11 January, 2026
Most of the time, while I work on content creation, whether it’s for my clients as part of a strategy engagement or as part of a management training design, I usually put on my headphones and listen to my Spotify 80s playlists. Music from the 80s makes up more than 50% of what I listen to, followed by the 90s at around 30%, while the 70s and 60s together account for the remaining 20%.
From a strategic perspective, consumer behavior in the 80s favored music shaped by electronic instruments introduced by leading Japanese companies such as Yamaha, Sony, Technics, and Roland.
If we look back at the 80s, we will notice that technological advancements, changing music tastes, the introduction of portable players like the Sony Walkman, TV programs such as Top of the Pops, record retailers like HMV and Virgin, and the rise of MTV and VH1 all played major roles in shaping the industry.
On the other hand, economically, the 80s was also a period of economic boom and reform in the UK and the US, the two countries that strongly influenced the global music industry.
From a strategic analysis perspective, the reason the 80s can be considered the best era for music can be summarized as follows:
- The advancements in electronic music technology.
- The improvements in recording equipment quality.
- The wider exposure of music through television and radio.
- The rise of portable music players.
- The economic boom influenced listeners’ growing spending behavior and played a critical role in shaping the music industry.
To conclude, I fully agree with Julianne Hough, whose view perfectly captures the essence of the era: “What I love about ’80s rock music is the amazing, fantastic melodies.”
