1980´s

Music Styles, Bands And Artists during the 1980's

Rock Music in the Eighties:

John Lennon is shot to death by a fan in 1980 just as he was coming back into the public eye with a new album. MTV (Music Television) is launched on 300 U.S. cable TV systems in 1981. By 1983 MTV is available on 2,000 cable systems. VH1 is launched in 1984 with a more classic rock format. The prevalance of music videos as a 24/7 marketing tool is influential in bringing numerous new bands and music styles into the mainstream, including a resurgence in heavymetal, the emergence of synthpop, new wave, rap and hip hop. The number of successful female artists, across many genres, is reflected in singles and album sales.

Records and concerts to benefit charity are supported by many rock music artists. These include Band Aid, We Are The World, plus the Live Aid and Farm Aid concerts.

Eighties Genres / Key Artists:

Rap / Hip-Hop: Grandmaster Flash, Run DMC, LL Cool J, Salt n Pepa, Public Enemy, Ice T, NWA, Tone Loc, Beastie Boys, De la Soul, Queen Latifah.

R&B / Urban: Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown, Aretha Franklin, Janet Jackson, Lionel Richie.

Pop: Madonna, Bryan Adams, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Taylor Dayne, Millie Vanilli, Paula Abdul, Bette Midler, Billy Joel, Kenny Rogers, Phil Collins, Kylie Minogue, Expose, Huey Lewis, New Edition, Wham!, Paul Young.

New Wave: Talking Heads, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, The Eurythmics, Berlin, Simple Minds, Psychedelic Furs, Echo & The Bunnymen, Love & Rockets, Blondie, Squeeze, The Police, The Bangles, The Go Go's, Nena.

SynthPop / Electronic: Devo, Soft Cell, The Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, Gary Numan, The Human League, Swing Out Sister.

Mainstream Rock: Pat Benatar, REO Speedwagon, Survivor, Tom Petty, Toto, Asia, Aerosmith, Journey, Rush, Bon Jovi, INXS, Genesis, Loverboy, Melissa Etheridge, J.Geils Band, Steve Winwood, Foreigner, Europe.

Heavy Metal: Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Skid Row, Tesla, AC/DC, Queensryche, Krokus, Scorpions, Accept, Pantera, Twisted Sister, Ozzy Osbourne, Def Leppard.

Hair / Glam Metal: Motley Crue, Poison, Warrant, L.A. Guns, Guns & Roses, Cinderella, Winger, Whitesnake.

Thrash / Speed Metal: Slayer, Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, Sepultura, Overkill, Gwar, Pantera, Suicidal Tendencies.

Goth / Gothic Rock: Bauhaus, The Cure, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Killing Joke, Theatre of Hate, The Sisters of Mercy.

Ska / Rockabilly Revival: The Stray Cats, Matchbox, The Rockats, The Cramps, The Blasters, The Specials, Madness, The Beat, The Selecter.

Punk / Hardcore: Black Flag, The Dead Kennedys, Fear, X, The Descendents, The Misfits, Bad Religion, The Circle Jerks, The Germs, Bad Brains, Minutemen, Social Distortion, Husker Du, Meat Puppets.

Alternative: R.E.M., Violent Femmes, Camper Van Beethoven, The Pixies, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The Smiths, Soul Asylum, Jane's Addiction, The Feelies, The Replacements, Sonic Youth, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry.

Top 50 Music Artists of the 1980's

Based on Worldwide Sales of Singles and Albums

1: Prince

2: Madonna

3: U2

4: Michael Jackson

5: Bruce Springsteen

6: Phil Collins

7: Dire Straits

8: Queen

9: The Police

10: The Rolling Stones

11: Billy Joel

12: The Eurythmics

13: The Cure

14: David Bowie

15: Whitney Houston

16: Elton John

17: Duran Duran

18: Iron Maiden

19: Barbra Streisand

20: The Smiths

21: Lionel Richie

22: Paul McCartney

23: AC/DC

24: Van Halen

25: Depeche Mode

26: Genesis

27: Bon Jovi

28: Rod Stewart

29: Simple Minds

30: Culture Club

31: Tina Turner

32: John Lennon

33: Talking Heads

34: REM

35: Diana Ross

36: John Cougar Mellencamp

37: Foreigner

38: George Michael

39: Elvis Costello

40: Tears For Fears

41: The Pet Shop Boys

42: Pat Benatar

43: Def Leppard

44: Peter Gabriel

45: Stevie Wonder

46: Abba

47: Kiyoko Matsuda

48: Wham!

49: Guns n' Roses

50: Pink Floyd