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The 1980s bands were known for their distinctive sounds and cultural influence. 80s music artists such as Prince and Whitney Houston became household names. Bands from the 80s like Metallica and Guns N’ Roses revolutionised the rock genre. Furthermore, popular 80s bands such as Bon Jovi and Def Leppard dominated the charts with their anthemic ...
- Top 100 Artists of The 70S
The Isley Brothers went through several lineup changes...
- Top Albums of The 80S
You can find more 80s content at the bottom of this page...
- Top 100 Artists of The 70S
- Michael Jackson. 12,040 votes. Earning the title "King of Pop," this groundbreaking artist revolutionized music with his innovative dance moves, iconic fashion, and unforgettable music videos.
- Queen. 8,097 votes. This British rock band's unique fusion of opera, hard rock, and glam made them one of the most innovative and influential groups during this era.
- Whitney Houston. 7,777 votes. With her incredible vocal range and powerful stage presence, this legendary singer set a new standard for pop divas everywhere.
- Prince. 8,436 votes. A truly unique talent in both his musicianship and visual style, this enigmatic artist defied genre boundaries by blending funk, rock, R&B, and pop into a sound that was unmistakably his own.
- 40Kim Wilde
- 39Dire Straits
- 38 A-Ha
- 37 Janet Jackson
- 36Japan
- 35Genesis/Phil Collins/Peter Gabriel
- E.M.
- 33U2
- 32Tears For Fears
- 31Luther Vandross
Marty’s eldest daughter is such a friendly staple of daytime TV and (thanks to her other passion) gardening shows, it’s easy to overlook just how huge she was, with 19 Top 40 singles. Massive in America, too, Kim supported Michael Jackson on the Bad tour, while her Top 30 album Here Come The Aliensproved Kim is still no slouch at energetic power-po...
When they weren’t popularising CDs thanks to the pristine sheen of Brothers In Arms, at the time Dire Straits seemed an austere and somewhat workmanlike presence among the 80s riot of colour. But their imperious yacht rock has aged better than many contemporaries. Of all the bands yet to reform, they’d probably sound the most dignified if they did.
Morten Harket’s lethally sharp cheekbones and the glossy Take On Mevideo meant a-ha should have been as disposable as any boyband. Instead, they’re still creating stadium-sized melancholia over 30 years later. A precursor to 90s Scandipop, they’re still not given the credit their luxurious pop deserves – possibly because Morten is still so distress...
Janet could easily have been written off as Michael’s annoying kid sister, one Jackson too many. But if you’re fronting industrially-tooled R&B and promoting the deliciously filthy side of pop her brother was seemingly too asexual to convince with, who cares who your siblings are? Pretty much Britney Spears’ whole career was taken from the robofunk...
David Sylvian’s refusal to engage with his past means Japan’s legend has faded. It shouldn’t: even now, it’s still impossible to fully grasp the real meanings of their complex, grandiose material. Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet were so in awe of the music the Catford-birthed band smuggled into the Top 40 that they threw parties to celebrate their r...
Genesis going from their prog period to Invisible Touch in a decade was the equivalent of Radiohead getting DJ Khaled to produce their next album. Phil Collins somehow found time to pioneer the blokey confessional album with Face Value, while Peter Gabriel went poppier than his old mates on the day-glo world of Sledgehammer.
As prolific as their friends in The Smiths, the difference was that R.E.M. carried on being magnificent for ages. Arriving fully-formed with the mysterious Murmur, by the end of the 80s R.E.M. were a fully-fledged arena powerhouse thanks to Green. Only Arcade Fire and The National have come close to rivalling them as North American college rock kin...
You’d have got pretty long odds on U2 being the biggest band in the world at the start of the 80s. Seemingly through the sheer scope of their ambition, they knuckled down and realised exactly what the world demanded – and promptly served up indestructible anthems by the yard. Having got stellar, they went Year Zero on their career, but that’s for a...
Precious few bands are capable of drawing on Jungian philosophy while creating stone-cold bangers, but precious few bands managed to distil the differing volatile temperaments of Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal long enough for them to be so cohesive. There are too few Tears For Fears songs out there, but what we’re gifted with is usually sublime. Rea...
Soul music generally went mad in the 80s, waylaid by the rise of hip-hop and feeling the effects of the decade’s anything-but-soulful synthetic production techniques. Some talents were able to rise above. Learning his craft as a backing singer for David Bowie and Diana Ross, once he was allowed the spotlight, Luther’s seductive voice truly shone.
- John Earls
- Queen. 12,331 votes. Undoubtedly, Queen ruled the world of rock music throughout the '80s with their captivating stage performances and larger-than-life anthems.
- AC/DC. 7,957 votes. AC/DC's explosive fusion of blues-inspired rock and high-voltage energy catapulted them to international stardom in the '80s, firmly establishing their place as one of the era's most influential bands.
- Journey. 7,631 votes. Solidifying their status as titans of arena rock, Journey captivated audiences throughout the '80s with soaring vocals and anthemic melodies that resonated with fans from all walks of life.
- Van Halen. 7,369 votes. Van Halen burst onto the music scene in the '80s with their innovative blend of hard rock and exceptional musicianship, accompanied by an unrivaled stage presence.
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- Whitney Houston. Sumptuous power ballad “The Greatest Love Of All” was arguably Whitney Houston’s signature hit, but during the 80s, this artist had 12 US smash hits and no less than seven topped the US Billboard charts.
- Bruce Springsteen. One of the biggest 80s rock artists, Bruce Springsteen’s landmark Born In The USA album yielded seven US hits. The album also stuck at No. 2 behind Prince’s monolithic Purple Rain on the Billboard 200 for a whopping 18 weeks.
- Stevie Wonder. Not as seismic as he was in the 60s and 70s, you say? Maybe, but the hits kept on coming. Stevie had 19 80s pop songs that became hits. “Ebony And Ivory” and “I Just Called To Say I Love You” remain global standards.
- Phil Collins. Whether with Genesis or solo, Phil Collins was is a quintessential 80s artist. Seemingly omnipresent in the charts, the singles from his No Jacket Required album alone spent over a year lodged in the Top 40.
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Apr 25, 2018 · The length and order could be debatable, but there's no doubt a core list of the most essential '80s artists serves as a fine place to start any exploration of the decade's pop and rock music. The musicians on the list combined cultural clout with musical talent, image and good timing to shape all things that have come to be described with the ...
Apr 4, 2024 · Step back into the vibrant era of neon, leg warmers, and the Walkman with our dive into the Greatest '80s Pop Songs. The 1980s were a time of bold style, colors, and sounds, particularly in the music world. From the synth-pop hooks of A-ha's Take On Me to the enduring anthems of artists like...
