History Main / MusicOfThe1980s

* Music/TwoLiveCrew: One of the first hardcore rap groups to make an impact on the charts. Their breakthrough hit "Me So Horny" brought forth a major obscenity controversy.

* Music/TenThousandManiacs: Rock group fronted by Natalie Merchant. Although most successful in the '90s, they began their careers in the '80s.

* Music/{{ABBA}}: Swedish band that began in the 1970s, but eventually fizzled out in the early 1980s.
** Music/AgnethaFaltskog released 5 solo albums and a handful of non-album singles during this decade.

* Music/{{ABC|Band}}: British pop group, who had a few overseas hits.
* Music/{{ACDC}}: Legendary Australian hard rock band who replaced their late lead singer Bon Scott with Brian Johnson, and became bigger than ever despite the switch.

* Music/PaulaAbdul: Although more known today for her stint on ''Series/AmericanIdol'', she proved to be the biggest breakout star of 1989.

* Music/{{Accept}}: German heavy-metal band best known internationally for their 1983 metal anthem "Balls to The Wall."
* Music/AdamAndTheAnts: While their premiere album was released in 1979, the Ants in their better-known second lineup achieved great success in the early 1980s, particularly with the 1981 hit "Stand and Deliver."

* Music/AdamAnt: After leaving the Ants, Adam continued to have a strong solo career.

* Music/JuanAtkins. Formed Cybotron in 1980. Released their debut record in 1983.
* Music/BryanAdams: Canadian pop-rock singer who became one of his country's biggest international success stories.

* Music/{{Aerosmith}}: Had a resurge in popularity after Run-DMC's "Walk This Way" cover became a hit.

* Music/TheAfghanWhigs: Formed in 1986.
* Afrika Bambaataa: Highly influential hip-hop musician.

* Music/{{aha}}: This Norwegian pop group had a number one hit in 1985 with "Take On Me" thanks to its partially-animated music video becoming an MTV hit. They remained popular everywhere but the US.
* Music/AirSupply: Formed in the mid-70s, but the early 80s is when they had their big international breakthrough.
* Music/AlBSure: One of NewJackSwing's earliest crossover artists.

* Music/TheAlarm: Welsh Rock/New Wave band who had several hits in the UK throughout the decade.

* Music/AlexanderJamesAdams: A Celtic musician who began his career in the 80s as "Heather Alexander".

* Music/GGAllin: Batshit insane and controversial rock musician. Better known for his outrageously offensive stage acts than his music.

* Creator/MariaConchitaAlonso: (Her first record came out in 1979, but she had many successful Spanish-language records in the 1980s.)

* Music/{{Alphaville}}: A group best remembered in the U.S. for their two minor hits "Big in Japan" and "Forever Young."

* Music/{{Anthrax}}: One of the most popular thrash-metal bands of all time first made a name for themselves in the late 1980s.

* Music/{{Ariya}} - Soviet HeavyMetal band

* Music/ArtOfNoise: Collaborated with Tom Jones and advertising mascot Max Headroom for two top 40 hits.

* Music/{{Asia}}: One of the most successful rock "supergroups," this band "heat" up the charts in the middle of the decade.
* Music/TheAssociates: Popular PostPunk/New Wave band in the UK.
* Music/RickAstley: British pop singer whose #1 hit "Never Gonna Give You Up" is now best known as the subject of [[JustForFun/{{Rickroll}} a popular internet prank]].

* Music/TheB52s: Although they formed in 1976 and released their first album in 1979, the Eighties were their most successful decade by far. In the late 1980s, their music finally crossed over to mainstream radio.

* Music/AnitaBaker would release three solo albums including her breakthrough ''Rapture''.

* Music/{{Bananarama}}: A British girl group who had a series of hits in the mid-80's including "Cruel Summer" and a cover of the 1970 hit "Venus."
* Music/TheBangles: One of the first all-female rock bands to have major commercial success, having many top 10 hits throughout the latter half of the decade.

* Music/BarenakedLadies: Released their first indie tapes in 1988-1989.
* Bar Kays: Electro-funk (and formally Funk) group who made hits such as "Hit And Run" and the heart-attack-inducing "Freakshow On The Dance Floor".
* Music/BaronRojo: A Spanish HeavyMetal band born in 1980, the TropeMaker for Spanish Rock bands and still active until today.

* Music/CountBasie: Released what would be his last album in 1983 and died in 1984.

* Music/{{Bauhaus}}: An influential late 1970s band, continued releasing new material until their 1983 breakup. They considered founders of GothRock.
* Music/TheBeachBoys: Had a #1 hit in 1989, "Kokomo".

* Music/BeastieBoys: Widely considered to be pioneers of the rap-rock movement, they were solely responsible for breaking the color barrier of rap.

* The Beat. Known as The English Beat in America due to a threatened lawsuit from an American band of the same name.
* Music/TheBeatles: Weren't active in the conventional sense due to having already broken up in 1970 and due to John Lennon's murder in 1980, but experienced a large-scale posthumous revival in popularity (which continues to this day), most notably a widely-publicized worldwide UsefulNotes/CompactDisc reissue campaign of their British album backlog; the surviving three members also reunited in 1989 for the purpose of putting together the ''Anthology'' compilation albums and documentary series, which would come to fruition the following decade.

* Music/BeatHappening: Influential in the indie pop sub-genre of AlternativeRock.

* Music/PatBenatar: A famous female rock musician of the decade.

* Berlin %% Presently, the page is used by the Lou Reed album bearing the same name.
* Music/Bi2: A [[RussianMedia Russian]] AlternativeRock band that was originally formed in 1988 but only became popular in the late 1990s and throughout the 2000s.

* Music/BigCountry: Scottish Alternative Rock rock band famous for their use of the E-bow, which made front-man Stuart Adamson's guitar sound like bagpipes. Best known for their 1983 hit "In a Big Country".
* Big Daddy Kane: Although he never scored a hit until 1991, his work in the 1980s is still just as important.

* Music/TheBirthdayParty: Influential Post-Punk band, best known as Nick Cave's first band (see below).
* Music/{{Bjork}}: Rose to fame as the lead singer of a band, The Sugarcubes.

* Music/BlackSabbath: Two albums under new frontman Music/RonnieJamesDio, followed by a few more under different frontmen.

* Music/{{Blondie|Band}}: Female-fronted rock band who first gained traction in 1979 but continued their momentum through the early '80s.

* Music/BlueOysterCult: Faded after about 1983 but maintained their TheSeventies success into this decade.

* Music/BonJovi: The band that launched the pop-metal movement in the '80s.

* Music/DavidBowie: ''Vital'' to TheSeventies but became a worldwide phenomenon in this decade with the success of ''Let's Dance''; however, a focus on maintaining mainstream audiences and high sales led to a perceived artistic decline, leading to the formation of the anti-commercial Tin Machine in 1988; consequently, fans and critics hold most of Bowie's output during this era in poor regard.

* Music/BoyMeetsGirl: Band who scored one big late 1988 hit with "Waiting For A Star To Fall"

* Music/BillyBragg: English protest singer.
* Music/GlennBranca: No Wave composer from Pennsylvania.

* Music/GeorgesBrassens: Still went strong until his death in 1981.

* Music/GarthBrooks: Though the CountryMusic legend made his name largely in TheNineties, he made his first release in 1989.

* Music/BobbyBrown: Member of Music/NewEdition who went solo in 1986, and helped pioneer the sound of NewJackSwing.
* Music/JamesBrown: Had a few more hits during the decade.

* Music/BillBruford: Continued playing for Music/KingCrimson and formed his own band Earthworks.

* Music/TheBuggles: Best known for "Music/VideoKilledTheRadioStar", the song that introduced the world to MTV in 1981.

* Music/KateBush: Already an established star in the UK, she had her North American breakthrough with ''Hounds of Love'' in 1985.

* Music/ButtholeSurfers: Debuted in this decade, made their commercial breakthrough in the 90s.
* Music/{{Bz}}: One of Japan's greatest rock bands started in 1988 but got big succes in the '90s.

* Music/CabCalloway: Had a late-career resurgence thanks to his appearance in ''Film/TheBluesBrothers'', and would continue performing concerts until right before his death in 1994.

* Music/{{Cameo}}: Debuted in 1974, had their most famous hit "Word Up!" in 1986.
* Music/CamperVanBeethoven: Rock band best known for their college radio hit "Take The Skinheads Bowling" and their hit cover of "Pictures of Matchstick Men."

* Music/CaptainBeefheart: Released one album in 1982 and quit the music business for good that same year.

* Creator/IreneCara released three albums this decade, along with recording the title tracks "Fame" and "Flashdance...What A Feeling" to the films ''Film/{{Fame}}'' and ''Film/{{Flashdance}}'', respectively.

* Music/{{Carpenters}}: Formed in 1969, remained active until Karen Carpenter's death from anorexia-induced heart failure in 1983; released four posthumous studio albums and a boatload of compilations in the following decades.
* Music/TheCars: Formed in 1977. Had an early MTV hit with "Shake It Up" in '81. Reached their peak with 1984's ''Heartbeat City''. If you were watching MTV in the mid-80s, you couldn't get away from "You Might Think". Played Live Aid. Broke up in '88.

* Music/ChasAndDave. Formed in 1975 but reached fame for not-actually-novelty top-10 song "Rabbit"
* Music/CheapTrick: Although more known for their late '70s power-pop work, their commercial peak was actually in 1988.
* Music/LouisChedid released five albums during that decade: ''Egomane'', ''Ainsi Soit-Il'', ''Panique Organisée'', ''Anne Ma Soeur Anne'' and ''Bizar''.
* Music/{{Cher}}: Released some of her greatest hits between 1987 and 1989.
* Music/NenehCherry. Played with various punk bands (Music/TheSlits, The Nails, Rip Rig + Panic) throughout the '80s. Made her solo debut in 1989 with ''Raw Like Sushi''.

* Music/{{Chicago|Band}} - Former jazz-rock band who continued their shift into an Adult Contemporary act in the '80s.

* Music/TheChurchBand: Popular Australian rock band who had a surprise American hit with 1988's "Under the Milky Way."

* Music/{{Clannad}}: Long running Irish band who came to fame in the 1980s with the "Theme to Harry's Game" and the soundtrack to ''Series/RobinOfSherwood''.

* Music/TheClash: 1970s band, continued enjoying success to 1982, destroyed their careers with the force of an atom bomb in 1985.

* Music/PhilCollins: Arguably the biggest white male pop star of the 1980s.

* Music/AliceCooper: Released several new hits from 1986 to 1989.

* Music/TheCramps. Released their first album in 1980.
* Music/{{Crass}}: Split in 1984.

* Music/CrowdedHouse: Their first two albums. The band's two big American hits came in 1987.

* Music/TheCult: Probably the premier non-{{Hair|Metal}} HardRock band of the decade, next to Music/GunsNRoses (unless you count them as Hair Metal).
* Music/CultureClub: Pop-rock band led by the flamboyant Boy George.

* Music/{{The Cure|Band}}: New-wave/goth band who had some college rock radio hits before hitting it big with "Love Song" in 1989.

* Music/DanielAmos: Formed in 1974, but reinvented themselves as a NewWaveMusic band in this decade.
** 1981 - ''Music/HorrendousDisc''[[note]]Recorded in 1978, but not released until 1981--it definitely sounds a lot more like the 70s than the 80s[[/note]]

* Music/DeBarge: Family group who had a string of pop and R&B hits in the mid-80s.

* Music/DefLeppard: One of few British groups in the hair-metal movement, and by far the most successful.

* Music/JohnDenver: Released a couple of Gold certified albums this decade.
* Music/DepecheMode: Synth-pop pioneers who had a few crossover hits in the late 80s and early 90s.

* Music/{{Devo}}: Pioneering college-rock band who scored one top 20 hit with 1980's "Whip It."

* Music/DiamondHead: English HeavyMetal band often cited as a major influence on Music/{{Metallica}}'s sound.

* Music/DireStraits: Despite a massive hit in 1979, they largely fell off the radar until 1985 brought them a #1 hit and further success.

** 1985 - ''[[Music/BrothersInArmsAlbum Brothers in Arms]]''

* Music/DJJazzyJeffAndTheFreshPrince: Creator/WillSmith's rap group before he became known as an actor.
* Music/DJQuik: Released ''The Red Tape'' in 1987.

* Music/DschinghisKhan: German disco group who became a European sensation after their appearance in Eurovision.

* Music/DuranDuran: The most popular British group of the 1980s.
** 1982 - ''[[Music/RioAlbum Rio]]''

* Music/BobDylan. Recording career started in the 1960s, still going strong in this decade.

* Music/{{Eagles}}: Released their final album before their 1994 comeback, ''Eagles Live'', in 1980. Split up in 1982. Former bandleaders Glenn Frey and Don Henley went on to have successful solo careers in this decade.

* Music/EazyE: West coast rapper known for popularizing Gangsta Rap and being a member of N.W.A. He released his first solo album (and the only one released during his lifetime) in 1988.

* Music/EinsturzendeNeubauten: Formed in 1980.

* Music/ElectricLightOrchestra: Released their last hit albums in 1980 and 1981.

* Music/ElioELeStorieTese: Italy's answer to Music/FrankZappa.

* Music/{{EPMD}}[[note]]Debut album released in 1988.[[/note]]
* Music/{{Erasure}}: Synth-pop band who had a pair of big hits in 1987, fading away until a minor comeback in the mid '90s.

* Music/GloriaEstefan: Latin-pop singer who had success in the English world throughout most of the late 1980s.
* Music/{{Europe}}: Swedish metal band who performed the rock anthem "The Final Countdown" and the less-remembered ballad "Carrie."
* Music/{{Eurythmics}}: Synth pop duo fronted by female vocalist Annie Lennox. Often did a 2nd CD entitled Peace (2000) as much as their Definitive Collection (2005).

* Exposé, and other ''Freestyle'' artists.

* Music/FaithNoMore: An influential AlternativeMetal band who are mostly recognized for their rock anthem "Epic".
* Music/{{Falco}}: Popular singer in Austria who scored a worldwide hit in 1986 with "Rock Me Amadeus".
* Music/{{The Fall|Band}}: 1970's band, continued enjoying success throughout the decade.

* The Fat Boys: Novelty rap group who scored a few Top 40 hits in the late '80s, mostly based on old '60s songs.

* Music/FlamingLips: Formed in 1983, released three albums in the 1980s. Did not achieve mainstream success until the 1993 single "She Don't Use Jelly".

* Music/AFlockOfSeagulls: Best known for their late 1982 hit "I Ran."

* Music/{{Foreigner|Band}}: Top arena-rock band of the late '70s who took a softer approach in the next decade.

* Music/FrankieGoesToHollywood: Pop band who had a huge debut album and worldwide hit with "Relax" but quickly fell off the map afterwards.

* Music/PeterGabriel: Started his solo career the previous decade after leaving Genesis, but found his artistic footing and greatest success during this decade.

* Music/SergeGainsbourg: Still going strong in the 1980s.

* Music/{{Galaxie 500}}: An influential DreamPop band.

* Creator/LeifGarrett: (Although he reached his peak in the late [[TheSeventies Seventies]], he released two albums in 1980 and 1981, and was still touring and acting at this time)

* Music/TheJGeilsBand: Long-running BluesRock band whose comerical breakthrough came in this decade.
* Music/{{Genesis|Band}}: Completed their transition from a moderately successful progressive rock band led by Music/PeterGabriel to a massively successful pop group led by Music/PhilCollins during this decade, and achieved their biggest commercial successes during this time (both men also become stars in their own right during this period, Collins much more than Gabriel).

* Music/GinBlossoms: Although more associated with the '90s, the group started out in the late '80s.
* Music/{{Girlschool}}: All-female English HeavyMetal band. Released their debut album ''Demolition'' in 1980.

* Music/TheGoGos: The first all-female rock group to have major American success.

* Music/GooGooDolls: Started as a punk group in the '80s before becoming the '90s soft-rock group they are best known as.

* Music/GrandmasterFlashAndTheFuriousFive: One of rap's pioneering figures.

* Music/GreenDay: Group formed in the '80s, although didn't get success until the '90s.
* Music/GreenJelly: Formed in 1981, they weren't successful until the early '90s.
* Green River: The first band described as {{Grunge}}. A precursor to Music/PearlJam.

* Music/GunsNRoses: One of the most popular rock bands of all time and massively successful in the late 1980s.

* Music/{{Guy}}: With Teddy Riley as a core group member, they would help redefine R&B during the late 80s with NewJackSwing.
* Music/{{GWAR}}: Formed in 1984, first album released in 1988.

* Music/BruceHaack. Haack passed away in 1988.

* Music/NinaHagen: Began solo career in 1982.

* Music/GeorgeHarrison: Had a brief comeback in 1987/88 with his album ''Cloud Nine'' (his final solo album before his death in 2001) marking the last wave of chart success by any of the solo Beatles. Also enjoyed success with the supergroup Music/TheTravelingWilburys.

* Music/OfraHaza: An Israeli singer who started her career in the 80's, and is mostly remembered for her vocals in ''WesternAnimation/ThePrinceOfEgypt''.
* Music/JeffHealey: Blind blues-rock singer whose 1989 ballad "Angel Eyes" was a top 5 hit.
* Music/{{Heart|Band}}: The hard rock group led by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson were re-invigorated when they dabbled with the GlamRock of the middle of the decade.
** 1985 - ''[[Music/HeartAlbum Heart]]''
* Music/{{Heaven 17}}

* Music/HeavyD: One of New Jack Swing's biggest stars, and a mainstay of UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHipHop. Debuted in 1987.

* Music/WhitneyHouston: The biggest African-American female vocalist of the decade.
** 1985 - ''[[Music/WhitneyHoustonAlbum Whitney Houston]]''
* Music/TheHumanLeague: One of the first synth-rock acts to have American success.

* [[Music/HuskerDu Hüsker Dü]]

* Music/BillyIdol: Punk-rock singer who found his way into the pop world.

* Music/IndigoGirls formed in this decade and released their first album in '87.

* Music/{{INXS}}: First album released in 1980. International success started in 1986.

** 1980 - ''[[Music/IronMaidenAlbum Iron Maiden]]''

* Music/JanetJackson: The only Jackson to escape Michael's shadow.

* Music/TheJacksonFive: Had one tour in 1984, after which they quit, more or less forced by Michael focusing more on his solo career.
* Music/MichaelJackson: "The King of Pop" and the most successful musician of the decade.

* Music/TheJesusAndMaryChain: An influential NoisePop band.

* Music/TheJesusLizard: Formed and released their first album in this decade.

* The Jets: Family band who had a string of pop hits throughout the middle of the decade.

* Music/BillyJoel: Started in TheSixties, became a successful solo artist in TheSeventies, and enjoyed sustained popularity in this decade.

** 1989 - ''[[Music/StormFrontAlbum Storm Front]]''
* Music/EltonJohn: Though he started in TheSeventies, he had a CareerResurrection in this decade, becoming a big Creator/{{MTV}} star from 1983 on.

** 1987 - ''Music/LiveInAustraliaWithTheMelbourneSymphonyOrchestra''

* Music/AlexJohnson (Alix Plain, (St.) Ché)

* Music/DanielJohnston: Started recording during this decade.

* Creator/GraceJones: Started in the 70's, but made the bulk of her work and achieved her greatest successes in the 80's.

* Music/{{Journey|Band}}: Rock band whose song "Don't Stop Believin'" spent the 21st century transitioning from a semi-forgotten '80s hit to a timeless generational anthem.
* Music/JoyDivision: Formed in 1976, ceased activity in 1980 following the suicide of Ian Curtis; reformed under the name Music/NewOrder the following year.

* Music/JudasPriest: Reached their commercial breakthrough at the start of this decade.

* Music/KidNPlay: Originally formed as "Fresh Force Crew" in 1984, after the dissolution of their original groups, but did not release an album until 1988 under their current name.

* Music/KillingJoke. Formed in 1978, debut album in 1980.

* Music/KingCrimson: Robert Fripp formed a new version of the band early in the decade, before breaking them up again just before its midway point.

* Music/KingsX: Formed in 1980 as a quartet under the name ''The Edge'', they changed their name to ''Sneak Preview'' after sliming to the now-trio lineup and changed it again to their King's X moniker in 1987. Debut album ''Out Of The Silent Planet'' was released in 1988.
* Music/TheKinks: A [[UsefulNotes/TheBritishInvasion British Invasion]] band from TheSixties that was still going strong.
* Music/{{KISS}}: Legendary metal band who had a major slump in the 1980s.

* Music/TheKLF: Formed in 1987 as The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu and released two albums under this name before scoring a hit "Doctorin' The Tardis" as The Timelords in 1988 before assuming their most famous moniker.
* Music/{{Klymaxx}}: Female R&B group who had a short-lived wave of success in the 1980s.

* Music/GladysKnight and the Pips. Final album in 1987.

* Music/LennyKravitz. First album relased in 1989.
* Music/KRSOne: The first Boogie Down productions album came out in 1987.

* Music/CyndiLauper: Pre-Madonna pop star who was also a vital figure in the professional wrestling industry.

* Music/JohnLennon: Released his last album, ''Double Fantasy'', in late 1980 before his murder.
* [[Music/{{Eurythmics}} Annie Lennox]]: Went solo later in the 1980s.

* Music/HueyLewisAndTheNews: Band who enjoyed major success throughout the decade, peaking in 1985.

* Music/{{Live}}: Formed under the name "Public Affection" and released their debut album in this decade.
* Music/LivingColour: Debuted in 1988.
* Music/LLCoolJ: Mega-popular pop-rapper of the '80s and '90s.

* Music/MannheimSteamroller: After starting out in 1974, became known for their Christmas music starting in 1984's debut Christmas album.

* Music/BobMarley: Released his last albums, died in 1981.

* Music/PaulMcCartney: Had the hit duets, "Say-Say-Say" with Music/MichaelJackson, and "Ebony and Ivory" with Music/StevieWonder.

* Music/KylieMinogue: 1988 was her breakthrough year.
* Music/MinorThreat: Formed in 1980.

* Music/MissionOfBurma: Formed in 1979, but released all of their original material between 1980 and 1982.

* Music/TheMonkees: Enjoyed a brief revival with renewed interest from reruns being played on MTV

* Music/{{Morrissey}}: Debut solo album in 1988.
* Music/{{Motorhead}}:

* Music/{{Mudhoney}}: An influential {{Grunge}} band.

* Music/JuanMutant. Formed Tacheles arthouse band Deliriant Mutant in the late 80s.
* Music/MyBloodyValentine: Popularized the {{Shoegazing}} subgenre.

* Music/RickyNelson: released a sole album in 1981 before tragically dying in a 1985 plane crash.

* Music/{{Neu}}: one album recorded in the mid-80's and released close to a decade later.

* Music/NewOrder: Formed by the surviving members of Music/JoyDivision in 1980 after Ian Curtis' suicide months prior, underwent a GenreShift in 1982 that resulted in them becoming the TropeMaker for AlternativeDance and have consistently achieved considerable commercial success since then.

* Music/{{Nirvana}}: Founded in 1987, reached super-stardom overnight in 1991.

* Music/NowThatsWhatICallMusic began in 1983.

* Music/RoyOrbison: Started in the early 1950s and hadn't had a hit since 1964. Had a comeback in 1986-88, but just as it was peaking, he died of a heart attack on December 6, 1988.

* Music/MikeOldfield: Started in the early 70's, but saw a brief commercial revival in his native UK during this decade.

* Music/OzzyOsbourne: His solo career took off in 1980, with a hit album.

* Music/OurDaughtersWedding: A nearly forgotten SynthPop band.

* Music/TheOutfield: British PowerPop band who [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff were primarily successful in the United States]].

* Music/{{Phish}}, formed in 1983 and released their debut album in 1989.
* Pink Crows: NOBODY's side project

* Music/PinkFloyd: Was fairly successful in various lineups featuring Music/RogerWaters from 1980-1985, but halted activity due to legal conflicts with Waters following his decision to leave the band; had a CareerResurrection in 1987 when David Gilmour took control of the group.

* Music/ThePolice: Formed in 1977, achieved their biggest successes at the start of this decade, then broke up just after its midway point.

* Music/PrimalScream: Band formed in 1982, debut album in 1987.
* Music/{{Primus}}: Band formed in this decade.
* Music/{{Prince}} and all his associates.

* Music/LosPrisioneros (The Prisoners): Chilean band formed in 1979 with debut album in 1983, which is known as the most influent chilean band of all time and one of the most influent of Latin America in the 80s.

* Music/PublicImageLtd: A 1970s band, continued enjoying success throughout this decade.

* Music/{{Queen|Band}}: Although they first became prominent in the mid-Seventies; nearly tanked their careers in the early '80s and remained pariahs in America until Freddie Mercury's death in 1991, but underwent a CareerResurrection in the UK in 1985. Mercury was diagnosed with AIDS shortly after, and, as previously mentioned, died from it.

* Music/QueenLatifah: Debuted in 1989.
* Music/{{Queensryche}}: Debuted in 1983.

* Music/QuietRiot: Formed in 1975, had their biggest success in the early 1980s.
* Music/TrevorRabin: Formed Cinema with ex-Music/{{Yes}} members. Cinema in turn became Yes with Jon Anderson joining and released ''Music/NineOhOneTwoFive'' below.
* Music/TheRadiatorsUS: Founded in 1978, released their first solo album in 1980.
* Music/{{Radiohead}}: Formed in 1985 under the name "On a Friday", but didn't start commercially releasing music until seven years later, shortly after adopting their current moniker.

* [[Music/LesRallizesDenudes Les Rallizes Dénudés]]

* Music/RedHotChiliPeppers: Released their first album in 1984.

* Music/{{REM}}: Formed and achieved cult hit status in this decade, becoming the {{trope maker}}s for AlternativeRock in the process, before scoring two top ten hits and signing to Creator/WarnerBrosRecords in the late 1980s.

* Music/TheResidents: Still going strong in this decade.

* Music/LionelRichie: Won most of his awards during the 1980's, including Golden Globes, Grammys, MTV, American Music Awards, and an Oscar for "Say You, Say Me".

* Music/RitesOfSpring: UrExample of Music/{{Emo}}.

* Music/{{The Rolling Stones|Band}}: Went through tough times through much of the decade, and nearly broke up at some points.

* Music/RoxyMusic: Released two albums in the early years of this decade before disbanding in 1983. The second of those two, ''Avalon'', is widely considered their greatest studio record by critics.

* Music/{{Rush|Band}}: Recording career started in the 1960s, but they reached the peak of their popularity early in this decade.

* Music/RyuichiSakamoto: Solo career started in the late 70's, continued to record during this decade both as a member of Yellow Magic Orchestra and a solo act, starting work as a scorer during this time as well.

* Music/{{Santana}}: He made a huge comeback in 1999.

* Music/{{Saxon}}: One of the [[TropeCodifier Trope Codifiers]] of the NewWaveOfBritishHeavyMetal.

* Music/ScrittiPolitti: Formed in 1977 as a PostPunk band, but switched to a poppier sound which they became more famous and popular for in this decade.

* Music/BobSeger: Active since TheSixties and a chart-topper from TheSeventies, he had further hits with this decade's heartland rock wave.

* Music/PaulSimon: First emerged with Music/SimonAndGarfunkel in the '60s, started his solo career in the '70s.
** 1986 - ''Music/{{Graceland}}'', his biggest solo hit.

* Music/SimpleMinds: Formed in 1977, had their GloryDays in this decade. Still active now though nearly forgotten.

* Music/FrankSinatra: Released his last solo albums during the first half of this decade.
* Music/SiouxsieAndTheBanshees: A 1970s band continuing to enjoy commercial success through this decade.
* Music/SirMixALot: Debuted in 1988.

* Music/{{Slint}}: Formed in 1986, rose to fame in 1991.

* Music/BillySquier: Started in the late 1960s, released his solo debut ''The Tale of the Tape'' in 1980.

* Music/RodStewart: Continued enjoying commercial success throughout the decade.

* Music/StiffLittleFingers. Broke up in 1983, reformed in 1987.
* Music/{{Sting}}: His first two solo albums were released in the 1980s.

* Music/DonnaSummer: Continued releasing a number of hit songs throughout the decade.

* Music/MatthewSweet (also see ''Film/DriveMeCrazy'')

* Music/TalkingHeads: Another band from TheSeventies that made its commercial breakthrough in this decade. Broke up during this decade as well, though didn't officially announce it until 1991.

** Their frontman Music/DavidByrne began his solo career in 1981, and it would eventually outlast the Heads.
*** 1981 - ''Music/MyLifeInTheBushOfGhosts'' (with Brian Eno)
*** 1989 - ''Music/ReiMomo''
** Music/TomTomClub: Side project of bassist Tina Weymouth and drummer Chris Frantz; best remembered for their OneHitWonder "Genius of Love".

* Music/TeresaTeng: One of the highest selling Asian artists of all time. Her songs broke through RedChina.

* Music/ThisHeat: an experimental band formed in the mid-to-late 70s whose music bridged the gap between prog and punk.

%%* Music/{{Tiffany}}: Began her music career and achieved her biggest hit this decade. (Page does not exist yet)

* Music/TommyTutone: TwoHitWonder best known for their trope-naming song "[[JennysNumber 867-5309/Jenny]]"
* Creator/ToneLoc: Started in 1987 and released the album ''Lōc-ed After Dark'' in 1989
* Music/TonesOnTail: Side project of Bauhaus guitarist Daniel Ash

* Music/{{Toto}}: Released their biggest album in 1982.

* Music/TheTime: Prince's most successful associates; from 1981 to 1985. Frontman Morris Day would have a very successful solo career in the late 80s, while bandmembers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis would join together as a production team, and craft hits for several 80s acts; most notably Music/JanetJackson.

* Music/UB40: Birmingham reggae group that became one of many "brand ambassadors" for the genre.

* Music/{{Ultravox}}: New Wave band and NewRomantic pioneers, best known for their songs "Vienna" and "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes". Alumni include Electropop pioneer John Foxx and GlamRock, SynthPop, and Band Aid veteran Midge Ure.

* Music/UncleBonsai: Quirky, irreverent contemporary [[FolkMusic folk]] trio.

* Music/VanHalen: This band more or less laid the groundwork for all the HardRock and HairMetal of this decade, while being very prominent in the 80s themselves, even surviving the departure of their most famous frontman and still being reliable hitmakers.

* Music/TomWaits: Changed his persona during this decade and went from accessible bar room piano music to more avantgarde music.

* Music/WasNotWas: Formed in 1979, first album in 1981.

* Music/MuddyWaters. Died in 1984.

* Music/JodyWatley: Shalamar star who had even bigger success as a solo singer.

* Music/{{Ween}}. Self-released multiple cassette tapes in the 1980s, did not release a full length album until 1990.

* Music/{{Wham}}: Pop duo best known as the starting point of one Music/GeorgeMichael.

* Music/{{Wire}}: A 1970s band, released new material from the middle of the decade onward. Including a number of hits.

* Music/XJapan: Truly hit their stride in TheNineties, disbanded TurnOfTheMillennium, made comeback in TheNoughties.
* Music/{{XTC}}: A 1970s band with a declining fanbase. Managed to restore themselves to prominence with a highly successful album.

* Music/{{Yello}}: Started in 1979, but saw most of their success during the eighties.
* Music/YellowMagicOrchestra: Started in 1978, but continued to remain active for the first half of this decade before dissolving in 1984 to focus on various solo projects. They would later regroup in 1992.

* Music/{{Yes}}: After starting the decade on a wobbly note with some lineup shakeups, they gained mainstream success with the poppy ''90125'', source of their only No. 1 hit "Owner of a Lonely Heart".

* Music/YoungMarbleGiants: Formed in 1978, released their only recordings in 1980.

* Music/FrankZappa: Career started in the 1960s. Still going strong in the eighties. Died in the nineties.

* Music/JohnZorn: Highly eclectical and impossible to pigeonhole artist, mostly active in jazz, though his gigantic catalogue has tried out various genres and styles throughout the years.

** Music/EveryoneKnowsThat
** Music/TheMostMysteriousSongOnTheInternet

[-[[MusicOfThe1920s 1920-1929]] | [[MusicOfThe1930s 1930-1939]] | [[MusicOfThe1940s 1940-1949]] | [[MusicOfThe1950s 1950-1959]] | [[MusicOfThe1960s 1960-1969]] | [[MusicOfThe1970s 1970-1979]] | '''1980-1989''' | [[MusicOfThe1990s 1990-1999]] | [[MusicOfThe2000s 2000-2009]] | [[MusicOf20102014 2010-2014]] | [[MusicOf20152019 2015-2019]] | [[MusicOfThe2020s 2020-present]]-]]]]]

* Music/AFlockOfSeagulls: Best known for their late 1982 hit "I Ran."

** 1982 - ''Music/PacManFever''

[[folder:Genres]]
* AlternativeRock: Otherwise known as college or modern rock back in the early days, alternative in this era was more a conglomeration of disparate left field styles (i.e. jangle pop, synthpop, post-punk, noise rock, hardcore, early alternative metal, etc.), all of which nonetheless served as an [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin alternative]] to the homogeny of mainstream rock and top 40 radio. Steadily became more popular as more bands scored major airplay and started joining major labels as the decade came to a close, first breaking into the American mainstream in 1987 following a number of unprecedentedly successful releases in the genre, helping set the stage for the genre's mainstream dominance the following decade.
** {{Grunge}}, especially at the end of the decade, though it didn't get mainstream recognition until TheNineties
** HardcorePunk
** JanglePop was born in TheSixties, but reemerged as the first identifiable face of alternative rock in 1981.
** PostPunk technically predated and was the mother genre to alternative rock itself, starting in the late 70's, but was later conglomerated into the movement as its sister genres NewWaveMusic and SynthPop quickly achieved mainstream success early in the decade.
** PostRock: Has precursors that go as far back as 1967, if not further, but really started to solidify at the end of the decade.
** {{Queercore}}, though it did not really take off until TheNineties and never was well known.
* ElectronicMusic: Synthesizers became far more accessible to musicians at the end of the 70's, and the result was a ''massive'' electronic boom throughout the 80's that would continue to reverberate throughout later decades.
** AlternativeDance: Got its start at the start of the 80's by mixing SynthPop with AlternativeRock, immediately breaking into the UK mainstream and eventually cracking the US in 1987 (alongside alternative rock itself).
** {{Disco}}: Was near-completely annihilated from American popular music at the turn of the decade, but remained big elsewhere, embracing the synth boom and having a huge knock-on effect on the decade's music.
*** ItaloDisco: A synth-heavy dance genre that emerged in Italy early in this decade and saw increased commercialization and production quality in the remainder, in addition to songs inspired by Italo produced in other mainland Europe nations with Germany being the lead. Had its roots from (Italian) disco, Europop, and ProgressiveRock.
** JapanesePopMusic: Began in the 70's and had precursors from decades prior, but in the 80's it solidified into what westerners most readily think of when they hear "J-pop" thanks to the success and influence of domestic SynthPop giants Music/YellowMagicOrchestra.
*** CityPop: a subgenre of JapanesePopMusic influenced by {{Jazz}} and {{Funk}} that started in the late '70s but peaked in this decade, becoming the dominant form of J-pop until the asset bubble crash in 1991-1992.
** HouseMusic: Started in the Chicago underground during this decade before becoming a major force in electronic music in the 90's.
** SynthPop: Technically started in the 60's and solidified in the late 70's, but became a major mainstream force from 1981 to 1986 and continued to bleed into the music of the 80's afterward.
** {{Techno}}: Was birthed in Detroit during this decade and continued to grow alongside house.
** There was a huge wave of synth heavy R&B acts during the early to mid 80's. Usually called Synth Funk, Post-Disco, Electro Funk (or Boogie), or "New Wave R&B". Most of the time R&B would overlap with those aforementioned genres. Especially American artists from TheSeventies who were trying to stay relevant after the disco backlash like the Whispers and Cameo, who all started out as either Funk, or Soul. This would later lead to ContemporaryRAndB.
* HeartlandRock
* HeavyMetal: This decade was major for the genre, with many of its subgenres seeing major development during it.
** DoomMetal: Bands began expanding upon Music/BlackSabbath's sound during this decade in a ''very'' deeply underground scene.
** HairMetal: Massively popular, often pop-leaning style possibly best remembered for outrageous fashions and the {{power ballad}}s.
** NewWaveOfBritishHeavyMetal: In its strongest form in 1980-83, declined due to many egregious cases of FollowTheLeader. Left an undeniable legacy and influence in other forms of metal listed here.
** PowerMetal: First saw popularity around the middle of the decade, mostly in Europe.
** ThrashMetal: Led by the "Big Four" of Music/{{Metallica}}, Music/{{Megadeth}}, Music/{{Slayer}} and Music/{{Anthrax}}, a massive underground scene for this sonically violent, punk-infused genre developed as a backlash to hair metal throughout the decade, accumulating in some mainstream success at the very end of it before falling off at the start of TheNineties.
*** BlackMetal: Got its seeds planted throughout the decade, although didn't reach its best known form until TheNineties.
*** DeathMetal: Slowly began being codified throughout the later half of the decade.
* HipHop: Started at the end of the 70's and continued to evolve throughout this decade. UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHipHop starts late in this decade (circa 88).
* Creator/{{MTV}} debuted and had a huge influence on the popularity of acts during this decade.
* NewWaveMusic got its start in the late 70's, but ''really'' gained mainstream prominence at the start of the 80's, continuing to influence the decade's music.
** TheMinneapolisSound: An offshoot of New Wave that combined it with FunkRock, RAndB, and SynthPop.
*** NewJackSwing: A daughter genre of the Minneapolis Sound that emphasized the RAndB elements while incorporating elements of HipHop. Got its start in the latter years of this decade before peaking and declining in TheNineties.
** NewRomantic: A mostly Anglo-centric offshoot that combined New Wave with the artsier end of GlamRock.
* ProgressiveRock: Critics already wrote it off by the late 70's, and its first wave would ultimately die out by 1983 save for a few enduring legacy acts; the neo-prog and post-prog offshoots emerged by 1981 and would step up to take first-wave prog's place throughout the rest of the decade and beyond.
* SoftRock: Already popular in the '70s, and continued to be popular in the 1980s, albeit in a more synth-driven form.
* SophistiPop: A subgenre of NewWaveMusic with JazzFusion, {{Soul}}, and soft rock influences. Some of the genre's acts also overlapped with the NewRomantic scene.
[[/folder]]

** 1980 - ''Music/TheGameQueen''

** 1986 - ''Music/AKindOfMagic''

* Music/{{Forbidden}}

* Music/{{ABC}}: British pop group, who had a few overseas hits.

* Music/DarkCity

** 1987 - ''Music/{{Abigail}}''

* Music/{{Visage}}

** 1982 - ''Music/{{Avalon}}''

* Music/{{Chrome}}