I think I'm gonna have to go either with Van Halen or Depeche Mode, for rock and new wave/pop, respectively. I think those two define the "80s sound" in my mind even though they're both extremely different. And they were both extremely popular, though DM moreso later in the 80s and into the early 90s. But everyone will probably have different opinions.

In terms of combining popularity with quality, I might have to go with U2. Shoutouts to R.E.M, The Cure,  Metallica, and New Order in addition to those that you mentioned.

Def Leppard also did a great job of defining the 80s rock sound.

Def Leppard!

For the late '80s, it has to be Bon Jovi, the most popular of the hair metal bands, and while Def Leppard was popular, never quite could get to their level of recognition, and imo distinguished that genre unlike the other major '80s genre, New Wave which had a nice shuffling of acts. Van Halen was more consistent through the decade, but never quite became the biggest band of the moment. The thing though that the '80s had so many great bands/artists contributing to the sound, that the decade is probably more defined by its solo stars than its bands. Then for a year like 1980, the band Queen (normally thought of as a '70s band) hit its commercial peak and close to it artistically. The Police for 1981, Human League for 1982 (sorry Toto, your music just isn't that great critically), The Police again for 1983 with the Synchronicity album, Duran Duran for 1984, Wham! for 1985, Genesis for 1986, and Bon Jovi for 1987-89. Really, except for the '60s with the Beatles (with the Rolling Stones a noticeably lower second, and then the third most distinctive much noticeably lower), all other decades IMO don't have a distinctive band that dominated it.

3 artists/bands came to mind when I asked myself this question.

Michael Jackson
Bon Jovi
Queen

3 artists/bands came to mind when I asked myself this question.

Michael Jackson
Bon Jovi
Queen


I definitely associate Queen more with the 70s. I know they had a hit album in 1989, but weren't they more of a 70s band if anything?

I definitely associate Queen more with the 70s. I know they had a hit album in 1989, but weren't they more of a 70s band if anything?


Yes, they had some big songs in the 70's. I just typed in the 3 bands that came first to my mind... Queen also had some big songs in the 80's. 

Probably Madonna was one of the artists of the 80's. There are so many new wave bands that come to mind  ... but they did not have longevity (to my mind anyway). Bands/artists like Duran Duran, Culture Club, Howard Jones, Soft Cell, Devo, Talking Heads, Simple Minds, Pet Shop Boys, Human League etc etc etc.

Tears For Fears and Duran Duran for sure.  Platinum Blonde, Bryan Adams, Corey Hart, Bruce Cockburn.  A whole host of others too many to mention.

Tears For Fears and Duran Duran for sure.  Platinum Blonde, Bryan Adams, Corey Hart, Bruce Cockburn.  A whole host of others too many to mention.


Yes ... I forgot Tears for Fears for sure.  Hall and Oates had a big decade also.

A topic like this is best broken down by countries.  Some bands that were BIG, lacked in other countries.  I think of Status Quo being one of the ultimate bands of the 80s, but they went almost completely ignored in North America.

Canada had Glass Tiger, who were also known in other parts of the world, but we knew them for more than just "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)" and "Someday".  As c_keenan mentioned, we also had Platinum Blonde.  They were a new wave quartet (later trio) who were best seen as Canada's answer to Duran Duran.

You've got that backwards WD.  Platinum Blonde was first a trio from 1981-1985 and then they were a quartet from 1985-1991.

You've got that backwards WD.  Platinum Blonde was first a trio from 1981-1985 and then they were a quartet from 1985-1991.


Dang, I did.  Kenny MacLean later joined.  Oopsie lol

I definitely associate Queen more with the 70s. I know they had a hit album in 1989, but weren't they more of a 70s band if anything?


Yes, Queen was a 70's band.

Yes ... I forgot Tears for Fears for sure.  Hall and Oates had a big decade also.


Hall And Oates had a string of hits.

Kingston's own The Tragically Hip had a few hits in 1988 and on into the 1990s and 2000s.

Kingston's own The Tragically Hip had a few hits in 1988 and on into the 1990s and 2000s.


one of them was "Blow At High Dough".

one of them was "Blow At High Dough".


Also New Orleans Is Sinking which is one of the very first videos of theirs that I remember.

Kingston's own The Tragically Hip had a few hits in 1988 and on into the 1990s and 2000s.


It was 1989 actually, but they never actually had a Top 40 hit until 'Little Bones' in 1991

Artists
---------
Madonna
Patrice Rushen
Michael Jackson
David Bowie
Patti Labelle
Bruce Springsteen
Stephanie Mills
Stevie Wonder
Don Henley
Bob Seger

Bands
--------

Hall and Oates
The Pointer Sisters
Heart
Starship (formerly Jefferson Starship)
Shalamar
U2
The Whispers
KISS


Those are the ones that spring to my mind.

Dang, I did.  Kenny MacLean later joined.  Oopsie lol


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Original_Platinum_Blonde_group_photo.jpg http://www.platinumblonde.com/images/gallery/pb24.jpg

You're forgiven for that little flub WD.  :)

Duran Duran

Duran Duran


Yup Duran Duran had a string of hits but after 1985, when Andy and Roger left the band, is when their fame started to taper off.
1984's Arena was the most successful album to date.