The 1980s have become this strange kind of “in-between” decade that feels pretty recent and pretty old at the same time. So let’s refresh our memory, shall we?

The subreddit r/80sAmazing is full of nostalgic pictures that illustrate why the era was so iconic. From bold fashion styles to futuristic car designs, innovative computer games, and beyond, these trends defined a whole generation.

If you’re a 90s kid or even younger, don’t worry — curiosity for how things used to look and feel is enough to appreciate this list, too!

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#1 Ted Talk

#2 Oh Yes, Those Were The Days

At the beginning of the decade, as the Cold War showed no signs of easing, arms control advocates argued for a “nuclear freeze” agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union.

In 1982, almost a million people rallied in New York City in support of the freeze. Many historians believe this was the largest mass demonstration in American history.

#3 The Real Pain!

#4 I Remember The Days Vividly

#5 Many Of Us Use To Do This. Remember?

As Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher spearheaded conservative politics and capitalism, the foundations of communism grew increasingly shaky.

In 1985, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev began to introduce the twin concepts of glasnost, or “openness,” and perestroika, or “restructuring,” to revive the struggling Soviet economy—but those efforts yielded few tangible results.

By the end of the decade, communism was in rapid retreat across Europe and Asia. The Berlin Wall, which had long divided the German city into an eastern, communist-controlled half and a western democratic half, was torn down by ecstatic crowds in 1989, and two years later, the Soviet Union collapsed.

#6 The Real Remote Control In The Very Early 80s

#7 We Never Lost The Phone

#8 It Was A Glorious Era Where Every “High-Tech” Clock Radio Featured A Red Digital Display Bright Enough To Be Seen From Low Earth Orbit

#9 Ouch!

In some ways, pop culture of the 1980s reflected the era’s political conservatism. For many, the embodiment of the decade was the young, urban professional, or “yuppie,” a baby boomer with a college education, a good-paying job, and relatively expensive taste.

Society would ridicule them for being self-centered and materialistic, and surveys of young urban professionals across the United States showed that they were, indeed, more concerned with making money and buying consumer goods than their parents and grandparents had been.

#10 Pizza Hut 1980s – It Was A Great Place

#11 Cutting Edge 80s Tech – Sony Walkman

#12 The Way It Was

#13 80s Chairs

Unlike the 1970s, when hard-hitting movies addressed controversial topics, lighthearted fare seemed to reign supreme in the 1980s. Films like Ghostbusters, Die Hard, and The Breakfast Club kept audiences enthralled and box office receipts high.

At the same time, mammoth franchises like Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, and Star Wars appealed to moviegoers of all ages, grossing hundreds of millions of dollars across the world.

However, not everything fell under the umbrella of superficial escapism: many now-famous directors released darker, more serious movies like David Lynch’s Blue Velvet and Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull.

#14 The Goonies 1985

#15 Back When It Was Possible

#16 What Is This Thing?

#17 The Way It Was

At home, millions watched family sitcoms like Family Ties and Married… with Children. By the end of the decade, broadcast networks realized they were in serious trouble, as 60 percent of American TV owners had cable.

Soon, companies like HBO, Cinemax, TBS, and Nickelodeon became household names.

As CNN started delivering news via satellite worldwide, MTV made its debut and completely changed the way people thought about music, dance, and fashion.

#18 Maybe Someday It Will

#19 A Cool Movie From My Childhood

#20 Got My Fingers On The Record And Play Buttons Waiting For That Song To Come On The Radio

#21 Judging By The Receipt, This Kid Had The Best Christmas Ever

Speaking of music, MTV made stars out of bands like Duran Duran, R.E.M., and Culture Club, and megastars out of Madonna, Prince, Whitney Houston, and Michael Jackson.

Hard rock acts such as Metallica and Guns N’ Roses captured the sense of malaise among young people, particularly young men. The 1980s also saw the growing popularity of electronic music, house music, reggae, new wave, and other dance-club favorites.

#22 42 Years Ago Today, Detention Was Served

#23 Ring Any Bells For Some?

#24 First Smart Watch

#25 April 8, 1989 – “The Look” By Roxette Became The #1 Song In America

IBM released the IBM Model 5150, the first IBM personal computer, in 1981. One year later, the Commodore 64 personal computer debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and TIME magazine named the computer as its “Man of the Year.”

Soon, scattered computer users began communicating with one another through an early network developed by the U.S. Department of Defense, ARPANET. In 1983, the network adopted TCP/IP, a set of communication protocols that led to the creation of the Internet, and the modern era of computer communications was born.