Two lifelong Gen-X friends from a tiny Ohio community set out on a quest to find the totally 80s-est song ever recorded! Joe Wack and Keith Marsteller discuss 80s music, pop culture, celebrities, movies, music videos, and products through the lens of their rural upbringing. After arranging the songs into a bracket of 64, they then rely on audience votes to advance songs through the tournament, all in the service of finding "The 80s-est" song in all the land!
the80sest.substack.com (https://the80sest.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)
The final first-round game of the Raiders of the Lost Ark Region brings together two VERY different films, and my goodness, we talk about them for way too long.
In one corner: 1983’s Flashdance! It’s got the torn sweatshirt, the leg warmers, the water splash, and my god, the soundtrack! Jennifer Beals was just out there, shaping the fashion sense of a decade, and inspiring a billion crushes worldwide. No big deal.
In the other corner: Return of the Jedi, the 1983 film that concludes the original trilogy, and we didn’t know if we’d ever get more. One of the biggest films of the decade and of all time, and clearly extremely quotable…but how of the decade is it??
Which one is MORE 80s? Vote below!
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the80sest.substack.com (https://the80sest.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
5 Oct 2026
S4E33: Raiders Region 7v10:(Spla/pped)
This week, two one-word titles dominate the penultimate matchup of the first round!
In one corner: Zapped!, Robert Rosenthal’s 1982 teen sex comedy in which a high school science nerd develops telekinetic powers, and proceeds to creepily use them to remove the clothes from every girl in his vicinity. Peak cringe, but VERY 80s.
In the other corner: Splash, Ron Howard’s 1984 romantic fantasy in which Allen Bauer (Tom Hanks) falls in love with a mermaid (Daryl Hannah) who follows him to Manhattan, and is threatened by a government scientist. Sweeter, more heartwarming, and definitely 80s.
But which one will move on to round two? YOU decide!
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the80sest.substack.com (https://the80sest.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
28 Sept 2026
S4E32: Raiders Region 3v14: Outside/Making Sense
This week’s lineup of films has a couple of films that didn’t have much of a presence in the lives of our hosts, Keith & Joe. However, we brought in experts to help us out!
In one corner, we have 3-seed The Outsiders, a film that launched a dozen careers, but that is set in the early 60s.
In the other corner, we have a concert movie of an iconic 80s band: Stop Making Sense by Talking Heads. This is tough because concert films don’t follow the same rules of regular feature films. This film is widely considered to be the best concert film of the decade!
The other crazy part is the divide between Keith’s rankings and Joes! Keith has these films at 19 & 80 respectively, whereas Joe has them at 92 & 6 respectively. We clearly don’t agree, so help us by voting on which of these films is more 80s!
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the80sest.substack.com (https://the80sest.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 54 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
85
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
60
Contact The 80s-est
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about The 80s-est
Who hosts The 80s-est?
The hosts of "The 80s-est" and The hosts of "The 80s-est" podcast host the show. Published by Featuring Joe Wack & Keith Marsteller.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes daily, based on its RSS feed.
Does The 80s-est take guests?
The show does not typically feature guests, based on episode analyses.
Host of The 80s-est?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
