A great activity for everyone

The 80s

The 80s
By Jon Zajac

### Intro

As someone who loves the ’80s, I’m always looking for ways to incorporate the iconic decade’s music, fashion, and pop culture into my events. One fun way to do this is by using 80s-themed “This or That” icebreaker questions. By asking questions related to the era’s movies, TV shows, music, and trends, you can create a sense of nostalgia and excitement among your guests and encourage them to share their memories and experiences.

How to incorporate The 80s themed This or That questions

To incorporate ’80s-themed “This or That” questions into your event, follow these steps:

  1. Prepare a list of questions beforehand that are related to the decade’s movies, TV shows, music, fashion, and trends. You can find inspiration by watching ’80s movies and TV shows, listening to ’80s music, or browsing online forums and fan sites.

  2. Print out the questions on cards or display them on a screen or a poster board. Encourage your guests to form small groups of 3-5 people and take turns asking each other the questions. You can also create a rotation system where each group moves on to the next question after a set amount of time (e.g., 2-3 minutes).

  3. Make sure everyone has a chance to answer each question and listen actively to their responses. Encourage follow-up questions, comments, and discussions that build on the initial answers. You can also share your own insights and opinions about the ’80s to keep the conversation flowing.

  4. After everyone has had a chance to answer all the questions, gather your guests in a larger group and ask them to share their favorite or most surprising answers. You can also use this opportunity to highlight any commonalities or connections that emerged during the activity.

  5. Consider using some of the insights or stories that came up during the ’80s-themed icebreaker as a springboard for further conversations and activities throughout the day. For example, you could organize a karaoke session with iconic ’80s songs or create a photo booth with props inspired by the decade’s fashion and style.

Ideas on different themes of questions

To keep your ’80s-themed icebreaker questions fresh and engaging, you can explore different themes and categories that are relevant to the decade. Here are some ideas:

  • Movies: Ask questions related to the iconic ’80s movies, actors, and directors (e.g., “What is your favorite John Hughes movie?” or “Who was your ’80s celebrity crush?”).

  • TV shows: Ask questions about the popular TV shows, characters, and storylines of the ’80s (e.g., “Which ’80s sitcom do you miss the most?” or “What is your favorite episode of The A-Team?”).

  • Music: Ask questions related to the iconic bands, artists, and genres of the ’80s (e.g., “What was your first concert in the ’80s?” or “Which ’80s music video do you remember most vividly?”).

  • Fashion: Ask questions that reference the decade’s style, trends, and icons (e.g., “What was your favorite fashion trend of the ’80s?” or “Who was your ’80s style icon?”).

  • Culture: Ask questions that tap into the social and political context of the ’80s (e.g., “What do you remember about the Cold War in the ’80s?” or “How did the rise of MTV change popular culture in the ’80s?”).

By incorporating these different themes of questions into your ’80s-themed icebreaker activity, you can keep your guests engaged and entertained while also fostering a sense of nostalgia and shared interest. So why not give it a try and see how it can enhance your next event!

My favorite The 80s themed This or That questions

  1. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off or Back to the Future?
  2. Rubik’s Cube or Etch A Sketch?
  3. Madonna or Cyndi Lauper?
  4. Boy George or George Michael?
  5. Top Gun or The Karate Kid?
  6. The Police or U2?
  7. Breakin’ or Beat Street?
  8. Michael Jackson or Madonna?
  9. The A-Team or Knight Rider?
  10. Pac-Man or Donkey Kong?
  11. E.T. or Gremlins?
  12. Miami Vice or Magnum P.I.?
  13. Back to the Future or The Karate Kid?
  14. Miami Vice or Knight Rider?
  15. The Cosby Show or Family Ties?
  16. The A-Team or MacGyver?
  17. Top Gun or Risky Business?
  18. Indiana Jones or Han Solo?
  19. Dynasty or Dallas?
  20. Glam rock or New Wave?
  21. Knight Rider or The A-Team?
  22. Cabbage Patch Kids or Teddy Ruxpin?
  23. Nintendo or Sega?
  24. Pac-Man or Tetris?
  25. The Police or The Clash?
  26. Flashdance or Footloose?
  27. Miami Vice or Magnum, P.I.?
  28. The Goonies or E.T.?
  29. Rubik’s Cube or Etch-a-Sketch?
  30. Dirty Dancing or Ghost?
  31. Thriller or Like a Virgin?
  32. Big hair or mullets?
  33. Atari or NES?
  34. Jelly shoes or Converse All-Stars?
  35. Rubik’s Cube or Simon?
  36. Scarface or The Godfather?
  37. Risky Business or Top Gun?
  38. Labyrinth or The NeverEnding Story?
  39. Jelly shoes or Converse sneakers?
  40. E.T. or Star Wars?
  41. Back to the Future or Ghostbusters?
  42. Top Gun or Ghostbusters?
  43. He-Man or Thundercats?
  44. Ghostbusters or Gremlins?
  45. Rainbow Brite or Cabbage Patch Kids?
  46. The Goonies or Stand by Me?
  47. Rainbow Brite or Strawberry Shortcake?
  48. Cyndi Lauper or Madonna?
  49. The Karate Kid or Rocky III?
  50. Top Gun or Dirty Dancing?
  51. Miami Vice or Magnum PI?
  52. Rocky or Rambo?
  53. John Hughes or Steven Spielberg?
  54. Rainbow Brite or My Little Pony?
  55. Bo Derek or Brooke Shields?
  56. Indiana Jones or Back to the Future?
  57. Nintendo or Atari?
  58. Molly Ringwald or Ally Sheedy?
  59. Big hair or Mullets?
  60. Lamborghini Countach or Ferrari Testarossa?
  61. Atari or Nintendo?
  62. Thundercats or Transformers?
  63. He-Man or She-Ra?
  64. New Wave or Heavy Metal?
  65. Bon Jovi or Guns N’ Roses?
  66. Olivia Newton-John or Whitney Houston?
  67. He-Man or Transformers?
  68. DeLorean or Ferrari?
  69. Prince or George Michael?
  70. Breakdancing or Aerobics?
  71. A-ha or Duran Duran?
  72. Breakfast Club or Ferris Bueller’s Day Off?
  73. Hair metal or New wave?
  74. The Smiths or The Cure?
  75. Breakfast Club or Sixteen Candles?
  76. Thriller or Beat It?
  77. New Kids on the Block or Boyz II Men?
  78. The Cure or The Smiths?
  79. Dirty Dancing or Footloose?
  80. Cassette tapes or vinyl records?
  81. Cabbage Patch Kids or Care Bears?
  82. Knight Rider or Airwolf?
  83. Cabbage Patch Kids or Garbage Pail Kids?

About the author

Jon Zajac

Jon Zajac

Founder & Chief Icebreaker

I started Icebreaker Spot because I truly believe that strong connections are the foundation of successful teams. I wanted to create a platform that would make it easy for people to find and share icebreakers and team building activities, empowering them to build trust, foster collaboration, and ultimately, achieve greatness together.