Retroverse Year

1986

Striped spandex and stack amps fill arenas while synth-pop keeps the radio glowing — the decade's loudest fashion statement meets its glossiest production. Hip-hop's storytellers sharpen their craft and Janet Jackson begins a run that will redefine R&B stardom. Every power ballad feels engineered to be sung from the back of a convertible. Every power ballad feels engineered to be sung from the back of a convertible at midnight.