The rock of the 80s and its most important bands

In the 80s, rock was not what it is today. This decade was a time of experimentation, quirky bands, and an incredible cultural scene that changed the music scene forever. The advancement of rock is attributed to several bands and artists who left everything on their records and on stage.

The music of the 80s developed in a very varied scene, as it was an experimental decade in which several genres were consolidated. In the case of rock, it began to form in the 1960s, however, in the 1980s, many rock bands emerged and others took hold.

Everyone knows that Black Sabbath and The Rolling Stones were pioneers, but the bands on this list represent the groups that really hit their stride in the ’80s. 

1.Queen

This is one of the most famous 70’s music groups of all time and probably one of the best known English groups in the world. 

Bohemian Rhapsody changed rock music and it was she who really established Queen and Freddie Mercury as one of the most recognized and capable rock singers on the scene. Since its launch, in 1975, this band continued to add successes and when talking about rock bands of the 80s, it was necessary to talk about Queen.

Currently, it is still a reference when it comes to listening to music from the 80s and its legacy has been maintained until today.

2.AC/DC

Another representative of the English music of the 80s is this British-Australian band that, although it was founded in 1973, is still active today. Like Queen, they achieved stardom before the 80s, however, with the death of their vocalist Bon Scott, it was necessary to rethink some things.

However, as soon as they got Brian Johnson as a vocalist, their tribute album “Back in Black” began the decade of 80’s music with several songs that would become rock classics and, thanks to that, it became the third best-selling album of history

This was the beginning of a second era for AC/DC, which established the rock band in the 1980s and continues to this day.

3. Metallica

Leaving aside the “British Invasion”, it is time to talk about American rock groups and in this case, it is time to mention Metallica, one of the best metal bands of all time .

It is officially the only band, among all rock groups and other genres, that has played on each of the continents. In addition, they are a group that has not stopped since its foundation in 1981, led by Lars Ulrich.

4.Aerosmith

Any fan of hard rock groups knows about Aerosmith, and more than one considers this group among the best rock bands. Already in the 70s, Steven Tyler’s voice was recognized in the music scene, however, in the 80s, the presence of Aerosmith was strengthened; because its rhythm managed to lay the foundations of pop rock and hard rock.

Featuring one of the greatest singers of the ’70s, Steven Tyler’s voice was harnessed to create timeless hits like “Dream On,” “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” and “Crazy.”

5.Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden is one of the most famous 80’s heavy bands in the world and is also considered one of the greatest representatives of the heavy metal genre.

This British band, founded in 1975, achieved stardom despite the difficulties. It is necessary to take into account that at that time heavy groups were frowned upon or considered controversial, due to their strong sound. However, although radio and television ignored this band for years, they still managed to sell more than 100 million records.

6. Pink Floyd

Progressive rock, symphonic, experimental, psychedelic and lyrics that many consider philosophical. Pink Floyd was a unique band and, until now, there is no other group that can be compared.

The reason behind this is that, even though there are other groups equally or more famous than this band, Pink Floyd provided a unique and particular sound that made the group famous from its founding in 1965 until its dissolution in 1995.

Now, Pink Floyd is a true pop icon, being the cover of their album “The Dark Side of the Moon” the most famous image of this band.

7. KISS

Their made-up faces and outrageous costumes coupled with an incredible rock sound made KISS rise among the glam rock groups of the 1980s . They are still rocking today and their albums continue to collect streams on all music platforms.

Many have called them “Black Sabbath of the United States”, however, the reality is that KISS has managed to achieve its own identity and a unique sound between metal and rock.

8. ThePolice

Usually recognized as a British rock trio, however, Sting’s melodious voice and influences from jazz and reggae made this band’s sound much softer than what people were used to at the time.

“Don’t stand so close to me”, “Message in a bottle”, “Roxanne” and “Every Breath You Take” are his most representative songs.

9. Guns N’ Roses

In the year 1985, the project called “Guns N’ Roses” became a reality and it took only two years for them to create classic rock songs such as “Welcome to the jungle”, “Paradise City” and “Sweet Child O’ Mine”.

Therefore, in the 1980s, this band was synonymous with the word rock and was acclaimed by everyone.

10. Bon Jovi

Younger people associate Bon Jovi with the great anthem of the 90’s “It’s my life”. However, this band had been creating great songs for some years now, such as their most iconic work “Livin’ On A Prayer”, which came in the golden years of the group, in the 80s.

If you want to really enjoy the sound of all these bands you will need a powered speaker or very good headphones, because then you can close your eyes and imagine that you are at a great concert in the 80’s.