S3E26: Madonna Region 6v11 (REO/Easton)

Today's matchup in the Madonna Region pits two distinctly different flavors of 80s excellence against each other. In the blue corner, we have REO Speedwagon's 6-seed "Can't Fight This Feeling," a soaring power ballad that epitomizes the decade's love affair with this schlocky drivel. Kevin Cronin's heartfelt (but nasal) confession about falling for a longtime friend spent three weeks at #1 and became the soundtrack to countless awkward slow dances.In the red corner stands Sheena Easton's "Strut" as the 11th seed - a fierce declaration of female independence that showcased the Scottish singer's bold transformation from sweet balladeer to pop-funk provocateur. "Strut" peaked at #7 and told men to keep their expectations to themselves! It took me all these years to realize the first two paragraphs are all a quote from the guy she is telling off. Still, “Take it slow like your daddy told you.” is one of the creepiest lines in music history.Aaaaanyway, both songs capture essential 80s DNA: REO embodies the decade's power ballad obsession, while Easton represents the era's synthesizer-driven emergence of strong female pop voices. Which one will YOU vote for? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit the80sest.substack.com