# Were the 80s a lost decade for music, or am I full of it **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 12, 2016, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716 "2016-03-12T04:23:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/41 "2016-03-12T18:30:42Z")
Also, I think we can add back to the mix bands that began in the 70s but released awesome music in the 80s. Police, Cars, Van Halen, Talking Heads, ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/42 "2016-03-12T18:33:07Z")
R&B had great 80s, too Cameo, Luther Vandros, Anita Baker, Prince ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/43 "2016-03-12T18:35:37Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > The Dead > The Airplane > Creedence Clearwater > Sly and The Family Stone > Steve Miller Band > Moby Grape > Quicksilver > Coutry Joe and The Fish > The Beau Brummels > Sons of Champlin And that’s just one weekend at Winterland! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/44 "2016-03-12T18:43:56Z")
You are full of it. The early-to-mid 80s were the last great era for music, when I could listen to the radio (set to a mainstream station playing current hits) or stay up all night watching [Night Tracks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5HX2eHzQuM) or MTV and be consistently entertained. And yes, part of it was the “holdovers” from the 70s (and 60s!) who were still producing good new music, that fit right in with the new acts. Yeah, they were my teenage years. And yeah, they weren’t the revolutionary creative explosion that the 60s were. But, to me, there’s way more “lost”-ness since the 80s than during them. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/45 "2016-03-12T18:44:13Z")
> [@Joools](#): > > I love alternative rock as much as the next guy, but let’s not overstate its importance. The rise of hip hop in the 1980s was the development of a new genre of music, which has gone on to dominate pop music in subsequent decades. This is basically what I was about to say. I love '90s alt rock and don’t care for hip hop/rap, but it seems obvious today that it’s the latter that has had the far greater impact on popular music. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/46 "2016-03-12T18:56:25Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > This is basically what I was about to say. I love '90s alt rock and don’t care for hip hop/rap, but it seems obvious today that it’s the latter that has had the far greater impact on popular music. Well can you name songs that people sing to themselves that originate from this impact? (I admit that from my place there would have to be a lot of them to convince me that it is more a musical than a cultural force.) ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/47 "2016-03-12T18:57:35Z")
Afrika Bambaata Eric B and Rakim Sade Teddy Pendergrass Kraftwerk Maze featuring Frankie Beverly Patrice Rushen Terrence Trent D’Army Freddie Jackson Garth Brooks George Straight Randy Travis The Judds Reba MacEntire ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/48 "2016-03-12T19:03:06Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Well can you name songs that people sing to themselves that originate from this impact? > > (I admit that from my place there would have to be a lot of them to convince me that it is more a musical than a cultural force.) I’ll start with Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus who all use musical production that is beholden to Hip Hop. Not my cup of tea any of them, but they are about as main stream as you get. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/49 "2016-03-12T19:07:19Z")
I’m in the camp that’s thinks you’re assuredly full of it. The best part of this thread is the number of people who agree with me, then go on to provide a band I hate as a cite. I love it! 🙂 So, to join in, here’s some bands I love from that decade which may or may not convince you of its lost-ness, but they came to prominence during the decade, and probably couldn’t have existed in that state before then: Sonic Youth The Minutemen Jane’s Addiction X Black Flag Big Black\* The Meat Puppets The Cramps The Jesus and Mary Chain The Butthole Surfers Siouxsie and the Banshees The Cure Ministry Iron Maiden Mission of Burma The Fall Really, I could go on all night. \*The 80’s didn’t have innovation? Rap’s already been mentioned, but Industrial music had a revolution in the 80’s. Nothing sounded like Big Black before them, and precious little after can approach them. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/50 "2016-03-12T19:16:19Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > I’m in the camp that’s thinks you’re assuredly full of it. The best part of this thread is the number of people who agree with me, then go on to provide a band I hate as a cite. I love it! 🙂 > > So, to join in, here’s some bands I love from that decade which may or may not convince you of its lost-ness, but they came to prominence during the decade, and probably couldn’t have existed in that state before then: > > Sonic Youth > The Minutemen > Jane’s Addiction > X > Black Flag > Big Black\* > The Meat Puppets > The Cramps > The Jesus and Mary Chain > The Butthole Surfers > Siouxsie and the Banshees > The Cure > Ministry > Iron Maiden > Mission of Burma > The Fall > > Really, I could go on all night. > \*The 80’s didn’t have innovation? Rap’s already been mentioned, but Industrial music had a revolution in the 80’s. Nothing sounded like Big Black before them, and precious little after can approach them. A lovely list, even if I have never understood the appeal of The Jesus and Mary Chain. I can’t believe I forgot to include The Fall or Big Black in anything I posted. I’ll make up for it and include [Beat Happening](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7KNRC8SSAw) instead. Indie Rock today owes most of its culture to them. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/51 "2016-03-12T19:49:53Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Well can you name songs that people sing to themselves that originate from this impact? > > (I admit that from my place there would have to be a lot of them to convince me that it is more a musical than a cultural force.) Also, see this article about a recent study that backs up the importance of hip hop with science! > **[Is rap the most important music since 1960? Scientists say they have proof |...](https://www.cnn.com/2015/05/06/tech/pop-music-study-hip-hop-the-beatles/)** > > Hip-hop is the most important development in pop music in the past half century, according to a scientific study published Wednesday. Of course the study also says the 80s sucked for music…but they were looking at top 40. Top 40 music in the 80s did suck. ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/52 "2016-03-12T20:10:27Z")
I had this discussion last weekend and we drew a ground rule - 1st album must be released in the 80’s, so no Costello, Talking Heads, Pretenders, XTC, Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Bowie etc etc as they released music in the 80’s but are not products of it. (You may disagree with the hair splitting). Here’s my top 5 most influential 80’s artists The Smiths REM The Pixies Public Enemy Madonna (I can do without her music but she was/is huge) Kid Creole and the Coconuts (not kidding - influential in the extreme - that retro/soul 50’s vibe is still ringing out in Adele etc and August Darnell is a master songwriter) So as for the OP - tons of great music in the 80’s! MiM ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/53 "2016-03-12T20:24:10Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > The Replacements were the best thing to come out of it. Not even close. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/54 "2016-03-12T21:00:23Z")
Some artists of the 70s didn’t really get rolling until the early 80s. And some artists already established in the late 70s were very influential as to what came to be an “80s sound.” But, if you want to draw a clear line, that’s cool too ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/55 "2016-03-12T21:03:19Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > This is a lineup of bands just from the \*\*SF Bay area \*\*in the 60s: > > The Dead > The Airplane > Creedence Clearwater > Sly and The Family Stone > Steve Miller Band > Moby Grape > Quicksilver > Coutry Joe and The Fish > The Beau Brummels > Sons of Champlin None of which I care for at all, except maybe Jefferson Airplane and Steve Miller Band. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/56 "2016-03-12T21:22:46Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Guitar soloing was way out of style in the early 80s for a while anyway. Good! MTV came to our city in 1982, a year after it started. Some other video shows already existed and drew attention, but the explosion of MTV was like nothing I’d seen since The Beatles and nothing after has been comparable. MTV was extremely eclectic in the early years, because they had to accept almost anything. (By white artists. But Thriller was only a year away, so that period wasn’t even seen by most of the country.) MTV played tons of New Wave artists, but also had alternative shows, metal shows, and hip hop shows before the 80s ended. The early 80s were almost equivalent to the post-Beatles 60s in terms of the amazing ability of every single band in the world suddenly being capable of turning out at least one song with an instantly unforgettable hook. The line between pop and rock was erased as thoroughly as 60s pop rock had. Melody was in. For a variety of reasons, the lines between genres hardened starting in the 90s. Explicitly hook-laden pop songs were deprecated. The beat and repetitive riffing defined songs. Guitar legends aged. Jam bands emerged as a separate genre. The center did not hold. The 80s are my second favorite decade for music. Cassettes and mix tapes. Nothing’s ever been the same. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/57 "2016-03-12T21:24:16Z")
> [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](#): > > None of which I care for at all, except maybe Jefferson Airplane and Steve Miller Band. “The 50s and 60s are more of a mixed bag. Some legendary artists and albums next to, well, an awful lot of juvenile, amateurish dreck.” I was responding to your specific statement quoted above. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/58 "2016-03-12T21:31:30Z")
Morris Day and the Time. Phill Collins My favourite Ramones album, Animal Boy. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/59 "2016-03-12T21:33:57Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Good! > > MTV came to our city in 1982, a year after it started. Some other video shows already existed and drew attention, but the explosion of MTV was like nothing I’d seen since The Beatles and nothing after has been comparable. > > MTV was extremely eclectic in the early years, because they had to accept almost anything. (By white artists. But Thriller was only a year away, so that period wasn’t even seen by most of the country.) MTV played tons of New Wave artists, but also had alternative shows, metal shows, and hip hop shows before the 80s ended. > > The early 80s were almost equivalent to the post-Beatles 60s in terms of the amazing ability of every single band in the world suddenly being capable of turning out at least one song with an instantly unforgettable hook. The line between pop and rock was erased as thoroughly as 60s pop rock had. Melody was in. > > For a variety of reasons, the lines between genres hardened starting in the 90s. Explicitly hook-laden pop songs were deprecated. The beat and repetitive riffing defined songs. Guitar legends aged. Jam bands emerged as a separate genre. The center did not hold. > > The 80s are my second favorite decade for music. Cassettes and mix tapes. Nothing’s ever been the same. MTV was a rotting pustule on the ass of music. Everybody knew that at the time. Like everybody… It led to the worst music ever. What center are you referring to that didn’t hold? Melody was in? In the toilet. You can’t demonstrate a great era in music by citing a bunch of genres. Art does not follow genrefication. Art does not obey demographics. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716/60 "2016-03-12T21:41:00Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Also, see this article about a recent study that backs up the importance of hip hop with science! > > [http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/06/tech/pop-music-study-hip-hop-the-beatles/](http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/06/tech/pop-music-study-hip-hop-the-beatles/) > > Of course the study also says the 80s sucked for music…but they were looking at top 40. Top 40 music in the 80s did suck. Looks like meaningless click bait to me. It says that "they threw out “musical lore and aesthetic judgment.” It also looks like they were analyzing top 40 data exclusively. If songs influenced the charts it means they were “better” for this survey. But not for a human being. In doing that they admit they couldn’t tell if songs were good or bad or original or not, or anything really. GIGO. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-80s-a-lost-decade-for-music-or-am-i-full-of-it/748716.md?page=4)