Words: Zahra Baz
The eighties; a time of perms, legwarmers and neon clothing but let us not forget the music. From Janet Jackson to U2; it really was a great time for pop and rock music. However, if you’re not sure where to start on your venture into the sounds of the eighties; we’ve got you covered with our top 10 artists that you need to listen to.
Who can deny the cultural impact of Madonna? Influencing millions through her music, clothing and lifestyle, it’s no wonder that she dons the label ‘Queen of Pop’.
Known especially for her versatility in songwriting, production, and presentation, Madonna has exercised artistic control and freedom as she continually pushed boundaries. And it was not in vain, as Madonna’s ‘look’ quickly became a female fashion trend well into the ‘80s.
While setting new records in history, her title track, and single, ‘Like a Virgin’ (1984) did not come without its controversies. Deemed by conservative organisations and moralists as promoting premarital sex and undermining family values, Madonna’s performance at the 1984 MTV Music Video Awards has since been regarded as the most iconic pop performance in history.
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The influence of Prince is staggering and his mark on the music world will forever be remembered. As an advocate for creative power being autonomous to artists Prince is considered to be ‘one of the most hands-on artists’ of all time, which can ultimately be seen in his wide-ranging discography. Writing his own songs, playing instruments, and producing his music gave Prince full control over the direction of his work and has continued to shape the industry today, as these are standards increasingly expected of artists – unlike previously.
His single ‘Little Red Corvette’ signified an era of change as it quickly made its way to the top of the charts. At this time releases by African-American artists received little airplay on MTV, with Prince and his 1982 single encouraging the breaking of barriers and showcasing diversity on an immensely popular music channel.
The infamous 1984 film and soundtrack ‘Purple Rain’ became almost interchangeable with Prince himself, with both pieces of work making Prince the first ever artist to achieve #1’s in top American film, album and single all at once.
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Where to begin with the ‘King of Pop’? The influence and impact Michael Jackson has had, both within and outside of the music industry, is nothing short of monumental.
His sixth album ‘Thriller’ (1982) topped the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks, securing a place in the top 10 of said chart for 80 consecutive weeks. Additionally, 7 songs from this album made their way to the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 – the first album to reach this level of success.
Jackson’s achievements came at a time where the segregation of popular music within the U.S still existed. However, his work challenged this and brought forward an era of multiculturalism and integration that inspired artists to follow.
Breaking records, challenging racial boundaries and bringing attention to causes otherwise deemed taboo at the time, it is clear that the music and creativity of Michael Jackson has shaped the music world.
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When you think ‘80s music, you think Wham!. Although only a duo for 5 years, George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley made their mark as they sold over 28 million records and 15 million singles.
Their debut album ‘Fantastic’ (1983) quickly climbed to Number 1 in the U.K, with many songs within the album achieving Top 10 status. The duo’s rise in popularity became evident, as their second album, ‘Make it Big’ (1984), began to chart within the U.S; with ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ charting at Number 1 in the U.K and U.S.
Wham! became subject to worldwide media coverage as they were the first Western pop act to perform in China in 1985. This has been considered a historic performance, and only came about after a year and a half of discussion between the band’s manager and Chinese officials, as a variety of music was previously forbidden in the country.
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A beloved voice and individual to many, Whitney Houston has long been a household name as her work connected with audiences and set numerous industry records. Before Houston, the Billboard 200 albums chart had yet to see women at the forefront; that is, until the release of her album ‘Whitney’ (1987), with legendary ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)’ as the lead-off track.
While the 80s proved Houston’s dominance within the US, it was simply a precursor to her popularity worldwide. Shock and devastation swept the world as news of her untimely passing came in February 2012. Houston’s crossover appeal has retained influence on several artists, especially female artists, as well as within genres more specifically; this includes, but is not limited to, dance, gospel, pop, and R&B.
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Duran Duran are essentially interchangeable with the 80s. Emerging into the New Romantic scene, the group utilised the rise of the video age; their look and sound helping to define pop music at the time.
While their debut single ‘Planet Earth’ did well on the U.K charts, it was the accompanying video that aided the success of their 1981 single ‘Girls on Film’ as it peaked at Number 5 on the U.K Singles Chart. The aim was to create a sensational and erotic music video that would cause audiences to talk about it – and it worked; the heavy airplay on MTV in 1983 allowed the song to rise in popularity in the U.S.
Global success ensued as their carefully crafted music videos continued to maintain substantial screen time on MTV. Alongside this, Princess Diana declared them her favourite band – encouraging only further popularity.
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Charting from their very first single and touring with the Specials and the Selector before even recording their debut album, the highs and lows of Madness are an essential part of 80s music.
With earlier albums, such as ‘One Step Beyond’ and ‘Absolutely’, sticking closely to the ska genre, the release of their 1983 album ‘7’ showcased more of a pop sound. While this was somewhat expected, it was suggested that the sound of the group would be constantly changing with the times, and Madness continued to stick with the pop sound in later albums.
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Another successful group of the New Romantic era, Spandau Ballet are known for changing the London club music scene.
It was rumoured that their first single, ‘To Cut A Long Story Short’ was released only ten days after recording, before it quickly made its way into the Top 5. Success on this scale continued, as their first full length album, ‘Journeys To Glory’, became certified Gold in the U.K – peaking at Number 5 on the charts.
The groups third studio album ‘True’ (1983) showcased a newer sound for the members as they moved away from their electronic influences to a more soulful pop sound, popularising pop dance scores in the process. This did not go in vain either, as their single ‘True’ exercised global success by topping the charts in the U.K, Ireland and Canada.
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Despite his debut in the music scene being in the early ‘60s, David Bowie’s decades-spanning artistry was just as evident and influential in the 80s.
Bowie’s ability to remain relevant in the music scene was in part to his ever-changing image. Through the use of personas and storylines, Bowie’s ability to effortlessly incorporate theatricality to rock music has long been admired.
The 1983 release of his 15th album, ‘Let’s Dance’ saw Bowie achieve, perhaps, the peak of his popularity as the album achieved platinum status in the U.K and U.S; its title track achieving Number 1 and its three singles becoming Top 20 hits, again in the U.K and U.S.
As Bowie stayed true to himself through his creative and innovative work, there is no doubt that his name remains legendary nearly half a century since his first musical release.
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What other way to sum up the 80s music scene without a bit of rickrolling? Before his days as a viral internet meme, Rick Astley was quick to achieve success on the charts.
His second single ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ (1987) became the year’s highest selling single as it spent five weeks at the top of the charts in the U.K. Most notably, for such a new artist on the scene, the single also topped the charts in 24 countries achieving a high level of global success and set the precedent for the rest of his career.
Known especially for the deepness and richness of his voice, the contrast with his dance-pop sound made for immense popularity. For Astley, the end of the 80s ended on a bittersweet note. After completing his first world tour, consisting of 15 countries, he moved away from the dance-pop scene to instead focus on alternative genres and change his image.
WE RECOMMEND LISTENING TO:
Now you’re pretty much set to start the best eighties playlist! Happy listening!
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