Music from the 1980s was also a large influence on popular types of music in Australia today. It is important when understanding music trends, to understand the origins. Many musical trends which started off in the 1980s started styles which have continued to this day. For example, the 1980s signified a time where rock and electronic music started to gain popularity, as seen by the displays of electronic and rock instruments in the Powerhouse Museum. This is still quite common today, with rock music being one of the most popular genres, particularly in Australia’s youth.
Similarly, CDs and CD players were introduced in the 1980s, digitalising music in Australia. Currently, the device used to play music is the ‘iPod’, something largely influenced by the introduction of the CD. It can therefore be seen that many music trends of the present day had influences from the 1980s.
Entertainment from the 1980s was another social and cultural trend which impacted current entertainment trends. Many popular Australian television shows were a result of the Australian television industry growing in popularity in the 1980s, allowing high-rated shows such as ‘Neighbours’ and ‘Home and Away’ to be screened. These shows have had a direct influence on modern Australian television, retaining their popularity and continuously being screened.
The 80s were a time when VCRs were introduced, allowing people to view a variety of films and videos in their house. DVD players, the current introduction of technology, were inspired by the VCR. Along with the introduction of the VCR came other technological devices such video consoles and computers. The introduction of technological forms of entertainment such as the ‘Gameboy’ seen in the Powerhouse Museum, have revolutionised current entertainment, making consoles such as ‘Xbox’ increasingly popular. Other forms of entertainment, targeted at younger children, such as ‘Rubik’s Cubes’, ‘Trivial Pursuit’ and ‘Cabbage Patch Dolls’ have had an impact on younger types of amusement. For example, the introduction of Rubik’s Cubes has brought on increasing numbers of games that require brain involvement. Cabbage Patch Dolls have introduced a wide range of dolls to the Australian market such as ‘Barbie’ dolls. It is therefore evident that entertainment from the 1980s was significant in the way current entertainment trends have developed.
Sport trends from the 1980s were important in the shaping of the sport trends in the 00s. Sport became increasingly popular in the 1980s, largely due to the Brisbane Commonwealth Games. This event has influenced current views on international competitions such as the Olympic Games, in which Australia now takes an active participation. In 2000, Sydney was host to the Olympic Games, making it one of the largest sporting events in Australia history. The frenzy that this event created would not have been possible, if the interest in sporting events had not been raised in the Brisbane Commonwealth Games.
In the 1980s, as well as a rise in national spirit for sport, there was a vast increase in commercialism. Many companies started sponsoring sporting teams, placing millions of dollars into competition and greatly increasing the sense of competitiveness in various sports. This has been an influence on sporting competitions such as AFL and Rugby League and Union. Traditionally, these sports would have been played purely for recreation and fitness, however with the introduction of commercialism, these sports have been transformed into events for competition and fame. In this way, sporting trends from the 1980s have influenced the way sports are viewed and played at present.
It can therefore be concluded that it is necessary to understand Australia in the 1980s to understand Australia today. It is evident that many social and cultural trends from the 1980s such as sport, entertainment, music and fashion had a significant impact on shaping social and cultural trends today. Many of these current trends had their origins in the 1980s. It is important to understand the origins of these social and cultural features to understand them in the present and how and why they have been shaped this way.