Mixtapes and MTV

This is a new book. Condition: Brand New.

For better or worse, the 1980s shifted the dial on expectations of what pop and rock music should be. The decade was more than just mullets and shoulder pads; it was also the heyday of synth pop, and the golden eras of both heavy metal and hip-hop. The two biggest-selling albums of all time hail from the 1980s: Michael Jackson's Thriller and AC/DC's Back in Black.

The Sony Walkman shifted listening from a shared to a solo experience, while vinyl records gave way to cassettes and then CDs. The arrival of MTV was cataclysmic, turning music into something to watch, not just listen to. Against a climate of political conservatism and ostentatious materialism, the music industry embraced the notion of charity rock. Powerful female performers took centre stage, while indie, new age, world music and acid house each staked their territorial claims.

Witty, vividly written and brimming with stories, Mixtapes and MTV charts the musical highs and lows of a tumultuous decade, one which saw the influence of corporate greed, the rise of the AIDS crisis and the fall of the Berlin Wall. From Duran Duran to Run-D.M.C., Madonna to Metallica, Springsteen to Sinead O'Connor, this book offers new insights into a decade that changed music forever.

Book details and technical specifications

Format: Paperback / softback
ISBN13: 9781923192577
Published: September 2025

Number of pages: 368
Width: 153 mm
Height: 234 mm
Depth: not specified

Publisher: Monash University Publishing