Greatest Rock Artists Of The 1980s (Revision Version)

[Brian]

Criteria: Rock Music Artists of the 1980's based equally on Musical and Commercial Impact, Influence and Importance of their Recorded Work from 1980-1989 only.

Edited By: Ashton
Last Updated: 2015-09-26

https://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best ... 80pop.html



1. Michael Jackson
2. Prince
3. Madonna
4. U2
5. Bruce Springsteen
6. Run-D.M.C.
7. Van Halen
8. Public Enemy
9. Billy Joel
10. The Police
11. Phil Collins
12. Guns N' Roses
13. Def Leppard
14. Janet Jackson
15. George Michael/Wham
16. Whitney Houston
17. Metallica
18. N.W.A
19. Dire Straits
20. AC/DC
21. Rush
22. Iron Maiden
23. Judas Priest
24. Lionel Richie
25. Bon Jovi
26. Talking Heads
27. Genesis
28. R.E.M.
29. Duran Duran
30. Mötley Crüe
31. The Cure
32. Journey
33. John Mellencamp
34. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
35. REO Speedwagon
36. Kool and the Gang
37. L.L. Cool J
38. Tina Turner
39. Queen
40. Beastie Boys
41. Ozzy Osbourne
42. The Smiths
43. Huey Lewis and the News
44. Bryan Adams
45. Hall & Oates
46. Pat Benatar
47. Eric B. & Rakim
48. Billy Idol
49. Peter Gabriel
50. INXS
51. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
52. Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
53. Eurythmics
54. The Cars
55. Aerosmith
56. ZZ Top
57. The Rolling Stones
58. Heart
59. David Bowie
60. Elton John
61. Rod Stewart
62. Foreigner
63. Stevie Wonder
64. Toto
65. Bob Seger
66. The Pointer Sisters
67. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
68. Salt-N-Pepa
69. Fleetwood Mac
70. The Go-Go's
71. Paul McCartney
72. Pet Shop Boys
73. Don Henley
74. Paul Simon
75. Tracy Chapman
76. Cyndi Lauper
77. Depeche Mode
78. Sonic Youth
79. Pete Townshend
80. Culture Club
81. Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
82. De La Soul
83. Luther Vandross
84. Chicago
85. The Bangles
86. Thompson Twins
87. Yes
88. Men at Work
89. Pixies
90. Pink Floyd
91. Robert Palmer
92. Kenny Loggins
93. Whitesnake
94. Sade
95. Steve Winwood
96. Billy Ocean
97. Tears for Fears
98. Bobby Brown
99. Scorpions
100. Simply Red

101. B-52's
102. Boston
103. Rick James
104. Joan Jett
105. Stevie Nicks
106. Berlin
107. Sting
108. New Order
109. Poison
110. The Pretenders
111. Quiet Riot
112. RATT
113. The Clash
114. The Stone Roses
115. Squeeze
116. Styx
117. Frankie Goes to Hollywood
118. New Edition
119. Stray Cats
120. Paula Abdul
121. The Human League
122. Violent Femmes
123. Elvis Costello
124. A-Ha
125. Blondie
126. Eddie Money
127. Anita Baker
128. Sheena Easton
129. Loverboy
130. Asia
131. Skid Row
132. Tiffany
133. Debbie Gibson
134. Crosby Stills Nash (& Young)
135. Madness
136. Aretha Franklin
137. Afrika Bambaataa
138. UB 40
139. Patti LaBelle
140. Tone-Loc
141. Falco
142. Simple Minds
143. Earth Wind & Fire
144. KISS
145. The Jam
146. Marvin Gaye
147. Bananarama
148. New Kids on the Block
149. Billy Squier
150. Slayer
151. Adam Ant
152. Spandau Ballet
153. Milli Vanilli
154. The Jesus and Mary Chain
155. ABC
156. Cinderella
157. Bonnie Raitt
158. 10,000 Maniacs
159. Accept
160. Eric Clapton
161. Kool Moe Dee
162. The Cult
163. The Fixx
164. Air Supply
165. Richard Marx
166. Bruce Hornsby & the Range
167. Starship
168. The Replacements
169. Fine Young Cannibals
170. Mr. Mister
171. Boogie Down Productions
172. Irene Cara
173. David Lee Roth
174. Twisted Sister
175. Corey Hart
176. Doug E. Fresh
177. Laura Branigan
178. Dio
179. Dokken
180. A Flock of Seagulls
181. Eddy Grant
182. Hüsker Dü
183. Black Flag
184. Dead Kennedys
185. George Thorogood
186. John Lennon
187. Terence Trent D'arby
188. Red Hot Chili Peppers
189. Rick Springfield
190. Paul Young
191. Black Sabbath
192. Howard Jones
193. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
194. Level 42
195. Europe
196. Tom Waits
197. Mike Oldfield
198. Chris De Burgh
199. Alan Parsons Project
200. John Farnham

[ManPerson]

Just in case I ever get to making a revision of this list, a rough idea of what I'd change.
Artists who I think should be higher in green
Artists who I think should be lower in red

1. Michael Jackson
2. Prince
3. Madonna
4. U2
5. Bruce Springsteen
6. Run-D.M.C.
7. Van Halen
8. Public Enemy
9. Billy Joel
10. The Police
11. Phil Collins
12. Guns N' Roses
13. Def Leppard
14. Janet Jackson
15. George Michael/Wham
16. Whitney Houston
17. Metallica
18. N.W.A
19. Dire Straits
20. AC/DC
21. Rush
22. Iron Maiden
23. Judas Priest
24. Lionel Richie
25. Bon Jovi
26. Talking Heads
27. Genesis
28. R.E.M.
29. Duran Duran
30. Mötley Crüe
31. The Cure
32. Journey
33. John Mellencamp
34. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
35. REO Speedwagon
36. Kool and the Gang
37. L.L. Cool J
38. Tina Turner
39. Queen
40. Beastie Boys
41. Ozzy Osbourne
42. The Smiths
43. Huey Lewis and the News
44. Bryan Adams
45. Hall & Oates
46. Pat Benatar
47. Eric B. & Rakim
48. Billy Idol
49. Peter Gabriel
50. INXS
51. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
52. Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
53. Eurythmics
54. The Cars
55. Aerosmith
56. ZZ Top
57. The Rolling Stones
58. Heart
59. David Bowie
60. Elton John
61. Rod Stewart
62. Foreigner
63. Stevie Wonder
64. Toto
65. Bob Seger
66. The Pointer Sisters
67. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
68. Salt-N-Pepa
69. Fleetwood Mac
70. The Go-Go's
71. Paul McCartney
72. Pet Shop Boys
73. Don Henley
74. Paul Simon
75. Tracy Chapman
76. Cyndi Lauper
77. Depeche Mode
78. Sonic Youth
79. Pete Townshend
80. Culture Club
81. Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
82. De La Soul
83. Luther Vandross
84. Chicago
85. The Bangles
86. Thompson Twins
87. Yes
88. Men at Work
89. Pixies
90. Pink Floyd
91. Robert Palmer
92. Kenny Loggins
93. Whitesnake
94. Sade
95. Steve Winwood
96. Billy Ocean
97. Tears for Fears
98. Bobby Brown
99. Scorpions
100. Simply Red

101. B-52's
102. Boston
103. Rick James
104. Joan Jett
105. Stevie Nicks
106. Berlin
107. Sting
108. New Order
109. Poison
110. The Pretenders
111. Quiet Riot
112. RATT
113. The Clash
114. The Stone Roses
115. Squeeze
116. Styx
117. Frankie Goes to Hollywood
118. New Edition
119. Stray Cats
120. Paula Abdul
121. The Human League
122. Violent Femmes
123. Elvis Costello
124. A-Ha
125. Blondie
126. Eddie Money
127. Anita Baker
128. Sheena Easton
129. Loverboy
130. Asia
131. Skid Row
132. Tiffany
133. Debbie Gibson
134. Crosby Stills Nash (& Young)
135. Madness
136. Aretha Franklin
137. Afrika Bambaataa
138. UB 40
139. Patti LaBelle
140. Tone-Loc
141. Falco
142. Simple Minds
143. Earth Wind & Fire
144. KISS
145. The Jam
146. Marvin Gaye
147. Bananarama
148. New Kids on the Block
149. Billy Squier
150. Slayer
151. Adam Ant
152. Spandau Ballet
153. Milli Vanilli
154. The Jesus and Mary Chain
155. ABC
156. Cinderella
157. Bonnie Raitt
158. 10,000 Maniacs
159. Accept
160. Eric Clapton
161. Kool Moe Dee
162. The Cult
163. The Fixx
164. Air Supply
165. Richard Marx
166. Bruce Hornsby & the Range
167. Starship
168. The Replacements
169. Fine Young Cannibals
170. Mr. Mister
171. Boogie Down Productions
172. Irene Cara
173. David Lee Roth
174. Twisted Sister
175. Corey Hart
176. Doug E. Fresh
177. Laura Branigan
178. Dio
179. Dokken
180. A Flock of Seagulls
181. Eddy Grant
182. Hüsker Dü
183. Black Flag
184. Dead Kennedys
185. George Thorogood
186. John Lennon
187. Terence Trent D'arby
188. Red Hot Chili Peppers
189. Rick Springfield
190. Paul Young
191. Black Sabbath
192. Howard Jones
193. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
194. Level 42
195. Europe
196. Tom Waits
197. Mike Oldfield
198. Chris De Burgh
199. Alan Parsons Project
200. John Farnham

[Brian]

ManPerson is now the editor of this list.

[Tim]

How I'd re-rank the current top 20 by Man's criteria:

1. Michael Jackson
2. Madonna
3. Prince
4. Run-D.M.C.
5. U2
6. Bruce Springsteen
7. Public Enemy
8. Janet Jackson
9. Whitney Houston
10. Guns N' Roses
11. Metallica
12. N.W.A
13. AC/DC
14. Van Halen
15. The Police
16. George Michael/Wham
17. Billy Joel
18. Dire Straits
19. Def Leppard
20. Phil Collins

[ManPerson]

This is what I came up with

1. Michael Jackson
2. Madonna
3. Prince
4. Run-D.M.C.
5. U2
6. Public Enemy
7. Bruce Springsteen
8. Whitney Houston
9. Janet Jackson
10. Metallica
11. N.W.A.
12. Guns n Roses
13. AC/DC
14. The Police
15. George Michael/Wham!
16. Van Halen
17. Dire Straits
18. Def Leppard
19. Phil Collins
20. Billy Joel

[Tim]

This is what I came up with

1. Michael Jackson
2. Madonna
3. Prince
4. Run-D.M.C.
5. U2
6. Public Enemy
7. Bruce Springsteen
8. Whitney Houston
9. Janet Jackson
10. Metallica
11. N.W.A.
12. Guns n Roses
13. AC/DC
14. The Police
15. George Michael/Wham!
16. Van Halen
17. Dire Straits
18. Def Leppard
19. Phil Collins
20. Billy Joel

1. Michael Jackson
2. Madonna
3. Prince
4. Run-D.M.C.
5. U2
6. Public Enemy
7. Bruce Springsteen
8. Whitney Houston
9. Janet Jackson
10. R.E.M.
11. Metallica
12. Beastie Boys
13. N.W.A.
14. Guns n Roses
15. AC/DC
16. L.L. Cool J
17. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five
18. The Police
19. George Michael/Wham!
20. Van Halen
21. Dire Straits
22. Def Leppard
23. Phil Collins
24. Billy Joel
25. Iron Maiden
26. Talking Heads
27. The Cure
28. Duran Duran
29. Queen
30. Rush
31. Lionel Richie
32. Bon Jovi
33. Kool and the Gang
34. Journey
35. Judas Priest
36. Genesis
37. Mötley Crüe
38. John Mellencamp
39. Tina Turner
40. REO Speedwagon

Attempting to add #21-40 to this.

[ManPerson]

I'll get to that section this weekend.

I feel like Billy Joel's strongest decade overall is the 70s for sure so I wouldn't have him as high as you do.

[ManPerson]

Attempting to be consistent with the all time list.

1. Michael Jackson
2. Madonna
3. Prince
4. Run-D.M.C.
5. U2
6. Public Enemy
7. Bruce Springsteen
8. Whitney Houston
9. R.E.M.
10. Beastie Boys
11. Janet Jackson
12. Metallica
13. N.W.A.
14. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
15. LL Cool J
16. Guns n Roses
17. AC/DC
18. The Police
19. George Michael/Wham!
20. Iron Maiden
21. Van Halen
22. Talking Heads
23. The Cure
24. Dire Straits
25. Duran Duran
26. Queen
27. Def Leppard
28. Bon Jovi
29. Rush
30. Phil Collins
31. Lionel Richie/Commodores
32. John Mellencamp
33. Journey
34. Motley Crue
35. Billy Joel
36. Kool & the Gang
37. Tina Turner
38. Judas Priest
39. REO Speedwagon
40. Genesis

[Dubrow555]

Van Halen seems kinda low imo

[ManPerson]

I'd say most of their influence comes from their work in the 70s. Iron Maiden, if we're just talking about each artist's output from the 80s, would definitely be more influential and acclaimed, imo.

[Dubrow555]

Yes that is true.