1980s Artists A–Z

The Radio1980 artist directory covers 219 bands and solo artists of the 1980s — new wave, synth-pop, post-punk, goth, hair metal and more — with albums, essential songs and upcoming concerts where they are still touring.

Artist profiles

• A Certain Ratio — Post-Punk, New Wave
• A Flock of Seagulls — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• a-ha — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• ABC — New Wave, Synth-Pop, Pop
• AC/DC — Rock, Heavy Metal
• Adam and the Ants — New Romantic, New Wave, Punk / Hardcore
• The Adventures — New Wave, Synth-Pop
• Air Supply — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• The Alarm — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Alphaville — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• Another Sunny Day — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Art of Noise — Synth-Pop, Electro / EBM, New Wave
• Aslan — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Asphalt Jungle — Post-Punk, New Wave
• The B-52's — New Wave, Pop
• Bananarama — Pop, New Wave, Disco / Hi-NRG
• The Bangles — Pop, New Wave
• Bauhaus — Gothic Rock, Post-Punk
• Beastie Boys — Hip-Hop, Punk / Hardcore, Rock
• Belinda Carlisle — Pop, New Wave, Rock
• Bérurier Noir — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Big Country — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Billy Idol — Rock, New Wave, Punk / Hardcore
• Black Flag — Punk / Hardcore
• Blondie — New Wave, Pop, Disco / Hi-NRG
• The Bluebells — New Wave, Pop
• Bon Jovi — Hair Metal, Pop
• Bonnie Tyler — Rock, Pop
• The Boomtown Rats — New Wave, Post-Punk
• Bronski Beat — Synth-Pop, Disco / Hi-NRG, Pop
• Bruce Springsteen — Rock, Pop
• Bryan Adams — Rock, Pop
• Buzzcocks — Punk / Hardcore, Post-Punk
• Camera Silens — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Camouflage — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• Camper Van Beethoven — Post-Punk, New Wave
• The Cars — New Wave, Synth-Pop
• The Chameleons — Post-Punk, New Wave
• The Church — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Clan of Xymox — Gothic Rock, Post-Punk, Synth-Pop
• Clannad — New Wave, Synth-Pop
• The Clash — Punk / Hardcore, New Wave
• Close Lobsters — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Cocteau Twins — Post-Punk
• The Communards — Synth-Pop, Disco / Hi-NRG, Pop
• Crowded House — New Wave, Synth-Pop
• The Cure — Gothic Rock, Post-Punk, New Wave
• Cyndi Lauper — Pop, New Wave
• The Damned — Punk / Hardcore, Gothic Rock, Post-Punk
• Daryl Hall & John Oates — Soul / R&B, Pop, Rock
• Dead Kennedys — Punk / Hardcore
• Dead or Alive — Disco / Hi-NRG, Synth-Pop
• Def Leppard — Hair Metal
• Depeche Mode — Synth-Pop, New Wave, Electro / EBM
• Desireless — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft — Electro / EBM, Punk / Hardcore
• Devo — New Wave, Synth-Pop, Punk / Hardcore
• Dexys Midnight Runners — Ska / Reggae, Soul / R&B, New Wave
• Dinosaur Jr. — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Dire Straits — Rock, Pop
• Divinyls — New Wave, Post-Punk
• Dogs — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Donna Summer — Disco / Hi-NRG, Pop, Electro / EBM
• The Dream Syndicate — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Duran Duran — New Romantic, New Wave, Synth-Pop
• The Durutti Column — Post-Punk
• Echo & the Bunnymen — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Elton John — Pop, Rock
• Enya — Pop
• Erasure — Synth-Pop, Pop
• Etienne Daho — Synth-Pop, New Wave, Pop
• Europe — Hair Metal, Rock
• Eurythmics — Synth-Pop, New Wave, Pop
• Falco — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• The Feelies — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Fine Young Cannibals — Pop, New Wave, Soul / R&B
• The Fleshtones — Punk / Hardcore, New Wave
• Foreigner — Rock, Pop
• Frankie Goes to Hollywood — Synth-Pop, New Wave, Pop
• Front 242 — Electro / EBM, Synth-Pop
• Front Line Assembly — Electro / EBM, Post-Punk
• Gang of Four — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Gary Numan — Synth-Pop, Electro / EBM, New Wave
• Genesis — Rock, Pop, New Wave
• George Michael — Pop, Disco / Hi-NRG
• The Go-Go's — Pop, New Wave, Punk / Hardcore
• Green on Red — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Guadalcanal Diary — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Guns N' Roses — Hair Metal
• Happy Mondays — Rock, Post-Punk
• Heaven 17 — Synth-Pop, New Wave, Electro / EBM
• Horslips — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Howard Jones — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• The Human League — Synth-Pop, New Wave, Electro / EBM
• Icehouse — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• Indochine — New Wave, Synth-Pop
• Information Society — Synth-Pop, Electro / EBM, New Wave
• INXS — New Wave, Pop
• Iron Maiden — Heavy Metal, Rock
• The Jam — Punk / Hardcore, New Wave
• Janet Jackson — Soul / R&B, Pop, Disco / Hi-NRG
• Japan — New Wave, Synth-Pop
• Jeanne Mas — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• The Jesus and Mary Chain — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Joan Jett and the Blackhearts — Rock, Punk / Hardcore, New Wave
• Journey — Rock, Pop
• Joy Division — Post-Punk
• Judas Priest — Heavy Metal, Rock
• Kate Bush — Pop, New Wave
• Killing Joke — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Kim Wilde — New Wave, Pop, Synth-Pop
• Kraftwerk — Electro / EBM, Synth-Pop
• Kylie Minogue — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• La Souris Déglinguée — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Les Garçons Bouchers — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Les Rita Mitsouko — New Wave, Post-Punk
• Les Wampas — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Level 42 — Soul / R&B, Pop, New Wave
• Lionel Richie — Soul / R&B, Pop
• Litfiba — Post-Punk, New Wave, Gothic Rock
• Lloyd Cole and the Commotions — Post-Punk, New Wave
• The Loft — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Ludwig von 88 — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Madness — Ska / Reggae, New Wave, Pop
• Madonna — Pop, Disco / Hi-NRG, New Wave
• Marquis de Sade — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Meat Puppets — Punk / Hardcore, Post-Punk
• Men at Work — New Wave, Synth-Pop
• Men Without Hats — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• Métal Urbain — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Metallica — Heavy Metal, Rock
• Michael Jackson — Pop, Disco / Hi-NRG
• Microdisney — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Midnight Oil — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Minor Threat — Punk / Hardcore
• The Mission — Gothic Rock, Post-Punk
• Morrissey — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Mötley Crüe — Hair Metal
• Moving Hearts — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Mylène Farmer — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• Nena — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• New Order — Synth-Pop, Post-Punk, Electro / EBM
• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds — Post-Punk, Gothic Rock
• Nik Kershaw — Synth-Pop, Pop, New Wave
• Nirvana — Punk / Hardcore, Post-Punk
• Nitzer Ebb — Electro / EBM, Post-Punk
• Oberkampf — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark — Synth-Pop, New Wave, Electro / EBM
• OTH — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Parabellum — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Partenaire Particulier — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• The Pastels — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Pat Benatar — Rock, Pop, New Wave
• Paul Young — Pop, Soul / R&B, New Wave
• Pet Shop Boys — Synth-Pop, Disco / Hi-NRG, Electro / EBM
• Peter Gabriel — Rock, New Wave
• Phil Collins — Pop, Rock, Soul / R&B
• Pixies — Post-Punk, New Wave
• The Pogues — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Poison — Hair Metal
• The Police — New Wave, Rock, Post-Punk
• Prefab Sprout — Pop, New Wave
• Pretenders — New Wave, Rock, Post-Punk
• Primal Scream — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Prince — Pop, Synth-Pop, Disco / Hi-NRG
• The Psychedelic Furs — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Public Enemy — Hip-Hop, Electro / EBM
• Public Image Ltd — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Queen — Rock, Pop
• R.E.M. — Post-Punk
• The Railway Children — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Ramones — Punk / Hardcore
• Rick Astley — Pop, Disco / Hi-NRG, Soul / R&B
• Run-D.M.C. — Hip-Hop, Rock
• Sade — Soul / R&B, Pop
• Scorpions — Heavy Metal, Rock
• Serge Gainsbourg — Pop, Disco / Hi-NRG
• Sex Pistols — Punk / Hardcore
• Shop Assistants — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Simple Minds — New Wave, Synth-Pop, Post-Punk
• Simply Red — Soul / R&B, Pop
• Siouxsie and the Banshees — Gothic Rock, Post-Punk, New Wave
• The Sisters of Mercy — Gothic Rock, Post-Punk
• The Smiths — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Soft Cell — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• Spandau Ballet — New Romantic, Pop, Synth-Pop
• Starshooter — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Stiff Little Fingers — Punk / Hardcore
• Stinky Toys — Post-Punk, New Wave
• The Stranglers — Punk / Hardcore, New Wave, Post-Punk
• The Style Council — New Wave, Synth-Pop
• Talk Talk — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• Talking Heads — New Wave, Post-Punk
• Taxi Girl — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Tears for Fears — Synth-Pop, New Wave, Pop
• Téléphone — Post-Punk, New Wave
• That Petrol Emotion — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Thin Lizzy — Rock, Heavy Metal
• Thompson Twins — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• Throwing Muses — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Tina Turner — Rock, Soul / R&B, Pop
• Toto — Rock, Pop, Soul / R&B
• U2 — Post-Punk, New Wave
• UB40 — Ska / Reggae, Pop, New Wave
• Ultravox — Synth-Pop, New Romantic, New Wave
• The Undertones — Punk / Hardcore, New Wave
• Van Halen — Hair Metal, Rock
• The Vaselines — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Violent Femmes — Post-Punk, New Wave
• The Virgin Prunes — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Visage — Synth-Pop, New Wave
• The Wedding Present — Post-Punk, New Wave
• Whitesnake — Hair Metal, Rock
• Whitney Houston — Pop
• Wire — Post-Punk, New Wave
• The Woodentops — Post-Punk, New Wave
• X — Punk / Hardcore, Post-Punk
• Yazoo — Synth-Pop, Electro / EBM
• ZZ Top — Rock, Hair Metal