Stuck in the '80s book cover
The official book from the long-running podcast

Stuck in the ’80s

20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade

For two decades, Steve Spears has talked with the musicians, actors, comedians, and pop-culture icons who helped define the 1980s. Now, the stories behind those conversations are collected in one nostalgic, funny, heartfelt trip back to the decade that refuses to fade.

What People Are Saying

“This book is as fun, heartfelt, and tubular as Steve’s legendary podcast. If you love the music, the memories, and the magic of the decade that changed everything, Stuck in the ’80s is, like, an absolute must.”
— Martha Quinn
Original MTV VJ and Radio Hall of Fame inductee
“Steve talks to the biggest stars of the ’80s on the podcast, and now with the book you’ll get a glimpse of what happens when the mic goes off.”
— Mark Goodman
Original MTV VJ
“In Steve’s interviews, he captures what we all experienced musically, in the most unforgettable cultural musical time period of our time.”
— Larry “The Duck” Dunn
First Wave/SiriusXM host

About the Book

Part memoir, part pop-culture history, and part backstage pass, Stuck in the ’80s looks back at the interviews, friendships, surprises, and surreal moments that came from building one of the longest-running nostalgia podcasts around.

From MTV legends and rock stars to movie icons and cult favorites, this is a celebration of the music, movies, television, and shared memories that made the ’80s unforgettable.

Steve Spears, author of Stuck in the '80s

About Steve Spears

Steve Spears is the creator and host of Stuck in the ’80s, a long-running pop-culture podcast that began in 2005 as an experimental work project at the Tampa Bay Times. What started as a way to explore nostalgia online turned into a 20-year journey through music, movies, television, and the memories that refuse to fade.

Over more than 760 episodes, Stuck in the ’80s has featured hundreds of interviews with artists and personalities who helped define the decade, including Steve Perry, Huey Lewis, Martha Quinn, Brian Johnson, Kenny Loggins, and many others.

Steve has spent his career as an editor and online producer, shaping stories rather than starring in them. Stuck in the ’80s has been recognized with 11 major industry awards, including top honors from the Online News Association, Editor & Publisher, and the Florida Society of News Editors.

Steve lives in Orlando with his wife, Melissa, and their dog, Benji. He still listens to ’80s music every day, hosts trivia events aboard the annual voyages of The 80s Cruise, and remains proudly, unapologetically nostalgic.

Latest Podcast Episodes

Hear the conversations that inspired the book.

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