lighters and Laser Beams
  • Senior Quote Under a Perm
  • Sharp Suits, Sad Synths
  • Shimmering Guitars, Jangle and Chorus Pedal
  • Shoebox Tape Archive

S, continued

  • Shoulder Pads Wider Than the Door
  • shoulder pads, soft feelings
  • Shoulder-Carried Stereo Anthems
  • Side A Out, Side B Back
  • Side A, Track One, Volume at Nine
  • side b of my personality
  • Side B Slow Dances
  • Side Ponytail Cheer Routine
  • Side Ponytail Saturdays
  • Sing It Into a Hairbrush, Eighties Set
  • Sixty-Minute Tape, Tight Edit
  • Skate Punk, Eighties Backyard Ramp
  • Skate Rental Counter Crush
  • Skateboard Getaway, Teen Movie Chase

S, continued

  • Ski Trip Hot Tub, Synth-Pop Steam
  • Skinny Tie Synth-Pop
  • Slap Bass and Synth Brass
  • Sleepover Lip Sync Contest
  • Sleepover Tournament, Cartridge Themes Till Dawn
  • Slogan T-Shirt Singles
  • Slouch Socks Stair Climb
  • Slow Dance in a Borrowed Varsity Jacket
  • slow dance in an empty gym
  • Slow Dance in Puffy Sleeves
  • Slow Dance Under Paper Stars, Prom Edition
  • Slow Dance, Room for a Yardstick
  • Slow Jams from the Quiet Storm Hour
  • Slow Jams on the Clock Radio

S, continued

  • Slumber Party, Music Videos Past Midnight
  • Smoked Glass and Brass Lobby Pop
  • Smooth Sax, Shoulder Pads On
  • Snooze Button Synth-Pop
  • Snow Day, Cable Videos All Morning
  • Soap Opera Love Theme Saxophones
  • Soft Rock for Long Phone Calls
  • Soft Rock Love Themes, Perm Era
  • Soft Rock Station After Dark
  • Soft Synths for Sad Sweaters
  • Songs to Tease Your Bangs To
  • Sophisti-Pop Sunday
  • Spa Day in the Shoulder Pad Era
  • Space Cadet Arcade Training

S, continued

  • Spandex Budget, Stadium Dreams
  • Spandex Was a Mistake
  • Speed Metal for Paper Routes
  • Speed Metal Skate Session
  • Speed Skate to Hi-NRG, Rink Lights Low
  • Spiky Hair, Safety Pins, Eighties Edition
  • Spinning Rack of Tapes
  • Spinning Ride Hair Metal
  • Spirit Week, Neon Day
  • Spring Formal in Seafoam Green, Sax Ballads
  • Squiggle Pattern Synth-Pop
  • Station ID with a Laser Sound
  • Station Wagon Tailgate, Top Forty Countdown
  • Station Wagon to Grandma's, Dad's Soft Rock

S, continued

  • Station Wagon, Way Back Seat
  • Stationary Bike, Wood Paneling
  • Step Touch, Clap, Repeat
  • Sticky Tape Over the Punched Tab
  • Stirrup Pants and Oversized Sweaters
  • Stonewash Denim Riffs
  • Stonewash Everything
  • Street Soul, Twelve-Inch from the Import Bin
  • Stretch Class with a Drum Machine
  • Student Union Jukebox, College Rock Picks
  • Study Hall Headphones, Foam Orange
  • Study Montage Before Finals, Sax Kicks In
  • Subway Car Boombox Session
  • Summer Camp Bunk Tapes

S, continued

  • Summer Ended, Power Ballads Began
  • Summer Movie Season, Soundtrack on Cassette
  • summer of eighty-whatever
  • Sunday Chores, Dad's Hi-Fi
  • Sunday Countdown, Blank Cassette at the Ready
  • Sunday Night Countdown Under the Covers
  • Sunroof Open, Synth-Pop Loud
  • Sunscreen and Hi-NRG
  • Sunset Silhouette Power Ballads
  • Sunset Strip Flyer Wall
  • Sunset Strip Saturday
  • sunset the color of a tracksuit
  • Surf Shop Fluorescent Tees and Jangle Pop
  • Suspenders and a Power Lunch

S, continued

  • Sweat Drips, Drum Machine Hits
  • Sweat It Out in Pastel
  • Sweat-Proof Blue Eyeshadow
  • Sweatband Sprint Intervals
  • Sweethearts with Feathered Hair
  • Synth Bass After Dark
  • Synth Duos, Deadpan Faces
  • Synth Funk for Sunday Wash Day
  • Synth Movie Score Instrumentals
  • Synth Score for Riding Bikes at Dusk
  • Synth-Pop for Rainy Bus Stops
  • Synth-Punk Basement Show
  • Synths and Shoulder Pads
  • synths for staring at ceilings

T: 69 names

  • T-Tops and Mirrored Shades
  • T-Tops Off, Tape In
  • Tab Punched Out, Tape Protected
  • Taffeta and Teased Bangs
  • Taffeta Rustle Slow Songs
  • Tailgate Before the Arena Show
  • Tailgate Party, Hatchback Speakers
  • Talking Car Dashboard Pop
  • Tan Line from a Sweatband
  • Tape Ate My Homework
  • Tape Club Mail-Order Haul
  • Tape Deck Door Click
  • Tape Deck Eats the Highway

T, continued

  • Tape Hiss Nostalgia
  • tape hiss with my morning tea
  • taped it off the radio for you
  • Taped Over My Sister's Tape
  • Taped the Videos on the VCR
  • Tears on the Tape Case
  • Teased Bangs Picture Day
  • Teased to the Rafters
  • Teased, Sprayed and Ready to Rock
  • Teen Movie Cleanup Before Parents Return
  • Teen Movie House Party Scene
  • Teen Movie Opening Credits, Suburbia from Above
  • Teen Movie Prom Finale
  • Teen Movie Soundtrack, Eighties Cut

T, continued

  • Teen Pop Mall Tour
  • Tennis Club Headband Mix
  • The Ballad Side of the Cassette
  • The Decade of the Drum Machine
  • The Great Eighties Synth Solo
  • the mall is closed but the music stayed
  • This Week's Number One, Eighty-Something
  • Thrash Demo Collection
  • Thrash for the Half-Pipe
  • Thrash Tapes Traded by Mail
  • Three Initials on the High Score Screen
  • Three-Way Call Gossip Hour
  • Throwback Thursday, Eighties Only
  • Tokyo Night Drive, Eighties City Pop

T, continued

  • Too Much Sax, Never Enough
  • Top Forty on a Clock Radio
  • Top Forty Scorekeeping Notebook
  • Top of the Chart, Hair Band Edition
  • Torch Songs of the Tape Era
  • Totally Rad, Mildly Embarrassing
  • Totally Tubular Party Starters
  • Tour Bus Bunk, Hair Band on the Highway
  • Toy Store Aisle, My First Keyboard Demo Song
  • Tracksuit Stroll, Boombox Low
  • Tracksuit Tuesday Electro
  • Training Montage for a Dance Contest
  • Training Montage, Sweatband On
  • Transistor Radio at the Pool

T, continued

  • Trench Coat Weather, Post-Punk and Drizzle
  • Turntable Dust Cover Down
  • Turntable Tricks at the Rec Center
  • TV Dinner Tray Top Forty
  • Twelve Tapes for a Penny
  • Twelve-Inch Dance Mixes
  • Two for Tuesday, Eighties Style
  • Two Synths and a Haircut
  • Two Turntables in the Rec Center
  • Two-Handed Tapping Class
  • Two-Lane Highway Heartland Rock
  • Two-Tone Ska, Checkered Braces
  • Typewriter Term Paper Tunes
  • Typing Pool Top Forty

U: 8 names

  • Uncle's Air Guitar Greatest Hits
  • Under the Bleachers, Power Ballad on Low
  • Underdog Team Montage Mix
  • Underground Tape Swap
  • Unlabeled Cassette, Great Songs
  • Unlimited Hairspray Budget
  • Unnecessary Key Change Appreciation
  • Uprock on the Blacktop

V: 20 names

  • Varsity Jacket, Side Ponytail
  • VCR Still Blinking Twelve
  • VCR Timer Set for the Countdown
  • Vector Graphics Glow
  • VHS Shelf, Labels in Marker
  • vhs static and a soft heart
  • Video Jockey Favorites
  • Video Makes No Sense, Song Slaps
  • Video Premiere, Whole Family Watching
  • Video Rental Action Shelf

V, continued

  • Video Store Clerk's Staff Picks
  • Video Store Horror Aisle Dare
  • Video Store Membership Card
  • Video Store New Releases Wall
  • video store on a friday, forever
  • Video with a Storyline and a Dance Break
  • Videotape Workout, Tracking Adjusted
  • Vocoder Funk from the Future
  • Vocoder Love Notes
  • VU Meters in the Red

W: 22 names

  • Waiting by the Rotary Phone
  • Warehouse House, Drum Machine Till Sunrise
  • Warm-Up, Workout, Wind Down: Eighties
  • Waterbed Showroom Slow Jams
  • Weather, Traffic, Then New Wave
  • Wedding DJ's Eighties Block
  • Whammy Bar Dive Bombs
  • Wind Machine Did Most of the Work
  • Windbreaker Swish Walk
  • Windbreaker Weather Workout
  • Windmills and Backspins

W, continued

  • Windows Down, Arena Rock Up
  • Wine Bar Saxophones, Fern in Every Corner
  • Wine Cooler Wednesday
  • Winter Break at the Roller Rink, Post-Disco Hour
  • Winter Formal, Synths and Tinsel
  • Wood Panel Wagon, Windows Down
  • Wood Paneling and Shag Carpet
  • Wood-Paneled Wagon Sing-Along
  • Workout Tape, Living Room Carpet
  • World Premiere Video Night
  • Wrist Corsage and Lace Gloves

Y: 11 names

  • Yacht Rock Docking in the Eighties
  • Yard Work Arena Rock
  • Yearbook Deadline, New Wave in the Darkroom
  • Yearbook Photo, Laser Background
  • Yearbook Signed in Pink Marker
  • Yearbook Signing Tearjerkers
  • yearbook smiles, feathered bangs
  • Yearbook Superlatives: Best Hair
  • Yuppie Happy Hour
  • Yuppie Jog, Cassette Player on the Waistband
  • Yuppie Promotion Montage

Z: 2 names

  • Zebra Stripe Spandex Strut
  • Zebra Stripe Stage Pants