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.
Pixies Peter Gabriel Barbra Streisand Motörhead George Strait George Strait The Go-Go's The Cars Leonard Cohen Gang of Four Quincy Jones The Pogues Mötley Crüe Billy Joel Eurythmics Ramones Men at Work The Pretenders Joe Jackson Dexys Midnight Runners Diana Ross The J. Geils Band Amy Grant Aretha Franklin Sparks Salt N Pepa The Replacements Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five Skinny Puppy Stone Roses Simple Minds Bruce Springsteen Fugazi Warren Zevon Eric B. & Rakim X Fleetwood Mac Crowded House Aerosmith Public Image Ltd. Einstürzende Neubauten Twisted Sister Billy Bragg Jackson Browne Neil Young Genesis The Alan Parsons Project Journey Dire Straits Level 42 Cher Electric Light Orchestra Elton John Los Lobos Bad Brains Def Leppard Metallica The Smiths Sonic Youth The Pointer Sisters Ozzy Osbourne Bob Seger Public Enemy Ice-T Kenny Rogers Tom Petty (solo) Huey Lewis and The News Adam and the Ants Kool & the Gang Bon Jovi The Human League Grace Jones ABC De La Soul Slayer Paul Simon Faith No More Iron Maiden Heart Neil Diamond Minor Threat Minutemen The Dead Kennedys Black Sabbath Don Henley Alice Cooper "Weird Al" Yankovic Roxy Music Blondie Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Chaka Khan Whitney Houston Luther Vandross Depeche Mode Run DMC Beastie Boys George Benson Echo and the Bunnymen Gloria Estefan Steve Winwood Cocteau Twins R.E.M. Kate Bush Stevie Nicks Prince Phil Collins ABBA English Beat Carly Simon Pat Benatar Hall & Oates John Mellencamp Talk Talk King Crimson The Tragically Hip Ministry Dio The Fall Steve Earle Suzanne Vega Madonna Styx Frankie Goes to Hollywood Smokey Robinson Meat Puppets Cheap Trick Bobby Brown Madness Boz Scaggs Bonnie Raitt Nine Inch Nails Squeeze Kenny Loggins Duran Duran Megadeth N.W.A Patti LaBelle Judas Priest The Cult Culture Club The B-52's John Williams The Jesus and Mary Chain Billy Idol New Edition Hüsker Dü Joe Cocker Tom Waits John Lennon Cyndi Lauper Tears for Fears The Bangles Anita Baker Scorpions Stray Cats Rod Stewart George Michael Willie Nelson Foreigner Joy Division/New Order The Judds Janet Jackson Bauhaus Emmylou Harris Linda Ronstadt Yes U2 ZZ Top Bryan Adams Stevie Wonder Toto Donna Summer Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Sinead O'Connor INXS Rick James David Bowie Boogie Down Productions Ultravox The Rolling Stones Anthrax Midnight Oil Bob Marley Red Hot Chili Peppers Van Halen Tina Turner Lou Reed The Moody Blues The Jam Dinosaur Jr. Pet Shop Boys Kraftwerk The Psychedelic Furs Sting Eddie Money Miami Sound Machine Sade Siouxsie & the Banshees The Cure Tracy Chapman Lionel Richie Paul McCartney Robert Palmer George Harrison They Might Be Giants Guns N' Roses Queen LL Cool J Michael Jackson Talking Heads XTC Living Colour Brian Eno The Kinks The Clash Olivia Newton-John Eric Clapton The Police Elvis Costello & the Attractions Rush Nick Cave AC/DC Violent Femmes Black Flag Devo Afrika Bambaataa The Misfits Dolly Parton Jane's Addiction Stevie Ray Vaughan Al Jarreau
Of the 231 artists listed above, 48% have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
| ⇦ 1970s | 1990s ⇨ |
The Defining Albums of the 1980s
Diana Ross - Diana (1980)
David Bowie - Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (1980)
Prince - Dirty Mind (1980)
AC/DC - Back In Black (1980)
The Cure - Boys Don't Cry (1980)
The Pretenders - Pretenders (1980)
Joy Division - Closer (1980)
The Clash - Sandinista! (1980)
Motörhead - Ace Of Spades (1980)
U2 - Boy (1980)
Bruce Springsteen - The River (1980)
Talking Heads - Remain In Light (1980)
X - Los Angeles (1980)
The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You (1981)
Luther Vandross - Never Too Much (1981)
Rush - Moving Pictures (1981)
Black Flag - Damaged (1981)
Echo & The Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here (1981)
The Police - Ghost in the Machine (1981)
X - Wild Gift (1981)
Prince - 1999 (1982)
Richard and Linda Thompson - Shoot Out the Lights (1982)
Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska (1982)
The Go-Go's - Beauty And The Beat (1982)
Roxy Music - Avalon (1982)
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Imperial Bedroom (1982)
Michael Jackson - Thriller (1982)
Chuck Berry - The Great Twenty-Eight (1982)
U2 - War (1983)
ZZ Top - Eliminator (1983)
Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual (1983)
New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies (1983)
The Police - Synchronicity (1983)
Eurythmics - Touch (1983)
R.E.M. - Murmur (1983)
Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense (1984)
Bruce Springsteen - Born In The U.S.A. (1984)
Prince & the Revolution - Purple Rain (1984)
Los Lobos - How Will the Wolf Survive? (1984)
Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime (1984)
The Replacements - Let It Be (1984)
Run-D.M.C. - Run-D.M.C. (1984)
The Smiths - The Smiths (1984)
Bob Marley & the Wailers - Legend (1984)
Sade - Diamond Life (1984)
Sam Cooke - Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 (1985)
Hüsker Dü - New Day Rising (1985)
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy (1985)
Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (1985)
Various artists - The Indestructible Beat of Soweto (1985)
The Pogues - Rum Sodomy & the Lash (1985)
Tom Waits - Rain Dogs (1985)
New Order - Low-Life (1985)
Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair (1985)
The Replacements - Tim (1985)
LL Cool J - Radio (1985)
Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston (1985)
The Smiths - Meat Is Murder (1985)
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms (1985)
Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986)
Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley/Go Bo Diddley (1986)
Run-D.M.C. - Raising Hell (1986)
New Order - Brotherhood (1986)
The Smiths - The Queen is Dead (1986)
Paul Simon - Graceland (1986)
Slayer - Reign In Blood (1986)
Janet Jackson - Control (1986)
Beastie Boys - Licensed To Ill (1986)
Steve Earle - Guitar Town (1986)
Peter Gabriel - So (1986)
Anita Baker - Rapture (1986)
Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded (1987)
Michael Jackson - Bad (1987)
George Michael - Faith (1987)
The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come (1987)
Prince - Sign O' The Times (1987)
R.E.M. - Document (1987)
The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me (1987)
U2 - The Joshua Tree (1987)
Pet Shop Boys - Actually (1987)
Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full (1987)
Def Leppard - Hysteria (1987)
Bruce Springsteen - Tunnel Of Love (1987)
Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction (1987)
Sonic Youth - Sister (1987)
Dinosaur Jr. - You're Living All Over Me (1987)
N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton (1988)
Pixies - Surfer Rosa (1988)
Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back (1988)
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation (1988)
Lucinda Williams - Lucinda Williams (1988)
EPMD - Strictly Business (1988)
Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking (1988)
Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman (1988)
Don Henley - The End Of The Innocence (1989)
Madonna - Like A Prayer (1989)
Janet Jackson - Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989)
Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever (1989)
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses (1989)
Pixies - Doolittle (1989)
Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique (1989)
Aerosmith - Pump (1989)
The Cure - Disintegration (1989)
Bonnie Raitt - Nick of Time (1989)
De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)
| ⇦ 1970s | 1990s ⇨ |
The Defining Songs of the 1980s
Stevie Wonder - Master Blaster (Jammin') (1980)
Bob Marley - Could You Be Loved (1980)
AC/DC - Back In Black (1980)
English Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom (1980)
Kurtis Blow - The Breaks (1980)
AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long (1980)
Rush - The Spirit Of Radio (1980)
X - Los Angeles (1980)
Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train (1980)
Dead Kennedys - Holiday in Cambodia (1980)
Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime (1980)
Peter Gabriel - Biko (1980)
George Jones - He Stopped Loving Her Today (1980)
Go-Go's - We Got the Beat (1980)
Joan Jett - Bad Reputation (1980)
Motörhead - Ace Of Spades (1980)
Bob Marley - Redemption Song (1980)
Devo - Whip It (1980)
Judas Priest - Breaking The Law (1980)
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart (1980)
Luther Vandross - Never Too Much (1981)
Black Flag - TV Party (1981)
Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight (1981)
The Specials - Ghost Town (1981)
Rick James - Super Freak (1981)
The Go-Go's - Our Lips Are Sealed (1981)
Stevie Nicks - Edge Of Seventeen (1981)
Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure (1981)
R.E.M. - Radio Free Europe (1981)
Rush - Limelight (1981)
Stray Cats - Rock This Town (1981)
Michael Jackson - Beat It (1982)
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (1982)
Afrika Bambaataa - Planet Rock (1982)
Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing (1982)
Culture Club - Time (Clock of the Heart) (1982)
Toto - Africa (1982)
Prince - 1999 (1982)
George Clinton - Atomic Dog (1982)
Duran Duran - Hungry Like The Wolf (1982)
Prince - Little Red Corvette (1982)
Grandmaster Flash - The Message (1982)
Bruce Springsteen - Atlantic City (1982)
U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday (1983)
Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want To Have Fun (1983)
ZZ Top - Legs (1983)
John Cougar Mellencamp - Authority Song (1983)
Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time (1983)
Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (1983)
John Cougar Mellencamp - Pink Houses (1983)
The Police - Every Breath You Take (1983)
New Order - Blue Monday (1983)
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Pride And Joy (1983)
Van Halen - Jump (1983)
Hüsker Dü - Turn on the News (1984)
Prince - Purple Rain (1984)
Depeche Mode - People Are People (1984)
Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A. (1984)
Tina Turner - What's Love Got to Do With It (1984)
Prince - When Doves Cry (1984)
U.T.F.O. - Roxanne, Roxanne (1984)
Bruce Springsteen - Dancing in the Dark (1984)
The Smiths - How Soon is Now? (1984)
The Replacements - I Will Dare (1984)
U2 - Pride (In the Name of Love) (1984)
The Smiths - Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now (1984)
Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah (1984)
Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls (1984)
Madonna - Like a Virgin (1984)
Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World (1985)
Miami Sound Machine - Conga (1985)
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Cities in Dust (1985)
Madonna - Into the Groove (1985)
The Replacements - Here Comes a Regular (1985)
The Replacements - Left Of The Dial (1985)
Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes (1986)
Prince - Kiss (1986)
Janet Jackson - Control (1986)
The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (1986)
Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986)
New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle (1986)
Paul Simon - Graceland (1986)
Beastie Boys - (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party) (1986)
Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning (1987)
Public Enemy - Bring The Noise (1987)
The Cure - Just Like Heaven (1987)
INXS - Never Tear Us Apart (1987)
Eric B. & Rakim - Paid in Full (1987)
U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (1987)
U2 - With Or Without You (1987)
Guns 'N' Roses - Welcome To The Jungle (1987)
Tom Waits - Hang on St. Christopher (1987)
Lucinda Williams - Passionate Kisses (1988)
The La's - There She Goes (1988)
Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock - It Takes Two (1988)
Tracy Chapman - Fast Car (1988)
N.W.A - Fuck Tha Police (1988)
N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton (1988)
Pixies - Where Is My Mind? (1988)
Ministry - Stigmata (1988)
Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot (1988)
Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance (1988)
Madonna - Like a Prayer (1989)
Nine Inch Nails - Head Like a Hole (1989)
Beastie Boys - Hey Ladies (1989)
Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation (1989)
The Cure - Pictures of You (1989)
Public Enemy - Fight the Power (1989)
Biz Markie - Just a Friend (1989)
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