The 80s have been called “the decade of decadence” as a strong economy fed materialism and consumerism. The mix of wealth with advances in music technology— synthetic instruments, MTV videos, cassettes, CDs, and boom boxes—fed a surge in musical development. Many new genres of music boomed at the same time including new wave, synth-pop, punk rock, hip-hop, heavy metal, dance music, and power ballads, while electric instruments introduced sounds never heard before. Join us as we listen to a mix of songs that defined the 80s and share memories together.

About the facilitator: David Cheney is an international economics writer, instructor, and trainer for international and educational institutions. He has held a variety of positions at the International Monetary Fund and has provided communications and writing support for a number of multilateral institutions including the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.