2023 Rock & Roll HOF screechfest

Seems like U2 is for sure an answer if you're talking about the entire decade. Michael Jackson, too. Did Van Halen have an album in the late '80s?

 

If there was a top 10 bands that "owned" the '80s ...

— GnR (only 2 albums in the '80s, first one in '87)
— U2 (of course)
— Def Leppard (decent short run)
— Van Halen (died the day Diamond Dave left)
— The Police (yes)
— The Cure (yes)
-- Duran Duran (constant stream of hits)
-- Depeche Mode (without a doubt)
-- REM (I'd put them in there)
-- INXS (definitely)

I'll think of more to expand the list.

 

Hall and Oates is top 10 owners of the '80s.

 

Listen Like Thieves came out in 1985 and charted in the U.S. with "What You Need" hitting No. 5.

They wrote this kickass song for "The Lost Boys," a still hugely popular film, in 1987.

Kick was an absolutely enormous album.

Saw them at the The New Haven Coliseum on that Kick tour in 1988. They were awesome.

They formed in 1977, and while they didn't find success in the States till "Listen Like Thieves" in 1985, they were every bit as relevant as fucking Duran Duran lol.

 

'82:

Also '82:

INXS was/were fucking enormous.

 

Don't Change might be my favorite song of theirs.

 

Was about to post the same thing. Great tune.

 

I saw INXS live for the first time in '83. They were part of a nine band lineup at a festival. They were billed eighth.

Really good band. I saw them three more times after that and they were great live.

But let's not get silly here.

 

'87. When this one comes on the First Wave in the car ...

 

They're definitely miles behind the phenomenally historic Motley Crue.

 

I know INXS made albums throughout the 1980s. I also know they didn't chart in this country until late in the decade. Big in Australia, tho.

 

God, The One Thing, I'd forgotten what a great song that is