4 Hyped Rock Bands From the 80s That Didn’t Last

These 80s rock bands were pretty hyped up back in the day. Sadly, they didn’t last (or get quite as big) as some fans thought they would. Let’s take a look at a few fallen soldiers from the 80s, shall we? You will probably recognize at least a few of these rock bands if you’re a fan of glam rock or metal.

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1. Autograph

This is probably one of the most recognizable and super hyped bands of the 80s. This glam metal outfit made it big in 1984 with the release of “Turn Up The Radio” from their album Sign In Please. It really seemed like they were going to be the next big thing. 

Sadly, the band’s follow-up single “Send Her To Me” didn’t chart well on mainstream rock charts, and their second album That’s The Stuff only had one minor hit single with “Blondes In Black Cars”. They would eventually break up in 1989.

2. The Outfield

This one’s a bit of a deep cut… unless you’re a diehard pop-rock fan. The Outfield was one of the most hyped rock bands of the 80s. Their album Play Deep launched four different singles that charted well, and the whole of that album hit no. 9 on the Billboard 200 chart. Tony Lewis had quite the voice, so it seemed like they would gain at least a cult following throughout the 1980s.

Unfortunately for The Outfield, their follow-up singles and albums didn’t live up to the hype. The Outfield went on hiatus for much of the 1990s, and they would call it quits for good in 2014.

3. Badlands

Badlands really should have blown up more than they did. A supergroup of sorts made up of members of Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, KISS, and Surgical Steel, Badlands had a bluesy metal vibe that stood out in a sea of rock bands in the 80s. 

Their self-titled debut album came out in 1989 and produced one hit with “Dreams In The Dark”, which peaked at no. 38 on the Mainstream Rock chart. They released three albums in total, but they didn’t get quite as big as fans hoped they would.

4. The Firm

Another supergroup on this list is The Firm, a band that Jimmy Page (of Led Zeppelin) was part of. With his name on the bill, along with Bad Company’s Paul Rodgers, they were easily one of the most hyped rock bands of the 80s. 

The Firm’s debut album delivered a few singles that were radio hits, but their second album was a mixed-bag commercial flop. After that second release, they split up and likely will never get back together again.

Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images

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