This is the kind of stuff I was listening to in the '80s....

SRV, Albert King and Paul Butterfield: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVlsMLOejH0

Dire Straits

Eric Johnson

Willie Nelson

The Beat Farmers

Elmore James

Little Joe Blue

BB King

The Blasters/Dave Alvin

Stones

The Ramones

Sex Pistols

Hendrix

Ry Cooder

Warren Zevon

Albert Collins

Johnny Copeland

Freddie King

The Fabulous Thunderbirds

Los Lobos

Johnny Burnette

Roy Orbison

Reverend Horton Heat (when he was first playing around Deep Ellum)

U2, before Boner went mad.

Charlie Burton

Irma Thomas

Joe Cocker

Buddy Holly

Ella Fitzgerald

Joe Pass

Django & Stephane

James Cotton

Mike Morgan & The Crawl

Buddy & Junior



OK, I admit a few on that list were not still alive in the '80s, but most were!

Hmm… the 1980’s wasn’t an entirely satisfying musical decade, with even some of the greats from the previous two decades managing to turn out utter bollocks.

Amongst the better of the 80’s debutants: The Smiths, Guns N’ Roses, The Stone Roses, New Order – fuck! I’m struggling, now! Err… Kylie Minouge?

Honky Tonk Man wrote on Jun 18^th, 2010 at 1:05pm:

Hmm… the 1980’s wasn’t an entirely satisfying musical decade, with even some of the greats from the previous two decades managing to turn out utter bollocks. Amongst the better of the 80’s debutants: The Smiths, Guns N’ Roses, The Stone Roses, New Order – fuck! I’m struggling, now! Err… Kylie Minouge?

I'll vote for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

How about New Model Army - was that a "'80s music?"  I'll vote for them.

I sure wasn't into the hair bands, glam metal and leftover '70s bullshit like Styx/Foreigner/Journey that seemed so popular in the '80s.

And somehow Kylie Minoge and I managed to elude each other - thank goodness!  

Urgggh
I was watching VH1 80s marathon last week and couldn't decide if the 80s sucked or if I was just miserable....maybe both.
For me,
early 80s: U2, Clash, Prince....(I'm struggling)
mid: Los Lobos, Replacement, early REM...
that's it. I'm sure there may be a few more, but.....
I kind of discovered the SMiths later on, and Sade ..
but at the time, things were kind of blah.
I think part of it is after I got into Stones, reading about all that amazing history, the plastic, over-the-top 80s were a disapointment.
I was the Stanley Booth book in class in 84 and I wanted it be 1969.

Thing with the 80's is that most of what gets identified with the decade is fucking tripe. With the internet one can find good bands that were active in the 80's, but not necessarily anything popular.
My most reviled decade till this past one, however here are some bands worth checking out for people who like Rock'N'Roll (in addition to what's been posted)
The Gun Club, Green On Red, Firehose, The Cramps, Jesus & Mary Chain, The Fall, Meat Puppets, Redd Kross (check out their cover of "citadel"), Husker Du,
Bad Brains, Mudhoney, Spacemen 3, Motorhead, Dinosaur Jr, The Godfathers.

The 80's were rough....but people like Petty and Young were recording, of course. I loved the Smithereens!

In the 80's I was all about the punk, beer and porn

black flag
descendants
circle jerks
minor threat
dead kennedys
DRI
the cramps
the ministry
jane's addiction
butthole surfers
GBH
social d
beastie boys
firehose
metallica

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwuy4hHO3YQ

I would add
The cult
Disneyland After Dark

Iron maiden
The Cult (love Sonic Temple!)
Aussie band Kings of the sun
Mellencamp - saw him twice & he was brilliant

And of course, Samantha Fox

are we just listings band names from the 80's or discussing the music of these bands...?
just wondering...

None of you doens´t seem to know Disneyland After Dark! A danish rock band,still very active

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXIR2AH9zng

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH6yEiKo_PM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqQeX1tBJuA

Pdog wrote on Jun 19^th, 2010 at 6:08am:

are we just listings band names from the 80's or discussing the music of these bands...? just wondering...

yes i am thinking the 80's was the post modernist fall of rock and roll even the dangerous/difficult stuff was somehow knowing or "ïronic" (see e.g. the birthday party) - the 70s were the apotheothis of rock - as iggy pointed out at the hall of fame, it was invented by poor people but the 70's saw the completion of its take over by the money - rock and roll stars  - the stones no less - were the new aristocracy (notwithstanding their dire cash flow problems) - rock kind of died in the 80s - after the iconoclastic black hole of punk - grand master flash was the harbinger of a new revolution

in 1967 jimi was going where no one had gone before  - by 1982 (thats' just a mere 15 years later) prince had him down as just another string to his bow

and so into the  90s nirvana et al. were just recycling teenage angst and marshall feedback - it was ever thus - and by then even if the thrill had not completely gone it was an arch sensation  

stonedinaustralia wrote on Jun 19^th, 2010 at 6:58am:

Pdog wrote on Jun 19th, 2010 at 6:08am: are we just listings band names from the 80's or discussing the music of these bands...? just wondering... yes i am thinking the 80's was the post modernist fall of rock and roll even the dangerous/difficult stuff was somehow knowing or "ïronic" (see e.g. the birthday party) - the 70s were the apotheothis of rock - as iggy pointed out at the hall of fame, it was invented by poor people but the 70's saw the completion of its take over by the money - rock and roll stars  - the stones no less - were the new aristocracy (notwithstanding their dire cash flow problems) - rock kind of died in the 80s - after the iconoclastic black hole of punk - grand master flash was the harbinger of a new revolution in 1967 jimi was going where no one had gone before  - by 1982 (thats' just a mere 15 years later) prince had him down as just another string to his bow and so into the  90s nirvana et al. were just recycling teenage angst and marshall feedback - it was ever thus - and by then even if the thrill had not completely gone it was an arch sensation

very well said!!!

I am currently digging the new DEVO CD...FUN FUN FUN!!!