Profiles Index

Profile of Australia's '80s Superstars Men at Work
Here's a look at the brief but concentrated success of Australian bar band and new wave stars Men at Work. The group ruled America in 1982 and 1983 before fading away quietly by 1985. Even so, the band left behind some classic '80s hits and strong album cuts that rank among the decade's strongest pop/rock offerings.

The Cars - Profile of the New Wave Hitmakers
One of new wave's biggest stars, the Cars boasted a sound that encompassed several styles, including pure pop, power pop, classic rock and punk. Above all, the band produced an extremely consistent catalogue of music, resting squarely on the always solid songwriting of frontman Ric Ocasek.

Rick Springfield - Profile of an '80s Mainstream Rock Heartthrob
Just in time for the '80s, longtime musician Rick Springfield emerged as a matinee idol both on daytime TV and on the pop charts. Following a stint as Dr. Noah Drake on the soap opera [i]General Hospital[/i], Aussie Springfield hit it big with his 1981 album, [i]Working Class Dog[/i], which featured his biggest and most well-known hit, "Jessie's Girl." Several worthy tunes followed, most of them merging mainstream rock, sweet pop hooks and romantic balladry.

Journey: A Profile of the Arena Rock Balladeers
Though never a favorite of critics, Bay Area arena rockers Journey rose to a stunning level of popularity in the early 1980s. Centered around the transcendent, romantic vocals of Steve Perry and highly accessible pop songwriting, the band was not only one of the most successful groups of the decade but one of rock's top-selling artists of all time.