Barbie Rockers - The Rockers

Barbie and the Rockers (Barbie and the Rock Stars in Europe) was a line of dolls launched in 1986 by Mattel to compete with the popular line of Jem dolls from Hasbro and was present in the market for approximately 3 years. 

This line focused on the world of rock and roll and was inspired by the fashion and culture of the moment.

Barbie Rockers "The Rockers" is made up of several characters:

• Dee Dee: The group's vocalist. (African American)
• Kira: The guitarist.
• Raya: The bassist.
• Stacie: The drummer.
• Dana: The keyboard player. (Korean-American)
• Adriana: The group's manager.

The Rockers line included six dolls, each with her own style and personality. There was a doll named Dee Dee, who was the vocalist of the group; a doll named Kira, who played the guitar; and other dolls that played the bass, drums and keyboard. Each doll came with its own set of clothing and accessories inspired by 1980s rock and roll fashion. 

In addition to dolls, The Rockers line also included a wide variety of licensed products, such as clothing, shoes and accessories. There was also a television series called "Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World," which aired launched in 1987. The series followed the adventures of The Rockers dolls as they traveled through space and battled evil aliens. This was followed by The Rockers. a sequel called Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth. The line recovered in late 2017 as a Target exclusive.

The characters are:

• Barbie is the main protagonist of Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World and Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth. She is the lead singer of both titular bands. Barbie is a girl with light skin, blue eyes and long blonde hair. She has four eyelashes on each eye, dark eyeliner, periwinkle eyeshadow, and pink lipstick. In Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World, her first outfit consists of a white minidress, a hot pink jacket, light pink tights, and a black belt. She also has a wristband the same color as her waistband, white earrings, and a hot pink headband with a big bow in her wavy hair. In his second appearance, beginning when he finished As she tours, Barbie's hair is curlier and shorter. She wears a blue hat with a pink strap, a pink jacket, a blue skirt, pink leggings, and black high-heeled shoes. Her earrings start as a blue button and end with a pink diamond. Barbie's third outfit is a pink formal dress with a darker pink waistband, white gloves, white and pink earrings, and a tiara. The fourth gives her a light pink dress with a silver belt and a silver necklace, as well as like silver star earrings and a pink tiara. Her hair returns to its longer, wavier stage and is ready to go. up in a ponytail. Her latest outfit includes a long-sleeved pink dress and a white star. Her earrings look similar to the first ones, but they are pink with black studs. In Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth, Barbie has a new outfit. She wears a white shirt, a pink jacket with light pink sleeves and a gold musical note, a pink skirt, a yellow belt, white socks, and blue shoes. She also has blue musical note earrings and her hair is up. collected in a high ponytail.
• Derek is a character from Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World and also from Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth. He is a member of Barbie's band and plays the guitar. He is good friends with Barbie, Ken, Dana, Diva and Dee Dee. Derek has brown hair, light skin and blue eyes.
• Diva, or Bopsy/Becky in the Sensations line (America and Europe respectively) is a character from Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World and Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin 'Back to Earth. Diva has light skin, blue eyes and orange hair, she is Scottish-Irish-American. In Barbie and the Rockers: Out of This World, Diva's first outfit is a yellow blouse with a red collar, a red skirt with an olive green waistband, yellow tights, and red high-heeled shoes. Her earrings start as yellow studs and end with red triangles. She also had a red bow in her curly hair. Diva's second outfit consists of a red minidress with a blue collar and belt, blue tights, pink boots, and blue earrings with red ovals hanging from them. Diva gets a new outfit in Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth. She wears an orange tank top, a blue sweatshirt with winkle sleeves and a yellow musical note, yellow pants, and blue sneakers. She also has musical note earrings similar to Barbie's and her hair is dyed. tied in pigtails. She supports Barbie.
• Megan is a character from Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth. She meets Barbie and the band in 1989 when her mother, Kim, takes her to a concert. Megan has light skin, brown hair in pigtails, and blue eyes.
• Kim is a character from Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth. She is the daughter of Dr. Merrishaw and is a girl growing up in 1959. She meets Barbie and the gang when she sees their space shuttle land. Kim was upset when Barbie and her friends had to leave and continued. being a fan for several years; took her daughter Megan to see the Barbie concert in 1989. Kim has a light skin complexion and brown eyes. She also has long brown hair, tied in a high ponytail with a lavender bun. She wears a lavender shirt, blue jeans, a brown belt, white socks and black shoes. 
• Dr. Merrishawis a character from Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth. He and her daughter Kim meet Barbie and her friends when she and the Rockers accidentally travel back in time to 1959.
• Dana, or Becky/Bibi in the Sensations line of dolls (America and Europe respectively), is a character from Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World and Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth. Dana is a Korean girl with light skin, brown eyes, and long black hair. In Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World, for her first outfit, she wears a yellow blouse under a pink sweater with blue flowers, a red skirt, light pink leggings, pink shoes, and a yellow bow. in the hair. Her earrings start as yellow studs and end with green triangles. Her second outfit consists of a purple minidress with a gold collar and belt, yellow leggings, purple boots, and yellow earrings. She also has a purple bow that pulls her hair into a high ponytail. In Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth, she wears a white shirt with light pink sleeves and red cuffs, a vest hot pink, a light green skirt, black shoes, and green music note earrings. Her hair is curly. Her main doll outfit is a red top under a white jacket with red, blue, and yellow diamonds, a purple belt, blue jeans, and orange heels with a yellow bow in her hair. Her Real Dancing Action outfit is quite similar to the others, with a turquoise top with the band's logo and the same polka dots as the others, and a silver jumpsuit. Her "Becky" outfit is identical to that of Dee Dee, Diva and Barbie, with the only difference being that her dress is green and her jacket is purple. She supports Barbie.
• Dee Dee (Belinda in the Sensations line) is a character from Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World and Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth. Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this world; Barbie and the Rockers was a rock band considered "the biggest and hottest sensation in the history of rock." At the World Music Awards, they won all the awards. His new album became It turned into mega gold in a week and then became in triple platinum. After he finished their sold-out, world-beating world tour. records, Dee Dee and the other bandmates went to Clouds in the Sky for lunch. During the meal, Dee Dee felt uneasy. Melancholic and sad because the tour was over. The other members of the band also felt depressed, but Barbie comforted them. and she told them that everything will be fine. The next day, Barbie was invited to a ball in honor of her as the first ambassador of world peace. Dee Dee, Diva and Dana helped Barbie get ready. At the dance, Barbie announced that Barbie and the Rockers would do a concert in outer space dedicated to world peace. Dee Dee and the other bandmates were surprised by Barbie's plan, but they all agreed. They quickly prepared everything and soon boarded their space shuttle and launched into space. Greeted by a small but enthusiastic audience, Dee Dee and the girls were shown Starlight's dressing room. Dee Dee changed He dressed in his performance attire with her friends, and then used an elevator to see an area where they could look at the stage. Dee Dee described deliciously described the setting as "incredible." They took the stage and performed their song "Everybody Rock" live in space with the concert broadcast around the world. "Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth" On the way home from their outer space concert, Barbie and the Rockers played "Rockin' Back" on their space shuttle. The position of the planets and the musical chords they played caused a time warp and sent them into the dark. back in time. When they returned to Earth, Dee Dee and the group met Kim and her father. Kim tells them that the date is September 25, 1959, which surprises them because they are from 1987. Kim's father tells the band to make the most of their time there, so that he asks Kim to show them around. Kim took He takes Dee Dee and the other bandmates to a clothing store called Fashion 59, where they buy new clothes. Then, they went to a hair salon, where Dee Dee did her hair. When they were done with their '50s makeovers, Dee Dee and the gang rented a pink car. Dee Dee and the others told Kim that they were her new friends. Dee Dee and her friends went to a malt shop and performed a version of "Do You Wanna Dance?" by Bobby Freeman. for customers They had a positive reaction and also performed "Here Comes My Baby" by Cat Stevens. This triggers a huge following and fame around the world, just as they did in their own time. The president requested Barbie and the Rockers decided to play at the opening of a new wing at the Cape Canaveral Space Center, so Barbie called it "The Rockers." a "Rock to the Stars" concert. Kim's father explained to him He told Barbie that, during the concert, the planets would be in the same position as when they went back in time. They had to play the same chords to return to their own time and, after doing so, they managed to return in time for their "Welcome Home" concert in the 80s. Dee Dee is an African-American girl with brown eyes and brown hair (black on the wrists). Her first outfit in Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World consists of a pink shirt, a white jacket, a black skirt, and a pink bow in her hair. She also has earrings that start as yellow studs and end with pink triangles. Her second outfit is a green minidress with a white collar and belt, white leggings, and green boots. Her earrings are white studs each with two green triangles. In Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth, she wears a yellow tank top, a light green jacket with lighter green sleeves, an orange skirt, and black shoes. She also wears yellow musical note earrings and her hair is up. tied in a high ponytail. The first doll wears a yellow top with orange shapes, a black top underneath, rainbow-colored leopard print tights with orange heels, and an orange bow in her hair with orange earrings. Her Real Dancing Action doll wears an orange blouse with silver polka dots and the Rockers (or Rock Stars in Europe) logo, a blue blouse with the same polka dots, and orange tights. In the cartoon, she mainly wears a pink outfit under a white leather jacket. In Sensations, she wears her "Belinda" outfit, which is a 1950s orange dress with a green jacket and black sneakers. Like Dana and Diva, Dee Dee is not shown to have much individual personality, and everyone is kind and supportive of Barbie.

Beginning in 1987, select episodes were released in the United States on NTSC VHS tapes from Hi-Tops Video by Hi-Tops Video's Hi-Tops Video Mini Features line. Beginning in 1987, 1989, 1992 and 1994, selected episodes were released in the United Kingdom on 30-minute PAL VHS tapes by Channel 5, Mia Video, rated U for "Universal" and deemed suitable for all ages. The series was distributed by Saban Productions, owned by Mattel, the makers of the "Barbie" dolls. As a result, Mattel must give its approval before any future home video release of the series is available. available.

In the United Kingdom, the series was released on VHS by Channel 5 and Mia Video in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992 and 1994.

VHS releases in the United Kingdom (UK)

• Title: Barbie and the Rock stars: Out of this World.
  • Studio: Channel 5
  • Date: 1987
  • Episode: Out of this World.
• Title: Barbie: Rockin' Back to Earth
  • Studio: Channel 5
  • Date: 1988
  • Episode: Rockin' Back to Earth
• Title: Barbie and the sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth
  • Studio: Mia Video
  • Date: 1989
  • Episode: Rockin' Back to Earth, Out of this world
• Title: Barbie - Two excellent adventures
  • Studio: Mia Video
  • Date: 1992
  • Episode: Rockin' Back to Earth, Out of this world
• Title: Barbie Double Bill Mia Video 1994 Rockin' Back to Earth,
  
  • Channel: 5
  • Date: 1987
  • Episode: Out of this World.

The Rockers line was one of the first times Barbie stepped away from the brand. of the traditional image of her as a fashion doll and focused on on a more timeless theme. Although the line was moderately successful upon launch, it became a popular brand. in one of the most coveted collections by doll collectors years after her retirement.

Today, The Rockers line remains one of the most popular Barbie collections among collectors. They are often sold for prices significantly higher than the original price due to their rarity and historical value.

In summary, Barbie's The Rockers line of dolls was an innovation in the history of the doll by moving away from the traditional image of it and focusing on a more timeless theme. Although it had a moderate success at its launch, it has become one of the most coveted collections by doll collectors years after its retirement. Even though a lot of time has passed since its launch, The Rockers line remains one of the most popular among Barbie collectors.