Def Dave's 1984

16: Michael Jackson's Accident 03.06.2026 35min

On January 27th, Michael Jackson and all of his brothers were shooting a new commercial for Pepsi when it all went horribly wrong.The biggest pop star in the world had caught on fire and suffered 2nd degree burns to his scalp. Jackson Family expert and superfan Shawn Shackleford takes time away from the MJCast podcast to tell us all about how this happened, the impact it had on the world and if there were any lingering effects the King of Pop suffered in the years after.www.themjcast.comLinktr.ee/DefDave

15: John Lennon 27.05.2026 38min

On January 27th, we got a new album from perhaps the least likely former Beatle. More than three years after his tragic death, John Lennon and Yoko Ono give us the "Milk and Honey" album. Twelve tracks, split evenly between the two artists.If I'm talking Beatles, I have to bring in The Vinyl Professor himself, Chris Webre, to tell us all about it. Check Chris on Instagram: @a_vinyl_odyssey Linktr.ee/DefDave

14: Introducing the Macintosh! 20.05.2026 41min

On January 24th, Apple delivers the product that Ridley Scott advertised two days earlier. A historical day for Apple and for the personal computing industry, it is the day that the original Macintosh computer hits the market!I am thrilled to have the Macintosh Librarian herself, Kate Fox, on this episode to discuss how this product came to be, its impact and its legacy.www.youtube.com/macintoshlibrarianLinktr.ee/DefDave

13: Marvel Secret Wars 13.05.2026 45min

1984 was, among everything else, a big year for comics.And January 24th saw the beginning of one of the most influential and well-remembered events in comics history.On this day, Secret Wars #1 hit comic shops and publishing history would never quite be the same. This 12-issue limited series would take up the whole year and feature characters from across Marvel's entire library, written by the editor-in-chief of the line and introduce changes to many characters.But what if it was driven by marketing and licensing instead of any kind of creative push? Would it change what you thought of it? Joe Crowe of American Sci-Fi Classics and Spartan Wrestling joins me to discuss Secret Wars!https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanSciFiClassicsLinktr.ee/DefDave

12: Hulk Hogan 06.05.2026 42min

It's January 23rd and Vince McMahon has big plans for professional wrestling that will forever change the landscape of sports entertainment. The first step in his master plan is tonight's title change. Hulk Hogan, recently returned to WWF, pins the Iron Sheik and begins a long reign that will help usher wrestling into the mainstream and become a huge part of 1980s pop culture.Wrestling History expert DragonKing Karl Stern joins the show to discuss perhaps the most important figure in modern wrestling. Karl is the man behind the When It Was Cool podcast and the author of a series of pro wrestling history books.www.whenitwascool.comLinktr.ee/DefDave

11: Bon Jovi 29.04.2026 34min

On January 23rd, Bon Jovi's self-titled debut album hit record stores. How did this album come about? What hits, if any, came from it? What impact did this have on 1984?I welcome back once again Jason Colvin of the Surely You Can't Be Serious Podcast to help me figure out the origin story and freshman effort from one of the most iconic bands of the 1980s.https://www.thesurelypodcast.com/Linktr.ee/DefDave

10: Airwolf 22.04.2026 40min

Immediately following Super Bowl XVIII on January 22nd, CBS premiered a brand new series that would prove memorable to an entire generation of kids. Boasting both a high-tech helicopter and Ernest Borgnine, Airwolf hit all the key demos.To help me land this bird through all the high-octane action is Jarrod Alberich, a.k.a. The Yardsale Artist, of The Longbox Crusade Podcast.https://www.youtube.com/@longboxcrusadeLinktr.ee/DefDave

09: Ridley Scott's 1984 15.04.2026 26min

Master film director Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner) delivered what many consider the greatest television commercial of all time and forever changed the game of Super Bowl advertising.On January 22, during Super Bowl XVIII, his George Orwell-inspired sixty second ad teased a product that wasn't available yet, but would itself be a gamechanger in the personal computing industry.Jeff Johnson of the A Film By... Podcast makes his first return to the show to help me talk about it.A Film By... Podcast:https://www.afilmbypodcast.com/Def Dave's 1984 and all my other links:Linktr.ee/DefDave

08: Super Bowl XVIII 08.04.2026 44min

January 22, 1984 was Super Bowl Sunday! The league's #1 seed and defending champion Washington Redskins ran into a very strong Los Angeles Raiders team.Did you watch this game? Do you remember who won?This game featured Joe Theisman, John Riggins, Art Monk, Jim Plunkett, Howie Long, Lyle Alzado and MVP Marcus Allen.Both Jason Colvin and Jim Butler make their returns to the show to help me reflect not only on Super Bowl XVIII but Super Bowls in general and how much the NFL meant to us as youngsters in 1984.Surely You Can't Be Serious Podcast:https://www.thesurelypodcast.com/Children of the 80s:https://open.spotify.com/show/4Oj8YAEgWuxixNOfMV7qOhDef Dave's 1984 YouTube and all my other links:Linktr.ee/DefDave

07: Judas Priest 01.04.2026 42min

January 20, 1984 may have seen the release of "Defenders of the Faith" (sources vary), Judas Priest's follow-up effort to their "Screaming For Vengeance" album.To help me talk about it is old friend, veteran podcaster and Judas Priest fan, Van Allen Plexico, whose introduction to the band was this album.Van:plexico.netDef Dave's 1984 YouTube and all my other links:Linktr.ee/DefDave

06: The Vatican 25.03.2026 36min

On January 10, 1984, news headlines announced a change in US foreign policy that broke a status quo that had been in place for over 100 year.President Ronald Reagan officially established full diplomatic ties with The Vatican for the very first time. And when we went digging for the reasons behind it, we discovered a wild tale that tied together everything from Indian curses and Confederate conspiracies to Muammar Gaddafi. Dee Graves, co-host of The Surely You Can't Be Serious Podcast, joins the show to guide me through the mind-blowing story behind the headlines.SYCBS:https://www.thesurelypodcast.com/Def Dave's 1984 YouTube and all my other links:Linktr.ee/DefDave

05: Van Halen 18.03.2026 41min

I start off with a mistake, saying January 7th, but it was January 9, 1984 that Van Halen gave us the album with the perfect name! They took over MTV and dominated the year with multiple classic hits from "1984", their most commercially successful album. But a divisive one that split the band.To help me talk about it is Mike Munzen, a.k.a. Wolfman Mike, from the excellent 70svs80s Podcast.70svs80s:https://linktr.ee/70svs80sDef Dave's 1984 and all my other links:Linktr.ee/DefDave

04: Night Court 11.03.2026 36min

January 4, 1984 was also the series premiere of one of the most iconic sitcoms of the decade. Night Court debuted here as a midseason replacement and would enjoy a long run in the timeslot following Cheers.To help me talk about it is Jim Butler, co-host of The Children of the 80s Podcast.Children of the 80s: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Oj8YAEgWuxixNOfMV7qOhDef Dave's 1984 YouTube and all my other links:Linktr.ee/DefDave

03: Swamp Thing 04.03.2026 44min

January 4th, 1984 was the day Swamp Thing #20 from DC Comics hit newsstands. This issue is significant because it was the first one to be written by Alan Moore.Moore would soon emerge as one of the greatest writers to ever work in comics and his work on Swamp Thing proved massively influential, reshaping the comics publishing landscape for decades.Special Guest James Buckley is deeply "rooted" in Swamp Thing lore and shares all his knowledge of The Green with us.Def Dave's 1984 YouTube and all my links:Linktr.ee/DefDave

02: College Bowl Games 25.02.2026 42min

We kick off the year the way every year should start: with a bunch of college football!Remember when January 1st meant something? All the major bowls were played on the same day, then we waited to find out who the pollsters chose for the champion. In 1984, the games were actually played on the 2nd. It was the day #5 Miami beat #1 Nebraska and jumped all the way to the top.To help me talk about it are the hosts of the AU Wishbone podcast and YouTube channel, Van Allen Plexico and John Ringer, two guys who remember that day all too well.AU Wishbone YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@auwishbone301Def Dave's 1984 YouTube and more:Linktr.ee/DefDave

01: Series Premiere 20.02.2026 34min

It all starts here: the premiere episode of a comprehensive, chronological journey through what I believe to be the #BestYearEver in 1980s pop culture. On this weekly series, we will step through the calendar and explore every aspect of 1984. Movies, rock, pop, r&B, rap, prime time, SNL, cartoons, sports, tech, news, true crime, fiction, toys, comics and more! We will cover it all so subscribe today and join me for the ride.Special Guests: Jeff Johnson, producer of the "A Film By..." podcast ⁠https://www.afilmbypodcast.com/⁠Jason Colvin, co-host of the "Surely You Can't Be Serious" podcast ⁠https://www.thesurelypodcast.com/⁠My Links: including the YouTube page for this show, plus the "Apples & Oranges" podcast and all my socials:⁠Linktr.ee/DefDave

Promo 01.01.2026

Announcing a brand new video podcast coming your way in 2026! David Wright, co-host of the Beatles vs. Beach Boys podcast "Apples & Oranges", is starting a brand new show called "Def Dave's 1984".This will be a comprehensive, chronological journey through every aspect of the year. Not just every genre of music and movies, but a look at what was happening in television, comics, toys, true crime, sports, headlines, cartoons, politics, pre wrestling and more. All presented chronologically to give context on when so many memorable things happened in relation to one another. The year was just jam-packed.Known as Def Dave through his frequent guest appearances on multiple 1980s pop culture podcasts, he has repeatedly proclaimed 1984 as the Best Year Ever in pop culture history. With this new show, he makes his case. Video podcast on Spotify and YouTube.Linktr.ee/DefDave