by Martin Sejas
Some people say that the 80s are like a blur to them, however, given the number of classic songs and bands from this era, it’s an era that is recent enough for most people to remember and reflect back on.
Probably the most famous genre from this era is new wave, which was the descendant from the punk rock of the 70s and incorporated the use of synthesizers. It was essentially a reaction to the music of the late 70s and it eventually became the sound of the 80s. Artists such as the Eurythmics, Culture Club and Duran Duran dominated this genre during this era. Some of the emblematic songs include “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” and “Karma Chameleon” from the Eurythmics and Culture Club respectively.
The 80s also saw the rise of alternative rock to the mainstream. U2 and R.E.M were probably the lead bands of this genre. In addition, the power ballad also became mainstream, which were rock-oriented ballads. Bands such as Chicago, Foreigner and Mr. Mister are just some of the bands that had tremendous success with power ballads. Some of the classic songs of this genre include “Hard To Say I’m Sorry” from Chicago and “I Wanna Know What Love Is” from Foreigner.
Urban pop, or modern Rnb, gained its modern form in the 80s through the emergence of the King of Pop Michael Jackson and the voice of Whitney Houston. Without doubt, Jackson dominated this genre throughout the decade and became one of the most popular entertainers of the 20th century. “Billie Jean” is an absolute classic and is arguably the greatest song of this decade, which continues to be a staple at parties today. On the other hand, Whitney Houston made history by having her first 7 singles reach number 1 in the US and as a result she became a superstar in her own right.
The teen pop movement from the late 90s had its origins in the 80s with the rise of artists such as Debbie Gibson, Tiffany and bands such as New Edition and New Kids On The Block. They were a new concept in the 80s but these artists became pioneers of later teen pop artists. “Lost In Your Eyes” by Debbie Gibson is probably the most famous song from this genre.
The other day one of my friends classified the 80s music as being something in between today’s contemporary music and the music of yesterday. I have to agree and it’s because of this that the 80s and its classic songs are so fondly remembered.
