1980s in music

For music from a year in the 1980s, go to80|81|82|83|84|85|86|87|88|89

This article includes an overview of the famous events and trends inpopular musicin the 1980s.

The 1980s saw the emergence ofelectronic dance musicandnew wave,also known as Modern Rock. Asdiscofell out of fashion in the decade's early years,genres such aspost-disco,Italo disco,Euro disco,anddance-popbecame more popular.Rock musiccontinued to enjoy a wide audience.Soft rock,glam metal,thrash metal,shred guitarcharacterized by heavy distortion, pinch harmonics, and whammy bar abuse became very popular.Adult contemporary,quiet storm,andsmooth jazzgained popularity. In the late 1980s,glam metalbecame the largest, most commercially successful brand of music worldwide.

The 1980s are commonly remembered for a great increase in the use ofdigital recording,associated with the usage ofsynthesizers,withsynth-popmusic and otherelectronicgenres featuring non-traditional instruments increasing in popularity. Also during this decade, several major electronic genres were developed, includingelectro,techno,house,freestyle,andEurodance,rising in prominence during the 1990s and beyond. Throughout the decade,R&B,hip hop,andurbangenres were becoming commonplace, particularly in the inner-city areas of large, metropolitan cities; rap was especially successful in the latter part of the decade,with the advent of thegolden age of hip hop.These urban genres—particularly rap and hip hop—would continue their rise in popularity through the 1990s and 2000s.

A 2010 survey conducted by the digital broadcasterMusic Choice,which polled over 11,000 European participants, revealed that the 1980s was the most favoured tune decade of the last 40 years.

Popular artists from the 1980s includeMichael Jackson,Prince,Madonna,Whitney Houston,U2,Bruce Springsteen,George Michael,andthe Police.

Economics

Olivia Newton-John's song "Physical"was theBillboard Hot 100's longest running number one of the decade.

Reflecting on changes in themusic industryduring the 1980s,Robert Christgaulater wrote inChristgau's Record Guide: The '80s(1990):

The '80s were above all a time of internationalcorporatization,as onemajorafter another gave it up to media moguls in Europe and Japan. By 1990, only two of the six dominant American record companies were headquartered in the U.S. Bizzers acted locally while thinking globallyin reaudiences/markets (will it sell in Germany? Australia? Venezuela? Indonesia now that we've sunk thepirates?the U.S.S.R.?) and artists/suppliers (world musicwas a concept whose geoeconomic time had come). After a feisty start,independent labelsacceptedfarm-teamstatus that could lead to killings with the bigs. Cross-promotional hookah became the rule—thesoundtrack album,the sponsored tour, the golden-oldie commercial, the T-shirt franchise, thevideo as song adandpay-for-playprogramming and commodity fetish. Record executives became fewer impresarios thanarbitragers,speculating in abstract bundles of rights whose physical characteristics meant little or nothing to them.Rockwas mere music no longer. It was reconceived asintellectual property,as a form ofcapitalitself.

According to Christgau, commercial stardom, as measured bymusic recording sales certifications,replaced artistry as an indication of a musician's significance. "When art is intellectual property, image and aura subsume aesthetic substance, whatever exactly that is", he explained. "When art is the capital, sales interface with aesthetic quality—Thriller's numbers are part of its experience. "

North America

See also:Music history of the United States in the 1980s

Pop

The 1980s saw the reinvention ofMichael Jackson,and the worldwide superstardom ofPrince,Madonna,andWhitney Houston,who were all among the most successful musicians during this time.

Michael Jackson, also withPrince,was the first African American artist to have his music videos in heavy rotation onMTV,with "Beat It",and"Billie Jean".(Donna Summerplaced the first two videos by an African American female artist, with "She Works Hard for the Money"and"Unconditional Love",both in 1983.) Jackson'sThriller(1982) is thebest-selling album of all time,selling 25 million copies during the decade. The album had sold over 65 million copies. His other album, 1987'sBad,has the honour of being the first album in history to have five number-one singles on theBillboardHot 100.Its accompanying world tour also made history by being the highest-grossing tour by a solo artist in the 1980s, as well as the highest-grossing at the time. In addition to being the biggest-selling artist of the decade, Jackson had nine number-one singles – more than any other artists during the decade – and spent the longest time at number one (27 weeks) in the 1980s. He won numerous awards, including "Artist of the Decade" and "Artist of the Century", and was arguably the biggest star of the 1980s.

Madonnawas the best-selling female pop music artist of the decade. Her third studio release,True Blue,became thebest-selling female album of the 1980s.Other Madonna albums from the decade includeLike a Virgin,one of the best selling albums of all-time, andLike a Prayer( "As close to art as pop music gets," saidRolling Stone). Madonna made music videos a marketing tool and was among the first to make them an art form. Her songs topped several charts, such as: "Like a Virgin","Papa Don't Preach","La Isla Bonita"and"Like a Prayer".Madonna was named artist of the decade by several magazines and awards.

Whitney Houstonwas the best-selling female R&B artist of the decade. Hereponymous debut studio albumwas the best-selling debut album by a solo artist at the time, and her sophomore albumWhitneyis the first female album to debut at No. 1 in theBillboard200.She also became the first and only artist to earn seven consecutive number-one songs on theBillboardHot 100, from "Saving All My Love for You"in 1985 to"Where Do Broken Hearts Go"in 1988. Hercrossover appealon the popular music charts as well as her prominence onMTVinfluenced generations ofAfrican Americanartists.

Paula Abdulhit it big in 1988. With her debut albumForever Your Girl,she was the first female to have four number-one singles from a debut album (onlyThe Jackson 5had done the same with their debut). She had five top ten hits from the album.

By 1980, thediscogenre, largely dependent onorchestras,was replaced by a lightersynthpopproduction, which subsequently fuelled dance music.

In the latter half of the 1980s,teen popexperienced its first wave, with bands and artists includingExposé,Debbie Gibson,Tiffany,Belinda Carlisle,New Edition,Taylor Dayne,Stacey Q,The Bangles,New Kids on the Block,Laura Branigan,Boy Georgeand others becoming teen idols.

Prominent Americanurban popacts of the 1980s includeTina Turner,Lionel Richie,Michael Jackson, Donna Summer, Whitney Houston,Chaka Khan,andDiana Ross.African-American artists likeLionel RichieandPrincebecame some of the decade's biggest stars. Their hit albums included1999,Purple Rain,andSign o' the Timesby Prince andLionel Richie,Can't Slow Down,andDancing on the Ceilingby Richie.

Prince was one of the decade's most prolific artists. He was responsible for artists such asVanity 6,for whom he wrote the dance chart-topping "Nasty Girl";Morris DayandThe Time,for whom he wrote the top 20 "Jungle Love";Sheila E.,for whom he wrote the top ten songs "The Glamorous Life"and number 11"A Love Bizarre";andWendy & LisaandApollonia 6.He wrote "I Feel for You"forChaka Khan,which won him a Grammy for best R&B song; "Sugar Walls"forSheena Easton;and as well as doing a duet with "U Got the Look",he wrote"Manic Monday",a number two pop hit for The Bangles. Artists that covered his music includedTom Jones,who brought his version of the song "Kiss"into the top 40 for the second time in the decade.Melissa Morganbrought her cover of "Do Me, Baby"to the top of the R&B charts in 1986. Other notable artists that covered Prince during the 1980s wereThe Pointer SistersandCyndi Lauper.He also won an Academy Award for the song "Purple Rain".In 1989, Irish singerSinéad O'Connorrecorded a cover of his song "Nothing Compares 2 U",which would become the biggest song of the year worldwide in the new decade to follow. Prince had four number-one singles and 14 top-ten hits on the Hot 100 Chart.

Lionel Richie teamed withDiana Rossto record one of the decade's biggest hits "Endless Love",which topped the Billboard charts for nine weeks. Other songs by Richie, such as"All Night Long"and"Hello"also topped the charts, and he would have a total of five number one hits and thirteen top ten singles.Diana Rossbrought "Upside Down"to the top spot in 1980; she would have two number-one singles and eight top ten hits in the decade.Tina Turnertopped the charts with "What's Love Got to Do with It"and scored a total of six top ten singles.Donna Summer's "She Works Hard for the Money"was a continuation of the feminist movement started in the 70s and a rallying cry for those who worked hard and wanted to be treated fairly. She would have five top-ten singles in the decade.

Bruce Springsteen'sBorn in the U.S.A.,AC/DC'sBack in Black,Def Leppard'sHysteria,andBon Jovi'sSlippery When Wetwere some of the decade's biggest-selling albums on the Billboard Top 200 chart.

During the mid-1980s American pop singerCyndi Lauperwas consideredthe "Voice of theMTVGeneration of '80s "and so different visual style that made the world for teens. Her first two albumsShe's So Unusual(1984) andTrue Colors(1986) were critically and commercially successful, spawning the hits, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun","Time After Time","She Bop","All Through the Night","The Goonies 'R' Good Enough","True Colors"and"Change of Heart".

Several British artists made the successful transition to pop during the 1980s and saw great commercial success, such asDavid Bowie,Phil Collins,John Lennon,Billy Ocean,Sheena EastonandPaul McCartney.Many British pop bands also dominated the American charts in the early 1980s. Many of them became popular due to their constant exposure onMTV,these bands includedThe Human League,Culture Club,Duran Duran,andWham!.Between the four, they have had 9 U.S. number ones with hits like "Don't You Want Me","Karma Chameleon","The Reflex"and"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go".In the later part of the decade,Rick Astley,George Michaelas a solo artist,Terence Trent D'Arby,andFine Young Cannibalsall found chart success.

At the beginning of the 1980s, Australian artists likeOlivia Newton-John,Men at Work,Air Supply,andAC/DCall had chart success, later in the decadeINXSandCrowded Housescored hits. Olivia Newton-John's hit "Physical"would top the Hot 100 for 10 weeks and be the decade's biggest hit in the US; she would have six top ten singles during the 80s.

Canadian artists such asMen Without Hats,Bryan Adams,andCorey Hartachieved huge success during the decade.

American artists such asBlondie,Christopher Cross,Steve Perry,Toni Basil,Michael Sembello,Matthew Wilder,Kim Carnes,Devo,Karla Bonoff,The Weather Girls,Ray Parker Jr.,Billy Crystal,Eddie Money,Don Johnson,Bruce Willis,Bobby McFerrin,The B-52's,andEddie Murphyalso had at least one big hit.

American artists such asMichael Jackson,Whitney Houston,Madonna,Bruce Springsteen,Kenny Loggins,Kool & the Gang,The Pointer Sisters,Huey Lewis and the News,Billy Joel,Hall & Oates,Prince,The Go-Go's,Kenny RogersandJohn Mellencamp,then known as John Cougar, ruled the charts throughout the decade in the US.Jackson, Houston, Prince, Madonna, Joel and Springsteen along withU2,Dire Straits,Phil Collins,The Police,Queen,The Rolling StonesandEurythmicsachieved tremendous success worldwide.

• 
  Michael Jacksonis one of the most successfulpopmusic artists in history and has been nicknamed the "King of Pop"
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  Madonnawas the best-selling female pop music artist of the decade
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  Whitney Houston,nicknamed ''The Voice'', is one of the biggest selling music artists of all time, with over 220 million records sold worldwide.
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  Recording artistPrincewas one of the most influential musicians of the decade. His 1984Purple Rainalbum was certified 13× Platinum by theRIAA.

Rock

In the 1980s, rock music was more precisely defined and split up into multiple subgenres.

Hard rock and heavy/glam metal

Metallicain concert, 1988

Beginning in 1983 and peaking in success in 1986-1990, the decade saw the resurgence ofhard rockmusic and the emergence of itsglam metalsubgenre. Bands such asAC/DC,Queen,Chicago,Def Leppard,Kiss,Mötley Crüe,Bon Jovi,Quiet Riot,Scorpions,Europe,Ratt,Twisted Sister,Poison,Dokken,Whitesnake,andCinderellawere among the most popular acts of the decade. The 1980s saw the emergence of wildly popular hard rock bandGuns N' Rosesand the successful comebacks ofAerosmithandAlice Cooperin the late 1980s. The success of hard rock actVan Halenspanned throughout the entire decade, first with singerDavid Lee Rothand later withSammy Hagar.Queen, which had expanded its music to experimental and crossover genres in the early 1980s, returned to guitar-driven hard rock withThe Miraclein 1989. Additionally, a few women managed to achieve stardom in the 1980s hard rock scene, including:Pat Benatar,Ann and Nancy Wilson ofHeart,and formerRunawaysmembersJoan JettandLita Ford.

Duff McKaganandSlashof Guns N' Roses

Thearena rocktrend of the 1970s continued in the 1980s with bands likeStyx,Rush,Journey,Foreigner,Starship,REO Speedwagon,Heart,ZZ Top,andAerosmith.

Traditionally associated (and often confused) with hard rock, heavy metal was also extremely popular throughout the decade, withOzzy Osbourneachieving success during his solo career; bands likeIron Maiden,Judas PriestandDiowere also widely popular British acts.Speed metalpioneerMotörheadmaintained its popularity through the release of several albums.Underground scenesproduced an array of more extreme, aggressive metal subgenres:thrash metalbroke into the mainstream with numerous bands, including the genre's U.S. "Big Four" (Metallica,Slayer,AnthraxandMegadeth), as well asExodus,Testament,Overkill,Brazil'sSepulturaand Germany's "Big Teutonic Four":Kreator,Destruction,SodomandTankard.By the late 1980s, Metallica would achieve mainstream success and would become one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Other styles likepower metal,death metalandblack metalwould remain asubculturalphenomena.

The decade also saw the emergence of a string of guitar virtuosi:Eddie Van Halen,George Lynch,Joe Satriani,Steve Vai,Randy Rhoads,Jason BeckerandYngwie Malmsteenachieved international recognition for their skills. While considerably less numerous,bass guitarvirtuosi also gained momentum in the 1980s:Geddy Lee(ofRush),Billy Sheehan(ofDavid Lee RothandMr. Bigfame),Cliff Burton(ofMetallica) and alternative/funk metal bassistLes Claypool(ofPrimusfame) became famous during that period. Iron Maiden founder and bassistSteve Harrishas also been praised numerous times for his galloping style of bass playing.

Both hard rock and heavy metal were extremely popular live genres and bands toured extensively around the globe.

Alternative rock

One of the first alternative rock bands,R.E.M.relied oncollege radioairplay, constant touring, and a grassroots fanbase to break into the musical mainstream.

By 1984, a majority of groups signed toindependent record labelswere mining from a variety of rock and particularly 1960s rock influences. This represented a sharp break from the futuristic, hyper-rational post-punk years.

Throughout the 1980s, alternative rock was mainly an underground phenomenon. While on occasion a song would become a commercial hit or albums would receive critical praise in mainstream publications likeRolling Stone,alternative rock in the 1980s was primarily relegated to independent record labels,fanzinesandcollege radiostations. Alternative bands built underground followings by touring constantly and regularly releasing low-budget albums. In the case of the United States, new bands would form in the wake of previous bands, which created an extensive underground circuit in America, filled with different scenes in various parts of the country.Although American alternative artists of the 1980s never generated spectacular album sales, they exerted a considerable influence on later alternative musicians and laid the groundwork for their success.

The Banglesperforming at The House of Blues in Cleveland

Early American alternative bands such asR.E.M.,The Hits,The Feelies,andViolent Femmescombined punk influences withfolk musicand mainstream music influences. R.E.M. was the most immediately successful; its debut album,Murmur(1983), entered the Top 40 and spawned a number ofjangle popfollowers.Alternative andindie popmovements sprang up in other parts of the world, from thePaisley Undergroundof Los Angeles (The Bangles,Rain Parade) to Scotland (Aztec Camera,Orange Juice), Australia (The Church,The Triffids), and New Zealand'sDunedin sound(The Clean,The Chills).

American indie record labelsSST Records,Twin/Tone Records,Touch and Go Records,andDischord Recordspresided over the shift from thehardcore punkthat then dominated the American underground scene to the more diverse styles of alternative rock that were emerging.MinnesotabandsHüsker DüandThe Replacementswere indicative of this shift. Both started as punk rock bands but soon diversified their sounds and became more melodic.

Nine Inch Nails

By the late 1980s, the American alternative scene was dominated by styles ranging from quirky alternative pop (They Might Be GiantsandCamper Van Beethoven), tonoise rock(Big Black,Swans) toindustrial rock(Ministry,Nine Inch Nails) and to earlygrunge(Mudhoney,Nirvana). These sounds were in turn followed by the advent ofBoston's thePixiesandLos Angeles'Jane's Addiction.

Americanalternative rockbands of the 1980s includedHüsker Dü,The Replacements,Minutemen,R.E.M.,Dinosaur Jr.,Pixies,andSonic Youthwhich were popular long before thegrungemovement of the early 1990s.

New singers and songwriters includedMichael Jackson,Bruce Springsteen,Tom Petty,Mark Heard,Lucinda Williams,Patti Smith,Rickie Lee Jones,Terence Trent D'Arby,Stevie Nicks,Suzanne Vega,Cheryl WheelerandWarren Zevon.Rock and evenpunk rockartists such asBelinda Carlisle,Michael McDonald,Peter Case,Phil CollinsandPaul Westerbergtransitioned to careers as solo singers.

In the late 1980s, the term was applied to a group of predominantly female U.S. artists, beginning withSuzanne Vegawhose first album sold unexpectedly well, followed by the likes ofTracy Chapman,Nanci Griffith,k.d. langandTori Amos,who found success first in the United Kingdom, then in her home market.

Other trends

George Thorogoodand Jim Suhler performing

Journey

Various older rock bands made a comeback. Bands originating from the early to mid-1960s such asThe Beach BoysandThe Kinkshad hits with "Kokomo","Come Dancing".Bands with popularity in the mid-1970s such as theSteve Miller BandandSteely Danalso had hits with "Abracadabra"and"Hey Nineteen".Singer and songwriterBruce Springsteenreleased his blockbuster albumBorn in the U.S.A.,which produced a record-tying 7 hit singles.Stevie Ray VaughanandGeorge Thorogoodsparked a revival ofAtomic bluesandBlues rock.Massively successful hard rock bandLed Zeppelindisbanded after drummerJohn Bonham's 1980 death, while contemporariesAC/DCcontinued to have success after the death of former frontmanBon Scott.Country rocksaw a decline afterLynyrd Skynyrd's 1977 plane crash and the 1980 disbanding of the genre's most successful band,the Eagles.The Grateful Deadhad their biggest hit in band history with "Touch of Grey".The Whomanaged to provide the hit songs "You Better You Bet"and"Eminence Front"before burning out after the death of their drummerKeith Moon.Neil Diamondmake a comeback with his 1981 hit song "America".

Hardcore punkflourished throughout the early to mid-1980s, with bands leading the genre such asBlack Flag,Bad Brains,Minor Threat,Suicidal Tendencies,D.O.A.,andDead Kennedysamongst others. It began to wane in the latter half of the decade, with theNew York hardcore scenedominating the genre. However, it experienced a jumpstart in the late 1980s with emerging bands such asOperation IvyandGreen Daythat would define not just the so-called "East Bay" sound but impact the next decade's punk and alternative sound. Some of which are still around today.

The 1980s proved a difficult time for many 1960s-70s veterans, many of them unable or unwilling to adapt to current trends. Music icons such asBob Dylan,Neil Young,andThe Rolling Stonesreleased albums that were often poor quality and critically panned as they attempted to grapple with the changing times. MTV in particular was a problem for many artists, as it put a premium on youthfulness, good looks, and showmanship. Artists who became strongly associated with disco music also fell from grace and were often banned from radio play.

Contemporary R&B

See also:Contemporary R&B

Janet Jackson

Contemporary R&B originated in the 1980s, when musicians started addingdisco-like beats, high-tech production, and elements ofhip hop,soulandfunktorhythm and blues,making it more danceable and modern.The top mainstreamR&Bartists of 1980s includedMichael Jackson,Whitney Houston,Prince,Jermaine Jackson,James Ingram,The S.O.S. Band,Stevie Wonder,Kool & the Gang,Jeffrey Osborne,Al Jarreau,Carl Carlton,Imagination,Bill Withers,Smokey Robinson,Rick James,Diana Ross,Lionel Richie,James Brown,Earth, Wind & Fire,New Edition,Evelyn King,Patrice Rushen,Lipps Inc.,Chaka Khan,Musical Youth,KC and the Sunshine Band,The Gap Band,The Brothers Johnson,Marvin Gaye,The Jets,George Benson,DeBarge,Midnight Star,Deniece Williams,Cheryl Lynn,Club Nouveau,Val Young,Frankie Smith,Linda Clifford,Grover Washington Jr.,Stephanie Mills,Jody Watley,Rockwell,Rene and Angela,The Whispers,andFreddie Jackson.

In the mid-1980s, many of the recordings by artistsLuther Vandross,Freddie Jackson,Sade,Anita Baker,Teddy Pendergrass,Peabo Brysonand others became widely heard on the newquiet stormradio format.The term had originated with Smokey Robinson's 1975 albumA Quiet Storm.Quiet storm has been described as "R&B's answer tosoft rockandadult contemporary—while it was primarily intended for black audiences, quiet storm had the same understated dynamics, relaxed tempos and rhythms, and romantic sentiment. "

Donna Summer

Tina Turnermade a huge comeback during the mid-1980s, whileDonna Summer,Diana Ross,The Pointer SistersandIrene Carahad success on the pop charts first half of the decade.Whitney Houston,Janet Jackson,andJody Watleyhad it in the second half of the decade.Irene Cara's "Flashdance... What a Feeling"was the number one song worldwide in 1983, and for the decade of the 80s.Richard J. Ripani wrote that Janet Jackson's third studio albumControl(1986) was "important to the development of R&B for several reasons", as she and her producers,Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis,"crafted a new sound that fuses the rhythmic elements of funk and disco, along with heavy doses of synthesizers, percussion, sound effects, and a rap music sensibility."Ripani wrote that "the success ofControlled to the incorporation of stylistic traits of rap over the next few years, and Janet Jackson was to continue to be one of the leaders in that development. "That same year,Teddy Rileybegan producing R&B recordings that included hip hop influences. This combination of R&B style and hip hop rhythms was termednew jack swing,and was applied to artists such asBobby Brown,Keith Sweat,Guy,Today,Wreckx-n-Effect,Big Daddy Kane,Kool Moe Dee,Heavy D & the Boyz, Tammy Lucas, Nayobe, Abstrac, Deja, Starpoint, andBell Biv DeVoe.

Michael Jackson remained a prominent figure in the genre in the late 1980s, following the release of his albumBad(1987) which sold 6 million copies in the US in the 80s, and went on to sell more than 30 million copies worldwide.Janet Jackson's 1989 albumJanet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814continued the development of contemporary R&B into the 1990s, as the album's title track "Rhythm Nation"made" use of elements from across the R&B spectrum, including use of a sample loop, triplet swing, rapped vocal parts and blues notes. "The release ofJanet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814became the only album in history to produce number one hits on theBillboard ChartsHot 100 in three separate calendar years— "Miss You Much"in 1989,"Escapade"and"Black Cat"in 1990, and"Love Will Never Do (Without You)"in 1991—and the only album in the history of the Hot 100 to have seven top 5 hit singles.

Hip hop

Beastie Boysin concert, 1992

Encompassing graffiti art, break dancing, rap music, and fashion, hip-hop became the dominant cultural movement of theAfrican Americancommunities in the 1980s. The Hip hop musical genre had a strong influence on pop music in the late 1980s which continues to the present day.

Afrika Bambaataa

During the 1980s, the hip-hop genre started embracing the creation of rhythm by using the human body, via thevocal percussiontechnique ofbeatbo xing.Pioneers such asAfrica Bambaataa,DJ Kool Herc,Melle Mel,Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five,Whodini,Sugarhill Gang,Doug E. Fresh,Biz Markieand Buffy from theFat Boysmade beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using their mouth, lips, tongue, voice, and other body parts. "Human Beatbox" artists would also sing or imitateturntablismscratching or other instrument sounds.

The 1980s also saw many artists make social statements through hip-hop. In 1982,Melle Meland Duke Bootee recorded "The Message"(officially credited to Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five),a song that foreshadowed the socially conscious statements ofRun-DMC's "It's Like That"andPublic Enemy's "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos".

Popular hip hop artists of the 1980s includeKurtis Blow,Run D.M.C.,Beastie Boys,NWA,LL Cool J,Public Enemy,Eric B. & Rakim,Big Daddy Kane,Boogie Down Productions,Kid N Play,MC Lyte,EPMD,Salt N Pepa,andIce-T,Schooly D,Slick Rick,Kool Moe Dee,Whodini,MC Hammer,among others.

Electronic music

Model 500

In the 1980s,dance musicrecords made using onlyelectronic instrumentsbecame increasingly popular, largely influenced by the electronic music ofKraftwerkand 1970sdisco music.Such music was originally born of and popularized via regionalnightclubscenes in the 1980s and became the predominant type of music played indiscothèquesas well as theravescene.

House musicis a style ofelectronic dance musicwhich originated inChicago,Illinois, in the early 1980s.House music was strongly influenced by elements ofsoul- andfunk-infused varieties ofdisco.Club play from pioneering DJs likeRon HardyandLil Louis,local dance music record shops, and the popular Hot Mix 5 shows on radio stationWBMX-FMhelped popularize house music in Chicago and among visiting DJs & producers fromDetroit.Trax Records and DJ International Records, local labels with wider distribution, helped popularize house music outside of Chicago. It eventually reached Europe before becoming infused in mainstream pop & dance music worldwide during the 1990s.

It has been widely cited that the initial blueprint fortechnowas developed during the mid-1980s in Detroit,Michigan,byJuan Atkins,Kevin Saunderson,Derrick May(the so-called "Belleville Three" ), andEddie Fowlkes,all of whom attended school together atBelleville High,near Detroit.Though initially conceived as party music that was played on daily mixed radio programs and played at parties given by cliquish, Detroit high school clubs, it has grown to be a global phenomenon.

Country music

Kenny Rogers,2004

As the 1980s dawned,pop-influenced country musicwas the dominant style, through such acts asKenny Rogers,Ronnie Milsap,T.G. Sheppard,Eddie Rabbitt,Crystal Gayle,Anne MurrayandDolly Parton.The 1980 movieUrban Cowboy,a romantic comedy starringJohn TravoltaandDebra Winger,spawned a successful soundtrack album featuring pop-styled country songs, including "Lookin' for Love"byJohnny Lee,"The Devil Went Down to Georgia"by theCharlie Daniels Band,"Could I Have This Dance"by Murray and"Love the World Away"by Rogers. The songs, and the movie itself, resulted in an early 1980s boom in pop-style country music, and the era is sometimes known as the" Urban Cowboy Movement ".

Randy Travis

By the mid-1980s, country music audiences were beginning to tire of country-pop. Although some pop-country artists continued to record and release successful songs and albums, the genre, in general, was beginning to suffer. By 1985, aNew York Timesarticle declared country music "dead". However, by this time, several newcomers were working behind the scenes to reverse this perception.

The year 1986 brought forth several new artists who performed in traditional country styles, such as honky-tonk. This sparked the "new traditionalist" movement, or a return to traditional country music. The most successful of these artists includedRandy Travis,Dwight Yoakam,Ricky Van SheltonandHolly Dunn.Also, artists likeKathy MatteaandKeith Whitley,both of whom had been performing for a few years prior, had their first major hits in 1986; Mattea was more folk-styled, while Whitley was pure honky-tonk. But the new traditionalist movement had already taken hold as early as 1981 when newcomers such asRicky SkaggsandGeorge Straithad their first big hits.Reba McEntirehad her first big hit in 1980 followed by 15 other number-one hit singles during the decade. Also, songwriter–guitarist andChet AtkinsprotégéeSteve Warineralso emerged as a popular act starting in the early 1980s. Another boom period for newcomers with new traditionalist styles was in 1989, when artists such asClint Black,Garth Brooks,Mary Chapin Carpenter,Lorrie Morgan,andTravis Tritthad their first big hits. It was Whitley who was seen as being one of the torchbearers of the new traditionalist movement, thanks to his pure honky-tonk style in the vein of Lefty Frizzell and others, and his star power was set to rise into the 1990s; however, Whitley was a known heavy drinker, and it was alcohol poisoning that ended his life in May 1989, just weeks after a song about triumph over personal demons – "I'm No Stranger to the Rain"—became a huge country hit. In keeping with the neotraditionalist movement,Dolly Parton,Linda RonstadtandEmmylou Harristeamed up to release 1987's Platinum-sellingTrioalbum. Composed mostly of traditional songs set to acoustic arrangements, the album won a Grammy in 1988 for best country collaboration.

Reba McEntire

Vocal duos were also popular because of their harmonies, most notablyThe Bellamy BrothersandThe Judds.Several of the Bellamy Brothers' songs included double-entendre' ladenhooks,on songs such as "Do You Love as Good As You Look". The Judds, a mother-and-daughter duo, combined elements of contemporary pop and traditional country music on songs such as "Why Not Me" and "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Ol' Days)".

Dolly Parton

Country music groups and bands continued to rise in popularity during the 1980s. The most successful of the lot wasAlabama,aFort Payne-based band that blended traditional and pop-country sounds withsouthern rock.Their concerts regularly sold out, while their single releases regularly reached No. 1 on theBillboardHot Country Songschart. Their mellow love ballad side would be most prominent in songs like "Feels So Right,""When We Make Love,""There's No Way"and"If I Had You,"while their southern rock influences and Southern pride were most evident on songs like"Tennessee River,""Dixieland Delight"and" Song Of the South. "In 1989, Alabama was named the Artist of the Decade by theAcademy of Country Music.By the end of the 1980s, the group had sold more than 24 million albums in the United States.

Ranking just behind Alabama in popularity, as far as groups were concerned, wereThe Oak Ridge BoysandThe Statler Brothers,both four-part harmony groups with gospel and country-pop stylings. The Oak Ridge Boys found their biggest successes with songs like "Elvira," "Bobbie Sue" and "American Made." The Statlers began the decade with tenor singerLew DeWitt,but health issues forced his retirement, and he'd be succeeded byJimmy Fortune;with Fortune, the Statlers had three No. 1 hits, the biggest of which was "Elizabeth."The popularity of those three groups sparked a boom in new groups and bands, and by the end of the 1980s, fans were listening to such acts asRestless HeartandExile,the latter which previously enjoyed success with the pop hit "Kiss You All Over".

Despite the prevailing pop-country sound, enduring acts from the 1970s and earlier continued to enjoy great success with fans.George Jones,one of the longest-running acts of the time, recorded several successful singles, including the critically acclaimed "He Stopped Loving Her Today".Conway Twittycontinued to have a series of No. 1 hits, with 1986's "Desperado Love" becoming his 40th chart-topper on theBillboardHot Country Singles chart, a record that stood for nearly 20 years. The movieCoal Miner's Daughterprofiled the life ofLoretta Lynn(withSissy Spacekin the lead role), whileWillie Nelsonalso had a series of acting credits.Dolly Partonhad much success in the 1980s, with several leading movie roles, two No. 1 albums and 13 number-one hits, and many successful tours; she also teamed up withEmmylou HarrisandLinda Ronstadtin 1987 for the multi-platinumTrioalbum. Others who had been around for a while and continued to have great success wereEddy Arnold,Johnny Cash,Merle Haggard,Waylon Jennings,Ray Price,Hank Williams Jr.andTammy Wynette.

In 1981,Jim ReevesandPatsy Cline,two artists who died in the 1960s (both in plane crashes), re-emerged in the spotlight when producer Bob Ferguson electronically created the "duet" "Have You Ever Been Lonely (Have You Ever Been Blue)."Neither Reeves nor Cline recorded together during their lifetimes but both recorded some of the same songs, and it was the style of" Have You Ever Been Lonely "that was the most conducive to a duet. The song was a top-5 success on the country chart in early 1982 and even got minor pop airplay.

In addition to newcomer Whitley, topclassic countryand influential performers who died during the decade includedRed Sovine,Whitey Ford,Marty Robbins,Merle Travis,Ernest Tubb,Wynn StewartandTex Williams.Although not directly associated with country music,Roy Orbison,a popular performer with many country music fans and whose styles wound up being influential with many newcomers, died in 1988.

Europe

See also:Music of the United Kingdom (1980s)andNeue Deutsche Welle

Rock

Post-punk

The Police,regarded byRolling Stoneas "possibly the biggest band in the world", November 1983.

Some of the most successfulpost-punkbands at the beginning of the decade, such asSiouxsie and the Bansheesandthe Psychedelic Furs,also continued their success during the 1980s. Members ofBauhausandJoy Divisionexplored new stylistic territory asLove and RocketsandNew Orderrespectively.

The second generation of British post-punk bands that broke through in the early 1980s, includingthe Smiths,the Jesus and Mary Chain,the Cure,the Fall,the Pop Group,the Mekons,Echo and the BunnymenandTeardrop Explodes,tended to move away from dark sonic landscapes.

Even thoughthe Police's first hit song "Roxanne"was written byStingin 1978 (reaching number 12 in the UK Charts that year), the song continued to grow in popularity in the 1980s along with the band. Even though The Police had their roots in post-punk, their eventual success (four consecutive UK number-one studio albums) and mega-stardom came from being able to pack the biggest stadium rock venues such asWembley,theOakland Coliseumand theMaracanãinRio de Janeiro.Aside from U2, they are the only other band with post-punk origins to go on and achieve the kind of global success they did. Ireland'sU2incorporated elements of religious imagery together with political commentary into their often anthemic music, and by the late 1980s had become one of the biggest bands in the world.

Although many post-punk bands continued to record and perform, it declined as a movement in the mid-1980s as acts disbanded or moved off to explore other musical areas, but it has continued to influence the development of rock music and has been seen as a major element in the creation of the alternative rock movement.

New wave music

The arrival ofMTVin 1981 would usher innew wave'smost successful era. British artists, unlike many of their American counterparts, had learned how to use the music video early on.Several British acts signed to independent labels were able to outmarket and outsell American artists that were signed with major labels. Journalists labelled this phenomenon a "Second British Invasion".

In autumn 1982, "I Ran (So Far Away)"byA Flock of Seagullsentered theBillboardTop Ten, arguably the first successful song that owed almost everything to video.They would be followed by bands likeDuran Duranwhose glossy videos would come to symbolize the power of MTV.Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing"gently poked fun at MTV which had helped make them international rock stars.In 1983, 30% of the record sales were from British acts. 18 of the top 40 and 6 of the top 10 singles on July 18 were by British artists. Overall record sales would rise by 10% from 1982.Newsweekmagazine featuredAnnie LennoxandBoy Georgeon the cover of one of its issues whileRolling Stone Magazinewould release anEngland Swingsissue.In April 1984 40 of the top 100 singles were from British acts while 8 of the top 10 singles in a May 1985 survey were of British origin.Veteran music journalistSimon Reynoldstheorized that similar to the first British Invasion the use of black American influences by the British acts helped to spur success.Commentators in the mainstream media creditedMTVand the British acts with bringing colour and energy to back to pop music while rock journalists were generally hostile to the phenomenon because they felt it represented image over content.MTV continued its heavy rotation of videos by new wave-oriented acts until 1987 when it changed to aheavy metaland rock-dominated format.

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  Depeche Mode,1985
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  Controversial dance-pop bandFrankie Goes to Hollywood,1985

New Romantics

Duran Duran,circa 1983

New Romanticismemerged as part of thenew wave musicmovement in London's nightclub including Billy's and TheBlitz Clubtowards the end of the 1970s. Influenced byDavid BowieandRoxy Music,it developedglam rockfashions, gaining its name from the frillyfopshirts of earlyRomanticism.New Romantic music often made extensive use of synthesisers. Pioneers includedVisageandUltravoxand among the commercially most successful acts associated with the movement wereCulture Club,Spandau BalletandDuran Duran.By about 1983, the original movement had dissolved, with surviving acts dropping most of the fashion elements to pursue mainstream careers. Other New Romantic artists includedClassix Nouveaux,A Flock of Seagulls,Gary Numan,Japan,Landscape,Thompson Twins,Soft Cell,ABC,the Teardrop Explodes,YazooandTalk Talk.

Gothic rock

The Cureon stage, 2008

Gothic rockmusic developed out of the post-punk scene in the later 1970s. Notable early gothic rock bands includeBauhaus(whose "Bela Lugosi's Dead"is often cited as the first goth record),Siouxsie and the Banshees,The Cure,The Sisters of Mercy,andFields of the Nephilim.Gothic rock gave rise to a broadergoth subculturethat included clubs,various fashion trendsand numerous publications that grew in popularity in the 1980s, gaining notoriety by being associated by severalmoral panicsover suicide and Satanism.

Heavy metal

Iron Maiden,pioneers of thenew wave of British heavy metal

Ozzy Osbourne

In the early 1980s, thenew wave of British heavy metalbroke into the mainstream, as albums byJudas Priest,Iron Maiden,SaxonandMotörhead,reached the British top 10. In 1981, Motörhead became the first of this new breed of metal bands to top the UK charts withNo Sleep 'til Hammersmith.After a string of UK top 10 albums,Whitesnake's 1987self-titled albumwas their most commercially successful, with hits, "Here I Go Again"and"Is This Love",earning them a nomination for theBrit Awardfor Best British Group.Many metal artists, includingDef Leppard,benefited from the exposure they received onATVand became the inspiration for Americanglam metal.However, as the subgenre fragmented, much of the creative impetus shifted towards America and continental Europe (particularly Germany and Scandinavia), which produced most of the major new subgenres of metal, which were then taken up by British acts. These includedthrash metalanddeath metal,both developed in the UK;black metalandpower metal,both developed in continental Europe, but influenced by the British bandVenom;anddoom,which was developed in the US, but which soon were adopted by many bands from England, includingPagan AltarandWitchfinder General.

Pop

Phil Collinshad three UK number-one singles in the 80s, seven US number-one singles, another withGenesis,and when his work with Genesis, his work with other artists, as well as his solo career is totalled, Collins had more top 40 hits on theBillboardHot 100chart during the 1980s than any other artist.His former Genesis colleague,Peter Gabriel,also had a very successful solo career, which included a US number-one single and three top ten UK hits (including a duet withKate Bush). Genesis guitaristMike Rutherfordalso enjoyed several UK and US hits with his projectMike + The Mechanics,which included a US number-one single.David Bowiesaw much greater commercial success in the 1980s than he had in the previous decade, scoring four UK number-one singles, including"Let's Dance"which proved to be his biggest ever hit. He had a total of ten UK top ten hits during the decade, two in collaboration with other artists.

Boy Georgeand his bandCulture Clubhad great success in both the UK and US charts with major hits like "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me","Time (Clock of the Heart)"and"Karma Chameleon".As well asBoy Georgehaving his own UK number one with his cover ofBread's "Everything I Own",he is considered a major icon of this era. Liverpool bandFrankie Goes to Hollywood's initially controversialdance-popgave them three consecutive UK number ones in 1984, until they faded away in the mid-1980s.Dead or Alive,also from Liverpool, was another popular dance-pop band in the mid-1980s. It was fronted by lead singerPete Burns. Probably the most successful British pop band of the era was the duoWham!with an unusual mix ofdisco,soul,ballads,and evenrap,who had eleven top ten hits in the UK, six of them number ones, between 1982 and 1986.George Michaelreleased his debut solo album,Faithin 1987, and would go on to have seven UK number-one singles. The 1985 concertLive Aidheld at Wembley Stadium would see some of the biggest British artists of the era perform, withQueenwidely regarded as stealing the show.

Bonnie Tylerhad major hits with "Total Eclipse of the Heart"and"Holding Out for a Hero",whileRobert Palmer's had two iconic music videos for "Addicted to Love"and"Simply Irresistible".TheBee Gees1987 single "You Win Again"reached number one, making them the first group to score a UK #1 hit in each of three decades: the 1960s, '70s, and '80s.Other British artists who achieved success in the pop charts in the 80s includedPaul McCartney,Elton John,Culture Club,John Waite,Kim Wilde,The Fixx,Joe Cocker,Rod Stewart,Kate Bush,Billy Idol,Rupert Holmes,Aneka,Mel and Kim,Eddy Grant,Paul Young,Steve Winwood,Elvis Costello,Simple Minds,Billy Ocean,Tears for Fears,UB40,Rick Astley,John Parr,MadnessandSade.

In 1988, Irish singerEnyaachieved a breakthrough in her career with the albumWatermarkwhich sold over eleven million copies worldwide and helped launch Enya's successful career as a leadingnew-age,Celtic,Worldsinger. Dutch bandTambourinereceived some notoriety in The Netherlands and Belgium toward the end of the decade.

• 
  David Bowiesaw commercial success during the early 1980s.
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  Phil Collinshad more top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the 1980s
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  George Michaelwas the most successful British pop artist of the 1980s. His debut solo albumFaith(1987) is one of the best-selling albums of all time, with sales of over 25 million copies.

Synthpop

Main article:Synth-pop

Synthpopemerged fromnew wave,producing a form ofpop musicthat followedelectronic rockpioneers in the 1970s likeKraftwerk,Jean Michel Jarre,andTangerine Dream,in which thesynthesizeris the dominant musical instrument. The sounds of synthesizers came to dominate the pop music of the early 1980s as well as replacing disco in dance clubs in Europe.

Other successful synthpop artists of this era includedPet Shop Boys,Alphaville,Soft Cell,Depeche Mode,New Order,Gary Numan,The Human League,Thomas Dolby,Howard Jones,Yazoo,Art of Noise,Bow Wow Wow,Heaven 17,A Flock of Seagulls,OMD,Japan,Thompson Twins,Visage,Baltimora,Ultravox,Kano,Tears for Fears,Eurythmics,Frankie Goes to Hollywood,Kajagoogoo,a-ha,Telex,Real Life,Erasure,Camouflage,London Boys,Modern Talking,Bananarama,Yellow Magic Orchestra.

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  Pet Shop Boys
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  A-hain concert, 2005

Latin America

Pop

Marco Antonio Solis

Lucia Mendezin 1980, she opened herself to a wider audience of the pop music genre. By way of introduction from Gabriel, Méndez would collaborate withCamilo Sesto,who was also a contributor to the theme song of the production Colorina.

The 1980s gave rise to the teenage groupsExposé,Menudo,Timbiriche,andLos Chicos,as well as emerging teenage stars such asLuis Miguel,Sasha SökolandLucero.By 1988, however, the aforementioned Luis Miguel would transform into an adult superstar at age 18 with the hitLa Incondicional(1989). Not too far behind was former Los Chicos' memberChayanneas he became a leading pop star by the end of the decade, with his 1987 hitFiesta en America.As young stars begin to rise in Latin music, veterans such asJulio Iglesias,José José,Juan Gabriel,andJosé Luis Rodríguez El Pumacontinue their dominance in Latin music. 1985 saw the worldwide breakthrough success of "Conga"byGloria EstefanandMiami Sound Machine.Argentine-Venezuelan singerRicardo Montanerjoins those veterans with his 1988 hitTan Enamorado.After the slow decline ofFania All-Stars,the new romantic genre ofsalsa Romanticawould rise beginning in 1984. Younger salseros such asFrankie Ruiz,Luis Enrique,andEddie Santiagowould take advantage of this new genre rising salsa to new heights.Tejano Musicstarts to give little rise afterMazzcrosses over to Mexico after their albumsUna Noche JuntosandNo Te Olvidarewin Grammys.

In 1989,Juan Luis Guerrascores a majorMerenguehit withOjala que llueva cafe.In the 1980s, the regional music scene in both Mexico and the Mexican-American community in the United States was dominated bygrupera.This style of Mexican music combinescumbia,norteño,and rock music.The lyrics are rooted with romantic themes includingheartbrokensongs. Several notable grupera ensembles includeLos Caminantes,Los Yonic's,Los Bukis,andLos Temerarios.

In 1985Sheena EastonandLuis Miguelwin theGrammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Performancefor "Me Gustas Tal Como Eres".Eugenia León,representing Mexico, wins the14th Annual OTI Festivalwith her song "El Fandango Aquí".in 1986Vikki Carrwins theGrammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American PerformanceforSimplemente Mujer.

Rock

TheRock en Españolmovement began around the 1980s. Until the mid-80s the rock scene of most Spanish American countries was not connected, and it was rare for a rock band to gain acclaim and popularity outside its home country.

Facundo Cabral

Argentina, which had the largest national rock scene and music industry, became the birthplace of several influential rock acts.Soda StereofromBuenos Airesis often acclaimed as the most influential rock band of the 80s alongside the solo careers ofCharly García,Luis Alberto Spinettaand the new starFito PáezfromRosario.Soda Stereo was among the first bands to successfully tour across most of Latin America. Argentina developed also during the 80s a ska rock and punk rock scene. The punk movement, which was pioneered byLos Violadores,led to the rise of theBuenos Aires Hardcorearound 1990.

Los Jaivas

In Chile, which was ruled by amilitary dictatorshipall over the 80s,Nueva canciónprotest songs from the 60s and 70s maintained their popularity despite severe censorship. The progressive/folk-rock bandLos Jaivasmade a Latin American trademark album withAlturas de Macchu Picchu[sic] based onPablo Neruda's homonymous poem. The rock bandLos Prisioneroswere successful in combining the protest song atmosphere of the 80s with newer trends in rock including punk, ska, new wave and techno. In the late 1980s, new bands such asLos TresandLa Leywould start to set the trends for the next decade.

In Brazil, even though the 1960s witnessed the phenomenon ofJovem Guardaand the 1970s saw the appearance of many prolific artists, likeRaul Seixas,and bands likeOs Mutantes,Brazilian rock's explosion began in 1981 with the first expressions of theBrazilian new wave,later renamed theNew Jovem Guardaby the media. The alterations of the English new wave movement, with its surprising variety of styles, arrived in Brazil through groups and personalities such asBlitz,Camisa de Vênus,Barão Vermelho,Kid Abelha,Paralamas do Sucesso,Ritchie,Lulu Santos,Rádio Táxi,Marina Lima,Engenheiros do Hawaii,RPM,Graffiti,Ultraje a Rigor,Legião Urbana,Ira!,Titãs,Capital Inicial,Nenhum de Nós,Biquini Cavadão,Lobão& Os Ronaldos,Léo Jaime,and innumerous others. In January 1985, theRock in Riofestival took place inRio de Janeiro,which brought together over one million people to theCidade do Rockduring the 10 days of the event and is to this day the country's biggest and most influential festival.It represents a milestone infreedom of expression,as in that same year the country saw the end of thedictatorship,and it is also responsible for establishing Brazil as a venue for international artists - as, so far, foreign attractions had been rarities.

Maldita Vecindadin concert

In Mexico, the Rock music scene at the time first saw a heavy lack of opportunity as musical acts could not make a solid living from playing alone. Other key factors were that of economic and political instability. Many consider this decade as thelost decade.The government would not allow racy-themed content on television and airwaves, music festivals were not allowed. The music that dominated Mexico and much of Latin America during this era was mostly teen-flavored acts likeMenudo,Timbiriche,Flansand others.

Rock acts could not land any recording deals because record label executives were much more interested in selling listeners a colourful, hip, and trendy image to the general public ranging from youngsters to middle-aged adults.

Caifanesin 1990

With the strong impact of Argentine andSpanish rock bandsby the mid-1980s, the local Mexican scene would begin to develop acts that would generate an identity of its own. Among these were bands likeSize,El Tri,Maldita Vecindad,Los Amantes de Lola,Kerigma, Neón,Rostros Ocultos,Kenny y los Eléctricos,ManáandCaifanes.This last one is considered by many to be Mexico’s most iconic band of all time.

Salsa

Thesalsa musichad developed in the 1960s and '70s by Puerto Rican andCubanimmigrants to theNew York Cityarea but did not enter into mainstream popularity in Latin America until the late 1980s. The salsa music became together withcumbiathe two most popular dance music but did not penetrate other countries outside the Caribbean as cumbia did.

The 1980s were a time of diversification, as popular salsa evolved into sweet and smoothsalsa romantica,with lyrics dwelling on love and romance, and its more explicit cousin,salsa erotica.Salsa Romantica can be traced back toNoches Calientes,a 1984 album by singerJosé Alberto "El Canario"with producer Louie Ramirez. A wave of romantic singers found a wide audience among Latinos in both New York and Puerto Rico.The 1980s also saw salsa expand to Mexico,Argentina,Peru,Europe and Japan, and diversify into many new styles.

In the 1980s, some performers experimented with combining elements of salsa withhip hop music,while the producer and pianistSergio Georgehelped to revive salsa's commercial success. He created a sound based on prominent trombones and a rootsy, mambo-inspired style. He worked with theJapanese salsabandOrquesta de la Luz,and developed a studio orchestra that includedTito Nieves,Celia Cruz, José Alberto,La India,Tito PuenteandLuis Enrique.The Colombian singer Joe Arroyo first rose to fame in the 1970s but became a renowned exponent ofColombian salsain the 1980s. Arroyo worked for many years with the Colombian arrangerFruko and his band Los Tesos.

Merengue

Merengue musicwould hit its golden years during the 1980s starting in the late 70s with acts such asWilfrido Vargas,Johnny Ventura,andFernando Villalona.Their orchestras would also churn future solo acts such asEddy HerreraandRubby Perez.By the end of the decade, La Coco Band would reinvent merengue with a more comedic style.

Oceania

AC/DCperforming

Australian rock bandINXSachieved international success during the decade with a series of hit recordings, including the albumsListen Like Thieves(1985),Kick(1987), and the singles "Original Sin"(1984),"Need You Tonight"(1987),"Devil Inside"(1988) and"New Sensation"(1987).

Kylie Minogue’s first single, "Locomotion",became a huge hit in Minogue's native Australia, spending seven weeks at number one on the Australian singles chart. The single eventually became the highest-selling Australian single of the decade. Throughout Europe and Asia, the song also performed well on the music charts, reaching number one in Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Israel, Japan, and South Africa.

The Australian rock bandMen at Workachieved break-out success in 1981 and went on to have several hits on the international charts.

Michael Hutchencesinging during anINXSconcert, early 1980s

The Church,Real Life,OpusandMidnight Oilalso had some notable hits on the international charts.

Rick Springfieldwas well known in the early 1980s, and had several hits.

In 1980, New Zealand rock bandSplit Enzreleased their albumTrue Colours,which became an international success. After the band broke up in 1984,Neil Finn,the younger brother of Tim Finn who had become Split Enz's de facto frontman after his departure in 1983, went on to formCrowded Housein New Zealand in 1985. In 1986Crowded Housereleased their successful self-titled debut album, which went to number one in Australia and number three in New Zealand, as well as reaching the top ten in Canada and top 20 in the United States. It spawned the song "Don't Dream It's Over",which hit number one in New Zealand and Canada, number two in the United States, and number eight in Australia, and has since become a pop/rock anthem inAustralasia.Crowded House's follow-up albumTemple of Low Men,released in 1988, did not achieve the same success as their debut but was still popular in the band's homelands of New Zealand and Australia...

The New Zealand bandMi-Sexhad success with its hit single, "Computer Games"

Other regional bands of note wereThe Swingers,Coconut Rough,The Crocodilesand Peking Man.

The Jets,aTongan-American band, had several hits on the international charts in the late 1980s.

Asia

Main articles:J-pop,Indian pop,C-pop,andK-pop

See also:Synthpop,Electro (music),House music,andTechno

In Japan, bands such asShonen Knife,Boredoms,The Star Club,X Japan,Dead EndandThe Stalinbegan in the Japanese rock bands andvisual keiemerged in the 1980s with bands such asX Japan,Buck-TickandD'erlanger.Japanese noise rock emerged in the 1980s with bands such asMelt-Banana,Zeni GevaandGuitar Wolfin the Japanese indies scene.

City pop,an adult-oriented genre with western influences ofdisco,funk,soft rock,andR&Balso became popular with the Japanese tech boom. Popular artists in the genre wereAnriandTatsuro Yamashita.Most songs were about love or living in the city. The genre was barely known outside of Japan. However, city pop has been getting increasingly popular in the West with Internet-bornemicrogenrevaporwave.On May 3, 2019,Light in the Attic,an independent record label, released Pacific Breeze: Japanese City Pop, AOR, and Boogie 1976-1986. It was a compilation album that showcased what city pop is and its style.

Japanese hardcoreemerged with bands such asThe Star ClubandGISMandJapanese idolgroup Onyanko Club began as an Idol group among the teen fans and youth fans.

Besides, Hong Kong saw rapid growth in pop music, both in terms of variety and popularity. Big stars such asLeslie Cheung,Anita Mui,Danny Chan,Alan TamandBeyondwere icons of the decade. The 1980s is still regarded as the most successful period in Hong Kong music history.

Indonesian artistTacohit it big in the early 1980s with the single "Puttin' On the Ritz",an updated version of the classic 1930s song.

See also

• 1970s in music
• 1990s in music
• 1960s in music

Sources

• Rose, Tricia (1994).Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America.Middletown, Connecticut:Wesleyan University Press.ISBN978-0-8195-6275-3.

Further reading

• Hill, Dave (1986).Designer Boys and Material Girls: Manufacturing the 80s Pop Dream.Poole, Eng.: Blandford Press.ISBN0-7137-1857-9