Posted on 04/29/2020 12:04:00 PM PDT by PROCON
The 80's were an absolute haven for great music from all different genres. Whether it was pop, rock, or even new wave, music was progressing by leaps and bounds in terms of new sounds and general hookiness. Though many musicians would need a Casio synthesizer to get their songs on the air, these bands stuck to their guns with letter-perfect rock and roll.
Though many of these songs fall under the domain of rock in name, none of them seem to fit neatly in a single category. While many artists were still following in the bluesy tradition of bands like Led Zeppelin, other artists were making bold new innovations for the genre whose presence can still be felt to this day. Even if you weren't sure how to feel about them on first listen, these songs have aged into modern marvels of the rock pantheon that deserve to be celebrated as such.
From hair metal to progressive rock to regular rock and roll, nothing is off the table when it comes to picking the cream of the rock scene. There may have been a technicolor haze sprinkled across the decade, but these songs don't need any trend in order to warp your brain.
(Excerpt) Read more at whatculture.com ...
I’d prefer Crazy Train by Ozzy Osborne, In the Dark by Billy Squier and Working for the Weekend by Loverboy over about half of these tunes.
I loved REM, until their lyrics actually became intelligible.
Love Jon Anderson, but Trevor Horn was just fine....he was excellent on Drama.
I love those types of videos!
It's one of their best albums. But you realize that Squire's backing vocals is the reason it still sounded like Yes even without Anderson, and it's also got some of Steve Howe's finest guitar work.
Plenty of mediocre songs on that list but numbers 2 and 6 are awful.
A song such as “Rock the Casbah” by the Clash buries most of those listed. Even “Beat It” is a much better choice. “Jump” by VH, “Every Breath You Take” and more for memorable tunes. “Hells Bells” by AC/DC is a solid pick as is “Tom Sawyer.”
And the best music video of the 1980s... “Still of the Night” by Whitesnake.
Love "Train in Vain"
You are very right.
By the way, it’s why, in the 80s, when I was a boy, I adored Talking Heads.
Highly abstract, questioning lyrics. Visual and peculiar. Self-effacing. Strange and fun.
Pure music - plus oddity.
Maybe you would like to give them a listen!
Gimme' All Your Lovin' released in '83.
Don’t know...stopped after The Beatles. Nothing else sounded as good. Nothing still does.
Rock n Roll’s been going downhill ever since Buddy Holly died.
Could be because they’re a “Bay Area” band. Just ignore the fact that it’s only because Cliff Burton would only join the band if they moved up here from LA...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Cliff is from Castro Valley, where I live.
I was visiting his memorial over the weekend when Mrs. Overkill and I were on a walk.
6 albums in the 70’s. The first in 1971.
Whatever was playing on WRIF, WWWW, WLLZ, etc. when I was cruising 80 MPH in my ‘71 Monte Carlo with an Oly Ball in the back seat....
Could of made a list of ten Stevie Ray Vaughan's songs and called it done. What a fantastic guitarist.
Fair enough, but the band was formed in Los Angeles.
“Could of made a list of ten Stevie Ray Vaughan’s songs and called it done. What a fantastic guitarist.”
You got that right!
What? No Devo or Duran Duran or Flock of Seagulls or Bangles or Culture Club? (ducks out real quick)
Best hard rock song of the 80s hands down, bar none....
Motorhead - Ace of Spades
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iwC2QljLn4
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