Band or singer that best represents the music of the 80s

[SquirrelMan]

Best decade of music.
The least discriminating and more diverse than any other, before or after.

And all they had to do was murder queer, black disco to get there.

[Scott Taylor]

For me the 1980s are divided into two parts - the early 1980s of New Wave and then the late 1980s when all that music became popular and was re-branded as "alternative" rock. Division point is right around 1984, to me.

Most groups compromised as the 1980s wore on, I felt. Exceptions are INXS or U2.

That said, I pick Flock of Seagulls. That hair and the look was sooooooooooo 1980s. Honorable mention goes to ABC.

[TriggerWarning]

For me the 1980s are divided into two parts - the early 1980s of New Wave and then the late 1980s when all that music became popular and was re-branded as "alternative" rock. Division point is right around 1984, to me.

Most groups compromised as the 1980s wore on, I felt. Exceptions are INXS or U2.

That said, I pick Flock of Seagulls. That hair and the look was sooooooooooo 1980s. Honorable mention goes to ABC.

Alternative rock didn't really become a thing until the early 90's when Nirvana exploded on the scene in 1992. Then alternative became all the rage. 1984 to 1992 was basically hair metal,overproduced pop that doesn't hold up well today, and the rise of rap.

There are bands from the mid to late 80s' that influenced the alternative bands of the 90's or themselves became huge in the 90's because everyone was looking for the next Nirvana. REM is a good example. They produced a lot of solid rock that definitely falls in the roots of alternative genre but while they were a critical darling they had very little mainstream success til the early 90's. Nine Inch Nails and Alice in Chains are two others. Both released great albums pre Nirvana and but neither gained much mainstream success til alternative exploded in 92.

[dancj]

Alternative rock didn't really become a thing until the early 90's when Nirvana exploded on the scene in 1992. Then alternative became all the rage. 1984 to 1992 was basically hair metal,overproduced pop that doesn't hold up well today, and the rise of rap.

There are bands from the mid to late 80s' that influenced the alternative bands of the 90's or themselves became huge in the 90's because everyone was looking for the next Nirvana. REM is a good example. They produced a lot of solid rock that definitely falls in the roots of alternative genre but while they were a critical darling they had very little mainstream success til the early 90's. Nine Inch Nails and Alice in Chains are two others. Both released great albums pre Nirvana and but neither gained much mainstream success til alternative exploded in 92.

I don't know how mainstream you have to be, but The Wonder Stuff, The Smiths, Pixies, Inspiral Carpets, The Charlatans, Happy Mondays and a bunch of others were all successful before Nirvana hit big.

[AgentClank]

I was born in 87 and I'm just now really diving into 80s music. For me, the offbeat and alternative stuff represents the 80s the best. Watching singers like Nina Hagen, Lene Lovich, Siouxsie, and Klaus Nomi perform really opened up my taste in music. I do like some new wave though like Missing Persons, Book of Love, Blondie, and Eurythmics.

[TriggerWarning]

I don't know how mainstream you have to be, but The Wonder Stuff, The Smiths, Pixies, Inspiral Carpets, The Charlatans, Happy Mondays and a bunch of others were all successful before Nirvana hit big.

They were largely unknown though. None got any airplay on radio (in the United States anyway) and only the Smiths got any play on MTV and they'd fall into the New Wave category, not alternative.

[Güicho]

For an instant it was these two worlds colliding....

[hegmannkris]

Guns N’ Roses is the band I like most. “Appetite For Destruction” was released in 1987 and proceeded to kick the living hell out of everyone. GNR came out of the gate hot and it was the #1 album a year after its release. “Sweet Child O’ Mine” reached number one and they would sell 30 million albums worldwide. Their song is my sonnerie

[The no face guy]

If I think cool pop music from the 80's I always think of Billy Idol. When you think about it he was more punk than Green Day ever were.