Totally 80s and 90s Recall

This week we are breaking down our absolute favorite ads from a decade where marketing wasn't just about selling a product—it was about embedding catchy jingles and unforgettable catchphrases directly into pop culture. From fast-food face-offs that asked the ultimate questions to hyperactive toy commercials that defined our childhood wishlists, we are looking back at the clever, quirky, and downright bizarre marketing m...

Dust off your pagers and grab a Surge soda! This week, Dave and Rob are hopping into the time machine and dialing the coordinates to June 9th, 1996. The box office was dominated by Mission: Impossible, the Macarena was slowly taking over the planet, and the Billboard Hot 100 was a wild mix of legendary hip-hop, R&B royalty, alt-rock, and powerhouse vocalists

What makes this specific ...

This week, Dave, Rob, and Kurt are strapping into the cockpit to tackle Tony Scott’s 1986 pop-culture juggernaut, Top Gun. Listeners can expect the trio to break down how this high-octane blend of aerial choreography, synthesizers, and pure machismo defined an era of Hollywood filmmaking. Dave will likely dive deep into the movie’s legendary soundtrack—debating whether "Danger Zone"...

This week, Rob and Dave are stepping into the musical time machine for the ultimate clash of titans. We are pitting the absolute best of the Billboard Hot 100 from 1984 against the heavy hitters of 1994. The guys break down the Year-End Top 5 for each era, look at the cultural shifts that defined music as a whole, and make the impossible final call: Which year actually reigned supreme?

To keep things fair, the gu...

Grab your frosted tips and your most questionable life choices, because this week Rob, Dave, and Kurt are stepping onto the roller coaster of madness that is Fear (1996)

Is it a gritty psychological thriller about a father protecting his daughter? Or is it an accidental comedic masterpiece where a future Oscar nominee carves "Nicole" into his chest and declares war on a German Shepherd? We’re leaning heavil...

We're revving up some 80s Horsepower! 

In this week's special nostalgia-packed episode, your favorite trio—Rob, Dave, and Kurt—are taking a deep dive into the most iconic, radical, and unforgettable vehicles that defined our childhoods. We aren't just talking about cars; we're covering everything with wheels (or hyperdrives!) that made us want to jump into the driver's seat and go on an adventure...

Strap in, gear up, and prepare for a bug hunt. This week, Rob and Dave are joined by Kurt to dive into James Cameron’s 1986 powerhouse, Aliens—the sequel that traded a haunted house in space for a full-scale intergalactic war.

The sequel cranked the volume to eleven, trading shadows for pulse rifles and introducing us to the most terrifying matriarch in cinema history. Whether you’r...

1996 Alt Rock Rewind: Is Grunge Dead?

Travel back to the peak of the 90s with Rob and Dave as they countdown the best Alternative songs of 1996. From the rise of Britpop and the explosion of Pop-Punk to the moody evolution of Post-Grunge, 1996 was a defining year for the airwaves.

In this episode, we’re breaking down the cultural shifts that happened when "Alternative" officially became the mainstream. Whether you were rockin...

Phil Collins vs. Genesis: Who truly ruled the 80s?

This week on Totally 80s and 90s Recall, Rob and Dave tackle the ultimate pop-rock showdown: Phil Collins versus his own band, Genesis. In an era where Phil seemed to be everywhere at once, we break down the friendly—and highly lucrative—rivalry that defined the 80s and early 90s.

We’re weighing massive solo hits like "In the Air Tonight" and "Sussudio" against th...

"I am a F.B.I. Agent!" This week, we’re paddling out into the 50-year storm to revisit the 1991 adrenaline-fueled masterpiece, Point Break. It’s a film that shouldn’t work on paper—a Zen-philosophical surfing heist movie—yet it somehow redefined the action genre. From the high-stakes "Ex-Presidents" bank robberies to Gary Busey’s unhinged energy, we’re breaki...

Forget "Footloose" and "Danger Zone"—Dave and Rob are digging into the 80s movie deep cuts you forgot you loved. This isn't your average Top 10; it’s a high-octane countdown of the best "non-mainstream" tracks to ever grace the silver screen.

In this episode, the guys bypass the obvious radio hits like "Ghostbusters" and "The Power of Love" to celebrate the under-the-radar anthems and moody synth mast...

Is 1983 the greatest year in music history, or does 1993 take the crown? In this episode, we dive deep into the sonic rivalry between the neon-soaked 80s New Wave and the raw, rebellious 90s Alternative era.

From the global takeover of Michael Jackson’s Thriller and the synth-pop hooks of The Police, to the distorted guitars of Nirvana and the West Coast grooves of Dr. Dre, we&rsqu...

Was Big Trouble in Little China the greatest cult classic of the 80s, or just a misunderstood martial arts masterpiece? In 1986, John Carpenter and Kurt Russell teamed up to create a genre-bending adventure that defied every box Hollywood tried to put it in. Join Rob, Kurt and Dave as they dive into the wild world of Jack Burton, the Lo Pan sorcery, and the neon-soaked underground of San Francisco&rs...

Was Metallica’s The Black Album the moment they traded their souls, or the moment they became legends? In 1991, four guys from San Francisco changed the course of rock history forever. Join Rob and Dave as they crack open the CD binder to dissect Metallica’s self-titled masterpiece and explore how the band transitioned from heavy metal underground dominance to a global 90s rock phenomenon...

From the Seattle rain to the L.A. sunshine, today we are counting down the 10 albums that defined the 90s. Rob and Dave crack open the CD binder to dive headfirst into the 90s music landscape, revealing our personal top-ranked albums of the decade.

(Listen to our breakdowns of these iconic records)

• 0:00 - Relax and Rewind: Welcome to 80s and 90s Recall

• 2:19 - The impossible mission: Crafting our definitive 90s album lis...

This week we're reviewing the 1991 Kevin Costner classic Robin Hood; Prince of Thieves. We'll travel back to 1194 to frantically help Costner look for his English accent. This high action darker take on Robin Hood was a global financial success earning over $390 million worldwide. Although Costner's hair and flaming arrow may have gotten you to the theater, it's Alan Rickman who steals the show as the Sheriff of Nottingham. Rickman...

Dust off the rhinestones and fire up the jukebox, because 1980s country was where neon lights met steel guitars. The decade kicked off with outlaw grit still echoing from the 70s, but soon the airwaves filled with the polished swagger of artists like George Strait and Reba McEntire, who balanced tradition with arena-sized confidence. Bands like Alabama turned country into a crossover powerhouse, stacking harmonies as tall as their ...

Dave, Rob, and Kurt are plugging in their guitars and cranking the volume to eleven as they drop the needle on 1992’s Wayne’s World, the movie that turned public access TV into a rock-and-roll religion. From the opening Bohemian Rhapsody headbang to the immortal cry of “Party on,” this episode dives straight into the movie’s glorious chaos. They’ll revisit the birth of Wayne and Garth as big-scre...

Valentine’s Day is usually a parade of roses and power ballads, but Dave and Rob are taking a scenic detour through the heartbreak aisle. The 80s had a special talent for turning breakups into epic events, complete with echoing drums, pleading vocals, and choruses that felt designed for late night staring contests with the ceiling. These songs did not whisper their sadness. They announced it with synthesizers, lighters held h...