"It's 2016 [so] why are we still obsessed with the 80s?" Vulture writer, Jen Chaney asked four years ago. Today, that question is just as relevant, but this time the answer is much more clear.

The recent release of Dua Lipa's sophomore record, Future Nostalgia, is a reverent culmination of pop through the years, one that is littered with references to the '80s. From the brightly coloured disco on Love Again and the pulsing bassline on Don't Start Now to the modulating electronica of Physical, the '80s are front and centre but none more so than in her music videos.

It may be a little cliche to pair an '80s-inspired song with a workout video, but for Lipa who calls to a new generation of music fans it's just as fresh and exciting as when Kanye West, Eric Prydz or Madonna did it. The Let's Get Physical Work Out Video is an exuberant and camp homage to the '80s workout instructional video, complete with fuzzy VHS quality and high-cut leotards. 

To say that the '80s are back is superfluous, especially when you consider its influence never really went away. Big hair, spandex, synthesizers and bright pink hues all capture the decade but what has continued to stimulate a multitude of generations is the era's unique sonic expression.

Lipa isn't the only artist sharing her fondness for the synth-pop era. Currently, the Billboard Hot 100 is a veritable trip down memory lane with dreamy '80s offerings from Doja Cat, Harry Styles, Arizona Zervas and The Weeknd.

Blinding Lights has commanded the #1 position on the charts thanks to the success of The Weeknd's fourth studio album, After Hours. Reviewing the record for Variety, Jem Aswad praised the "ultra-cinematic keyboards, pulsating sub-bass, hard beats (which are seldom danceable), '80s synthesizer flourishes and caverns of echo, all of which contrast with his high, angelic voice".

The Canadian star's album is a feverish journey through the decade. Alone Again is brimming with electronic elements resembling the work of German band Kraftwerk while bright synthesizers and a saxophone crescendo on In Your Eyes call to the late George Michael. It's an unexpected pivot for the irreverent R&B singer, but an exciting one. 

Similarly, Harry Styles' 80s-inspired hit, Adore You, continues to dominate charts. The powdery pop jaunt is just another vehicle for nostalgia for the British star whose wistful admiration for the '70s, '80s and '90s has permeated not only his style but his entire discography.

Then there's Doja Cat's disco dance number, Say So, that found a captivated audience on TikTok before entering the top 10 of the Billboard 100. Sonically, it's a bit of a left turn from the American rapper who's best known her brash viral hits like Mooo! and Boss Bitch. Though, the music video serves as a shimmering accompaniment, with Doja dressed up as a silver disco ball complete with '70s-reminiscent hair. 

Frankly, this resurgence isn't one for the purists out there. Most artists carelessly mix up references to the '60s flower child with '70s bell-bottoms and '80s synthesizers, though what matters is the end product. Case in point is Arizona Zervas' viral hit, Roxanne. Its loose reimagination of The Police's 1978 hit by the same name is not lost on music fans. Sonically, the two songs are worlds apart, yet what ties the two together is a fixation on a girl called Roxanne. The Police bemoan their undying fascination with a sex worker, while Arizona's languid R&B hit bemoans an unattainable party girl who does it "all for the gram."

For Oliver Heldens - a Dutch DJ born in 1995 - '80s nostalgia is palpable in all of his music. Like many electronic producers, his fascination stems from the rich, round, and iridescent sounds produced by analog synthesizers that today live in drives on production programs like Ableton, Reason and Logic Pro. For his recent single with English producer Riton, Turn Me On, Heldens reworked the Yazoo synth sample and First Choice’s Doctor Love hook into the beat. 

Almost 40 years later, this decade continues to enchant fans who weren't even alive to experience it. So what is it about the '80s that is so inescapable after all this time? This is an era we once viewed as a tacky, fluorescent, hairspray-addled mess but over time the significance of the '80s has become crystal clear. It's a time untouched by the technological revolution, where legwarmers were accepted as everyday wear and blockbuster movies packed out cinemas. Whether it's nostalgia or escapism, the '80s is not going anywhere. 

And in the words of Oliver Heldens: "good music from the past will always be there in the future."