Just listened to the Pixies' Surfer Rosa in full (before I'd only heard large fragments), and was blown away by how far ahead of its time it sounded. What 80s groups do you think sounded far behind/ahead of there time? Some I can think of include the Pixies, late Soundgarden, rap like N.W.A., Bruce Springsteen, some Prince, R.E.M., U2, alot of early college rock. I'm not really talking mainly 70s artists who continued recording into the 80s and didn't change there sound, but geniune 80s bands whose sound went against the trend.

I think Dire Straits have stood the test of time  :)

Just listened to the Pixies' Surfer Rosa in full (before I'd only heard large fragments), and was blown away by how far ahead of its time it sounded. What 80s groups do you think sounded far behind/ahead of there time? Some I can think of include the Pixies, late Soundgarden, rap like N.W.A., Bruce Springsteen, some Prince, R.E.M., U2, alot of early college rock. I'm not really talking mainly 70s artists who continued recording into the 80s and didn't change there sound, but geniune 80s bands whose sound went against the trend.


R.E.M, Sonic Youth, Husker Du are definitely part of it, they're un-'80s bands. But they were part of the "underground American" scene, which never truly took to new wave. The Pixies, My Bloody Valentine, 10,000 Maniacs (and other college rock), later Sonic Youth, Jane's Addiction were never real '80s bands, they were late '80s presages to the '90s. U2 somehow sounds un-'80s, I agree. Alot of Prince is particularly un-'80s sounding...listen to the Sign O' The Times album, it could fit in with any period but it somehow beyond them all. Most of it is very timeless. And Like a Prayer from 1989 doesn't fit in with all the overproduced gloss of the late '80s, its pretty unusual, with its R&B, gospel, jazz, girl-group, and even psychedelic influences.

R.E.M, Sonic Youth, Husker Du are definitely part of it, they're un-'80s bands. But they were part of the "underground American" scene, which never truly took to new wave. The Pixies, My Bloody Valentine, 10,000 Maniacs (and other college rock), later Sonic Youth, Jane's Addiction were never real '80s bands, they were late '80s presages to the '90s. U2 somehow sounds un-'80s, I agree. Alot of Prince is particularly un-'80s sounding...listen to the Sign O' The Times album, it could fit in with any period but it somehow beyond them all. Most of it is very timeless. And Like a Prayer from 1989 doesn't fit in with all the overproduced gloss of the late '80s, its pretty unusual, with its R&B, gospel, jazz, girl-group, and even psychedelic influences.


Yes, the Underground scene wasn't padded by the 'fluff' of super-mainstream pop. I think the 80s and 90s underground sounds were similar, but in the 90s this was made a little more accessible to the mainstream. Many popular 90s groups started out as 80s underground groups.

Yes, the Underground scene wasn't padded by the 'fluff' of super-mainstream pop. I think the 80s and 90s underground sounds were similar, but in the 90s this was made a little more accessible to the mainstream. Many popular 90s groups started out as 80s underground groups.


The American underground scene, that is, with flourished with the Replacements, Husker Du, Sonic Youth, R.E.M, the Pixies, Butthole Surfers, fIREHOSE, etc., in the '80s and ended up creating that of the '90s. The Brits clung to new wave until Britpop, which IMO is basically new wave back to its British Invasion roots with no synths. 1978-2000 was one wave of British music in some ways.

The American underground scene, that is, with flourished with the Replacements, Husker Du, Sonic Youth, R.E.M, the Pixies, Butthole Surfers, fIREHOSE, etc., in the '80s and ended up creating that of the '90s. The Brits clung to new wave until Britpop, which IMO is basically new wave back to its British Invasion roots with no synths. 1978-2000 was one wave of British music in some ways.




I'm not too familiar with early 90s British music at all...come to think, the early 90s seemed totally dominated by grunge and American bands. What was the British scene like in the period 1990-1994?

I'm not too familiar with early 90s British music at all...come to think, the early 90s seemed totally dominated by grunge and American bands. What was the British scene like in the period 1990-1994?


Stuff like My Bloody Valentine and the Happy Mondays, neo-shoegazer and black-influenced music.

Stuff like My Bloody Valentine and the Happy Mondays, neo-shoegazer and black-influenced music.


So pretty much late 80s music?

Violent Femmes definitely sounded ahead of there time...only now do I see their music becoming slightly dated.

Violent Femmes definitely sounded ahead of there time...only now do I see their music becoming slightly dated.


Violet Femmes were more early 90s in terms of sound. I think they became most popular around 1993-94.

I don't think Talking Heads sound especially '80s.

I don't think Talking Heads sound especially '80s.


TH are sort of one of those anomalous bands that don't fit in with their time, they're so "beyond' trend. Prince is similar. There are some songs from 1999 (released in 1982) that could've been the early '90s and sound like nothing else being made at the time in dance music...it's utterly free of early '80s cheese.

TH are sort of one of those anomalous bands that don't fit in with their time, they're so "beyond' trend. Prince is similar. There are some songs from 1999 (released in 1982) that could've been the early '90s and sound like nothing else being made at the time in dance music...it's utterly free of early '80s cheese.


I agree, the music TH made could easily have been released in the early 90s...I guess it's cos they didn't follow all of the conventions of the time.

I agree, the music TH made could easily have been released in the early 90s...I guess it's cos they didn't follow all of the conventions of the time.


I was talking about Prince's 1999, but yeah, TH as well could've been an early '90s or late '80s group. Actually, even some of Madonna's stuff from her "peak period" like 1986-1991 is timeless, it sounds like it could've been released sometime later in the '90s. I also think it was some of the best stuff around in mainstream pop culture around 1989, period.