While many might think that the term “classic rock” demarcates bands from the late ’60s and early ’70s, it’s important not to forget the stalwarts from the 1980s, too.
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The decade was a crucial time for the genre. Some of the great bands, like the Eagles and Led Zeppelin, were winding down or even breaking up. Other bands were just getting going, redefining the genre. The Beatles were long gone but new sounds like Aerosmith and Heart were at their pinnacle.
[RELATED: Top 7 Classic Rock Songs of the ’70s]
Indeed, there’s a lot that’s classic about rock from the 1980s. So, let’s dive into the bands.
1. Guns N’ Roses
The band with the big, brash, wild sound formed in 1985, right in the middle of the decade, and gave fans two albums that decade, Appetite for Destruction in 1987 and GN’R Lies in 1988. The band was so huge, that frontman Axl Rose’s voice reminds many of the decade—with all of its shrill aerobics.
2. Aerosmith
While the band formed in Boston in 1970, Aerosmith has spanned decades. The rock group fronted by guitarist Joe Perry and singer Steven Tyler released four albums in the ’80s, Rock in a Hard Place in 1982, Done with Mirrors in 1985, Permanent Vacation in 1987, and Pump in 1989. The band is completely classic rock, no matter what decade you want to ascribe to them.
3. Bon Jovi
The New Jersey-born Bon Jovi’s hair doubles as a mascot for the 1980s. The group released its first four albums in the decade, their self-titled debut in 1984, 7800° Fahrenheit in 1985, Slippery When Wet in 1986, and New Jersey in 1988. They may think “You Give Love a Bad Name” or that you are “Livin’ on a Prayer” but they’re the ’80s all the way.
4. Metallica
The iconic heavy metal band is also regularly found on classic rock stations today, from “Enter Sandman” to other famous tracks. But the band also released its first four records in the 1980s, Kill ‘Em All in 1983, Ride the Lightning in 1984, Master of Puppets in 1986, and …And Justice for All in 1988.
5. Mötley Crüe
The group founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, guitarist Mick Mars, and singer Vince Neil just oozes the ’80s. The glam rock band released its first five albums in the decade (a few years later Lee would be known for his relationship with Pamela Anderson). Those first handfuls of records include Too Fast for Love in 1981, Shout at the Devil in 1983, Theatre of Pain in 1985, Girls, Girls, Girls in 1987, and Dr. Feelgood in 1989. The band loved a party.
6. Heart
While the Pacific Northwest sister-led rock band released its first album in 1975, the band released five of its LPs in the ’80s. Those were Bébé le Strange in 1980, Private Audition in 1982, Passionworks in 1983, their self-titled LP in 1985, and Bad Animals in 1987. Heart has spanned several decades and both Ann and Nancy Wilson still rock.
7. The Police
The English rock band fronted by bassist-singer Sting formed in the late ’70s, but put their final three (of five total) albums out in the ’80s: Zenyatta Mondatta in 1980, Ghost in the Machine in 1981, and Synchronicity in 1983. The group has penned a number of hits, from “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” to “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.”
8. U2
Perhaps the most iconic band from the ’80s when considering the decade today, the Irish rock group U2 boasts hit after hit. The group put out a whopping six albums in the ’80s, including Boy in 1980, October in 1981, War in 1983, The Unforgettable Fire in 1984, The Joshua Tree in 1987, and Rattle and Hum from 1988. The band, while still touring, is known for its bold beginnings more than 40 years ago.
Photo by Marc S Canter/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
