The Liner Notes
Issue №12 · July 3, 2026 · from the archive
Special Issue · The Freestyle Fever Issue
The Liner Notes
Certified
Nostalgia
Artist Spotlight
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
contemporary R&B · 1985–1987
For Whoever Finds This Tape
- The Countdown · Top 10 Tracks That Ruled the Tape Deck
- Mixtape Map · Inside Freestyle Fever
- Needle Drop · “Seasons Change” by Exposé
- In Memoriam · Bonnie Tyler
Issue №12
July 3, 2026 · $3.33
From the DJ Booth
Dear Listener,
Side A, side B, all feelings. Let's make a tape.
We built the whole issue around Freestyle Fever: Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam headlines, plus the '80s deep cuts you forgot you memorized.
Pull up a beanbag, drop the needle, and add your version in the margins — every song's got a Memory Wall.
Don't touch that dial, — The G33Z3R DJ
This week’s issue: Freestyle Fever
Editor's LetterArtist Spotlight
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
contemporary R&B · 1985–1987
Picture yourself at a neon-lit dance floor, the air thick with anticipation as the unmistakable beats of Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam pulse through the speakers. Hailing from the vibrant streets of New York City, this iconic act blended contemporary R&B, pop, and freestyle music, carving out a unique sound that resonated with a generation. At the heart of the group is the magnetic Lisa Lisa, whose powerful vocals have delivered unforgettable hits like “All Cried Out,” “Head to Toe,” and “Lost In Emotion.” With a distinctive style that captured the essence of brown-eyed soul, this dynamic ensemble made waves under the banners of Columbia Records and Sony Music. Their music not only defined a moment but continues to evoke nostalgia, inviting us back to those electric nights of youthful exuberance and unbridled joy.
Artist Spotlight
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam · cont.
“Formed 1985”
The facts
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam in the crate
Needle Drop
Seasons Change
Exposé · 1987 · Pop
Blasting out of a car you couldn't afford yet.
staring out a backseat window as the streetlights blurred.
It's a time machine disguised as a pop song.
▸ Play it on
Tap ☆ to set your player — from then on it's one-tap play everywhere.
Needle Drop
Seasons Change
Exposé · 1987 · Pop
If you like this…
The Countdown
Top 10 Tracks That Ruled the Tape Deck
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
The Countdown
Top 10 Tracks That Ruled the Tape Deck · 6–10
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
Scene Report
Freestyle Fever
The Sound
A little of everything, taped off the radio with a finger on pause.
The Look
Whatever was clean — it was about the music, not the fit.
The Artists
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam · Exposé · Stevie B · Sweet Sensation · TKA · The Cover Girls
Scene Report
Freestyle Fever · The Records
Essential Tracks
Related rooms: The Mixtape · Arcade Legends · Movie Soundtracks
Scene ReportCassette Clash
Exposé vs. The Cover Girls
| ◀ | 🔥 Chart Hits | |
| ◀ | 📈 Highest Peak | |
| ◀ | 📅 Staying Power | |
| ◀ | 💿 Catalog Depth | |
| ◀ | 👑 #1 Singles |
Final Verdict
Exposé takes the round.
A photo finish — but the tape doesn't lie.
The Mixtape Map
Inside Freestyle Fever · 📼 1/2
A guided tour of the tape — cluster by cluster.
The Mixtape Map
Inside Freestyle Fever · 📼 2/2
A guided tour of the tape — cluster by cluster.
📼 Freestyle Ballads
The slow ones that broke your heart.
Time Capsule
Meanwhile, in 1985…
What was going on in the world while the music played.
Careless Whisper
George Michael
At the movies
- Back to the Future
- The Goonies
- The Breakfast Club
On TV
- The Golden Girls
- MacGyver
- Pee-wee's Playhouse
In the headlines
- Live Aid raises millions worldwide
- New Coke flops; Coca-Cola Classic returns
- Super Mario Bros. releases
Chart Flashback
1991 by the Numbers
The year-end Hot 100
Rewind to the 1991 Billboard Year-End Hot 100 — where “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” by Bryan Adams sat at #1, and Mariah Carey racked up 4 charting hits.
Gone But Not Forgotten
Burger Chef
1954–1996
The kids' meal before the Happy Meal.
From the Memory Wall
Dear Mixtape…
What these songs remind our listeners of — in their own words.
“almost a month since i buried you mum, i always promised you would go out to this. i hope u boogied ur way back home, where ur 17 and nothing bad has happened yet.”
“absolute banger”
From the Memory Wall
Dear Mixtape… · cont.
What these songs remind our listeners of — in their own words.
“getting rickrolled”
“Another song that makes me think of going to the pool when I was younger. Now it's one of my favorite songs and bands in adulthood!”
The Back Page
Misheard for 30 Years
“Wrapped up like a douche”
…is actually “Revved up like a deuce” — Manfred Mann — Blinded by the Light.
Classifieds
- FOR TRADE: Slap-bracelet collection for your Trapper Keeper. Serious inquiries only.
- SEEKING: The kid who borrowed my Super Nintendo in 1996. You know who you are.
- LOST: VHS tape jammed in the VCR. Reward: I'll stop hitting the VCR.
Next week: Slow Jams
That’s the issue.
A fresh edition of The Liner Notes drops every week, composed from the crate — the artists, the years, the charts, and the stories behind them.
The Liner Notes · Issue №12
FinSpecial Issue · The Freestyle Fever Issue
The Liner Notes
Certified
Nostalgia
Artist Spotlight
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
contemporary R&B · 1985–1987
For Whoever Finds This Tape
- The Countdown · Top 10 Tracks That Ruled the Tape Deck
- Mixtape Map · Inside Freestyle Fever
- Needle Drop · “Seasons Change” by Exposé
- In Memoriam · Bonnie Tyler
Issue №12
July 3, 2026 · $3.33
From the DJ Booth
Dear Listener,
Side A, side B, all feelings. Let's make a tape.
We built the whole issue around Freestyle Fever: Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam headlines, plus the '80s deep cuts you forgot you memorized.
Pull up a beanbag, drop the needle, and add your version in the margins — every song's got a Memory Wall.
Don't touch that dial, — The G33Z3R DJ
This week’s issue: Freestyle Fever
Editor's LetterArtist Spotlight
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
contemporary R&B · 1985–1987
Picture yourself at a neon-lit dance floor, the air thick with anticipation as the unmistakable beats of Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam pulse through the speakers. Hailing from the vibrant streets of New York City, this iconic act blended contemporary R&B, pop, and freestyle music, carving out a unique sound that resonated with a generation. At the heart of the group is the magnetic Lisa Lisa, whose powerful vocals have delivered unforgettable hits like “All Cried Out,” “Head to Toe,” and “Lost In Emotion.” With a distinctive style that captured the essence of brown-eyed soul, this dynamic ensemble made waves under the banners of Columbia Records and Sony Music. Their music not only defined a moment but continues to evoke nostalgia, inviting us back to those electric nights of youthful exuberance and unbridled joy.
“Formed 1985”
The facts
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam in the crate
Needle Drop
Seasons Change
Exposé · 1987 · Pop
Blasting out of a car you couldn't afford yet.
staring out a backseat window as the streetlights blurred.
It's a time machine disguised as a pop song.
▸ Play it on
Tap ☆ to set your player — from then on it's one-tap play everywhere.
If you like this…
The Countdown
Top 10 Tracks That Ruled the Tape Deck
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
Scene Report
Freestyle Fever
The Sound
A little of everything, taped off the radio with a finger on pause.
The Look
Whatever was clean — it was about the music, not the fit.
The Artists
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam · Exposé · Stevie B · Sweet Sensation · TKA · The Cover Girls
Essential Tracks
Related rooms: The Mixtape · Arcade Legends · Movie Soundtracks
Scene ReportCassette Clash
Exposé vs. The Cover Girls
| ◀ | 🔥 Chart Hits | |
| ◀ | 📈 Highest Peak | |
| ◀ | 📅 Staying Power | |
| ◀ | 💿 Catalog Depth | |
| ◀ | 👑 #1 Singles |
Final Verdict
Exposé takes the round.
A photo finish — but the tape doesn't lie.
The Mixtape Map
Inside Freestyle Fever
A guided tour of the tape — cluster by cluster.
📼 Roller Rink
Wheels on the floor, hands in the air.
📼 Freestyle Ballads
The slow ones that broke your heart.
Time Capsule
Meanwhile, in 1985…
What was going on in the world while the music played.
Careless Whisper
George Michael
At the movies
- Back to the Future
- The Goonies
- The Breakfast Club
On TV
- The Golden Girls
- MacGyver
- Pee-wee's Playhouse
In the headlines
- Live Aid raises millions worldwide
- New Coke flops; Coca-Cola Classic returns
- Super Mario Bros. releases
Chart Flashback
1991 by the Numbers
The year-end Hot 100
Rewind to the 1991 Billboard Year-End Hot 100 — where “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” by Bryan Adams sat at #1, and Mariah Carey racked up 4 charting hits.
The 1991 Top 10
Gone But Not Forgotten
Burger Chef
1954–1996
The kids' meal before the Happy Meal.
Read the full piece →p. 11“Opened · 1954”
The Details
From the Memory Wall
Dear Mixtape…
What these songs remind our listeners of — in their own words.
“almost a month since i buried you mum, i always promised you would go out to this. i hope u boogied ur way back home, where ur 17 and nothing bad has happened yet.”
“absolute banger”
“getting rickrolled”
“Another song that makes me think of going to the pool when I was younger. Now it's one of my favorite songs and bands in adulthood!”
The Back Page
Misheard for 30 Years
“Wrapped up like a douche”
…is actually “Revved up like a deuce” — Manfred Mann — Blinded by the Light.
Classifieds
- FOR TRADE: Slap-bracelet collection for your Trapper Keeper. Serious inquiries only.
- SEEKING: The kid who borrowed my Super Nintendo in 1996. You know who you are.
- LOST: VHS tape jammed in the VCR. Reward: I'll stop hitting the VCR.
Next week: Slow Jams
That’s the issue.
A fresh edition of The Liner Notes drops every week, composed from the crate — the artists, the years, the charts, and the stories behind them.
The Liner Notes · Issue №12
Fin