What Life Was Really Like in the 1980s, In Photos

As the world continues to wait for the invention of the time machine, you can still catch a glimpse of everyday life in the 1980s in the everlasting art form of photography.

Loudwire sister site Ultimate Classic Rock has been tapping the nostalgia vein with an ongoing series of photo collections exploring the everyday (and sometimes mundane) moments of daily life has taken us back to the colorful, “tied up with a bow” picture-perfect scenes of the 1950s and 1960s, before drifting into the more laid-back, slightly scruffy world of the 1970s.

Getting in on some of the action ourselves, we wanted to showcase daily life amid the storm of heavy metal and later, hair metal, that swept through the decade. Through the rise of Ozzy Osbourne and Iron Maiden, Judas Priest's commercial breakthrough after an inspiring '70s run, the birth of thrash and the pure excess paraded around through MTV music videos, these photos showcase a broader range of mainstream culture, trends and technology.

Life in the ’80s: Malls, Arcades, and the Soundtrack of Freedom

The Dodge Aries sedan was a peak 1980s family car. (Getty)

Driveways were still filled with boxy sedans and station wagons, not unlike the ’70s, but now they came with more gadgets, buttons, and futuristic “automatic everything.” Teens practically lived at the mall and spent free time under the tropical plants in the center court with an Orange Julius in hand.

No toy in the 1980s was more iconic than the Cabbage Patch Doll. (Getty)

The unmistakable bleeps and bloops of Pac-Man drifted from arcades, and even from our living rooms. And for the first time, the Sony Walkman broke us free from the family stereo, letting us carry our favorite songs everywhere and giving everyday life a personal soundtrack, no matter where we went. And let's not forget the Cabbage Patch Doll riots.

Family life remained much the same, though with more moms returning to the workplace, schedules got more complicated, and latchkey kids grew very familiar with frozen dinners.

Now, let's go back to the '80s together!

LOOK: 1980s Daily Life Captured in Photos

Step back into the everyday world of the 1980s — mall hangouts, boxy sedans, Walkmans, and family snapshots that capture life in all its perfectly ordinary charm. These photos celebrate the small moments, styles, and scenes that made the decade unforgettable.

Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz

We all know which bands dominated the '80s. But how about these 25 rock bands that should've been bigger?