It’s December 12, 1986, and we’re turning the synths up, the collars high, and the volume way past ten. This week on Gen X 80s Top 20 Countdown UK, Europe crashes in at number one with “The Final Countdown,” but they’re not alone, Erasure, Bon Jovi, Swing Out Sister, and even a reissued Jackie Wilson hit are climbing the charts and blasting from every Walkman in town.

We’ve got all the usual goodies: 2 trivia breaks (including one about banana-scented fashion?!), a wildly nostalgic midpoint story, and the kind of track intros that’ll make you feel like you’re flipping through Smash Hits with a can of Tab in hand. And hey, our Bonus Vault drop this week is Episode 2 of the Top 100 Rock Tracks Turning 40, so don’t miss that either.

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🎧 New episodes every week. Regular. Bonus. Vault. All 80s. All heart.

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This week on the Gen X 80s Top 20 Countdown, we rewind to December 13, 1986, a week where funk met fire and pop went deep. Bruce Hornsby delivered truth with a piano, Wang Chung told us all to have fun, and Janet Jackson claimed her place in the spotlight with pure, undeniable control.

From synth to soul, slow burns to stadium shouts, this countdown has it all.

And don’t miss this week’s Bonus Vault drop: Episode 2 of the Top 100 Rock Tracks Turning 40 is out now!

Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook, Mastodon, and Bluesky @GenX80sCountdown. Want to support the show? Visit BuyMeACoffee and keep the retro magic spinning.

Intro music by Roman Orekhov from Pixabay

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We’re back inside the vault with Part 2 of the Top 100 Rock Songs Turning 40—a celebration of the grit, soul, and thunder that made 1985 unforgettable.

This countdown moves deeper into the heart of the rock ‘n’ roll storm. These tracks are louder, tougher, and more dialed-in. If you’re looking for the moment when the countdown really starts to heat up—this is it.

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This week on Gen X 80s Top 20 Countdown UK, we’re rewinding to the electric spring of May 14, 1982!

From the synth-pop shimmer of Yazoo and Depeche Mode to the stadium-sized anthems of Joan Jett and Paul McCartney, this chart is pure early 80s magic.

We’ll relive the hits that soundtracked bedrooms, football matches, first loves, and maybe even your first Walkman!

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Intro music by Roman Orekhov from Pixabay

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We’re cracking open the vault for the first episode in our Top 100 Rock Songs Turning 40 series—spotlighting the unforgettable sound of 1985.

Originally created for Patreon, this series now rolls out to the main feed, fully intact and fully electric. This episode kicks off the countdown with the opening 20 tracks—deep cuts, sleeper hits, and maybe a few you forgot you loved.

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Intro music by Vasileios Ziogas from Pixabay

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Smooth Criminals, soda jingles turned smash hits, holiday chart invasions, and bros with actual Bros, this week’s Gen X 80s Top 20 Countdown UK takes you back to December 2, 1988, where the charts were a swirling blend of groove, glitter, and glorious contradictions. From Robin Beck’s fizzy anthem to Pet Shop Boys’ orchestral pop existentialism, this episode covers it all, with the stories, trivia, and deep dives only we bring.

🎧 Plus, this week’s Bonus Drop from the Vault is a double feature: the Latin Top 20 from August 13, 1988, available in English and Spanish for the full cross-cultural blast of rhythm and romance.

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On this week’s Gen X 80s Top 20 Countdown, we time-travel back to December 3, 1988, a week when pop ballads met rock grit, and unexpected mashups topped the charts. From Poison’s tear-soaked anthem to George Michael’s smooth restraint, from Bon Jovi’s adrenaline to Duran Duran’s stylish defiance, this countdown has it all.

And we’re celebrating in style, because we’ve just opened the vault and dropped two bonus episodes: the Top 20 Latin Tracks from August 13, 1988, now available in both English and Spanish. Originally for Patreon, now they’re here for everyone.

📱 Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and Mastodon.

☕ Help support the show with a shoutout or a coffee at Buy Me a Coffee.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.