Top 10 Alternative Bands of the 1980s

this decade saw bands come out of the

this decade saw bands come out of the underground add electronic elements to

underground add electronic elements to

underground add electronic elements to their sound and paved the way for the

their sound and paved the way for the

their sound and paved the way for the alternative rock explosion of the 1990s

welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re

welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the top ten

counting down our picks for the top ten

counting down our picks for the top ten alternative bands of the 1980s for this

alternative bands of the 1980s for this

alternative bands of the 1980s for this list we chosen influential artists who

list we chosen influential artists who

list we chosen influential artists who helped define the alternative sound and

helped define the alternative sound and

helped define the alternative sound and genre in the 1980s who were commercially

genre in the 1980s who were commercially

genre in the 1980s who were commercially successful and whose music stood the

successful and whose music stood the

successful and whose music stood the test of time this is part of a series of

test of time this is part of a series of

test of time this is part of a series of videos spanning the decades of

videos spanning the decades of

videos spanning the decades of alternative rock music from the 1970s to

alternative rock music from the 1970s to

alternative rock music from the 1970s to the 2000s which includes our lists of

the 2000s which includes our lists of

the 2000s which includes our lists of the top 10 alternative bands of the

the top 10 alternative bands of the

the top 10 alternative bands of the 1980s 1990s and 2000’s as well as the

1980s 1990s and 2000’s as well as the

1980s 1990s and 2000’s as well as the top 10 punk bands and the top 10 grunge

top 10 punk bands and the top 10 grunge

top 10 punk bands and the top 10 grunge bands

thanks to their blend of New Wave pop

thanks to their blend of New Wave pop rock and post-punk these Scots made sure

rock and post-punk these Scots made sure

rock and post-punk these Scots made sure we couldn’t forget about them

after cementing their spot in the New

after cementing their spot in the New Romantic movement in the UK Simple Minds

Romantic movement in the UK Simple Minds

Romantic movement in the UK Simple Minds conquered the American market with their

conquered the American market with their

conquered the American market with their recording for The Breakfast Club movie

recording for The Breakfast Club movie

recording for The Breakfast Club movie soundtracks silly Yours The Breakfast

soundtracks silly Yours The Breakfast

soundtracks silly Yours The Breakfast Club the band has continued to make

Club the band has continued to make

Club the band has continued to make their name in the alternative rock scene

their name in the alternative rock scene

their name in the alternative rock scene and despite lineup changes they’re still

and despite lineup changes they’re still

and despite lineup changes they’re still alive and kicking today

number nine Pixies

number nine Pixies you

without this Boston been grunge as we

without this Boston been grunge as we know it may never have existed where is

know it may never have existed where is

know it may never have existed where is my mind where is my mind where

Kurt Cobain himself admitted that he was

Kurt Cobain himself admitted that he was attempting to imitate the Pixies musical

attempting to imitate the Pixies musical

attempting to imitate the Pixies musical style of radical dynamics with Nirvana

in fact this contrast between quiet and

in fact this contrast between quiet and loud soon became one of alternative

loud soon became one of alternative

loud soon became one of alternative rocks most recognizable features by

rocks most recognizable features by

rocks most recognizable features by combining angry vocals with their indie

combining angry vocals with their indie

combining angry vocals with their indie punk and surf rock influenced sounds

Pixies left such a mark on music they

Pixies left such a mark on music they were prompted to reunite 11 years after

were prompted to reunite 11 years after

were prompted to reunite 11 years after their 1993 breakup

falling on

falling on you know the Grammy Award winning duo

you know the Grammy Award winning duo

you know the Grammy Award winning duo didn’t make a splash with their debut

didn’t make a splash with their debut

didn’t make a splash with their debut album things turned around with their

album things turned around with their

album things turned around with their sophomore effort sweet its title track

sophomore effort sweet its title track

sophomore effort sweet its title track sweet dreams are made of this topped

sweet dreams are made of this topped

sweet dreams are made of this topped multiple charts around the world and

while any Lenox captured critics and

while any Lenox captured critics and fans attention with her strong vocals

fans attention with her strong vocals

fans attention with her strong vocals and bold look adopting a synth based

and bold look adopting a synth based

and bold look adopting a synth based sound but also experimenting with styles

sound but also experimenting with styles

sound but also experimenting with styles and instruments the arrhythmia the

and instruments the arrhythmia the

and instruments the arrhythmia the charts and helped herald the second

charts and helped herald the second

charts and helped herald the second British Invasion

number seven new order new order didn’t

number seven new order new order didn’t let Ian Curtis a suicide stopped them

let Ian Curtis a suicide stopped them

let Ian Curtis a suicide stopped them from becoming one of the most important

from becoming one of the most important

from becoming one of the most important acts of the decade

after The Joy Division frontman took his

after The Joy Division frontman took his own life

own life

own life the band’s remaining members regrouped

the band’s remaining members regrouped

the band’s remaining members regrouped and transformed their sound adding dance

and transformed their sound adding dance

and transformed their sound adding dance and electronic music to their mix of

and electronic music to their mix of

and electronic music to their mix of post-punk New Wave and alternative rock

while critics adored them and fans

while critics adored them and fans couldn’t get enough

couldn’t get enough

couldn’t get enough they also made history after Blue Monday

they also made history after Blue Monday

they also made history after Blue Monday became the best-selling 12-inch single

became the best-selling 12-inch single

became the best-selling 12-inch single ever

ever

ever I feel

number six talking heads one of the

number six talking heads one of the things that made talking heads so great

things that made talking heads so great

things that made talking heads so great is that they were able to hit the

is that they were able to hit the

is that they were able to hit the mainstream while maintaining their

mainstream while maintaining their

mainstream while maintaining their street cred with critics

their brand of New Wave incorporated

their brand of New Wave incorporated elements of punk funk and world music

elements of punk funk and world music

elements of punk funk and world music but still had enough pop sensibility to

but still had enough pop sensibility to

but still had enough pop sensibility to earn them top ten singles including road

earn them top ten singles including road

earn them top ten singles including road to nowhere in the UK

many subsequent alternative rock acts

many subsequent alternative rock acts consider the band a major influence

when you’re talking alt-rock in the

when you’re talking alt-rock in the British indie scene chances are good

British indie scene chances are good

British indie scene chances are good this band will come up

now

now The Smiths moved out from the

The Smiths moved out from the

The Smiths moved out from the underground with their guitar-driven

underground with their guitar-driven

underground with their guitar-driven sound and gave music lovers something

sound and gave music lovers something

sound and gave music lovers something different than the synth-heavy style

different than the synth-heavy style

different than the synth-heavy style dominating the airwaves during the 1980s

I’m at this one

I’m at this one with Morrissey and Johnny Marr at the

with Morrissey and Johnny Marr at the

with Morrissey and Johnny Marr at the core of the band songwriting

core of the band songwriting

core of the band songwriting The Smiths achieved cult status through

The Smiths achieved cult status through

The Smiths achieved cult status through their use of indie pop flavors

some retro rock and post-punk and also

some retro rock and post-punk and also by nabbing for UK top five albums while

by nabbing for UK top five albums while

by nabbing for UK top five albums while on an indie label

it’s the two founding members of Tears

it’s the two founding members of Tears for Fears trace their musical roots to

for Fears trace their musical roots to

for Fears trace their musical roots to the new wave mod revival group graduate

the new wave mod revival group graduate

the new wave mod revival group graduate the new band was assumed to be following

the new band was assumed to be following

the new band was assumed to be following in the former’s footsteps

but it was by adopting a more pop rock

but it was by adopting a more pop rock sound the Tears for Fears really hit it

sound the Tears for Fears really hit it

sound the Tears for Fears really hit it big and topped the UK and US charts

with their number-one sophomore effort

with their number-one sophomore effort and to Billboard Hot 100 number ones

and to Billboard Hot 100 number ones

and to Billboard Hot 100 number ones they also quickly took their place as

they also quickly took their place as

they also quickly took their place as part of the second British invasions

formed in 1980 these guys from Georgia

formed in 1980 these guys from Georgia are considered one of the progenitors of

are considered one of the progenitors of

are considered one of the progenitors of the genre having made a name for

the genre having made a name for

the genre having made a name for themselves with their very first album

with the help of Michael stipes hard to

with the help of Michael stipes hard to decipher singing and Peter bucks

decipher singing and Peter bucks

decipher singing and Peter bucks distinctive guitar style REM had critics

distinctive guitar style REM had critics

distinctive guitar style REM had critics raving early on

college radio also had their backs and

college radio also had their backs and they supported their releases with lots

they supported their releases with lots

they supported their releases with lots of shows until finally breaking through

of shows until finally breaking through

of shows until finally breaking through to the masses with a top ten hit in 1987

though they broke up in 2011 our EMS

though they broke up in 2011 our EMS alt-rock legacy lives on

number two Depeche Mode spearheading the

number two Depeche Mode spearheading the electronic side of alternative rock

electronic side of alternative rock

electronic side of alternative rock Depeche Mode broke onto the music scene

Depeche Mode broke onto the music scene

Depeche Mode broke onto the music scene in 1981 with Speak & Spell despite the

in 1981 with Speak & Spell despite the

in 1981 with Speak & Spell despite the departure of Vince Clarke the group

departure of Vince Clarke the group

departure of Vince Clarke the group bounced back with a darker sound the

bounced back with a darker sound the

bounced back with a darker sound the captivated teens everywhere and helped

captivated teens everywhere and helped

captivated teens everywhere and helped the band infiltrate the mainstream

they’ve since sold over 100 million

they’ve since sold over 100 million albums won multiple Grammys and are

albums won multiple Grammys and are

albums won multiple Grammys and are still going strong with multiple artists

still going strong with multiple artists

still going strong with multiple artists citing them as influences

before we unveil our number one pick

before we unveil our number one pick here are a few honorable mentions

the early 90s wouldn’t be the same

the early 90s wouldn’t be the same without the cure

and that wouldn’t be the case if not for

and that wouldn’t be the case if not for the Brits in comparable musical output

the Brits in comparable musical output

the Brits in comparable musical output during the previous decade

though their early 80s work was often

though their early 80s work was often categorized as gothic rock

pure soon found a home an alternative by

pure soon found a home an alternative by giving their sound a bit of a lighter

giving their sound a bit of a lighter

giving their sound a bit of a lighter more radio-friendly spin this paved the

more radio-friendly spin this paved the

more radio-friendly spin this paved the way from multiple entries on the

way from multiple entries on the

way from multiple entries on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and for the Cure

Billboard Hot 100 chart and for the Cure

Billboard Hot 100 chart and for the Cure to become one of the biggest bands in

to become one of the biggest bands in

to become one of the biggest bands in alt rock

do you agree with our list what’s your

do you agree with our list what’s your favorite alternative rock Act of the

favorite alternative rock Act of the

favorite alternative rock Act of the 1980s

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