Does anybody else here feel like there's alot of forgetting the "top 40" type stuff of the late '80s when discussing '80s music, when the more generic soft rock/"top 40" was just as big a part of the '80s as new wave, in terms of sales? There were alot of '60s comebacks (George Harrison, Dionne Warwick, Grace Slick, Aretha Franklin) that were important in the late '80s, but overall the period in terms of chart hits was dominated by very, very glossy, generic sounding soft-rock: Rick Astley, Debbie Gibson, George Michael, Chicago, Steve Winwood, Gregory Abbott, The Escape Club, Club Nouveau, Huey Lewis & The News, Peter Cetera, Bobby McFerrin, Bruce Hornsby & The Range, Michael Damian, Bette Midler, Milli Vanilli, Billy Joel, Richard Marx...Then and again, this sort of thing was around through the '80s (think Lionel Richie, Phil Collins' solo career, Billy Joel's '80s stuff), and prominent in the early '80s with Kenny Rogers, Kim Carnes, Dolly Parton etc. being huge. Other than some creative artists like Madonna, Prince, the Bangles, and MJ, late '80s mainstream music was pretty boring-no Pet Shop Boys or Eurythmics hitting #1. Of course, Paula Abdul, Whitney Houston, Jody Watley, Janet Jackson were the more interesting, IMO, and worthy section of this time period in mainstream music, despite being glossy and overproduced.

My favourite part of the 80s were 1980-1984, and to a lesser extent 1989. Yes, 1986-1988 saw alot of super overproduced, super glossy pop. It was the peak of the synth era, before the advent of a return to the grunge sound, a mess of hair metal, teen-aimed pop, vintage rap. The only shining light was the late 80s college rock scene which later spawned Grunge and 'Altern/Indie' rock in the 90s.

I don't know, I tend to like the late-80's stuff.  All of my favorite artists put an album out in 1987, including Depeche Mode, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Prince, R.E.M., Husker Du, Replacements, Midnight Oil, Belinda Carlisle, and the Bangles had a #1 song at the start of the year.  I guess that's just my taste, as a solid argument can be made for the early-80s as well. 

1980-1984 were the most artistically creative period of the 80s, hands down. Cos' there were so many styles just dying out, that these new artist just drew from them and recycled them. New Wave is basically the sound of Disco and Punk colliding (quote me on that one, it may become famous  ;)). As the late 70s conjures up images of the gaunt, sadomaschist  figure on his Sid Vicious painting pictures with a razor blade on his chest, the early 80s bring a freakily dressed Adam Ant doing his 'funny dance' at a London punk club, or Blondie bopping away at the legendary CBGB's, sacred ground for the New Wave movement.

I don't know, I tend to like the late-80's stuff.  All of my favorite artists put an album out in 1987, including Depeche Mode, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Prince, R.E.M., Husker Du, Replacements, Midnight Oil, Belinda Carlisle, and the Bangles had a #1 song at the start of the year.  I guess that's just my taste, as a solid argument can be made for the early-80s as well. 


I admittedly love alot of late '80s stuff too (the Pixies, R.E.M, Prince, Madonna, the Bangles, Husker Du, Sonic Youth, etc.) But there was alot of crap then.

I admittedly love alot of late '80s stuff too (the Pixies, R.E.M, Prince, Madonna, the Bangles, Husker Du, Sonic Youth, etc.) But there was alot of crap then.


Thank goodness you're not a New Wave maniac like our friend Donnie Darko.  :D

I actually like the overproduced stuff, particularly from RATT and Leppard.

Thank goodness you're not a New Wave maniac like our friend Donnie Darko.  :D


I like some new wave but I'm not a new wave maniac.