Back when Don’t Stop Believin’ met Eye of the Tiger: an era of anthems
Back when Don’t Stop Believin’ met Eye of the Tiger: an era of anthems
Ahmed Kajee
Back when Don’t Stop Believin’ met Eye of the Tiger: an era of anthems
Step into 1982 and you’ll hear the world buzzing with synthesizers, guitar riffs, and that unmistakable new wave swagger. It was a year where pop culture, politics, and sport all came wrapped in drama and neon glow. And yes, the hair was as big as the sound.
It’s the featured year on this week’s HOT Classic Countdown with Steve Bishop, taking place every Sunday from 12 to 3pm on HOT 102.7FM.
On the music front, Michael Jackson moonwalked into history with Thriller, the album that would go on to change pop forever. But he wasn’t the only one setting the charts alight. Survivor gave us Eye of the Tiger, a song so powerful it could get even the laziest couch potato shadowboxing.
Meanwhile, Duran Duran whisked us away to exotic Sri Lanka in the dreamy video for Save a Prayer, and Patrice Rushen’s Forget Me Nots laid down the kind of groove that kept dancefloors alive deep into the night. Back home, Johnny Clegg was breaking musical barriers with Scatterlings of Africa, a song that carried the heartbeat of a changing South Africa.
Hollywood was in full blockbuster mode. Steven Spielberg’s E.T. made us all want to phone home, while Rocky III had us trading jabs alongside Sylvester Stallone and Mr. T. The future looked dazzling too, with Blade Runner and Tron blowing minds with visions of neon-lit dystopias and computer-generated magic.
And if that wasn’t enough, TV viewers met a new hero: David Hasselhoff and his wisecracking car KITT in Knight Rider — because nothing says “1982” quite like a talking car that solves crimes.
Sports fans had plenty to cheer about. Italy lifted the World Cup in Spain, Paolo Rossi turned into a national legend overnight, and Martina Navratilova proved unstoppable on Wimbledon’s grass courts. Over in the States, basketball fans were treated to the beginning of the great Celtics vs. Lakers rivalry that would define the decade.
Of course, the world wasn’t all fun and games. The Falklands War dominated headlines, the Cold War rumbled on with the death of Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, and in South Africa, resistance to apartheid was gaining new strength.
Did You Know?
1982 was the year the humble compact disc made its debut in Japan. With the Sony CDP-101, music suddenly went digital — giving us crystal-clear sound for classics like Toto’s Rosanna.
From Toni Basil’s Mickey cheerleader chants to Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’, 1982 wasn’t just a year. It was a vibe — and one that still has us singing along today.
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