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- .38 Special. With popular hits such as “Hold On Loosely” and “Caught Up in You,” .38 Special was one of the most successful rock bands during the 1980s.
- AC/DC. One of the most popular and iconic rock bands to come out of the 80s. AC/DC made a name for themselves with their unique mix of hard-hitting bluesy riffs and gritty, rebellious lyrics.
- Aerosmith. Aerosmith is widely recognized as one of the most successful and influential rock bands of the 1980s. The band achieved success with a string of top 10 singles, including “Dream On,” “Sweet Emotion,” and “Walk This Way.”
- Bee Gees. Comprised of brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, the Bee Gees created some of the most iconic and beloved hits of the 80s. Formed in 1958 and hailing from England, they released their first single in 1963.
- Mötley Crüe
- Bon Jovi
- Van Halen
- Guns N’ Roses
- Metallica
- Foreigner
- Journey
- ZZ Top
- The Bangles
- Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
If there was ever a band that defined the 1980s, Mötley Crüeis the poster child. Billing themselves as the “World’s Most Notorious Rock Band,” the Crüe formed in 1981 in Los Angeles. Made up of members Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, and Vince Neil, the group quickly made a name for themselves in the LA metal club scene, which led to a record dea...
Next up, Bon Joviis a band formed by a couple of New Jersey natives who managed to see arena rock success after their formation in 1983. Featuring Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan, Tico Torres, Phil X, and Hugh McDonald, they released their first two albums in 1984 and 1985, but their third album, Slippery When Wet, catapulted the band into superstardom. ...
Though formed in the early 1970s, Van Halenhad become a successful band by the time the 1980s rolled in. With their bad-boy reputation, they became known for live shows filled with energy thanks to lead singer David Lee Roth. The band’s 1984 album release, aptly named 1984, led to their only #1 hit single, “Jump,” and three other hits. The album so...
You can’t talk about rock bands in the ‘80s without mentioning Guns N’ Roses. This band was a vision of the future of rock and roll. Gritty, grimy, and full of life, GNR was a glimpse into rock’s next phase: grunge. Led by the unique vocal talents of singer Axl Rose, the band was formed in Los Angeles in 1985, with a record deal from Geffen Records...
Long before Stranger Things brought Metallicaback to the cultural zeitgeist, the band was already famous. Formed in Los Angeles in 1981, Metallica brought a different sound to rock and roll. Many consider the band one of the pioneers of the heavy metal genre, focusing on hard guitar licks, meaty drums, and the gravelly voice of singer/lead guitaris...
Up next is Foreigner, arena rock personified. With enough hard rock and ballads in their catalog, the band could make a living off the nostalgia circuit for decades to come. Foreigner was formed in New York City in 1976 with Mick Jones, Ian McDonald, and Lou Gramm at the forefront. Their first self-titled album was released in 1977, becoming an ins...
Yet another arena rock band that found tremendous success in the 1980s is Journey, largely thanks to the vocals of lead man Steve Perry. Formed in San Francisco in 1973, the band released seven albums to varying degrees of modest success until 1981’s Escape. Escapebecame the band’s most successful album at the time thanks to “Don’t Stop Believin’,”...
While they were formed in 1969 by Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard, and Dusty Hill, ZZ Topachieved popularity during the decade of excess thanks to their very unique style. With long beards, sunglasses, and spinning guitars, ZZ Top crafted a look tailor-made for the MTV generation. With three albums released during the 1980s — El Loco, Eliminator, and Af...
We cannot have this list without some girl power. The Banglesformed in Los Angeles in 1981 — crazy how so many of these bands came out of the City of Angels — with four women headlining the group. The Bangles soon made waves across California thanks to their lineup and musical stylings. In 1984, the band had a hit written by Prince called “Manic Mo...
Next, we have Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, who formed in 1976 with singer-songwriter-guitarist Tom Petty at the forefront. With sounds inspired by Bob Dylan, Petty’s group hit musical heights with four album releases in the 1980s. With hits like “You Got Lucky,” “Change of Heart,” and “Don’t Come Around Here No More,” Petty and the band had gre...
Aug 8, 2023 · U2 emerged as one of the most influential rock bands from the 80s, with a sound characterized by Bono's emotional vocals and The Edge's distinctive guitar play. They had a knack for crafting anthems that resonated with a wide audience.
Mar 5, 2024 · Joe Elliot, Phil Collen, Rick Allen, Rick Savage and Vivian Campbell have since become one of the most recognized rock acts in history, with hits “Rock Of Ages,” “Pour Some...
- Quentin Singer
- Sonic Youth. You generally think "'90s" when you think of Indie music. And while that genre certainly exploded in that decade thanks to Oasis, Blur, and a whole slew of other, lesser known artists (this list by NME is a great starting point if you want to dive in), the roots of the genre's massive success then can arguably be traced to the prior decade.
- Journey. Stadium rock crooners Journey are almost synonymous with their most famous single, and one of the most instantly recognizable songs of all time: "Don't Stop Believing."
- Bon Jovi. While they were never the most revolutionary trend setters, New Jersey stadium rockers Bon Jovi arguably perfected '80s style arena rock more than any of their contemporaries.
- Mötley Crüe. Van Halen's virtuosic musicianship and party rock performances, along with Def Leppard's infectious, earworm hooks, helped bridge the gap between glam rock and heavy metal, and thus played huge roles in the formation of what would become pejoratively described as hair metal.
The Cure is one of the ’80s bands which arguably had the most significant influence on the next decade’s music. Although their early work was generally categorized as gothic rock, The Cure soon transformed their sound to more radio-friendly ears.
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Which were the most influential bands of the 1980's?
What bands influenced rock music in the 80s?
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What bands were popular in the 80s?
Nov 3, 2016 · When considering which were the most influential bands of the 1980's, we have to first set a couple rules. First, we're only looking at bands; so while Michael Jackson and Madonna were hugely influential throughout the decade, they don't fit the definition of a band.
