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.
Bauhaus Emmylou Harris John Lennon "Weird Al" Yankovic The Smiths Fleetwood Mac Bob Marley Barbra Streisand Whitney Houston Olivia Newton-John Donna Summer Diana Ross Bobby Brown Grace Jones Stevie Wonder Luther Vandross Iron Maiden Crowded House Meat Puppets Sade Simple Minds Run DMC Judas Priest The Jesus and Mary Chain Motörhead Bryan Adams Gang of Four AC/DC Men at Work Bruce Springsteen Madonna Jane's Addiction De La Soul Styx Foreigner Frankie Goes to Hollywood Electric Light Orchestra Miami Sound Machine Living Colour Aretha Franklin The Replacements Toto Sinead O'Connor Janet Jackson Dinosaur Jr. The Pogues Sting Sonic Youth Kool & the Gang Black Sabbath Nine Inch Nails The Cult Culture Club Stray Cats Twisted Sister Guns N' Roses Heart Kenny Rogers Brian Eno Tina Turner ABC Lou Reed Dire Straits Smokey Robinson The Pretenders They Might Be Giants ABBA The Go-Go's Cocteau Twins The Alan Parsons Project Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five U2 Ultravox Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Anthrax Afrika Bambaataa Joe Jackson Boz Scaggs Fugazi Bob Seger Nick Cave Midnight Oil Rush English Beat Tom Waits Minutemen Kenny Loggins Peter Gabriel Blondie The Moody Blues George Michael Tracy Chapman Public Enemy Hall & Oates Al Jarreau Don Henley The Rolling Stones New Edition Eric B. & Rakim Huey Lewis and The News Van Halen ZZ Top Roxy Music Ministry The Misfits Quincy Jones The Cure Red Hot Chili Peppers Rod Stewart The J. Geils Band Slayer Phil Collins Pat Benatar Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Elton John Duran Duran George Harrison Madness Carly Simon Joe Cocker Robert Palmer The Human League Dolly Parton Dexys Midnight Runners Chaka Khan Los Lobos Gloria Estefan The Jam Stone Roses Tom Petty (solo) Pet Shop Boys Hüsker Dü Paul McCartney Cyndi Lauper John Mellencamp Faith No More Warren Zevon Joy Division/New Order Talking Heads Queen David Bowie Black Flag The Dead Kennedys N.W.A Jackson Browne Adam and the Ants Public Image Ltd. Beastie Boys Amy Grant Cheap Trick X Journey The B-52's Pixies Scorpions Neil Young Steve Winwood XTC Boogie Down Productions Devo Anita Baker Bonnie Raitt Tears for Fears Eric Clapton Metallica Lionel Richie The Fall The Cars Ozzy Osbourne Stevie Nicks INXS Squeeze LL Cool J The Bangles Depeche Mode Dio George Strait Eurythmics Genesis George Benson Kate Bush Siouxsie & the Banshees Violent Femmes Patti LaBelle Kraftwerk Alice Cooper The Kinks Stevie Ray Vaughan Steve Earle Michael Jackson Rick James Skinny Puppy Salt N Pepa Einstürzende Neubauten Aerosmith Suzanne Vega Billy Joel The Pointer Sisters Cher Talk Talk Echo and the Bunnymen Def Leppard Megadeth Mötley Crüe Eddie Money Willie Nelson Prince Linda Ronstadt R.E.M. The Judds John Williams Yes Neil Diamond The Police Bon Jovi Leonard Cohen Bad Brains Minor Threat Ramones Sparks Elvis Costello & the Attractions Paul Simon Ice-T King Crimson The Psychedelic Furs The Clash Billy Idol
Of the 227 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)
Chuck Berry - The Great Twenty-Eight (1982)
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)
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)
Los Lobos - How Will the Wolf Survive? (1984)
Prince & the Revolution - Purple Rain (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)
Sade - Diamond Life (1984)
Bob Marley & the Wailers - Legend (1984)
Hüsker Dü - New Day Rising (1985)
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy (1985)
Sam Cooke - Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 (1985)
Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (1985)
The Pogues - Rum Sodomy & the Lash (1985)
Various artists - The Indestructible Beat of Soweto (1985)
Tom Waits - Rain Dogs (1985)
New Order - Low-Life (1985)
Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair (1985)
LL Cool J - Radio (1985)
The Replacements - Tim (1985)
Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston (1985)
The Smiths - Meat Is Murder (1985)
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms (1985)
Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986)
Run-D.M.C. - Raising Hell (1986)
New Order - Brotherhood (1986)
The Smiths - The Queen is Dead (1986)
Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley/Go Bo Diddley (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)
Prince - Sign O' The Times (1987)
The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come (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)
Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
Janet Jackson - Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (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)
De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)
Bonnie Raitt - Nick of Time (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)
Kurtis Blow - The Breaks (1980)
English Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom (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)
George Clinton - Atomic Dog (1982)
Prince - 1999 (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)
The Police - Every Breath You Take (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)
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)
Prince - When Doves Cry (1984)
U.T.F.O. - Roxanne, Roxanne (1984)
Tina Turner - What's Love Got to Do With It (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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