What, inho, is the best band of the 80s?

Mine would probably be the Smiths or AC/DC, followed by XTC, U2, and R.E.M.

Probably Depeche Mode, with The Smiths close behind.

The Smiths, followed by the Replacements, XTC, the Talking Heads, the Pretenders, the Eurythmics, R.E.M, Joy Division, and Culture Club.

The Talking Heads are one of my favorites.

Best band of the 80's Poison, Acdc, Skid Row, Metillica, The Beasty Boysto name  few

Beastie Boys are also good.

I also like The Police as well.

Duran Duran.

The Cure
The Specials
Prince & The Revolution
Squeeze

Duran Duran.


I agree, it's a good band.

A brief Top 5 ...

The Associates
Big Country
China Crisis
One to One
UB40

the police
blondie
metallica
van halen, of course

  Recalling the amount of time spent enjoying their albums, my five has to be:

  AC/DC
  Van Halen
  REO Speedwagon
  Men at Work
  The Cars

  With AC/DC being the top of the tops...

  Them Aussie's make some damn fine music...

Van Halen
The Police
AC/DC
Def Leppard
Motley Crue

wow.

i have to say, comparing bands like the police and blondie, which are awesome, don't get me wrong, to bands like pink floyd, yes, and led zeppelin... the seventies were just... better.

sorry, yall. and i came of age in the 80s so it's not like i'm impartial to it. i have fond memories.

wow.

i have to say, comparing bands like the police and blondie, which are awesome, don't get me wrong, to bands like pink floyd, yes, and led zeppelin... the seventies were just... better.

sorry, yall. and i came of age in the 80s so it's not like i'm impartial to it. i have fond memories.


  When replying to these kinds of threads I try my best to be fourteen (or whatever age) again in order to answer as accurately as I can.  Our tastes may or may not have changed over the last twenty/thirty years.  I know mine has, but then, I wouldn't know quality music if it reached up and bit me on the a**...

  Present day - I agree with your comment comparing the saccharine pop/bubblegum/rock albums with the old tried-and-true Zeppelin, Floyd, Yes &etc.  Comparing them is like comparing Chateaubriand to hamburger...

  Back Then - Hamburger, please! groove ;) on...

wow.

i have to say, comparing bands like the police and blondie, which are awesome, don't get me wrong, to bands like pink floyd, yes, and led zeppelin... the seventies were just... better.

sorry, yall. and i came of age in the 80s so it's not like i'm impartial to it. i have fond memories.

I totally agree with Tia!
In the 80s...you had Ozzy, Dio, Judas Priest, AC/DC...all which although hit it big in the 80s, got their start in the 70's!!!
PLUS....
Must not leave out Alice Cooper!!!!

Now, of the 80s bands I consider top of the crop:
Ozzy
Dio
Priest
AC/DC
Iron Maiden
Slayer
Metallica
Megadeth
.....oh the list could go on and on!!!

AC/DC; The Police; Bon Jovi; Motley Crue; Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers; Pat Benatar; Van Halen; Journey; Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks; The Motels

Without a doubt... The Smiths.

Followed by Depeche Mode, The Cure, Squeeze, and probably more that I can't think of now.

Also, the Voilent Femmes and the Dead Milkmen. They were 80s, right?

Hall and oates
Duran Duran

a-ha would be my fav...

others include
Duran Duran
Depeche Mode
Orchestral Manuevers in the Dark
When in Rome

Hawk's Top 12 Bands Of the '80s

12. ZZ Top
11. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
10. Genesis
9. Duran Duran
8. Oingo Boingo
7. Y&T
6. Krokus
5. Styx
4. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
3. The Alan Parsons Project
2. The Police
AND! Hawk's Top '80s Pick (As If You Didn't Know)
1. The Tubes

U2
Oingo Boingo
The Cure
Depeche Mode
Pet Shop Boys
Duran Duran
INXS

1. The Smiths
2. Depeche Mode
3. Talking Heads
4. New Order
5. The Cure

Guns N' Roses
Human League
The Cars
Kool & The Gang
Air Supply
.38 Special
Hall and Oates

Definitely Duran Duran.

Guns N' Roses
Human League
The Cars
Kool & The Gang
Air Supply
.38 Special
Hall and Oates

Now there's a diverse list!

I liked the earlier Human League before the split and the two pieces of eyecandy.  That would be "Reproduction" and "Travelogue," with the accompanying singles/b-sides.  They did a great job reissuing those CDs with all that bonus material in the '90s.  "Dare" is hands-down a great synth-pop album.  One of the best in the genre.  Then HL decided to add guitars and drums, and there was nothing special about them anymore.  Heaven 17 made much better records, at least '81 -- '84.

The Cars were a great band because they managed to appeal to new wavers and hard rock fans.  Band was huge everywhere, but massive in the Boston area.  They should have taken a cue from the Police quit while they were ahead after their apex with "Heartbeat City."  With "Door to Door" the band was coasting on retreads.  It was their only album that failed to go platinum.  Plus "You Are the Girl" was an annoying song.

Hardly possible to name just one band as the best.

I would say The Cure in the post-punk scene, The Smiths in the New Wave scene, and The Police in their own genre  :P .

There were many other excellent bands, however.

1. The Smiths
2. Depeche Mode
3. Talking Heads
4. New Order
5. The Cure


Great choices. I love them all.


Hardly possible to name just one band as the best.

I would say The Cure in the post-punk scene, The Smiths in the New Wave scene, and The Police in their own genre  :P .

There were many other excellent bands, however.


Well-said!

Well-said!

Thank you very much. :)

Hall and Oates
Talking Heads
INXS
U2
Duran Duran
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Genesis
AC/DC
the Pretenders
R.E.M
The Beastie Boys
The Police

Hall and Oates
Talking Heads
INXS
U2
Duran Duran
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Genesis
AC/DC
the Pretenders
R.E.M
The Beastie Boys
The Police


No Zappacosta? :D

Wang Chung
Genesis
Van Halen (Duh)
Bananarama
The Go-Gos
K.I.D.S. Incorporated (Mmmmmm...Fergie)

BON JOVI  :)

Poison

Scandal  (featuring Patty Smyth)

The Monkees (their 20th anniversary tour)

Van Halen

Scorpions

U2

Clash, nothing compares

1. Depeche Mode
2. Van Halen
3. Def Leppard
4. New Order.

1.  Journey (no big surprise there, LOL)
2.  Duran Duran
3.  Police
4.  Cheap Trick

Now there's a diverse list!

I liked the earlier Human League before the split and the two pieces of eyecandy.  That would be "Reproduction" and "Travelogue," with the accompanying singles/b-sides.  They did a great job reissuing those CDs with all that bonus material in the '90s.  "Dare" is hands-down a great synth-pop album.  One of the best in the genre.  Then HL decided to add guitars and drums, and there was nothing special about them anymore.  Heaven 17 made much better records, at least '81 -- '84.

The Cars were a great band because they managed to appeal to new wavers and hard rock fans.  Band was huge everywhere, but massive in the Boston area.  They should have taken a cue from the Police quit while they were ahead after their apex with "Heartbeat City."   With "Door to Door" the band was coasting on retreads.  It was their only album that failed to go platinum.  Plus "You Are the Girl" was an annoying song.
yes it is a diverse list. umm, this was a transitional period for me in my life.

it gets even more diverse. I also dug Billy Idol, & Amy Grant & Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie

Yes! Billy Idol and Human League were great, too.

it's so hard to choose a favorite...lots of good stuff...i gotta go with the typical 80's chick answer and throw bon jovi out there!!

The Mighty VAN HALEN!!! ;D

Asia
Siouxsie & the Banshees
The Call

Asia
Siouxsie & the Banshees
The Call


OMG  I had forgotten about ASIA. :o

I love the song "Don't Cry".

ELO, Queen and Pink Floyd would be my favourites, though their greatest decade was the 70s. Eurythmics for bands that originated in the 80s.

Clash, nothing compares

I don't think of the Clash as an '80s band.  They're timeless.



Siouxsie & the Banshees



Check out the "Juju" album from 1981.  It's still my favorite.  If Stravinsky made a rock album, it would be this one!

Of course, Siouxsie & the Banshees did cover the "Rite of Spring" intro on their live double album, "Nocturne."

Talking about Siouxie...

I like the band but I don't know why the song Kiss Them For Me is so famous.

I may be wrong but it appears to me that it is a mediocre song at best.

U2 / The Cure / The Jesus and Mary Chain.

Air Supply all the way!!

BiLLY iDOL  ;)

Duran Duran
Bon Jovi
Van Halen
Berlin
Journey
Beastie Boys
The Bangles
U2

Depeche Mode
Modern Talking
Duran Duran
Dead or Alive

in no particular order :)

I also like Chicago, Alan Parsons Project, Journey, REO Speedwagon, and Kool & the Gang.


Guns N' Roses
Human League
The Cars
Kool & The Gang
Air Supply
.38 Special
Hall and Oates


You like Air Supply too. Cool. There's a cool Air Supply fan message board called Air Supply Now And Forever. Here's a a link to it.