early 80s vs late 80s

The 1980s is a decade that both Baby Boomers (those born 1946-1964) and Gen Xers (those born from 1965-1980) remember well. For many, it was an era unmatched in vibe and pop culture that simply can't be recreated.

Within those 10 years, though, there are some blatant differences between what the early 1980s (1980-1985) and the late 1980s (1986-1990) were like, according to Boomers and Gen Xers. On Reddit, they discussed the most noticeable changes and shifts that occurred.

As one Boomer noted, "The early 80s was like a hangover from the 70s. The late 80s were the gateway to the 90s."

These are 12 of the biggest differences between the early '80s and the late '80s, according to those who lived it.

"The early 80s were still essentially the 70s! The late eighties are the era everyone thinks of when talking about that decade. Neon and big hair and AquaNet for all. Also, we moved from Reagan to Bush, but that wasn't much of a political change. The nineties didn't really start until Bill Clinton was elected." - No_Gold3131

"The main difference IMO was the rise of technology. The early 80s was still analogue and about playing outside doing physical stuff. The late 80s was more digital with CDs, computers, better ways of communicating. But it meant unfortunately it was the start of the sedentary life style with people staying in more and doing less outside. Music, evolved during that time to the peak in 85 and then down hill again with the rise of SAW (Stock, Aitken and Waterman) and too many cover songs. TV got better and better, same with films. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. :)" - PhoenixDusk101

"The early 80s were still the 70s (cold war/disco and punk/wired landlines and infant cable/active industry) and the late 80s were the proto-90s (post-communism/hip-hop and metal/home computers and wide-spread cable/rust belts). No decade is all one thing from XXX1–XXX0; every one overlaps. That's why 'Generation this-or-that' is BS like astrology. Superficial similarities and too many variables." - JustGoodSense

"At the start of the decade, women's hair might be smooth or else fluffy and layered (the Princess Di cut was popular), but late '80s 'mall bangs' didn't yet exist. The preppy look was huge at the start of the '80s. It was mostly gone by the end of the decade. REO Speedwagon on the radio at the start of the decade. Hair metal had beaten them out by the end. Interest rates were obscene at the start of the decade, but were better by the end. The decade started with a severe recession. There was a significant worldwide stock market crash in '87, too. But on the whole, the economy was doing better by the end of the decade. This obviously excludes certain regions and professions, and for those who knew where to look, there were troubling signs for the future." - nakedonmygoat

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"To me, early 1980s is the rise of MTV and music videos, fueled by new groups who wrote tuneful, fantastically produced songs revitalizing the music scene. The late 1980s, the scene had matured, new groups did not seem to have as much impact, we entered a period of musical maintenance as opposed to innovation. Music began to get blander, the occasional Love Shack arriving notwithstanding. I cancelled my subscription to Rolling Stone in the late 1980s as one result." - Brackens_World

"Fashions only got more flamboyant in certain subcultures later in the 80s. Glam rock became a thing but before that in the early 80s the New Romantics, Goths, and New Wave people were sporting some pretty out-there fashion." - Jonestown_Juice

"Ok, whenever people talk about 'The 80's', it's always this very stereotypical thing of Duran Duran and leg warmers and stuff like that. Basically stuff that happened in the early and mid 80's. Those of us that lived through the whole 80's know that the late 80's were totally different. 1988 and 1989 were much more similar to early 90's years than the rest of the 80's." - IHadTacosYesterday

"Design elements like the neon color way, lasers, grids… all late 80s into 91-ish. Hair metal was late 80s. A lot of the iconic 80s sneaker culture I remember from my high school years (86-90)." - put_me_on_tv

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"I think the 80s were at its height ‘84 thru ‘88. That year period is when the 80s were most eighties! …it’s the height of power dressing, business, music, film, TV, general culture. When people think of stuff from the 80s I can guarantee that it’ll be in & from that 5 year period." - User Unknown

"The early eighties had too much hang over from the 70s, was mostly still economically depressed & without any cultural definition (aside sh*tty new wave music and punk, both of which were 70s creations really). Everything kicked in from ‘84 tho. 1989 was a real quick & abrupt end to the 80s. It was literally like the year killed the 80s dead." - larasek

"For me it started in 1981 because that is when I got my first boom box with dual cassettes and discovered new wave music. The new wave fashion scene peaked probably the next year 1982 around me and started fading by 1984 to the neon, hair bands, and should pass. The late 80s is when we all got our Cavaricci's and hip hop started to emerge and that was the people of the 'club scene' for me. After that got deep in into the live music alternative scene though the end of the 80s through the mid 90s. So to me there were several distinct periods." - PunkRockDude

"I was in high school in the early 80's (born in '67 and graduated in 1985.) I always shared a common culture with my older siblings who were in high school in the late 70's. The music and fashion carried over into the early 80's. I have little ability to relate with 90's teenagers and the new culture that emerged at that time, especially the music. That's why I have always had a hard time calling myself a Gen Xer. Most people I have talked to think of Gen X as a generation that were little kids in the 80's. Not so, as we all know. For the record, the first time I ever heard the word 'slacker' applied to a generation was in movies made in the 90's. I do recall, though that our '85 high school class was labeled, 'apathetic' by the principal - perhaps that was the beginning of the shift, lol." - fiercelittle1