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
