Basics
By Steve Peake, About.com Guide
This is probably the place to start as you begin to explore '80s music on this site. Moving from the essential artists, albums and songs of the decade to year-by-year examinations of the best and most representative music released, these resources offer a solid initial overview of the topic.
'80s Music Essentials
Especially if you're new to '80s music, you may want to begin by examining the cream of the crop: the artists and music widely considered to be the decade's most influential, representative or important. Here's an attempt to summarize the decade's essential musical components.
- '80s Music Introductory Timeline
- Essential Eight Artists of the '80s
- Essential Eight Albums of the '80s
- MTV Profile
- Top Singles of the '80s
'80s Music Year by Year
A way to look at '80s music in a broader, more specific way is to break down the decade's events, albums and songs by year. This gives a much more complete picture of the artists and styles that were particularly popular, significant or simply highly listenable throughout the wide expanse of the decade.