Profiles Index

Post-Punk - Profile of the Vital, Challenging '80s Music Genre of Post-Punk
In simplest terms, post-punk music is rock music of the late '70s and early '80s that put an innovative spin on the often simplistic punk rock that preceded it. However, artists of this movement generally lean far closer toward the avant garde than the mainstream pop favored in related genres like new wave and even much college rock.

Heartland Rock Profile
Heartland rock has exerted its influence on subsequent decades and certainly drew from previous rock and country styles, but it hit its peak during the '80s as a viable mainstream form.

Synth Pop Profile
As a unique and distinct subgenre of new wave, synth pop was quite a force in mainstream and underground pop music during the first half of the '80s. It helped standardize the use of synthesizers across genres as well, among its several influences on pop music moving forward.

New Wave, the Decade's First Original Genre
No matter how hard we try, decades don't have clean cut-off points between them that usher certain styles into one era or the other. Therefore, much of the music made in the '70s, '60s and even the '50s found itself still kicking in some form or another as the '80s began. Nonetheless, perhaps new wave's blend of punk, power pop, mainstream rock and disco constituted the first fresh genre to emerge in the Reagan Era. Skinny ties and all, this form announced the beginning of something new.

College Rock - Alternative When Alternative Wasn't Commercial
College rock is a blanket term used to refer to early alternative music of the '80s that found its radio home on college stations with an eclectic, independent philosophy. Though much of the music was inspired by punk rock, only a fraction of it sounded much like that aggressive, revolutionary format. College rock stayed comfortably outside the mainstream but still managed to make a significant cultural impact, ultimately giving birth to the modern rock and alternative phenomenon of the '90s.

Hair Metal: Hard Rock Buffed Up to a Glossy Sheen
This hard rock subgenre originated in the '80s and became emblematic of the decade, a hedonistic celebration of partytime USA. Though the music started in the underground, it quickly embraced the mainstream, buffing the grit of heavy metal to a slick sheen.