Hi Everyone!

As many of you know, for quite a while I have been putting a story into the works. In my story I have an adolescent who is in love with one pop icon and falling for a singer who is kind of modeled after Prince. (But he's taller and White) But the thing is. I  need a pop icon--singer, actor, etc-- for her to already beover the moon for before this Prince-like character takes over. Now I wanted to go with Michael Jackson, but that seemed WAY too obvious. And I've heard too many stories of MJ fans that switched to Prince in the 80s and vice versa.

So I was wondering who are some other teen heart throbs from the year 1983. All I could come up with was Rick Springfield, but was he even still big in 1983?

Please help!

Thank you!

Most of the ones I can name from 1983 were all the rage from the get go almost everywhere but the US, groups like Tears for Fears and New Edition.


There was Duran Duran.  1983 was right at the time when 'Hungry Like the Wolf' hit it big in North America.  They were on the covers of all the teen magazines and posters on teen girls walls.  Seemed like it was Simon LeBon that got most of the attention as like with many bands, it's usually the lead singer that all the girls swoon over ...

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w311/memoryboy/DuranDuran-Group300woutunsharp.jpg

For guys? Around this time period, if I recall.
Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe. Matthew Broderick
Girls: Heather Locklear, Blair ( Different strokes) Molly Ringwald (can't recall if she became popular in 1984 or late 1983), Charlene Tilton, Jennifer Beals.
Heck, anyone from the young rat pack...
And like Whitledog said, Duran Duran.

Hey Y'all!

Thanks for the info. In the pic of Duran Duran, which one is LeBon?

Hey Y'all!

Thanks for the info. In the pic of Duran Duran, which one is LeBon?

He's in the middle.

Wham (with George Michael) also hit it big around that year with "Wake Me Up Before You Go"...and " Freedom". George is the one on the left.. ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/nuroticfish/wham.jpg

Wham (with George Michael) also hit it big around that year with "Wake Me Up Before You Go"...and " Freedom". George is the one on the left.. ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/nuroticfish/wham.jpg


They unfortunately did not take off in North America until late 1984

Thanks for pointing out LeBon. And thanks for all the more info guys!



Wham (with George Michael) also hit it big around that year with "Wake Me Up Before You Go"...and " Freedom". George is the one on the left.. ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/nuroticfish/wham.jpg


I know which one is George. I could pick him out of a crowd faster than I could Where's Waldo. LOL.

Seemed like it was Simon LeBon that got most of the attention as like with many bands, it's usually the lead singer that all the girls swoon over ...

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w311/memoryboy/DuranDuran-Group300woutunsharp.jpg




Nick Rhodes!!!!!

Nick Rhodes!!!!!

I knew a girl in college who was nuts about John Taylor. His name was all I heard while we dated briefly.

Nick Rhodes!!!!!

He was always my favorite too, Karen  :)

He was always my favorite too, Karen  :)


My best friend and I divvied up the group.  She "got" Roger Taylor and Simon LeBon and I "got" Nick Rhodes and John Taylor.  Poor Andy didn't have anyone in our group.  :\'(

http://news.makemeheal.com/images/valerie-bertinelli4.jpg

My best friend and I divvied up the group.  She "got" Roger Taylor and Simon LeBon and I "got" Nick Rhodes and John Taylor.  Poor Andy didn't have anyone in our group.   :\'(

Aww, poor Andy indeed!  They were all pretty yummy, I'd say.

First name that came to my head when I first saw this thread was "Jennifer Beals".

Wham (with George Michael) also hit it big around that year with "Wake Me Up Before You Go"...and " Freedom". George is the one on the left.. ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/nuroticfish/wham.jpg
I am a straight guy but when I saw George Michael on "Oprah" in 2006 or 2007 maybe he looked better than he did in his early 80's days in my opinion.  I think George Michael looked good with the beard he had back in 2006 or 2007.

http://news.makemeheal.com/images/valerie-bertinelli4.jpg
Frank, who is that Sally Field in her younger years? It looks like her.

Frank, who is that Sally Field in her younger years? It looks like her.


Valerie Bertinelli

They unfortunately did not take off in North America until late 1984


To be fair, Britain did have 'em the previous year...so it sort of counts!

The other 'big thing' we had that year was Culture Club...sex symbols in a different sense, I suppose...

For guys? Around this time period, if I recall.
Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe. Matthew Broderick
Girls: Heather Locklear, Blair ( Different strokes) Molly Ringwald (can't recall if she became popular in 1984 or late 1983), Charlene Tilton, Jennifer Beals.
Heck, anyone from the young rat pack...
And like Whitledog said, Duran Duran.
Uh close, the character "blair" was on "Facts of Life" not "Different Strokes" but as you know the 2 series were kinda close because of Mrs. Garrett's character and Kim Fields character "Tootie" on both series.

Molly Ringwalds years of being a teen-star were 1984-1987 because I was just looking at her movie discography on "wikipedia".

What about Menudo?  They were like the New Kids on The Block, at that time period!

My best friend and I divvied up the group.  She "got" Roger Taylor and Simon LeBon and I "got" Nick Rhodes and John Taylor.  Poor Andy didn't have anyone in our group.  :\'(


  My girlfriend, back then, would've fought you over John Taylor.  He was hers, and no one else's... :P

 

   My girlfriend, back then, would've fought you over John Taylor.  He was hers, and no one else's... :P

   


It's funny (odd) that nobody else (of my friends) thought he was cute.  I guess I've always liked the bass (as in instruments) so naturally my fondness for those that played them would follow, I suppose.  A few years ago, when the original 5 band members reunited, my allegiance shamefully switched to Simon.  He was just much cuter now (either he aged more gracefully then John or spent more money on plastic surgery) or maybe he was just that much more charismatic now.  Surely my "schoolgirl crushes preferences" haven't changed THAT much.  lol 

I knew a girl in college who was nuts about John Taylor. His name was all I heard while we dated briefly.



  My girlfriend, back then, would've fought you over John Taylor.  He was hers, and no one else's... :P

 

Looks like we dated the same girl  :D

Looks like we dated the same girl  :D


Men who wear makeup...their attraction was a mystery to me!  :o

It's funny (odd) that nobody else (of my friends) thought he was cute.  I guess I've always liked the bass (as in instruments) so naturally my fondness for those that played them would follow, I suppose.  A few years ago, when the original 5 band members reunited, my allegiance shamefully switched to Simon.  He was just much cuter now (either he aged more gracefully then John or spent more money on plastic surgery) or maybe he was just that much more charismatic now.  Surely my "schoolgirl crushes preferences" haven't changed THAT much.  lol 


  I suppose back then JT had the boyishly-handsome-chiseled-good-looks, and girlfriend definitely did the chiseled looks thing.  I say that because her other two loves were Wang Chung and Morten Harket from A-ha.  But I never got jealous.  Nope...

  If I were a girl in the early part of the 'eighties ida went with Roger T., quite frankly...

Looks like we dated the same girl  :D


  That explains why she kept screaming "OH Frankie!" in the middle of the night... :P

   That explains why she kept screaming "OH Frankie!" in the middle of the night... :P


Sounds like 'Night Terrors' to me.... ;D

To answer Appolonia's question, Rick Springfield was popular in 1983.  "Affair of the Heart," "Human Touch," and "Souls" were Top 40 hits for him that year, and I believe he was still Dr. Noah Drake on "General Hospital."  However, he was considered kind of a tool.  I wouldn't use him in your story.

If you're looking for a teenage heart throb on the level of Prince, but taller and white, then Simon LeBon is your man!
8)

As I was constantly being jealous about all these guys who would solicit so much attention from my female high school classmates (and not even know it) I still remember the big faves the girls would go nuts about in 1983. You did not state whether that novel is set in the US or elsewhere. So take my opinion with a grain of salt, as I hail from Europe.


It was usually 50% Simon Le Bon and 50% John Taylor, if you were a Duranie
Paul Young ("Come Back And Stay") was a fave in 83/84
In Europe, Boy George was huge in 1983
Martin Gore and Dave Gahan from Depeche Mode
Limahl from Kajagoogoo (boy, was he all over the pin up posters in girls' bedrooms)
Sting was a fave that even boys would grudgingly agree about was "okay to like"
"New Edition" (Bobby Brown) were popular with girls, too

oh....and I neglected to put myelf forward as candidate.  ;)

Gee thanks guys. I really appreciate all the guys.

I love Limahl from Kajagoogoo. And hell, I just like saying "Kajagoogoo!"

@Maxsmart: Lebon is the equivalent of Prince? Did he molest microphone stands too? LMAO. Thanks man. But I think I might keep Rick. because he was the first person that sprang to my mind.

oh....and I neglected to put myelf forward as candidate.  ;)

By the way, the topic is Sex symbols, not Wax symbols from 1983. :D

By the way, the topic is Sex symbols, not Wax symbols from 1983. :D


Hah....wax was once ...ON FIRE!!!  8)  (or at least really hot)  ;)

Hah....wax was once ...ON FIRE!!!  8)  (or at least really hot)  ;)

No, people like to set wax on fire, they want it to burn and melt. ;)

As I was constantly being jealous about all these guys who would solicit so much attention from my female high school classmates (and not even know it) I still remember the big faves the girls would go nuts about in 1983. You did not state whether that novel is set in the US or elsewhere. So take my opinion with a grain of salt, as I hail from Europe.


It was usually 50% Simon Le Bon and 50% John Taylor, if you were a Duranie
Paul Young ("Come Back And Stay") was a fave in 83/84
In Europe, Boy George was huge in 1983
Martin Gore and Dave Gahan from Depeche Mode
Limahl from Kajagoogoo (boy, was he all over the pin up posters in girls' bedrooms)
Sting was a fave that even boys would grudgingly agree about was "okay to like"
"New Edition" (Bobby Brown) were popular with girls, too



Depeche Mode didn't break big in the U.S. until '84.  I do remember seeing the video for "Everything Counts" on MTV in 1983.  The band did tour that year, but they played smaller venues in college town.  They were still a college radio band over here then.  Funny thing was, the band piqued my interest in the summer of '84 and I remember buying the U.S. comp. "People are People" just after school started in September.  Then I saw the video for "Master and Servant" and immediately ran out and bought "Some Great Reward" which had just been released in the U.S.

It was kind of a slow build-up for DM and American girls.  They didn't get that sudden burst of adolescent female adulation that Duran Duran got.  DM's music was kind of quirky and weird for the U.S. market.  They were huge with fey goth girls who wore black lipstick (the term "goth" was not yet in the vernacular, but the look was there).  It wasn't really until the "Music for the Masses" and "101" era that mainstream girls caught on to Dave Gahan's raw sex appeal.  They fawned over Martin like they would later fawn over Elijah Wood 'cos "he's sooooo cute," but he wasn't "sexy" like Dave!
8)