Flashback: June 15, 1987

Welcome, Fellow Time Travelers!

This week we’re rewinding to June 15, 1987—shoulder pads were bold, perms were big, and the Cold War was still the backdrop for everything.

That same week, President Reagan stood at the Brandenburg Gate and said what would become one of the most quoted lines of the decade: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” We didn’t know then how close we were to watching that wall actually fall.

Over in pop culture, the radio was bouncing between U2’s moody anthems and Whitney Houston’s demand for someone to dance with. Beverly Hills Cop II was killing it at the box office, and MTV was still showing music videos 24/7, imagine that.

If you remember what it felt like to tape songs off the radio, burn your legs on a vinyl car seat, or fight your sibling for the good controller on the NES, you’re in the right place.

Let’s jump in.

Mixtape Memory Lane is sponsored by 50 Ways to Keep Your Lover.

Mixtape Memory Lane 

The Sounds of Summer '87

Ah, 1987. Our mixtapes were a carefully curated symphony of pop anthems, hair band power ballads, rap classics, and the emerging sounds of alternative rock.

This week, we're pulling out those worn-out cassettes and revisiting the tracks that defined our summer. Here are 5 essential tracks from 1987 that capture the diverse soundscape of the year:

1. "With or Without You" - U2

U2 went full emotional with this slow burn from The Joshua Tree. Moody, stretched-out, and full of longing, it became the anthem for every late-night brooding session in 1987, and probably still works if you're driving alone today.

2. "Livin' on a Prayer" - Bon Jovi

Tommy and Gina carried the weight of every big-haired teenager in America. This wasn't just a rock song, it was a blue-collar rally cry you could scream from your bedroom or a stadium. Still undefeated at karaoke.

3. "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" - Whitney Houston

Whitney didn’t just ask to dance…she demanded it. Bright, bold, and impossible to sit still through, this track turned every living room into a dance floor and every mixtape into a party.

4. "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - R.E.M.

A caffeine-fueled lyrical landslide that somehow made paranoia sound like a party. It was weird, wordy, and absolutely magnetic, just like the college radio scene it came from.

5. "Paid in Full" - Eric B. & Rakim

This track didn’t just shift the sound of hip-hop—it rewired it. Rakim’s flow was miles ahead of its time, and Eric B.’s beat made minimalism feel massive. Quiet swagger, loud influence.

👆 Watch the full throwback video playlist on YouTube Music.

What was on your ultimate summer '87 mix tape? Share your picks with us on Facebook using #TheGenxEdit.

Screen Time Rewind 

From the Tube to the Big Screen in '87

Before streaming queues and autoplay countdowns, we waited for showtimes, and hoped the tape was rewound. Summer of ’87 gave us drama, dance moves, and a whole lot of attitude across both TV and film.

On the big screen, Dirty Dancing had us lifting, spinning, and lip-syncing every line of “Hungry Eyes.” Nobody put Baby in a corner and nobody left the theater without buying the soundtrack.

Fatal Attraction made date nights feel slightly riskier, while Lethal Weapon gave us a new blueprint for buddy cops (and a permanent place for “I’m too old for this…” in the GenX lexicon.

Daytime TV was no less intense. Days of Our Lives dominated the soap circuit, with Bo and Hope, Steve and Kayla, and Stefano DiMera scheming their way into living rooms across America.

Talk shows were shifting too. Sure, Oprah and Donahue were on top, but Sally Jessy Raphael, with her iconic red glasses, was starting to break new ground, bringing taboo topics and real people into the spotlight.

And in primetime, Family Ties delivered laughs and low-key life lessons. Alex P. Keaton, our favorite young Republican, kept clashing with his ex-hippie parents in a sitcom that somehow made both sides feel heard.

This Life Reboot is sponsored by La’Merde Designs apparel.

Life Reboot: Body 

Remember the days of leg warmers, high-cut leotards, and questionable perms? In 1987, fitness was a booming industry, and getting physical was all the rage. From Jane Fonda's workout videos to the rise of aerobics classes, GenXers were embracing new ways to stay active. It wasn't just about looking good; it was about feeling good, too, even if our workout gear might make us cringe today.

While the high-impact aerobics and questionable form of some 80s workouts might not be ideal for our joints today, the underlying desire for movement and well-being remains. Compare that to today's emphasis on mindful movement, personalized training, and a holistic approach to health. Practices like yoga, Pilates, and functional fitness, which focus on strength, flexibility, and injury prevention, offer a more sustainable and body-kind approach to staying active.

We've learned that true fitness isn't about pushing ourselves to extremes, but about finding sustainable practices that support our long term health and well-being. So, while we might not be rocking the neon spandex anymore, the spirit of getting physical lives on, albeit with a much more informed and gentle approach.

This Visual Feature is sponsored by Practical Advice from the Scriptures podcast.al Feature: From the Archives

We lived through the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of apartheid, and the collapse of the Soviet Union. This isn’t just nostalgia…we’re living history.

Life Reboot is sponsored by La’Merde Designs.

Mixtape Memory Lane is sponsored by 50 Ways to Keep Your Lover.

Visual Feature is sponsored by Practical Advice from the Scriptures.

That’s a wrap

Thanks for riding along through the trends, tracks, and TV that made 1987 what it was. If you enjoyed this edition, please consider subscribing and sharing The GenX Edit with a friend who still owns a Walkman or remembers what “Be Kind, Rewind” means.

Don't forget to share your own '87 memories with us on Facebook. Your stories are what make The GenX Edit truly special.

Until next time, “Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.”