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Mar 5, 2024 · Explore the wonders of 80s music with our list of top artists and bands from the 1980s. See which performers transformed the era of music we all know and love.
- Quentin Singer
- U2. Even today, these four lads from Ireland are creating beautiful music. But it’s thanks to such career-defining albums as Boy, War, and The Joshua Tree that U2 became one of the most successful ’80s bands.
- Talking Heads. Talking Heads were unique in the way that they were able to reach mainstream audiences but hold onto their authenticity, something which music critics liked.
- Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. Although Jersey-born Bruce Springsteen emerged during the ’70s, his work in the ’80s was huge commercially. Known for his marathon shows and hard work ethic, the ’80s saw his album Born in the U.S.A smash the charts and produce seven top ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100.
- R.E.M. Formed in 1980, this band from Georgia is often considered one of the ancestors of the alternative rock genre. Their debut album, Murmur, instantly received acclaim and made a name for themselves.
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- 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.
- 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 · 1. Black Sabbath pioneered heavy metal, setting a benchmark in the genre with heavy guitar riffs and dark thematic content. Like many of the best 80s rock bands, they were experimenting with different line-ups and entering a new phase with vocalist Ronnie James Dio. Hit Album: "Heaven and Hell" (1980)
Aug 15, 2023 · The 80s was an amazing decade for music, characterized by the boom of hair rock, the popularity of metal music, the emergence of post-punk, and the democratization of synth-driven pop music. From Depeche Mode to Metallica, 80s bands have also been among the best and most beloved.
Apr 30, 2023 · Whether you enjoyed mainstream success or underground recognition, these 100+ best rock bands of The ’80s had one thing in common – they all provided something unique to a generation of devoted fans seeking escape through passionate lyrics and unforgettable melodies.
