Get ready to rediscover some incredible music from the New Wave era and beyond! From synth-pop pioneers to hard-hitting rockers, we're diving into the most underappreciated bands of the 1980s. These groups delivered unforgettable hooks and innovative sounds that deserve another listen.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for those groups that made
00:11an impact in the 1980s that we feel deserve a little more love.
00:25Number 10. ABC
00:27Synth-pop was big business back in the 1980s, with Britain's ABC existing in our minds
00:42as one of the genre's unsung heroes. The arrangements here sound bigger than many of ABC's
00:48other contemporaries, lending songs like Be Near Me an impressive amount of orchestral oomph.
00:57Elsewhere, lead vocalist Martin Fry possesses a strong voice, one capable of delivering big,
01:08strong hooks while also containing a proper amount of sensitivity.
01:12The 80s, like any other decade, were full of one-hit wonders, but we feel like ABC's
01:18track record speaks for itself. These guys were a cut above the rest.
01:23Shoot that poison, I wrote through my heart. Shoot that poison, I wrote.
01:30Number 9. A Flock of Seagulls
01:33It's quite unfair that this pioneering English act from the New Wave movement is known more
01:46for its assortment of hairstyles than the quality of its music. After all, the discography of A Flock
01:52of Seagulls is actually quite full of interesting tunes, for those willing to do a little digging.
01:58And I ran, I ran so far away
02:02Oh sure, I Ran So Far Away is a defining tune from the 1980s, but A Flock of Seagulls albums
02:11also retained deep cuts that showcased their musicality. Tunes like Space Age Love Song
02:16and The More You Live, The More You Love demonstrated the excellent synth and guitar interplay within the band's songwriting
02:23and helped further distance A Flock of Seagulls from more fashion-focused acts of the day.
02:37Number 8. The Fix
02:39It's not by accident that this list contains a startling amount of musical talent from the
02:51United Kingdom. There was something of a second British invasion during the 1980s,
02:56as legions of new wave, post-punk, and heavy metal acts emerged from that area to take over
03:01the rest of the world. The fics weren't so easily pigeonholed into a genre, however,
03:06and this both helped and hurt them over the years.
03:18On one hand, they were a solid rock act, notching hit singles such as One Thing Leads to Another.
03:24On the other hand, there wasn't really a gimmick upon which to sell the fics overseas.
03:30The music speaks for itself, essentially, and we feel the band was actually a bit underrated.
03:36They say, say what they mean. One Thing Leads to Another.
03:42Number 7. OMD, a.k.a. Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark.
03:54Now, here was a band whose choice of name definitely helped define their career.
03:59Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark are probably better known by the acronym OMD, but this defiantly
04:06unhip electronic music duo achieved quite a bit of success during their career. That said,
04:12we still feel that there's gold to be mined beyond the obvious OMD hits like If You Leave.
04:18Band members Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys knew how to make bass, synth, percussion, and voice sound big as hell,
04:34boasting hooks large enough to snag a whale. The music of Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark definitely sounds of its time,
04:41but we don't think that's a bad thing whatsoever. In fact, that's exactly why we love them.
04:53Number 6. L.A. Guns
04:55The commercial landscape of 1980s heavy metal, like any musical movement, possessed a myriad of sub-genres.
05:09Not all glam was made equal, to be sure, with L.A. Guns existing within that special little
05:15microcosm known as sleaze metal.
05:17Talk about love.
05:21Talk about love.
05:22This was a rough-and-ready rock band who, alongside another group called Hollywood Rose,
05:29resulted in the formation of superstars Guns N' Roses.
05:32You're good, you're good, me, my name.
05:38L.A. Guns did achieve chart success with the single The Ballad of Jane and put out a lot of music in the 90s,
05:46but we honestly prefer the less polished nature of their 1988 debut.
05:50That record contained rip-roaring jams like No Mercy, Sex Action, and One More Reason.
05:56It was a perfect midway point between dirty looks and big hooks.
06:01Yeah, in the one more rhythm, one more reason to die.
06:09Number 5. Sabotage
06:11We know that the Trans-Siberian Orchestra are a big deal around the holidays, but there's
06:22also a connection to their metallic pedigree that reaches to the 1980s.
06:26We're referring to Sabotage, a group founded by brothers Chris and John Oliva.
06:31The former's generational skills as a guitar talent were tragically cut short by a drunk driver in 1993,
06:46but Sabotage's discography with him remains indispensable for metalheads who appreciate influences from classical music.
06:54The band continued along after both Chris Oliva's death as well as John Oliva's departure from lead vocals,
07:09with guitarist Al Petrelli eventually collaborating with John and composer Paul O'Neill on TSO.
07:15For our money, though, LPs like Gutter Ballet and Hall of the Mountain King are worth their weight in gold.
07:22When the crowds are gone
07:24And I'm all alone
07:28Number 4. Ultravox
07:32It's my life
07:34And I'm driving home again
07:37New Wave never sounded so dramatic.
07:40Ultravox seemed to have studied hard during the how-to-write-a-great-chorus classes while in songwriting school.
07:47How else could one explain the epic grandeur of hits like The Voice, Him, or Dancing With Tears In My Eyes?
07:55Dancing with tears in my eyes
08:02The latter in particular highlights how mid-year's lead vocals take Ultravox to another level as he soars with stately, insistent grandeur.
08:11Ultravox crafted 1980s pop as high art, a melodically satisfying approach with impeccable hooks and note-perfection execution.
08:20The band may have experimented a bit during the 1970s, but it was the 80s where Ultravox's rise to musical prominence was assured.
08:28Look at the sound of the boys
08:35Number 3. The Chameleons UK
08:41Call it shoegaze or maybe post-punk, but there was definitely something special to the sound of the Chameleons UK.
08:56This English group's reverb-soaked journey into atmospheric rock had a bit of a malevolent streak.
09:02Specifically, albums such as Script of the Bridge would go on to influence heavier metal acts such as Francis Alsest, groups that would be inspired by the Chameleons' ability to mope and rock in equal measure.
09:15Songs such as Don't Fall and Up the Down Escalator meld brooding, resonant vocals with edgy guitar licks and this feeling of aggression bubbling just below the surface. It's brilliant stuff.
09:37It's just a trick of the line!
09:39Number 2. The Church
09:43Wish I knew what you were looking for
09:47Some bands just exude an effortless amount of cool. Australia's The Church are definitely one of those bands.
09:55It's difficult to pinpoint anything specific about their sound other than it feels dreamlike and resplendent. They create a gorgeous tapestry of melodies and atmosphere that weave their web in a manner that doesn't quite feel like goth nor traditional rock.
10:11Go, go, go now, it's been set free, another month so you'll be gorging on me.
10:17Instead, The Church takes listeners upon a journey with songs such as their definitive hit, Under the Milky Way.
10:23Truth be told, however, there's a lot to love about their entire discography. The Church is just a great band.
10:30They only make me feel like breathing in unguarded moments.
10:38Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:43Johnny Hates Jazz.
10:45Shattered Dreams is an all-time bop.
10:47I know you've given me, given me
10:50Nothing but Shattered Dreams, Shattered Dreams
10:54Icon, from heavy metal to AOR heaven.
10:58Danger corner, I'm my name.
11:02Danger corner.
11:04Hanoi Rocks, a formidable force and pioneer for glam rock.
11:09Oh, tragedy, like you must have lost in me on the radio.
11:17Black and Blue, hard-hitting 80s metal, a cut above the rest.
11:22So hold on to 80s, I know what I might be.
11:29Danger Danger, anthemic rock with hooks for days.
11:34Hey, hey, you're so cool.
11:38Baby, it's a very good day.
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11:57Number 1. The Colts.
12:00They were a band able to continually reinvent themselves while also never forgetting how to rock.
12:13The Colts started out in full goth mode under the moniker of Southern Death Colts
12:17before the mid-80s saw a shift into full arena rock, Sturm Undrank.
12:22Truth be told, we love it all, including the work the Colts did during the 90s and beyond.
12:35That said, there was just something special about that holy trinity of albums between 1985 and 1989.
12:42Love, Electric, and Sonic Temple.
12:44The latter in particular saw anthems like Firewoman send Colts into the stratosphere.
12:57Frontman Ian Astaberry howls like a man possessed,
13:01while embodying a dichotomous personality stresses shamanism and hedonism in equal measure.
13:07And we're not worthy.
13:15Which 80s band do you feel has the most consistent back catalog?
13:19Let us know in the comments.