Uncovering the Next Generation's Hall of Fame
| ⇦ 1970s | 1990s ⇨ |
The Defining Artists of the 1980s
The following artists released some of the best music of the 1980s. Hall of Famers are highlighted in orange.
The Go-Go's Bonnie Raitt Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five Ministry The Replacements Olivia Newton-John Sonic Youth Anthrax Quincy Jones Megadeth Afrika Bambaataa Stevie Ray Vaughan Slayer Donna Summer Pet Shop Boys U2 John Lennon Amy Grant Joy Division/New Order Chaka Khan Joe Jackson Pixies Eric B. & Rakim Rush Motörhead Pat Benatar The Pretenders Lionel Richie Grace Jones ZZ Top The Cure Public Image Ltd. Tom Petty (solo) Black Sabbath AC/DC Diana Ross Peter Gabriel Sting X Rick James Michael Jackson Nine Inch Nails John Williams Los Lobos De La Soul John Mellencamp R.E.M. Elton John XTC The Pogues Yes Dire Straits Kate Bush George Strait The Pointer Sisters Gloria Estefan Guns N' Roses The Dead Kennedys Ice-T Al Jarreau Van Halen Gang of Four Echo and the Bunnymen Minutemen LL Cool J Duran Duran Willie Nelson Red Hot Chili Peppers "Weird Al" Yankovic The Alan Parsons Project Stray Cats Tina Turner Judas Priest Dio Smokey Robinson Kraftwerk Men at Work Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Aretha Franklin Ozzy Osbourne The Jesus and Mary Chain The Judds The Judds Bob Marley Styx Lou Reed Fleetwood Mac Scorpions Neil Young Dinosaur Jr. Faith No More Steve Winwood Boogie Down Productions Sade The Kinks Prince Elvis Costello & the Attractions Foreigner Madness Steve Earle Hall & Oates Cocteau Twins Roxy Music Def Leppard Sinead O'Connor The J. Geils Band George Harrison Barbra Streisand Ultravox Talk Talk N.W.A Paul Simon Stone Roses Run DMC Bruce Springsteen Billy Joel The Psychedelic Furs ABC Eddie Money Sparks The Cars Blondie Talking Heads Midnight Oil Janet Jackson The Cult Meat Puppets Madonna ABBA The Human League Siouxsie & the Banshees Depeche Mode Stevie Nicks Miami Sound Machine Suzanne Vega The Clash George Michael Black Flag Salt N Pepa King Crimson The Police Adam and the Ants Robert Palmer Cher Paul McCartney Frankie Goes to Hollywood Tracy Chapman Hüsker Dü Toto Journey Bon Jovi Neil Diamond The Smiths Tears for Fears Aerosmith Eurythmics Simple Minds Don Henley INXS English Beat Bauhaus David Bowie The B-52's The Misfits Tom Waits Einstürzende Neubauten Metallica Devo The Moody Blues Jackson Browne Skinny Puppy The Rolling Stones Bob Seger Huey Lewis and The News Queen Rod Stewart Violent Femmes Luther Vandross Dolly Parton Warren Zevon Billy Idol The Jam Iron Maiden Beastie Boys Patti LaBelle Linda Ronstadt They Might Be Giants Eric Clapton Fugazi Bryan Adams Jane's Addiction Crowded House Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Minor Threat Anita Baker Public Enemy Emmylou Harris Mötley Crüe Electric Light Orchestra Stevie Wonder Kenny Rogers Squeeze Ramones Cheap Trick Genesis The Fall Brian Eno Kenny Loggins Nick Cave Heart Carly Simon Leonard Cohen The Bangles Culture Club Joe Cocker Kool & the Gang Bad Brains Phil Collins Alice Cooper Cyndi Lauper Living Colour George Benson Whitney Houston
Of the 223 artists listed above, 47% have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
| ⇦ 1970s | 1990s ⇨ |
The Defining Albums of the 1980s
AC/DC - Back In Black (1980)
Bruce Springsteen - The River (1980)
U2 - Boy (1980)
Talking Heads - Remain In Light (1980)
Prince - Dirty Mind (1980)
The Clash - Sandinista! (1980)
X - Los Angeles (1980)
Joy Division - Closer (1980)
David Bowie - Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (1980)
The Cure - Boys Don't Cry (1980)
The Pretenders - Pretenders (1980)
Motörhead - Ace Of Spades (1980)
Diana Ross - Diana (1980)
Rush - Moving Pictures (1981)
X - Wild Gift (1981)
Black Flag - Damaged (1981)
Luther Vandross - Never Too Much (1981)
The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You (1981)
The Police - Ghost in the Machine (1981)
Echo & The Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here (1981)
George Michael - Faith (1981)
The Go-Go's - Beauty And The Beat (1982)
Michael Jackson - Thriller (1982)
Chuck Berry - The Great Twenty-Eight (1982)
Prince - 1999 (1982)
Roxy Music - Avalon (1982)
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Imperial Bedroom (1982)
Richard and Linda Thompson - Shoot Out the Lights (1982)
Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska (1982)
Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual (1983)
Eurythmics - Touch (1983)
U2 - War (1983)
ZZ Top - Eliminator (1983)
New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies (1983)
The Police - Synchronicity (1983)
R.E.M. - Murmur (1983)
Def Leppard - Hysteria (1984)
The Replacements - Let It Be (1984)
Run-D.M.C. - Run-D.M.C. (1984)
Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense (1984)
The Smiths - The Smiths (1984)
Prince & the Revolution - Parade (1984)
Bruce Springsteen - Born In The U.S.A. (1984)
Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime (1984)
Sade - Diamond Life (1984)
Los Lobos - How Will the Wolf Survive? (1984)
Prince & the Revolution - Purple Rain (1984)
Bob Marley & the Wailers - Legend (1984)
The Pogues - Rum Sodomy & the Lash (1985)
New Order - Low-Life (1985)
Sam Cooke - Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 (1985)
Tom Waits - Rain Dogs (1985)
LL Cool J - Radio (1985)
The Replacements - Tim (1985)
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms (1985)
Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston (1985)
The Smiths - Meat Is Murder (1985)
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy (1985)
Various artists - The Indestructible Beat of Soweto (1985)
Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair (1985)
Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (1985)
Hüsker Dü - New Day Rising (1985)
Slayer - Reign In Blood (1986)
New Order - Brotherhood (1986)
Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986)
Anita Baker - Rapture (1986)
Run-D.M.C. - Raising Hell (1986)
Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley/Go Bo Diddley (1986)
Janet Jackson - Control (1986)
The Smiths - The Queen is Dead (1986)
Beastie Boys - Licensed To Ill (1986)
Paul Simon - Graceland (1986)
Peter Gabriel - So (1986)
Steve Earle - Guitar Town (1986)
Dinosaur Jr. - You're Living All Over Me (1987)
The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come (1987)
Bruce Springsteen - Tunnel Of Love (1987)
Prince - Sign O' The Times (1987)
Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded (1987)
R.E.M. - Document (1987)
Sonic Youth - Sister (1987)
Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full (1987)
Pet Shop Boys - Actually (1987)
U2 - The Joshua Tree (1987)
Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction (1987)
Michael Jackson - Bad (1987)
The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me (1987)
Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back (1988)
Lucinda Williams - Lucinda Williams (1988)
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation (1988)
Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking (1988)
N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton (1988)
Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman (1988)
Pixies - Surfer Rosa (1988)
EPMD - Strictly Business (1988)
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses (1989)
Aerosmith - Pump (1989)
Don Henley - The End Of The Innocence (1989)
Pixies - Doolittle (1989)
Madonna - Like A Prayer (1989)
Janet Jackson - Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989)
Bonnie Raitt - Nick of Time (1989)
De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)
Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever (1989)
Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique (1989)
The Cure - Disintegration (1989)
| ⇦ 1970s | 1990s ⇨ |
The Defining Songs of the 1980s
Rush - The Spirit Of Radio (1980)
Bob Marley - Redemption Song (1980)
Billy Ocean - Suddenly (1980)
AC/DC - Back In Black (1980)
Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime (1980)
Devo - Whip It (1980)
Olivia Newton-John - Magic (1980)
English Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom (1980)
AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long (1980)
Go-Go's - We Got the Beat (1980)
George Jones - He Stopped Loving Her Today (1980)
Peter Gabriel - Biko (1980)
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart (1980)
Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train (1980)
Dead Kennedys - Holiday in Cambodia (1980)
Bob Marley - Could You Be Loved (1980)
Bruce Springsteen - Tunnel of Love (1980)
Kurtis Blow - The Breaks (1980)
Stevie Wonder - Master Blaster (Jammin') (1980)
Motörhead - Ace Of Spades (1980)
Barbra Streisand with Barry Gibb - Guilty (1980)
X - Los Angeles (1980)
Neil Diamond - Hello Again (1980)
Joan Jett - Bad Reputation (1980)
Judas Priest - Breaking The Law (1980)
After The Fire - Der Kommissar (1981)
Laura Branigan - Gloria (1981)
The Specials - Ghost Town (1981)
Phil Collins - Two Hearts (1981)
Stevie Nicks - Edge Of Seventeen (1981)
Rush - Limelight (1981)
Luther Vandross - Never Too Much (1981)
The Go-Go's - Our Lips Are Sealed (1981)
Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure (1981)
Stray Cats - Rock This Town (1981)
Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight (1981)
R.E.M. - Radio Free Europe (1981)
Black Flag - TV Party (1981)
James Brown - Super Freak (1981)
Bruce Springsteen - Atlantic City (1982)
Duran Duran - Hungry Like The Wolf (1982)
Toto - Africa (1982)
Grandmaster Flash - The Message (1982)
Afrika Bambaataa - Planet Rock (1982)
George Clinton - Atomic Dog (1982)
Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind (1982)
Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing (1982)
Prince - 1999 (1982)
Michael Jackson - Beat It (1982)
Culture Club - Time (Clock of the Heart) (1982)
Prince - Little Red Corvette (1982)
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (1982)
John Cougar Mellencamp - Authority Song (1983)
Huey Lewis & The News - Heart and Soul (1983)
ZZ Top - Legs (1983)
New Order - Blue Monday (1983)
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Pride And Joy (1983)
Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time (1983)
Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want To Have Fun (1983)
John Cougar Mellencamp - Pink Houses (1983)
The Police - Every Breath You Take (1983)
Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (1983)
Van Halen - Jump (1983)
U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday (1983)
The Smiths - Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now (1984)
Depeche Mode - People Are People (1984)
Hüsker Dü - Turn on the News (1984)
Prince - Purple Rain (1984)
Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah (1984)
Tears For Fears - Head Over Heels (1984)
Tina Turner - What's Love Got to Do With It (1984)
Prince - When Doves Cry (1984)
U.T.F.O. - Roxanne, Roxanne (1984)
Madonna - Like a Virgin (1984)
The Smiths - How Soon is Now? (1984)
Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls (1984)
Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A. (1984)
U2 - Pride (In the Name of Love) (1984)
Kool & the Gang - Cherish (1984)
The Replacements - I Will Dare (1984)
Bruce Springsteen - Dancing in the Dark (1984)
Alphaville - Forever Young (1984)
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Cities in Dust (1985)
Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World (1985)
Frankie Knuckles - Your Love (1985)
Madonna - Into the Groove (1985)
Miami Sound Machine - Conga (1985)
The Replacements - Left Of The Dial (1985)
The Replacements - Here Comes a Regular (1985)
Beastie Boys - (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party) (1986)
Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes (1986)
Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986)
Prince - Kiss (1986)
New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle (1986)
Janet Jackson - Control (1986)
The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (1986)
Anita Baker - Sweet Love (1986)
Paul Simon - Graceland (1986)
U2 - With Or Without You (1987)
INXS - Never Tear Us Apart (1987)
Public Enemy - Bring The Noise (1987)
Eric B. & Rakim - Paid in Full (1987)
Guns 'N' Roses - Welcome To The Jungle (1987)
Tom Waits - Hang on St. Christopher (1987)
Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning (1987)
The Cure - Just Like Heaven (1987)
U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (1987)
Metallica - One (1988)
Lucinda Williams - Passionate Kisses (1988)
N.W.A - Fuck Tha Police (1988)
The La's - There She Goes (1988)
Ministry - Stigmata (1988)
Tracy Chapman - Fast Car (1988)
N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton (1988)
Madonna - Express Yourself (1988)
Pixies - Where Is My Mind? (1988)
Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance (1988)
Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock - It Takes Two (1988)
Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot (1988)
Nine Inch Nails - Head Like a Hole (1989)
Beastie Boys - Hey Ladies (1989)
Public Enemy - Fight the Power (1989)
Tesla - Love Song (1989)
The Cure - Pictures of You (1989)
Biz Markie - Just a Friend (1989)
Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation (1989)
Madonna - Like a Prayer (1989)
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