favorite 80's bands

[Martin Q. Blank]

Re: What Are Your 80s Favorites?

U2, what can I say? The music speaks for itself really. They recently put out How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, probably one of their best efforts ever and are still going strong. I don't care what you think of Bono, U2 has made their mark and will go down as one of the all-time greats.

Pretty much. I've recently started a serious investigation of their catalogue. (I only had three albums before.) No real strong opinions yet, though.

Other faves include Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, Talking Heads (yes, they got started in the 70s but their best album Remain In Light came out in 1980 and they remained active until the second half of the decade so....)

Those are three of my top favorite artists right there, but they all started in the 70s, so I didn't know if they'd qualify.

 

[Music Wench]

Re: What Are Your 80s Favorites?

Those are three of my top favorite artists right there, but they all started in the 70s, so I didn't know if they'd qualify.

I'd say considering half of their work and probably their best known work - whether it's their best work or not, just best known in non-fan circles - comes from the 80s, sure they count.

I also think Bruce Springsteen became a major force in the 80s more than in the 70s where he started. Then again I've never been one who liked a band's more popular stuff in general. Personally Bruce's best to me was Born to Run from the 70s but Born In The USA had more of an overall impact to the general public.

I officially have no idea what I'm saying now...been a long day at work.

 

[cnbpjb]

Re: What Are Your 80s Favorites?

Like some of the rare (one-hit wonder) stuff from the 1980's:

I'm fond of a lot of the music from early in the decade, when I was in High School, Junior College and then a little later, the University of South Florida:

Diesel with "Sausilito Summernight" from 1981 and their album "Watts In A Tank"

Karla Bonoff with "Personally"

1983 had a lot of great rarity tracks (one hit wonders): such as Canada's Saga with "On The Loose", Wall Of Voodoo with "Mexican Radio", Matthew Wilder with "Break My Stride".

1984 also had some great rarity tracks (one hit wonders): such as Tracey Ullman singing "They Don't Know", Re-Flex with "The Politics Of Dancing", Nena with "99 Luftballoons/ 99 Red Balloons".

Of course there are a couple of groups/artists that had a couple of more hits from that part of the decade I like:

Pat Benatar; Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (my fandom of Tom Petty earned me the nickname at the University of South Florida of "Teddy Petty", because I also look a little like Teddy Roosevelt & also am a natural born Floridian, John Mellencamp when he was still known as John Cougar, Prince, REO Speedwagon -- "Hi Infidelity" is a definite classic LP with no bad song on it, Journey, Foreigner, Rush (I think they were at their peak in that part of the 1980's), Blondie, the Pretenders, the B-52's, Asia -- their first self titled album is also a classic with not bad song on it. Just a wonderful time in music, in my humble opinion. And there are soooooooo many more artists from that time period I could mention.

 

[Martin Q. Blank]

Re: What Are Your 80s Favorites?

Jeez, I forgot to mention Wall of Voodoo. I have all the Stan Ridgway stuff on CD.

 

[Music Wench]

Re: What Are Your 80s Favorites?

Oh, I forgot to mention Echo & The Bunnymen. I was just reminded cause one of their new songs from their new album Siberia came on my iPod.

Love these guys!

 

[India_Blue]

Re: What Are Your 80s Favorites?

On that note one of my fav things about the 80's was a song called Something About You by a band called Level 42. That song takes me right back in the middle of it.

And man, it was hell trying to find out the name of the band!

 

[newdawnfades]

Re: What Are Your 80s Favorites?

And man, it was hell trying to find out the name of the band!

Yeah, I wouldn't have found it without you. I'm still vibing off of it even now!

 

[India_Blue]

Re: What Are Your 80s Favorites?

Yeah, I wouldn't have found it without you. I'm still vibing off of it even now!

Its my master detective mind!

We need some animated laughing smilies in here! LOL

 

[TeleCat]

Re: What Are Your 80s Favorites?

IMO Stevie Ray Vaughan was a breath of fresh air in the 80's. I liken him to Bob Dylan in that he started a music revolution more or less. Blues was dead as far as popular music and he totally revitalized the genre for a new generation much the same as Dylan did for folk music in the 60's.
I was getting disillusioned with new wave and bunk hair metal and SRV pushed me into a blues phase that has influenced my musical taste ever since. I was fortunate enough to see him twice before he died (and actually got his low E string he broke on stage at a show in Miami).

 

[TheEvilErk2008]

Re: What Are Your 80s Favorites?

my drummer hates me for it, but ive gotta say that zz top represents all that the late 80s was. hard rock became too van haleny so shredding really was a bit generic. Ozzy began the metal era and made some of my more favorite pieces. AC/DC still has a kick to it. In all, id have to say that rush (moving pictures), queen (a night at the opera), Ozzy (blizzard of ozz) and whatever i am listening to at a given moment.