The 80s Weekly - Issue 45

Loungefly x McDonald's Halloween Pail Bags, 'I Wanna Rock: The 80s Metal Dream' Docuseries, Summer of 1988 Facts, and a Pop Art Giveaway.

Jason Gross
August 13, 2023

The 80s Weekly is your source for the latest news, nostalgic headlines, and giveaways related to 1980s pop culture.

Editor’s Note: I’m a big fan of documentaries. The two topics I watch the most are sports and music. A new docuseries on Paramount+ that just got my attention this week is called I Wanna Rock: The 80’s Metal Dream. Looks like it’s 3 episodes and “follows five young dreamers chasing stardom in the cutthroat world of 80s metal. Some will succeed, some will fail, but each will make you see an entirely new side of the metal genre.” Episodes are available now.

News

Loungefly Teams with McDonald's for Halloween Bucket-Inspired Bags - Nerdist

Loungefly teams up with McDonald's for Halloween nostalgia in the form of bags inspired by the fast food chain's trick-or-treat buckets.

Duran Duran's Andy Taylor Announces Solo LP 'Man's a Wolf to Man' - Ultimate Classic Rock

Duran Duran's Andy Taylor will release 'Man's a Wolf to Man' in September 2023.

Reach the Stars with the Transformers Lunar Cruiser Optimus Prime - Bleeding Cool

The Leader of the Autobots has arrived from Hasbro with some new Transformers figures featuring new versions of the hero

Rediscovering the Fashion and Style of 1980s Pop Music Icons - Rediscover the 80s

Let's take a trip down memory lane and rediscover the iconic fashion statements of the 1980s pop music era.

Culture

88 Facts About the Summer of 1988 - Ultimate Classic Rock

A look back at the music, films, news, and pop culture that made the summer of 1988 a unique season in history.

The History of Star Wars' Ewoks - Nerdist

How did Ewoks help the Rebels beat the Empire and what happened to them after Return of the Jedi? Here's the complete history of Ewoks in Star Wars.

Bar Fight: When ‘Cheers’ Robots Took Over for the Actors - Mental Floss

Animatronic versions of bar patrons Norm and Cliff made two actors named George and John very unhappy.

Top 5 Interesting Facts About Whitney Houston - Vintage Everyday

Whitney Elizabeth Houston was an American singer and actress, born on the 9th of August 1963. She began her singing career was back in her l...

25 Supporting Characters From '80s Movies That Don't Get Enough Credit - Cinema Blend

Side characters are people too!

Score some ‘80s swag in the new RD80s Store on Amazon!

Giveaway Zone

The Giveaway for Issue 45 is something you can hang on your wall! An artist friend of mine has offered up a set of his retro pop art prints to one lucky winner! Brian of WackPacks.com has created some really fun 8 × 8 prints including ‘80s icons like Transformers, G.I. Joe, M.A.S.K. and Gremlins. You’ll also find prints of Mortal Kombat, Metal Gear Solid, Shogun Warriors, ‘80s cartoon villains and ‘80s cartoon female heroes. One lucky winner will choose their favorite Wack Pack of prints and I’ll ship them with frames. All set to display in your home!

Make sure you also take advantage of the 50% off sale going on now at WackPacks.com which includes all prints and posters.

REMINDER: Subscribers are not automatically entered in the weekly giveaway. You must click over and use the King Sumo widget to earn your entries. Contest open to US and Canada residents only. Please confirm your entries by clicking through the confirmation email you’ll receive. This helps me determine your entries are legit and not some spam bot.

Recommended Newsletters

Just Free Stuff - Freebies, contests, and deals sent daily to your inbox. Click Here to Subscribe
Clean Plates - Receive delicious recipes, shopping guides, and expert advice right in your inbox for free. Click Here to Subscribe
Prequel - The newsletter for parents who want their kids to succeed. Join 25k parents and get insights on how your children can get ahead in school and life. Click Here to Subscribe
The Stoa - Become more Stoic. Build resilience and virtue with ancient philosophy. Click Here to Subscribe
Early Bird Stock Market News - A 7:00 AM newsletter that covers stories that will impact the stock market each day. Powered by MarketBeat. Click Here to Subscribe

Go Premium

Show your support for The 80s Weekly by upgrading to a premium subscription. For just $1 a month (or $10 annually) you’ll receive an additional newsletter every Wednesday titled ‘Beyond the 80s Weekly’ featuring more retro pop culture and beyond the decade of the ‘80s. Premium subscribers also get an invite to The 80s Weekly Discord server to chat about all things retro pop culture.

If you’ve considered starting a newsletter, The 80s Weekly recommends beehiiv! Try beehiiv absolutely free with no credit card required.