3 Classic Rock Frontmen From the 80s Who Can Make You Cry

If you had a photo album for the 1980s rock music scene, you would have quite a series of snapshots. Wild hair, makeup, strange instruments, famous faces, strange get-ups—the entire collection of pictures would be something you’d most assuredly want to show off during family get-togethers during the holidays.

Videos by American Songwriter

Indeed, the decade was eclectic. And amongst the rock scene’s cast of characters, there were those who not only could inspire you, but they could also summon up deep emotion within you. Here, that’s what we wanted to highlight. These are three classic rock frontmen from the 1980s who could bring a tear to your eye.

Prince

Prince was like a painter. And his palate was the range of human emotions. He could get up there on stage, dressed in his purple suit, his hair done big, and he could play a song that would rock your socks off. You’d be dancing and sweating and remembering just why it was being alive was so much fun. Then on a dime, he could turn around and play a song that could slow you down. It could find the soul of your heart. It could stop you in your tracks and bring a solitary tear to your left eye. You’d feel it drop down your cheek as Prince kept playing. That’s his emotive power.

Tom Petty

Tom Petty plays music that everyone can understand. It’s thoughtful and it’s pleasant. It’s sharp and it’s ubiquitous. But in order to do that, he also has to play music that gets at your heartstrings. If you listen closely to Petty, to his lyrics and to the timbre of his voice, you will realize the depth of emotion the singer puts into his work. He’s strong and fun and smiling, but underneath the surface, there is a lot that could break open at any minute. Knowing this, you feel the same way, too. That’s how Petty can bring you in.

Robert Smith

Robert Smith is subversion incarnate. A powerful rocker who can command a crowd of thousands, Smith is also vulnerable, curious, and quiet. His songs, in some ways, purport the oomph of force. But they also show warmth and softness and intimacy. He may sing about boys not being able to cry, but on the inside, he’s weeping right along with us. That’s the magic trick Smith brings to the world of rock music. He is a shapeshifter. And sometimes that means the waterworks are on their way.

Photo by Paul Harris/Getty Images