Profiles Index

Lionel Richie - Profile of the Smooth '80s Hitmaker
In his heyday of the early and mid-'80s, Lionel Richie was one of the biggest pop stars in the world, trading in a funk/R&B past as founding member of the Commodores for a slick, ballad-heavy sound that showcased his smooth, melodic approach as a songwriter. While not all of Richie's work has stood the test of time very gracefully, his best songs are undeniably catchy snapshots of the era's best soft rock/adult contemporary pop.

R.E.M. - Profile of the College Rock Pioneers
Almost singularly responsible for the rise of the college rock scene in the '80s, this band of indie rock heroes from Athens, Georgia took the punk D.I.Y. aesthetic and forged a long, productive career creating a distinctive, jangly folk-rock sound. The band took nearly a decade to achieve superstar status, but in that time R.E.M blazed a trail for the explosion of alternative and modern rock that was to take place during the '90s.

U2 - Profile of the '80s College Rock Superstars
Before becoming one of the world's most popular and acclaimed bands, Irish superstars U2 emerged on the early-'80s college rock scene as a workmanlike, passionate quartet bent on taking post-punk to greater heights and accessibility than the music industry had imagined possible. As one of the few bands that broke through in the '80s to continue unfettered through a quarter-century of changing musical landscape, U2 remains a phenomenon on many levels but still a proud product of the decade.

Bob Seger - '80s Heartland Singer-Songwriter
Here's a look at the career of one of the decade's most successful singer-songwriters, an artist who found pop success in the suddenly popular heartland rock genre after years of heavy touring.

Talking Heads - Profile of New York Punk/New Wave Innovators Talking Heads
Despite a tailing-off period toward the latter part of the decade, New York City's Talking Heads were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed rock bands of the '80s. As part of the seminal '70s New York punk scene and then as one of the leading lights of new wave, the group scored pop hits even while taking the path less traveled according to David Byrne's singular plan.

REO Speedwagon - Profile of Arena Rock & Power Ballad Masters REO Speedwagon
Though a hard-working arena rock band throughout the '70s, REO Speedwagon didn't catch fire commercially until frontman Kevin Cronin began to guide the band into a more pop-oriented direction. With the help of one of the biggest-selling albums of the decade, the group became '80s superstars across the spectrum of mainstream rock and pop music.

.38 Special Profile - Southern Rockers Turned Arena Rock Hitmakers
Originally a hard-driving, somewhat generic Southern rock band, .38 Special transformed itself into a highly tuneful pop/rock band with a winning formula that earned the group significant chart success in the '80s. Though some questioned the band's change in direction, there's no question the band produced some of the decade's most listenable and well-crafted mainstream/arena rock.

Profile of Versatile Rock Superstar Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen is an artist who can't be easily tied to a single era, having released popular and critically acclaimed records for almost four decades now. What's more, his stamina-challenging, sold-out concerts have been almost as consistent. Even so, he was one of the most vibrant artists of the '80s and defined the period to some extent regardless of trends.

Rod Stewart - Profile of Rocker Turned Pop Stylist Rod Stewart
One of pop music's most successful solo artists of all time, Rod Stewart is nearing 50 years in the music business. His '80s period may not have been his most critically acclaimed, but Stewart's ability to adapt and excel kept him squarely on the music map through a variety of pop music forays.

Profile of '80s Parody Metal Band Spinal Tap
Here's a look at the career (both real and imagined) of one of England's loudest parody metal bands. The music of Spinal Tap - the creation on celluloid and on record of Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer and Rob Reiner - was a hilarious send-up but also an endearing tribute to the excessive nature of early-'80s hard rock.