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TopPicks Index Top 10 Hard Rock Songs of the '80s
Hard rock during the '80s was a lucrative style of music that brimmed with multitudes of bands representing various genres. Therefore, separating out the best songs from such a large pool of possibility is quite the challenging enterprise. Here's a look at 10 tracks that stand out as would-be, should-be or set-in-stone classics from this fruitful era of hard rock. Top 8 Colorfully Named Artists of the '80s
Here's a look at a number of '80s bands that offered vibrant touches through their music as well as the splashes of color in their names. Top 7 Bob Seger Songs of the '80s
Heartland rocker Bob Seger delivered some of the '80s finest, quietly moving mainstream rock and did so with a greater consistency than almost any of his peers. Despite only three studio albums, his impact on the decade's musical landscape was significant enough to put him on the short list of important rock artists for both the '70s and '80s. Here are a few reasons why. Top 6 Survivor Songs of the '80s
The American melodic power rock band Survivor was always more of a singles act than a producer of consistent albums, but the group's best songs truly capture a moment in time during the early '80s. Stop in here for a look at the group's essential tracks, all celebrations of excessive romantic bombast. Top 9 Genesis Songs of the '80s
Few bands have displayed a capacity for reinvention as dramatic or successful as Genesis, a band that embraced weirdness under the direction of Peter Gabriel but pure pop melodicism when drummer Phil Collins took the helm. Here's a look at some of that band's finest tunes in the latter category, pop confections that house far more musical substance than they're ever given credit for. Top 6 Bangles Songs of the '80s
All-female '80s rockers the Bangles have always been most well-known for music its members contributed the least, but the truth of this fine band's legacy can be gleaned from its highly original '60s-tinged, guitar-based pop sound. Here's a take on some of the band's best performances, if not its biggest hits, all songs that emphasize the group's strengths as a unit thriving on self-produced synergy. Top 8 Phil Collins Songs of the '80s
Pop-oriented Genesis frontman Phil Collins hasn't always received a lot of respect as a rock artist, but his solo work during the '80s provides no shortage of evidence that he released plenty of high-quality music as he made the transition from rock to full-fledged pop throughout the decade. Here are some of his finest tunes from that era, all solid compositions and performances with considerable merit. Top 10 Albums of 1980
Here’s a look at 10 of the finest and most influential albums that made their most notable impact during the calendar year of 1980. Top 10 Most Tragic & Untimely Deaths of '80s Musical Artists Since 1990
Since the end of the '80s nearly two decades ago, many of its musical artists have aged and matured in typical ways, either in or out of the business. Some, of course, dealt with that constant evolution better than others, while another group was silenced by sudden, accidental deaths. Top 10 Most Tragic & Untimely Musician Deaths of the '80s
The '80s witnessed a number of tragic deaths involving both contemporary artists and musicians who had become legendary during previous decades. Though it’s impossible to do justice to the many left off of this list that deserve commemoration, here’s a sampling of some of the decade’s most heartrending premature deaths of pop music artists. Top 7 '80s Artists Known for Accessorizing
At least on the surface, which is often all that matters, the '80s were more about fashion than music, as the images projected by artists sometimes lasted longer than the music they put on record. Here’s a look at some of the most iconic artists of the decade from a style perspective. Accessories always included. Top 9 Violent Femmes Songs of the '80s
Exploring the back catalogue of a band like the Violent Femmes, one of rock music’s all-time cult favorites, is a rewarding enterprise just on its own merit. But when placed against the backdrop of the '80s music landscape, it’s a particularly eye-opening experience. The Violent Femmes’ top songs reflect an always palpable distress about being human and also a restless musical desire for trailblazing and ignoring generic boundaries. Top 10 '80s Makeovers Of Established Artists
In order to find success in the video-friendly '80s, some established artists of the '70s (and in some cases even the '60s) reinvented themselves, with varying results. The best of these evolved without selling out, taking advantage of both the new era and their unique talents. Here's a look at the top 10 '80s makeovers that helped jump-start these artists' second wind. Top 8 Foreigner Songs of the '80s… Plus Lou Gramm Solo
While the meticulous nature of group leader Mick Jones helped limit Foreigner’s '80s output to just three albums, the reinvented '70s arena rock band produced some of the decade’s most memorable and iconic tunes. Unfortunately, the quantity of strong music from Foreigner during the '80s was rather thin, but the quality of the band’s best songs, particularly its textured and moody keyboard-heavy ballads, is quite remarkable. Here’s a look at some choice cuts from Foreigner's '80s run. Top 10 Obscure & Underground Artists of the '80s
As in perhaps every art form, there is always a teeming subculture just beneath the mainstream, usually populated by unruly mavericks unconcerned about the typical trappings of success. This was most certainly the case with underground music of the '80s, a sweeping, varied category that stretched across punk, pop and early hip-hop styles and everywhere in between. Here’s a look at 10 of the most notable of these artists, though it’s inevitably merely a scrape from a colorful surface. Top 10 Van Halen Songs of the '80s
Although Southern California’s hard rock heroes Van Halen made quite a splash in the late '70s when the band debuted, the group certainly built its lasting legacy through its prolific work during the '80s. Even more remarkable is that Van Halen’s plentiful accomplishments within the decade generated great success despite a highly publicized lead vocalist change. Here’s a look at some of the band’s best songs from both the David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar eras. Top 6 Air Supply Songs of the '80s
During the early '80s it was difficult for pop listeners to escape the soft rock ballads of the Australian duo Air Supply, as the pair of Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock racked up seven straight Top 5 pop hits and added one more before petering out by the mid-'80s. Top 10 English Artists of the '80s
The sheer volume of rock and pop music since the Beatles that has originated from the relatively tiny land mass of England qualifies certainly as astounding. Therefore, culling the best English artists from any era of pop music quickly becomes an overwhelming task. As for the '80s specifically, England remained just as fertile as ever in producing popular, interesting and innovative musicians, especially in the burgeoning genre of alternative music. Top 8 Most Memorable Pop/Rock Holiday Songs of the '80s
Any list of songs, best or worst and in between, contains the potential of inspiring polar emotional responses, but perhaps on no topic is this more true than Christmas music. Here's a look at my picks for the most memorable pop/rock holiday tunes of the '80s. Top 10 '80s Music Film & TV Crossover Artists
This phenomenon continues today stronger than ever, but in the '80s perhaps more than ever stars of the screen were just dying for music careers, and vice-versa. Some of their careers did almost expire during the process, but that didn't stop the fireworks in a car-wreck rubberneck sort of way. Step back in time for a look at the best and worst of these curiosities. Top 10 Male-Female Duets of the '80s
One of pop music’s best opportunities to explore its theatrical side reveals itself quite often in duets featuring aptly paired male and female performers. This form has persisted throughout many eras of music but perhaps never belonged more fully than during the '80s. Here’s a look at some of the decade’s finest both-gender pairings. Top 10 Signature '80s Keyboard Riffs
Prior to the '80s, the word "riff" was most often applied to the electric guitar and bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple or AC/DC. The glorious '80s brought the keyboards into a more prominent position than they had probably ever held, as synthesizer parts frequently became dominant instrumental markers in our favorite '80s tunes. Here's a list of the most recognizable and memorable keyboard riffs that allow the listener to make no mistake about what song is on its way. Top 10 Canadian Artists of the '80s
Our neighbor to the north has always produced an impressive array of entertainers, from movies to TV and, of course, music. The '80s were a particularly kind decade to Canadian artists, as the U.S. mainstream rock and pop charts often left plenty of room for them to spread out and get comfortable. Top 10 Hair Metal Ballads of the '80s
While no one would ever argue that hair metal was a genre full of variety, the form did boast a handful of archetypes, the most well-known of which is probably the glorious power ballad. While there are many examples to choose from, it’s impossible to shower any of these tunes exclusively with either praise or disdain. But somehow this mixed bag syndrome does not prevent a substantial amount of pleasure from creeping into the experience of listening to them. Here’s a look at 10 of the best. Top 10 Overwrought Love Songs for the Hopelessly Lovelorn
The '80s were heavily populated with over-the-top love songs, so a list of the most notable ones holds that much more significance for the selectivity involved. These songs allow the listener to wallow so completely in self-involved sorrow that the world outside ceases to exist. 1 | 2
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